What kind of Shmupper are you?

[futurematt5]

Hi,

I have used the term shmupper knowing it to be inadequate and contentious. But please read on.

I'm not sure if such information exists on the forum already, but here's my idea. It's for a poll, but I expect for the results to be interesting it would take several different votes. I don't intend to set up more than one thread on this topic, so if it turns out to be a stupid idea, or clumsy / unworkable, I won't bother. Anyway here goes:

The purpose is to reveal the PRIMARY IDENTITY users feel they have when using these forums.

Us STGs fans are probably a diverse bunch in ourselves. The only common link is a love of shooting games.

However, within these forums I am guessing there are folk whose interest in STGs stems from a whole range of factors, with scoring, playability, collecting, reviewing, fun, competitive, graphics, fanatical list compilation, trading/selling, development/homebrew, technical support, discussion, artwork etc being just a few words that spring to mind.

Anyway to cut to the chase, what sort of categories would work best in a single poll of users' "shmupper primary identity"
The last probably applies to me at this point in time. Anyway, chuck me your thoughts good people.

[KAI]

Timewaster scorer

[MintyTheCat]

David vs. Goliath aka 'bring it, you alien scum!'.

Is there any other Genre that pits a single, dedicated Player against such odds? This 'David vs. Goliath' notion has always appealed to me and most certainly appeals to the hardcore People who most likely do it because it is a challenge to survive extreme odds. It is also some what self-affirming when one manages to 'hand it' to the Aliens

Having said all of that I NEVER play for score ever. I may study a scoring system but still I have little to no interest in playing for score personally.

The Artwork and Music for Shmups has always appealed to me personally and I find it very inspiring. Many of the early designs stand up today as prime examples of quality craftmanship and artistic realisation. I'd argue that Shmups also have the best Music - Last-Resort being a personal favourite along with Axelay and Layer-Section in the Music department.

Then there's the purity that one feels. I dare say that many an RPG Player 'gets into the world' of their chosen Game (I cannot really play RPGs though as they take me far too long and waste too much of my time) but a Shmup often makes the Player take the whole experience in and many of us become familiar with 'not thinking' in order to survive so there's a type of dialogue.

I liken this to what one experiences as one attempts to attain mushin:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mushin

Happy New Year, Matt.

[Wyrmnus]

Bullet Dodging Scorer. At least that's what I would like to rise to be.

[Sinful]

NOOB. For now. Still figuring out how not to suck as much, but I think it's almost basically at the point where I just have to put in my time. I've already noticed a very obvious improvement already since last time I binged hard on this genre. So it don't bother me, especially as I think I'm at a very good point in my just started with the genre thingy. Basically past the initiation stage where I still didn't get it & still could of been scared away forever, but also not as shitty as when I first started so it's just enough to be forever glued to it & having the most fun playing & letting getting better happen on it's own.

Othere then that I play because it's fun, and right now it pretty much seems it's all I'm playing? Course, I want them 1cc while I'm at it. As it greatly adds to the fun. And it's when you really start playing a game.

[DMC]

Childhood Chaser
Adrenaline Addict
Encyclopedic Information Collector

[Nick420]

Bullet dodging scorer baby. Lovin it

[Kollision]

Bullet dodging scorer
Aesthetic appreciator
Timewaster

[Captain]

Add Bear Grylls i mean Survivalist.

[ACSeraph]

Add Bear Grylls i mean Survivalist.

Haha +1

Hmm me then...

Rage Quitting Bear Grylls Aesthetic Appreciator

NOOB.

You cleared Darius, you aint no noob

[Formless God]

Bullet dodging scorer
Bug eyed developer
NOOB

[Captain]

Bullet dodging scorer Bear Grylls Appreciator Philosopher

[Laurel_McFang]

NOOB although twinbee now gives me a warm fuzzy feeling... How many loops can I go?

Mechanic Appreciators - if I see a mechanic I haven't seen before I will play it.

[Wyrmnus]

Glory Seeker - I play alot of STGs and showcase my 1CCs on my Youtube channel all for the short minute of praise I get in my comments, whenever it does happen. Take the instance I recently stated I 1-ALLed Batsugun Special and someone complimented me on that, giving me congratulations. That was the best feeling right there.

[vintagevideogamegeek]

Huge Dong. (Self-explanatory)

[ACSeraph]

Huge Dong. (Self-explanatory)

So is this thread also some attempt to farm information for an article like the elitism troll thread?

