DDP DFK version differences

[KNekoSpy]

I heard there are various changes to each version of DDP DFK, such as scoring, loop requirements, etc but I haven't actually managed to find an actual list compiled anywhere. Can anyone tell me what the differences between 1.0, 1.5, 1.51 and BL are or point me to a list saying so? I'm thinking of picking the game up at some point but I want to get the correct version.

[BulletMagnet]

If memory serves the main additions to 1.5 were the green helicopter craft and 2 extra digits on the score tally to prevent counter-stopping...was the auto-bomb initially optional, or was it always default? I'm not sure...

Black Label, on the other hand, plays very differently from "regular" DFK, and should pretty much be considered an entirely different game. Check the ST in the Strategy thread for details.

[Aliquantic]

1.5 also tweaked the scoring system a bit, and 1.0 only had autobomb as Power, with Bomb and Strong getting a full bomb refill with each bomb item instead (some safespots on Hibachi were also plugged away). It's very rare to find in PCB form and it's not ported though, and probably not recommended.

1.51 is virtually only available in the 360 port as a first print/limited edition bonus, and search on Cave STG for a summary of the differences and how it plays, but it was a Matsuri version so no PCB.

[Bananamatic]

aren't those buggy hibachi safespots BL exclusive?

[PC Engine Fan X!]

The only DDP-DFK version 1.51 PCB is playable at the occassional Cave Matsuri events (despite Cave not wanting to convert the current DFK 1.5 PCB owners to that latest version). It'd sure be nice to play DFK 1.51 PCB as it was meant to be properly played in that iteration.

DDP-DFK BL PCB allows the arcade operator/player the option to turn on/off the "auto bomb" feature if so desired, this was a major gripe/complaint with some DFK 1.5 PCB owners/game center operators. So Cave Co. Ltd. answered their pleas by implementing that option with the DFK BL PCB variant.

The legendary Gaijin Punch owns such a HTF DDP-DFK version 1.0 PCB kit (this is the version that can be easily counter-stopped by the ace Japanese shmup gods). Ask him about how it fares between DFK version 1.0 and 1.5 PCB variants.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[Chaos Phoenixma]

Considering how broken 1.51 supposedly is, why would anyone want their 1.5 "upgraded" to that?

[Aliquantic]

The only DDP-DFK version 1.51 PCB is playable at the occassional Cave Matsuri events (despite Cave not wanting to convert the current DFK 1.5 PCB owners to that latest version). It'd sure be nice to play DFK 1.51 PCB as it was meant to be properly played in that iteration.

Why? 1.51 is nothing like a straight improvement to 1.5 at all, it's far more like a weird Black Label (and a weird one at that) than anything else, featuring broken scoring and painless chaining. Just like every other Matsuri version really, they're exclusive versions and not comparable to the "vanilla" boards at all, not even Guwange Blue.

[Erppo]

aren't those buggy hibachi safespots BL exclusive?

The original 1.0 safespots were bit different (even one in the final attack) and got fixed in 1.5. Yagawa in his infinite wisdom just decided to put some entirely new ones in BL.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Plus the fact that when playing the actual DFK 1.5 PCB version, there are some certain points in a given stage where slowdown comes on suddenly and reverts back to the regular arcade-spec 60fps framerate without warning (due to the CPU working overtime/getting bogged down with all that graphical eye-candy effects + danmaku action going on). I'm sure with a bit of extra development time in optimization, DFK 1.5 PCB could've eased into and out of the slowdown areas like with Cave's previous SH-3 powered arcade shmup PCB offerings. The 360 port of DFK 1.5 remedies such drastic sudden slowdowns found on it's PCB counterpart.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[Bananamatic]

aren't those buggy hibachi safespots BL exclusive?

The original 1.0 safespots were bit different (even one in the final attack) and got fixed in 1.5. Yagawa in his infinite wisdom just decided to put some entirely new ones in BL.

yeah, the original safespots were zunlike(bullets spawning too far from the boss)
The BL ones just...cut off the pattern when you are in that spot.

[Emuser]

Basically from 1.0 to 1.5:

They removed the TLB safespot on hibachi's final pattern.
There WAS a code to unlock strong style and the green heli back in 1.0 but that thing went out of fashion so fast no one really cares. Still need a code to unlock strong style, but the green heli comes in 1.5 at the start.
2 digits were added to the score to fix the counterstop issue(1.0 capped out at 99,999,999,999 while 1.5 can go up to a trillion.
There were no auto-bombs to be found in 1.0 at all.

I can't really speak for other versions but I'm pretty sure that those are all the changes from 1.0 to 1.5

[Kiken]

Plus the fact that when playing the actual DFK 1.5 PCB version, there are some certain points in a given stage where slowdown comes on suddenly and reverts back to the regular arcade-spec 60fps framerate without warning (due to the CPU working overtime/getting bogged down with all that graphical eye-candy effects + danmaku action going on). I'm sure with a bit of extra development time in optimization, DFK 1.5 PCB could've eased into and out of the slowdown areas like with Cave's previous SH-3 powered arcade shmup PCB offerings. The 360 port of DFK 1.5 remedies such drastic sudden slowdowns found on it's PCB counterpart.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

The 360 port also fixes the hardware crushing flicker in DFK BL.

[EllertMichael]

The only DDP-DFK version 1.51 PCB is playable at the occassional Cave Matsuri events (despite Cave not wanting to convert the current DFK 1.5 PCB owners to that latest version). It'd sure be nice to play DFK 1.51 PCB as it was meant to be properly played in that iteration.

Oh yeah, a DFK 1.51 PCB would be a real treat to play.
but I thought 1.51 was basically the Ura loop (with the midbosses and DDP musical themes) without actually having to do the requirements? is that incorrect?

[BulletMagnet]

but I thought 1.51 was basically the Ura loop (with the midbosses and DDP musical themes) without actually having to do the requirements? is that incorrect?

Nope, it's a whole 'nother variation with several different mechanics: I couldn't list them offhand, as the thing I noticed most was that a truckload more of those laser enemies start showing up whenever you Hyper, heh.

[ncp]

when you bomb boss lasers in 1.51 you instantly get a huge score. Great scoring mechanic.

edit: by great I meant retarded.

[Chaos Phoenixma]

It just doesn't sound like it would work very well. It just seems like you want to no miss all the way to Hibachi's final while preferably keeping as many bombs as possible, then finish 0/0 after bombspamming the lasers. Unless there's more profitable laser bombing elsewhere.


But it does sound like an absolutely stupid scoring mechanic when you have a limited amount of bombs. Bombing lasers for score at least makes sense in Pink Sweets, and even then it doesn't work on all lasers.

[Aliquantic]

There is some profitable milking on the way to Hibachi as well too, yes, and Power type has laser riding as a mechanic instead... and BL Arrange has Doom milking, obviously, but at least there's a high skillgate barrier to get there! EOJ wrote down a summary of the 1.51 changes here as I said earlier, if you're a little curious.