The Dragon Blaze discussion

[BIL]

Ah yes, that's it. Thanks, was bugging me a bit. Thought it might be some kind of chain-kill system I was unaware of, turns out I was just so busy smashing enemies I didn't even see the powerup icons.

I just noticed pressing and holding the Dragon Shoot button after you've already called the dragon back causes it to stay put! Not sure if that's in the existing DB threads already, overlooked it if so. A nice option to have; this game's controls are exceptionally smooth and well thought-out.

[PsikyoFan]

The plant/jungle stage is the hardest for me..the boss still kicks my ass even though I know all his patterns in my sleep.

Just like Strikers 45 II, the sky stage is the most common starting stage in my experience. When you get a shitty stage order and still manage to pull off a decent run though it's a great feeling, and for the sake of repetition randomized stages is much better.

The reason it happens is because computers do not have a source of true-randomness, and so instead derive it (either occasionally through a HW PRNG, or more likely through a software implementation seeded from a HW clock or user/coin inputs). In fact, all good drivers in MAME behave deterministically (i.ee the same inputs produce the same behaviours. If they don't then replays won't work.

You probably do almost exactly the same thing: Coin, Coin, Coin, Start each time. The stage order has already been picked when choosing your plane iirc. It may be that altering this timing, inserting more coins, wiggling the joystick a bit first or leaving the attract running results in a different first stage. You might be able to turn on the automatic save states too, which would continue the previous sequence when you exited, although if you reset the PCB (F3) this likely resets the sequence.

[Diabollokus]

Anyone able to give an expected price quote for a PAL PS2 Dragon Blaze? JpJ has a copy I might be interested in.

[Mero]

Anyone able to give an expected price quote for a PAL PS2 Dragon Blaze? JpJ has a copy I might be interested in.

I think i paid something around the £15 mark for mine off the Bay, a year or two back

[FIL]

I paid somewhere around that from Amazon while they still had it in stock. Marketplace prices are up to the £20 mark now which seems a little high.

[Limbrooke]

I think Dragon Blaze's soundtrack is possibly the best of any Psikyo game, with some exceptions.

Care to elaborate further? DB does have a pretty good soundtrack and strangely it was never officially released, which I find quite strange. Probably due to the fact it was a late game and what not.

My favourite track has to be Stage 5, very suitable and really evokes the setting of the game (magic and the medieval elements).

[innerpattern]

My favourite track has to be Stage 5, very suitable and really evokes the setting of the game (magic and the medieval elements).

I've only got to hear it once and I can't remember it now. I think it's the best soundtrack of the Psikyo games that I have put any time into.

[professor ganson]

I find Gunbird 2's st really bizarre-- just an odd fit with the game. Dragon Blaze's makes much more sense, as I recall.

[Limbrooke]

I find Gunbird 2's st really bizarre-- just an odd fit with the game. Dragon Blaze's makes much more sense, as I recall.

Seems about par with the original Gunbird score, which for me doesn't say much. I don't like either and don't really Gunbird 2 a whole lot compared to the other late Psikyo fare (Dragon Blaze and S1999).

[professor ganson]

The graphics, music, and story for Gunbird 2 are just strange and creepy/perverted. The gameplay is another matter entirely. Freaking addictive.

[innerpattern]

The graphics, music, and story for Gunbird 2 are just strange and creepy/perverted.

apparently Cave was heavily influenced by all this

[BIL]

Psikyo were just trying to combat the still-fledgling loli shift with pedophilia and a whole lot of bro rape.

[escadrille]

Dragon Blaze seems like the most refined Psikyo game. With a few exceptions their entire catalogue shows almost constant evolution.

a whole lot of bro rape.

To me it shows the difference between Japanese and Western taboos. Can you imagine such overt references to homosexuality in US-produced game? The new downloadable GTA4 episode has the word "gay" in the title and people are already losing their minds. They could not handle any of Ayin's endings.

