Are shmups too lonely?

[n0rtygames]

Boy... that got me real deep. Made me think. You really got right to the heart of it. Man, next time I see an oversexualised twelve year old representing a videogame genre that absolutely doesn't require it I'll think of your post and feel content. SEX SELLS. UNDERAGE CHILDREN IN SEXUALLY GRATIFYING ATTIRE SELLS.

Again, finally, all is well with the world. Fuck feeling guilty next time I brush up against a preteen in a shopping mall. Sex sells. Fuck you.

Yeah, or you could just roll your eyes at it.. laugh.. go "whatever" and never actually let a cartoon girl turn you in to a paedophile.

s1up's box art is fucking genius, because it understands this. It understands it very well. Deathsmiles also understands this.

[Pallerå]

Arcade games have no box art. How do they keep themselves played?
Yes there's posters and archstands but they are kept visible only as long as the next big game wants their space. Or in some cases not at all. When a new bemani game comes out the arcades sell the stands immediately for huge price.

[n0rtygames]

Arcade games have no box art. How do they keep themselves played?

Mostly by being good games and having an attract sequence that shows off the game. Retail games are reliant on someone either knowing about them, or seeing them on a shelf and picking them up. An arcade game also operates on a pay-per-play basis. It doesn't have to go for the hard sell due to a pay-once model.

A casual arcade goer is much more likely to sit down and put 50p in a machine than they are to spend £40 on a retail game they're not sure about. Also, the box art wants to appear cute, friendly and attractive. Notice how Mushihimesama Futari does not have bullets all over the screenshots? It just has a few shots showing kickass looking bosses with a few bullets here and there.

It does not want to scream "hahaha! I'm a manly game for psychotic nutjobs! You shouldn't buy me, you will suck! You'll never get the 2-all motherfucker!" and then ask you to give it £40. That would be dumb marketting.

20p..50p though? Yeah, it can do that - no problem. You were looking for a way to get rid of that spare change anyway, since you were at the arcade.

[Special World]

I think some people look at Deathsmiles and think that the characters just have a cool style. I would have never equated the game with anything sexual if internet posters and stupid box slogans didn't suggest it.

[dan76]

Shmups aren't lonely enough. Be thankful it's a genre that can be enjoyed alone. Multiplayer is killing everything. Soon you won't be able to play a game without being connected to a server and some douche on the other side of the planet with a bazooka.

[DJ Incompetent]

Step 1: Make your house the legit place to watch the sportsball.
Step 2: Put a second TV or cab in the same room. Make it accessible, but not intrusive to seating or to the main TV/projector with the sportsball.
Step 3: Before guests arrive, put the vijidagame on you wanna expose people to. Let the attract sequences do their thing on low volumes.
Step 4: During the slow quarter, inning, period, blowout, etc play a credit
Step 5: After your credit, if you noticed someone looking on, you hand the controls 'n say "here, you try."

Repeat over time until indoctrinated.
One of my dude-bro neighbors scorechases against me in Gunbaraich ever few weeks during Detroit Tigers games. My other dude-bro hardcore cyclist neighbor now demands to play DoDonPachi after yagerbombs.

[lettuce]

So what are you saying, STGs should have an autolog system (like 2010's NFS Hot Pursuit)?

[Ghegs]

That would actually be pretty cool.

[O. Van Bruce]

Step 1: Make your house the legit place to watch the sportsball.
Step 2: Put a second TV or cab in the same room. Make it accessible, but not intrusive to seating or to the main TV/projector with the sportsball.
Step 3: Before guests arrive, put the vijidagame on you wanna expose people to. Let the attract sequences do their thing on low volumes.
Step 4: During the slow quarter, inning, period, blowout, etc play a credit
Step 5: After your credit, if you noticed someone looking on, you hand the controls 'n say "here, you try."

Repeat over time until indoctrinated.

It haven't worked in a bunch of fghter games fans

[spadgy]

I met spadgy over a game of Progear, and since then we've enjoyed plenty of non-game related activities together, including ogling a real life Lara Croft's ass and shooting clay pigeons. Life is good, don't let it pass you by for a high score.

You forget that afternoon we spent together behind some council bins.

In seriousness, I think it's safe to conclude it's not the genre that dictates how social enjoyment of shmups can be, but the person. Like my other hobby skateboarding, shmups can be used as a social lubricant, or a focal point to obsess over and thus hide away from the world within.

I'd also add that this forum and the genre has meant that when I travel for work overseas, I've on a number of times had a local to meet with and hang out with. Shmups don't just have the potential to be social, they can be the key to unlock the door to a city if you give it a go.

[KyoKusagani1999]

You know you have the entire community backing you up in your
efforts to perfect the arts, right? With everyone here
actively working to get better at their favorite game,
I doubt you'll be lonely anytime soon.

We're all rooting for you to do your best, and we're not jumping
ship anytime soon!.. Unless that ship gets replaced with a flying loli girl, of course.