"Shmups 101" Racketboy Article - IT'S UP!!!

[Stormwatch]

According to Wikipedia:

Stinger is a vertical/side-scrolling shoot-'em-up game released by Konami for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1987. It is the North American localization of Moero! TwinBee: Cinnamon Hakushi wo Sukue!​ (もえろツインビー シナモン博士を救え! Burn! TwinBee: The Rescue of Dr. Cinnamon?), the second game in the TwinBee series, which was originally released in Japan for the Family Computer Disk System expansion in 1986 and later re-released as a standard Famicom cartridge in 1993.

And it must not be confused with another shmup called Stinger, a 1983 arcade by Seibu Denshi.

[Randorama]

Rank – A sometimes-controversial feature,

Stinky BulletMagnet, Why?!?!

You're excommunicated from the Church of Righteous Shmupism, Amen!

Otherwise, top-notch effort, A++. But other ones will be even better, I guess

[BulletMagnet]

Little error here

Heh, didn't even see that one until you mentioned it (you do seem to have an eye for this sort of stuff, have you considered a career as a type editor?) - will have to pass along to RB.

In the article you listed the first Twinbee to also be known as Stinger

You're half-right: in this piece I make reference to the early Seibu title "Stinger" (the one Stormwatch mentions), but I don't relate it to Twinbee. I DID, however, make this error in the Saturn shmup article: I do need to correct that at some point, though I'm more immediately concerned with updating the Deathsmiles writeup at HG101.

You're excommunicated from the Church of Righteous Shmupism, Amen!

'Fraid you're about ten years too late for that particular event; you of all people ought to be aware of that. (in seriousness though, I was careful to choose the word "controversial", which I think is objectively accurate, for whatever it's worth).

While I'm thinking about it, here's a comment from one of the racketboy denizens:

I think there is a sub-type that is important enough to mention: the gravity shooter (Thrust, Solar Jetman, and versus games with gravity like Gravity Force).

They often have less shooting and a lot more exploration, but I think it is a more direct “variant” than other sub-types you have covered.

Off the cuff I'm tempted to concur with this sentiment and amend the "borderliners" section; what do you guys think?

[Randorama]

'Fraid you're about ten years too late for that particular event; you of all people ought to be aware of that. (in seriousness though, I was careful to choose the word "controversial", which I think is objectively accurate, for whatever it's worth).

Aside jokes yes, "sometimes-controversial" is a perfect choice of terms. The entry on rank is very well written, really (like all others).

While I'm thinking about it, here's a comment from one of the racketboy denizens:


Off the cuff I'm tempted to concur with this sentiment and amend the "borderliners" section; what do you guys think?

Wouldn't Bangai-oh & Atomic Kid Robotman qualify as well? Anyway, if you can identify a few shmups which share these features, then yes, they warrant an extra border-line category.

[Klatrymadon]

This is a great overview, BM - excellent work! It definitely has the potential to get people exploring our genre more deeply.

To make a small stylistic criticism, though, your rightful decision to place genre-specific terminology in quotation marks sometimes spills over onto terms and sentence formulations you've chosen yourself. It doesn't upset the flow of the article at all, but the tone would be even more confident and authoritative if you committed to these word choices.

[BulletMagnet]

Wouldn't Bangai-oh & Atomic Kid Robotman qualify as well? Anyway, if you can identify a few shmups which share these features, then yes, they warrant an extra border-line category.

I was thinking of using the term "Thrust Shooters", in order to include pretty much any such game with a manual "thrust" button for movement (thus Asteroids and the ones you mentioned should qualify) - I think that'd give me a decent amount of material to cover. Anyone have any alternate proposals that might work better?

To make a small stylistic criticism, though, your rightful decision to place genre-specific terminology in quotation marks sometimes spills over onto terms and sentence formulations you've chosen yourself. It doesn't upset the flow of the article at all, but the tone would be even more confident and authoritative if you committed to these word choices.

