R-Type Tactics

the2bears · Post by **the2bears** » Wed May 23, 2007 4:46 pm

Necronom wrote:I assume they're using the engine of R-Type Final. If it's really turnbased than this could mean that they're going to crank up the eye candy quite significantly since frame rate issues shouldn't be a big problem now. Oh I can see myself starring at all those sweet biomech designs for hours
R-Type Final had a rather slow and ambient flow anyway, imho it's a strangely smart move to to take this slow and tactical gameplay even further. Can't wait for a proper scan! Wooohooo!....excuse my enthusiasm.

Different machine, different style of gameplay. I really doubt that they're using the "engine" from R-Type final, just wouldn't make any sense.

Bill

Post by **Icarus** » Wed May 23, 2007 5:04 pm

SFKhoa wrote:

Hahaha, nicely done.
I'd play it.

"I choose you, R-9A Arrowhead!"

Necronom · Post by **Necronom** » Wed May 23, 2007 5:40 pm

@the2bears
Erm, "different machine"? Well, the machine isn't really that different. I'm pretty sure that many of the PS2 to PSP ports use basically a downscaled PS2 engine, heavily modified but still way cheaper than starting from scratch. I'll wager on the visual side it will be very similar to "Final".
"Different style of gameplay" - yeah, sure it's not an arcadestyle shooter anymore but in a strange way I have the strong feeling that this will still feel like R-type, not the original but "Final" which was extremely slow anyway. Sure R-Type was always about reflexes, but it was also about memorization and strategy. R-Type was always a very tactical shmup. Besides that when playing "Final" I always had the feeling that it was more about mood and atmosphere than about quick reflexes, it seriously felt like a farewell. It also seems they kept the side scrolling perspective - another indication that IREM is using a lot of the technology which was built for "Final". Most strategy games are topdown.
I can understand that many hardcore fans are dissapointed with the change of gamestyle but I'm really willing to give this one a chance...love strategy games anyway. Btw, a couple of years ago there was a Germandeveloped PC game called "Incubation", mixing FPS gameplay with turn based squad tactics...really nice game actually. Maybe this one will turn out similar

Post by **BulletMagnet** » Wed May 23, 2007 7:15 pm

Icarus wrote:
SFKhoa wrote:
Hahaha, nicely done.
I'd play it.

"I choose you, R-9A Arrowhead!"

Of course, in the inevitable cartoon spinoff, Arrowhead will always find some stupid way to win every single battle (even if it would have been impossible in the game) and will never evolve into Delta, because it's so much cuter just as it is.

Specineff · Post by **Specineff** » Wed May 23, 2007 7:33 pm

SFKhoa wrote:
Icarus wrote:Is this actually going to be developed by Irem? Because if it is, someone needs to go up to their offices and slap each and every one of their directors for lying to their loyal fans.
Why didn't we do that before for Square Enix and make Final Fantasy literally final?

Because Irem had said that this was the final ever. No more after that, and some stuff about other shmup developers giving up by not being able to (snort) match the scope of Final. Square never said there wouldn't be any more FF's after that.

Lordstar · Post by **Lordstar** » Wed May 23, 2007 7:44 pm

isint the phrase Final just the way Japaneses say something is the best or a definitive version . same way Final fantasy is not the final fantasy they will make. R.T.T. sounds interesting conscept.

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Wed May 23, 2007 9:06 pm

I'd so play this if it was in English and not on the PSP. Best shmup '07.

professor ganson · Post by **professor ganson** » Wed May 23, 2007 9:19 pm

Rob wrote:I'd so play this if it was in English.

Same here. I suppose it will be unplayable for those of us who don't know Japanese.

Post by **nZero** » Wed May 23, 2007 9:23 pm

Turrican wrote:However, in the scan I can clearly read "shooting game" in kana.

Something about the shooting game series R-Type being made into a simulation game.

What's so popular about the hexagon layout, anyway? I always preferred grid-based strategy like Langrisser and Advance Wars.

gigadrive32 · Post by **gigadrive32** » Wed May 23, 2007 9:53 pm

R-Type Tactics looks so good even from that blurry scan, that I already want an R-Type Tactics II

though between those, I'd like Nectaris PSP, Nectaris DS and Nectaris Wii

Post by **Ghegs** » Wed May 23, 2007 10:41 pm

nZero wrote:What's so popular about the hexagon layout, anyway? I always preferred grid-based strategy like Langrisser and Advance Wars.

Hex maps are pretty much a standard in wargaming. To quote Wikipedia:

Somebody with too much time in their hands wrote:The advantage of a hex map over a square grid map is that the distance between the center of each hex cell and the center of all six adjacent hex cells remains constant. Compare this to a square grid map where the distance from the center of each square cell (of side length x) to the center of its four diagonal adjacent cells is longer than the distance to the center of its four cardinal adjacent cells (x√2 instead of x).

Himuro · Post by **Himuro** » Wed May 23, 2007 11:56 pm

Even if it's in Japanese, it takes all but 5 minutes to understand what each command means when it comes to strategy games if you're playing in Japanese or whatever. I mean, if you're used to the genre it doesn't take any time at all.

gigadrive32 · Post by **gigadrive32** » Thu May 24, 2007 1:02 am

I was fine playing Japanese-only Neo Nectaris, I'm sure I will be fine playing Japanese-only R-Type Tactics, assuming it stays in Japan.

Thunder Force · Post by **Thunder Force** » Thu May 24, 2007 7:50 am

I'm going to get this even if it's JP-only, and just persevere with the language barrier. Metal Gear Acid proved that turn-based versions of nuanced action games on PSP can work well...

gigadrive32 wrote:
IGN wrote:R-Type Tactics looks like a traditional shooting game, right down to the side-scrolling perspective, only instead of freely moving about and blasting enemy ships, you take turns with the enemy, making careful movements over a grid. Perform an attack, and the game switches to an effect-filled attack sequence.

