What's your orientation?

doodude · Post by **doodude** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 2:47 am

This is probably one of those age old debates that simply ends with everyone stating their personal preference, but:

Is there a difference ( other than the obvious ) in a side scrolling flying, shooting shmup & a vertical flying, shooting shmup?

Is there a theme or style or quality or any kind of real difference?

Could you say there are more or less of either kind?

Which came first? Which seems more popular? Which country prefers which?

Which way do you lean?

...

GaijinPunch · Post by **GaijinPunch** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 3:15 am

Orientation: Straight
Preffered Shooter: Vertical
Lean Direction: Right

BLEAGH · Post by **BLEAGH** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 3:24 am

In a vertical game your ship/character is usually symmetrical. That can make it easier to recognize your hitbox and dodge bullets. For me there is something about the bullets coming mostly down the screen that makes them easier to see.

Horizontal games can feel a bit more familiar to people because a person's field of vision is wider than it is tall.

In the end I think it just boils down to the game itself and whether or not you enjoy it.

Dragon1952 · Post by **Dragon1952** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 4:25 am

We have a natural human comfort in moving our heads and eyes up and down more so than left and right. L & R requires more neck muscle movement and physical exhaustion over longer play periods. We tend to focus our attentions more strongly if we are more relaxed in our required movements. The older you get, the more apparent this becomes. If you are not convinced, do a little test on yourself.

- Move your head and eyes up and down

-Then move your head and eyes left and right gentlely

Which feels more natural. Which one will endure longer?
If a video game is then specifically oriented with that information in mind, then maybe this is why we love vertical shooters so much!

CIT · Post by **CIT** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 5:09 am

Dragon1952 wrote:We have a natural human comfort in moving our heads and eyes up and down more so than left and right.

Actually this is wrong!

Moving L/R is easier for humans, because biologically speaking we are required to check our environs for danger or sources of food, which effectively means checking whats on the ground to the left and right of us.

You can see that L/R movement is more natural in the fact that most languages are written horizontally.

Because L/R movement is easier it is actually easier to grasp spaces between bullets on vertical shooters (since there you'll be checking a space between a left an a right bullet). That's why horizontal danmaku shooters are quite rare, and horis are more often tactical shooters.

Ganelon · Post by **Ganelon** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 5:17 am

Difference: More object-based challenges in a horiz shooter. Impossible to have a true horiz shooter without flying/floating.

Quantity: Vert

First: Vert

Popular: Vert

Any country: Vert

Preference: I feel it's vert, but most of my fave shooters are horiz for whatever reason

GaijinPunch · Post by **GaijinPunch** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 5:32 am

Moving L/R is easier for humans, because biologically speaking we are required to check our environs for danger or sources of food,

I'll bet you a coke when you throw a tilted arcade monitor into the mix, up/down is the favorite by a landslide.

worstplayer · Post by **worstplayer** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 8:57 am

Ghetto tate, best of both worlds

JJG · Post by **JJG** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 9:10 am

VERT!!!

320x240 · Post by **320x240** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 9:46 am

Vertical, but i find a square playing area the best - like in Cho Ren Cha.

lmn4096 · Post by **lmn4096** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 10:11 am

It's a question of geometry.
our eyes are at the same level (horizontal), and our brain calculate more easily the trajectory of bullet if it is in the middle of our sight view.
because our brain is trained to calculate the 3d using the triangulation with our both eyes.
And then with horizontal shooter you will have much more difficulty to apprehend the correct trajectory of a bullet because of that.

now from a level designer point of view, it is more interesting to draw a level horizontally because it involve more story movie like feeling.

thats why I believe the horizontal shooter appeal more to casual gamers than a more abstract vertical one.

MathU · Post by **MathU** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 10:27 am

320x240 · Post by **320x240** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 10:46 am

lmn4096 wrote:thats why I believe the horizontal shooter appeal more to casual gamers than a more abstract vertical one.

And to causual game designers too.

Arvandor · Post by **Arvandor** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 11:28 am

I just find verticals to be infinitely more enjoyable. Vertical all the way. Ratio doesn't matter much to me though. I like RSG, Souky, and Mars Matrix just as much as Ikaruga, Garegga, and the Cave offerings.

Post by **spadgy** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 7:59 pm

worstplayer wrote:Ghetto tate, best of both worlds

Absolutely!

I dress mostly to the left and play mostly to the vert!

Ceph · Post by **Ceph** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 9:57 pm

doodude wrote:What's your orientation?

Heterosexual. Why do you ask, are you cruising for some ass?

drboom · Post by **drboom** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 11:02 pm

Vertical, horizontal...I go both ways.
But all my favorite shooters are vertical.

Arvandor · Post by **Arvandor** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 1:38 am

Ceph wrote:
doodude wrote:What's your orientation?
Heterosexual. Why do you ask, are you cruising for some ass?

Now we just have to find out if Ceph is a vertical shooter or a horizontal shooter.

FIL · Post by **FIL** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 1:57 am

The only way is up.

unsane · Post by **unsane** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 2:03 am

I'm all about vert vert vurt. I don't enjoy any horzis, not even Progear.

escadrille · Post by **escadrille** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 2:21 am

Typically I prefer vertical shooters, but some of my all time favs are horis.

Guess I'm bi.

it290 · Post by **it290** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 2:56 am

Vertical monitor: vertical
Horizontal monitor: horizontal

themachinist · Post by **themachinist** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 2:56 am

Shmuppers turn him on... expert stick manipulation.

The Coop · Post by **The Coop** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 3:09 am

I'm currently facing SSE, with a heading of 171.1º at 398 knots. I've pa-

OH SHIT! BOGEY AT 3 O-CLOCK! TAKING EVASIVE MANEUVERS!

SamIAm · Post by **SamIAm** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 3:36 am

I think that vertical orientation is easier primarily because of a sense of gravity. When I see bullets flying horizontally across a screen in a side-view shooter, my brain is always trying to tell me that they are going to arc downward...or something like that. With vertical orientation, everything just falls down more-or-less like it should.

doodude · Post by **doodude** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 3:52 am

Im almost sorry I asked............

mmmmmm, no Im not.

Actually, I do go both ways!

Salamander 2 is a good BI-orientation example.

Not that theres anything wrong wit dat, doncha know!

But seriously, folks...

I think, think mind you, that my limited esperience, & maybe thats what compels me, but I prefer hirizontals.

There, I said it, OK!? Dont hate me. Im still the same person & everthang!!!

I dont know if its true or not, & its probably just my personal depth/space perception, but I think I see more of the screen horizontally. I feel I can move around more horizontally & there is more of a 2D feel.

A vertical can get that 3D space thing going sometimes that makes me feel a little dizzy when back grounds start going one way & ships go another.
And one last thing I notice about Verts is that you can fly over something without ramming it yet you can shoot it at the same time!? A little confusing sometimes.

There, its nice to be out of the ol' closet & standing proud...

elvis · Post by **elvis** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 4:55 am

I'm trysexual: If it's sexual, I'll try it.

*badum ching!*

Yeah, sorry. Vertical for me.

lawnspic · Post by **lawnspic** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 5:46 am

GaijinPunch wrote:Orientation: Straight
Preffered Shooter: Vertical
Lean Direction: Right

GP you kill me!

Status-Soft and to the left

JoshF · Post by **JoshF** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 5:50 am

Well then stop sucking on it (comedy central)

SFKhoa · Post by **SFKhoa** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 7:18 am

themachinist wrote:Shmuppers turn him on... expert stick manipulation.

I suck on American sticks.