Hmm, could you direct me towards a specific instance or two of this? I just want to make sure I know exactly what you mean here.

[Obiwanshinobi]

I was thinking of using the term "Thrust Shooters", in order to include pretty much any such game with a manual "thrust" button for movement (thus Asteroids and the ones you mentioned should qualify) - I think that'd give me a decent amount of material to cover. Anyone have any alternate proposals that might work better?

I personally call a bunch of games "jetpack games", but only the ones with a wee bit more complex physics simulation than your average shooter sports. Baraduke is a good example since it not only simulates gravitation, but also the recoil (there's no inertia, however, although it does have pretty bad input lag in MAME). Then there's Exile - a game of exploration rather than shooting (Baraduke certainly is a shooter) and Exile's forefather - Thrust (not a shooter at all).
Atomic Robo-kid, on the other hand, doesn't have much of that physical heft. Feels more like Fantasy Zone to me.
The problem with "thrust shooters" would be that differences between Mutant Night, Act-Fancer: Cybernetick Hyper Weapon, Atomic Robo-Kid, Ranger X and whatnot could use quite an article on their own.

[Randorama]

I was thinking of using the term "Thrust Shooters", in order to include pretty much any such game with a manual "thrust" button for movement (thus Asteroids and the ones you mentioned should qualify) - I think that'd give me a decent amount of material to cover. Anyone have any alternate proposals that might work better?

The exact name is not an issue, as long as it sticks around and it is transparent. I admit that thrust/jet-pack/gravity are better than what I can come with, right now "Thrust" is perhaps the best one, as it gives the idea that movement is in part not controlled by the joystick and the joystick alone, but it does not involve jumping. You can ideally put Asteroids and Blasteroids, as well the other ones mentioned so far, in the same set.

Also:

Mutant Night, Act-Fancer: Cybernetick Hyper Weapon, Atomic Robo-Kid

I don't remember whether you jump or not, in Atomic Robo-Kid. I remembered that the joystick allowed you to hover, hence my original comment. In Mutant Night and Act-Fancer, there is a button for jumping, so they're technically run and gun.

Both Thrust shooters and run and guns do something different than the "pure" shmup, but do thrust Shooters usually involve one button to e.g. dash in one direction, and the joystick is still used to control movement? I think in this case there's a bunch of games that look similar in mechanics but form an heterogeneous group.

You may wish to sit down and check the actual mechanics and control per each game, before lumping them into a set.

[BulletMagnet]

Yeah, I'll have to do a little more research before typing this addendum up, but after what was needed to get the rest of this thing off the ground it shouldn't be too bad, heh.

[BulletMagnet]

Here's an overdue attempt at a "thrust shooters" addendum to the "borderliners" segment, any suggestions for improvement?

Thrust Shooters – As the name suggests, these are games in which player movement is controlled primarily via some sort of manual “thrust” button which propels your craft/character forward: Spacewar! is one of these, so one might say that everything truly started here. Asteroids is almost certainly the most famous, but long-time gamers in particular are likely to recall gravity-based “jetpack shooters” like Solar Jetman and Baraduke, not to mention more recent up-and-comers like Bangai-O. A few “semi-floor-bound” curiosities, like Atomic Robo-Kid and Act-Fancer, seem to relish blurring the line between themselves and run-n-guns.

[Randorama]

Here's an overdue attempt at a "thrust shooters" addendum to the "borderliners" segment, any suggestions for improvement?

Thrust Shooters – As the name suggests, these are games in which player movement is controlled primarily via some sort of manual “thrust” button which propels your craft/character forward:

I'd suggest full stop, "forward."

Spacewar! is one of these, so one might say that everything truly started here.

You could add "Spacewar!, the first shmup," to be sure that readers who don't remember still follow you.

