Nostradamus, the end is nigh

[Mortificator]

I've given Monsieur Nostredame a few credits over the weekend and enjoyed myself so far.

The music reminds me so much of the Game Boy Advance Gradius, it's uncanny.

[Skykid]

Broke 3 mil tonight!

Anyone know if there's rank in this, I can't tell?

[sven666]

Doesn't sound to me like you've given it more than a passing glance, but since the emulation isn't perfect I can understand why.

..ouch!! youre not suggesting I play roms are you?

[Skykid]

Doesn't sound to me like you've given it more than a passing glance, but since the emulation isn't perfect I can understand why.

..ouch!! youre not suggesting I play roms are you?

Ha ha, sorry. I didn't know you had the board. But that makes me doubly disappointed you haven't realised it's a neat little shmup with some intriguing elements. Much easier than I thought at first, and it's really enjoyable to figure out key exploits. Sit on P2 side, point blank the shit out of the first two bosses, and play a dozen credits or so. Nostradamus predicts you'll change your mind.

[sven666]

i dont find it terribly challenging at the 1p side either tbh.. it sure is a great looking game tho ill give it that.

gameplay wise i think sand scorpion plays a helluvalot better (sadly thatone is lacking in the looks department, guess face never really went all out).

[IseeThings]

Doesn't sound to me like you've given it more than a passing glance, but since the emulation isn't perfect I can understand why.

What emulation issues have you found? The only one I'm aware of is that there might be a priority issue with some parts of the final boss.

If you have other issues with the emulation please list them, I consider the driver one of the more mature ones.

[Skykid]

What emulation issues have you found? The only one I'm aware of is that there might be a priority issue with some parts of the final boss.

If you have other issues with the emulation please list them, I consider the driver one of the more mature ones.

I thought the sound was funny (funnier than usual, certain notes are too high in frequency compared to others) and I noticed some graphical corruption appear on the background? Been a while since I looked at properly tbh, I might have an older version.

gameplay wise i think sand scorpion plays a helluvalot better (sadly thatone is lacking in the looks department, guess face never really went all out).

Never tried SS, I'll check that out at some point.

[BareKnuckleRoo]

Sand Scorpion is just a Raiden-like, verging on being a clone (right down to the M/H missile selection, bombs). It's not quite a clone (different weapons, 1P/2P have same movement speed), but it certainly doesn't do anything as unique as Nostradamus does, and its Raiden-style spreadshot is the best weapon in the game due to pointblanking, and because it doesn't suck against destructible shots. It's got a disappointly weakass green straightshot weapon, and an interesting piercing red weapon that moves in a wavy pattern... but generally isn't good because it has too much trouble with shooting the destroyable enemy bullets. The blue spreadshot does more damage and handles all situations better, honestly. I kinda like it but that's because it was one of the earlier arcade games I'd tried (just cause of the name).

It is sort of noteworthy for having the most garbage homing missiles in a shmup I've seen. Awful damage, and the tracking is pure shit. I've seen them sail off the top of the screen right by 4 enemies, the tracking is that bad that they do this consistently. The standard M missiles are more useful. It also gets really laggy at the later bosses... to the point where your weapons seem to have trouble firing there's so much onscreen. It's actually not a technically well-made game, honestly...

[sven666]

heres some sand scorpion for ya'll
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_D9lGsdV ... e=youtu.be

sorry the hilarious comment is all in swedish..

[Skykid]

heres some sand scorpion for ya'll
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_D9lGsdV ... e=youtu.be

sorry the hilarious comment is all in swedish..

Deguass required top left!

To be honest, the game looks very much how you described Nostra...

I'll reserve judgement until playing, of course.

[BulletMagnet]

heres some sand scorpion for ya'll
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_D9lGsdV ... e=youtu.be

I look forward to Swede Plays Generic Shooter II: Electric Boogenloogen.

