psikyo charge shots: arcade defaults and cheating!

[professor ganson]

Now that I've got the PCBs of Psikyo games like Strikers 1945 II, I've noticed that the default setting is a two-button affair: there is no separate button for one's special attack. Perhaps your supergun allows for autofire, but in that case you lose your special. The only way to hold on to your special attack and let it get charged up (beyond the minimum) is to press the shot button repeatedly (rather than holding it down continuously). (The same sort of point holds for Gunbird 2, though that game adds a third button for the close-range attack.)

Two questions I want to raise:

1. Is there any way to change the arcade settings?

2. And even if you can change it, doesn't the default arcade setting put the player at a non-trivial disadvantage? And in that case doesn't it make sense to have different score tables?

[Kiken]

Now that I've got the PCBs of Psikyo games like Strikers 1945 II, I've noticed that the default setting is a two-button affair: there is no separate button for one's special attack. Perhaps your supergun allows for autofire, but in that case you lose your special. The only way to hold on to your special attack and let it get charged up (beyond the minimum) is to press the shot button repeatedly (rather than holding it down continuously). (The same sort of point holds for Gunbird 2, though that game adds a third button for the close-range attack.)

Two questions I want to raise:

1. Is there any way to change the arcade settings?

2. And even if you can change it, doesn't the default arcade setting put the player at a non-trivial disadvantage? And in that case doesn't it make sense to have different score tables?

You should be able to set up a third button as auto-fire.

[professor ganson]

You should be able to set up a third button as auto-fire.

By way of some menu unknown to me? There are no dipswitches or anything like that. Not that I'm aware of anyway.

And even if the arcade set up can be manipulated in this way, doing so would seem to involve a move away from default settings. A separate score table seems-- to me at any rate-- warranted.

[Rob]

A separate score table seems-- to me at any rate-- warranted.

This is the kind of thing that could noted at the end of an entry. Lots of (most?) arcade shooters don't have default rapidfire. Split charts for every little difference and there'd be lots of charts with too few scores.

[shoe-sama]

if you want autofire you can just hold down shot and release a charge shot whenever it gets charged

[professor ganson]

A separate score table seems-- to me at any rate-- warranted.

This is the kind of thing that could noted at the end of an entry. Lots of (most?) arcade shooters don't have default rapidfire. Split charts for every little difference and there'd be lots of charts with too few scores.

Yeah, that's probably right. A whole separate table would be overkill. I'm mostly interested in the issue because I watched King of Kong recently and am thinking about records. The world record scores for Psikyo games are presumably attained with arcade defaults, and I doubt that most, or even many, of us are playing that way.

[professor ganson]

if you want autofire you can just hold down shot and release a charge shot whenever it gets charged

Obviously, but then you can only charge to the minimum. Increasing your charge (beyond the minimum) makes a huge difference if you are using ships (like Flying Pancake) that allow for invincibility at maximum charge.

[Rob]

I think it's a minor thing with Psikyo. It's far more important in games like Darius Gaiden or Mushihimesama where there's a major focus on fire rate or substantially alters difficulty. With Psikyo it's just convenience.

Twin Galaxy probably allows autofire, or at least 9 lives and 9 bombs.

[Mills]

The japanese highscore tables have two separate score for using autofire and manual. all the highest scores are using autofire.

[professor ganson]

Yeah, but those are cases where the difference is obvious, less subtle. And "convenience" is a good term when we're talking about my play, but for someone who plays through both loops-- that's a different matter.

[shoe-sama]

maximum charge.

you're doing it wrong

[Rob]

Shmups charts are thankfully more casual. I think what you want is a new or modified/arcade-friendly controller. Or trade in for a Strikers 99 board.

[Mortificator]

Yeah, you can enable an autofire button in the settings menu of Strikers '99 and Dragon Blaze. Strikers '45 II doesn't have that option, and I don't think Psikyo's other verts do either.

[professor ganson]

The japanese highscore tables have two separate score for using autofire and manual. all the highest scores are using autofire.

Interesting. I wonder how do they get autofire, what sort of modification is required.

[professor ganson]

Yeah, you can enable an autofire button in the settings menu of Strikers '99 and Dragon Blaze. Strikers '45 II doesn't have that option, and I don't think Psikyo's other verts do either.

Good to know! I didn't realize this.

[Dave_K.]

Two questions I want to raise:

1. Is there any way to change the arcade settings?

2. And even if you can change it, doesn't the default arcade setting put the player at a non-trivial disadvantage? And in that case doesn't it make sense to have different score tables?

