Questionnaire

[JJXB]

Apologies if it seems like i'm being a pain but i come to you needing help again. this time i'm being asked to do a questionnaire.
so i'd appreciate your answers to this
and yes, it unfortunately does require me to ask the obvious so apologies if some of this seems a bit redundant or easily findable elsewhere.
either post the answers in this thread or PM them to me if you so wish.

1. What game or games first drew you into the SHMUP genre (Up to 3)?

2. What particular elements of the game or games drew your interest?

3. Which games would you prefer to be localized (Up to 3)?

4. What is the reason for your choices in this case?

5. Which platform specific games (Arcade included) would you buy if they were released in an updated form on a modern platform (Up to 3)?

6. What Qualities drew you to choose the games that you did?

7. What are your most preferred titles in the genre (Up to 3)?

8. What is it in each game that drew you to choose them?

9. If you were to recommend games for starters of the genre, what ones would you suggest (Up to 3)?

10. What did you consider when thinking about your suggestions?

[njiska]

1. What game or games first drew you into the SHMUP genre (Up to 3)?

Originally it was Gradius, but recent shmups revival was driver by Raiden Fighters Aces and Mushi Futari.

2. What particular elements of the game or games drew your interest?

The simplicity of play relative to the possible complexity of scoring and rank control.

3. Which games would you prefer to be localized (Up to 3)?

I'm going to assume you mean to home consoles as PCBs are pretty much free reign.

- Mushihime-sama
- Armed Police Batrider
- Change Air Blade

4. What is the reason for your choices in this case?

- Mushihime-sama: It's unfortunate that many players cannot experience the original Mushi now that the sequel has been released region-free. The game is incredibly fun and needs to be experienced by more players
- Armed Police Batride: Also an incredibly fun game, but not one that is as insanely cruel as Raizing's Battle Garegga.
- Change Air Blade: A brilliant little adversarial shmup that is unlike anything else. It's a title that doesn't seem to see a lot of play, but is extremely deserving of their attention.

5. Which platform specific games (Arcade included) would you buy if they were released in an updated form on a modern platform (Up to 3)?

Please define updated form. Are we talking about just updating the code to function on new hardware, or are we talking about modifying the graphics, audio, gameplay, etc. The former is something I'm all for and would purchase nearly any game. The latter I would only be interested in if it also included the original version.

For your question:
- Mushihime-sama
- Armed Police Batrider
- Change Air Blade

6. What Qualities drew you to choose the games that you did?

See question 4

7. What are your most preferred titles in the genre (Up to 3)?

Mushihime-sama Futari
Raiden Fighters 2
Muchi Muchi Pork

8. What is it in each game that drew you to choose them?

Mushi Futari - This game has it all. Good graphic, audio and stage design; plus a variety of scoring systems and modes.

Raiden Fighters 2 - Good stage design with a wide variety of ships available. Not as manic as RF Jet, but an extremely fun experience. One of the few games where scoring depends on learning secrets, yet doesn't become annoying because of it.

Muchi Muchi Pork - Great gameplay, great stages, a simple and incredibly fun scoring system, reasonable, but scaling difficulty and it's just got great boss music.

9. If you were to recommend games for starters of the genre, what ones would you suggest (Up to 3)?

Mushi Futari Novice Mode: One of the best ways to introduce new players. It's easy and no intimidating, but it teaches the basics and get's you ready to learn to play the real game.

Raiden: An older arcade title, but also one that is easy to learn and teaches you the basics.

Ikaruga: As much as I hate this game, it's pretty and the polarity system seems to intrigue new players for some unknown reason.

10. What did you consider when thinking about your suggestions?

My main consideration was intimidation. I only selected games that were easy to get into, but also interesting enough to capture new audiences.

