STG Weekly #73: Varth

[Muchi Muchi Spork]

I more enjoyed the Mario 3 1UP reference.

[STG]

Heh, that was a good one. A couple NES references being dropped in this episode.

And thanks chempop! You should it a shot, it's a really fun and flexible game if you play for score or just survival, or a mix of both. I honestly never thought Progear would interest me the way that it did, while I played quite a few horizontal shmups I was always more into verts. So you never know!

[Muchi Muchi Spork]

Progear was the first shooting game to drive me to the 1CC/1-ALL insanity point. I had "fallen in love" with Cave games before it but was still a lowly credit feeder. Progear was like my first taste of blood that brought out the wild.

[brokenhalo]

the second loop checkpoints are heart breaking. i could feel the frustration mounting every time you had to restart a stage.

[STG]

Haha, it's a bit rough, I was wondering what people would think when I kept replaying 2-4 over and over making no progress while watching my scoring drop to nothing. It's happened so many times to me now that I'm numb to it and move on, but yeah, when you play well and then have your run come to a halt like that is tough the first couple times. The game is very punishing in that regard, certainly one of the more harsher 2nd loop design choices.

[1up]

After the capcom poll and seeing 19xx score as high as Progear it peaked my interest so it would be great if 19xx could be a future episode.

And damn you guys for making progear look so easy! That wave like pattern of boss#3 always ends my run. Will rewatch the episode and pickup some tips

[BareKnuckleRoo]

it peaked my interes

http://languageandgrammar.com/2008/07/2 ... or-piqued/

that wave like pattern of boss#3 always ends my run.

It's one of the nastier attacks in the game until you figure out a way to do it. You don't have to point blank it either, you can try starting above or below it and tap dodging in a large horizontal U shape; you'll need to misdirect the streams a bit when you need to crossover in the opposite direction. Basically, practice until you find a way you're comfortable with.

[RNGmaster]

It's pretty easy to handle with full auto and Ring just streaming up and down, too.

[Some-Mist]

look for those "pockets" on the stage 3 boss... though admittedly, I still have to use a bomb on that pattern from time to time.

It's at least how I figured out to handle it a little bit and it's probably not too different from what other people do.

edit: pockets - I always look for these and if you stay in the pocket to move cross screen, you shouldn't have many issues. near the end, you want to stick to the pockets with the longer tails/spreads/ends instead of the short ones. If you choose the short ones, the tails/spreads/ends from the long ones can catch ya pretty easily.

[-S.L-]

Haha, it's a bit rough, I was wondering what people would think when I kept replaying 2-4 over and over making no progress while watching my scoring drop to nothing. It's happened so many times to me now that I'm numb to it and move on, but yeah, when you play well and then have your run come to a halt like that is tough the first couple times. The game is very punishing in that regard, certainly one of the more harsher 2nd loop design choices.

good job anyway man, I enjoyed every minutes of the run, not so much the retry - but that's completly not your fault, stupid choice they made here indeed.

Althou i'm not sure if it was mentionned in the video, but you played the US version right ?

[Aquas]

Current upcoming episode: #47: Akai Katana
Scheduled for Sunday, Jan 26th, 2 p.m CST (9 p.m Sweden)
Guests: Softdrink, trap15, Zaarock

Also we'll have a Special announcement at the beginning of this week's show.

[pestro87]

Awesome! B-)

Many thanks for keeping up the great work with the show!

[Sinful]

I have this game. So after seeing this show I'll know how to play it + might motivate me to start playing it sooner? ... Cave should of done more verts like this with ships + angled backgrounds for better visuals... too bad they also change into human avatars too, as I'm one of those that's not much of a fan of those (mecha's to an extent too. Though the one in GunHed at least looks like a ship). Like it stictly sci-fi/war theme wize & with ships.

Never said it, so I'll say it now. Great show. Only problem is I don't watch it entirely for all episodes to prevent spoilers... but sometimes I will as by the time I get to some of these games I'll basically completely forget.

[STG]

Akai Katana is definitely high on my priority list of Cave PCB's to get, so I'm looking forward to checking this episode out!

good job anyway man, I enjoyed every minutes of the run, not so much the retry - but that's completly not your fault, stupid choice they made here indeed.

Althou i'm not sure if it was mentionned in the video, but you played the US version right ?

Thanks S.L! 2-4 and 2-5 (especially) are really the two stages I could use more work on, eventually I think I'll be able to tackle them with higher consistency!

And no, I haven't played the US version (only own the Japanese PCB) but would love to give it a try!

[royalfan84]

Excited for this; a game I'm on and off again currently tackling. I've been improving but this will surely help. Most of the boss patterns from stage 4 on have me flummoxed in several spots.

Love what you guys are doing; it's awesome. (Even though I've only watched a couple).
Keep up the great work. Please.

[Aleksei]

Please say all three modes will be covered.

[Aquas]

Yep all modes.

Also, an addendum on that Special announcement. It will be regarding which japanese players are going to Stunfest.

[Softdrink 117]

Please say all three modes will be covered.

All three modes will be covered.

We won't go as in-depth for Zetsu / Climax mode, because it is so similar to Origin in terms of basic mechanics. Probably going to show the last couple stages, so that we can cover the main differences in gameplay and also show the extra stage.

