Death Smiles: Countdown to North America Invasion

[rtw]

Do you know what the character select screen does? Obviously two characters, but each has some selectable thing which is up or down.

If you could snap a few pictures of the selection screens, maybe the
people who read Japanese can aid you ?

rtw

[henry dark]

You could be playing on a shit monitor... that definitely can't be dismissed.

Maybe that's it.

shit, keeping this game on level 3 makes it a challenge (it's still the easiest Cave i've played next to Muchi)- whatever that boss who shoots the apples with the smiley faces at you is called- he's loads of fun.

Has anyone started to figure out how scoring works yet? You seem to be penalised for using the lock on attack- using it when the counter reaches 1000 sends it quickly down to 0 without any real visible benifits.

Do you know what the character select screen does? Obviously two characters, but each has some selectable thing which is up or down.

That just asks you if you want to read an explanation of the games buttons or not before the game starts.

[Icarus]

Has anyone started to figure out how scoring works yet? You seem to be penalised for using the lock on attack- using it when the counter reaches 1000 sends it quickly down to 0 without any real visible benifits.

Some early observations, now slightly edited to take into account tweaks in the final release build.

• Destroy enemies with Shot to generate standard items that increment counter at bottom corner of screen. Max is 1,000. What you destroy enemies with seems to influence whether or not you get items - I think you get items if your Option deals the final hit. Appears to be that way from the vids. You seem to get a few items for using a Bomb, as well.
• Item vacuuming can be done by releasing or using standard Shot as opposed to Laser or Multidirectional Lock, by the look of it. Either that, or it's proximity based. (Although in hindsight, it seems to be similar to Mushi Futari - vacuum when using Shot as opposed to Laser.)
• Once base counter hits 1,000, you can trigger the second scoring mode by pressing A and B together, where the counter will start counting down rapidly. In the second scoring mode, everything your Shot impacts with will generate a spray of small skull items, and everything that is destroyed generates large skull items, and these items seem to be worth something like:
  
  (base value) + (incrementing counter up to 10k).
  
  These items don't seem to vanish if they hit the landscape either, which makes for some interesting strategy (namely, using the landscape to "catch" big groups of items for later retrieval). The big items do seem to explode into smaller value items if they hit landscape, however, so pointblanking enemies during 1k item mode is a key factor in scoring high.
  
  Also, if you stay with the counter at 1,000, you can slowly increment your score with this equation by picking up stardard skull items, although it is much faster to just use the 1k scoring mode.
  
  Watch the larger of these two vids for an example of it in action. Looks like a decent system.
  
  It is most likely important to learn how to position your Option to take on incoming waves. With careful Option positioning, you can maximise the amount of skull items you get (thus allowing you to enter 1k item mode more often). There is a sweet but difficult exploit demonstrated in this video clip, where you can drive the item count straight back to 1,000 by carefully timing a large enemy kill just as your current item count drains to 0.
• A+B attack (Multidirectional Lock) drains the item count, so it's detrimental to scoring. Only safe time to use M-Lock would be on bosses, which leads to the strategy of using up all your 1k item mode uses in stage, allowing you to M-Lock bosses for safety without denting your scoring chances.

DISCLAIMER: These are just observations from replays and from experience with similar systems. People with the actual game should be able to verify and correct these points.

[GaijinPunch]

Obviously two characters, but each has some selectable thing which is up or down.

One shows the character demo (the top/default one I think) the other does not.

I've actually covered these points earlier in this thread and the strategy thread, so maybe they were ignored:

I think you get items if your Option deals the final hit. Appears to be that way from the vids. You seem to get a few items for using a Bomb, as well.

What you get depends on if you destroy the enemy with your shot or laser (not option). In general, small enemies should be killed w/ shot, while large ones should be killed w/ the laser (does hands in quotes like Dr. Evil).

Item vacuuming can be done by releasing or using standard Shot as opposed to Laser or Multidirectional Lock, by the look of it. Either that, or it's proximity based.

