It's the adrenaline that kills me

TLDragoon · Post by **TLDragoon** » Fri Aug 08, 2008 3:43 am

Usually if I do really good, yet end up dying, I'm better off taking a breather than immediately going for it again. It happened twice to me today. I was playing Gradius (PSP version, Arranged Mode, Normal) today and 1-lifed all the way to stage seven. I was doing really well until I got caught by an enemy from behind while hanging around the top of the stage. I was pretty much dead in the watter then. When I tried it again (this time on Original settings), I barely made it to Stage 3 after making some really dumb mistakes.

Tonight, I was playing Gradius (NES) and made it to stage 3 for the first time only to be killed by...something, I'm not for sure what, but after that, I couldn't make it past stage 1.

Battlesmurf · Post by **Battlesmurf** » Fri Aug 08, 2008 5:21 am

Super OT. I was just thinking "My- how many people have some cute women folk as avatars"... .and I get to Twiddle. Not Jazz...anybody but Jazz...

Anyways- I was just thinking this the other day messing with Progear. I'm probably more comfortable with that game than any other in the Cave series- yet if I start breaking new ground I find that one stray bullet that makes me want to break something.

JoshF · Post by **JoshF** » Fri Aug 08, 2008 5:52 am

oishiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

sfried · Post by **sfried** » Fri Aug 08, 2008 6:03 am

8 1/2 wrote:When I was about 9 I took a kitchen knife and walked out the front door, which faced out to a large pine tree in our front yard. I had been imagining how I could throw a knife and stick it into the tree like I had seen in movies. In one motion, I opened the door, looked at the tree, threw it, and THUBBBB.... it stuck perfectly. I spent the next two hours making another 100 throws that never stuck.

I'm worried about you.

But yeah, I get moments when my fingers start to twitch, and there is an apparent input overload as I try to grasp a situation such as (at least for me) beating a boss to topping a high score. Sometimes my excitement caps out nicely just as I complete the round/level/boss/game/etc. like an orgasm of extacy, and I take a breather before proceeding. But since shmups don't quite let you save after a stage (exceptions are Space Invaders Extreme), I start back on the very base level of twichiness if the game immediately follows up.

Nate · Post by **Nate** » Fri Aug 08, 2008 6:52 am

8 1/2:

Does anyone else talk themselves through tough patterns? I totally do this all the time. "Ok, blue orbs on the left, then that fucking yellow beam down the middle... ok, then the little ships come out on the left, but I have to push up to avoid the green triangles that come up from down low."

Thunderforce V's Final Stage?

Yeah, I was talking to Lords of Thunder the other day at the local classic video game shop; they acquired one of those Gamecube display stand/TV's from Gamestop and crammed a Duo in there w/ a bunch of games. Lots of regulars there don't care to play anything but "Rondo", but I gave them an eye AND earful of the 'Thunder; including play by play commentary that was pretty well-received, heh. I did pretty well; got to the final boss for the first time ever...don't ask me why I hadn't before. He pretty much handed me my napsack and made me take the stairs. I'm itching to go back there and take care of business.

elfhentaifan · Post by **elfhentaifan** » Fri Aug 08, 2008 7:10 am

jpj wrote:
8 1/2 wrote:Does anyone else talk themselves through tough patterns? I totally do this all the time. "Ok, blue orbs on the left, then that fucking yellow beam down the middle... ok, then the little ships come out on the left, but I have to push up to avoid the green triangles that come up from down low."
i tend to do this too as i'm explaining it to an observer. but when i am playing in front of people, i play total shit

I just fucking shout at them if i die afterwards.
Had some bad times with games like Ibara, and i sure respect my russian neighbours for not owning me within that time of screams of Dispair

Jockel · Post by **Jockel** » Fri Aug 08, 2008 8:47 am

Has anybody actually tried Zen?
Would love to know if that helps for shooters. ^____^

gs68 · Post by **gs68** » Fri Aug 08, 2008 9:17 am

Never take a pause break in a shmup.

It disrupts your train of thought and when you resume, you'll be like "huh? what was i doing again?"

J-Manic · Post by **J-Manic** » Sat Aug 09, 2008 5:06 am

gs68 wrote:Never take a pause break in a shmup.

It disrupts your train of thought and when you resume, you'll be like "huh? what was i doing again?"

You're absolutely right. I learned this the hard way. If anything, wait to pause right in the beginning of the stage.

About being in the zone, I've found myself doing my bestest while staying completely calm, helping me focus on important points on the screen, keeping my thumb-eye coordination crisp and allowing my courage level to stay up.

Zebra Airforce · Post by **Zebra Airforce** » Sat Aug 09, 2008 6:31 am

I've paused a game for hours, come back, and beaten my high score/survival best many times.

Skykid · Post by **Skykid** » Sat Aug 09, 2008 9:44 am

Got to the final form of the last boss on Progear yesterday. I actually think the adrenaline was helpful here - I was on the edge in unkown territory for the first time, and just kept thinking "you don't know these patterns so you'll just have to do your best."

Almost got him, almost.

xenepp · Post by **xenepp** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 8:17 pm

I like the rush. It *can* fuck you up but then if you don't get it, I think it's hard to want to keep playing unless your just going for some kind of record.

-Joel

kernow · Post by **kernow** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 8:27 pm

Zebra Airforce wrote:I've paused a game for hours, come back, and beaten my high score/survival best many times.

I consider that a mild form of cheating really.

Skykid · Post by **Skykid** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 10:10 pm

kernow wrote:
Zebra Airforce wrote:I've paused a game for hours, come back, and beaten my high score/survival best many times.
I consider that a mild form of cheating really.

Lol!