Asteroids is almost certainly the most famous, but long-time gamers in particular are likely to recall gravity-based “jetpack shooters” like Solar Jetman and Baraduke, not to mention more recent up-and-comers like Bangai-O.

Ok!

A few “semi-floor-bound” curiosities, like Atomic Robo-Kid and Act-Fancer, seem to relish blurring the line between themselves and run-n-guns.

I'd say "between thrust-shooters and run-n-guns", "themselves sounds a bit funny. If you add a comment on why they blur this line it would be perfect ("run-n-guns, since they have this feature...").

I hope it helps.

[Drum]

I wouldn't put Baraduke in among the thrust games - it plays much more like Atomic Robo Kid/Bangaio than Solar Jetman as it has no momentum. I couldn't in all honesty recommend putting Act-Fancer (or Mutant Night) in the article unless you want to make a seperate run-n-gun or platform-shooter category. In Act-Fancer, you just have a somewhat slow descent if you keep holding jump and that's only when you are very powered-up - it's (largely) a pretty straightforward platform-shooter and not really similar to Atomic Robo Kid/Baraduke at all.
Technically, you do have a jump in Atomic Robo Kid but you might as well not at all. If you *do* make a seperate platform-shooter category you gotta include Jump Bug cos that game is awesome.

Consider mentioning Sheriff (1979, Nintendo) in arena shooters - it's (essentially) the first of the form. Oddly little-known game considering it was the first Miyamoto was directly involved in (he did the character sprites, I believe) not to mention its other various firsts.

[Obiwanshinobi]

I wouldn't put Baraduke in among the thrust games - it plays much more like Atomic Robo Kid/Bangaio than Solar Jetman as it has no momentum. I couldn't in all honesty recommend putting Act-Fancer (or Mutant Night) in the article unless you want to make a seperate run-n-gun or platform-shooter category. In Act-Fancer, you just have a somewhat slow descent if you keep holding jump and that's only when you are very powered-up - it's (largely) a pretty straightforward platform-shooter and not really similar to Atomic Robo Kid/Baraduke at all.

The thing is, in Baraduke your gun serves as yet another thrust device (think powered up machine gun in Cave Story). It is not a game where you control the character like a cursor. Both Baraduke and Act-Fancer give you more vertical playfield than typical run 'n' guns/platformers, and that's the crucial difference between jump games and thrust games dare I say. You have other means of controlling your movement mid-air than typical platformers offer. I'd almost call Act-Fancer a parachute game rather than thrust game, but the "jump" animation looks more like flying up a bit by a winged insect (and I'm pretty sure that was the developer's intention), which in my book classifies it as a thrust game. I do see a micro-subgenre here, the one that have spawned Assault Suits Valken, Metal Warriors (with certain mechs) and Ex-Ranza.
Yes, yes, there are platformers out there where the longer you hold jump button, the higher you jump, but Act-Fancer takes it to a wee bit another level in my opinion. The parachute device in platformers isn't unheard of either, but as an extra gadget (Mario's bunny ears) rather than main feature of a game.
I mean, sheesh, in thrust games with gravitation you control your ascent/descent by tapping in a manner that even without momentum feels different from controlling a shmup's ship.
Actually in Baraduke there's a proper jet propulsion (and shooting) animation for each and every manoeuvre you perform.
I can keep banging on about it; just don't want to derail the thread too much.

@BulletMagnet

Thrust Shooters – As the name suggests, these are games in which player movement is controlled primarily via some sort of manual “thrust” button which propels your craft/character forward: Spacewar! is one of these, so one might say that everything truly started here. Asteroids is almost certainly the most famous, but long-time gamers in particular are likely to recall gravity-based “jetpack shooters” like Solar Jetman and Baraduke, not to mention more recent up-and-comers like Bangai-O. A few “semi-floor-bound” curiosities, like Atomic Robo-Kid and Act-Fancer, seem to relish blurring the line between themselves and run-n-guns.

