A place to buy DIGITAL copies of doujin games?

[Kaspal]

Hello.

i've been wondering for awhile (on and off) where can i buy digital copies of doujin shmups online. DLSite is a no no, since the ones i want are in the japanese store and sometimes buyin there is a PITA. I'm basically interested in buying Bloodvane and Stella Vanity.

Does anyone know a legit place in which i can do that? ... i know theres always the option to buy the physical copy, but im not really interested in waiting a couple months and being charget a ton for importing those ... so... help?

[rancor]

but im not really interested in waiting a couple months and being charget a ton for importing those ... so... help?

months? a ton? I didn't think I was that bad..

.. If you like, I can rip to .iso and send those to you before I stick the discs in the mail...?

[gs68]

Nyu Media and Rockin' Android carry some doujin STGs for digital purchase and download.

[Kaspal]

but im not really interested in waiting a couple months and being charget a ton for importing those ... so... help?

months? a ton? I didn't think I was that bad..

.. If you like, I can rip to .iso and send those to you before I stick the discs in the mail...?

Hello Rancor. Any special offerings for both of them?

[Oniros]

Nyu Media and Rockin' Android carry some doujin STGs for digital purchase and download.

These 2, Playism-Games and Steam are probably your best bet.

[Aisha]

What problem are you having with DLsite? I've purchased from there several times without any issue. Digital distribution still isn't widely embraced by doujin circles, but it pretty much begins and ends at DLsite. Playism is another store, but it's newer so its catalog is smaller and I'm not sure if it's the same between its Japanese and English storefronts. Melonbooks has a DL service as well, but I don't know if it's available to customers outside of Japan. And as already mentioned, Nyu Media and Rockin' Android release localized doujin games across various distribution platforms, but you are limited to what they currently have licensed.

As for the games you're looking for, Stellavanity can only be purchased from DLsite. The package version was never reprinted. PlatineDispositif doesn't do digital distribution directly, so you will have to import the retail version of Bloodvane or cross your fingers that Rockin' Android will bring it over some day.

[Kaspal]

What problem are you having with DLsite? I've purchased from there several times without any issue. Digital distribution still isn't widely embraced by doujin circles, but it pretty much begins and ends at DLsite. Playism is another store, but it's newer so its catalog is smaller and I'm not sure if it's the same between its Japanese and English storefronts. Melonbooks has a DL service as well, but I don't know if it's available to customers outside of Japan. And as already mentioned, Nyu Media and Rockin' Android release localized doujin games across various distribution platforms, but you are limited to what they currently have licensed.

As for the games you're looking for, Stellavanity can only be purchased from DLsite. The package version was never reprinted. PlatineDispositif doesn't do digital distribution directly, so you will have to import the retail version of Bloodvane or cross your fingers that Rockin' Android will bring it over some day.

thats pretty much what worries me ...

last time i tried to buy something from DLSite JP, it did not accept my CC, so i just dropped the idea of buying from them... and yeah, i know about Rocking Android, and im hoping for them to bring over the rest of the games from PD... but it might take awhile... and i'd like to have a go at Bloodvane now!.

I'll check the other places to see what i can find...

@Rancor: still waiting to see if you got any promos going, so i can get both games from you, the way you offered.

Thanks guys for your answers...

[Jaimers]

Well DLsite now has an English version where you can also use Paypall so buying Stella Vanity at least is super simple now.

[Kaspal]

Well DLsite now has an English version where you can also use Paypall so buying Stella Vanity at least is super simple now.

Last time i checked, Stella Vanity was NOT in the english site. Thanks for the tip. I might actually buy it this weekend.

[BrianC]

Well DLsite now has an English version where you can also use Paypall so buying Stella Vanity at least is super simple now.

Last time i checked, Stella Vanity was NOT in the english site. Thanks for the tip. I might actually buy it this weekend.

Did you search it as a single word, stellavanity? It showed up on the main English page when I went to the site.

[Kaspal]

Well DLsite now has an English version where you can also use Paypall so buying Stella Vanity at least is super simple now.

Last time i checked, Stella Vanity was NOT in the english site. Thanks for the tip. I might actually buy it this weekend.

