M2 Toaplan collection

[Lemnear]

Lots of tech talk, but I still think the answer is much simpler. M2 simply doesn’t have time to port shmups. Shmups are side projects they use to keep busy between the money making projects. As their reputation for quality ports rises, they get more contracts from big publishers.

do you know what they are working on now beyond Aleste?

[MJR]

Lots of tech talk, but I still think the answer is much simpler. M2 simply doesn’t have time to port shmups. Shmups are side projects they use to keep busy between the money making projects. As their reputation for quality ports rises, they get more contracts from big publishers.

I am thankful to see someone finally talking some sense here.

[MartinFort]

Lots of tech talk, but I still think the answer is much simpler. M2 simply doesn’t have time to port shmups. Shmups are side projects they use to keep busy between the money making projects. As their reputation for quality ports rises, they get more contracts from big publishers.

do you know what they are working on now beyond Aleste?

Night striker gear?

[hamfighterx]

do you know what they are working on now beyond Aleste?

Announced and unreleased stuff includes:
* The Operation Night Striker 2-pack for Taito
* Night Striker Gear
* Aleste Branch
* Untitled new STG with Compile Heart (currently scheduled for summer 2025 release, was initially targeting 2024 but delayed earlier this year)
* They're involved with Ubusuna (though who knows how development is actually progressing on that one)
* Although they already did what would presumably be the bulk of the work for Mega Drive/Genesis on Nintendo Switch Online by getting the initial emulation going, there's probably some level of ongoing work/testing/customization for new releases (like the trio of Genesis games that just released on NSO last week)

You'd have to also assume they're working on other not yet revealed projects commissioned by the usual suspects. Wouldn't be that shocking if they're working on more Konami collections - a Castlevania/Contra/Gradius ReBirth package perhaps, maybe involved on the upcoming Metal Gear Solid Vol.2 compilation (they were part of Vol.1), etc. Seems likely they would also be continuing their work with Sega on classic games included in the Like a Dragon series. I would be totally unsurprised if we learn they've been working with Nintendo on some sort of classic releases (Virtual Console/NSO style?) for the next Nintendo system.

[hamfighterx]

4gamer did their annual year end interviews with a bunch of Japanese devs, and Gematsu has a nice English recap:
https://www.4gamer.net/games/999/G999905/20241216014/
https://www.gematsu.com/2024/12/japanes ... -ambitions

Naoki Horii from M2 was on the list and had this to say (and also some Aleste Branch screenshots at the above links):

—Ambitions for 2025

“All of the titles that were supposed to be announced (or even released) this year have slid into next year, so 2025 should be a fun and exciting year for those who follow M2’s games. Unexpected titles (or games) might or might not appear from unexpected places. When I say they might not, I’m taking into account the possibility of the company exploding, but at least the ones that have gone gold should be released, right? (So don’t worry too much.)”

[BIL]

Sounds good. Even if their building blows up these men will get the job done!

[pablumatic]

https://www.gematsu.com/2024/12/japanes ... -ambitions

—Ambitions for 2025

“All of the titles that were supposed to be announced (or even released) this year have slid into next year, so 2025 should be a fun and exciting year for those who follow M2’s games. Unexpected titles (or games) might or might not appear from unexpected places. When I say they might not, I’m taking into account the possibility of the company exploding, but at least the ones that have gone gold should be released, right? (So don’t worry too much.)”

If their financial situation ever gets dire enough for them to explode then I hope some Japanese game company buys them rather than letting M2 close down or even worse get bought out by a Saudi prince or Chinese conglomerate. Sega, Sony, or Nintendo, maybe.

[hamfighterx]

M2 released a New Year 2025 update video!
https://youtu.be/USGD4vqbw-M

Highlights:
- Aleste Branch video (about 40 seconds of footage). Apparently the game development is done and they are now just working on porting to the unspecified release platforms.
- A few screenshots of Night Striker Gear.
- Quick mention of the Operation Night Strikers compilation (Operation Wolf + Night Striker)
- An Ubusuna update (!!!) Still in active development, and they shared a song from the OST.
- ShotTriggers series director Kazuki Kubota said they are working on two projects: the next one with the DOJ team, as well as a separate project (Toaplan vol.4??). Thinks they will have a lot to share in 2025.

