Using the hi-score board makes you a better shmup player?

[spadgy]

I now use the hi-score boards here more than Shmups Chat (along with The Trading Station), and doing so has vastly improved my ability. I'm a pretty mediocre-to-average player, and am usually entering scores pretty low down boards, but just being on there, having a higher score to aim for, and joining in with the community of players tackling a game around the same time as you is great.

But I get the impression loads of us are playing games and not submitting scores? Is that the case? Do some of you have little interested in submitting the scores? Do others agree that doing so has made them improve?

Does anybody know why so few people use unsane's Your High Score Games List?

It just seems weird I never see some people's names there who I know play a lot...

[Dragoforce]

The high score boards (here and on other forums) are pretty much the reason why I play shmups. I there wheren't any people to compete against and to compare my scores against I would probably have tired at the genre long ago.

I defintly feel that the high score boards have improved me as a player. The fact that I can see other players socre higher than me makes me want to improve my own score. If someone else can do it, then I can do it.

Edit: Thanks for the reminder about the high score game list! Gonna fill it out now.

[sven666]

hiscore boards are fun (mostly for the trashtalking) but i only really compare my scores to people ive met and played with IRL..

[spadgy]

hiscore boards are fun (mostly for the trashtalking) but i only really compare my scores to people ive met and played with IRL..

Undeniably, you can't beat that, but I definitely agree with Dragonforce's way feelings towards the hi-score boards.

And you're welcome Dragonforce - the High Score Games List is bloody useful, and adding to your list there is motivational in itself...

[jonny5]

i rarely post scores here....mainly cuz the lists are capped or i am at the bottom .....although i might be able to get on the ketsui table.....definitely be at the bottom on futari

much like sven, i judge my play based more on the people i play with irl.....but they are mostly much better than me too.....bastards

i do post on the arcadeotaku boards tho, mainly cuz they are small and its fun to bug kernow

tbh i use the high score tables here more to judge how i am scoring when im learning new games.....i can see what different people are scoring and what point they are getting too in the game....

im not really competitive.....i play for fun....i enjoy beating my own scores...

[spadgy]

i rarely post scores here....mainly cuz the lists are capped or i am at the bottom

I guess that shows how the games we chose to play effects things. I was prompted to start this thread by a high score board with only three entrants including me - and loads that I use are like that. I did just spend a bit of time with Espgaluda though, and learned the pain of playing a score-board-capped game.

im not really competitive.....i play for fun....i enjoy beating my own scores...

I don't think that's it though. I'm not competitive at all really, but it's fun to be submitting scores while other people are playing the same game as you. Me, anteres, SFKhoa and a few others had a great time when we were all going at Raidne IV at once. The various Psyvariar forums are great little gatherings too (admitedly of about four of us). It's that community thing (like this forum).

[Dragoforce]

hiscore boards are fun (mostly for the trashtalking) but i only really compare my scores to people ive met and played with IRL..

We are not all as lucky as you are I believe it's only a few people who are blessed enough to meet other shmuppers at regular basis. There are some of us from the swedish stgfan forum who meet up occasionally, but that's about it. The only person I met regularly that plays shmups to any extent is my girlfriend. Online high score lists is basically the only for me to find other players to compete against.

Ey, Spadgy. Drop the "n" from my username please Love your avatar btw, please never change.

[Danbo]

Chasing scores can be fun depending on the game but half the time it seems to be a rather pointless burden on the thread OP if you have some shitty score that barely scrapes in at 25th. Someone should put together a simple automated system, in my opinion.

I usually play for survival first and foremost, though. But I don't even use the "list your 1ccs" thread so, meh,

[Ruldra]

The hi-score board is the only reason I joined. Fighting your way to the top is one hell of a thrill and it feels great when you reach it. Not to mention how much you develop your skills in the process.

[D3m0nZ]

The hi-score board is the only reason I joined. Fighting your way to the top is one hell of a thrill and it feels great when you reach it. Not to mention how much you develop your skills in the process.

This.

[Davey]

The scoreboards here are good for motivation, but what really works well IMHO is XBLA. With Leaderboards you get automatic score submission and instant feedback. Plus you have the option of comparing your scores against just your friends or the entire board. And it feels good to jump up a couple hundred slots even though you only increased your score by like 5%.

[mr_m0nks]

i was going to choose never but i just realised i have a hight score listed on the triggerheart thread and i think ive beaten it, however my Xbox RROD on me yesterday so it may be a while till i know lol

[CStarFlare]

Someone should put together a simple automated system, in my opinion.

People have put them together, and while the ones I've seen have were flawed I could never understand why people didn't put them to good use. This manually updating thing we do here is bullshit.

If it were me, I'd approach bloodflowers (or whoever the hell runs this place) and see if they'd be willing to integrate a score tracker into the site and trash the forum. Given how much attention score trackers have gotten in the past, that might be the only way for one to catch on. :/

[EPS21]

I'm very lazy and just the thought of loading up whatever game, abide by the OP's framework of posting your score, and even more so posting a screenshot or a replay with the BBcode and all that is too much work for me. However, I've been getting better about that and post something that is actually decent.

