BATTLE GAREGGA REV.2016 (M2)

[Special World]

I fully expect the answer to lie in some finicky thing like Daifukkatsu's Ura boss loop.

"Well you gotta get 1k+ medals by end of stage 1 and take out all the st1 boss parts EXCEPT the right propeller and then you also have to change formations at least once during stage 1 so M2 knows you really get it"

[Despatche]

You mean one of the easiest secrets ever? Shoot the silos before the tanks run over them, even a complete noob can do it. Yes, technically there are all of these other parts to it, but you're already doing those because it's all just NMNB-type stuff, in stage 1, in one of the easiest first loops ever designed. Garegga already has things somewhat like that, but still much harder, such as the stage 3 midboss trick.

I'm not sure where the "two decades of frustrating speculation" is coming from either... low, mid, and most of high-level Garegga play has been known forever, what hasn't been known are extremely high-level ship-specific strats. And most of this only applies to the western fanbase, anyway.

Indeed, even when "all of its secrets are laid bare", people still wanna make up whatever myths they want... that's the "real" (western) Garegga experience. I feel bad for the game, but the only thing "authentic" about any of this is that Garegga's target market doesn't treat their game like this, so I guess there's nothing to worry about.

[Durandal]

You mean one of the easiest secrets ever? Shoot the silos before the tanks run over them, even a complete noob can do it. Yes, technically there are all of these other parts to it, but you're already doing those because it's all just NMNB-type stuff, in stage 1, in one of the easiest first loops ever designed. Garegga already has things somewhat like that, but still much harder, such as the stage 3 midboss trick.

I'm not sure where the "two decades of frustrating speculation" is coming from either... low, mid, and most of high-level Garegga play has been known forever, what hasn't been known are extremely high-level ship-specific strats. And all of this only applies to the western fanbase.

Indeed, even when "all of its secrets are laid bare", people still wanna make up whatever myths they want... that's the "real" (western) Garegga experience. I feel bad for the game, but the only thing "authentic" about any of this is that Garegga's target market doesn't treat their game like this, so I guess there's nothing to worry about.

no joke, I got to the hidden loop on my first try before I even knew about it

[Special World]

I suppose rather than finicky I meant arbitrary. You're right, it's really not that tough.

Anyways, I'm getting 2K medals here and still not triggering medal mode... maybe has something to do with destroying all the monorail parts (not sure that I did that). I'm pretty sure I didn't die or autobomb :\

[Elixir]

i did it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8srBAqMqos

[Special World]

I think the Yagawa and M2 can sense that I am not high rank

[MaXXX]

I hear YGW watches a simulcast of all playthroughs and personally decides whether you get the max rank or not

[system11]

I need to dig my PCB out to confirm, but it really feels like there's too much slowdown in places, the first part of Mad Ball particularly.

[CloudyMusic]

I need to dig my PCB out to confirm, but it really feels like there's too much slowdown in places, the first part of Mad Ball particularly.

From watching Trap's PCB streams it seems pretty accurate from what I can recall, but I haven't done a side-by-side or anything. Mad Ball and Slayer are definitely parts that have a bit more slowdown on the PCB than you might initially expect.

[Eaglet]

Yeah, when Mad Ball fires a lot of bullets the game slows down a lot on PCB.
Funny enough, the thing that creates the most slowdown on stage 5 is the lightning animation in the background.

[Chacranajxy]

So, now that this version's been out for a little while... how does it stack up against the Saturn port?

[ATTRACTS]

So, now that this version's been out for a little while... how does it stack up against the Saturn port?

It stacks on top of it.
I own both, Saturn was great for what it is but I don't see myself going back. This has every option you can imagine, playable on current tvs, faithful gameplay and some nice extra modes/music.

[GSK]

Patch #1 is up, it adds some options to the custom menu, adjust boss scoring in Super Easy mode and corrects some text issues: http://m2stg.com/battle-garegga/#patch

(FYI: installing the patch will delete your quick saves)

They have a page of known issues--they've identified the cause of the freeze/disappearing pause menu bug, the trophy crash bug and the Premium st5 infinite and all of these bugs will be fixed with patch #2: http://m2stg.com/battle-garegga/manual/knownissues.html

(for now, you can get around the freeze/pause menu bug by deleting your rev.2016 system save data; replays/quick saves will be unaffected)

[amdiggywhut]

I wonder what (if anything) they would have patched into that Saturn port if it was released today. Good to see they're supporting it. Premium Mode is a whole new thing & it's a lot of fun, looking forward to playing more this week.

[Chacranajxy]

So, now that this version's been out for a little while... how does it stack up against the Saturn port?

It stacks on top of it.
I own both, Saturn was great for what it is but I don't see myself going back. This has every option you can imagine, playable on current tvs, faithful gameplay and some nice extra modes/music.

That's impressive. For whatever reason, I just think of the Saturn version of shmups as being the best we're gonna get... mostly because of how shitty more modern ports of arcade games tend to be. But then, it's M2, and they're cray. I'll hang onto my Saturn copy, just cuz, but it's awesome that this thing delivers.

Hopefully there'll be a disc version before long -- it just seems like the right thing to do.

[vbmagus1980]

Patch 1.01 has just been released. Does anyone know what it does?

[Shepardus]

Patch 1.01 has just been released. Does anyone know what it does?