Proximity based. No need to let go. As long as you're close enough, you will suck in the items.

These items don't seem to vanish if they hit the landscape either, which makes for some interesting strategy (namely, using the landscape to "catch" big groups of items for later retrieval). The big items do seem to explode into smaller value items if they hit landscape, however, so pointblanking enemies during 1k item mode is a key factor in scoring high.

This is the case in both scoring modes. Once your multiplier hits 10,000k, all enemies (regardless with what weapon they are killed with) will give the orange crown which is 2,000 (+ 10,000 at that point) points. The only other time you will get the orange crowns is when your counter hits 1,000 and you hae not pressed A+B to trigger the scoring mode. At this time, they ad 10 to the multiplier (I think).

It is most likely important to learn how to position your Option to take on incoming waves.

This is very true, and where the difference between Windia & Casper is huge. Windia's option only moves position when she moves left or right and is either not shooting, or shooting her shot. He's fixated when she shoots her laser. For Casper, it is the opposite. Her option moves when she's shooting her laser AND moving left or right. She is definitely the odd one, although much stronger if used properly.

[Ex-Cyber]

Excellent piccie, I see that the optional FLASH positions are still unpopulated.

Yet they claim that the game data is twice the size of Futari.

The flash chips on the left probably only contain sound data (look at all the connections to the YMZ770). The game data is probably stored in the 128MByte NAND flash, likely compressed and/or encrypted since it's presumably going to be copied to RAM before running anyway, and they could accelerate the decoding process in the FPGA if needed.

Speaking of that chip, I have no idea why the FPGA bitstream would be stored there, as mentioned on the world-of-arcades page; I would expect Cave to just upload it at the factory and battery-back the FPGA so that nobody can rip the bitstream in-transit and thereby clone the FPGA design. Has anyone found out what happens (or doesn't) when a Cave SH3 board loses all power?

[henry dark]

[*]Once base counter hits 1,000, you can trigger the second scoring mode by pressing A and B together, where the counter will start counting down rapidly. In the second scoring mode, everything your Shot impacts with will generate a spray of small skull items, and everything that is destroyed generates large skull items

I should start paying more attention to whats going on on screen (that means the graphics too...)

[rtw]

I suggest we discuss the SH-3 hardware in this thread:

http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.php?t=16949

To avoid derailing this thread completely...

Welcome to the forum btw Ex-Cyber

rtw

[EOJ]

Seems like it will be very,very difficult to ever emulate Cave's SH3 hardware in something like MAME. They have some complex protection measures in place.

[rtw]

Seems like it will be very,very difficult to ever emulate Cave's SH3 hardware in something like MAME. They have some complex protection measures in place.

Let's discuss it here

http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.php?t=16949

rtw

[Ex-Goku]

２　ｎｅｗ　ｄｅａｔｈｓｍｉｌｅｓ　ｖｉｄｅｏ　ｏｎ　ａｉｒ！　

Ｙｏｕｔｕｂｅ
http://it.youtube.com/profile?user=ExGoku
Ｔｏｒｒｅｎｔ
http://b-board.rdy.jp/torrent/details.p ... dac694d3d6

[Icarus]

It is most likely important to learn how to position your Option to take on incoming waves.

This is very true, and where the difference between Windia & Casper is huge. Windia's option only moves position when she moves left or right and is either not shooting, or shooting her shot. He's fixated when she shoots her laser. For Casper, it is the opposite. Her option moves when she's shooting her laser AND moving left or right. She is definitely the odd one, although much stronger if used properly.

This is even more important given that later stages at Rank 3 have suicide bullets. The new batch of 60fps vids has a Rank 3 vid where enemies are firing little star-shaped suicide bullets that can be blocked by the Option.

EDIT: I'm probably wrong, but it appears that nulling suicide bullets with the Option gives point items too.

[sven666]

i dont really understand how this is not danmaku tho, the screen absoluteley fills upp with bullets in the stage 3 onwards vids..??