Fine with me. I don't think there's a need for any sharper, more "academic" definition. If Doom and Tribes can be in one genre...

[BulletMagnet]

Took some of your suggestions into consideration and gave the paragraph another shot, let me know what you think:

Thrust Shooters – As the name suggests, these are games in which player movement is controlled primarily via some sort of manual “thrust” button which propels your craft/character forward and/or upwards: the very first shooting game, Spacewar!, is one of these, so it’s not inaccurate to state that everything truly started here. Though Asteroids is almost certainly the most famous, long-time gamers in particular may recall gravity-based “jetpack shooters” like Solar Jetman and Baraduke, though a few more recent up-and-comers like Bangai-O do exist. This category tends to cross paths with the “run-n-gun” rather frequently, thanks to “semi-floor-bound” curiosities like Atomic Robo-Kid and Act-Fancer.

[Randorama]

I think it's perfect :thumbsupsmiley:

[ChainsawGuitarSP]

I think this question is relevant now; how is R-Type a "memorizer" and why does it bear mentioning in this article? it's not even a legitimate criticism in the first place.

[BulletMagnet]

The simplest way I can think to put it is "put the Force on your rear side before you get to this narrow corridor or else a string of baddies coming from that direction WILL streamroll you, 100 percent." Then, of course, there's the "laser maze" section in R-Type III...

As has been said before (and in the article), yes, pretty much every shmup encourages some degree of rote memorization for success, but I think it's safe to say that some go to greater (or at least "less optional") lengths in this area than others, and the R-Type series is a good candidate to represent that end of the spectrum. Not everyone will agree with that, obviously, but I'm sticking with it here.

[ChainsawGuitarSP]

The simplest way I can think to put it is "put the Force on your rear side before you get to this narrow corridor or else a string of baddies coming from that direction WILL streamroll you, 100 percent."

See, this is exactly what bothers me; people accuse R-Type of being way too linear in progression when it's really their own fault for not using the force pod to it's full extent. It's not meant to be just a shield, especially considering how AMAZING it's coverage is when you set it to float freely in conjunction with your main shot(s).

[BulletMagnet]

See, this is exactly what bothers me; people accuse R-Type of being way too linear in progression when it's really their own fault for not using the force pod to it's full extent. It's not meant to be just a shield, especially considering how AMAZING it's coverage is when you set it to float freely in conjunction with your main shot(s).

In some areas this is certainly true (quite a few boss fights in particular are a lot more twitchy than one might expect), but in the "corridor" example cited above if you haven't adjusted the pod's position before you get there you're guaranteed dead, since you simply don't have enough space to maneuver it behind you, and have no other means of attacking from the rear. Of course, once you bring more "active" environmental hazards into the equation (the laser maze, the mech feet in Delta) it's all about raw onscreen positioning, regardless of what the Force is doing.

Again, though, where exactly the line between "memorizer" and "everything else" is drawn isn't an exact science, and hopefully the article didn't suggest that it was.

[Drum]

R-Type is brilliant. The more you play it the easier it is to fool yourself into thinking it's not a memoriser and you're just good.

[ChainsawGuitarSP]

So what you're saying is that R-Type requires no actual skill to play in spite of the fact memorization is a skill. Why do you even bother seriously.

[Drum]

Why do I bother playing R-Type? Because when you've memorised it you forget its a memoriser. That was pretty much what I was saying.
Also, the 'memorisation is a skill' gambit is pretty terrible in any context, but it is especially terrible in the '______ is not a memoriser!' context.

[ChainsawGuitarSP]

So in saying that, does this mean you've taken alternate approaches to the stages? if you've forgotten it's a memorizer, that should mean you are willing to take risks you haven't before to improve further. Also, '______ is not a memoriser!' was not a part of my context in that post. I don't think R-Type is a full-blown memorizer, however if you think it is you shouldn't really claim that as separate to skill.

