There is hope!

[Shatterhand]

Some people here maybe know that I work as a teacher for a High-School... I teach programming for all 3 years of High School.

I usually use GameMaker to introduce the kids concepts of Object Orientation. It has been a good strategy so far, as being introduced to programming doing games is a lot more fun than doing boring calculators and shit.

Yesterday in one of the classes where I use GameMaker, I was talking about how they wouldn't create the new God of War or another GTA, but they could make nice little games to show to their friends, and suddenly one of the kids, 15 years old, says exactly this (but in Portuguese) to one of his friends:

"I actually want to do a shmup".

He actually used the word "shmup". I think it's the first time in my life I ever heard anyone *saying* shmup. (Here in Brazil we seldom use the term "shoot'em up", let alone "shmup"). I just went "wtf?", looked at him and asked where he had heard this word. He begun trying to explain to me what a shmup is, and I told him I knew what it was, and showed him this site. He was like "Oh, I've been to this site a couple of time to get some info in some games..."

I was just amazed at that. After the class I talked with him, and he said the thing he most like to play are shmups, that he is a big fan of Touhou and some indie jap games, that he was pissed most indie japanese games were going to XBLA and PSN and not to PC anymore (I dunno about that), and that he always wanted to play some games he see videos on internet (I showed him that famous "Most hard boss ever" video of Mushihimesama, and he was like "Yeah, this is insane!").

It was really interesting. Considering other day one student from 2nd year was saying how he loved his Dreamcast, and that he had just got Border Down (A game which *I* have never played), I think there's still hope for the genre to catch the new kids. At least here in Rio de Janeiro, in the school where I work.

[TrevHead (TVR)]

Great story THX for sharing

Those type of kids are an endangered species, you should shoot him with a tranquilizer gun and ship him off to a zoo where they can start a breeding in captivaty program

Care to post the shmupping site of his?

[CptRansom]

I've managed to get a couple of my students over the last few years at least mildly interested in STGs as well. It's good to know there is at least a glimmer of hope for the future. =D

[Sumez]

I find it a little amusing people on this forum tend to consider shoot'em ups an entirely unknown or "niche" genre. Sure, it's not very popular anymore, but it's definitely not unheard of, it used to be one of the most popular videogame genre, if not THE most popular, back in the 80's, so most people should be well aware of it, though I agree too many people consider it "retro".

Sure a lot of stuff happened since the 80's, but the basics of the genre are still the same, and I'd say newer games like the Metal Slug games managed to get fairly popular. Sure, a lot of other genres have overtaken shoot'em ups by many miles, but that's an obvious effect of the game industry as a whole expanding to a much broader audience. Even genres like first person shooters or racing games are experiencing the same thing now, with these modern "casual games" taking over the market. That doesn't mean there isn't a market for the relatively smaller genres though.

[louisg]

I find it a little amusing people on this forum tend to consider shoot'em ups an entirely unknown or "niche" genre. Sure, it's not very popular anymore, but it's definitely not unheard of, it used to be one of the most popular videogame genre, if not THE most popular, back in the 80's, so most people should be well aware of it, though I agree too many people consider it "retro".

Sure a lot of stuff happened since the 80's, but the basics of the genre are still the same, and I'd say newer games like the Metal Slug games managed to get fairly popular. Sure, a lot of other genres have overtaken shoot'em ups by many miles, but that's an obvious effect of the game industry as a whole expanding to a much broader audience. Even genres like first person shooters or racing games are experiencing the same thing now, with these modern "casual games" taking over the market. That doesn't mean there isn't a market for the relatively smaller genres though.

Metal Slug was 15 years ago now .. but yeah, I get what you mean. But, it's still fairly unknown in its modern form, to the point that many gamers don't really understand how to approach them ("what, you die in one hit?? cheap!"). I'd argue that it's less unknown now than it was a decade ago though.

I've still never heard anyone use the term 'shmup' (for better?)

[Deca]

Hah, wow this actually made me feel pretty good. Awesome post, good way to start my day.

Granted, you also made me think about Border Down and how much I miss the cab that used to be at our local arcade...but positive feelings overall!

[t0yrobo]

I can't find the photo now, but I was at my younger brother's school a month or so ago and caught a bunch of 3rd graders playing some flash version of Space Invaders. Melted my cold shriveled heart a bit.

[agustusx]

That is a cool post, thanks for sharing.

I infected my nephews with a bit of the shmup bug last year. Hopefully it sticks

[Hibachi]

I work in game development and whenever a new game turns up that happens to be region free, I plug in and give it a go.

The comments very from 'That's insane' to 'That's retro' to 'How did you dodge that?'

Never does anyone seem to offer them any actual recognition. I also encourage them to buy the Cave iPhone games but to no avail.

Lovely story though and gave me a warm glow.

[Evilmaxwar]

Just take a look at this kid !!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-yYRejhne0

Maybe his dad is someone on this forum ?

[Treasurance]

Just take a look at this kid !!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-yYRejhne0

Maybe his dad is someone on this forum ?

oh goddammit this again

[BulletMagnet]

The closest I ever got to anything like this back when I was a substitute teacher was letting a handful of kids know that Geometry Wars exists/existed, heh. Most of the gaming-related back-and-forth we had was "Hey, do you play CoD?" "No."

[CptRansom]

Most of the gaming-related back-and-forth we had was "Hey, do you play CoD?" "No."

If I had a dollar for every time I've had that exact exchange, I could retire. I feel your pain.

[TodayIsForgotten]

I find it a little amusing people on this forum tend to consider shoot'em ups an entirely unknown or "niche" genre. Sure, it's not very popular anymore, but it's definitely not unheard of, it used to be one of the most popular videogame genre, if not THE most popular, back in the 80's, so most people should be well aware of it, though I agree too many people consider it "retro".