[yoyo]

David vs. Goliath aka 'bring it, you alien scum!'.

Is there any other Genre that pits a single, dedicated Player against such odds? This 'David vs. Goliath' notion has always appealed to me and most certainly appeals to the hardcore People who most likely do it because it is a challenge to survive extreme odds. It is also some what self-affirming when one manages to 'hand it' to the Aliens

Having said all of that I NEVER play for score ever. I may study a scoring system but still I have little to no interest in playing for score personally.

The Artwork and Music for Shmups has always appealed to me personally and I find it very inspiring. Many of the early designs stand up today as prime examples of quality craftmanship and artistic realisation. I'd argue that Shmups also have the best Music - Last-Resort being a personal favourite along with Axelay and Layer-Section in the Music department.

That probably describes me best, too. Very well put.

[o.pwuaioc]

I love the challenge of memorizing enemies appearances and then making quick reactions to bullets. I also love love love atmosphere. I play shmups primarily for that reason. Keep your Gunbird and Deathsmiles, I'll take Gradius, Abadox, Sturmwind, or R-Type over them any day. I also love a good ol' fashioned WW2 tech shoot-out, like Striker 1945 and 1941. Good stuff. Just fun games. Not sure what that makes me, but I know I'm not a bullet-hell shmupper.

[DEL]

Like DMC, adrenaline addict.
Plus thinking man's shooters. (But not puzzles)

[Eaglet]

DEL summarizes the way i feel about myself and shooting games as well.
The adrenaline rush made me interested in the genre.
Stayed for the scoring and friendly competitiveness.
The perfect shooting game for me is one where there is an advanced system with a lot of nooks and crannies that you have to work at for a long time and thoroughly understand in order to excel at while at the same time presenting a pure primal survival challenge.

[MintyTheCat]

David vs. Goliath aka 'bring it, you alien scum!'.

Is there any other Genre that pits a single, dedicated Player against such odds? This 'David vs. Goliath' notion has always appealed to me and most certainly appeals to the hardcore People who most likely do it because it is a challenge to survive extreme odds. It is also some what self-affirming when one manages to 'hand it' to the Aliens

Having said all of that I NEVER play for score ever. I may study a scoring system but still I have little to no interest in playing for score personally.

The Artwork and Music for Shmups has always appealed to me personally and I find it very inspiring. Many of the early designs stand up today as prime examples of quality craftmanship and artistic realisation. I'd argue that Shmups also have the best Music - Last-Resort being a personal favourite along with Axelay and Layer-Section in the Music department.

That probably describes me best, too. Very well put.

Cheers

[DEL]

Eaglet wrote:

DEL summarizes the way i feel about myself and shooting games as well.
The adrenaline rush made me interested in the genre.
Stayed for the scoring and friendly competitiveness.
The perfect shooting game for me is one where there is an advanced system with a lot of nooks and crannies that you have to work at for a long time and thoroughly understand in order to excel at while at the same time presenting a pure primal survival challenge.

Bingo!
You put it more eloquently than me.

[Squire Grooktook]

Yeah, I'll go with the adrenline addict one too.

[Sinful]

Aesthetic appreciator

You mean like graphics & sounds? Heck yeah, I'm into that too.

You know, Kollision, for a second language you sure know them big words.

[Kollision]

Aesthetic appreciator

You mean like graphics & sounds? Heck yeah, I'm into that too.

You know, Kollision, for a second language you sure know them big words.

what do you mean? they were on futurematt's list!
and who doesn't like fancy graphics and a kick-ass soundtrack?

[AntiFritz]

Noob

[futurematt5]

Cool!

Thanks for the replies people! A couple of obvious shmupper identities to add then:

Glory seeker
Survivalist
Tate purist ("+")
Omnipresent elitist

[Obiwanshinobi]

Lumpenintelligentsia.

[Ruldra]

1cc'er is what I'd describe myself. I'll play the hell out of a shmup and try to score as high as I can, but once I nail the 1cc I have little interest to keep going.

[Wyrmnus]

1cc'er is what I'd describe myself. I'll play the hell out of a shmup and try to score as high as I can, but once I nail the 1cc I have little interest to keep going.

This fits me too, sometimes. Although I'd rename that title 'Single Credit Trophy Hunter'