Ever have a "Shmup Epiphany"?

Circa2113 · Post by **Circa2113** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 5:20 am

Have you ever had a moment where a shmup finally just "clicked"? You know, when a game has you frustrated to no end and you can't seem to progress at all...then, out of no where it just makes sense and things start to fall into place? Well, it happened to me today, and it was a great experience.

I bought a dangun feveron board back a month or two ago. At first, I thought the game was great and played a lot of it for a couple weeks. Then, it got to the point where I just hit a wall and couldn't get any further no matter how hard I tried. (I believe it was stage 2 boss or early stage 3 at that point

) I practiced for weeks but never improved. Eventually I just got fed up and it sat on the shelf for a week or so and I decided I'd sell it.

This morning, I had a free hour before class, so I decided I'd give it "one last chance"....and am I glad I did! Something finally registered with me. I couldn't play this game like most shooters I owned, I needed to try a new style. I played very aggressively and really was impressed at what a difference it made. Unlike most cave shmups, in Dangun your looking to constantly move up the screen attack (not to mention collect the disco men) I had always tried to play with a more reserved style, and it's why I always had my ass handed to me. Today I finally realized dangun must be played almost wrecklessly--you have to attack like a madman.

Anyways, it felt great to finally just understand the game and I progressed more in an hour today than I had in weeks of playing around with it. I broke my highscore and didn't miss a disco man until well into stage 3! I lost my credit at stage 4, but it was the farthest I had ever gotten.

Sorry for the random rambling, just felt like sharing. I guess the point of the story is--change your style to better suit the game! It sounds obvious, but it can be very hard to do. Anyone else have some similar situations?

Pixel_Outlaw · Post by **Pixel_Outlaw** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 5:28 am

You are right some games demand a certain playing style.

The Shikagami No Shiro games were really hard for me untill I started to understand the designers' thoughts on how a player should react to the barrages. Sometimes you have to sit back and try to get into the mind of the designer.

EatenByGrues · Post by **EatenByGrues** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 7:40 am

When I first started playing Salamander I couldn't for the life of me get past the first boss without dying. I just couldn't get him to line up in such a way as not to drive me into the floor or ceiling. Finally after countless trys I figured out how to set him up properly and I just blasted my way all the way to level 4 before dying. Sometimes you just get stuck on things.

sven666 · Post by **sven666** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 7:47 am

yeah man.. many times, for the longest time i had severe problems with how to tackle the 4th boss in espgaluda for instance.. and one day i just saw it.. now i can do it with one hand behind my back

Aquas · Post by **Aquas** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 8:18 am

Playing Raiden Fighters Jet, I had a lot of connecting moments when I realized that I had risen a level of skill. It happened about 3 seperate times where I actually felt like I had gotten better. Part of it was realizing the chaining aspect of the game, and then figuring out where everything was coming from (and then strategizing how to effectively destroy everything threatening, while still nabbing medals), and also memorizing bullet patterns and dodging them flawlessly. Also, there is a crazy amount of adrenaline when you're playing on a public cab and you're on the last stage and you're just about to beat the high score. And then you beat it, and then you let loose a little and perform not as well. I long for more of those intense moments. I haven't quite discovered it again since then... but I'm searching. And now I have the tools to find more of those defining "shoot'em'up'" moments, that many of us become fond of in our Shmup career. 1cc's... high scores... personal goals.

ahnslaught · Post by **ahnslaught** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 9:45 am

Once in a rare while I get into a groove where I play really well. Instead of it feeling good, I feel a little weird, like I'm becoming that autistic kid or something.

Minzoku · Post by **Minzoku** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 12:49 pm

I seem to do better when I haven't played a game in a while, or at all. Once I start really trying, I start doing worse

ktownhero · Post by **ktownhero** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 1:25 pm

Minzoku wrote:I seem to do better when I haven't played a game in a while, or at all. Once I start really trying, I start doing worse

QFT.

Same here. Especially in Ikaruga. My best scores always come from my first or second run of the day. After that, I have to go into "reset" mode to just practice particular techniques. My ability to score consistently goes down after 2+ runs.

junkeR · Post by **junkeR** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 1:35 pm

Minzoku wrote:I seem to do better when I haven't played a game in a while, or at all. Once I start really trying, I start doing worse

Same with me as well. I do really well in games like Dodonpachi at first but once I start trying I just don't seem to do as well.

szycag · Post by **szycag** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 3:20 pm

I had one when I played Gradius II stoned

shoe-sama · Post by **shoe-sama** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 3:41 pm

I used to die 1/2 the time when I tried to no bomb DDP 2nd boss. Super fast splash patterns of doom are no fun, even though they're aimed and stuff. Then I figured hey screw hit counts I'll just kick butt.

DDP 2nd boss is easier if you ignore the sides, because it dies before switching to red lifebar splash.

For people who absolutely have to destroy the sides, aura one side first. Leave one missile launcher intact to face a lower rank green/yellow splash if you suck. Double hit requirement only requires destruction the grenade launchers and missile covers anyway, so only 1 hit sacrificed.

Lol timing + rank manipulation omgwtf.

Circa2113 · Post by **Circa2113** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 3:48 pm

szycag wrote:I had one when I played Gradius II stoned

I tried playing DOJ on PS2 while drunk once.

It was interesting to say the least.

szycag · Post by **szycag** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 4:06 pm

Yeah that's fun too... playing like that is great because I always feel like I could write a college essay on the game because of how taken aback I am. The repetition doesn't bother you at all, and you just soak up all the awesome atmosphere. The third boss in Gradius II, the music starts and you expect him to scroll in from the right but he comes from the left and his tentacles fold in just in time for you to get to his other side. I guess it has that effect, making the clichéd seem like genius.