I tend to agree with this. The shoot em up continues to live on and continues to sell well. Sure, Geometry Wars, Biology Battle, Ballistic, Shred Nebula, Powerup Forever, Hard Corps Uprising, Assault Hereos, New game coming out called Gaitlin Gears (i think) etc. These games may not be a true shoot em up in the sense of a fixed scrolling background and may not be the gradius', the Ibara, The Progear, The whatever your favorite automatic scrolling shoot em up may be...but they are still relevant in a more modern way.

In the last month i've seen a shoot'em up by the name of incinerate, rage, inside a star and zeit2 to name a few. Again while they may all not be the best games the genre still lives on and continues to churn out dozes of indie games, dozens of horrible XBLIG games..touhou...

You have Seisou Kouki Strania coming out which i have never heard. And I honestly can't see that game selling more than 20,000 units on XBLA - if that. Guwange...radiant silver gun...troubled witches. Genre is definitely not niche. Bullet hell/manic shooters - yes.

[emphatic]

Great story!

I tried to explain to a guy I just met about what kind of games I liked the other day and finally today he said "Oh, like Gradius?" And I was like "yeah, kinda" and then he said "it's too much bullets for me".

[njiska]

That is a fantastic story. It's always touching when you get a surprise like that.

[chempop]

Haha, awesome story. I used to teach High School too, had a gaming club during an intersession and got my students starting with pong and working their way up each generation. Guardian Heroes was the most popular game and one of the students later got into ikaruga big time, I believe he was the highest scoring player in the US for quite some time (his Initials were EML iirc).

Now I teach in Elementary Schools and while most of the kids are into Pokemon, Mario, etc, I do often hear about CoD even with the 1st graders, makes me upset every time..

..I can't imagine any of my students knowing about "shmups", let alone using the word, that'd be too funny Maybe I should show some of them DDP-R on my iPad or iPhone, I'm sure they'd think it was awesome, who wouldn't?!

[MR_Soren]

Aside from the fact that pronouncing "shmup" aloud is one of the most horrific things a person can do, that is a great story. Nice to see people appreciating the genre. Especially somebody who's learning programming to potentially take the genre to new places.

[EPS21]

Touhou as gateway drug shmup saves the day yet again!

[tinotormed]

...I think there's still hope for the genre to catch the new kids. At least here in Rio de Janeiro, in the school where I work.

Think so, and for some of us in our country (I saw some YT users), I think we are the last stand towards the newer generation.

[Sumez]

Each year I help setting up a game room at an anime convention here, basically we take a bunch of Japanese games from all eras and choose what games to display, focusing on interesting games most people won't have access to at home, and those that are easily accessible and enjoyable for short session, so this means we often have a lot of shoot'em ups. It's a somewhat special experience observing cosplaying teenage girls playing games like Blazing Star and EspGaluda.
A lot of people aren't even aware of what rarities they might end up with when trying out random games (like Radiant Silvergun or Hyper Duel).



These two girls played through Blazing Star twice in a row. I doubt they managed to 1cc it, but that might just be me being sexist.

[neorichieb1971]

Advertising mainstream games is kind of funneling everyone down that path. But it does not mean people will not take notice of whatever else is out there. It just takes a bit of explosure (I made that up) and people will find they have fun.

[harrihaffi]

Great story!

MVHH

[BPzeBanshee]

Great story indeed!

I once knew of a person who knew Shmups solely by Touhou, but he's open to the other types I think. Haven't spoken to him in ages. The rest of my active mates know about shmups as that old hardcore arcade genre that "Only you and your Necrowizard hax can get anywhere with BP" <- their words.
I also know a girl whose early childhood consisted of RayStorm, and on my advice recently got Deathsmiles. Being the Goth and shmuplover she is the game's perfect for her.
All of these people are around my age level, and I'm 16.

[mrsmiley381]

This reminds me of the Touhou Poster-Child For Shmups thread a little bit, not that that is necessarily that bad. Two days ago I overheard two other game design students discussing what would make a "bullet heaven" and then they thought that a shmup with no bullets where all you do is collect items would be fun. I had to try and explain the dichotomy between collecting items and dodging murder, which they thought equated to jack shit and just made a "generic bullet hell." Of course, explaining the purpose of score seemed to shut them up.

If it gives anyone any hope, I've been plotting out my own shmup and simultaneously trying to generate interest in the genre among my friends. Setting up games to play like Sumez does is great and it's the sort of thing I'd encourage. While I think everyone is free in their choice of games, helping someone understand the joy of intense scrolling shooter action is something with its own reward.

I think my point is that we have too little faith in the general video game fan populace. Let the CoD kids have their CoD, the shmup fans will find each other, if only by chance.

Maybe I should start seriously working on my design doc now.

[Naut]

My seven year old sister plays DFK

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nswAAQzrq7w

sorry for shitty quality and such

[RNGmaster]

This reminds me of the Touhou Poster-Child For Shmups thread a little bit, not that that is necessarily that bad.

Yes it is. Logically, this thread will soon be swamped with arguments about the quality of Hellsinker.
T-minus 10...
T-minus 9...
T-minus 8...

[cul]

My seven year old sister plays DFK

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nswAAQzrq7w

sorry for shitty quality and such

Hahaha, the game's not a dangerous situation for her, take that, big bro.

[Despatche]

I think the word "shmup" has been catching on for a while.

[Deca]

I still really dislike the word shmup...it sounds so...I dunno, goofy. I'll stick with shooter, shooting game, or STG most of the time.