Why is Touhou such a poster child for bullet hell?

[TrevHead (TVR)]

Ive still to test out mushimisama on PCSX2 but with the improvemnets made over the last couple of years im hoping my i5 PC will beable to run it. All ive seen are YT vids but those are all of stage 1 which is a big difference in bullets to stage 5

[ptoing]

I got an Intel Core 2 Quad with 2.8 GHz and it runs pretty fine, so I reckon with a i5 it should run pretty nicely.
But that all depends on how much the emulator actually uses the processor as opposed to the GPU.

[duckman]

It's like how average dolts who only play Xbox FPSs rarely play PC FPSs — in both cases, their taste in games has been constricted and distorted due to outside circumstances, rather than because they've played lots of games and made their own judgements.

You're implying that, if Touhou fans got a chance to play arcade-style shmups, they would immediately change their minds and stop playing TH. In my case this was true, but it's actually uncommon. The number of valiant TH defenders on Youtube bears out the truth that, despite all I might say, some people have actually come to the conclusion that TH is superior. I've met people who said "I played Galuda and Mushi Futari and I still like TH more".

So the cattle that roam YouTube have poor taste and can't appreciate Cave games. What else is new.

Mind you, I love Touhou Project myself and consider it one of the best STGs series out there(at least ESoD thru IN, as well as PoFV and Shoot the Bullet — the later games feel disappointing with simplified scoring systems) All I am saying is that most Touhou fans - the kind on YouTube and other mainstream sites - aren't really fans of STGs in general, and that they have bad taste in STGs.

[Lance Boyle]

Fact is, there's no accounting for taste.

Actually, to a great degree, there is. Intelligence, circumstance, and experience account for taste. The rest is in the details.

[Never_Scurred]

Touhou is the Soulja Boy/Justin Beiber of the shmup genre.


















































(don't hit me, lol)

[Naut]

All I am saying is that most Touhou fans - the kind on YouTube and other mainstream sites - aren't really fans of STGs in general, and that they have bad taste in STGs.

Most Touhou fans aren't even fans of the actual Touhou games.

[Barrakketh]

All I am saying is that most Touhou fans - the kind on YouTube and other mainstream sites - aren't really fans of STGs in general, and that they have bad taste in STGs.

Most Touhou fans aren't even fans of the actual Touhou games.

Yep...I even said as much on the first page:

The main thing to keep in mind is that there is a big difference between the relative popularity of the official Touhou shmups and the doujin material based off it, which I believe is a big reason why it has so many detractors in the western shmup community (also: if it ain't a military themed shmup, they'll probably bitch a lot). Yes, a doujin series (Touhou) has a metric fuckton of doujin material based on its characters and music.

And the sad fact is that the vast majority of people who are fans of Touhou aren't people who play the shmups (or shmups in general). Most of them [should] know they exist, but aren't interested in playing them for whatever reason. The other doujin material, whether they be comics, artwork, music, or video games based on the series far outstrips the popularity of the main series.

And so have others. Of course, that would require people to read the thread

[Despatche]

"Touhou" has already moved on to "Bad Apple!!".

[RNGmaster]

All I am saying is that most Touhou fans - the kind on YouTube and other mainstream sites - aren't really fans of STGs in general, and that they have bad taste in STGs.

Most Touhou fans aren't even fans of the actual Touhou games.

Apparently they know enough to say with conviction that Touhou, a game they haven't played, is superior to Mushi Futari (well, it's a common target), another game that they haven't played.

[Barrakketh]

All I am saying is that most Touhou fans - the kind on YouTube and other mainstream sites - aren't really fans of STGs in general, and that they have bad taste in STGs.

Most Touhou fans aren't even fans of the actual Touhou games.

Apparently they know enough to say with conviction that Touhou, a game they haven't played, is superior to Mushi Futari (well, it's a common target), another game that they haven't played.

People on the internet make assertions about things they know fuck all about, more on this phenomenon to come at 11. I hear it also happens a lot in that "real world" thing that people sometimes mention.

[Zengeku3]

That includes Esp.Ra.De, DoDonPachi, DOJ, Ketsui, Esp.GaLuDa and Dangun Feveron. You can't possibly mean all that sucks.

forgot about DOJ but I prefer playing it on PCSX2 anyways

also not touching galuda before they get the sound working

The sound seems to work for me. Not in Ketsui or DOJ though. Regardless, you need to play less Hellsinker and more Cave.

[spadgy]

^ That's a bold first post! I'm pretty sure lots of people just like Touhou.

I like Touhou as well, but what I said is still true — that is, that kiddies new to STGs tend to become, and remain, Touhou fanatics because they cannot access older (and much better) arcade titles, whether due to not emulating, being too poor to import, laziness, or because they're hipsters who spam the stupid memes Touhou has spawned. It's like how average dolts who only play Xbox FPSs rarely play PC FPSs — in both cases, their taste in games has been constricted and distorted due to outside circumstances, rather than because they've played lots of games and made their own judgements.

