Intro + interface question

[Yoshino]

I've been signed up for a while now, and have been wanting to make a post - but didn't want to just jump in, and get eaten alive...

Here's a little gaming history for me.

Where to start... Well, I've been a gamer for about 20 years give or take...on and off. I grew up playing mainly Galaga, but also Defender, Xevious (been a longgg time since I've played that one)...and then my brother got a Nintendo, and we were hooked...Eventually played a lot of Gradius, as well as Life Force..Then things like R-Type...the 194X series...and eventually got to play a rented TG16 and Lords of Thunder, which was awesome..I still even have a promo video I got for it! (VHS!) I also played a lot of the run & gun (is there a better term?) type games: Ikari Warriors, Contra.. I'll remember the "Konami code" forever most likely.

As I got older I didn't play as many STGs (prefer that term to shmup) - but I did eventually get a Saturn and played Galactic Attack & Guardian Heroes (although that's more of a beat'em up its an amazing game, I believe its a Treasure game too)...Sadly, never got to play Radiant Silvergun!

When I was in high school I became a lot more casual @ gaming as my life got more and more stressful...I ended up getting a Dreamcast and played some great games, including Giga Wing. ...Sadly, I ended up getting out of gaming for years (basically @ the start of the '00s) for various complex reasons. One reason was the domination of 3D and a lot of companies overlooking 2D... I even sold my Saturn & Dreamcast, which makes me absolutely cringe now. (The other systems were my brothers or rented/borrowed, and of course some good ol' arcade action)

So basically long story short...I slowly got back into gaming a few years ago - exclusively PC gaming. (some of the first PC STGs I played were Touhou games) I grew up mainly with consoles, but I've grown to love the PC as well. I NEED to get some consoles though. Just like in the past 6 months, all this nostalgia started flooding me and I've just got this insane desire like I'm a kid again to go play these amazing games. I'm pretty much a retro gamer @ heart, even though not exclusively...

Now...

I want to ask you guys...Is there any websites or information that someone could point me to, to kind of school me on all the stuff I've missed out on? I've been trying to see if there is a "primer" if you will, but obviously its very hard to find certain information - much less comprehensive information. It would also appear that like almost all the shmup-related sites that were up & running, stopped just as I got back into things.

Basically all I'm playing STG-wise, right now, is X.X Game Room games like Blue Wish Resurrection Plus, and Eden's Aegis. Even managed to 1CC BWR+, albeit with autoguard & wait on (at least it was on original, not heaven)...Managed to 1CC Eden's Aegis on Heaven, I don't know if its just me and my rusty skills... but it seems in some ways a step up in difficulty from BWR+.

A big question I have is this: What is the best way to play PC shmups? I'm guessing many of you have joysticks? Should STGs be pretty much exclusively played with a joystick? I'm not bad just using keyboard, but in the X.X games it annoys me how the key config is set up, other than that - the games are excellent!

Okay, I guess I'll wrap this up for now. I wanted to introduce myself and test out posting... Please go easy on me, I realize a lot of you are extremely hardcore collector types, which I now aspire to be.

Keep firing!!
Dave

[Obiwanshinobi]

What you need:
CRT PC monitor (which you can put on its side)
CRT TV (preferably one of the last PAL models as pretty much all of them support NTSC and have a SCART socket, not too big one so you can put it on its side as well - 14'' should do it)
PS2 chipped or modded some other way so you can play games from all the regions
RGB cable for the PS2 with a SCART plug
Raiden III for the PC
Shikigami no Shiro 1, 2 and 3 for the PC
Gradius V for the PS2 (any region as even the PAL version supports 60 Hz)
Psyvariar Complete Edition for the PS2 (preferably PAL version as it's dirt cheap and outputs 60 Hz)
Homura for the PS2 (see above)
Contra: Shattered Soldier for the PS2 (again, any region)
Sonic Wings Special for the PSX (avoid the PAL version)
R-Type Delta for the PSX (see above)
Provided you get yourself a PS2, a DualShock(2)-to-USB adapter might come in handy.
Last but not least, you need this.

[Zeron]

CRT TV (preferably one of the last PAL models as pretty much all of them support NTSC and have a SCART socket, not too big one so you can put it on its side as well - 14'' should do it)

PAL has always supported both NTSC and PAL,SECAM

I got a old Telefunken TV here from 1989 that supports all three video systems.

