Shmup Ticker: What are you playing RIGHT NOW?

[Shepardus]

Looks like you're getting a hang of the basics. There's obviously a lot you can optimize but that can come with time and practice. Have you tried Boost mode?

[Stevens]

I'm starting to hit 200,000 XP on stage 1 more often than not, and in many cases I am ending the stage close to 300,000. This is allowing me to reach level 6 by the end of the second stage, level 7 sometime on stage 3, and a million XP by the fountain.

I even have a better handle on the escape pod's 2nd pattern. That used to be the bane of my existence. Now I can occasionally get through it without losing a ship. Don't get me wrong though - losing one ship on that boss is a win in my book.

When I first cleared MM 150,000 on stage 1 was the norm. If I was lucky level 5 by the end of stage 2, level 6 by the fountain on stage 3, and 7 sometime on 4 if I was lucky, but usually on stage 5.

Now I just have to punch my way back to stage 6 with all this extra XP. It will be nice to beat my PB and maybe clear this again. Haven't accomplished anything in a while.

[Shepardus]

I said earlier that the PSP version (and the other 32-bit ports) of Parodius Da! tames down the rank system a lot which leaves the stages feeling rather unthreatening in the first loop, but turning up the difficulty setting solves that. On difficulty 8 (the maximum) it's fast-paced mayhem as early as stage 1. Instead of the heavy rank management of the arcade version, you get a game that pulls out all its stops from the start (except suicide bullets, I guess) and lets you do the same, including taking multiple speed ups. Also there's almost no slowdown unlike the arcade version. It's amazing fun but stage 2 is an infernal deathbed - I may have to turn the difficulty down a bit to get used to it.

After playing this some more I think difficulty 8 is too much for me to handle... it's kind of like the second loop of the arcade version at high rank, minus the suicide bullets, but also minus the slowdown, which means all the enemies move super quickly (rank affects enemy movement speed) and it's easy to accidentally fly into a bullet that came from the side or from behind as an enemy zips past you too fast for you to catch. The farthest I've gotten so far is the last volcano on stage 4, right before the boss. Parodius Da! has kind of an odd difficulty curve though, the first few stages are some of the hardest to handle at high rank.

[Vludi]

Difficulty 8 in the SFC port of Parodius Da! starts with suicide bullets on Stage 1 already, it's pretty crazy and similar to Loop 2 in the arcade, bullet density is slightly lower than the arcade but bullet speed is faster I think. The rank seems to be static though.

[atheistgod1999]

My computer somehow sucks to the point of not being able to run Crimzon Clover smoothly since last night, even though I upgraded my GPU from a GT 630 to a GTX 950 and CPU from a Phenom II X4 840 to an FX-8320E Eight-Core since my Saturn thread. Guess I should upgrade my motherboard, which can't even run my 800MHz RAM at full speed, only supports SATA II at max while my SSD supports SATA III, and only has normal PCI Express as opposed to the PCI Express 3.0 my GPU supports.

Which reminds me of one of the reasons I like consoles: the game will always run at the same speed.

[wgogh]

DOJ, a little. Going at least to stage 3 boss. I don't know yet if I'm suposed to play the white or black label.
Wont focus on this though, I'll pick Shikigami no Shiro 2 soon and play until clear.

Also, I'm thinking of returning to Fire Shark for the second loop.

[tomwhite2004]

My computer somehow sucks to the point of not being able to run Crimzon Clover smoothly since last night, even though I upgraded my GPU from a GT 630 to a GTX 950 and CPU from a Phenom II X4 840 to an FX-8320E Eight-Core since my Saturn thread. Guess I should upgrade my motherboard, which can't even run my 800MHz RAM at full speed, only supports SATA II at max while my SSD supports SATA III, and only has normal PCI Express as opposed to the PCI Express 3.0 my GPU supports.

Which reminds me of one of the reasons I like consoles: the game will always run at the same speed.

CC is mainly cpu bound (think the most it will use is two core) and all those extra yet weak cores wont help much with running anything but modern games. I too have a gtx 950 and an i3-6320 and it barely breaks a sweat, was always under the impression that amd made shit processors.

