Shooting Game Tournament 2006

[Icarus]

Or are you forgetting about Blazing Star and the difficulties at the higher rank levels? ^_-

I'm not sure what you mean. BS is really simple and as I've said I don't think rank is much of an issue, unless you want to get the last 5 million (or less) points in the game (I'll estimate).

For me at least, being able to practice the juicy scoring sections over and over at a lower rank (in Blazing Star) was beneficial, as I could (and did) apply higher rank practice to those same sections to increase my score. Thats what I mean by picking a single ship in Batrider - to practice those stage and boss patterns first, and then apply stage and ship selection tactics to increase score.

[BulletMagnet]

Yeah, survival is a larger part of their difficulty than scoring (so more intuitive to the average fan).

I might quibble with the word "average"...I think the statement would be more accurate if you replaced that word with "old-school" or some such thing. In my own case (I have no idea how many on here are in the same boat, and won't guess), I tend to be more "comfortable," for lack of a better word, with shmups whose "pure survival" mechanics involve relatively little memorization, but whose score mechanics require (comparatively) more practice. Again, I don't know how many people find either type of play more "intuitive," but to tie in the "time-consuming" comment, some people will take to the "Psikyo style" very quickly, while others will struggle with it, the same as any other developer's gameplay style. I don't see Psikyo as any more approachable than any other developer; that doesn't mean it's not a valid choice for the tournament, just no more valid than anything else.

But Psikyo is one developer where replays/savestates could help accelerate through this

Er, isn't that more or less the case with most any shmup?

[Randorama]

Ok, i'll hoard votes on shippu Mahou then -___-!

[Icarus]

Ok, i'll hoard votes on shippu Mahou then -___-!

I thought you'd pick that one. ^_-

[Randorama]

Ok, i'll hoard votes on shippu Mahou then -___-!

I thought you'd pick that one. ^_-

Be my hoarder! *_*

[Icarus]

Be my hoarder! *_*

Hahahaha!
You should know by now I don't care what Raizing game gets picked, as I'm comfortable with all of them. ^_-

Garegga and Bakraid for the win.

[Rob]

Er, isn't that more or less the case with most any shmup?

I pointed it out because Psikyo games are divided clearly into chunks and the "hard parts" can be a lot easier than they look. What's hard is that they kill you too fast to see the gaps in the pattern. Savestates, problem nearly solved. And they're 15 minutes a round. If someone couldn't clear the first round of any Psikyo game in a week using savestates, time to put in a transfer to Team Loser.

I kid.

[BulletMagnet]

I pointed it out because Psikyo games are divided clearly into chunks and the "hard parts" can be a lot easier than they look. What's hard is that they kill you too fast to see the gaps in the pattern. Savestates, problem nearly solved.

Fair enough, but all I meant via my "challenge" (if you can even call it that) is that you can (I assume, since I don't practice with savestates myself) do the same thing with, say, a tricky area to chain in DDP, or a boss you want to destroy with a multiplier in Battle Bakraid, or any other "trick" (survival or scoring) you want to pull off in any shmup. Again, I'm not saying that what you say about Psikyo games isn't true, just that it's not Psikyo-exclusive.

If someone couldn't clear the first round of any Psikyo game in a week using savestates, time to put in a transfer to Team Loser.

I kid.

Well, there's the whole other issue of just how much time one has in a week to spend on shmup practice, but you probably already knew that... But come join Team Loser anyways, you know you want to.

[Rob]

Comparing chaining in DDP to surviving in a Psikyo game is crazy. You can practice a "tricky part" of a chain in DDP, but that leaves the rest of the chain. All you have to know here is clearing individual patterns with no connection to an overall plan or form besides maybe bomb distribution.

[BulletMagnet]

You can practice a "tricky part" of a chain in DDP, but that leaves the rest of the chain.

Well yeah, that's why I specifically said a tough part, since other parts of the stage likely don't require as much practice to chain: similarly, in Psikyo games, only certain parts of stages require a lot of practice to master (most notably the bosses, I'd wager, though I might add that the random stage order in Psikyo games would also add to the practice time required, since you'd need to be ready for the latest/toughest arrival of a particular stage/boss to approach it with any confidence).

It's an imperfect comparison, granted, but you know what I'm getting at.

[ave]

What about that Raizing Week... will Ibara be included in the votings? Because if it is, I won't be able to participate AGAIN (the blazing star rom has had hard graphic bugs)

Hope for Battle Garegga (oh no, not this game..) or, better, for Soukyuugurentai. Although I hate to play Raizing Games due to their Ranking-shit and the -sorry- fucking suicides.

Anyway, lets hope for soukyuu. and gradius in the classic week^^

[Edge]

I just wanted to warn you, I am planning to do an open poll again.

Some people where talking about a pm vote in the Blazing Star thread. But seriously, sorting out 70+ pms would be no fun. So I keep the open poll's, also I don't think they are somehow broken.

No matter which game we'll play there will always be a fair share of people who disagree with the game, because they wanted to play something else. Otherwise one game would have gotten 100% of the votes.

I will start the poll on weekend saturday or sunday.

[zakk]

I just wanted to warn you, I am planning to do an open poll again.