I guess your original post wasn't about THAT kind of epiphany, heh; I've had some ones with gameplay but the best part is finding those little details in the design, like the first time I noticed you can see the first level boss flying in the background as soon as you begin in Progear. That motivates me more than anything for whatever reason. Anyways I'll stop with that as to not de-rail your thread and risk sounding any more like a douchebag than I already have

Never_Scurred · Post by **Never_Scurred** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 1:53 am

Haven't played DOJ in weeks. Picked it up last night when I got home from school and kicked ass all the way until the 2nd stage boss. I mean, it was like my hands were being controlled by some strange force. too bad I still couldn't chain for shit though.

I usually lose at least one ship on the first stage boss and the rest before I even see the 2nd stage boss but something got me through. I get all pumped up when I have a good run until I watch a superplay and my dick shrivels back up again.

ktownhero · Post by **ktownhero** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 2:29 am

I just had a so-called "epiphany" in Super Star Soldier. I haven't played in weeks, and I just 1-lifed all the way to the stage 6 boss. I proceeded to lose 7 golden ships on that boss, and then my last 3 lives on the final stage. It was my first time ever on the stage 6 boss and stage 7. Previously I would always lose all of my golden ships on the stage 4 robot asshole, but I made him my bitch tonight.

JusteZero · Post by **JusteZero** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 2:51 am

I had a R-type3 epiphany a while back... after years of being unable to pass the 2nd level boss(the shame I know), I rifled right through to level 4. Now I need an epiphany to get me past the part where I gotta fly backwards through the molten maze

Ayanami · Post by **Ayanami** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 3:53 am

Strikers 1945 II which in turned made me enjoy Psykio shooters a whole lot more.

A lot of Raizing games that frustrated me to no end while trying to score as well. I just started playing for survival and it was a lot more fun. I also used to think Souky by Raizing was not all it was cracked up to be. But then it just clicked and now it is one of my favs.

Nate · Post by **Nate** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 6:20 am

Way back in 2000, I learned while playing the unbelievable Pulstar on the AES that I could switch to the purple homing laser and then the game just turns into a game-within-a-game. Once at stage 7 (Life or Death) I remember plowing through the relentless onslaught of enemies and getting cornered in the lower left; explosions were in slow motion and shit was scattering everywhere; the Dino 246 emerged from the chaos like a surfer in a nasty whitewater tube. I'll never forget that moment. It's when I concluded (to myself) that Pulstar was the best. And, I've yet to clear the game!

Another crazy one was when I 1CC'd Override PCE on the 2nd time I'd ever played it!

shinsage · Post by **shinsage** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 8:00 am

szycag wrote:I had one when I played Gradius II stoned

I need to try this.
well, with any game really.

HeLGeN-X · Post by **HeLGeN-X** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 5:01 am

Mines was when I first beat the 1st stage of Mushihimesama on Maniac without dying, I couldn't believe it. I tried to do it again and record it on my capture card, but my capture card gives a 0.1ms lag, so I couldn't play as well... But I still did it but couldn't capture it...

segasonicfan · Post by **segasonicfan** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 7:26 am

I've had a few (especially with Esprade) but the one last one I clearly recall was the stage 2 boss in Ketsui. I use to throw a bomb whenever that sucker dropped a grenade because I could not weave through the pattern. Then one day it was just a total breeze. Now I do it all the time

-Segasonicfan

Belmont · Post by **Belmont** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 2:26 pm

I hadnt played espgaluda for a few weeks untill last night. I had a few hours to kill so i played a few runs and got anihiliated. After 4 runs i finially got into the zone and started using my ketsui almost perfectly. I would turn it on without thinking chaining big groups of enemies then throwing it off at the perfect time. I had my gem counter maxed so fast that my score just skyrocketed. I blew away my previous high score and i finially got a good run. I havnt been able to play like that since though.

Krooze L-Roy · Post by **Krooze L-Roy** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 8:00 pm

Not so much an epiphany, but I've found that I kick ass if I play a shmup in the late hours of the night. The more tired I am, the easier it is to shut off all the parts of my brain other than "shoot... dodge...." This has caused me a lot of unsettling "WTF, the freaking sun's rising already!?" moments, which are always a shocker.

The only real epiphany I've had was when I realised that Silpheed for ps2 was meant to be played with the seemingly useless napalm bomb gun.

NAVVARR · Post by **NAVVARR** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 9:32 pm

I remember playing Starforce in the arcades - long time ago

-anyway- i really enjoyed it and could maybe get to zeta level without too much trouble.
Anyway- it was just this once when i was playing it and i don't know if it was just sheer blind luck- but hell -i was dodging everything that game could throw at me- to the point that i had a crowd of people standing round the cabinet- just mesmerised by how well i was doing.

Just sometimes- you click - i can identify with the 'feeling of autism' or the c'mon then- aggression that sometimes comes over you- its down to your attitude- do you hold it together and get through the waves or get perplexed by the waves of bullets and inevitably crash and burn.

Minzoku · Post by **Minzoku** » Sat Apr 07, 2007 4:36 pm

You know, I've realized in the past couple weeks when playing board games with friends that if I don't really try and lose, I don't feel so bad, but if I try hard and lose, it feels like a major blow

[Why am I trying so hard at board games? Well, our friends have gotten us into one called Puerto Rico that is primarily strategy, so it's easier to win by playing smart than by dumb luck.]

So, I guess the secret is to have no expectations, and you're bound to exceed them

Alec · Post by **Alec** » Sat Apr 07, 2007 5:59 pm

Yes. it was a very spiritual experience.