Rayforce, Layer Section, Galactic Attack (new thread)

[stratos]

1 - ben.shinobi - 5.156.000 - ALL (didn't validate)

The replay of this run is up on SuperPlay.co.uk

Might as well count it as validated.

Yes, thank you: his score is now validated. Obviously, I always trust a player like Ben Shinobi, but it is better to respect the rules until they are written a certain way, so we avoid various misunderstandings.

[lgb]

LGB - 654500 - Area 3

[stratos]

LGB - 654500 - Area 3

Please specify version!!!


Here's the format:

Code: Select all

Name - score - stage reached - version (just specify pcb, mame or Saturn)

Thanks

[lgb]

Oh, I didn't see that. MAME.

I turned autofire on in the bios, does that matter?

LGB - 755500 - Area 3 - MAME

[zinger]

Oh, I didn't see that. MAME.

I turned autofire on in the bios, does that matter?

LGB - 755500 - Area 3 - MAME

Wow, there's an option for that? It would explain the high fire rate at HEY, which I was never able to emulate with MAMEPlus' built-in autofire configuration. In other words, it should make a big difference to those playing with default settings, or the Saturn port.

[stratos]

Oh, I didn't see that. MAME.

I turned autofire on in the bios, does that matter?

LGB - 755500 - Area 3 - MAME

Wow, there's an option for that? It would explain the high fire rate at HEY, which I was never able to emulate with MAMEPlus' built-in autofire configuration. In other words, it should make a big difference to those playing with default settings, or the Saturn port.

So, at HEY Arcade they have a Rayforce board with an autofire hack??? Ok, I think we shoul'd allow the use of autofire also for this board. LGB's score is valid, I'll update immediately.


EDIT: updated

[Ed Oscuro]

Why are people cheating? :(

[Dave_K.]

Rapid fire is a default factory setting, set to "on", in the PCB operator menu so obviously its already been allowed. LGB's score is legit.

External autofire by Mame software or autofire PCB hacks are questionable if it leads to faster kill rates / more points. If so, then I'd say this alone should not be allowed, or at least split (mentioned) with each score.

[Ed Oscuro]

Oh, I thought they meant a faster version of autofire (as in Viper Phase 1). Sorry about that.

I'll put in my TOM-STGT score for now, although I hope to improve it:

Ed Oscuro - 1,029,100 - 3

MAME, all DIPs normal

[BIL]

Glad to see a little more activity here. I've got to get working on the dreaded Stage 6 soon, been slacking off with Ether Vapor during my recent shooter activities. I'm starting to forget what a real ass-kicking is like.

[Ed Oscuro]

A more reasonable question this time:

How are y'all handling the rank on this game? The second boss is a lot easier if you die right before it, but that's no reason to die there (my poor skills are the reason it happens at all). Third boss seems like more of the same.

[BIL]

About rank; first of all, as far as I know, the only way to reduce it is to die... I'd love to hear of any other methods, if they exist.

Having said that, with some practice, I've found that RF doesn't become *impossible* if you no-miss up to the fourth boss. It gets dramatically harder (bullet speed being the most obvious cost, though I think boss health increases too; Randorama's ST has much info), but for stages 1-4 at least, I don't think suiciding is needed. The game gives two extends (at 1 mil and 2 mil), so if one were to drop a life, there's that to consider. At the moment, I don't plan on suiciding at all if possible. Fortunately this doesn't seem the type of game that mandates it.

Of course Fukuda suicides at the very beginning of Stage 1 in his 9 mil replay, so that's something else to consider. I've tried to avoid following his replay that much though, since I really don't plan on kicking this game's ass anywhere near as comprehensively.

edit: also, for the second boss; you can shut off his attacks quite well by destroying his segments with lock-on attacks (causing him to fall towards the earth briefly). He has a particularly nasty attack preceded by blinking lights; whenever I see that one coming, I make sure to hammer away and stop it before it starts.

As for Boss 3, his 90 degree lasers can be very dangerous (especially when coinciding with his other attacks). It's good to become adept at both blowing up the lasers before they fire, and staying away from the ones on the opposite end of the ship from you. If you're careful you won't have to see this attack much, if at all.

[lgb]

So, at HEY Arcade they have a Rayforce board with an autofire hack??? Ok, I think we shoul'd allow the use of autofire also for this board. LGB's score is valid, I'll update immediately.

Taito games generally don't need autofire. Most Taito games either already have it, or it's almost useless to do so. Note I said TAITO, this doesn't mean Toaplan or Takumi or anything like that.

edit: also, for the second boss; you can shut off his attacks quite well by destroying his segments with lock-on attacks (causing him to fall towards the earth briefly). He has a particularly nasty attack preceded by blinking lights; whenever I see that one coming, I make sure to hammer away and stop it before it starts.

Afterward, all you have to "worry" about are those homing lasers. I haven't even seen these "blinking lights", because he's lost all his parts.

On that note, I love Taito homing lasers.

[Ed Oscuro]

As for Boss 3, his 90 degree lasers can be very dangerous (especially when coinciding with his other attacks). It's good to become adept at both blowing up the lasers before they fire, and staying away from the ones on the opposite end of the ship from you. If you're careful you won't have to see this attack much, if at all.

I saw this attack before in V-Five / Grind Stormer. Tricky thing...

[BIL]

Afterward, all you have to "worry" about are those homing lasers. I haven't even seen these "blinking lights", because he's lost all his parts.

On that note, I love Taito homing lasers.

