Gradius V, Type 3 Frustrations

Arwing · Post by **Arwing** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 12:26 am

Been playing gradius V like a madman. No, I havent 1 cc'd it, in fact, I havent even 10 cc'd it..

In any case, I've taken to the type 3 ship, most likely because its pretty traditional, and the option control is pretty simplistic. In any casy, the game was supposedly designed so each ship type can get through just as easily, but I have a hard time believing that.

The bouncing ball in stage 6 is IMPOSSIBLE with the type 3. I've downloaded the super plays from super-play.co.uk, NO ONE uses the type 3 ship (without the weapon edit).

Any strategies with the type 3? I do decent until I get to that fooking ball..

Dandy J · Post by **Dandy J** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 1:20 am

Try and place an option itself over the core of the ball.

Klatrymadon · Post by **Klatrymadon** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 1:21 am

It's not impossible, mate, it's just that you tend to have to be more patient and adjust your style a bit. Clearly, it's difficult to consistently dangle your options over this boss when you're using Type 3, so your best bet is to take care of all the turrets he plants, dangle wherever possible and opportunistically knock out a few shields, and then get ready to pull your options into the center for your real assault when he comes to a stop (hopefully in such a position as to leave himself wide open).

If you're not feeling confident when he starts spinning more quickly and shooting lasers, be sure to just concentrate on your dodging.

I'm a Type 2 player, though, so this strategy may not be as sure-fire as it sounds in my head. I've definitely used it successfully in the past, mind you...

Post by **Icarus** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 1:30 am

Spread out your Options so they are nearly the height of the screen, and switch to Double. Using Double ensures you can clear the area of turrets to give yourself some breathing space. Try and track the boss so that you have an Option covering the core at all times. When the outer cover of the boss starts to spin around, stay near the middle of the screen and dodge until it stops spinning, then resume tracking of the core with an Option.

Example of the strategy, using Type 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWSSnPi_fUE

Klatrymadon · Post by **Klatrymadon** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 1:34 am

Nice, that simplifies things a lot.

In any case, keep at it, captain! GV is a very compelling game to practice on - surely one of the most easily accessible yet uncompromising and rewarding shmups ever devised.

landshark · Post by **landshark** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 2:22 am

Type 1 rules =)

Post by **Icarus** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 2:25 am

Type 1 is indeed teh awsum. Use Weapon Edit and swap the Missile for a Spread Bomb and you have the ultimate killing machine.

wiNteR · Post by **wiNteR** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 2:30 am

I have a question too. Do the option hunters only appear if you have 4 options? In that case would it be a good idea to keep only 3 options since the option hunters can spoil good runs single handedly :/

Arwing · Post by **Arwing** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 3:49 am

BAH!

You make it sound so simple...

Thats the strategy Ive been trying to employ (stick the option in its face!), but one puny option on top of it doesnt do enough damage. I take so long, eventually it gets to that spinning laser bit, which I can dodge, but its just a matter of time...

With the doding that comes with trying to avoid the damned turrets, by the time you position the option, you're dead.

Goddamnit, now I guess I have to switch ship types. Ive seen some ridiculous type 2 replays (ben shinobi). Its just too easy with 2...

I guess 1 is pretty cool too, can turn 4 options into a huge light saber...

UnscathedFlyingObject · Mon Oct 23, 2006 3:55 am

"You need more practice!"

Edge · Post by **Edge** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 4:57 am

Icarus wrote:Type 1 is indeed teh awsum. Use Weapon Edit and swap the Missile for a Spread Bomb and you have the ultimate killing machine.

Heh, that's also my weapon set up.

Placing the options at the boss's core and droping the spread bombs at them can kill many bosses pretty fast. I just found that the flashing effects of the spread bombs hurt my eyes after a long session.

In general Gradius V was the only shmup which somehow was bothersome for my eyes, after one / two runs I found it difficult to focus my eyes on it. I think this is because of all the flashing blue transparency effects (esspecially the spread bombs) and then on the other hand trying to focus on the grey bullets which sometimes turned invisible to me. Anyone else experienced this in this game?

But that's the only game I can think of which was getting on my eyes somehow. Dunno what it is, probably has something to do with that constant flashing lights... ?

pentarou · Post by **pentarou** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 5:18 am

UnscathedFlyingObject wrote:"You need more practice!"

I think that's all I have to say about that.

Strider77 · Post by **Strider77** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 5:34 am

directional options own all

Shocky · Post by **Shocky** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 8:38 am

Strider77 wrote:directional options own all

It's too easy with them.

One way to kill the 7th boss is not to kill it. Just keep dodging and destroying the turrets, the boss will eventually get bored and goes home to watch tv or something.

tviks · Post by **tviks** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 9:38 am

Gradius V is indeed the best. I can't think of another shmup where the weapon types are so well balanced. Every type is better than the others in some places, but overall the order goes from best to worst by the number (type 1 being best, type 4 being worst).

The weapon edit config that I used to make the world record is:

spread bomb, vertical, laser, freeze, f-field

The vertical double is great.

PlasmaBlooD · Post by **PlasmaBlooD** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 9:39 am

Freeze with Weaponedit Ripple Laser and Spread Bomb kills all very fast.

Kiken · Post by **Kiken** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 12:27 pm

wiNteR wrote:I have a question too. Do the option hunters only appear if you have 4 options? In that case would it be a good idea to keep only 3 options since the option hunters can spoil good runs single handedly :/

With Type 3, the Option Hunter isn't an issue. Simply move to the far left of the screen when it appears (sit right on top of it, in fact). All four Options will be off-screen so the Option Hunter can't steal any of them.

Type 1 can do the same thing easily. With Types 2 and 4, stringing out your Options and trailing the fourth one right on top of the Option Hunter is the best plan. It deals with him quickly and grants a temporary rank-down (until you reactivate the fourth Option).

landshark · Post by **landshark** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 1:51 pm

Edge wrote:
Icarus wrote:Type 1 is indeed teh awsum. Use Weapon Edit and swap the Missile for a Spread Bomb and you have the ultimate killing machine.
Heh, that's also my weapon set up.

As is mine, post-US-comp.

Galaxius · Post by **Galaxius** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 11:01 pm

I've been using Type 1 with Fire Blaster lately. It's very powerful, and you have to be more aggressive since the Fire Blaster's range is limited.

Type 1 - Max Speed - Fire Blaster - 2-way back

Post by **Icarus** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 11:15 pm

Since we're dropping up our configs, I had some success during the Euro competition using an edited form of Type 1.

[Speedup] > [Spread Bomb] > [Double] > [Laser] > [Freeze] > [Force Field]

I preferred standard Double over Vertical for the forward range which is invaluable in particular sections of the game.

Arwing · Post by **Arwing** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 5:09 am

I thought I'd post an addendum to this..

As a respite from my intense frustration I switched over the type 1 with spread bomb, and I must admit, it isnt even the same game! The freeze options are the real deal, and the spread bomb is the icing on the cake.

The game is literally 10x easier. I even made it through the alien anus level in one life..

Those of you playing exclusively with the type 1 will never ever know the frustration of being caught on the left side of the screen and losing all you options... for the 16th time in the game!