[hipgnosis]

So I just got this for my PS2, what an awesome port. Can you guys tell me what difficulty setting is equal to the PCB? Tried normal difficulty and it seemed easier than the PCB.

[Limbrooke]

So I just got this for my PS2, what an awesome port. Can you guys tell me what difficulty setting is equal to the PCB? Tried normal difficulty and it seemed easier than the PCB.

Easier, really? I'm impressed as I always found it much harder on PS2 versus MAME or even the actual PCB. I never played in TATE mind you and I don't believe I ever played extensively with anything but a DualShock 2 either, so I bet if I corrected those two issues I might understand. I'll boot up my copy and see how it goes to corroberate your statement.

[professor ganson]

So I just got this for my PS2, what an awesome port. Can you guys tell me what difficulty setting is equal to the PCB? Tried normal difficulty and it seemed easier than the PCB.

I don't recall any difference in difficulty with the PCB. It's only easier with the PS2 that you have the lovely options for the controller buttons and auto-fire. You can also set the random stages in the order you like, though some will see that as cheating.

[hipgnosis]

I tried it again today and I definitely feel like the game is easier on normal mode compared to MAME. I could reach the stage 5 pretty easily, something I have never done on MAME. I think the bullets are slower on normal, I should try the more harder settings and see if they are closer to the MAME version.

EDIT: Oh and I'm talking about the PAL-version, difficulty might different on the jap-version?

[BIL]

I've never noticed any difference between MAME and PS2 default difficulty, either. Are you reaching stage 5 on one life (PS2)? If you get killed at any point after the third stage the bullet speed will be reduced noticeably.

re: your edit - if you're running the PS2 version at PAL/50hz, rather than its native NTSC/60hz, I'd imagine it would be slower and noticeably easier.

[hipgnosis]

I've never noticed any difference between MAME and PS2 default difficulty, either. Are you reaching stage 5 on one life (PS2)? If you get killed at any point after the third stage the bullet speed will be reduced noticeably.

re: your edit - if you're running the PS2 version at PAL/50hz, rather than its native NTSC/60hz, I'd imagine it would be slower and noticeably easier.

I did die after Stage 3, but I got to stage 5 with one credit on PS2. On MAME I can barely reach Stage 4 with 1C. (I've just started playing this game.)

I do run the game at 50hz though, but could the difference be so drastic? That might indeed be the reason why the game seems slower.

[BIL]

Sounds like it's a combination of lowered rank through dying (even on a single credit, it'll drastically lower bullet speed + density) and 50hz' reduced speed. DB's stages are so short, even a minor reduction in difficulty could get you a bit further than usual.

Some games do run better in PAL than others... depends on how well-optimised the game is for 50hz. Although not a shooter, Devil May Cry is one that felt treacle-slow when I compared it to the US/JP versions.

[clp]

I've never noticed any difference between MAME and PS2 default difficulty, either. Are you reaching stage 5 on one life (PS2)? If you get killed at any point after the third stage the bullet speed will be reduced noticeably.

re: your edit - if you're running the PS2 version at PAL/50hz, rather than its native NTSC/60hz, I'd imagine it would be slower and noticeably easier.

I did die after Stage 3, but I got to stage 5 with one credit on PS2. On MAME I can barely reach Stage 4 with 1C. (I've just started playing this game.)

I do run the game at 50hz though, but could the difference be so drastic? That might indeed be the reason why the game seems slower.

Yeh definitely it makes a big difference , i have a tv that supports 50 and 60 hz and the difference with the pal port of psyvariar was pretty big in the speed department same for gradius v

[burgerkingdiamond]

this popped up on YouTube when I was searching for DB replays.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZwoWwAT ... re=related

kids these days.....

[professor ganson]

lol. Thanks for sharing that video.

[Rob]

Those are some gnarly Spinjas.

[Slump]

this popped up on YouTube when I was searching for DB replays.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZwoWwAT ... re=related

kids these days.....

Love the gloves...