GD: Chaos Field basics

[Marc]

Someone please help. I really do want to get into this game, there's just a certain something about it that I like, but I don't understand it. At all. If anyone would at least like to start me with the basics (and I mean the basics, I don't even understand the purpose of half the weapons) it would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance people


<changed RQ to GD -inc.>

[Cabinet]

Ok, here you go.

Every ship has four forms of attack; Shot, Sword, Wing-Layer and Lock-On. Shot is straightforward, Sword helps you wipe bullets out of your way (except the purple fireballs), Wing-Layer is a defensive "shield" move and Lock-On locks onto enemies and bullets (only on Chaos Field) and fires homing lasers at all aquired targets.

When you switch to Chaos Field, all your weapons except the sword power up, Wing-Layers become more effective and Lock-Ons gain the ability to aquire bullets as targets (again, except the purple fireballs).

Destroying enemy parts yields a number of META-cubes. Collect them to increase your META-stock (the ten short gauges on the left side of the screen). It takes ten META-cubes to fill in one of these gauges. When all gauges are filled in, any additional META-cubes you release from destroyed enemy parts will become score items worth 5k each (I think).
On Chaos Field, the number of cubes and items released is drastically reduced. When you get hit, your ship will release enough cubes to fill in at least two META-stock gauges, regardless what field you are on. These will also convert into score items when you are hit while having a full META-stock.
You can save yourself the hassle of maneuvering around the screen to collect META-cubes/score items by simply ceasing fire for a second, and all cubes and items on screen will be "sucked" into your ship.
Everytime you use a Wing-Layer or Lock-On, one gauge of the META-stock is used up. When all gauges are emptied, you cannot use any of these special attacks until you fill in at least one gauge.

Everytime you lock onto or destroy parts of an enemy or destructable bullets with your Lock-On or have destructable bullets absorbed by your Wing-Layer, 1 Hit is added to your Hit Combo (the number that appears on the right side of the screen, a little beneath your score) for every aquired target and absorbed/destroyed bullet. Keep aquiring new targets and absorbing bullets with your Wing-Layer to keep the combo going. You can determine how much time you have left to keep your combo running by checking the yellow gauge under the Hit Combo counter, when it has drained, the combo resets to zero (it takes around 4 seconds for the gauge to empty). The numerical value of your hit combo serves as multiplicator for almost everything that earns you points in the game, the higher the combo, the more points you gain from destroying enemy parts, swiping bullets with your sword or absorbing them with the Wing-Layer and also from collected score items and time left upon the death of an enemy. With some planning and strategy, you can keep the hit combo going throughout the whole phase, though some situations may get extremely tricky, depending on which ship you use.

What a lot of writing. This should get you started.
If there´s anything in need of correction, just point it out.

[Super Laydock]

... or have destructable bullets absorbed by your Wing-Layer, 1 Hit is added to your Hit Combo (the number that appears on the right side of the screen, a little beneath your score) for every aquired target and absorbed/destroyed bullet.

Thanks for the bulltet absorbing tip!
I never realisided the wing layer helping/accounting to myour hit combo score...
Guess I should experiment a bit more with the game knowing this to get my high-score up to a decent level.....

[Guardians Knight]

sorry for perhaps asking a daft question, but how do you switch between chaos field and normal field? i cant work out how to do it altho i have been changing im not sure how im doing it.

[BulletMagnet]

Assuming you're playing the DC version (maybe it's true with the GC version too, but I can't confirm), you can set it to any button you want in the options menu (you can do the same with the other functions, including the lock-on and wing layer). Scroll through the functions of any button, and you should eventually see (IIRC) "Change" come up; that's the field switch. I usually set it to the R trigger (heck, that might be the default), but your preference may be different.

[OneEyedJack]

Yes, It is true that you can button config in the GC game

[FRO]

Here's what I don't get. I've been playing this for a while now (it's oddly addicting), & I always seem to get a better score when I just stay in Order Field & shoot everything. The last time I played (Arcade Mode, GC version) I used the Wing-Layer maybe twice to help shield some bullets (during the 2nd part of Phase 1), but otherwise I mostly shot through Phase 1. When I got to Phase 2, I mostly used the sword to fend off the enemies along the rails & to block bullets. I would fire off a couple shots after the 5K META cubes let off so I could "suck" them in, ala Progear. I haven't made it through the 1st part of the 2nd phase yet.

What I'm confused about is that my combo (as shown on the high-score list) was only 42 - yet I had the 3rd highest score in teh list (my best yet). When does the combo really start to bolster your score to where it makes a difference? I tried playing the 1st Phase using mostly Wing-Layer & Lock-On attacks, using the sword occassionally for bullet control & the shots to assist in destroying enemy parts so I could collect more META cubes to keep using special attacks. The point is, my score was rather low both times (though, admittedly I didn't get past the 1st Phase). Am I just not playing long enough to see the combo make a difference, or am I not mixing up the attacks enough to where the combo is affecting my score positively?

