Two very different reactions to shmups

[stuntman]

Last week I'd been talking to a work mate about my new Jap Xbox 360 and the type of games I like to play. After trying to explain what a shmup was, I thought it would be better to mention a few old arcade titles. It took a while but finally he remembered 1942, so he had the general idea, and from there I tried to explain how things had advanced somewhat since then. He was interested, so the next day I showed him my setup.

I have the 360 connected to my candy cab, which impressed him straight a way. So I loaded up Raiden Fighters Aces and he absolutely loved it! It surprised me how quickly he got to grips with it, and he was doing really well for someone who hadn't used an arcade stick or played anything similar for several years. He also liked Ikaruga, but got frustrated with Triggerheart Exelica because he couldn't figure out the anchor. He asked to play Raiden Fighters again, then just kept telling me how great it was. It was nice just to watch someone else getting the same pleasure from shmups that I do.

Contrast that with another work mate who had it in his head that the games I play are all like Space Invaders. Today I thought it was about time I showed him otherwise. On seeing my cab, all he could do was make a stupid comment about the screen being the wrong way round. I loaded up RFA, and gave him a very quick demo/tutorial. I could tell he wasn't impressed, so thought I should let him have a go to see if he might change his mind. He died straight away, twice. He stayed at the bottom of the screen ignoring all the items that were waiting to be picked up. Before he finished his 2nd game, he asked if I had anything else. He said Ikaruga looked a bit better, and even though I tried to explain the polarity system and chaining, he still thought it was too simplistic and unexciting. Fair enough I thought, I just wanted to see his reaction, however I did observe his complete lack of gaming skills.

Both guys own a PS2 and play mainstream releases. One is 24, and the other is 40 years old. Only one demonstrated any reaction/timing skills. Can you guess which one?

[The Coop]

I'll take, "It was the 40 year old who played the shmups and had fun", for 400 Alex.

[Ed Oscuro]

I'll take the other choice because that is what's left.

I just wanted to see his reaction, however I did observe his complete lack of gaming skills.

More like a lack of interest. hey let's play god of warz!!1

[clp]

ikaruga to simplistic from a guy who prolly thinks the pinnacle of gaming is halo with auto aim on

[jpj]

the 24 year old (on the basis that you're a bit more open-minded in your twenties than in your forties)

would love to see some pics of your cab by the way there's a thread in the Hardware sub-section for candy-cab pics

[t0yrobo]

I'll go with the older guy, he's probably more familiar with arcade games beyond space invaders.

[FIL]

I dunno, a lot of the older gamers I know online can't stand modern shooters.

[jpj]

he was doing really well for someone who hadn't used an arcade stick or played anything similar for several years

[SockPuppetHyren]

Add in another vote for the 40-year old.

[DEL]

Well if it was here in the UK, it would obviously be the 40 year old.
A 40 year old would have lived through the age of arcades.
The 24 year old would think that a shooter was Halo or Tour of Duty (whatever).

jpj wrote;

the 24 year old (on the basis that you're a bit more open-minded in your twenties than in your forties)

That would be 60s or 70s not 40 .

[jpj]

you'd know

[shoe-sama]

lots of bullets on screen impossible to dodge 0/10

[orange]

only 5 stages no unlockables not worth the money f-----

[Fenrir]

lots of bullets on screen impossible to dodge 0/10

Thread destroyed.

BTW I think it's the 40 y/o. A 24 y/o couldn't possibly remember 1942 because it's not been splattered all around on T-Shirts, urban graffitis and pretty much everywhere else like Space Invaders.
It is 100% more likely that a 24 y/o mainstreamer knows Space Invaders and totally ignores 1942.

[lgb]

Contrast that with another work mate who had it in his head that the games I play are all like Space Invaders. Today I thought it was about time I showed him otherwise. On seeing my cab, all he could do was make a stupid comment about the screen being the wrong way round. I loaded up RFA, and gave him a very quick demo/tutorial. I could tell he wasn't impressed, so thought I should let him have a go to see if he might change his mind. He died straight away, twice. He stayed at the bottom of the screen ignoring all the items that were waiting to be picked up. Before he finished his 2nd game, he asked if I had anything else. He said Ikaruga looked a bit better, and even though I tried to explain the polarity system and chaining, he still thought it was too simplistic and unexciting. Fair enough I thought, I just wanted to see his reaction, however I did observe his complete lack of gaming skills.