Oh and it also supports SCART RGB

[Obiwanshinobi]

PAL has always supported both NTSC and PAL,SECAM

I got a old Telefunken TV here from 1989 that supports all three video systems.

Oh and it also supports SCART RGB

"Always" is a stretch, but realistically any PAL SDTV manufactured in the last decade should work a treat. The reason why the most recent models are so hot is that even budget ones have pretty great CRTs. You'll see what I'm talking about when you get one. Oh, and in the US you're gonna need some power converter, but it's worth it (should you buy any other SD console at some point).

[ROBOTRON]

Okay, I guess I'll wrap this up for now. I wanted to introduce myself and test out posting... Please go easy on me, I realize a lot of you are extremely hardcore collector types, which I now aspire to be.

Keep firing!!
Dave

Tighten your pants!

Dave Yoshina came to us from the mighty ocean, to Shmups11.org that connected the hookah device which smokes!

Yoshino now there is no need to be worried we here at Shmups11.org offer the detailed information which in order to make sure that the shmups covers your genital organs with knowledge. Now there is a danger luck being bad in the same way as most hobbies, it comes like the following:

1. Never, the high price of Ebay slowly is not you do not have to rely on. This flat tire tries the fact that it prepares the soil for your visa and master card for his own little masturbation joys. You see....while searching paypal for the toy of your pulling, he, the evildoer tries to sell you the Thundrer Power II game for overpriced number of $100 dollars! Although you evades Shmups11.org, the young locust it comes!

But you do not fear!

Because Shmups11.org happened to be nearby, you were able to avoid the wicked Ebayer which was given a butt kicking very politely!

It is the idiot who is not that like that foolishness? He becomes the volcano of stupidity thanks to shmups11.org!

2. Have you been playing the Defender shmup with Galaga following closely behind? Press the halt button...to make a point. Rise to you feet and inhale your seat cushion. Does it smell like the feces of your father? Immediately cup your balls and pull your polish sausage towards the bath house sink and wash your gonads with industrial strength penis cleanser! Shove the enema of lavender soaps up your butt cheeks so your fellow shmupper do not have to smell your hygiene errors! Afterwords use summer's eve douche powders to make sure your balls are as clean as a trailer hitch!

Don't stare at your penis, dent-head....just do it!

Well, Yashino who is understood, I guess we are done urinating in your ear sufficiently for the present. us when the thought of welcoming, being pleasant, we desire the fact that you pass gas with the happy curse...be gone!!!

[Zeron]

The reason why the most recent models are so hot is that even budget ones have pretty great CRTs. You'll see what I'm talking about when you get one. Oh, and in the US you're .

CRTS manufactured around 2002 and up produce amazing images.

Bought myself a SONY Flatscreen Trinitron CRT 29inch a year ago for TATE its a beauty.

[Yoshino]

Thanks for the replies! Especially your input, obiwan. Nice colorful post there as well, Robotron - did you convert English to Japanese then back again in Google Translate, or better yet Babelfish?

Am I going to want a CRT again for the reason I think I am? How I noticed it was immediately inferior for gaming (screen tearing, etc.) when I got my first flatscreen? I've heard there are newer flatscreens that have just as good response as CRTs though. Aren't new hard CRTs hard to find, or similarly, expensive?

Yeah I'm thinking I should get a PS2 and perhaps another Saturn & DC. I'd like to play the newer Gradius & Thunderforces as well as any Cave games.

I've been playing some of the recommended PC games already, Shikigami no Shiro games and Raiden 3 of course are great. Also, been checking out some more dojin soft - like Patriot Dark - but I can't figure out everything yet. For example, how do you get that large laser? Is it just a regular power-up? Yet I somehow seemed to randomly get it on the first stage. Does it have to do with scoring mechanics? The "large laser" I'm referring to is shown below in the pics found on 2bears.com:



You can go here http://www.the2bears.com/?p=1398 and see the first picture with the standard "Suika-A" lasers (hold down/focus shot)...

Maybe I just need to search more, found some info about Patriot Dark already on the site, just not quite all I'd like to know. Also what is up with the co lor changes in enemy shots? Does it have Treasure-like scoring systems as well?

[Yoshino]

Oh yeah and what about my joystick question? Don't nearly all the "purists" prefer joysticks? Any good ones available for PC? Preferably ball-top as when I was growing up they still were using those. I can't remember if they are the "american" or "japanese" style but I just prefer ball-top in general.