For the green homing lasers, you can avoid them by carefully moving from the bottom-center to the middle-right of the screen. They'll pass just under your ship, a little close, but they miss me every time.

What makes his blinking lights pattern (a six-way bullet spread) so deadly is, if it happens while the lasers are out, you must either a) fly straight through the spread, which is tricky, or b) stay still and get skewered by a laser. Definitely best to not have both attacks go off simultaneously. He always seems to try this at least once with me, probably because I leave his hangars alone to chain the enemies he releases... but as I say, you can snuff it, so he can't get back at you for the extra points.

And yeah, I love Taito's homing lasers too! I find their snaking about as if undecided on attacking or just leaving much cuter than the murderous drive of a Seibu bullet.

I saw this attack before in V-Five / Grind Stormer. Tricky thing...

Yeah, you can go from dodging a vertical barrage to being broadsided in a split-second. Destroying the cannons is definitely a good idea, and it gives you more points too.

You know, every time I see your avatar followed by "WHAT IS THIS PLACE" I feel like changing my location to "Keep your eyes peeled!!"

[Ed Oscuro]

You know, every time I see your avatar followed by "WHAT IS THIS PLACE" I feel like changing my location to "Keep your eyes peeled!!" :)

I wouldn't ask you to change to a Lance avatar...that'd be mean. High five for the Contra team! o/\o

[BIL]

I actually had a Shattered Soldier Lance av previously! But he was a little too evil and undead looking for my liking. So I settled for this Ray av, since conveniently, the artist somehow managed to draw SS Bill instead.

I should mention that the starts of stages 4 and 6 are going to be death-traps unless you're adept at drawing enemy fire. If the rank is up, you're greeted with a lengthy onslaught of bullet-spewing drones in both, that need the utmost care to survive. Entirely doable with practice, but it's a tricky balancing act for me each time.

[stratos]

Scores updated

I don't think it is profitable to suicide to decrease rank, because if you suicide at X moment or if you die accidentally later, the rank goes down the same. Also, you coul'd think to do it to score easily in the stages, but this is a bad strategy because if you die you loos some of your homing lasers, and cannot do full combos until you regain them.

[zinger]

Of course Fukuda suicides at the very beginning of Stage 1 in his 9 mil replay, so that's something else to consider. I've tried to avoid following his replay that much though, since I really don't plan on kicking this game's ass anywhere near as comprehensively.

This has nothing to do with rank as far as I know, since it's already at minimum. It's a trick to get some extra points (100,000 or so? it's very difficult to pull off).

[BIL]

Hmm. I do know Randorama's ST says it'll slow rank increase, but personally, I've never tested this out.

[FSR]

FSR - 3626700 - Area 7 - Saturn



I'll get you next time ConHuman!

[stratos]

Updated

Cool: FSR - 3626700 - Area 7 - Saturn (Please, use comma to indicate thousands )

This is a good score. And it is not an easy task to get to Area 7.

[Ruldra]

Just had an awesome run...almost made it to the 6th boss



Ruldra - 2,703,700 - Area 6 - MAME

INP File - recorded with WolfMAME Plus 106

The INP file will only stay there for 3 months...can someone upload it somewhere it'll stay permanently?

[stratos]

Being busy, sorry

Just had an awesome run...almost made it to the 6th boss

Ruldra - 2,703,700 - Area 6 - MAME

INP File - recorded with WolfMAME Plus 106

The INP file will only stay there for 3 months...can someone upload it somewhere it'll stay permanently?

Validated, but... you didn't get to the boss, you lose your last life early before in the run you posted...


However, updated!


I will hold all inp files you guys post here on my hd.


@Ruldra: I think with more practice you can manage to 1CC this game, you have just to become more consistent in stage 6 and learn stage 7. The secret is in strategy, you have just to develop safe routes to reduce risk at minimum, especially in the last part of stage 6.


Also, if you are not confident, don't try to milk the last turret barrage in stage three, death is always waiting you there! And try to develop safer strategies for stage 4: I've seen you die in the same spot I myself died when I played Layer Section on Saturn, so I think you can focus on this point and go safe, trying to milk for points in easier section (unless you are not trying to get a good score).


However, with these improvements, you should get to stage 6 no miss!


Good luck!

[Ruldra]

I appreciate your analysis on my run. Clearly I still need a lot of practice (I have yet to no-miss st04), but I do intent on 1cc'ing this game. And hopefully take the #1 spot on the board.

[Ruldra]

Ruldra - 5,307,200 - ALL - MAME

Finally managed to beat this game...took me a LONG time to do it! I'm pretty happy with this archievement

Here is the INP file for the score validation...this time I also put the emulator inside. I've uploaded the run on youtube too, though the video quality there is shit.

And stratos, it turns out ben.shinobi's score is actually from the Saturn version. He said so in his video description.

[zinger]

Good work! Some day I'll join you, but I'm busy with older games right now.

[BIL]

Congratulations, Ruldra!

[stratos]

Validated, and updated. Now the Ben Shinobi run is in the correct board, and we have a new western Rayforce champion!


Congrats Ruldra, you have improved very much score and survival wise. Your third stage was nearly perfect, and you pulled out a good stage four too. Also, you managed to milk the fourth boss a bit, that was a pleasure to watch. It was such a pity you died at the end of stage 6, loosing your lasers to score well in the last stage.


Do you think to improve or you'll quit with this game?

[zinger]

we have a new western Rayforce champion!

Randorama is still the top western Rayforce player (8.300.000 ALL (90,3% of WR)).