Bullet Sky (Chinese Vertical Shmup Series)

[Hal1]

What is Bullet Sky? It is a vertical shmup series consisting of two games that was developed by Chinese company Front Network Co., LTD./1mpact Games.

The games in this series are:
Bullet Sky

Bullet Sky is a 2012 borderline bullet hell vertical shmup with 9 Western Zodiac-themed stages. There are 3 available aircraft with their own primary, secondary weapons, and bombs. Two of these aircraft are purchasable with gems (can be bought with for real-life money), as do max lives, and upgrades for secondary weapons and bombs. This game is available for free on the web browser, Windows, OS, X, and iPad. For the latter, the game was released as a paid app, but became free ("limited time", but in fact forever) on May 2012.

WARNING: Not all browsers and Flash Player versions support the browser version, and the Flash version may likely only work on video cards with GPU acceleration enabled.

Browser Page with Download Links for Windows and OS X
App Store Link
Gameplay Video

Bullet Sky II

Bullet Sky II, first released on July 18, 2013, and a few days from this posting becomes free (in most countries), is an iOS Universal endless vertical bullet hell (for real!) shmup. It has 4 selectable ships (Phantom, Light Hunter, Fire Crab and Battlecruiser) with their own description, weapons and attack styles, but all of the ships except Phantom and the secondary weapons can be unlocked or upgraded with gems, which this time harder to get in the game proper. Enemies come in groups or solo, and over time more of these will appear on the screen. When the enemy group is annihilated, a new one appears. The game's enemies range from single-weapon enemies to the ones with 2 to 6 turrets. The latter type of enemy is only destroyed when all its turrets are destroyed. When the last turret of a 5 or 6-turret enemy is destroyed, the screen zooms to the center and a short slo-mo occurs. A lifebar exists for the player, with four parts. Each part determines the ship's on-screen size, and current attack power. If the player's ship gains another lifebar part, the blue part becomes full. If this part is depleted, a Continue screen appears, and you are asked to revive for some gems (but up to three times) or access the upgrade menu. Instead of bombs, 8 game-changing Battle Tools (only two of them may be carried) come in charges, and can be bought using gems. The latter, which can be bought for real-life money, and the coins, which doubles as the score to be placed on the Game Center leaderboard, are the game's currencies.

App Store Link
Gameplay Video

(Credits to touchgameplay for the gameplay videos.)

[7711]

Why would people rather spend time developping games for mobile devices rather that PC (or console...) ? Guessing its just about money...

Most of the STGs I saw for android or any other OS like that sucked big time. These two looks good, but just how easy is the second one ? I have Danmaku Death on my phone and THATS the game I wanna play on PC, not using some stupid touchscreen controls...
So many casual/rushed shmups just for some cash nowadays...

[Edge]

Why would people rather spend time developping games for mobile devices rather that PC (or console...) ? Guessing its just about money...

Because it is very risky and not so easy to make a living developing for the traditional platforms. I would like to see more shmups on consoles too. But unfortunatelly they are having a really hard time getting any sales. It has become pretty difficult to make any money with this genre. That is why shmups are mostly developed for mobile phones nowaday. Because the chances that it doesn't fail completely (financially) are better. As on mobile phones it is more likely to also get some attention from people outside of the hardcore shmup crowd. Also you can get your games out more easily, as you don't need to pass any submission for consoles / handhelds or greenlight for services like Steam. And if your shmup is to some extent successful on the mobile platforms it still gives you the option to port it to other devices later on. See Danmaku Unlimited 2.

I doubt that any of these developers decide to make shmups for phones because they can make some easy cash with that. If you want to try to make some easy cash you don't develop shmups at all. But go for any more mainstream-compatible genre, like a Bejeweled clone or something.

[7711]

Yeah but it seems to me that more and more stgs are rushed, in both graphics and gameplay, and none of them are free. If I pay for a game, it better be good so why people developping games aren't even trying to produce something good ? Maybe I'm beeing stupid but 95% of recent dojin shmups I would be ashamed to pay for.
I don't think it takes a genius to create something that is woth buying, so theorically more games should at least be good.

[Hal1]

I tried Bullet Sky I on Chrome and Firefox and did not work for me, and I tried the Windows version, but it didn't get past the title screens with the message saying that version may only work on video cards with GPU acceleration support. Because of this, the first post is updated with a warning if you try to play Bullet Sky on Windows, Mac OS X, and your browser.