[sven666]

haha yeah im sure we can pull something strange out the next time we have a meet

[Despatche]

sand scorpion is kinda silly with all the slowdown, which i think affects hidden medals somehow. no clue how those hidden medals work at all lol

[Skykid]

So I got the superplay (thanks Rancor-san!) and stuck it on, and WTF, the guy's using autofire?!

I can definitely tell the difference between rapid finger tapping and full auto, but... is that legal in Superplay terms? Because unless there's something I'm missing, there's no autofire in the dipswitches or service mode, meaning it would either be recorded from Mame (unlikely) or PCB with autofire circuit (more likely.)

Either way, dunno how to react. The Superplay is still great for all the tips, but I have no recourse to AF at the moment and I'd feel slightly guilty if I did, since the game would be a LOT easier.

Your thoughts?

[emphatic]

I've not yet set foot in any Japanese arcades, but I'm pretty sure there's autofire circuits a plenty for each and everyone who wants to use them. The Outzone superplay DVD also has crazy autofire rate going on, the player even ditches the superb Super-Ball weapon in favor of the spread shot as it destroys everything with easy at that rate.

[BIL]

Those Japanese boys be crazy, 30hz AF all up in your muhfuckin' grill on them DVDs. That Mushihime nigga SWY be solderin' he own variable rate AF pcb just so he can jump tha WR like bail. I shell out for Darius Premium Box ~ Rebirth and G.T. be goin' down faster than Monica Lewinsky on Ol' Slick Willie, sheeeit.

[trap15]

Autofire dat shit nigga, wit' dat blap blap don't need even lift a finga

[BIL]

Aww sheeeit - that's the lead single off my boy Vokatse's official Batsugun arranged album BATSUGAT - THE GATTENING

[Skykid]

I've not yet set foot in any Japanese arcades, but I'm pretty sure there's autofire circuits a plenty for each and everyone who wants to use them. The Outzone superplay DVD also has crazy autofire rate going on, the player even ditches the superb Super-Ball weapon in favor of the spread shot as it destroys everything with easy at that rate.

I... don't know how I feel about this.

Nostradamus strat, at least for survival, is learning when to get in something's face and button hammer it into oblivion. Autofire takes the pressure and the work out of that big time. It turns tough but rewarding work into cruise control.

I ain't got AF options currently anyway, so I'll just watch for the tips and go in with raw trigger fingers. Nahrahh.

[trap15]

Yeah, it's very common for superplayers to use autofire in Japanese arcades and just in general. Nothing wrong with trying to play without, but it's generally accepted that autofire is ok.

[Skykid]

Yeah, it's very common for superplayers to use autofire in Japanese arcades and just in general. Nothing wrong with trying to play without, but it's generally accepted that autofire is ok.

I don't believe it! Really, you don't need to declare that bizness with high scores? Have you seen what AF does to games like Flying Shark?

[trap15]

Sadly, yes. I don't mind though, I play how I like, others play how they like If I cared about getting a superplayer-tier score, I'd use autofire.

[BareKnuckleRoo]

I don't believe it! Really, you don't need to declare that bizness with high scores? Have you seen what AF does to games like Flying Shark?

I think that because shmups evolved away from being very simple mashfests with basic scoring systems to having more elaborate scoring systems that are more about precision in movement and dodging, and less about your stamina in pressing the shot key, players have gotten used to it being more fun that way. With an autofire circuit on an older game, you can focus less on hoping you don't wear out your finger/button, and more on the game itself, dodging the bullets, etc. I'd like to think good shmups have more depth beyond simply R U A BAD ENUF DUDE TO KEEP TAPPING SHOOT?!

Don't get me wrong, I know huge autofire rates can seriously break some older games, but I still think autofire in a genre where you'll want to be shooting 99% of the game's duration simply makes sense. It's not like a beat 'em up where the timing on your button presses matters; most of the time it's just 'keep mashing as fast as possible!'. But does that really make sense? Planes fitted with machine guns and such don't require mashing the trigger...