[Shepardus]

CC:WI runs perfectly fine at 1920x1080 (and I think 1200x1920 mostly smoothly, though it's been a while since I tried since CC:WI doesn't let me full-screen onto my second monitor) on my desktop with a GTX 275 (ancient compared to yours) and an i7 920 processor. It also runs fine at 1366x768 on my laptop with integrated (Intel HD 4000) graphics and a four-year-old i5 CPU. Note that the NESiCA (arcade) version runs on weaker hardware than what you have, though that does have some slowdown especially on Unlimited mode. Maybe the game hates AMD CPUs? Have you tried turning it off and on?

[atheistgod1999]

Have you tried turning it off and on?

Yeah, I'm 99% sure that's the problem. I'm just too lazy to.

[Bananamatic]

Have you tried turning it off and on?

this is probably the issue, CCWI just runs like shit at 58 fps stuttering if the computer is on for too long for some reason
just restart the computer and it's back to 60
the doujin version had the same issue

[cgbarry92]

I was just recently turned on to shmups, here are the games I am currently considering to play:
Shikigami No Shiro
Shikigami No Shiro 2
Ikaruga
Raiden IV

Are these all good ones? Any recommendations?

[LordHypnos]

I'm starting to hit 200,000 XP on stage 1 more often than not, and in many cases I am ending the stage close to 300,000. This is allowing me to reach level 6 by the end of the second stage, level 7 sometime on stage 3, and a million XP by the fountain.

I even have a better handle on the escape pod's 2nd pattern. That used to be the bane of my existence. Now I can occasionally get through it without losing a ship. Don't get me wrong though - losing one ship on that boss is a win in my book.

When I first cleared MM 150,000 on stage 1 was the norm. If I was lucky level 5 by the end of stage 2, level 6 by the fountain on stage 3, and 7 sometime on 4 if I was lucky, but usually on stage 5.

Now I just have to punch my way back to stage 6 with all this extra XP. It will be nice to beat my PB and maybe clear this again. Haven't accomplished anything in a while.

This is great to hear! Sounds like you're pretty close to on par with me on stage 1. I usually get between 300 and 350k. I am definitely getting better at three stage 2 route I'm trying to learn, but it's only usually netting me around 50k or a little less, but it's probably worth it just to make stage 2 a little more interesting. Also I can get a little closer to 600k by the end of the stage (so including stage 1), which feels like an accomplishment in spite of being more like a rounding error by the end of stage 3. Also got in one run that was nearly a clear with 2.7 million exp.

Every pink digit score brings me a little closer to the background graphics

[atheistgod1999]

Played Crimzon Clover, in Original mode on Novice difficulty, twice so far today (fucking homework), and both times I was able to get to stage 3 without dying.

[wgogh]

I was just recently turned on to shmups, here are the games I am currently considering to play:
Shikigami No Shiro
Shikigami No Shiro 2
Ikaruga
Raiden IV

Are these all good ones? Any recommendations?

I'll go for Shikigami No Shiro 2 soon. I dont know if its your kind of thing, but your multiplier is based on your proximity of the bullets. I like that risky scoring system. The characters play very differently and its a great game IMO.

[Stevens]

I was just recently turned on to shmups, here are the games I am currently considering to play:
Shikigami No Shiro
Shikigami No Shiro 2
Ikaruga
Raiden IV

Are these all good ones? Any recommendations?

Haven't played either Shikigami so I can't comment, but they seem to be well liked. Avoid Ikaruga for now, it is a great game, but not a good first shooter.

Raiden IV should be a fun if introduction. Scoring system is also easy to grasp - kill things fast.

This is great to hear! Sounds like you're pretty close to on par with me on stage 1. I usually get between 300 and 350k. I am definitely getting better at three stage 2 route I'm trying to learn, but it's only usually netting me around 50k or a little less, but it's probably worth it just to make stage 2 a little more interesting. Also I can get a little closer to 600k by the end of the stage (so including stage 1), which feels like an accomplishment in spite of being more like a rounding error by the end of stage 3. Also got in one run that was nearly a clear with 2.7 million exp.

Every pink digit score brings me a little closer to the background graphics

Well I'm closer to you - I've only smashed 300 once, usually high 290's/just barely over 300.

