GD: Chaos Field

[chtimi-CLA]

from the tmp board :
A+B=bullet sponge
B+C=lock-on
both always use 1 meta jauge division, so you have to use them in chaos mode, preferably on a high bullet density attack.
use order field to replenish your jauge, because you get much more meta stock in order. use chaos field to combo. the boss value is boss basis*current combo, so don't break your combo before he dies.
it's not easy to get into the system but it's worth it. i'm enjoying it much more than mars matrix or border down even though it's quite gimmicky.
if you want specific strat for a boss do ask.
i forgot, lock-on and shield have different uses and score properties : lock-on can only get 100 hit per use, shield can absorb more and thus makes your combo higher, but it doesn't generate meta stock when parts die. so it doesn't allow for jauge replensishing while in a combo unlike lock-on.plus, meta stock give you a good chunk of points when in a combo.
for example, my current strategy for stage 1 boss is to first get the combo high with shield, then
use lock-on to get the multiplied meta points (and refill the jauge)

bullets that can't be cancelled :
it's not arbitrary, the only bullets you can't cancel are the purple ones (they look like they were ripped straight out of radiant).
you're right that the sponge is very different with different ships, jinn's is very good as a survival tool because when you're stuck in a corner you can just throw it to go back to the middle of the screen (if you play classic shmups like twin cobra or raiden you know how important going back to the middle is). on the other hand hal's one is ideal for circular spreads with a well defined center, like the last boss final attack, but not as good for re-centering since it always goes in front of your ship.
the lock-on attacks are very different too, like i said in the strat thread jinn's is better at locking long lines of bullets, but it has a small dead angle in it's center: at the end of the lock-on, you want to go up and use the zone directly above your ship where the lock "beams" cross. with hal, it's the opposite, the last lock ons will be on your sides and in your rear diagonals, so you will go down at the end of the lock-on

[Balzac]

Keeping a combo going throughout the entire stage leads to HUGE bonuses. I cleared 16 mil with Ifumi just by using her bullet sponge (rotating shield) and the occasional lock-on. The great thing about her sponge is that you can rack up a decent combo on the order field just by hugging stray bullets.

[chtimi-CLA]

yes, this is something i have to include:
-sponge combos while in order field
-keeping chain from one boss to the next when possible (ie. 1.1-->1.2)
i was only comboing in chaos field so far.

for stage 1 that could be something like:
1.1 :
-fill meta jauge
-sponge combo in order field while keeping a near-full jauge
-destroy all turrets
-switch in chaos and lock-combo a bit (like 4-5 locks)
-finish the boss with a lock-on to have a full combo jauge
1.2 :
-switch in order
-sponge combo until the end (you can't afford to be in chaos because you need a near-full meta jauge for the boss)
1.3 :
from here, my usual strat :
-do 8 sponges (throw just when the arm pods open for optimal absorbing)
-finish with lock-ons while being very aggressive to finish him before emptying the meta jauge.

i will test this next time

[Balzac]

I forgot to mention, if you're playing for score, getting hit can be used as an emergency measure to keep your meta jauge full. Then again, I guess that's kinda obvious. Moving on....

Has anyone managed to keep a combo going for the entirety of level 2? It seems that the 2.2 boss flies off-screen just long enough to make your combo juage reset. It it possible to lock-on and hit it when it's offscreen?

[chtimi-CLA]

i never managed to keep the combo at the middle of 2.2.
on the other hand you can between 2.2 and 2.3 and that's a pretty big combo (over 2000).

[highlandcattle]

Man I suck at this game just staying alive is really hard.
I really do like it a lot more tips are apreciated