-

[blufang]

I guess I'll also write this here.

So, like I said in the "I DID IT" thread, I'm double playing the game (I really love saying that )

I'm playing on easy mode for now, trying to chain more and more, so far I have:

Chapter 1 - S++ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7KNkLOxWzI
Chapter 2 - S https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzUGg7KbaIA
Chapter 3 - B https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcgzR9VEawc
Chapter 4 - B https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqOMpNSIpyU
Chapter 5 - S++ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIm4pB_13FM

I'm now trying to get S rank on those two ******* levels, they already gave me nightmares in singleplayer, I'll burn the rest of my soul again on them...

You are a god!!! I just watched the first level, but that's crazy. That's on an Xbox controller right? Using one thumbstick for white ship, and one for the black ship? I'm playing on a fightstick, so I guess I can't really do double play, but it looks like a ton of fun.

[Neptas]

I guess I'll also write this here.

So, like I said in the "I DID IT" thread, I'm double playing the game (I really love saying that )

I'm playing on easy mode for now, trying to chain more and more, so far I have:

Chapter 1 - S++ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7KNkLOxWzI
Chapter 2 - S https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzUGg7KbaIA
Chapter 3 - B https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcgzR9VEawc
Chapter 4 - B https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqOMpNSIpyU
Chapter 5 - S++ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIm4pB_13FM

I'm now trying to get S rank on those two ******* levels, they already gave me nightmares in singleplayer, I'll burn the rest of my soul again on them...

You are a god!!! I just watched the first level, but that's crazy. That's on an Xbox controller right? Using one thumbstick for white ship, and one for the black ship? I'm playing on a fightstick, so I guess I can't really do double play, but it looks like a ton of fun.

Lol, yeah I'm using X360 controller, like you said, one joystick for each ship; and I must admit I'm having a lot of fun doing that.
Chapter 3 and 4 on those links are already outdated, I made the A rank yesterday (A+ for Chapter 4 actually), and just now I did S++ on chapter 2 (but I'll re-do it again, I died at the boss ).

I think it is possible to Double Play with the keyboard, but I'm sure it won't be as easy as the controller. (I don't even know the keybinding, never tried).

[Tigershark]

Liking this game again now. I've got over the tearing because the game's just so damn good.

[Keade]

I think it is possible to Double Play with the keyboard

Please note that the ease of doing can be very hardware (and mapping) dependent, because most keyboards do not handle 3-keys simultaneous keystrokes well (just try mashing your keyboard, most keypresses won't actually be registered)
More information available on this topic from Stackexchange.

[Neptas]

I think it is possible to Double Play with the keyboard

Please note that the ease of doing can be very hardware (and mapping) dependent, because most keyboards do not handle 3-keys simultaneous keystrokes well (just try mashing your keyboard, most keypresses won't actually be registered)
More information available on this topic from Stackexchange.

I completely forgot about ghosting . Well, I guess the only solution left is to use keyboard for one ship and mouse for the other (LOL). Buying a controller seems easier

[ratikal]

BLOG POST INCOMING

I'm really having a blast with this game. It may be extremely memo heavy, but it's like a elegant dance that once done correctly, looks stunning and beautiful.

Right now I'm gunning for A ranks across all stages in Normal (except 5 since that is the easiest to S). Only 3 and 4 remain! I really like the intro to stage 3, but my laser management needs work. Stage 4 is still tricky dicky though, but probably one of the best twitchy stages.

[Neptas]

I don't want to play this game anymore

(S++ was at 6M... )

[Cagar]

BLOG POST INCOMING

I'm really having a blast with this game. It may be extremely memo heavy, but it's like a elegant dance that once done correctly, looks stunning and beautiful.

Right now I'm gunning for A ranks across all stages in Normal (except 5 since that is the easiest to S). Only 3 and 4 remain! I really like the intro to stage 3, but my laser management needs work. Stage 4 is still tricky dicky though, but probably one of the best twitchy stages.

Yeah same here.

I don't think the game as a "shmup", but it sure as hell is fun. Even after memorizing things, you'll still have hard time pulling some of the stuff off, and it feels very fun to finally take a step forward at some point and pull off a new scoring technique. It's like very "stairs" progression, if that makes sense

Also I suck, I only have A-rank at stage 1, though i think i know what i should be doing in stage 2 but just keep messing up

[Neptas]

Also I suck, I only have A-rank at stage 1, though i think i know what i should be doing in stage 2 but just keep messing up

We all started somewhere you know, and even now, with quite a lot of practice, I have to restart levels again and again (yeah I know, it's not really comforting, sorry xD)

Don't you love dying on the very first bullet of the level?

So now, I have something I'm really really REALLY proud of. I actually managed to get S++ rank on Chapter 2 and 4 on Double Play. This just got far beyond my expectations. Even if the chains are not properly done sometimes (specialy in Chapter 4, I missed quite a lot actually, but who cares, this level is hell).

