GD: Rank system in Blazing Star

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PBMax
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GD: Rank system in Blazing Star

Post by PBMax »

After several one-credit flights to level 6, where I met my doom, I began to wonder what the best strategy for an eventual 1CC Blazing Star run is.

After reading this --
http://forum.shmups.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=483

I noticed that in my personal high 15.2 million run my final power level was 186/255. I decided to make several test runs, sacrificing points to gather weapon power-ups in the manner described. After all, many of the enemies in level 6 take multiple hits to kill, so I figured more power might help in the long run.

What I found suprised me. After two cycles of exploiting the Yumekobo special item on level 1, collectiing perhaps 50-60 extra power-ups, there was an obvious increase in difficulty beginning on level 2.

Normal enemies shot faster and more often. The level 2 boss's shots, particularly the yellow tail lasers, were noticably faster.

I kept exploiting the Yumekobo item through levels two and three, and was caught off-guard when the second form of the level 3 boss unleashed an obviously upgraded second attack. In a typical score run, after two rounds of the double orange bullet pattern, the level 2 boss will retreat a bit and fire 7 large, aimed green balls. However in runs with increased power-up levels the boss will fire a dozen, or more, green balls at a much more rapid pace, leaving much less room to navigate between them.

Perhaps this is old news for some, but in all of my hours playing Blazing Star I hadn't realized there was a rank system governing the difficulty. Nor have I read anything about it in any Blazing Star information posted on the web.

My hunch is that rank increases according to defined ranges in the number of power-ups collected, but it's possible minor changes are made with each power-up collected.

I've begun experimenting with collecting only the four power-ups required to get Windina to full charge and shot capability. I've yet to determine how that will affect difficulty in later stages.

Perhaps there is an acceptable power level for each stage that will not result in a rank increase. In other words, maybe a normal collection rate won't trigger the rank increase but blatent hoarding will. There is also the possibility that simply collecting the Yumekobo item bumps up the rank.

Does anyone have anything to share on this topic?
MNK
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Re: GD: Rank system in Blazing Star

Post by MNK »

PBMax wrote:After reading this --
http://forum.shmups.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=483
I wrote that when I had just started playing Blazing Star.

I don't have the game anymore but managed to 1CC it quite a few times and would say that there is no need to power up your weapon more than the basic 4 times. At least with the Windina.
PBMax wrote:Perhaps there is an acceptable power level for each stage that will not result in a rank increase. In other words, maybe a normal collection rate won't trigger the rank increase but blatent hoarding will.
That's probably how it works.
PBMax
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Re: GD: Rank system in Blazing Star

Post by PBMax »

MNK wrote: I don't have the game anymore but managed to 1CC it quite a few times and would say that there is no need to power up your weapon more than the basic 4 times. At least with the Windina.
I realize there is no driving need to power-up, but the affects of doing so are rather interesting.
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brokendivide
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Post by brokendivide »

I can't remember where this is from, all I remember was it from a text based japanese site ages ago. I've got various bits of blazing star related stuff scattered on my computer that I may try and translate or put in a useful form at some stage (though probably not very soon). Anyhow:

The highest rank value is 255. Rank is affected as follows:
  • Collecting power up +1
  • Collecting bonus jewel +0.07812500465661
  • Collecting lucky panel +3
  • 2P bonus +0.09375000558794
  • In every explosive 1 time (I am guessing this meant for every shot fired?) +0.00001525878997
  • Enemy destroyed +0.0039062502328
  • Losing a life -4
  • Using charge shot +0.01562500093132
  • Using charge break +0.07812500465661
I don't know what level the power up/rank starts at. I haven't played for a fair while, but am fairly sure it wasn't 1 anyhow. More like 80 or 100?

