Scoring System

[RSG_Spoonparty]

Hey guys,

As a newcomer to shmups I have two questions which I hope will help me get better.

1. Out of DoDonPachi Resurrection, Deathsmiles, Akain Katana and Under Defeat which is most played (and which should I be focus my efforts on)?

2. And what are the best ways to improve score? Is there a comprehensive guide anywhere on the scoring system of above mentioned game which I could read to get a better understanding of what I'm shooting for?

Thanks!!!

[trap15]

Daifukkatsu or Deathsmiles are the most popular it seems. As far as focusing your effort, choose your favorite. I tend to play games that not many others do, but that's not part of my decision making process; I choose games by whether I like them or not.

As far as scoring, check out the Strategy subforum, and the Index thread within it; tons of useful info there.

[Erppo]

DS and UD have good general guides in the strategy board but DFK and AK do not. Adversity's guide for DFK was good but that went down with CaveSTG and I can't seem to find it here.

The Japanese ports of the Caves should have lots of good replays up for download. Can't remember if UD has downloadable replays but it has some good stuff in Youtube anyway.

And what are the best ways to improve score?

Watching replays and practicing!

[Eaglet]

I would say start with DS.
Not only because it's a good beginners game but it's also got a scoring system that's pretty easily understandable and not as hard on the execution as for an example DFK.
DFK is a game that's played solely for the scoring, something that may seem pretty abstract or uninteresting if you haven't gotten into scoring in any previous games.
Scoring good in DFK is very high-level stuff. A master's game.

What got me into shmups in the first place was... 14/15 months ago when me and a person i previously didn't know started competing through the high score boards in the now dead and sorely missed Super Motaro. First was a race for the 1CC... then came a race for the highest score...
So from a personal point of view i can only recommend DS as a good starting point!
Good times.

And what are the best ways to improve score?

Watching replays and practicing!

addendum:
Make sure to milk every credit for all it's worth. Whenever you deviate from your standard routine and path (i.e. when you fuck up) you should always take the chance to experiment and try new things.
Some of the most eye-opening moments for me when going hardcore into a shmup have been when i experimented and got an entirely different result than i predicted.
This is also how most of all awesome tricks in shmup history have been discovered (空-locking in Ketsui, "Game Over Extending" in Garegga).

[KAI]

*Don't watch replays, it's better and less frustrating to read about the scoring and mechanics before playing.
*First play for survival, then play for scoring.
*Play at your own pace and style (don't try to imitate what you see on superplay runs)
*Practice makes the master, don't forget that.
*Play Pinksweets ;P

[Special World]

Of those, I would definitely say Deathsmiles. Easier than the other games, with a much better scoring system than DFK and Under Defeat. It's much less fiddly than Akai Katana too, and doesn't have any glaring faults like Akai Katana's ultra-boring boss battles.

[CptRansom]

Adversity's guide for DFK was good but that went down with CaveSTG and I can't seem to find it here.

Emuser's guide is here and seems like a good start.

*Play Pinksweets ;P

You spelled Mars Matrix wrong.

[cools]

I'd say AK for introduction to scoreplay.

DS is great for pattern training but screwing up one quick recharge completely ruins score, it's as much a perfectionists game as DFK. AK is a lot gentler.

[Eaglet]

DS is great for pattern training but screwing up one quick recharge completely ruins score, it's as much a perfectionists game as DFK. AK is a lot gentler.

Doesn't "ruin" score nearly as much as fucking up your chain in DFK or constantly hypering.
I don't think i ever recharged once when i played it and still got an "ok" score.

Just getting the second extend in DFK (in 2-4 or later lol) is hard if you don't know wtf you're doing.
That said i've only played like 12 credits of DFK so of course my point of view is gonna be based on that.
Easy to survive. Hard as fuck to score.

11bil in 2-5 lololol

[cools]

DFK bores me regardless

[RSG_Spoonparty]

Awesome, thanks for the feedback.

I'm super glad to hear people suggesting DS, as it's my favorite one due to art style and setting.

I know how useful replays are for high level of play (use to watch them for RTS and moba games) but I know shmups replays will be lost on me at the moment.

So on Deathsmiles should I just practice one level first? Ie. keep rerunning it and comparing score to track progress? Like KAI said, I imagine I'll be battling for survival before I start worrying about score firstly. So if I can pin down one level, then I can move onto trying to beat the score, good idea? I'm one of those guys who likes seeing tangible progress, then I'm hooked

[adversity1]

You work at Rising Star right? Just check the manuals for DS, DDPR and AK. All have scoring info in them.

Btw Erppo, I archived my old strategy thread thankfully. I will repost in the Strategy forum this weekend when I get some time. I've also been meaning to ask Moozooh what became of his archiving of the site.