Patch #1 is up, it adds some options to the custom menu, adjust boss scoring in Super Easy mode and corrects some text issues: http://m2stg.com/battle-garegga/#patch

(FYI: installing the patch will delete your quick saves)

They have a page of known issues--they've identified the cause of the freeze/disappearing pause menu bug, the trophy crash bug and the Premium st5 infinite and all of these bugs will be fixed with patch #2: http://m2stg.com/battle-garegga/manual/knownissues.html

(for now, you can get around the freeze/pause menu bug by deleting your rev.2016 system save data; replays/quick saves will be unaffected)

[Icarus]

That's impressive. For whatever reason, I just think of the Saturn version of shmups as being the best we're gonna get... mostly because of how shitty more modern ports of arcade games tend to be. But then, it's M2, and they're cray. I'll hang onto my Saturn copy, just cuz, but it's awesome that this thing delivers.

Hopefully there'll be a disc version before long -- it just seems like the right thing to do.

The "best we're gonna get" just got beaten by a superior port in every respect.

[Xyga]

Yes ! Death to the ridiculous 400 bucks Saturn port ! Muahaha !

There should be a 'Ministry Of Porting Old Games' (MOPOG) led and managed by M2, with a mission to destroy the worldwide 'Grand Theft Retro' market.

[Bananamatic]

wtf, my vga graded garegga copy is now worthless

thanks m2

[Special World]

Wrote a short post about Battle Garegga for my blog. I think there's a ton of focus on how much depth the game has, which belies the fact that it's very fun and accessible for new(ish) players like myself: https://catstronaut.wordpress.com/2016/ ... e-garegga/

Bear in mind that I'm not trying to act like I know a lot about the game, and I hope I didn't make it sound like some mythical unicorn, as people tend to do when they talk about Ikaruga and Radiant Silvergun. I just felt like writing up a post, and I hope you enjoy reading it in between games of Garegga

I'm actually surprised by how much I'm loving this game. I'd played it in MAME a little bit, and I did enjoy it, but there's a lot of really immediate fun to medal-chasing, reaching for extends, and playing with the different characters that I hadn't given the game full credit for. I kind of drove myself crazy the other day trying for Medal Mode in Premium... I was only able to get it once, and I frustrated myself trying again and again. But then I went back to arcade mode, and set a new high score first try. That frustration paid off and now I'm much better at chasing medals without dropping any.

Also bombing MadBall in his fucking face is just the best.

[Limbrooke]

Yes ! Death to the ridiculous 400 bucks Saturn port !

If there's any reason to not opt for the Saturn version its this. While not $400, the current prices are on par with buying a used PS4 and the new Garegga. 10 years ago it was a viable option and now most Saturn prices make no financial sense at all.

[Xyga]

Yup. Also remember for a time the pcb and saturn port were about even priced.

[Cata]

One thing I've noticed while playing is that it is quite a bit harder to route through this game than almost anything else I've ever played. There are a lot more enemys whose movement / shot patterns are based off of your ship position

Does everyone just memorize bigger enemies and their locations or is there a more nuanced way I could be going about making a route?

[Eaglet]

Bigger enemies always behave the same every credit.
All zako are randomized aside from when they come in lanes (like on the mid part of stage 2 with the rushdown tank).

"Making a route" is about some form of memo. ^^'
What's important in Garegga for routing if you're scoring high is basically how many lives and how many bombs you have left at certain points.
Sections (bosses, the wall, etc. etc.) of the game are all about practice. There's a lot of fine tuning of a route over time when you notice more details and subtletys to the game.

[Xyga]

Wrote a short post about Battle Garegga for my blog. I think there's a ton of focus on how much depth the game has, which belies the fact that it's very fun and accessible for new(ish) players like myself: https://catstronaut.wordpress.com/2016/ ... e-garegga/

Rather than steampunk and fantasy I would have used the term dieselpunk and maybe even teslapunk.

Kudos for Necronomicon though.

[Sumez]

some mythical unicorn, as people tend to do when they talk about Ikaruga and Radiant Silvergun.

Are you sure you've been paying enough attention around here?
Garegga is the biggest unicorn of them all.

[Special World]

I kinda lump the 'punks together under steampunk (except cyberpunk, obviously) as I've never noticed a huge distinction between them in terms of substance. Whereas cyberpunk and steampunk have a huge gulf between them in terms of content and feel, steampunk vs. dieselpunk seems to me like a more minute aesthetic difference. Then again, I am not hugely involved with any of these 'punks myself so I could be mistaken

Battle Garegga is definitely lauded here but I don't think it's my place as a fairly new player to be like "wow check out this awesome game it's amazing and unique and you've never played anything like it" when there are people on these forums who have been playing it forever and clearly love it far more deeply than I ever will. So I'll let those other people call it the unicorn. And I think much (though not nearly all) of the exuberant praise for Ikaruga and Radiant Silvergun comes from people who *only* care about either/both of those games and ignore the rest of the genre completely. So I think in general it's a fairly poor look unless you're talking about a really fresh and exciting game (Eschatos, Mecha Ritz, and Final Boss come to mind) where the existing praise and appreciation just isn't there yet, so you have to build up the enthusiasm yourself.

You guys are right on all points though. Thanks for reading and responding

[Cata]

Bigger enemies always behave the same every credit.
All zako are randomized aside from when they come in lanes (like on the mid part of stage 2 with the rushdown tank).

Oh damn, I totally did not know this. Don't remember seeing this anywhere in the strategy thread but maybe I didn't read far enough in. That totally changes things quite a bit then!

[PAPER/ARTILLERY]

Quick question - for ships / characters with 'area type' bombs (eg Gain, Bornam) is the damage zone for those bombs simply the size of the sprite, or is it squared off somewhere, or is there a kind of gradient so the centre does more damage than the outside?