Stage 2 I break into the opening (easy 400 or so chain), then everything up to the flower (survive), and then after the flower. Right after the flower is pretty easy to chain, but there is that one part right before the approach to the boss (where the insect crawly things come out) that is a bit harder to chain. I lose it there and then get that 300-400 chain to the boss. Hitting level 6 on stage 2 feels good though. If I don't hit it now before the boss killing the boss usually puts me over 400.

As far as the BG colors - I bet it's the worst thing in the shop:D

[LordHypnos]

Well I'm closer to you - I've only smashed 300 once, usually high 290's/just barely over 300.

Stage 2 I break into the opening (easy 400 or so chain), then everything up to the flower (survive), and then after the flower. Right after the flower is pretty easy to chain, but there is that one part right before the approach to the boss (where the insect crawly things come out) that is a bit harder to chain. I lose it there and then get that 300-400 chain to the boss. Hitting level 6 on stage 2 feels good though. If I don't hit it now before the boss killing the boss usually puts me over 400.

As far as the BG colors - I bet it's the worst thing in the shop:D

Yeah, I'm guessing the BG colors are really lame, but it's the only thing I haven't unlocked, so I must do it
Right now I have $93 trillion, so I just need $7 trillion more Apparently inflation is real bad on Mars in the year 2309

I used to get the same +400 (or maybe a bit more like +410) that you get at the beginning of stage 2, but with the new route I can get maybe +450 to +550 depending, plus, I think more of it is single cubes compared to how I used to do things. I can usually link the end chain though for around +700 to +800. Then around +300 on the boss. Oddly enough, even succeeding at these strategies, I only got around 282k which falls quite a bit short of what I can theoretically get on stage 1 (374k, looking at score attack, though I think I got 400k once in a full run).

[Stevens]

First trip back to stage 6 on a credit. Getting more consistent at higher XP earlier in the game. Hit level 6 on stage 2 and 7 at the waterfall. Didn't chain stage 5 well at all though.

[EmperorIng]

I have been playing the PCE port of Gradius II. For the first time ever I survived the high speed stage!

The boss parade had me on the edge of my seat, especially with the surprise cameos. I died to the final shielded Core, which proceeded to show me how impossible it is to recover at this stage. Made me pretty sad. Almost as sad as seeing my shield evaporate by being too close to terrain.

G2 is addicting, nonetheless. That ice stage is a million times more satisfying than the third game's bubble stage - maybe because it is far more beatable.

[KaizaCorp]

I'm playing some BLUE REVOLVER as I get acquainted with my first arcade stick! I don't have too much shmup experience (~30 hours on Crimzon Clover and Jamestown respectively) so it hopefully won't take me too long to get used to the controls.

Having fun doing the missions and stage select to practice particular stages/bosses, although something like the training sets from Crimzon Clover would be helpful.

[LordHypnos]

Mostly still been playing the first two stages of Mars Matrix. I did manage to get 600k before stage 3 once, so that's quite an accomplishment--well, it's probably not a huge difference given that stage 3 can vary by 100s of thousands depending on how the end of the stage goes, but it feels big, anyway. I did, in fact have 1.6 mill by the stage 3 boss, though, but I did poorly in stage 4 and 5, so it wasn't a great run over all.

I feel like I can identify two spots in the early stage 2 chain that are difficult to link. When I manage to link both of them, I can get over 100k from it. Hopefully I will be able to figure out a consistent way to deal with them, who knows?

[Aldnox]

Crimzon Clover WORLD IGNITION
It's pretty good.

[Some-Mist]

still working on muchi muchi pork 1.01 with a few credits a day.

finally made it to stage 5 for the first time yesterday and pushed my high score to 60mil. didn't make it to the first midboss of stage 5, but now I've got stage 1 and 2 down pat, working on a clean stage 3 run, and the end of stage 4 + the boss are insane. from what I could tell, stage 5 seemed a little bit more manageable as long as I watch for the lightning fast lasers.

[trap15]

Motherfuckin' Guardian Force.

I can't believe how good this game is and how criminally under-represented it is. It's really a shame it has so much input lag in emulation, I think it's easily a top 10 game for me and could be one for you too if you give it a fair shake on Saturn/ST-V.