Some people where talking about a pm vote in the Blazing Star thread. But seriously, sorting out 70+ pms would be no fun. So I keep the open poll's, also I don't think they are somehow broken.

No matter which game we'll play there will always be a fair share of people who disagree with the game, because they wanted to play something else. Otherwise one game would have gotten 100% of the votes.

I will start the poll on weekend saturday or sunday.

Well, you wouldn't have to sort through that many PMs. Assign/ask teams to desginate a representative, and have the teams internally decide which game they want to play. Then have the team reps PM you their decision.

Not that I really care either way. A little public vote stacking makes things interesting, no?

[Edge]

Well, you wouldn't have to sort through that many PMs. Assign/ask teams to desginate a representative, and have the teams internally decide which game they want to play. Then have the team reps PM you their decision.

Not that I really care either way. A little public vote stacking makes things interesting, no?

That's quite an interesting idea. Though I still think public votes would be more exciting.

[mulletgeezer]

yeah, having teams send votes via a rep would be fair and quite easy to organise, but watching the votes progress last week was mildly gripping, so i think we should stick with the public vote, despite it's flaws.

by the way, Edge, i don't think you should be afraid to shortlist less than 5 games each week if you think it'll make for a better contest. i see members listing 5 games they think should be shortlisted for the Raizing week but personally i think there are only 3 or 4 games that have all the right criteria to be a good choice for this contest.

[Turrican]

Well, you wouldn't have to sort through that many PMs. Assign/ask teams to desginate a representative, and have the teams internally decide which game they want to play. Then have the team reps PM you their decision.

Not that I really care either way. A little public vote stacking makes things interesting, no?

That's quite an interesting idea. Though I still think public votes would be more exciting.

there's an even easier solution: just start a normal thread without the poll option, and let everyone vote among the choosen games - then you'll just have to count the votes from the contest members, skipping all the rest ^_^

[Acid King]

Be my hoarder! *_*

Hahahaha!
You should know by now I don't care what Raizing game gets picked, as I'm comfortable with all of them. ^_-

Garegga and Bakraid for the win.

Booo Garegga! Thats probably the least likely Raizing game to get shortlisted. I can only pray it's Bakraid, if only to hear the bitching about suiciding.

[BulletMagnet]

I can only pray it's Bakraid, if only to hear the bitching about suiciding.

I don't think that'll be too much of an issue, as you can A) learn to play the game "for survival" at first without worrying about scoring or rank, and B) Once you do start getting into scoring, you can start by sacrificing bombs instead of lives to extend your chain and work your way up from there. I'd say, on the whole, that Bakraid is one of the more accessible Raizing games, as it offers plenty for both beginners and the hardcore to sink their teeth into.

[Rob]

Some people where talking about a pm vote in the Blazing Star thread. But seriously, sorting out 70+ pms would be no fun. So I keep the open poll's, also I don't think they are somehow broken.

I think I mentioned that, but I didn't really mean it. I meant something more manual. Like take the list of participants, post it in the voting thread and initial the game of choice next to their name after they vote. Or something like that. Maybe someone else can volunteer to do that to give you a break.

About people not playing what they want/voted for, people would undoubtedly be less ready to complain if it was a clear and fair vote.

[DJ Incompetent]

Maybe someone else can volunteer to do that to give you a break.

I'll do it.

Edge, if you accept, decide which method to use and PM me. Keep your nominated roster handy & that little synopsis on what each nominated game is about.

Note, if we decide to do it PM voting, be aware it's possible the inbox could max out with replied votes. PM inbox looks like it can hold about 50. (15 PMs = 30% full)

[Guts]

Is it possible to lunch the next pool as soon as possible to obtain a large number of vote ?

[DEL]

All I ask is; if Batrider appears as a choice, then let it be split into two tickboxes on the Poll. One for Normal Course. One for Advance Course.

[Fighter17]

Fuck Batrider. That game is too confusing for my taste!

I still don't know how to get 11,000,000 from the stage one boss. I still don't know how that weird scoring system works!

[DEL]

It doesn't have a weird scoring system, its just basic. Shoot, score and don't let medals disappear of the screen.

[sven666]

All I ask is; if Batrider appears as a choice, then let it be split into two tickboxes on the Poll. One for Normal Course. One for Advance Course.

why play anything but advanced course? same for bakraid...

[Super Laydock]

Though I still think public votes would be more exciting.

there's an even easier solution: just start a normal thread without the poll option, and let everyone vote among the choosen games - then you'll just have to count the votes from the contest members, skipping all the rest ^_^

aaaaand we have a winner!

excellent idea Turrican. Transparancy is a good thing here. And there's be no discussion about teams "bribing" (;)) non-contestants for votes on their game of choice!

And a free "post count +1" for every contestant.

[Herr Schatten]

And a free "post count +1" for every contestant.

That last bit convinced me. Awesome.

[Rob]

why play anything but advanced course? same for bakraid...

OK, ResOGlas.

[freddiebamboo]

I would say normal course would give everyone a fairer chance at batrider.

Advance is a serious task.

[Icarus]

Fuck Batrider. That game is too confusing for my taste!

I still don't know how to get 11,000,000 from the stage one boss. I still don't know how that weird scoring system works!

Methinks you're confusing Batrider with Bakraid.