Do easy games actually bring in new players?

[Taylor]

Pretty sure this discussion sprang from Guwange’s 360 Arrange Mode, so I’m not really following if this is about game modes or just easy games. Eitherway, Cave certainly are trying to bring more players into their games with easier entrance levels and modes: Deathsmiles, Deathsmiles II and DoDonPachi: Daifukkatsu even did this in their arcade release.

I know two people who imported both of the region free games because they knew they could beat them on the novice mode and perhaps use that as a stepping stone for the real game. And now they are both annoyed about the future region lock and are waiting on Deathsmiles EU. Though to be fair a sample size of two is, perhaps, inconclusive.

I think a bigger problem is: Do easier modes or easier games even show people how to play the harder ones? People need to learn about streaming, bullet herding, and how to mentally block out 90% of the screen and focus on what’s relevant. A mechanic that cancels all the bullets when any enemy dies, or simply doesn’t spawn any to begin with, doesn’t do this.

I’m reminded of those challenge modes you get in new fighting games that tell you to do every move then a variety of combos from simple 2-in-1’s to impractical, flashy, wastes of meter. These are usually spun as a way to teach you the game, but there’s nothing in there about spacing, zoning, blocking, pressure, mix-up, gimmicks or meter management (and often misses the best stuff because it hasn't been found yet or is an exploit the developers don't want to highlight, but I digress). I think that’s a parallel to what these shmup Novice modes do. People might pick up the underlying concepts but the game is only offering a crutch.

[gennss]

Easy mode if it limits part of the game, kinda forcing people to step up once their comfortable.

I remember seeing games that easy mode ended at level three, or something to that effect.

Honestly, I'm not good at shmups, I just like them. I've gotten better and played more once I got triggerheart. Its easy enough to get started, burned through it credit feeding, and little by little got better. It motivated me to try Ikaruga again, and now I enjoy it more and do better with it.

[Thjodbjorn]

Easy mode if it limits part of the game, kinda forcing people to step up once their comfortable.

I remember seeing games that easy mode ended at level three, or something to that effect.

Shikigami 2 does that, for sure.

I have to say that the novice modes in Mushi and Galuda definitely helped kind of ease me into the genre. I'm still garbage, but it's helpful for me to get a feel for an unfamiliar game. With DFK it wasn't really necessary, although I think It helped me understand a bit better how to score.

Given that I keep trying to get further on DOJ, I'd say that the novice modes didn't deter me from looking for a challenge. Getting to the second loop on DFK novice was definitely encouraging, though it's not something I'm going to attempt to do in that mode again.

[Drachenherz]

Actually, the best way to get people into modern shmups is to show them all the shmup-goodness that can be found on MAME. Or you let them download esp II and ddp res on the iPad/iPhone.

Because, the easy modes of the games are so easy, even a one handed blind guy (i.e.: me) can play them and even 1cc them. And even for me as a novice, the easymodes don't feel right, it's as if I were cheating...

With MAME, they can try them out without a financial risk (*ahem*), with the iOS ports you got a large potential user base of people "to get in the boat".

[apatia77]

I think games do need to get a little bit easier but it has to be cleverly done, ie Futari BL, Dodonpachi Dfk or Deathsmiles.

Just check this forum and the high score section for some of the games and you will find a lot of entries with 1-4, 1-5 for some of the games.

[louisg]

I got started with easier games like Thunderforce III and Sidewinder.. I clearly remember a time when TF3 too hard for me (Sidewinder was just right). And, I've been playing shmups now for a long time, so it worked for me!

[TrevHead (TVR)]

Unfortuantely, there are already many people who aren't very proficient at shmups, and have the impression that places like this are full of elitist assholes who will come over to your house and murder you in your sleep for, say, not 1CC'ing Touhou on Normal.

Needless to say, lol vocal minority

Yeah, but that notion is clearly bullshit. I posted a puny score in jpj's DOJ hi score thread, no one came up and laughed at it. Even if they did, I'd interpret it as a sign of encouragement. It's fine to criticise people spreading poor quality information (for example, that idiot with the Guwange "walk through" credit feeding video). If we as STG fans don't do it, who the fuck will??? Where will new comers get their good information from?

Most gamers just dont like been told they suck, either rudly or in a polite way http://www.destructoid.com/the-jimquisi ... 0#comments

[MR_Soren]

I don't think there is one answer. Some people are drawn in by the idea of overcoming a steep challenge and others think the games are fun to play but don't want to die constantly. I think anybody who's ever going to truly love 2D shooters will fall into the former category, but sometimes people don't realize they're in the former category until they give a game a chance. Scaring them off too quickly with extreme difficulty eliminates a potential customer.

Adjustable difficulty goes a long way towards appeasing everybody and should be implemented more often.

[renardqueenston]

my first shooter was life force on the NES when i was 3 or 4 years old. i was introduced to it at a young age and my persistence as a kid (with only a couple NES games) was what let me overcome any difficulties i had with it. i'd say that a reason a lot of people can't get into it nowadays is because they don't play shooters at a young age. a lot of current-gen gamers are 13-18 years old and got into stuff around the playstation era, when shooters and arcade-style games in general weren't favored so much as exhaustive RPGs and 3D platform / adventure games. the NES, SNES, and Genesis all had a wealth of arcade-style games and shooters, and it was what players of those consoles were very likely to be exposed to. while arcade-style games are still published, they aren't the mainstream choices they used to be.

there is definitely a generational gap with shooters, which i think is what we're experiencing right now. easy games won't bring people in so much as just growing up with them, as far as i'm concerned.

[evil_ash_xero]

In my case, it's kind of hard to say, considering I got into shmups when they were popular(late eighties, early nineties). So, it wasn't hard to find them, and they were out and easy to find.

But my early ones were definitely easier ones like Thunderforce III and MUSHA. I loved those. Later, I got back into shmups with games like Einhander, Gradius Gaiden, and R-Type Delta. But I would always put them on easy.

My first manic shmups was DOJ, and it was WAY too much for me. I can easily see someone new picking that up and just throwing it down in disgust. It should really have an easy mode. All of these manic shmups should, because it does take time to get the hang of them. Especially if you didn't even play any shmups up to that point.

I think an easy mode is all that's really necessary. I don't think we need to make shmups all weak to bring in new players. Just have a mode that they can enjoy, until they get better(if they choose to).

That being said, the easy modes on Guwange and Futari are too easy. They should make the new player feel some sort of challenge. Not just a cakewalk. Then it will probably seem too slight.

[gs68]

DOJ PS2 sorta has an easy mode: No Bullet Mode. Although it's designed more for learning chaining patters rather than a beginner's mode.