No PCB settings for buttons/autofire. But on a cab you can always rewire buttons to whatever configuration you want, and also add an autofire circuit. The Sanwa MGM-SS2 will even make sure to keep a normal A while remapping A+ to another button. But honestly, in strikers II at least, rapid fire is not going to give you any faster firing rate, or points, only save you from tapping A button.

The world record scores for Psikyo games are presumably attained with arcade defaults, and I doubt that most, or even many, of us are playing that way.

World record Arcadia scores allows autofire boards. Highscores tables here on shmups usually state default only, or may split if autofire adds a large advantage. MARP is the only place I've seen that does not allow any scores with autofire.

[Dave_K.]

Yeah, you can enable an autofire button in the settings menu of Strikers '99 and Dragon Blaze. Strikers '45 II doesn't have that option, and I don't think Psikyo's other verts do either.

Good to know! I didn't realize this.

I think he's referring to the PS2 port as you can't on the PCB.

[professor ganson]

Yeah, you can enable an autofire button in the settings menu of Strikers '99 and Dragon Blaze. Strikers '45 II doesn't have that option, and I don't think Psikyo's other verts do either.

Good to know! I didn't realize this.

I think he's referring to the PS2 port as you can't on the PCB.

That's a shame, but, yeah, I've got a Strikers 1999 board and didn't notice any such option.

[Rob]

It should be in Strikers 99.

[Dave_K.]

It should be in Strikers 99.

No option in the operator menu, unless you saying there is a "maintenance code" for this?

[edit] nevermind, C button is auto by default...duh! [\edit]

[professor ganson]

OK, I was relying on dim memory of Strikers 99. Glad that is cleared up.

[lgb]

I kinda know where you're going with this.

It usually depends on the game. I usually consider autofire "okay" on most games that have semi-autofire, such as Psikyo games.

In other games you usually have to press the button rapidly, at the point to where you may need autofire to begin with. Raiden is an example of these.

[Arvandor]

Yeah, in Piskyo games you get burst fire, which means you can tap very lazily and still get full effect. I don't mind this at all, and always play Psikyo games with only two buttons (shot and bomb).

Games like Raiden and Metal Slug and whatnot just piss me off if I don't have auto-fire set. Wrist pains = bad.

[professor ganson]

EDIT: solved my GB 2 PCB problem thanks to Plasmo.

[it290]

Yeah, you can enable an autofire button in the settings menu of Strikers '99 and Dragon Blaze. Strikers '45 II doesn't have that option, and I don't think Psikyo's other verts do either.

1945+ does.

[Mills]

The japanese highscore tables have two separate score for using autofire and manual. all the highest scores are using autofire.

Interesting. I wonder how do they get autofire, what sort of modification is required.

Don't know what is done to modify the autofire rate but the technique used regulate destruction damage rate of certain mid-boss and end of level bosses so that they dont self destruct too quickly or damage too quickly during the leeching phase.

[Mills]

No PCB settings for buttons/autofire. But on a cab you can always rewire buttons to whatever configuration you want, and also add an autofire circuit. The Sanwa MGM-SS2 will even make sure to keep a normal A while remapping A+ to another button. But honestly, in strikers II at least, rapid fire is not going to give you any faster firing rate, or points, only save you from tapping A button.

The world record scores for Psikyo games are presumably attained with arcade defaults, and I doubt that most, or even many, of us are playing that way.

World record Arcadia scores allows autofire boards. Highscores tables here on shmups usually state default only, or may split if autofire adds a large advantage. MARP is the only place I've seen that does not allow any scores with autofire.[/quote]the fact still remains that the highest record scores are using autofire.

[zaphod]

Yeah, it's genrally not considered cheating to add in an autofire circuit to your cab in japan for soem odd reason.

I like the burst fire system, where you can get full fire rate from tapping the button at a reasonable rate. Many shmups use it, such as UN squadron.

WIth games like Raiden, the lack of auto fire on the cab mainly seems to be an attempt to encourage use of the weaker laser powerup, which can deal more damage to a boss in a short time without autofire. if you got auto, the spread deals MUCH more damage from close range.

Ideal siuation for raiden is onep layer with lasers and homing shadowing directly behind a player with spread and dumbfire. Everything gets pounded with bullets and stars and dies really quickly.

[Ed Oscuro]

I like the burst fire system, where you can get full fire rate from tapping the button at a reasonable rate. Many shmups use it, such as UN squadron.

I honestly don't get the point of using that instead of regular autofire, but whatever :D

[Mortificator]

I go with it instead of full autofire in games like Dragon Blaze. While I'd just map auto and normal (for charge shots) to separate buttons in Strikers, due to the dragon shot that would turn DB into a four-button game, which is one button more than I'm comfortable with for verts. Same deal with Esprade.