[GaijinPunch]

i dont really understand how this is not danmaku tho, the screen absoluteley fills upp with bullets in the stage 3 onwards vids..??

To be fair, the latest interview (Amusement Journal 10... came out at the first of October) they basically said, "we left the danmaku on the light side". Most of the game is relatively low-bullet count.

[henry dark]

i dont really understand how this is not danmaku tho, the screen absoluteley fills upp with bullets in the stage 3 onwards vids..??

To be fair, the latest interview (Amusement Journal 10... came out at the first of October) they basically said, "we left the danmaku on the light side". Most of the game is relatively low-bullet count.

Playing it on level 3 has its fair share of hairy moments though- that tree boss with the freaky silver apples for instance.

[system11]

That witch boss is the one who really nailed me - all those long lasers (?) filling the screen. Being able to fire in two directions again has not yet lost it's novelty value. Gets quite frantic at times!

[henry dark]

That witch boss is the one who really nailed me - all those long lasers (?) filling the screen. Being able to fire in two directions again has not yet lost it's novelty value. Gets quite frantic at times!

I usually keep shooting at one of the balls (?) that come towards you, as once you destroy it it clears a tunnel to move into. The trouble is that when she flies overhead she drop purple bullets on your head.

Oddly enough, the one pattern I can't figure out how to dodge is on the first boss (with level 3 selected for the level). Once you destroy his first form on the right and he starts attacking from the left he releases these spinning pumkin things that totally fill the screen, and send purple bullets upwards making it really hard to navigate. Up until now its been either bomb or get hit.

It's the only boss pattern I can't figure out what to do with.

[evil_ash_xero]

Well, how well do you guys like the game? Is it as good, as say, Progear?

s/m

[henry dark]

I hated Progear, perhaps because I could never get interested enough to invest enough yens to learn its scoring system (I only discovered this forum a few months ago).

Deathsmiles is, right now at least, loads of fun.

[firestorm]

insert credit

hold a+b+c of PLAYER 2

then player 1
Upx4 BBAA LLRR CCC down C

[Gwyrgyn Blood]

What does it do?

[evil_ash_xero]

I've read numerous times before that this game they wanted to feel "un-cave-ish". Did they succeed? Is it fresh?

Also, how many stages does this sucker have?

You know, between this and ESP Galuda 2, i'm cursing Cave for not putting these out on some home systems. Blah!

s/m

[Koma]

What does it do?

Add one more character,her name is folett.

[SuperPang]

Brilliant, thanks

[P_HAT]

one more to go...

[EOJ]

Are there separate hi score rankings in the game for each character, like Mushi Futari and Galuda 2? Or is it all in one ranking? Anyone care to take a pic of the hi score ranking screen(s)? Thanks.

[system11]

insert credit

hold a+b+c of PLAYER 2

then player 1
Upx4 BBAA LLRR CCC down C

Nice find!

[firestorm]

im not 100% but i think each charakter has got a score tabel

the game has got 8 stages but the game is not longer than othe cave games

imo perfect length.

the game is not so much different from other cave STG
its one of the easy cave game
the right scoretimimg is difficult
i like the game but im not big fan of the scoresystem.
perhaps i diddnt get i competly until now but looks a little bit
limited, just find the right point for activating scoremode


the game feels like a horizontal game not like a turned vertikal game (progear)

the gfx is very good especialy the animation
only the animation of the 1st boss cape looks stranke
looks like realtime low polygon animation


the difficult level selection gives also not so good player the possibillity
to see higher levels
for better player stagte 3-1 and 3-2 on level 3 is difficult
also the last boss is not so easy

[GaijinPunch]

Do the characters stay there? If I unlock it at my game center, will it remain unlocked (I hope)?

[firestorm]

i can tell you tomorrow

[henry dark]

Do the characters stay there? If I unlock it at my game center, will it remain unlocked (I hope)?

God I hope so. It's like 1992 all over again.