[Kasbe]

1. What game or games first drew you into the SHMUP genre (Up to 3)?
Touhou, Dodonpachi.

2. What particular elements of the game or games drew your interest?
Good music, tons of bullets, big enemies.

3. Which games would you prefer to be localized (Up to 3)?
Dodonpachi Dai ou Jou, Touhou in general, and Tetris: The Grandmaster series.

4. What is the reason for your choices in this case?
They are not localized yet, andI've spent shitloads of time playing them as imports. Also, I think they could get a decent fanbase if more people knew them and could get them.

5. Which platform specific games (Arcade included) would you buy if they were released in an updated form on a modern platform (Up to 3)?
On PC, I'd buy all Cave games, Gradius V, all R-Types, and a couple more. Even it they all were Steam releases. But dont alter anything, I want accurate ports!

6. What Qualities drew you to choose the games that you did?
I dont own any post PS2 gaming system, and all those game have an excellent design and are extremely fun to play.

7. What are your most preferred titles in the genre (Up to 3)?
Dodonpachi, Mushihimesama Futari, Battle Garegga.

8. What is it in each game that drew you to choose them?
Good music, lots of bullets, good challenge, 2D, beautiful patterns.

9. If you were to recommend games for starters of the genre, what ones would you suggest (Up to 3)?
Dodonpachi, Battle Garegga.

10. What did you consider when thinking about your suggestions?
It's not that hard to survive enough to get a grasp on the sense of achievement when succesfuly dodging a scary bullet pattern. Gets you pumped up since minute one.

[Icarus]

1. What game or games first drew you into the SHMUP genre (Up to 3)?

Originally? Stargate on the A2600. The real catalyst was a local arcade filled with many 80s classics and oldschool pinball where I spent my teens, but specifically R-Type, Gradius and Raiden, which happened to be in the arcade among other good shooters.

2. What particular elements of the game or games drew your interest?

The unique balance of skill, reflexes and memorisation that was new to me back in the days of my gaming youth, as well as the relative simplicity of control. Before arcade shooting games, it was all substandard ports, console exclusives, platformers, and the occasional RPG.

3. Which games would you prefer to be localized (Up to 3)?

All the games I would possibly want I've already imported or owned as a PCB in the past.

4. What is the reason for your choices in this case?

Personal preference, and I know how shit the local markets are for game releases outside of the rare release of fun niche stuff like Bayonetta, Vanquish and the upcoming Grand Knights History. My gaming tastes require me to import, and my finances allow me to whenever I desire it.

5. Which platform specific games (Arcade included) would you buy if they were released in an updated form on a modern platform (Up to 3)?

Battle Garegga, Armed Police Batrider, Great Mahou Daisakusen.
And Soukyugurentai. (Yeah, four is cheating, lol.)

6. What Qualities drew you to choose the games that you did?

Personal preference, and I'd like to play them on my HD monitor without requiring a thousand video convertors to get them to display in HDMI. As long as Eighting and whoever takes up the torch don't make a complete cock-up of it.

7. What are your most preferred titles in the genre (Up to 3)?

Battle Garegga, Raiden DX, Every Extend Extra.
(Replace E3 with Futari 1.5 if we're just counting traditional shooters.)

8. What is it in each game that drew you to choose them?

Exceptional game balance, fun scoring, high challenge, great depth, longevity, addictiveness, timelessess.

9. If you were to recommend games for starters of the genre, what ones would you suggest (Up to 3)?

Mushihimesama Futari 1.5 Original. Dodonpachi. Raiden Fighters 2.

10. What did you consider when thinking about your suggestions?

Complexity (and the general lack of it in this case); good feedback for progression; fast, fun and enjoyable scoring.
Plus, several of my friends have been infected by these three exact games, so I know they work as good tasters for the genre.

[Moniker]

Forgive me, but what is the purpose of the questionnaire? Are you doing an informal study for a company or website or some such?

1. What game or games first drew you into the SHMUP genre (Up to 3)?
Touhou 8, Battle Garegga, Progear

2. What particular elements of the game or games drew your interest?
Drastic modernization and improvements from playing 1942 when I was a kid. Looking for a broad and challenging genre.