[BulletMagnet]

I don't think R-Type is a full-blown memorizer

Very few shooters are, and honestly I doubt many people find those types of games very enjoyable (as opposed to R-Type in particular, which has quite a few fans): as I worded it in the article, though, I think it's far to state that R-Type and its kin, while not totally reliant on them, place an "especially strong emphasis" on memory-reliant challenges, at least compared to their genre siblings.

[Drum]

So in saying that, does this mean you've taken alternate approaches to the stages? if you've forgotten it's a memorizer, that should mean you are willing to take risks you haven't before to improve further. Also, '______ is not a memoriser!' was not a part of my context in that post. I don't think R-Type is a full-blown memorizer, however if you think it is you shouldn't really claim that as separate to skill.

I think memorisation is a different, and pretty low-level kind of function than things I would typically call skills (in fact, generally I think a person is more skilled if they can get around having to memorise things by developing a clever approach). But if you bring me round and I start including memorisation as a skill, it's gonna be because I dropped the bar for entry rather than because I reevaluated memorisation. I am pretty sure I understand the nuts and bolts of memorising shit.
If R-Type is not a full-blown memoriser because once you've memorised it there is flexibility, I recommend you change your idea of what you consider a memoriser, because I completely agree with that notion and I still think R-Type is a memoriser. If you can think of one or more games that require more memorisation and are more deserving of the label, I have never played them and am guessing they are not well known enough that a label would ever even emerge to describe them. You can't even say 'memoriser' on a board without somebody saying 'R-type' - it's like Marco and Polo.
Truthfully, I do take a dim view of games that demand a high degree of specific pattern memorisation - it seems you don't. When I say memoriser, it's a pejorative, but for you it shouldn't be. Either don't worry about what I think, or else make an effort to understand why I might take the view I do. You have made yourself clear, I think, but I am struggling.

[Randorama]

While I think that the dispute is settled, there are a few points that I'd like to clarify. It's really psychology 1.02, but it can be useful, given the discussion.

"Memory" and any process of memorization (including rote learning) requires attention, conscious focus on some event. When it involves any form of coordinated activity, it results in the development and retention of this ability as a "internal" ability, something that a person can recall at will and put in practice. In other words, it involves the development of a "skill".

Any shmup, involving ones with random generation of enemy patterns and formations, involves a minimall degree of memorization, insofar as a player learns (i.e. it memorizes a first time) a bullet pattern, stage layout, etc., and will involve further degrees of memorization as a player decides to exploit, increase, modify the information about the game he memorize, from bullet patterns to stage's layout.

If we assume a continuum scale from 0 (no memorization) to 1 (total memorization), say, "Torus Trooper" would fall in the 0.1 range, whereas Rayxanber 2 would fall in the 0.9, and probably R-type somewhere in the higher half. Of course, these values are arbitrary examples to get the point across, since there is no official scale of measurement.

Whoever came up with the term "memorizer" could have had any kind of use in mind for this word (possibly pejorative), but Bullet Magnet's use is balanced and appropriate - "memorizer" is a bit arbitrary term used for those shmups which actually involve a lot of planning ahead and implementation of said planS, but a term that sadly sticked. So, one can find 10 plans to clear R-type but, no plan, no 1-CC. That's why Malc (the original founder of this site) called those "strategic shmups".

[BulletMagnet]

That's why Malc (the original founder of this site) called those "strategic shmups".

Maybe I ought to throw something like that in there to balance things out a little.

[Randorama]

My suggestion is this:

"memorizer/strategic shmup - [...]The thinking man's shmup[...]"

or you can call them strategic shmups directly, so we can try to have a more neutral label than "memorizer" to become the standard.

The bracketed comment is a weasel-like comment you could add to point out that these games require brains, since they involve planning and thinking, contrary to what the moniker "memorizer" seems to suggest to many players. You can also add that since every shmup involves strategies, every shmup involves a (good) degree of thinking, too.

What do you think?