Cave announces Deathsmiles as next Steam release!

[Shepardus]

I'm kind of surprised since Deathsmiles has already had a localized international release (and I was looking forward to trying out Ketsuipachi or SDOJ...). Not complaining, though, as Deathsmiles was bound to happen eventually given its relative success. I've already played Deathsmiles and MBL in MAME already, but 1.1 is new to me so I look forward to trying that out; I'll probably pick up the game for that and to properly pay CAVE for one of the games that got me back into shmups. Getting the 1cc in Deathsmiles and experimenting with basic scoring was a lot of fun to me, though high-level scoring gets pretty ugly so I never really got into that.

For this release I'm hoping CAVE gets the slowdown right and consistent across different modes, since it would suck to feel like you're forced to play one mode (the lower-res one, at that) over the other in order to get accurate slowdown. Any unique extras would be great but I'd be fine without that too.

[Satan]

So Cave's third and fourth releases on Steam will be Mushihimesama Futari and Deathsmiles 2...

[NeoStrayCat]

So Cave's third and fourth releases on Steam will be Mushihimesama Futari and Deathsmiles 2...

Would be a nice possibility, sequel wise....Especially DS2, which has yet to be in English however. Futari already had one in the mobile port.

[Xyga]

I can picture one of the DDP's coming third, for the sake of variety and because it would be too soon for another serving of Mushi or DS.

[Chaos Phoenixma]

The 1.1 modes aren't really that great. The main thing about it is that it's a twin stick mode with the familiar being controlled by the right stick and the character being controlled with the left(or with the d-pad if you prefer that). There's some changes in the mechanics (I think the character balance in the 1.1s are based on MBL's stuff, so Windia is stronger and Rosa is weaker than in vanilla IIRC as well as things involving the counters)


Full Voice wouldn't really be worth getting the game for again. The game would need to have accurate slowdown for both Arcade(which is already there) and MBL(which isn't there in either Arcade or 360 Mode since some of more slowdown in first stages and other has more slowdown in Ex Stages). A new arrange mode could be interesting too, but I doubt that would happen, and I don't really play the Arrange modes that much anyway.

[monouchi]

MBL included is very nice.
Include Tiara and the game will get special.

[iconoclast]

If you could ask them if they'd make it a Deathsmiles collection where it also had DS2 with a new tweaked gameplay mode, that would be interesting. They might not like the idea of bundling sequels I guess.

What would you tweak about Deathsmiles II? I'd say its mechanics are pretty much perfect. For Casper, at least. Not sure about Windia or Supe since I never learned to play them. All that game really needed was a long EX stage since it's pretty short.

They changed the mechanics and added a bunch of stuff to the 360's X-Mode btw. I don't like it as much as arcade mode because of the changes they made, but it's still a great game.

[Shepardus]

Some people have masochistic tendencies.

Agreed, denying oneself a game as a protest against software restrictions that in all likelihood aren't going to affect one's enjoyment of said game does sound somewhat masochistic. But I guess playing shmups gets people used to a bit of pain once in a while.

[Bananamatic]

Anyway, it is literally the first time I've seen so many people hate on Deathsmiles I'm personally quite happy with the outcome. The only thing that could make be happier would be something not emulated yet, i.e., Akai Katana or DDP Saidaioujou. And I'm still puzzled why Cave doesn't go that direction.

because new cave emulation is still shit

[Xyga]

first time I've seen so many people hate on Deathsmiles

It's not hated, just definitely not up there in terms of popularity and respect with the 'purest' of Cave bullet-hells, like DOJ or Ketsui.

Also it's hard to be horizontal and loved when you're a bullet hell game.

[brentsg]

Japan stealing my thunder with their early timezones xD. In any case, the next PC port is indeed the gothic horror shooter Deathsmiles!

It includes MBL and we expect it Spring 2016.

I understand that it's already widely available on X360, so we've been discussing a few ideas to make the PC port a little bit more special and unique compared to the previous versions. Please share your feedback/ideas concerning this.

I'd be down for a special mode that isn't completely jacked up on 21:9 displays.

