1CC vs. High score

[majik989s]

When I play shooters, I pretty much only play for score. I find it very difficult to break away from utilizing the scoring mechanics to focus on 1CCing the game (maybe that's why I only have a few under my belt).
I feel like this all started with Radiant Silvergun forcing me to play for score in order to progress. I mean I guess I could sit at the bottom of the screen in Ketsui or Judgement Silversword or eat up bullets in Mars Matrix but I don't think that's very fun.

Do you guys play for one or the other and how do you switch mindsets?

[Giest118]

I kind of do both. In some games it's more or less completely necessary to go out of your way to score well to get extends (MushiFutari Maniac, for example). Having said that, I don't usually set score goals for myself; I just go for as many points as I can while playing for survival. Blue Wish Resurrection is a rare exception where I was actually unsatisfied with my score on my 1cc run, and am going to work to improve it.

[Squire Grooktook]

It completely depends on the game.

Traditional stuff with not a lot of particularly interesting scoring mechanics = 1cc all the way, with scoring as optional or a way to see how well I'v mastered individual stages.

Stuff that has a lot of cool scoring mechanics = both at the same time.

I really don't play for just score and not 1cc.

[matrigs]

i don't feel comfortable with a 1cc without doing at least some basic scoring. getting all extends is my absolute minimum. i could have probably cleared a few more shooters than i have if i would concentrate only on survival.

[CIT]

For me, the primary goal is always a 1CC. And usually I also loose interest in a game after I nail the 1CC.

I do get into scoring in games that I feel have particularly satisfying scoring mechanics. Basically, I like anything that has lots of big shiney bonus items that go "ka-ching! or ""bloiiing!", like Battle Garegga, Giga Wing, Espgaluda, Guwange or Ketsui – pretty much slot-machine simulators.

Of course there are also quite a few games that you pretty much need to play for score in order to advance at all into the game (Garegga, Silvergun).

[MathU]

I'm pretty much always playing for score, even if the current ultimate goal is simply a clear without continues (it'll be one with loads-a-points then). I just can't help myself. It also makes the resulting clear significantly more satisfying depending on the game.

The only thing I won't do before a clear is first achieved is resort to killing myself on purpose to milk checkpoints in those shooters where it matters.

[Eaglet]

I only play games with fun scoring systems.
I like Yagawa games the most because of how intense it can get with high rank and how tactical you have to be when decreasing etc.. Making the most out of your resources.
But i'd say that Ketsui has the best scoring system in any shooting game since it has both the added risk when playing for score and an encouragement to play aggressively that isn't found anywhere else.
Scoring in Ketsui is all about getting into the flow and feel of the game.

[chum]

It depends on accessibility of scoring, in EoSD for example you must master surviving before you can score, since lives and bombs must be spent properly, timing windows, and movement-wise, It's quite strict. and if you cant survive most things consistently, good luck with performing the grazes. On the other hand in Batsugun Special, you also spend lives and bombs, but everything is so lenient and accessible that you can score in the process of working on a first clear.

In the end I think it is important that we give these games the attention they deserve. At least try to understand the score system and what you should be doing, as well as giving it a few casual tries yourself. Going for a 1cc only is all well and good if the scoring doesn't appeal or if it is too hard at the time, play the game however you want... but we should at least try to score and explore the game and its possibilities, to see what it is like.

[chum]

But i'd say that Ketsui has the best scoring system in any shooting game since it has both the added risk when playing for score and an encouragement to play aggressively that isn't found anywhere else.

Dragon Blaze?

[Eaglet]

Pretty much all Psikyo games encourage aggressive play, but i'd say it's much more interconnected with the flow of the game in Ketsui and as usual when it comes to CAVE there are more parameters and fine details in the calculations that makes it a bit more tactical than DB or GB2.
Aggressiveness in Psikyo games usually has the most to do with survival after all.

[Zerst]

Or more blantantly, Psyvariar.

[KAI]

The Pinksweets dilemma, since you can't 1CC it, you must play it for score alone.

A high score feels better than a 1CC.

[Hagane]

Pretty much all Psikyo games encourage aggressive play, but i'd say it's much more interconnected with the flow of the game in Ketsui and as usual when it comes to CAVE there are more parameters and fine details in the calculations that makes it a bit more tactical than DB or GB2.

There are more "parameters" in Cave games because the scoring is so detached from the shooting in general. I'm not sure what the tactical bit means. I can't think of many games that are more tactical and execution intensive than DB.

Aggressiveness in Psikyo games usually has the most to do with survival after all.

Survival is a scoring system. I don't really get why so many people think otherwise. Survival is a big part of scoring in Ketsui, and that's one of the main things that makes it good IMO.

On topic, 1CCing a hard game is always satisfying. I don't really care about 1CCing games with easy survival though, it's kind of missing the point of the game IMO.

[Eaglet]

I'm not sure what the tactical bit means.

Trade-off between when to build multiplier/cash in and boss planning.

I can't think of many games that are more tactical and execution intensive than DB.

Ever tried scoring high in Batrider Advanced?

Survival is a scoring system. I don't really get why so many people think otherwise. Survival is a big part of scoring in Ketsui, and that's one of the main things that makes it good IMO.

