I've stopped looking at my ship. What the hell?

[Damocles]

Recently, I've noticed that I never look at my ship. Ever. When I first started out a few years ago, my vision would switch back and forth between the top of the screen and focusing on my ship. Now it does neither, simply occupies the middle of the screen. Obviously, this makes bullet-hell games very weird. Not hard, just weird. Oddly enough, I feel that I'm better than I was just a few months ago, but I have no idea why. Just kinda freaking out, and wondering if this is normal.

[Edge]

I always have this kind of view. Don't know when I got it...

I think when you don't see your ship then you are getting used to those bullet hell shmups. Since I had this kind of view I felt like now seeing clearly what's going on.

Before I had that view. I died really often and always watched onto my ship, wondering where it's hitbox is. And finding many patterns undodgeable. But now I only watch at the bullets and this way you can see a way to get through.

[BUHA]

Yeah, my vision seems to go all over the place. but it seems like if i stare directly at my ship the whole time i never do very well. I always end up crashing into something i didn't see. It all depends, for me.

[neorichieb1971]

Its like using the force and how I play. You have to move with the waves.

[GaijinPunch]

There's a few patterns where I have to watch "the whole screen". Two I can think of off the top of my head:

-Ketsui stage 4 box first form
-ESPGaluda last boss, last bar, 2nd pattern (w/ the rows coming from top and bottom)

Then there's other parts where I have to watch my ship/person (ESPGaluda -- last boss, last form... sucks).

[Damocles]

Its like using the force and how I play. You have to move with the waves.

Oddly enough, that seems to be how it works with me. I'm not one for explicitly learning levels, but I have noticed a sort of subliminal learning. I still couldn't tell you the enemy layout of Donpachi, but I can tell you that 99% of the time I will be in exactly the same spot in any level. I first noticed this in level 3 of Donpachi where there is a row of six (or so, don't even remember that) turrets that shoot in eight directions. Every single time, I find myself on the far left, taking them out clockwise. And no, I don't chain intentionally.

[cdawg4949]

Its just like driving a car. At first you are staring at the road right in front of you and it causes problems staying in the lanes. After you learn to look a few seconds ahead you adjust before the obstacle gets to you and you arn't driving like a pinball machine, bouncing back and fourth between the lines.

-CODY-

[GaijinPunch]

It's just like drivign a car. At first you are staring at the road right in front of you and it causes problems staying in the lanes.

Shit... I started using my blindfold after a few weeks.

[Thunder Force]

When I first started out a few years ago, my vision would switch back and forth between the top of the screen and focusing on my ship. Now it does neither, simply occupies the middle of the screen.

You've been shmupping long enough now that your brain is trying to optimize your activity. Sort of like touch typing

[~Kid Icarus~]

I've noticed myself doing this too but I think it depends on which game you are playing. For example, on Ikaruga, so much of it is playing from memory after a while you probably could play it blindfolded! I normally spend more time looking ath the enemies making sure my bullets are hitting the correct enemies.

But then Shikigami No Shiro 2 (which I really do enjoy) has a pretty major flaw in that you spend the entire time looking at the immediate area around your player to graze the bullets. It really bugs me 'cos the graphics are so nice but you spend all the time trying to get as close to the bullets as possible. Maybe I need to play it more...