On a lighter note, a double age mode for the girls would be great.

[Skykid]

first time I've seen so many people hate on Deathsmiles

It's not hated, just definitely not up there in terms of popularity and respect with the 'purest' of Cave bullet-hells, like DOJ or Ketsui.

Also it's hard to be horizontal and loved when you're a bullet hell game.

But Progear is so sublime.

[pokemon123]

progear might as well be a vert though :V (legit have tried it vertically and it actually plays quite a bit like a regular vertical shmup heh)

as for this new title yeah not interested, not really my thing.

[Trevor spencer]

I dont get all the hate for DS , I think its great.

Also looking forward to an arcade perfect port of DS2 if pos

[emphatic]

I dunno, blackbird, is a completely new arrange/revised mode (something like 1.5?) by Thirsty Ikeda completely out of the question?

An exclusive Steam arrange mode would be the only reason I'd get this. This was my first 360 title when I imported my NTSC-J 360 while waiting for the Ketsui port and I must confess to have played it only for a bit, since I prefer TATE shmups.

[HenAi]

I understand that it's already widely available on X360, so we've been discussing a few ideas to make the PC port a little bit more special and unique compared to the previous versions. Please share your feedback/ideas concerning this.

As far as I'm concerned, as long as it's uncensored, has no bugs, has Japanese voice&text available, and slowdown is (close to) arcade-accurate, I'll be happy. I already own the 360 version, but not having to use a console to play it is reason enough for me to get the PC version.

[Satan]

I has a 23" rotating monitor and a 50" TV, I think I'm going to stick with the 360 version.

[Xyga]

first time I've seen so many people hate on Deathsmiles

It's not hated, just definitely not up there in terms of popularity and respect with the 'purest' of Cave bullet-hells, like DOJ or Ketsui.
Also it's hard to be horizontal and loved when you're a bullet hell game.

But Progear is so sublime.

Well yes it was made during Cave's golden years, so maybe it takes a hori danmaku that big of an historical context to be born an excellent hori danmaku ? *inserts coin*

[dan76]

Fix the slowdown on MBL from the 360 port. Just so you know, in Arcade mode the slowdown was more accurate during the stages but missing from bosses, and in 360 mode it was the opposite. Some missing during the stages but a bit more on the bosses.

Even when there was slowdown it was only about 80% accurate anyhow. From what I remember vanilla arcade/360 modes were both roughly the same, missing around 20%. Get it right and I might even by a PC...

I think it's a good choice, but a 16:9 option would make a lot of Steam user stop their whinging.

[supergrafx77]

They'll never get the slowdown right I'm afraid....
360 lazy porting, Cave obviously isn't trying step up its game on pcb accuracy at all....

[BulletMagnet]

Another thing possibly worth adding might be a tutorial/demo on the somewhat counter-intuitive scoring system - while presumably there will be some manner of instruction document explaining it, new players might find it easier to wrap their head around if they're walked through it firsthand.

[StarCreator]

Just throwing out suggestions that I may have already made elsewhere, since Blackbird seems to be paying more attention here:

• Having a full port of the currently iOS-exclusive campaign (without the microtransactions and touch elements, preferably) would be huge. I would absolutely buy the game for a fourth time for that.
• I also like the idea of an arrange version that borrows mechanics from Deathsmiles II.
• Is this version going to have the full voice option? Was that present in the US release? (I own the US 360 release but can't actually play it because it's region coded to not work on a Japanese Xbox 360.)
• Also was reminded about the absolutely bizarre localization script the US 360 release had by that other thread. Please don't use that.

[Muchi Muchi Spork]

If you could ask them if they'd make it a Deathsmiles collection where it also had DS2 with a new tweaked gameplay mode, that would be interesting. They might not like the idea of bundling sequels I guess.

What would you tweak about Deathsmiles II? I'd say its mechanics are pretty much perfect. For Casper, at least. Not sure about Windia or Supe since I never learned to play them. All that game really needed was a long EX stage since it's pretty short.