[Shatterhand]

I've been used all of my life to play just against myself. I am just lazy to post my scores, most of the time I just forget it. I usually only do it when someday I do very good in a game I usually suck at, and I feel motivated to come and post here...


.... and its usually the last spot of the board

[captpain]

I'm always in the bottom 1/3 but I enjoy posting anyway. I like to read the discussion, especially in the Raizing games (Icarus is cool but kind of scary), hear people develop their strategies and watch them ramp up their scores.

[MathU]

Don't really care much for the high score boards here. I usually see my high scores as personal struggles

[Ed Oscuro]

Using the High Scores board and the Strategy board have helped me...well, I guess a little. A small improvement over crap is still an improvement, eh?

But if you take away the strategy aspect, it's just comparing scores, not that the boost helps. I'm usually playing to the best of my ability.

[Acid King]

I like using the high score boards here, but I only use them with games that I'm really into. I'll only submit a score if I actually put some effort into it, and I rarely get a chance to really focus on a game.

[kengou]

I usually see my high scores as personal struggles

im not really competitive.....i play for fun....i enjoy beating my own scores...

Same here. I play shmups because they're fun to play. Trying to 1cc a game or trying to increase my score is just a personal thing to measure my progress, and I enjoy challenging myself and improving my skills. I don't really like comparing myself to others, in shmups or in any other pursuit really.

I believe that competing against others on the high-score boards will ultimately improve your skills though. The same as competing in any other activity will increase your skills over time. It's just not for me.

[lgb]

yes, because you really don't "know" what makes a "good" shmup player unless you've seen other people play

[Rob]

I'm very lazy and just the thought of loading up whatever game, abide by the OP's framework of posting your score, and even more so posting a screenshot or a replay with the BBcode and all that is too much work for me.

Playing the game must be really hard, huh? Ungh... move, shoot.

Rarely use it since I only dabble in most games (figure scoring system out and don't take it very far, maybe a not-so-impressive clear).

[sven666]

hiscore boards are fun (mostly for the trashtalking) but i only really compare my scores to people ive met and played with IRL..

We are not all as lucky as you are I believe it's only a few people who are blessed enough to meet other shmuppers at regular basis. There are some of us from the swedish stgfan forum who meet up occasionally, but that's about it. The only person I met regularly that plays shmups to any extent is my girlfriend. Online high score lists is basically the only for me to find other players to compete against.

i know this which is why im so nice to the local crew

honestly i dont think i would have kept the interest going for all these years if it would have been an entierly solo effort.

[Kaiser]

I choose Never. Somehow getting better scores doesn't mean I am better, to be better I would need to beat harder shmups more easily and that's something I have problem with (always had). Example: In Dragon Saber I wasted 3 hours on stage 3 alone so far and no progress.

[Kollision]

Since I started my humble and mediocre career as a shmupper I have put some high scores here, but I think grouping them in the High Score Games List is too much manual work...

It's great to measure our performances with others, but I don't believe it actually improves how you play. However, it's indeed a source of motivation. My own shmup list is steadily growing in 1CC achievements - most of them aren't impressive, but I'm pretty proud of some anyway.

[EPS21]

I'm very lazy and just the thought of loading up whatever game, abide by the OP's framework of posting your score, and even more so posting a screenshot or a replay with the BBcode and all that is too much work for me.

Playing the game must be really hard, huh? Ungh... move, shoot.

Rarely use it since I only dabble in most games (figure scoring system out and don't take it very far, maybe a not-so-impressive clear).

Nah you can never be too lazy to play a shmup (succeeding though, entirely different story ofc )
I'm talking about posting your score in a HS thread, where you have to type in 43987234590823745987 of numbers, except replace that with the actual score and not jumbling on the keypad

[charlie chong]

i love the high score forum as it gives you a chance to compare where your at and the little strat discussions in the threads often show you where your missing points . i even enjoy working to get onto the capped tables. it's all pointless in the grand scheme of life cos no one in real life cares if you 1cc ketsui but i enjoy working my way up them tables!!! most of the people i enjoy speaking to on here also post in the high scores too.

REAL RECOGNIZE REAL

[spadgy]

I usually play for survival first and foremost, though. But I don't even use the "list your 1ccs" thread so, meh,

I like to think I play for score over survival and/or 1CC, but in reality it's an ungainly attempt at all three.Still, score's most important to me - so I guess that's why I love the score-boards here.

The scoreboards here are good for motivation, but what really works well IMHO is XBLA.

Yeah - XBLA has nail how to run shooter tables. it would be amazing if we could somehow link our high score thread with our consoles so it auto updated like that.

This manually updating thing we do here is bullshit./

Despite my response to Davey above, I do totally disagree with you here CStarFlare. I think the process of updating and such is where the sense of community I keep harping on about comes from. When a thread is active with updates and submissions, that's where the competition and fun kicks in.

Icarus is cool but kind of scary

He's lovely really!

A small improvement over crap is still an improvement, eh?

This. Funny thing is I'm often right next to Ed Oscuro in loads of the hi-score boards

[Icarus]

(Icarus is cool but kind of scary)

First time I've been called that.

[Aru-san]

(Icarus is cool but kind of scary)

First time I've been called that.

Same can be said for pretty much any score player that can manage to rape a game within his first few tries. (stares at sikraiken)