Did you search it as a single word, stellavanity? It showed up on the main English page when I went to the site.

the problem is that it was uploaded on the english site last month, and i searched for it in september or october...

[Meseki]

Yeah, they stated on Stella Vanity's blog last month that they were finally going to put it on the English DLsite. Also, it's now cheaper (on both versions, of course) than it was when it was only on the Japanese one.

[gs68]

I thought that wasn't going to happen? From what I've read the author got EXTREMELY angry at overseas players and cut off support for them after the game was leaked onto /jp/ right after its Comiket release.

[BulletMagnet]

I've snagged a few things from Rice Digital.

[Aisha]

I thought that wasn't going to happen? From what I've read the author got EXTREMELY angry at overseas players and cut off support for them after the game was leaked onto /jp/ right after its Comiket release.

I have no idea what made the developer change his policy, but the game was put on English DLsite just a few weeks ago. At the same time, he seems to be freezing production indefinitely, so that sequel he has been working on might not happen now.

[rancor]

@Rancor: still waiting to see if you got any promos going, so i can get both games from you, the way you offered.

I can get Bloodvayne for you, no problem. Stellavanity may be a bit more difficult. If you're determined, I can probably download from the site, then host on mine for you to get it. Not sure if payment is region locked, but that's one way to do it. Let me know if you need anything else.

[CStarFlare]

Since DLsite came up here, I'm curious if anyone can speak to which of the shmups for sale are worth grabbing. There's a lot I've never heard of, specifically a large number of similar seeming entries from Rayhawk.

Main things I've been looking at are

Meglilo The Witchborg
Witch in Wonderland
Impetuth
Phantasm
Zugya
Valchase
Xadlak Plus
Something from Rayhawk?

[Aisha]

Of those, I recommend giving Meglilo The Witchborg and Xadlak Plus a try. I haven't actually played the former, but it's by Astro Port, who have a good pedigree.

Xadlak Plus is by SPRITE, who has been active since 1990. Its first iteration was released on the x68000 in 1993, so I would definitely try the trial first to make sure that everything works and plays to your satisfaction. I can't comment on the game much; I bought it earlier this year, played it up to the third stage, and promptly became very distracted. So here are a couple of videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wevsmjflBtE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnTcunWvvxc

You have a dash button that gives you a quick burst of speed to get out of tight situations. Your basic weapon set includes a shot that gets weaker the farther you are from the enemy, and a missile spread. There are three powerups which grant you additional firepower when you tap the main shot, but these are limited by a rechargeable gauge and are lost when you die. And you will die a lot. The description on the product page begins with "Die! Die! Die!", and it's not kidding; the normal difficulty is unforgiving, since the game combines a claustrophobic stage design with a high bullet count. There is an easier (Yutori) difficulty which gives you a set of shields to work with, though.

I've been curious about the Rayhawk games myself. I'm a little weary since there seems to be about 40 of them and they all look the same to me.

Oh, and thank you for reminding me of Phantasm. I don't think it's particularly remarkable, but I remember playing it back in 2006-2007 and I completely forgot about it until now...

[Kaspal]

Yeah, they stated on Stella Vanity's blog last month that they were finally going to put it on the English DLsite. Also, it's now cheaper (on both versions, of course) than it was when it was only on the Japanese one.

and it seems to be DRM free... i heard "horror" stories about having to be logged on and stuff in order to play it. Glad it's not the case anymore... the price is just right, so, if theres anyone on the fence on getting that one, DLSite is the way to go... now, on to Bloodvane ... lets see if i can snag a copy of it b4 xmass.

[gs68]

I bought SV when it was exlcusive to JP DLS and yeah you had to not only log into DLsite to play, but the DRM fucks up if you have antivirus enabled when you start up the game.

[Kaspal]

I bought SV when it was exlcusive to JP DLS and yeah you had to not only log into DLsite to play, but the DRM fucks up if you have antivirus enabled when you start up the game.

hmmm ... im gonna have to try it while offline ... but i can tell you, Kaspersky PURE was active by the time i fired up my copy of the game, and it worked like a charm... i only played the 1st level, cuz i ran out of battery, but as i was saying, there was no problem at all... i wish PD games were there too!! ... i'd have them all already on my (recently created) account.