Most important shmup feature

[daigle]

Just curious to see what others think

[Obiwanshinobi]

Fun Weapons™.

[daigle]

added!

[daigle]

Oops didnt know that would clear everyone elses votes, sorry guys

[Phoenix]

I miss a features:

- replay value, i think the most important feature.

[BIL]

Pacing. If a shooter is boring or even just idles for anything more than a very short breather, everything else suffers.

[Aconcit]

I think bullet patterns in danmaku but otherwise re-playability is a huge factor.

[Treasurance]

autobomb

[apple arcade]

I think it takes a combination of the above choices to make a good game.

However I can tell you that if I'm always feeling underpowered in a game (Raiden 4) then I'll most likely give up on it.

You shouldn't have to shoot an enemy from the time it enters the screen until the time it leaves and still not be able to kill it. You shouldn't have a shot so slow that it's only possible to take out half the enemies either.

[ChainsawGuitarSP]

Pacing. If a shooter is boring or even just idles for anything more than a very short breather, everything else suffers.

This. It's especially bad when the stages are 5 minutes or more on average. Trying to practice these kind of shmups is more aggravating than anything because it usually takes 15-20 minutes to have another go at whatever part happens to give you ire when you start over.

[captpain]

No consistent single answer, silly question.

[TrevHead (TVR)]

Stage design, a shmup can have the best eye and ear candy and have the most intresting score systems but if the stages are boring then so is the whole game.
2nd most important would be tight controls, I wanna die because i fucked up not because I was fighting with the controls (dont like inertia)

If you could add those 2 as a option the poll would be much better as atm scoring is obviously going to take up most of the votes.

We're all shmup nuts here so most folk will vote for sensable features, What would intrest me is how the voting would go in another forum where the denizens there are just casual or occational shmup players. Now that would be very intresting plus provide some lols

EDIT: I do agree with the last couple of posts in that a good shmup needs to be good in all aspects to be worth playing. There's just so many great shmups already out there so any new shmup has gotta be good for me to give it my time. I suppose its the same for most folk here and why Cave (and a few other AAA grade titles) tend to dominate here and why shmups that just dont make the grade like most euroshmups and indies dont even get a look in.

[shadowbringer]

voted scoring system, but I'd say fun gameplay (in which both survival play and scoreruns are fun and makes the player decide between two different gameplay styles, depending on their willingness to take more or less risks, and in my personal preference, doesn't demand intense memorization effort or pixel-perfect positioning or strict timing to get a decent, acceptable enough score -- more in-between, flexible, intermediate scoring, less need to play the games perfectly or have enough reasons to develop restartitis)

I'd vote unlockables as well if I could, as they provide more goals (or content) to the game, which means they provide more possible ways the game can be played. At least this is my opinion.

[captpain]

Oh my god please do not seriously respond to this.

[BryanM]

Not screwing the player.

When you die in the middle of the stage, your offense drops to zero for a few seconds. During this time, the stage will become saturated with more enemies. And you're more likely to die or need to use a bomb, as punishment for getting hit. If there is a power-down system, your offense remains near zero for an extra 2-4 seconds.

Gunbird and ilk go an extra douchey level and make it so the power-up you drop on death hovers and bounces around at the top of the screen, intentionally trying to suck your hard earned coin in the cheapest damn manner.

tldr: Not being a super-douche.

[ChainsawGuitarSP]

Oh my god please do not seriously respond to this.

[wariomona]

Dah, eveyone only plays shmups for:
Lolis!
Or Boobs!
Or Lolis with Boobs!


(Rreally though this is a weird question)

[Cuilan]

This was a pretty tough choice, but I ultimately went with scoring system.

I think scoring system, difficulty, and accessibility are all equally important (followed closely by content).

[KidQuaalude]

- Level Design
- Bullet Patterns
- Boss Attack Patterns

Are amongst the most important to me and not listed here.

[Sumez]

Soundtrack is the only reason I even play shmups.

[harrihaffi]

If a game is to easy progress means nothing! And really if there is no chans of you dying on the first level then the first level is a wast of time because you have to play it over and over everytime you die on the second level or evertime you 1cc the game without a new highscore. That being said: I would have voted bullet dodging if that was an option.

MVHH

[dan76]

Dodging bullets!

Weaving in and out of bullets is the main thrill for me. You'd think it's a given in all shmups but it ain't.

[Arwing904]

Im really torn between choices! I think character design is important as its nice to have someone you can relate to or empathise with... Even if it is a space fox in the case of Star Wing! On the other hand, graphics that immerse you in the action and a good replayability factor are always something I look for in any game.

[Ruldra]

Difficulty. No use having a good scoring system, nice gameplay etc if you can beat the game in few attempts.

[R-Gray 1]

Dodging bullets!

Weaving in and out of bullets is the main thrill for me. You'd think it's a given in all shmups but it ain't.

yes. even dodging enemy ships or try to not crush to walls.


ok here is my list:

1)Game Mechanic
2)Stage Design
3)Enemies - Bosses
4)Weapons
5)Soundtracks

all are very important....specially the first 4 positions.

Editing changing gameplay for Game mechanic

[DragonInstall]

Scoring system.. then music. Good music always makes me get into any game.

[whoozwah]

for me it's the scoring system. it's how I measure if I'm getting better at the game.

[MR_Soren]

I would also vote Pacing if it was an option.

A game must be well-paced to be fun. Even the scoring system doesn't matter if a game is not fun.

[dunpeal2064]

I don't see scrolling or shooting, what am I supposed to click?

Weapons are usually what draw me in to a shmup. DDP attracts me purely because of the huge lazers. I also really enjoy the Thunderforce series, primarily due to weapon change.

[mjclark]

I'm astonished as to how popular soundtrack is but obviously it really compels some people. I'll try paying more attention to it and see if it ups my game, eh?
I voted for scoring system (duh!) but I also really like unlockables (extra credits, modes, stages, ships) cos they pull me back into playing and give that sense of completion and achievement. It's like the game reveals different aspects of itself as a reward for your time and attention, but I've drifted into nerdy-virgin territory with that statement so I'm gonna stop right now...