I'm still pretty new to the genre, but..

[Elaphe]

I love shmups and I never pay any attention to the score. I play them because I enjoy perfect playability. It's the same with racing games. I don't care about winning races. I always play alone, with no other competitors. I don't even need to break my own records. If the game is good, the control, the physics, what I feel when playing is more than enough to enjoy the game. With shmups I like blasting enemies, surviving the bullet hells, watching beautiful enemies and scenarios...

[clp]

ahwell at least its clear we can all be in the hi score and strategy threads from now on without all these sub 50 post " I JUST WANNA BLOW SHIT UP LOLOLOL" people , also is it me or did since futari and its stupid as fuck easy modes sorry " accessible" modes lol that all these people started erupting over this forum?

[worstplayer]

Let's admit it, most of us started playing shmups exactly because of "I JUST WANNA BLOW SHIT UP LOLOLOL". Score is nothing more than a numerical measurement of how well you blow shit up. If someone doesn't care about it, then let him not care about it. Thank you.

[rockyraccoon5]

I dunno, I kind of agree, if you didn't initially get into this genre because of wanting to blow stuff up, then... something must be wrong with you.

[monkeyman]

While I appreciate the ultimate goal with SHMUPS is getting a high score, I really don't see what the problem is if someone is getting into the genre who doesn't care about that.

Personally, I play for survival. A 1cc is pretty much out of my reach at the moment so I give myself a few credits (usually 3) and see how far I can get. If get further than I ever have before then I get a huge sense of accomplishment (similar to a more seasoned player beating their high score). If I finish a game then I will try to do the 1cc, if I ever achieve that then the next stage would be for score, as that is the only way to improve my game.

For now though I don't take any notice of the score and don't understand the point of view that everyone should play for score.

What I find bizarre about the argument that you should only ever play for score is that I've noticed some people on these forums (maybe not the same ones who have come down so hard on TC) have mentioned that certain games cease to be fun when played for score (Dodonpachi and Ikagura seem to get mentioned lots in this regard).

Ultimately if the TC was saying he has just tried some shmups for the 1st time and credit fed through to the end and thinks the games are too short / easy etc then there is a point to be made about 'not getting the genre', but since he's saying how addicted he is then who cares what he plays for so long as he's having fun?

[jonny5]

While I appreciate the ultimate goal with SHMUPS is getting a high score, I really don't see what the problem is if someone is getting into the genre who doesn't care about that.

Personally, I play for survival. A 1cc is pretty much out of my reach at the moment so I give myself a few credits (usually 3) and see how far I can get. If get further than I ever have before then I get a huge sense of accomplishment (similar to a more seasoned player beating their high score). If I finish a game then I will try to do the 1cc, if I ever achieve that then the next stage would be for score, as that is the only way to improve my game.

For now though I don't take any notice of the score and don't understand the point of view that everyone should play for score.

What I find bizarre about the argument that you should only ever play for score is that I've noticed some people on these forums (maybe not the same ones who have come down so hard on TC) have mentioned that certain games cease to be fun when played for score (Dodonpachi and Ikagura seem to get mentioned lots in this regard).

Ultimately if the TC was saying he has just tried some shmups for the 1st time and credit fed through to the end and thinks the games are too short / easy etc then there is a point to be made about 'not getting the genre', but since he's saying how addicted he is then who cares what he plays for so long as he's having fun?

ummmm....what?

[Rob]

also is it me or did since futari and its stupid as fuck easy modes sorry " accessible" modes lol that all these people started erupting over this forum?

All these people? Where?

Score is nothing more than a numerical measurement of how well you blow shit up.

Or how well you do stuff other than blow shit up.

[EPS21]

I dunno, I kind of agree, if you didn't initially get into this genre because of wanting to blow stuff up, then... something must be wrong with you.

idk, I got into these games because dodging all the enemy bullets looked like (and is!) fun, sometimes shooting seems kind of secondary to me in certain games and modes (for example, mushi futari BL God mode, using Reco both A and C shot have enough spread and power that everything dies in enough time regardless of your position, but the focus is on weaving your way through the intense bullet patterns).

[rockyraccoon5]

I guess it depends on what kind of shmup got you into the genre. Retro, you probably wanted to blow shit up. Bullet hell, you probably wanted to dodge tons of stuff.

In other news, in the course of one day I think I actually do like playing for score. Been trying to get higher scores in Soldier Blade. It may not have a "complex" scoring system like these weird bullet hells, but it's good enough for me.

[third_strike]

ahwell at least its clear we can all be in the hi score and strategy threads from now on without all these sub 50 post " I JUST WANNA BLOW SHIT UP LOLOLOL" people , also is it me or did since futari and its stupid as fuck easy modes sorry " accessible" modes lol that all these people started erupting over this forum?

Clp is too awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cool!

[rockyraccoon5]

I got 617037560 on the first stage of Mars Matrix. I'm really not sure if this is actually a good score or not since the numbers in this game are so fucking huge. >_>

[Jeneki]

Just so everyone knows, the topic creator was bragging about this topic on Gamefaqs yesterday. No need to feed the troll any longer.