[BIL]

Great to hear! Given how packed 2023 ended up (Ray'z, DOJ and TAGv4, effectively three ShotTriggers compilations in one year), it figures 2024 might've been a lull in hindsight.

[sumdumgoy]

x

[samspot]

M2 simply doesn’t have time to port shmups. Shmups are side projects they use to keep busy between the money making projects. As their reputation for quality ports rises, they get more contracts from big publishers.

Calling their shmup port work "side projects" seems rather reductive. I'd rather think that M2 is making time to port the best video games ever made (shmups) by enticing said contracts from big publishers to make more money to port more shmups. I mean, you don't go the extra miles they do in their shump ports (gadgets, additional animated intros, Super Easy Mode, tight input response, multiple OSTs, tutorials, practice modes, arranges, etc.) unless you passionately love the genre itself.

My own side projects are my most passionate work. It’s not meant as a slight. It’s just a financial reality.

[sumdumgoy]

x

[XtraSmiley]

My own side projects are my most passionate work. It’s not meant as a slight. It’s just a financial reality.

Right. I guess when it's your job, you wouldn't want it as your main anyway. Otherwise, you might grow to resent it, the way some gamers become streamers to make money, then end up hating what they once loved doing.

I think it's rather the shumps don't make money, so even if M2 wanted to work on them 24/7, they wouldn't pay the bills, so they work on them "on the side" when they have time and extra money to do so.

I don't agree or disagree with this POV, I'm just saying I think you missed what he was saying.

[samspot]

My own side projects are my most passionate work. It’s not meant as a slight. It’s just a financial reality.

Right. I guess when it's your job, you wouldn't want it as your main anyway. Otherwise, you might grow to resent it, the way some gamers become streamers to make money, then end up hating what they once loved doing.

I think it's rather the shumps don't make money, so even if M2 wanted to work on them 24/7, they wouldn't pay the bills, so they work on them "on the side" when they have time and extra money to do so.

I don't agree or disagree with this POV, I'm just saying I think you missed what he was saying.

Yeah, this is what I'm going for. Main project pays the bills, side project is what you would spend the most time on if money was no issue. If shmups were their main project, we wouldn't see them delayed in order to release ports for the mainstream publishers. At least that's my take based on statements I've read from M2.

[sumdumgoy]

x

[XtraSmiley]

I think it's rather the shumps don't make money, so even if M2 wanted to work on them 24/7, they wouldn't pay the bills, so they work on them "on the side" when they have time and extra money to do so.

I don't agree or disagree with this POV, I'm just saying I think you missed what he was saying.

Yeah, this is what I'm going for. Main project pays the bills, side project is what you would spend the most time on if money was no issue. If shmups were their main project, we wouldn't see them delayed in order to release ports for the mainstream publishers. At least that's my take based on statements I've read from M2.

You're both right. My apologies.

No apologies needed, I love great discussion! Please don't hesitate to post, we don't have enough of it on here. I don't mind reading and replying. I didn't intend to make my reply seem like I was correcting you because you were "wrong," I was just trying to clarify.



I think we all just want more M2 ShotTrigers and we want it NOW!!!

[sumdumgoy]

x

[XtraSmiley]

Don't be intimidated. If anyone is rude to you for posting, just ignore them, most people are nice.

At least for ST, we have this happening:

viewtopic.php?t=75445&sid=39a4932f83384 ... 66c44a600b

I'm ready for another real ST release though. They have teased us enough!

[sumdumgoy]

x

[FunktionJCB]

A bit of a side note, but the previously mentioned Operation Night Strikers is now a 4 title compilation, and it will include:

*Operation Wolf (Versions: Arcade, Famicom, NES, SEGA Master System)
*Operation Thunderbolt (Versions: Arcade, SNES)
*Night Striker (Versions: Arcade, Mega CD)
*Space Gun (Versions: Arcade, SEGA Master System)

[gbaplayer]

Hopefully we will get Arcade Garage Vol. 4 this year.

[samspot]

You're both right. My apologies.

No apologies needed, I love great discussion! Please don't hesitate to post, we don't have enough of it on here. I don't mind reading and replying. I didn't intend to make my reply seem like I was correcting you because you were "wrong," I was just trying to clarify.



I think we all just want more M2 ShotTrigers and we want it NOW!!!