Definitely do not agree with this. Survival is survival. If you want to call survival "scoring" then at least call it "shooting" instead. Since that what you get points for.
In my mind "shooting everything to get points" is not a system since it only has a one-dimensional aspect. A "system" has to be some kind of meta-game where you do something that is not directly connected to reaching the end of the game in order to get more points.

[CptRansom]

1cc first. If I'm still interested in the game after that, then I start to play it for score.

[Some-Mist]

that's why I've been having such a difficult time in obtaining my 1st 1CC in futari bl maniac. With many playthroughs, I was able to figure out the scoring system on my own. The extend being at 1.5 mil is brutal and my high score is about 1.25 while trying to go balls out stages 1-3. I might be able to obtain the extend by stage 3, but that also means playing extremely balls out risky. furthest I've gotten is mid stage 5, but I can usually get up to s4 midboss most the time.

If I try to do away with scoring and just play for survival, my brain literally hurts because I naturally want to score high. That's what happens when I try to play purely for survival in scoring-based games.

[Kollision]

If I try to do away with scoring and just play for survival, my brain literally hurts

This makes sense for me was well.
The more you play the clearer and more natural the scoring system gets, to the point where it becomes natural to try and score.

That's why it's so painful for me to play Ikaruga.

[Ruldra]

I do try to score as high as I can, but my main focus is the 1cc. When I clear the game, I just write down whatever score I got and move on.

[Hagane]

Trade-off between when to build multiplier/cash in and boss planning.

There's lots of this in DB. Trade-off between using Dragon shot and regular shot. Managing special meter. Do you let the Dragon in place to get some more coins or call it back so you can Dragon Shot again? Coinheads. And so on.

Ever tried scoring high in Batrider Advanced?

Ever tried scoring high in Dragon Blaze?

Definitely do not agree with this. Survival is survival. If you want to call survival "scoring" then at least call it "shooting" instead. Since that what you get points for.
In my mind "shooting everything to get points" is not a system since it only has a one-dimensional aspect. A "system" has to be some kind of meta-game where you do something that is not directly connected to reaching the end of the game in order to get more points.

Survival is definitely scoring. Since survival also requires successful dodging besides shooting (extra life and bomb bonuses are not awarded for shooting), calling it "survival" is a good term for that scoring system.

If you 1CC a hard game you are scoring higher in the survival aspect than someone who can't. If you can 2-ALL a Psikyo game you score better than someone who can barely beat the first loop. And if you can no miss-no bomb Dragon Blaze you are of course scoring better than someone who 2-ALLs the game on their last life and bomb.

Lots of people have very strange views on scoring systems. A good scoring system accurately grades the player's skill at the game. That's all. You don't need bigger chips on display for a better scoring system. Speedkilling and technical bonuses are also "shooting everything for points", but in a skillful way. So is enemy chaining. And, after all, both Dragon Blaze and Ketsui are heavily based on proximity. The main difference is that Ketsui is more lenient than DB in that regard (meaning that you can get away with less point blanking).

[iconoclast]

I only play games with fun scoring systems.

This.

When I start playing a game I'll try to balance scoring and survival until I get my first clear, then I'll go purely for score. Playing solely for survival doesn't interest me any more.

[ratikal]

Depends on the game really. Some games I like to just survive (mainly Psikyo, Touhou, and some Cave), but other games I feel dirty to not score. There's just something about creating a route and executing it perfectly throughout the stage, while getting a ton of points doing so.

[J_Taishu]

The only games I've played in which I feel really compelled to play while being conscious of score are Ikaruga and Muchi Muchi Pork. For the most part SHMUPs are hard enough that 1CCing provides more than enough of a challenge. Then again, I hold the dubious record for having the lowest ALL score on the leaderboards for Espgaluda 2...

[Squire Grooktook]

A high score feels better than a 1CC.

I dunno if your talking about Pink Sweets, or in general, but I disagree.

A high score or a 1cc have equal potential to feel good. It just depends on how hard it was, how much you had to work for it, how fun the game was, how much excitement you had on your successful attempt, etc.

Really, for me it's all depends on rising to the challenge and having a great time doing it. To me, the ultimate meat of any game is the game itself, not the sense of reward you get after being successful at it (which is also nice, don't get me wrong, but is more of a bonus IMO).

[Weak Boson]

I just want to live

[KAI]

Get a HS or die trying, that's my motto.

[MathU]

I pity the fool who plays MileStone games without trying to score.

[Muchi Muchi Spork]

I don't put any value on a score where you didn't 1CC or 1-ALL if it's possible to. When I send in hiscores I've always had higher ones that didn't get the 1CC but sent in the lower score with clear because it's the only one that is impressive to me. You either beat the game or it beats you. There are some exceptions as mentioned like Pink Sweets which is a ridiculous game but that goes for most shooters.

[casualcoder]

These are two elements of the same coin aren't they? I mean, if scoring is the ultimate goal, you would be seriously hurting your high score chances if you don't take the 1cc seriously. There are very few games I know of that don't heavily slant scoring either towards the very end, or by maintaining a chain for as long as possible. There is a sense of perfection in merging a high score with a complete playthrough as well.

To me, score and 1cc are both indicators of how well I played in my run.

[Muchi Muchi Spork]

I don't know, with a lot of Cave games it seems like superplays get a higher score on stage 1 than low score full clears.

[endoKarb]

I try my best to play for fun.

It's not always easy, these games can be soooo frustrating sometimes.