40 year old is my guess.

It happens. You just gotta shoot em down.

[stuntman]

Yeah, it was the 40 y/o. I wasn't surprised at the 24 y/o not being so enthusiastic, but I was disappointed at his lack of willing to even give the games a fair go. Ah well, his loss, and I know not all twenty-somethings are like that.

[Udderdude]

lots of shoe-sama on screen impossible to dodge 0/10

Fixed.

[lgb]

Yeah, it was the 40 y/o. I wasn't surprised at the 24 y/o not being so enthusiastic, but I was disappointed at his lack of willing to even give the games a fair go. Ah well, his loss, and I know not all twenty-somethings are like that.

So that second one was the 24 y/o? Wow, the world is going straight for 5 seconds.

[Ed Oscuro]

BTW I think it's the 40 y/o. A 24 y/o couldn't possibly remember 1942 because it's not been splattered all around on T-Shirts, urban graffitis and pretty much everywhere else like Space Invaders.
It is 100% more likely that a 24 y/o mainstreamer knows Space Invaders and totally ignores 1942.

Yep, that's what I was thinking earlier (even though my post is completely backwards, heh).

p.s. too much shoe-san onscreen

[stuntman]

would love to see some pics of your cab by the way there's a thread in the Hardware sub-section for candy-cab pics

There's one pic of mine on page 2 of that thread. Since the pic was taken I've connected up the Xbox 360, but I thought it was wise to keep it outside of the cab to minimize the chances of over-heating!

[Hulkcore]

I'm 24, and I play a bit of everything. I don't really know anyone in their 40's that plays video games.

[jpj]

would love to see some pics of your cab by the way there's a thread in the Hardware sub-section for candy-cab pics

There's one pic of mine on page 2 of that thread. Since the pic was taken I've connected up the Xbox 360, but I thought it was wise to keep it outside of the cab to minimize the chances of over-heating!

ahh, sorry mate. i didn't recognise your name on the forum and thought you were new here.

what's the big century cab like?

[Kaspal]

i'd go with the 40 y/o man... maybe he used to play those in his 20's and you gave him a go of shmups that are not that old but pretty good anyway... mainstreamers dont appreciate a shmup the way we do.

[t0yrobo]

Yeah, it was the 40 y/o. I wasn't surprised at the 24 y/o not being so enthusiastic, but I was disappointed at his lack of willing to even give the games a fair go. Ah well, his loss, and I know not all twenty-somethings are like that.

I'm 21 and I only know 1 other person my age who actually puts effort into these games. Everyone else that i get to try them is put off by not being able to make it past the first level on their first try.

[Sycada]

Well I'm also in my 20's (latter half thereof it's true) and have a cab with Futari in it, also have a friend (in her 20's) who constantly wants to come over and play it, so we do exist

[Emperor Fossil]

After reading the mention of 1942 in the first paragraph, I thought to myself that there seems to be two kinds of non-shooter playing folks: Those who say "Oh, you mean like 1942?" and those who say "What, like Space Invaders?"

Needless to say, the rest of the post didn't let me down.

I'm not surprised the 40yo was more receptive. [wild generalisation]younger gamers are probably more uptight about looking like a noob and so adopt a more dismissive attitude to anything outside their preferred genre.[/wild generalisation] Or maybe young people are just like that all the time. The bastards.

[Ed Oscuro]

I dunno if that's a crazy generalization; from 2001 on when I started really getting classic gaming stuff I didn't really even like the games, with some exceptions. I was all 'lol i buy old gaem' but still spent a lot of time with the usual mainstream games (third person action, FPS, etc.)

Now it's almost the reverse - haven't spent any money on stuff in a while due to emulation being cheap, but I play old stuff almost exclusively now. Of course that'll be changed up a bit as I need some variety from just shmups. I'll probably play some older western games, though. Heh.

[DEL]

jpj wrote;

you'd know

Hehe, yup 38 & counting...

I guess there's two types of shoot'em up players here:-
*The old dinosaurs who have stuck to what they like since the 80s (very few btw )
and
*Younger guys who are clever enough to keep their eyes and minds open.

[Ed Oscuro]

and
*Younger guys who are clever enough to keep their eyes and minds open.

KEEP YOUR EYES PEELED

[D]

Dodonpachi is an instant hoit for those who don't know shmups.
Same for raiden aces