Alright, thanks. I admit I'm a little intimidated to post, as I'm used to just lurking and learning. But I can't grow unless I take the risk of being wrong, and I can't risk it unless I put humility first and post my thoughts.

And yes, there can never be enough ShotTriggers!!

I should have gushed more. I love M2, have imported many of their ports, and I eagerly await the next announcement!!

[sumdumgoy]

x

[hamfighterx]

So the Amusement Arcade Toaplan app is out now. Tried it on an iPhone 14 and an iPad with the free included game (Truxton).

1. OMG the touch controls are awful. And I actually thought the touchscreen controls on the Cave iOS/mobile releases were pretty good for what they are, but this is... not. You can touch anywhere on screen to place a virtual joystick, but the responsiveness is BAD. There's a sorta clever auto-fire mode where you can swipe up on the shot button to engage auto-fire, and swipe down on it to make it manual again (e.g., for the laser weapon in Truxton where rapid fire means it won't shoot for its full distance).

2. Saving grace - it DOES have controller support. Connected an Xbox pad and that feels great. Has a decent scanline filter, and can change screen orientation. Pad also has standard shot and auto-fire, on separate buttons.

3. Port quality seems pretty solid. I'm no pro Tatsujin player or anything, but with an actual controller it feels pretty good. Has 120Hz and 60Hz options in the menus. Feels nice and responsive to me without major input lag (I'm not super sensitive to such things and am not gonna be able to eyeball a difference between 2ms and 4ms, but like, I can tell when it's really significant - Saturn Tribute Guardian Force or something lol). I'll leave the frame nitpicking to someone else though!

Additional games beyond the free Truxton are $4.99 USD each (US pricing). There's also a bundle of all of the games (24 + Truxton), that also includes the Japanese versions, for $95.90 USD.

I gotta say, I do like that TATE orientation is a perfect fit for a nice portable experience on phones and tablets, and it tempts me to get some more games. I dismissed it immediately upon trying it with touch controls, but once I grabbed a controller now I'm a lot more open...

[Steven]

How is the audio? I heard from someone who played it at Tokyo Game Show 2023 that the audio on Daisenpuu is completely terrible.

[hamfighterx]

How is the audio? I heard from someone who played it at Tokyo Game Show 2023 that the audio on Daisenpuu is completely terrible.

I've still only played Truxton (the free game), but sound wasn't noticeably bad to me. Tinny playing through an iPhone speaker, but I can't really fault the game for that. Seemed fine on the emulation quality though.

[Steven]

How is the audio? I heard from someone who played it at Tokyo Game Show 2023 that the audio on Daisenpuu is completely terrible.

I've still only played Truxton (the free game), but sound wasn't noticeably bad to me. Tinny playing through an iPhone speaker, but I can't really fault the game for that. Seemed fine on the emulation quality though.

I'm not really sure how to take that report of Daisenpuu sounding bad, mostly because it was super loud in there and I'm surprised anyone could hear anything at all. The booth might have had headphones out for people to use, but I don't remember. It's also been like six trillion years since September 2023 and I'm assuming that the reason it took so long to release is because they were fixing stuff, including the audio... maybe.

It's got everything except for Mahjong Sisters and of course Enma Daiou, right? Very curious to see how Ghox works, given that it's a spinner game that also has up and down movement.

[hamfighterx]

It's got everything except for Mahjong Sisters and of course Enma Daiou, right?

Also no Pipi & Bibi's, but otherwise yeah looks like everything is there. Very good question about Ghox...

[Steven]

I knew I forgot something...

Ghox is a weird game. I got to play it on PCB once. The first half of it is fun and cool. The second half is miserable. "Let's make a Breakout clone where 80% of the screen is covered and you can't see anything!" What a great idea.

When I was at TGS, I asked a guy from M2 about how they are going to do Ghox on PS4/Switch and he said they have no idea how they're going to do it. Playing Ghox on PCB is a mess because of the special controller that it requires. It's not just a spinner, it's a spinner that can tilt up and down to allow the players to move in those directions. The PCB's not too expensive, but apparently a custom Ghox controller is in the Tatsujin Ou PCB price range.

[gbaplayer]

Does anybody know when there will be a next M2 livestream? Hopefully with some news regarding vol. 4.