3. Which games would you prefer to be localized (Up to 3)?
Ibara, Mushihimesama, Gradius Gaiden

4. What is the reason for your choices in this case?
Ibara - because I love Yagawa's work; Mushi - Because I love Futari; Gradius G - I've played snippets of it emulated and it looks like my ideal Gradius experience.

5. Which platform specific games (Arcade included) would you buy if they were released in an updated form on a modern platform (Up to 3)?
Battle Garegga, Armed Police Batrider, Battle Bakraid

6. What Qualities drew you to choose the games that you did?
Depth of play, simplicity (for the most part), atmosphere, feel.

7. What are your most preferred titles in the genre (Up to 3)?
Battle Garegga, Mushihimesama Futari, Batsugun Special

8. What is it in each game that drew you to choose them?
BG - Scoring and survival are intertwined, deep, and simple. Futari - superb level design and game balance. Batsugun - great music, feel; strikes a great balance between old school and new.

9. If you were to recommend games for starters of the genre, what ones would you suggest (Up to 3)?
Batsugun Special, Battle Bakraid, Mushi Futari

10. What did you consider when thinking about your suggestions?
Overall quality of experience, representative of the genre as a whole, relative simplicity and acceptable difficulty.

[DJ Incompetent]

1. What game or games first drew you

Life Force

2. What particular elements of the game

Music and Powerbar

3. Which games would you prefer to be localized (Up to 3)?

Ketsui, Space Bomber, Ultimate Parodius

4. What is the reason for your choices

Importing sucks.

5. Which platform specific games (Arcade included) would you buy if they were released in an updated form

The Guardian Legend, Space Bomber, Parodius

6. What Qualities

Unique Hybrid, Dialogue, Thoughtful Clusterfuck

7. What are your most preferred titles in the genre

G-Darius, The Guardian Legend, Gradius V

8. What is it in each game that drew you to choose them?

Boss Fights, Unique Hybrid, Presentation

9. If you were to recommend games for starters

Blazing Lazers, Super Aleste, Geometry Wars 2

10. What did you consider when thinking about your suggestions?

Easy challenge and they didn't suck.

[AntiFritz]

1. What game or games first drew you into the SHMUP genre (Up to 3)?
Mushihimesama Futari, Dangun Feveron
2. What particular elements of the game or games drew your interest?
Crazy difficulty and final boss (futari's dragon emperium) and dangun feverons crazy setting (disco IN SPACE)
3. Which games would you prefer to be localized (Up to 3)?
Ketsui, DoDonPachi Daifukkatsu black label arrange
4. What is the reason for your choices in this case?
Ketsui is one of my favorite shmups and its a shame its not localized/region free.
5. Which platform specific games (Arcade included) would you buy if they were released in an updated form on a modern platform (Up to 3)?
EspGaluda, Mushihimesama, Dangun Feveron
6. What Qualities drew you to choose the games that you did?
Fairly old games, mushihimesama lacks a decent port and dangun feveron doesn't have one at all.
7. What are your most preferred titles in the genre (Up to 3)?
Ketsui, Mushihimesama Futari, Espgaluda
8. What is it in each game that drew you to choose them?
Ketsui: Fairly simplistic mechanics, amazing patterns
Mushihimesama Futari: Fairly simplistic mechanics
Espgaluda: Fairly complex mechanics, easy difficulty, bullet time
9. If you were to recommend games for starters of the genre, what ones would you suggest (Up to 3)?
Espgaluda, Mushihimesama Futari Original, Deathsmiles
10. What did you consider when thinking about your suggestions?
Difficulty to 1ALL

[TrevHead (TVR)]

1. What game or games first drew you into the SHMUP genre (Up to 3)?
Saw Ite7's Top 20 doujin shmups YT vid and played Blue Wish Resurrection, Nomltest and Kamui and found this forum.