Because it is very risky and not so easy to make a living developing for the traditional platforms. I would like to see more shmups on consoles too. But unfortunatelly they are having a really hard time getting any sales. It has become pretty difficult to make any money with this genre. That is why shmups are mostly developed for mobile phones nowaday. Because the chances that it doesn't fail completely (financially) are better. As on mobile phones it is more likely to also get some attention from people outside of the hardcore shmup crowd. Also you can get your games out more easily, as you don't need to pass any submission for consoles / handhelds or greenlight for services like Steam. And if your shmup is to some extent successful on the mobile platforms it still gives you the option to port it to other devices later on. See Danmaku Unlimited 2.

I doubt that any of these developers decide to make shmups for phones because they can make some easy cash with that. If you want to try to make some easy cash you don't develop shmups at all. But go for any more mainstream-compatible genre, like a Bejeweled clone or something.

I assume that iOS/Android is fast becoming the new shmup release haven...

[Danny]

Why would people rather spend time developping games for mobile devices rather that PC (or console...) ? Guessing its just about money...

Traditonal gaming consoles are still technically illegal in China so there is that...

[7711]

Why would people rather spend time developping games for mobile devices rather that PC (or console...) ? Guessing its just about money...

Traditonal gaming consoles are still technically illegal in China so there is that...

WHAT ???

[Skykid]

Why would people rather spend time developping games for mobile devices rather that PC (or console...) ? Guessing its just about money...

Traditonal gaming consoles are still technically illegal in China so there is that...

WHAT ???

No they're not.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013- ... c-of-china

[x91]

Traditonal gaming consoles are still technically illegal in China so there is that...

WHAT ???

No they're not.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013- ... c-of-china

And the government is now considering allowing game console import somewhere in Shanghai. Thinking of next year we may officially have Xbox One or PS4. Hopefully.

[Skykid]

This Bullet Sky game looks really awful btw... there are barely any bullets in it.

[trap15]

Yeah these both look fucking atrocious. You'd have to pay me to even play the demo.

[tibone]

is an iOS Universal endless vertical bullet hell (for real!) shmup.

endless vertical bullet hell like shmup.
Huh.
Where did i devel.. err. played that before?

[Danny]

Traditonal gaming consoles are still technically illegal in China so there is that...

No they're not.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013- ... c-of-china

And the government is now considering allowing game console import somewhere in Shanghai. Thinking of next year we may officially have Xbox One or PS4. Hopefully.

You guys are missing an important point in my post, I said "technically". People still are buying and selling consoles in china through back allies and markets etc but the government tend to look the other way as they typically have more important shit to worry about. Consoles have been banned since 2000...

http://www.scmp.com/business/companies/ ... s-mainland

That said the government will still check each game before it gets released for anti china political themes.

Fun fact it's still technically illegal to eat mince pies in my home country of England. They banned them a long time ago along with a lot of other Christmas festivities but never got around to re-legalizing them again due to it taking too much time and money to reform parliament to do so.

[Skykid]

You guys are missing an important point in my post, I said "technically". People still are buying and selling consoles in china through back allies and markets etc but the government tend to look the other way as they typically have more important shit to worry about. Consoles have been banned since 2000..

I've just been living there for eight months and there are video game stores on shopping streets selling consoles and games like any other country. I can post some pics if you like?

[hermit crab]

You guys are missing an important point in my post, I said "technically". People still are buying and selling consoles in china through back allies and markets etc but the government tend to look the other way as they typically have more important shit to worry about. Consoles have been banned since 2000..

I've just been living there for eight months and there are video game stores on shopping streets selling consoles and games like any other country. I can post some pics if you like?

That doesn't really say much about the law though. I know of stores/clubs in China that quite openly sell hard drugs like heroin, meth, and ketamine to anyone that wanders in. Despite most undoubtedly being illegal. See the way the 3rd world works is that nothing is allowed, but everything is possible if you pay the right bribes.

The grey market is booming, as you've noticed, and everything is available to the consumer. But the first console that has been officially allowed in China since 2000 was a Kinect clone from Lenovo last year, and they had to convince the authorities that it's a "sport's machine" (read: bribe them). Being from a Chinese company probably helped too. Here's an article about it: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/technolo ... le4104133/

[Danny]

You guys are missing an important point in my post, I said "technically". People still are buying and selling consoles in china through back allies and markets etc but the government tend to look the other way as they typically have more important shit to worry about. Consoles have been banned since 2000..