[To Far Away Times]

Sweet. Akai Katana Slash has really grown on me since I first played it. The way the game visualizes scoring is quite a treat.

[CStarFlare]

Will there be any discussion of Limited? There's not a lot of people with access but it's a cool side note to Akai Katana.

[Muchi Muchi Spork]

Re:~40min in, your green bar getting refilled when getting hit by a laser was a glitch in the game they decided to keep. It was talked about in an interview. It was fixed in the limited version if I recall correctly (it has been a while since I played it).

PS
http://www.sendspace.com/file/iwde1l

________________________________

It was a good episode. I lol'd a lot. I think with games/modes this complicated at the beginning, ideally replays would have the button layout shown and have buttons light up as the player presses them. Maybe next gen replays will have this option in them.

Will there be any discussion of Limited? There's not a lot of people with access but it's a cool side note to Akai Katana.

I sent in some notes that are mentioned but I've probably forgotten a lot of it. I really don't like how fragmented all the versions of this game got. It's chaotic and ridiculous. This version is on Xbox only, this version is only on Nesica in Japan, this version only on a few pcbs etc.

[Crafty+Mech]

Enjoyed the episode! I picked up a 360 copy of Akai Katana last year, but have not spent that much time with it. After watching this installment I have a much better understanding of the game mechanics, and different modes. Looking forward to diving back in!

[Aquas]

Current upcoming episode: #48: Caravan / Time Attack!
Scheduled for Sunday, Feb 2nd, 2 p.m CST (9 p.m Sweden)
Guests: Ghegs, trap15.

Taking suggestions on Caravans to cover, it will influence game choice slightly. So feel free to suggest. We'll be covering a decent lot of 'em.

It was a good episode. I lol'd a lot. I think with games/modes this complicated at the beginning, ideally replays would have the button layout shown and have buttons light up as the player presses them. Maybe next gen replays will have this option in them.

That's a good idea. Some of the Cave ports do have that feature as an Extra Window setting. Perhaps if we get the chance again we could try to include that. 'Fraid we've covered most of them though. Galuda 2's port has that feature, however.

ALSO: We wouldn't mind any feedback or critique on the show, as far as what you like, don't like, want to see, etc. Any feedback is appreciated if you have it. Looking to make STGW 2014 a bit more solid.

[Softdrink 117]

We haven't done Mushi1 yet have we? That port has input display as well.

[Sinful]

Last show I watched (Progear, missed Akai Katana), the volume of the game seemed too low? Is it just me or is the volume too low? Well, I didn't have the overall volume too high on my place when I watch also, so maybe that's all that's needed? Gonna watch Akai Katana now and see...

And the way you sync time is too slow and allows more room for error. You have to say 3, 2, 1, click faster.


EDIT - K, watched 30 min of Akai Katana, and yeah, maybe it is a tad too low? Try it just a bit higher next time and ask in chat if it's fine? Cause I don't want the overall volume higher then what I just tried.

Anywho, not gonna watch the rest of this vid. This game kinda upsets me at the momment. It just seems to be about managing the two modes back and forth to bounce just about all bullets off you. And if you don't do this, you'll encounter patterns that aren't dodgeable or close to undodgeable? No thanks. At least not at this early point in my shmuping. Maybe one day later I'll want something this different? So I guess I'll still keep the game... too bad, as I really love isometric videogame graphics.

[1up]

ALSO: We wouldn't mind any feedback or critique on the show, as far as what you like, don't like, want to see, etc. Any feedback is appreciated if you have it. Looking to make STGW 2014 a bit more solid.

What I think has been the most entertaining so far is Gus and the Gradius live play. Live play is very exciting/entertaining with the live commentary

[mice]

Just bought Akai Katana after seeing the show...although I hate Cave games. So, great episode, I guess.

EDIT: Start DL 11.45, still going...
EDIT2: Why isn't the edit time seen? Anyway, it's been DLing for 2 hours and is at 73%.

[Aquas]

ALSO: We wouldn't mind any feedback or critique on the show, as far as what you like, don't like, want to see, etc. Any feedback is appreciated if you have it. Looking to make STGW 2014 a bit more solid.

What I think has been the most entertaining so far is Gus and the Gradius live play. Live play is very exciting/entertaining with the live commentary

It's also not EASY! And potentially embarressing If only I could comment on someone else's play besides my own without delay. There might be a way.

[z0mbie90]

Super Star Soldier, Soldier Blade and Blade Buster. Even if Blade Buster is a homebrew it's awesome and have the real caravan feel as the old Soldier series

[BareKnuckleRoo]

Last show I watched (Progear, missed Akai Katana), the volume of the game seemed too low? Is it just me or is the volume too low?

The volume needs to be low/off in order for everything they're saying to be audible, but it also makes it less enjoyable to watch if you're in it for the run itself. it's why I prefer detailed text commentary

Anywho, not gonna watch the rest of this vid. This game kinda upsets me at the momment. It just seems to be about managing the two modes back and forth to bounce just about all bullets off you. And if you don't do this, you'll encounter patterns that aren't dodgeable or close to undodgeable?

You can actually beat the game without ever touching the ninja mode, there's nothing in the game that's truly undodgeable (there's some very silly patterns, but you've got enough bombs that you can generally save up and power through 'em if need be). There's an achievement for beating the game without ever going into phantom mode if I recall (but you have to do it in one of the non-novice modes).