Opinions on autofire hacks for Seibu games

[Dave_K.]

Does anyone have the INH Viper Phase 1 superplay DVD? I've downloaded the stage 1 demo off their website, and its quite apparent the player uses hardware assisted autofire, because there is no way the standard software autofire (C button) can kill the 1st boss that quickly. This makes me wonder if its worth playing this game (or other older Seibu games) without autofire hacks.

On the same note, is it even possible to get 100% completes on all stages without hardware autofire?

Opinions?

[Ghegs]

Not directly related to Seibu games, but Rando posted an article about autofire to his Gaming Journal back in the day. Makes for an interesting read.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Does anyone have the INH Viper Phase 1 superplay DVD? I've downloaded the stage 1 demo off their website, and its quite apparent the player uses hardware assisted autofire, because there is no way the standard software autofire (C button) can kill the 1st boss that quickly. This makes me wonder if its worth playing this game (or other Raiden games) without autofire hacks.

On the same note, is it possible to get 100% completes on all stages without hardware autofire?

Opinions?

I've got an Atari Jaguar Deluxe Jamma Joystick with hacked in auto-fire switches for use with my two Supergun rigs setup + the cool ass Seimitsu auto-fire PCB (that fits in between the arcade Jamma PCB and the 56-pin Jamma harness).

On the Atari Jaguar Jamma Joystick setup, at the flick of any of the three seperate switches individually mapped to each button A, B, & C, I have the cool option of turning "on or off" auto-fire functionality at any time I wish to do so. There isn't a speed dial to increase the rate of auto-fire.

The auto-fire functionality hack is achieved by the use of a "555 timer IC chip" that I had Matt Ross (of the old Shmups.com forum) install on my Atari Jaguar Jamma Joystick. Matt said that due to the complexity of the standard Atari Jaguar's button layout, he did manage to get the auto-fire hack to work with Jamma PCBs but didn't say if auto-fire would work for the Atari Jaguar console-based games. It does indeed work with the Atari Jaguar console and is considered a dual-purpose joystick in that sense (for use with arcade Jamma & Atari Jag setup). ^_~

I have the original USA Bios version of Raiden II PCB that was produced by Fabtek...it does not have built-in hardware supported auto-fire feature but by installing such an "external" auto-fire hack, the gameplay is a lot easier (especially on the player's fingers).

I also have both Japanese & USA Bios region SP1 motherboards setup with the USA Bios region version of "Viper Phase 1 U.S.A." and the Japanese Bios region version of "Raiden Fighters" SP1 cartridges.

It is possible to select "Auto-fire" functionality on the Arcade Operator's Menu Screen setting for the Viper Phase 1 U.S.A. SP1 cart...it is harder to complete all stages with the auto-fire function "turned" off.

Raiden Fighters does have auto-fire functionality mapped out to button "C" but the USA arcade establishments that I've seen Raiden Fighters placed in only have the two-button setup (and no third button or "C" button for the auto-fire functionality...so it couldn't be used at all).

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[Arcatech]

Its possible to get 100% without autofire, but it looks like its so much easier with the autofire.

I d/l vids from Jigsawman's ftp that show 100% on the first three stages without this autofire hack.

[raiden]

what´s this about Raiden Fighters games having autofire on button C? I´ve got RFJ as a JP version and RF1 as an EU version, but both don´t offer autofire on button C. Which versions are you talking about? How is it accessed?

[Smraedis]

what´s this about Raiden Fighters games having autofire on button C? I´ve got RFJ as a JP version and RF1 as an EU version, but both don´t offer autofire on button C. Which versions are you talking about? How is it accessed?

Those aren't the US version

For the RF games, in MAMEplus, using the autofire on every frame doesn't seem to change much in power, but if you use the MAME cheats to make you fire faster, that does a great deal more damage, and beats bosses easily...

[Dave_K.]

Thanks for the link Gregs.

PCEFX, the 555 timer chip is definately ghetto autofire, as its best to have it synced to the video refresh (exactly 1/2 the refresh for optimal autofire). I'm guessing the Sanwa board does this. Gaijin Punch got me a similar board from MAK, not sure if it has the same functionality, but 15/30 reams switch, for a/b/c buttons. I only wish there was a way to make autofire A map to button C.

Anyway, I guess if I get the INH Viper DVD, I'll have to only play it with autofire...just feels like cheating.