2. What particular elements of the game or games drew your interest?
Watching YT vids I really liked the skill in how they dodged bullet patterns, also the 2D arwork / gameplay. All in all those vids looked cool. Then I found this forum and discovered concepts such as 1CC & scoreplay.

3. Which games would you prefer to be localized (Up to 3)? (PAL 360) Red Katana, Raiden Fighters Aces, Ketsui. (4th Ketsuipachi) (5th senko no ronde duo)

4. What is the reason for your choices in this case? Red Katana, Deathsmiles scoreplay didnt gel with me, Red Katana is another hori which looks cool.
Raiden Fighters Aces: Im pissed the PAL release is a total fuck up, I wanna try out a new Raiden inc R4. Emulation is imperfect so ive been avoiding playing these until its 100% working
Ketsui. (plus DFK arrangemode Ketsuipachi). I hear the port is good plus I want to try out the extra game modes that are exclusive to the 360 port

5. Which platform specific games (Arcade included) would you buy if they were released in an updated form on a modern platform (Up to 3)?
All the old Cave games with an extra mode like Guwange. Saturn shmups like Soukyugurentai. Gradius V in HD. All the DC shmups including all the recent releases. TATE is a must for the verticals, HD is a big plus many low def games look like shit on my LCD. More doujin on Steam would be cool but only if its properlly optimised, Jamestown had its bugs and run in slowmo on so many PCs especially if they ran motion capture software like fraps. It broke the leaderboards.

6. What Qualities drew you to choose the games that you did? See Q5. Ill add that many choices are due to emulation not been perfect and I dont have any old consoles. Mostly its that ive come to expect my shmups to be perfect with no bugs, with TATE and depending on how the game looks like on LCD screens HD would be a plus.

7. What are your most preferred titles in the genre (Up to 3)? [Yotsubanes] Crimson Clover, Mars Matrix, Futari.

8. What is it in each game that drew you to choose them? Crimson Clover I love spaceships over touhou loli, the scoring, rayforce lock on, the 3 totally different gamplay modes, the abundent amount of lives which allowed me to enjoy scoreplay while I still worked on the 1CC. With limited lives I tend to focus on the suvival (both suvival or scoreplay are fun for me though)
Mars Matrix. The item chaining which is very forgiving and isnt as rigid as DDP, the mosquito & bullet catching.
Mushihimisama Futari, It looka really great in HD, I love the vibrant colours, all the different modes, scoreplay and suvival.

Ill finish this off tomorro.

[Sly Cherry Chunks]

Tried to be honest rather than clever:

1. What game or games first drew you into the SHMUP genre (Up to 3)?

Space Invaders, Moon Cresta, Gorf

2. What particular elements of the game or games drew your interest?

Spaceships

3. Which games would you prefer to be localized (Up to 3)?

DariusBurst Another Chronicle EX

4. What is the reason for your choices in this case?

It looks cool and the other one was good

5. Which platform specific games (Arcade included) would you buy if they were released in an updated form on a modern platform (Up to 3)?

Image Fight more than anything - and X-Multiply

6. What Qualities drew you to choose the games that you did?

Probably all that recent Silvergun

7. What are your most preferred titles in the genre (Up to 3)?

R-Type, Gradius, Darius (series(s))

8. What is it in each game that drew you to choose them?

Theyre better than everything else.

9. If you were to recommend games for starters of the genre, what ones would you suggest (Up to 3)?

DariusBurst

10. What did you consider when thinking about your suggestions?

Rewards beginner-level play, but can be played at high level.

[Casper<3]

1. What game or games first drew you into the SHMUP genre (Up to 3)?

1942 & Abadox are the games I remember the most. Ikaruga & Mushihimesama resparked my interested in the genre.

2. What particular elements of the game or games drew your interest?

Simple fun gameplay, shoot bullets & dodge bullets.