Chapter 2 S++
Chapter 4 S++

I'm kinda affraid to do chapter 3, I hate this level. But it would be a shame to stop here, now that only one level remains. S++ Double Play on all levels would be badass.

[Cagar]

It's weird really, I feel like Ikaruga is whole another genre as zero of my skills from other shmups transfer to it.
Also, the way how ikaruga handles diagonal movement is not my favorite, but I guess the game needs it at some points

[mastermx]

It's weird really, I feel like Ikaruga is whole another genre as zero of my skills from other shmups transfer to it.

This has been my experience too. I keep getting my butt kicked, because most other shmups I've played concentrate in bullet dodging. This game is all about polarity switching. Sometimes things get a little too confusing.

[Cagar]

Though isn't getting S++ rank (or the other ranks too) with double-play actually easier than with singleplay, because your boss bonus is doubled? (which is huge)

[Chaos Phoenixma]

doubled boss bonus is nice, but you still need to be able to do the chains, control 2 ships without dying since that also breaks the chain, and not game overing on either ship.

Considering how difficult it is to control 2 ships at once, they're both hard in their own ways.

[EmperorIng]

I've noticed some things on my end. Primarily for stage 1.

There seems to be an ever-present slowdown throughout the stage. There is the glitch of enemies disappearing in the clouds on stage 1, that can sometimes lead to death - or worse! break your chain. The end of stage one sometimes seems to glitch out of the music track, with there being awkward silence while the two multi-turret battleships do their dance.

I don't notice as many hiccups in st2 and 3, aside from more slowdown. I don't know if it's my laptop or my settings.

[Cagar]

I've noticed some things on my end. Primarily for stage 1.

There seems to be an ever-present slowdown throughout the stage. There is the glitch of enemies disappearing in the clouds on stage 1, that can sometimes lead to death - or worse! break your chain. The end of stage one sometimes seems to glitch out of the music track, with there being awkward silence while the two multi-turret battleships do their dance.

I don't notice as many hiccups in st2 and 3, aside from more slowdown. I don't know if it's my laptop or my settings.

I'd say that your laptop is not powerful enough and that's it

[Neptas]

I've noticed some things on my end. Primarily for stage 1.

There seems to be an ever-present slowdown throughout the stage. There is the glitch of enemies disappearing in the clouds on stage 1, that can sometimes lead to death - or worse! break your chain. The end of stage one sometimes seems to glitch out of the music track, with there being awkward silence while the two multi-turret battleships do their dance.

I don't notice as many hiccups in st2 and 3, aside from more slowdown. I don't know if it's my laptop or my settings.

I'd say that your laptop is not powerful enough and that's it

For the bug with the enemies, I have also it, it's annoying but do-able once you have it in mind.

If you feel like a slowdown, it is more than probably your laptop not powerful enough.

Though isn't getting S++ rank (or the other ranks too) with double-play actually easier than with singleplay, because your boss bonus is doubled? (which is huge)

doubled boss bonus is nice, but you still need to be able to do the chains, control 2 ships without dying since that also breaks the chain, and not game overing on either ship.

Considering how difficult it is to control 2 ships at once, they're both hard in their own ways.

Well, for me, it was indeed easier, since you have less chain to do. I can manage to get S on those levels as singleplayer, but never approached S++ (I never really tried at the same time though), but in any way, you have to keep your chains for at least one ship almost all the way long if you want S in Double Play.

For now, I'm stuck for the Chapter 3, my perfect score is around 4.5M. I heard the bonus balls at the end was different on the XBLA / PC version than in the true arcade game. True? If so, any idea how to get this part correctly with 2 ships?

[EmperorIng]

I've noticed some things on my end. Primarily for stage 1.

There seems to be an ever-present slowdown throughout the stage. There is the glitch of enemies disappearing in the clouds on stage 1, that can sometimes lead to death - or worse! break your chain. The end of stage one sometimes seems to glitch out of the music track, with there being awkward silence while the two multi-turret battleships do their dance.

I don't notice as many hiccups in st2 and 3, aside from more slowdown. I don't know if it's my laptop or my settings.

I'd say that your laptop is not powerful enough and that's it

It seems to run Under Defeat on nullDC pretty well.

Are there optimal settings for the game in the options menu?

[Neptas]

It seems to run Under Defeat on nullDC pretty well.

Are there optimal settings for the game in the options menu?

There is a "Show FPS" in the Advanced settings from the last update, it should help a bit. If you don't have 60 FPS, then the game will be slower than usual. Maybe you can try to lower the resolution (you will have to play in Windowed mode then :l)

I can't see many more options, except upgrading the computer or playing the DC version with nullDC

[ciox]

Finally got the S in stage 1, like they said it's at 3mil, if you hear the extend sound you got it.