[EmperorIng]

Guardian Force has some of the coolest bosses in shmupdom for me. Axe-wielding convoy truck for the win.

[BIL]

Roadtesting a few FC shooters this weekend, primarily Hector 87 and Alpha Mission. H87 seems like a pretty cool "Hudson does Xevious, also hori" at a glance, with a nice aggressive intensity - but WTF at the sprite breakup? First midboss insta-cockslaps the player with an orbital shield that renders scads of flak invisible. "Every other frame" flicker I can handle, but oh lawd do outright invisible projectiles ala Holy Diver get my goat! Still, moderately intrigued.

Alpha Mission I can't get much enthusiasm for at all. Feels like Star Force's simplicity minus the wickedly tight focus and intensity, ie, kinda boring. Eh. Hilarious subtitle though. Armored Scrum Object?! Aw yeah - wrap up that wiener before you hit the sack, kids!

[Ex_Mosquito]

Going hard on the PC Engine at the moment. I used to think a lot of the exclusive PCE games were a pushover but crank them up to hard and they're quite the challenge! I used to think Soldier Blade was a pretty easy and forgiving on defaults but hard mode is a totally different beast. Currently playing the masterpiece known as 'Nexzr'. I've only had about 2 hours on it so far but it's definitely up there as far as challenging vert PCE games go. On paper it's nothing special with only a handful of weapons and no bomb button, but the feel of the game and enemy types/placements is great. I dabbled with the hardest mode (the Japanese writing difficulty after hard) and it's pretty intense! And that music! Stunning.

[BIL]

Going hard on the PC Engine at the moment. I used to think a lot of the exclusive PCE games were a pushover but crank them up to hard and they're quite the challenge! I used to think Soldier Blade was a pretty easy and forgiving on defaults but hard mode is a totally different beast.

I absolutely adore Soldier Blade's Hard mode. Keeping the bombs shatteringly OTT, while upping the enemy attack so their aggressive use (and deft Option shielding) becomes key turns an agreeable feelgood shooter into a booming visceral rush. One of those late-gen hardware masterclasses, too... just a pleasure to watch in action blasting the enormous sprites and superlative tunes without a hitch.

Currently playing the masterpiece known as 'Nexzr'. I've only had about 2 hours on it so far but it's definitely up there as far as challenging vert PCE games go. On paper it's nothing special with only a handful of weapons and no bomb button, but the feel of the game and enemy types/placements is great. I dabbled with the hardest mode (the Japanese writing difficulty after hard) and it's pretty intense! And that music! Stunning.

Super Star Soldier (also by Kaneko) has a very similar extreme difficulty, called "Sugeeze" to Nexzr's "Hideeze" if I remember right. Either way it's also seriously deadly, right from stage 1. Superbly balanced games, these. Totally newbie-friendly but they don't neglect the hardcore!

[Shepardus]

Gradually getting better at Gradius II; had two runs today get to stage 8, the further of which reached the gunwall. That checkpoint (starting with the waves of floor/ceiling tiles), though, is really ridiculous - I barely squeezed through the tiles with one speed up, but if you go into it without a power up in reserve I don't see how it's even possible.

[Perikles]

That checkpoint (starting with the waves of floor/ceiling tiles), though, is really ridiculous - I barely squeezed through the tiles with one speed up, but if you go into it without a power up in reserve I don't see how it's even possible.

Like so. This is one of those checkpoints that requires exact knowledge - at first I ventured the guess this might've been unintentional, but seeing that they didn't even change it in the PCE port I'm rather sure now that those properties were no accident.

[davyK]

Gigawing (DC) Have switched from Stuck to Ruby and I'm better able to handle the faster movement (so far!). I'm becoming more consistent getting to level 4. I still have a real issue with that damn boat boss though. Having to bomb too much.

Futari (360) 1.5 and BL original. Getting better at level 3 - now have an S-shaped path to deal with that 2nd half section when those ground based bugs appear and fill the screen with bullets. Getting better and reaching level 4 more consistently and in better shape. I should probably stick with one variation - think I'll tackle 1.5 original with Abnormal Palm first.