Is the consensus that joysticks are to STGs like M/KB is to FPS? Or lots of players use controllers and keyboard as well?

[BPzeBanshee]

Oh yeah and what about my joystick question? Don't nearly all the "purists" prefer joysticks? Any good ones available for PC? Preferably ball-top as when I was growing up they still were using those. I can't remember if they are the "american" or "japanese" style but I just prefer ball-top in general.

Is the consensus that joysticks are to STGs like M/KB is to FPS? Or lots of players use controllers and keyboard as well?

Personally I use either the keyboard or my Wired Xbox 360 Controller. It costs something like 50/60 dollars over her but well worth it as its solid and lasts a while. And of course its dual-function.
I do have a joystick as well, that I setup for friends that come over and play co-op with me, but if they had an Xbox Controller I'd prefer they use that. The analog stick of the Xbox controller I find to be much better for stuff like ESPRade on Lagless MAME than my Logitech Attack 3 Joystick.
On a general level I think you'll find that most people have either a gamepad or joystick that they like to play their STGs with. I'm certain there are ball-top style gamepads that you can get, though I think the ones I've seen around are stupidly expensive (like over 100 bucks or something for it cause of its "special art" printed on it) and wouldn't really recommend.

[gray117]

Hey there,

Sticks are generally preferred; although its generally accepted its up to individual choice - the most common advice is to give a decent stick a good go before dismissing it. In practised hands the the stick is probably the best tool for the job: although there's definitely users who play better than me and use/prefer joypads and keyboards.

Regardless of 'performance' I certainly find playing with a stick the most satisfying experience.

Generally seimitsu sticks are favoured by many shmup-ers. Sanwas sticks are more common in arcade machines; typically being the favoured stick of fighting gamers. [Personally I favour sanwa, but own both types of sticks - I find the differences help inform my play.]

...Personally I would recommend 24" crt screen or larger if you sit back at all. Maybe 19/20" lcd monitor if you're close. I find the size helps me to focus on an area when required... Maybe that's a personal thing again though ... maybe an aesthetic thing, maybe even an age thing... personally I love the 'walled' feeling and look of being close to a vertical 29" crt on 240p On the other hand, I can't stand interlacing so would recommend an lcd if your playing any 480i content... you can always do it dirty or get a scaler/deinterlacer to clean it up.

[On the 240p note - check out this thread if the ps2 tempts you http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=17808 ]

If this is mumbo jumbo (?) I always point users to fudoh's excellent resource when getting into screen aesthetics and possible solutions:

http://www.hazard-city.de/

As for some of those [possibly] more obscure games/companies in the in between years :

http://www.world-of-arcades.net/

[^ its a little out of date now, and only covers some games from 3 companies, but it is an excellent resource for what it does cover - most of those games are widely considered well recommended]

[njiska]

We've been getting a lot of these "Hi, I'm new here. Where do i start?" threads lately. Maybe should draft suggestions and make a proper getting started guide. I know there's some sections covering that sort of info in the FAQ, but I'm guessing either no one reads it or it's not the kind of direct recommendations they're looking for.

[Ed Oscuro]

THE YOUNG LOCUST
IT COMES

oh, look, he's not interested in your butt hygiene, after all.

We've been getting a lot of these "Hi, I'm new here. Where do i start?" threads lately.

Just a coincidence, but knock yourself out, only keeping in mind that what seems like a good guide now must be maintained to be worth a couple bottles of salt in the future. Not sure that's a replacement for the arcane knowledge of forum searches.

[Obiwanshinobi]

On the other hand, I can't stand interlacing so would recommend an lcd if your playing any 480i content...

Ugh... Just NO. This advice is insane. I'd rather watch 480i on a CRT than ANY sub-native resolution on LCD.
As for interlacing, a handful of games look alright despite interlacing: Gradius V, Contra: Shattered Soldier... Heck, Homura and Psyvariar 2 look good even in yoko. On a CRT with an RGB lead, that is.

[ShmupSamurai]

THE YOUNG LOCUST
IT COMES

Oh god, how am I going to dodge all of THAT?!

[BPzeBanshee]

THE YOUNG LOCUST
IT COMES

Oh god, how am I going to dodge all of THAT?!

With a 1-pixel hitbox, a large bomb stock and a can of Mortein.