3. Which games would you prefer to be localized (Up to 3)?

Dodonpachi Daifukkatsu

4. What is the reason for your choices in this case?

It is teh awesomenessness.

5. Which platform specific games (Arcade included) would you buy if they were released in an updated form on a modern platform (Up to 3)?

CAVE's back catalog & ps2 ports. I would also like to Battle Garegga updated. Under Defeat too!

6. What Qualities drew you to choose the games that you did?

I like playing them and would like to have all the shmups I enjoy on one system (360)

7. What are your most preferred titles in the genre (Up to 3)?

Dodonpachi Daifukkatsu, Espgaluda 2, & Battle Garegga

8. What is it in each game that drew you to choose them?

It's all about atmosphere. I have a thing for Mecha stuff. DFK is a mecha warzone & galuda 2 is steampunk meets mech.

9. If you were to recommend games for starters of the genre, what ones would you suggest (Up to 3)?

Raiden 4 or Ikaruga

10. What did you consider when thinking about your suggestions?[/quote]

Those games are far more enjoyable when you're unaware of and haven't been spoiled by CAVE awesomeness.

[xbl0x180]

1. What game or games first drew you into the SHMUP genre (Up to 3)?

Exerion, Galaga, and 1942 at the arcades.

2. What particular elements of the game or games drew your interest?

Controls were easy to understand. I liked that there was no thinking involved, but, rather, it was all about how good your reflexes were.

3. Which games would you prefer to be localized (Up to 3)?

Eschatos, maybe Radilgy.

4. What is the reason for your choices in this case?

I prefer their aesthetic and style of gameplay. I'm not keen on the new bullet-hell games, although I love to play them, as well.

5. Which platform specific games (Arcade included) would you buy if they were released in an updated form on a modern platform (Up to 3)?

Neo-Geo's Pulstar, Konami's Gradius, and Irem's R-Type for the 360

6. What Qualities drew you to choose the games that you did?

I love the graphics: the designs of the spaceships and the backgrounds. The music was catchy. The difficulty wasn't crazy and intimidating. I'd consider these games to have a broader appeal rather than being made for a niche.

7. What are your most preferred titles in the genre (Up to 3)?

Gate Of Thunder and Eschatos.

8. What is it in each game that drew you to choose them?

Gate Of Thunder had some of the most fantastic music I had ever heard when I first played it. Eschatos's design choices looked "retro." Both have decent gameplay.

9. If you were to recommend games for starters of the genre, what ones would you suggest (Up to 3)?

Probably one of the Parodius games that came out for the Super Famicom, Pulstar, and Eschatos.

10. What did you consider when thinking about your suggestions?

Ease of gameplay, graphics, and music. Normal gamers nowadays see shoot-'em-ups as a niche genre aimed at fans of bullet-hell games with extreme difficulties. There's more to the genre than CAVE and Touhou...

[mrsmiley381]

1. What game or games first drew you into the SHMUP genre (Up to 3)?

It was a combination of Ikaruga, Border Down, and Gradius V.

2. What particular elements of the game or games drew your interest?

Quick play time, exceedingly huge number of ways to improve at any given game, and explosions/robots.

3. Which games would you prefer to be localized (Up to 3)?

DoDonPachi Daifukkatsu (congrats on that, Europe!) with all of the bonus modes, including KetsuiPachi. I wish all of the Aleste games had been localized, but for the sake of the questionnaire ignore this, as Compile went dead and became Compile Heart a while ago. HOWEVER, I would like to see Zanac X Zanac on the US PSN as an import title.

4. What is the reason for your choices in this case?

Daifukkatsu for its soundtrack and robots girls and Zanac X Zanac because of the fact that Compile made games I could actually 1CC.

5. Which platform specific games (Arcade included) would you buy if they were released in an updated form on a modern platform (Up to 3)?

Gradius V, Border Down, Mars Matrix. If they were updated they had better come with upgrades, more unlockable art, and developer interviews. I already own all three, so I'd like to see them again, but even prettier.