Power Ups cause the 2nd largest rank increment. Which would explain why an abundance of them results in noticable rank increase. I've found with high rank that the flickering in busy sections, (during the laser/explosion at the start of stage 6 boss, and the very last attack of the same boss) can get pretty severe, resulting in death from seemingly invisible bullets....
PBMax
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Post by PBMax »

brokendivide wrote:I can't remember where this is from, all I remember was it from a text based japanese site ages ago. I've got various bits of blazing star related stuff scattered on my computer that I may try and translate or put in a useful form at some stage (though probably not very soon). Anyhow:

The highest rank value is 255. Rank is affected as follows:
  • Collecting power up +1
  • Collecting bonus jewel +0.07812500465661
  • Collecting lucky panel +3
  • 2P bonus +0.09375000558794
  • In every explosive 1 time (I am guessing this meant for every shot fired?) +0.00001525878997
  • Enemy destroyed +0.0039062502328
  • Losing a life -4
  • Using charge shot +0.01562500093132
  • Using charge break +0.07812500465661
I don't know what level the power up/rank starts at. I haven't played for a fair while, but am fairly sure it wasn't 1 anyhow. More like 80 or 100?

Power Ups cause the 2nd largest rank increment. Which would explain why an abundance of them results in noticable rank increase. I've found with high rank that the flickering in busy sections, (during the laser/explosion at the start of stage 6 boss, and the very last attack of the same boss) can get pretty severe, resulting in death from seemingly invisible bullets....
Fascinating. I had no idea rank was so sensitive.

I'd love to read the additional information after you've translated it. Would a quick Babelfish translation be good enough to get the gist?
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AOTD3025
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Post by AOTD3025 »

brokendivide wrote:I can't remember where this is from, all I remember was it from a text based japanese site ages ago. I've got various bits of blazing star related stuff scattered on my computer that I may try and translate or put in a useful form at some stage (though probably not very soon). Anyhow:

The highest rank value is 255. Rank is affected as follows:
  • Collecting power up +1
  • Collecting bonus jewel +0.07812500465661
  • Collecting lucky panel +3
  • 2P bonus +0.09375000558794
  • In every explosive 1 time (I am guessing this meant for every shot fired?) +0.00001525878997
  • Enemy destroyed +0.0039062502328
  • Losing a life -4
  • Using charge shot +0.01562500093132
  • Using charge break +0.07812500465661
I don't know what level the power up/rank starts at. I haven't played for a fair while, but am fairly sure it wasn't 1 anyhow. More like 80 or 100?

Power Ups cause the 2nd largest rank increment. Which would explain why an abundance of them results in noticable rank increase. I've found with high rank that the flickering in busy sections, (during the laser/explosion at the start of stage 6 boss, and the very last attack of the same boss) can get pretty severe, resulting in death from seemingly invisible bullets....
I don't suppose the fighter you choose also has an effect? I'm still trying to figure out why Peplos is supposed to be the most "difficult" (at least according to the select screen) fighter to fly. Hmm . . . gonna have to try other fighters and see what they do. . .

-AOTD3025
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BulletMagnet
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Post by BulletMagnet »

AOTD3025 wrote:I'm still trying to figure out why Peplos is supposed to be the most "difficult" (at least according to the select screen) fighter to fly.
I would guess because it can't power up its regular shot, and must rely on its charge shot instead...aside from giving it less variety, using the charge shot apparently raises the rank too, though I doubt that's what the "difficult" statement is referring to.
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brokendivide
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Post by brokendivide »

PBMax wrote:I'd love to read the additional information after you've translated it. Would a quick Babelfish translation be good enough to get the gist?
I will get most of it online around christmas holidays, babelfished/edited as well as I can. The main problem is there's some scans, back story, character info etc, which babelfish can't help with. My japanese is limited to reading kana (but not understanding!), I can work out the odd enemy name, and a few words, but not much more independent of babelfish. If anyone fancies a go at translating them I'll email them over.

Random scan for now:

Image

I'll get all of them up on proper hosting around christmas, there's approx 50mb worth. A fairly large chunk is about Pulstar
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