[Illyrian]

Awesome, thanks for the feedback.

I'm super glad to hear people suggesting DS, as it's my favorite one due to art style and setting.

I know how useful replays are for high level of play (use to watch them for RTS and moba games) but I know shmups replays will be lost on me at the moment.

So on Deathsmiles should I just practice one level first? Ie. keep rerunning it and comparing score to track progress? Like KAI said, I imagine I'll be battling for survival before I start worrying about score firstly. So if I can pin down one level, then I can move onto trying to beat the score, good idea? I'm one of those guys who likes seeing tangible progress, then I'm hooked

Get a 1cc first is my suggestion. Especially with Deathsmilez as the scoring is so finicky.

Just make sure you can score enough to hit both score extends before the last level so you have up to 5 lives for the castle. Also prepare to initially be frustrated with the final boss. I was anyway.

[Obscura]

Also prepare to initially be frustrated with the final boss. I was anyway.

Alternatively, just don't bomb Jitterbug.

[KyoKusagani1999]

Hmmmm... Try the FULL EXTENT OF THE JAM. http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.php?p=636430
This guide should be perfect for anyone looking to get better at ANY Shmup.
It's worked for all of us from generation to generation.

This timeless guide can help anyone experience the wonders of improving.
Don't be afraid to use those savestates or "RESTART" Buttons, by the way.
They're there for a reason!

[Tyjet]

Awesome, thanks for the feedback.

I'm super glad to hear people suggesting DS, as it's my favorite one due to art style and setting.

Yes, I too recommend Deathsmiles. The bullet patterns are simple to dodge even at lvl3.

I rememeber RSG releasing a .pdf of EOJ's DS guide from caveSTG: http://www.risingstargames.com/forum/vi ... 7448#p7448 Which is this: http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=33625

So on Deathsmiles should I just practice one level first? Ie. keep rerunning it and comparing score to track progress? Like KAI said, I imagine I'll be battling for survival before I start worrying about score firstly. So if I can pin down one level, then I can move onto trying to beat the score, good idea? I'm one of those guys who likes seeing tangible progress, then I'm hooked

I suggest you do a full run and use continues as needed. Working on just one level from the start may not be a good idea since you cannot forecast what your counter is at the end of each level. You'll need to have that for the next stage you choose.

Once you have a good feeling for a route, then you should train each stage separately for score.

[Giest118]

For DFK, the best way to improve score is to read a guide, because its scoring mechanics are in the top 5 least intuitive things ever put in a video game. Once you do understand the mechanics though, it's a great deal of fun.

Deathsmiles and Akai Katana don't require so much guide reading. I got decent with their systems just by fucking around.

In all cases though, looking at replays can help a hell of a lot.

[gs68]

I personally don't like copying replays, even though ProM's guide recommends it; it's not like I'm going for the WR anyway. I'll look at replays and such if I get stuck or am just curious and want some hints, but personally I prefer to learn magic scoring tricks my own way, even if it means I won't climb up leaderboards as quickly as some others. Where's the thrill in copying inputs frame-per-frame instead of developing tactics for myself?

(of course I'm exaggerating when I say frame-by-frame but you get the point)

[Erppo]

Btw Erppo, I archived my old strategy thread thankfully. I will repost in the Strategy forum this weekend when I get some time. I've also been meaning to ask Moozooh what became of his archiving of the site.

That's good to hear. It really should have some good general guide available as the game doesn't do a very good job of showing how it's supposed to be played.

[RSG_Spoonparty]

Our xbox 360 is pooped so I'm going to have to wait now until I go back to my brother's house at Xmas to get mine... Curse it! Are there any good shmups on Steam you'd recommend? I've had my eye on Sine Mora but I imagine it's not well recommended by hardcore shmuppers, or am I wrong?

I guess shmup practice is practice at the end of the day

[RSG_Spoonparty]

ok, forget my post! I should be more proactive before posting lol

Found a thread detailing exactly what I asked...

[Obscura]

Our xbox 360 is pooped so I'm going to have to wait now until I go back to my brother's house at Xmas to get mine... Curse it! Are there any good shmups on Steam you'd recommend? I've had my eye on Sine Mora but I imagine it's not well recommended by hardcore shmuppers, or am I wrong?

I guess shmup practice is practice at the end of the day

Vampire 2nd is quite good, but you'll be better off with MAME and some ROMs.

[gs68]

Our xbox 360 is pooped so I'm going to have to wait now until I go back to my brother's house at Xmas to get mine... Curse it! Are there any good shmups on Steam you'd recommend? I've had my eye on Sine Mora but I imagine it's not well recommended by hardcore shmuppers, or am I wrong?

I guess shmup practice is practice at the end of the day

I highly recommend Satazius. Particularly if you enjoy(ed) 90's horizontal shooters.