6. What Qualities drew you to choose the games that you did?

Gradius V is a gorgeous work of art that largely follows in its predecessors' footsteps while providing enough differences to make it a unique game. It also happens to be my favorite game of all time. Border Down because it's pretty, it has some neat things in it like the Border System, and some of the bosses are actually really cool. Mars Matrix because of gold cube optimization, bullet reflect and that sweet as hell soundtrack. Not to mention the train boss, that entire scene oozes awesome.

7. What are your most preferred titles in the genre (Up to 3)?

MUSHA and Gradius V.

8. What is it in each game that drew you to choose them?

MUSHA is gorgeous and feels like playing a mecha anime from start to finish. It's also quite forgiving. Did I mention robots? Because robots. Gradius V for the same reasons above.

9. If you were to recommend games for starters of the genre, what ones would you suggest (Up to 3)?

Gradius III for the SNES and DoDonPachi.

10. What did you consider when thinking about your suggestions?

Gradius III is a well-balanced game in its SNES port and the slowdown makes things a lot more manageable. It's a solid hori with some vastly different levels, bosses that don't take too long, and has a nice soundtrack. DoDonPachi is basically the forefather og the vertical scrollers people play now, so if you're going to try out new stuff, might as well start with the game with a rocking soundtrack and explosions.

[NTSC-J]

1. What game or games first drew you into the SHMUP genre (Up to 3)?

DoDonPachi, Batsugun, and Giga Wing 2.

2. What particular elements of the game or games drew your interest?

They're hard but fairly simple to understand, the controls are tight, no 3D-camera BS, and ultimately rewarding if you put in the time.

3. Which games would you prefer to be localized (Up to 3)?

I live in Japan so it's not an issue, but even when I was living in the States I would import. If anything, I don't really like seeing some of these games localized just because it's easy enough to get stuff online, people that want the games already have them, and I hate seeing these games misunderstood in every Western review I read.

4. What is the reason for your choices in this case?

See above.

5. Which platform specific games (Arcade included) would you buy if they were released in an updated form on a modern platform (Up to 3)?

Nothing really, I like the games just how they are. Years ago I probably would have answered differently, but I'm growing increasingly offended by the updating/remaking trends in gaming, movies, etc. Shit needs to be left alone.

6. What Qualities drew you to choose the games that you did?

See above.

7. What are your most preferred titles in the genre (Up to 3)?

Muchi Muchi Pork, Mushihimesama Futari, and Gunbird 2.

8. What is it in each game that drew you to choose them?

All have tight gameplay and look great. MMP never gets old and has a perfect difficulty curve, Futari is three deep games in one, and GB2 is a stiff challenge that pays off if you dedicate yourself to it.

9. If you were to recommend games for starters of the genre, what ones would you suggest (Up to 3)?

DoDonPachi, Strikers 1945 II, and Darius Gaiden.

10. What did you consider when thinking about your suggestions?

All 3 can be enjoyed without feeling completely overwhelmed by the scoring systems and are fairly easy to beat on a credit. DDP is the quintessential manic vert, Strikers is more about fast patterns and Darius is a pretty straightforward hori.

[JJXB]

5. Which platform specific games (Arcade included) would you buy if they were released in an updated form on a modern platform (Up to 3)?

Please define updated form. Are we talking about just updating the code to function on new hardware, or are we talking about modifying the graphics, audio, gameplay, etc. The former is something I'm all for and would purchase nearly any game. The latter I would only be interested in if it also included the original version.

i'd say a mixture of both depending on the previous platform. so with APB it could apply in both the "faithful port" sense and the "extra enhancements alongside" sense at the same time since both count as updates of some sort.

Forgive me, but what is the purpose of the questionnaire? Are you doing an informal study for a company or website or some such?

It's part of an assignment for my research techniques unit on my games development course in college.