I've just been living there for eight months and there are video game stores on shopping streets selling consoles and games like any other country. I can post some pics if you like?

Don't worry about it I believe you, I've seen it myself. Because of China's burgeoning middle class due to the success of the country's industry more and more younger adults are getting in to what we here in the west would consider "traditional video gaming consoles" thus video games are become more accepted in the political climate, again they have more important shit to worry about. Allowing the next generation of consoles in to the mainland would allow the government to tax said product thus earning them more money while allowing them to control the content coming in to the country. That said it still won't stop bootleggers importing/pirating banned or hard to find games.

EDIT *SNIP THIS PART THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT, IT'S ME WAFFLING ON SORRY!*

Then again you have to hand it to them at least they are now being reasonable, it could be a lot worse. After all we could be living in Greece right now where video games are banned because the goverment are too lazy to determine what is a video game and what is a gambling machine.

[Skykid]

@hermit crab

iQue was officially released in 2003 and the PlayStation 2 officially sold in Shanghai and Guangzhou in 2004. The Wii was approved for release in China by the government too, but Nintendo pulled the plug on the launch.

Why? Because videogames have never really been banned in China per se, that's just what sensationalist press would have you believe in order to make their stories sound more controversial (see the article you posted.) The actual law was to do with violent or corrupting content in electronic media not being allowed into the country. It's a difficult law for game companies to circumvent, but they can if they want (as Nintendo proved with iQue). The reason videogame companies aren't crazy about selling there is because they face an enormous uphill battle against thirty years of institutionalised piracy (the same reason film companies barely bother to sell DVDs) in addition to ensuring they don't release game content that breaks the law regarding corrupting themes (which is like, most of the current-gen catalogue.)

But you think high street shops are offering backhand cash to stay open? Not a chance. You can open a videogame store in China, or an arcade, pay your taxes, and no-one's going to bother you. The govt. don't care enough about it.

I know of stores/clubs in China that quite openly sell hard drugs like heroin, meth, and ketamine to anyone that wanders in.

Are you sure? You know it's an instant bullet in the head for anyone selling drugs in China? Even if you just got a pocket of pills. They catch you and you're dead, zero tolerance. I can't imagine stores openly selling them, they have the hardest line policy on drug peddling I've ever seen.

[Danny]

iQue was officially released in 2003 and the PlayStation 2 officially sold in Shanghai and Guangzhou in 2004. The Wii was approved for release in China by the government too, but Nintendo pulled the plug on the launch.

That would make sense, Shanghai is the place that the government are thinking about "lifting the ban" (again the air quotes because common! heh) according to that article I posted from the South China Morning Post.

If this does get lifted it's going to be very interesting to see what they get up to development wise as they do have a lot of programming talent there but not necessarily game development and design experience in the traditional sense.

EDIT: Sod it I will just post the interesting bit of the article here, this was posted on the 6th of September 2013...

Code: Select all

“The Shanghai free trade zone plan is strongly supported by Premier Li, who wants to improve China’s image as opening further to business under the new leadership (of Premier Li and President Xi Jinping),” another source said. “You may think the game console is a small deal in the whole policy package for Shanghai, but it’s an interesting instance showing how China wants to open up to foreign investors.”

On July 3, the State Council, China’s cabinet, issued a statement after a meeting chaired by Li that the free-trade zone in Shanghai would be a snapshot of an “upgraded Chinese economy”.

[Skykid]

You know, you guys will think I'm crazy for saying this, but I have no interest in China marching into full blown console gaming territory. The long-standing success of the arcade there partly attributable to the absence of affordable home gaming, and I'd rather arcades lived on. On a secondary note, it's hardly a country running out of money: they don't need to invite more foreign investment than they already have - all it's doing is westernising and eroding their own culture.

[Danny]

You know, you guys will think I'm crazy for saying this, but I have no interest in China marching into full blown console gaming territory. The long-standing success of the arcade there partly attributable to the absence of affordable home gaming, and I'd rather arcades lived on. On a secondary note, it's hardly a country running out of money: they don't need to invite more foreign investment than they already have - all it's doing is westernising and eroding their own culture.

Yeah I could understand why you would say that. My personal interest in this (and to bring this convo full circle again heh) is that we might get more indies over there programming (or porting in Bullet Sky's case) their games for the PC in the future.