[Pretas]

There are only a handful of STGs that are truly broken by autofire, with Lethal Thunder and The Great Ragtime Show being the worst offenders. In Lethal Thunder, the weapon power and scoring systems are entirely based on how fast you can tap the fire button, and Ragtime allows you to generate a massive field of damage around your plane by mashing fast enough.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

I don't believe it! Really, you don't need to declare that bizness with high scores? Have you seen what AF does to games like Flying Shark?

I think that because shmups evolved away from being very simple mashfests with basic scoring systems to having more elaborate scoring systems that are more about precision in movement and dodging, and less about your stamina in pressing the shot key, players have gotten used to it being more fun that way. With an autofire circuit on an older game, you can focus less on hoping you don't wear out your finger/button, and more on the game itself, dodging the bullets, etc. I'd like to think good shmups have more depth beyond simply R U A BAD ENUF DUDE TO KEEP TAPPING SHOOT?!

Don't get me wrong, I know huge autofire rates can seriously break some older games, but I still think autofire in a genre where you'll want to be shooting 99% of the game's duration simply makes sense. It's not like a beat 'em up where the timing on your button presses matters; most of the time it's just 'keep mashing as fast as possible!'. But does that really make sense? Planes fitted with machine guns and such don't require mashing the trigger...

Try using an auto-fire circuit with Namco's Tenkomori Shooting/Tenkomori Variety Shooting PCBs and you'll see just how easy it is to get through some of the stages...however, trying your hardest to tap as fast as you can on some stages can be maddening (even if you're off by just a few short of completing the goal).

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[BareKnuckleRoo]

There are only a handful of STGs that are truly broken by autofire, with Lethal Thunder and The Great Ragtime Show being the worst offenders. In Lethal Thunder, the weapon power and scoring systems are entirely based on how fast you can tap the fire button, and Ragtime allows you to generate a massive field of damage around your plane by mashing fast enough.

Blazing Star is also a serious offender here. If you tap slowly, you get a weak version of your shot, and you have to tap quickly to get the strong version. There's charge shots too, but a lot of the time you'll want to be tapping shot. It gets a bit silly though in that two of the ships require ridiculous if not impossible tapping speeds to get their upgraded shots (Aryustailm and Peplos). Peplos is supposed to be the weakest ship in the game, but is actually the strongest if you're using autofire to get the upgraded tap speed shot, whereas Aryustailm is actually weaker when you activate the faster tap piercing lasers (they're way weaker than the 'slow' tap speed bullets are, and are frankly horrible by comparison) so if you use autofire you need to keep it low when playing Aryustailm. At least there's charge shots to use, but you'll still want to have rapid shots in between 'em.

I don't mind short, rapid button mashing sequences (God Hand, Bayonetta) where they come spaced decently and are made so you only need to focus on tap speed, but in a shmup where it's basically all-stage-long tapping required and dodging at the same time? Ick, no.

[Pretas]

While I agree with Roo, there's still something to be said for the satisfying added feedback you get from mashing the fire button as fast as you can, and feeling the direct connection to your increase in power. My finger can't take much of Gun Frontier with autofire turned off, but it's definitely more fun than with it on while it lasts.

[Skykid]

Fuck Blazing Star.

Pulstar > Blazing Star all the way

Just wanted to get that out there.

[system11]

Finally got around to playing the Nostradamus I picked up a short while ago. My wrist hurts now, I think it's time to plug the Reco PCB in. Don't remember it being this difficult.

[Captain]

Fuck Blazing Star.

Pulstar > Blazing Star all the way

Just wanted to get that out there.

That's bullocks.

The two are completely different kinds of games, Blazing Star isn't even a true sequel!

Sure I can't change your tastes, but it's not that one game is better, it's that you just like Pulstar's genre more.

I don't have to explain the differences, do I?