[gs68]

I'd have more fun playing eekuhrooguh for survival if it weren't for that robot voice going "1 CHAIN 1 CHAIN 2 CH--1 CHAIN" as a reminder that I'll sooner study for a midterm exam than study chaining patterns.

[rockyraccoon5]

Just so everyone knows, the topic creator was bragging about this topic on Gamefaqs yesterday. No need to feed the troll any longer.

Have you read a single fucking thing I said in this topic or that topic? I've trolled nothing, at least intentionally. Everyone on the internet is so jaded. I was simply curious why people would chase high scores and not play for fun.

[rockyraccoon5]

Would it be cheating to pick a lesser-played game to try for high scores just for greater chances of getting into the leaderboard >_>

[BIL]

No.

[rockyraccoon5]

OK I'm playing 19XX on MAME and I HATE this button-mashing, it kills my arm.. is there any way to make it so it will autofire for games that don't have autofire??

[Rob]

There's autofire in MAME32 Plus.

[ZOM]

Would it be cheating to pick a lesser-played game to try for high scores just for greater chances of getting into the leaderboard >_>

That's what I'm doing; works a treat!

[TrevHead (TVR)]

ahwell at least its clear we can all be in the hi score and strategy threads from now on without all these sub 50 post " I JUST WANNA BLOW SHIT UP LOLOLOL" people , also is it me or did since futari and its stupid as fuck easy modes sorry " accessible" modes lol that all these people started erupting over this forum?

With Futari and the cave pertition soon we will have enough ppl that we can build a giant laser on the moon and ransom the world for 1 million dollars muhahah!

[rockyraccoon5]

So I'm wondering when you do submit scores on here, how do you show proof?

[Voxbox]

So I'm wondering when you do submit scores on here, how do you show proof?

Unless you're claiming a world record or something, you usually just go by the honor system. Users here live and die by it

[rockyraccoon5]

Oh well that's interesting. I think I'm the world's biggest hypocrite. Hypocrite isn't even really the word I don't think, it's just I change my mind so fast. Because now I like the idea of high scores suddenly. Got to be a word for that. Indecisive? Hmm regardless I think I might start practicing the 2-minute, 5-minute score games in the Star Soldier series. Hell I'd probably try to do high scores for Space Invaders Extreme 2 if I even begun to understand how bingo works..

[Ebbo]

Hypocrite isn't even really the word I don't think, it's just I change my mind so fast. Because now I like the idea of high scores suddenly.

You're just new to the genre

[man9child]

The way I see it is that it just takes a while to see that there isn't a disconnect between playing for score and playing for fun. In games with well integrated scoring sytems, scoring well usually means you're playing the game at a greater level of nuance than just blowing through. If you really like that particular game and enjoy it's gameplay system, scoring better is the natural progression of learning how to play. It's not really about chasing a number, unless you're already playing at a high level and are gunning for the next person up on the scoreboard.

[TrevHead (TVR)]

The way I see it is that it just takes a while to see that there isn't a disconnect between playing for score and playing for fun. In games with well integrated scoring sytems, scoring well usually means you're playing the game at a greater level of nuance than just blowing through. If you really like that particular game and enjoy it's gameplay system, scoring better is the natural progression of learning how to play. It's not really about chasing a number, unless you're already playing at a high level and are gunning for the next person up on the scoreboard.

Thats right, for me i find playing for score or 1cc instead of just playing a shmup for the heck of it give me goals to aim for and a sense of purpose. Which to me equals more fun.

I know some of the folk here think wtf how can one fun be better then another? but for me and probably one or two others aswell I really do have more fun playing for score / 1cc then just casually.

[clp]

The way I see it is that it just takes a while to see that there isn't a disconnect between playing for score and playing for fun. In games with well integrated scoring sytems, scoring well usually means you're playing the game at a greater level of nuance than just blowing through. If you really like that particular game and enjoy it's gameplay system, scoring better is the natural progression of learning how to play. It's not really about chasing a number, unless you're already playing at a high level and are gunning for the next person up on the scoreboard.

Thats right, for me i find playing for score or 1cc instead of just playing a shmup for the heck of it give me goals to aim for and a sense of purpose. Which to me equals more fun.

I know some of the folk here think wtf how can one fun be better then another? but for me and probably one or two others aswell I really do have more fun playing for score / 1cc then just casually.

+1 Nothing compares to that sense of intensity on a personal best run trying so hard to not fuck anything up and get everything right , thats where its really at especially when all the practice and frustration finally leads to getting it right .

[AraraSPAMWitch]

A major developer has confirmed the proper way to enjoy this genre, and the verdict is in: eat shit, scorefags!

[Udderdude]

A major developer has confirmed the proper way to enjoy this genre, and the verdict is in: eat shit, scorefags!

You're a funny man, AraraSPAMWitch, I like you. That's why I'm going to kill you last.

[rockyraccoon5]

For anyone who's played Space Invaders Extreme 2, could you please tell me how the hell bingo mode works?