They changed the mechanics and added a bunch of stuff to the 360's X-Mode btw. I don't like it as much as arcade mode because of the changes they made, but it's still a great game.

I will definitely buy it either way when it comes to Steam, I've never had a chance to really play it. No X360 and I had the worst arcade experience of my life with the DS2 PCB. The arcade dump running on PC is not acceptable because of the input lag and graphic glitches. I should not have used the word tweak before though. What would be interesting to me is a whole new mode that is really difficult to 1CC.

[Van_Artic]

my bets go for DDP, futari and ibara/pink sweets next
calling it now

[cul]

[...]ibara/pink sweets next
calling it now

I wish..

[NeoStrayCat]

Just throwing out suggestions that I may have already made elsewhere, since Blackbird seems to be paying more attention here:

• Having a full port of the currently iOS-exclusive campaign (without the microtransactions and touch elements, preferably) would be huge. I would absolutely buy the game for a fourth time for that.
• I also like the idea of an arrange version that borrows mechanics from Deathsmiles II.
• Is this version going to have the full voice option? Was that present in the US release? (I own the US 360 release but can't actually play it because it's region coded to not work on a Japanese Xbox 360.)
• Also was reminded about the absolutely bizarre localization script the US 360 release had by that other thread. Please don't use that.

I've also probably mention this too elsewhere, but to probably answer those...

1. Yes, would be nice to play as Tiara from the mobile port and all that stuff, barring IAP's and all. (Though I am guessing this is just a straight port of the US X360 ver.)
2. Unless that's really possible, its highly unlikely, since the game already has its own arrange mode and all. (Hey, I know anythings possible, but there are opposites in which things can, and can't work.)
3. Would be real nice if we can continue the trend of first print DLC like in Mushi 1, but I dunno how that would work, considering the English localization's unnecessary accent script (with Casper/Follett/Rosa being the prime examples), which needs a major retool. Also, the Full Voice DLC couldn't be possible in the US/EU releases of DS on the X360, possible reasons...it couldn't be possible to add it or just not have it either way. (But if at all possible it can be added to the steam release, then it would be a miracle, lol.)
4. See 3, but yeah, re-touch the localization script if at all possible, no one wants to cringe at the characters speaking like that in the text, fortunately and safely, Windia and Sakura are safe from this (due to the text makes them speak in native dialect)...the other 3 are not, lol.

[fakeXsound]

Same old song, but...

Why?! I love Deathsmiles, but this is THE most accessible Cave game. You can grab it for $10 used. What's the point if 80% of us can already play it? Release a GOOD port of DP or DDP. Better yet, release something unconverted like Dangun or Progear. (Just not espRa.De - I paid too much for that board for Cave to devalue it so soon.)

[Tyjet]

I understand that it's already widely available on X360, so we've been discussing a few ideas to make the PC port a little bit more special and unique compared to the previous versions. Please share your feedback/ideas concerning this.

Just a couple of things off the top of my head (I know most of the suggestions are already out there):

- Add Tiara from the Iphone mode as a playable character to both vanilla and MBL modes.
- Maybe add Sakura to vanilla mode?
- fix the slowdown so that it is consistent for both arcade and 360(HD) modes.
- add scanline options.
- Have training mode be a little more flexible (like in futari). Add things like an option to pick only the boss or adjusting the number of lives.
- When finishing the first six stages, allow the player to skip the cutscene.
- Option of swapping the standard background music with an arrange soundtrack would be nice

[Firehawke]

Add Tiara and Sakura to original mode, or at the very least add the smartphone-specific new mode to the game. Personally I'd like to see an all-new mode, something completely new. Maybe pull 2X Mode off DS2 for use in this, with the insane bullet cancel mechanic or something?

Maybe bring in one or more Mahou Otome characters in as guests for a special mode?

There are a lot of things Cave could do to make this version distinctive, and I'm hoping they'll pick something that'll set it apart from the easily-obtainable, relatively cheap 360 version.

[donluca]

- add scanline options.

This. And please add it to Mushihimesama too while you're at it and make sure to put an option to change how dark/transparent the scanlines are