The side-scrolling perspective isn't all you'll recognize from the series. The game includes similar weapons as well as boss characters who will be instantly recognizable by hardcore fans. The "force" sub-weapons play a big part as well, adding extra power to your ship.

Nice that they are keeping the side-scrolling perspective; sounds like a relaxing and addictive little diversion for R-Type fans... a side scrolling "turn-based shmup" with the vast library of R-Type Final ships/weapons.

Thanks to this news I now officially forgive Kazuma Kujo for the suffering I endured trying to play his SOS: The Final Escape

gigadrive32 · Post by **gigadrive32** » Thu May 24, 2007 11:36 pm

I hope IGN gets some clear screens soon.

Nate · Post by **Nate** » Fri May 25, 2007 2:35 am

Is there enough time in the day to play something like this?
I remember playing Neo Nectaris when it came out. I'd start at around 10PM and stop at around 10AM - stuck in the same spot for about 6 hours.

This kind of thing would probably be good if you were riding on a bus from here to Canada or if you were waiting in the hospital while someone was having surgery. I'll bet you RTT will be the ultimate time-sucker royale.

A U.S. port would be much frothed-over.

Post by **Icarus** » Fri May 25, 2007 3:37 am

Well you can say one thing about R-Type Tactics: there won't be any complaints about the slowdown.

Klatrymadon · Post by **Klatrymadon** » Fri May 25, 2007 9:48 am

Imagine that.

-Attack-

*Huge, 50-second Six Million Rupee Man gesture*

"For fuck's sake."

Necronom · Post by **Necronom** » Fri May 25, 2007 11:49 am

Clear screens! Here we go:

http://www.irem.co.jp/official/rtypetac ... index.html

Gungriffon Geona · Post by **Gungriffon Geona** » Fri May 25, 2007 1:12 pm

Bal-Sagoth wrote:Imagine that.

-Attack-

*Huge, 50-second Six Million Rupee Man gesture*

"For fuck's sake."

hey hey hey, don't diss the awesome dragged out attacks. that's what makes the japanese turn-based strategies worth playing.

Klatrymadon · Post by **Klatrymadon** » Fri May 25, 2007 4:14 pm

Hehe, I wasn't! I forgot about the moves that actually do take that long. :p

Post by **Icarus** » Fri May 25, 2007 4:25 pm

Bal-Sagoth wrote:Hehe, I wasn't! I forgot about the moves that actually do take that long. :p

I'm expecting this to be a cross between R-Type Final (complete with the slowdown), Ogre Tactics, Gran Turismo, with the summoning animations from Final Fantasy 8 bolted on. I swear I'm going to be pissed if the attack animations take longer than five Namek minutes to run.

Minzoku · Post by **Minzoku** » Sat May 26, 2007 4:49 am

So, this is basically my Gradius board game

Specineff · Post by **Specineff** » Sat May 26, 2007 7:21 am

It was bound to happen. The AI mode from Final was probably an indication, and the intro movie showing all the ships firing their wave cannons at the same time felt like pulled out of a strategy game all right. I wonder if the storyline takes place during the "Operation Last Dance" time frame.

Turrican · Post by **Turrican** » Sat May 26, 2007 12:28 pm

Specineff wrote:I wonder if the storyline takes place during the "Operation Last Dance" time frame.

Judging from the ships seen in the screenshots, I'd say it's most likely the case.

EDIT: about the game staying in Japan... With Sony embargo on PSP games I can't buy them from play-asia. Please, could you masters of importing be so kind to redirect me to shops which sell JPN PSP games (not ebay). Thanks!

And a big "fuck you!" to Sony.

Twiddle · Post by **Twiddle** » Sat May 26, 2007 2:09 pm

Icarus wrote:Well you can say one thing about R-Type Tactics: there won't be any complaints about the slowdown.

hahahahaha

Necronom · Post by **Necronom** » Sat May 26, 2007 2:45 pm

Considering the fact that "Final" got its western release and that strategy games are popular in the west too there's absolutely no reason why this should be Japan-only...

Specineff · Post by **Specineff** » Sat May 26, 2007 6:45 pm

But only Fresh Games/Eidos had the guts to pick it up, and I'm not sure if the label is still around. With the relatively small installed user base, I doubt even Working Designs would pick it up, if they were still around.

Frederik · Post by **Frederik** » Sat May 26, 2007 8:46 pm

Minzoku wrote:So, this is basically my Gradius board game

I was thinking the same thing, "This looks like one of those videogame themed board games from the eighties, or made up by kids."

The main problem I am having with this it that the screen looks like regular R-Type levels, but instead of real time action you´re forced to play it turn-based or something. I mean, wouldn´t this be the first strategy game with a view from the side instead of a birds eye view? And besides, I don´t think the R-Type series has enough material to translate into other genres.

Necronom · Post by **Necronom** » Sat May 26, 2007 9:17 pm

@Specineff
Funny thing is that there are probably more people willing to buy a (kinda exotic) turnbased spacethemed strategygame than there are fans willing to buy another R-Type shooter. From a business point of view IREM's new approach (or should I say tactic...) is risky but makes perfect sense.

@FrederikJurk
I think there is enough material to create a rather interesting though probably cliched space opera. What is not there yet, can be created...

They should put the first two R-types in it as unlockables, that would be cool. Would you guys buy it then?

Edit: Found this link on NeoGAF, proper scan of the famitsu article.
I would be very thankful for a short summary/ rough translation, maybe somebody can help out?
http://img165.imagevenue.com/img.php?im ... _497lo.jpg

http://img43.imagevenue.com/img.php?ima ... 1192lo.jpg