Fair enough opinion of course.

To me, however, I see Touhou as the more obscure end of shmups. I certainly think they are less familiar in the collective conscience of the mainstream gamers (and industry) than most arcade and console stuff, and for me (even when I started out and couldn't afford PCBs) getting console shmups and emulation was far more accessible than Touhou. I could go into a local UK high street store to pick up Ikaruga, Gradius V etc, and read about them in mainstream mags.

[Treasurance]

Regardless, you need to play less Hellsinker and more Cave.

[Zengeku3]

Okay. Changed my mind. You need to play less Hellsinker and more UFO.
I am sure Naut would approve of that logic as well.

[Treasurance]

Okay. Changed my mind. You need to play less Hellsinker and more UFO.
I am sure Naut would approve of that logic as well.

ufo causes me extreme formication

[Zengeku3]

That's just the start of the symptoms I usually suffer. For instance, listening to Fires of Hokkai causes internal bleeding and the playing of Stage 2 and 5 causes heavy drowsiness.

The bosses usually cure those symptoms in a flash cause' they are pretty cool (arguably some of the best bosses in Touhou. At least some of the only ones who knows how to present a challenge).

Unfortunately those symptoms return when the bosses are done and a new stage begins.

[Treasurance]

For instance, listening to Fires of Hokkai causes internal bleeding

the only good song in the game

that godawful trumpet or whatever ruins most of the songs

[RNGmaster]

People on the internet make assertions about things they know fuck all about, more on this phenomenon to come at 11. I hear it also happens a lot in that "real world" thing that people sometimes mention.

I was using this "sarcasm" thing. You might know about it.

I wasn't intending to make a novel statement - just making fun of a group of people who are very easy and very humorous targets.

To me, however, I see Touhou as the more obscure end of shmups.

[Zengeku3]

For instance, listening to Fires of Hokkai causes internal bleeding

the only good song in the game

that godawful trumpet or whatever ruins most of the songs

I don't really mind the trumpet THAT much. It can get quite annoying at times though. Necrofantasia for example. Fortunately its from PCB which nobody cares about.

[gs68]

I'd much rather encounter Touhou fans who HAVE played Cave games (among other shmups) and decided for themselves that they prefer Touhou, than fans who look at a random shmup video and instantly go "Touhou is better." At least the former have made valid judgments.

[Bananamatic]

The first impression I got after playing DDP while being a touhoufag was indeed "Touhou is better"

[Chaos Phoenixma]

That's because it was DDP and not DDP DOJ

[ShmupSamurai]

If you ask me, I found Embodiment of Scarlet Devil and Perfect Cherry Blossom to be the only two I really liked...

The rest? I'll take Thunderforce III, Donpatchi, and Zen Itchi over them anyday. Tohou is decent, but I find most of it to be slow and kinda mediocre, especially compared to the blazing action of shmups such as Kamui and Crimson Clover...

Also, most Tohou 'fans' just seem to in it for the lolis...

Hell, is it just me, or is everyone in for the lolis these days?? ( I'm looking at you, Deathsimiles)

[Sapz]

All I am saying is that most Touhou fans - the kind on YouTube and other mainstream sites - aren't really fans of STGs in general, and that they have bad taste in STGs.

Most Touhou fans aren't even fans of the actual Touhou games.

Apparently they know enough to say with conviction that Touhou, a game they haven't played, is superior to Mushi Futari (well, it's a common target), another game that they haven't played.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHWF50pXkEw

[RNGmaster]

Uhhh, don't take offense, I was only being facetious.

[Barrakketh]

Uhhh, don't take offense, I was only being facetious.

I doubt he was taking offense.

Here, have some lolis.

[RNGmaster]

Here, have some lolis.

I still can't believe people could replicate those patterns so accurately in Danmakufu...

And that Ketsuireimu script is God.

[Sapz]

Uhhh, don't take offense, I was only being facetious.

I wasn't taking offence, I agree with the point you were making. It just reminded me of this a lot.

[duckman]

Here, have some lolis.

I still can't believe people could replicate those patterns so accurately in Danmakufu...

And that Ketsuireimu script is God.

You ain't seen nothing yet.

[Zengeku3]

Also, most Tohou 'fans' just seem to in it for the lolis...

Hell, is it just me, or is everyone in for the lolis these days?? ( I'm looking at you, Deathsimiles)

Yes and Yes.

The first impression I got after playing DDP while being a touhoufag was indeed "Touhou is better"

Same here. I still remember how I found the game to be bullshit because it was too hard and bad because there was war machines instead of lolis and the music was the same for all bosses and that the stages have no soul.

You ain't seen nothing yet.

ZUN needs to get badass shot types like that. The shots in Touhou look too weak.