Funny thing is, I don't understand most of the more recent shmup score systems. Most of the time I don't care about score - I come from the school of "survival is key" & would rather make it "just a little farther next time" than worry about the score. Chaos Field, however, is puzzling me because it's tempting me to go for score. For the first time since TF4 I am really concerned about score. I get killed in a level & think to myself "I did pretty decent that time," yet my score is low. Anyway, I'd just like to know if I'm going about it the wrong way.

[Kiken]

Here's what I don't get. I've been playing this for a while now (it's oddly addicting), & I always seem to get a better score when I just stay in Order Field & shoot everything. The last time I played (Arcade Mode, GC version) I used the Wing-Layer maybe twice to help shield some bullets (during the 2nd part of Phase 1), but otherwise I mostly shot through Phase 1. When I got to Phase 2, I mostly used the sword to fend off the enemies along the rails & to block bullets. I would fire off a couple shots after the 5K META cubes let off so I could "suck" them in, ala Progear. I haven't made it through the 1st part of the 2nd phase yet.

What I'm confused about is that my combo (as shown on the high-score list) was only 42 - yet I had the 3rd highest score in teh list (my best yet). When does the combo really start to bolster your score to where it makes a difference? I tried playing the 1st Phase using mostly Wing-Layer & Lock-On attacks, using the sword occassionally for bullet control & the shots to assist in destroying enemy parts so I could collect more META cubes to keep using special attacks. The point is, my score was rather low both times (though, admittedly I didn't get past the 1st Phase). Am I just not playing long enough to see the combo make a difference, or am I not mixing up the attacks enough to where the combo is affecting my score positively?

Funny thing is, I don't understand most of the more recent shmup score systems. Most of the time I don't care about score - I come from the school of "survival is key" & would rather make it "just a little farther next time" than worry about the score. Chaos Field, however, is puzzling me because it's tempting me to go for score. For the first time since TF4 I am really concerned about score. I get killed in a level & think to myself "I did pretty decent that time," yet my score is low. Anyway, I'd just like to know if I'm going about it the wrong way.

Chaos Field is about learning to balance between being in Order Field to raise your Meta-Stock and being in Chaos Field to lock-on to the far more aggresive enemy bullet patterns with the Lock-On and Wing Layer.

[FRO]

That makes sense. So you're saying I should fill up my META stock in Order field, switch to Chaos Field, & use the Wing-Layer & Lock-Ons to score more points than just staying in Order Field & collecting the 5k META cubes...right?

[BulletMagnet]

Learning to keep the multiplier going will definitely net you a lot more points than the items will, once you get the hang of it.

[eastyy]

A bit late for this but i thought i would add what i would do


In first level anyway i try to keep my combo multiplier going through the entire level

So i have to balance comboing with keeping my META stock up

The Order field is not very good for the combo but you can do it but you do seem to gain more META when you have destroyed enemies

The chaos field is great for combos as projectiles are targeted but not that good for gaining META

However i do use the order field in some places to keep a combo going and the chaos field for gaining meta (as the gain to the combo would ofset it)

[Knuckles-chaotix]

Ok im new to this game also!
Im finding this all a bit strange..
Changing from field to chaos field..

I noticed you have a better shooter in chaos field mode.

Whats the lock on thing?

When i press a+b i get this blue thing that sits where ever i place it..
Is this the lock on?

Thanks!

[BulletMagnet]

When i press a+b i get this blue thing that sits where ever i place it..
Is this the lock on?

That's the "wing layer," it can block/absorb bullets for a few seconds no matter which field you're in. The lock-on is different: in Order field you can hit enemies with it, while in Chaos field you can hit bullets. I assume you're playing the GameCube version: I don't know if it has the same thing, but in the Dreamcast version you're able to set the wing layer and lock-on to single buttons (rather than having to hit 2 at the same time) in the options menu, see if you can do that.

[Knuckles-chaotix]

ok thanks,,
im playing the dreamcast version..
When i go to the controller menu it just says
A shot
B sword
C change
X change
Y Change
Z none
L none
R none

Dont see lock anywhere?

[BulletMagnet]

If you mess with the functions listed for each button you should eventually be able to find "lock-on" and "wing layer" available: I have the DC version myself, it's doable. Map 'em to whichever buttons you prefer.

[Knuckles-chaotix]

Thanks dude!

Its weird how it does not automatically have these set in the game to start with?
If it wasnt for you i would have never found them!

Cheers again.

[BulletMagnet]

Its weird how it does not automatically have these set in the game to start with?

Considering that they didn't even bother to put in a high score save...

Anyhow, no prob.

[SkylineR32]

I have my Lock mapped to the left trigger and my Sword mapped to the right.

[Kiken]

Its weird how it does not automatically have these set in the game to start with?

Considering that they didn't even bother to put in a high score save...

Anyhow, no prob.

Naomi default controls (which the DC version also defaults to when using a joystick) are:
A: Shot
B: Sword
C: Field Change
A+B: Wing Layer
B+C: Lock-On Sweep