Stage 3 is pretty nasty still but I'm getting the hang of it, 43 chain or thereabouts last time, what I like is that even with all the mayhem you can still sort of take it slow and keep your chain, like in that part where you get pushed by the wall beams you don't have to immediately try to shoot all the black and white balls and wreck your chain, you can just take 3 or 6 from each group and be safe, sadly later into the tunnels you have to shoot otherwise enemies will crash into you, so memo seems required to keep the chain.

[mastermx]

OK, so I finally got to stage 4 on one cred, which was hard. but what the hell. Stage 4 is INSANE. You have to spend hours grinding this stage if you want to get through it. I've started to see life in black and white all thanks to this game. It's hard, but not in your typical shmup hard(dodging), it's hard in the sense of: Solve this puzzle throws rubiks cube at your nuts hard(polarity).

[Neptas]

FINALLY GOT S++ on CHAPTER 3!

Sorry 'bout that, I'm just very very happy cause it's finally over. I was at the edge on this chapter, it drove me a bit crazy, I had to spent like 25 hours in 3 days, but I did it.

And this was the last level of my double play challenge, I have every level on easy with S++ rank. I'll do a break, then I'll start doing the famous 2CC.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaCPeWR36xM

I'm so proud of that, I know the level is still far from being perfect, but... wow

Good luck to everyone learning to chain chapter 3, don't give up, it's hard, it's really hard, but it worth it

[Cagar]

This chapter 2 boxes have weird hitboxes... you can basically go between them without getting hit, as you can see in that picture. (You can barely see the polarity aura; i'm under those boxes)
and this applies to those red boxes too, so there's basically a safespot for the entire box section

Does this mean that chapter 2 is possible to beat without destroying anything, too?

[Chaos Phoenixma]

That's how you have to do that part in a Dot Eater run. People have 1cc'd the game in Dot Eater(Pacifist) challenge. No Extends on Dot Eater either, so for a Dot Eater 1cc, they only get 2 mistakes max. In fact, the 360 version had a leaderboard specifically for these runs, but I don't think the PC one does.

On the 360, I could only handle the first 2 stages like that and the other 3 wrecked me. But then that was true for any other type of run.

[EmperorIng]

It seems to run Under Defeat on nullDC pretty well.

Are there optimal settings for the game in the options menu?

There is a "Show FPS" in the Advanced settings from the last update, it should help a bit. If you don't have 60 FPS, then the game will be slower than usual. Maybe you can try to lower the resolution (you will have to play in Windowed mode then :l)

I can't see many more options, except upgrading the computer or playing the DC version with nullDC

It's silly. NullDC runs Ikaruga fine (some audio stuttering aside), but the steam port chugs along at ~45 fps. DC is formula 1 racing by comparison. The music gets ahead of the game and I have 45-50 seconds of awkward silence as I blast away at the battleships at the end of stage 1. I doubt the HD touch-up (dont see any difference) can take up that much ram/vram/whatever.

Lol, at this point I'm just about better off playing a burned disc on my real DC. While I like the convenience, I can't help but feel this port is a sloppy effort by Treasure.

[mastermx]

NullDC runs Ikaruga fine (some audio stuttering aside), but the steam port chugs along at ~45 fps.

I get a steady 60fps on the steam port. It runs really well for me, better than any emulator I've used in the past. Perhaps it's time you upgrade your pc. They give a minimum system requirement to run the game for a reason. If you don't meet the specs they set out, the fps you are getting is not surprising.

[trap15]

If an emulator runs the game fine and the port doesn't, I hardly think his computer is underspec'd

[neorocker]

If a game this old has "minimum requirement" specs higher than those used to emulate the game perfectly there's clearly something wrong with the port (although this seems to have been established)

[Neptas]

Don't forget a DC is not that powerful:

CPU: 200Mhz
GPU: 100Mhz (7 milions polygons)
Memory: 16MB of RAM, 8MB for video, 2MB for audio

Even if an emulator does require a lot more than the DC, comparing that to:

[Steam port]
Processor: Intel Core2 Duo (Athron64 X2) ~= 2.0 Ghz with at least 2 cores
Memory: 1 GB RAM
Graphics: DirectX 9.0c support (256 MB VRAM)

As you can see, very large gap between the two. I'm not surprised the emulator runs perfectly well, and not the Steam port; and even if nullDC of course needs a lot more than the original DC (cause it is an emulator, and PC/DC are different systems, blablabla...).

Another thing, for most developpers, "Mininum" requirement DOES NOT MEAN the player will have good game experience (a.k.a. bad FPS, bad graphics, etc.). If you have just just just what the game needs, I don't think you'll get 60FPS in the game. Minimum just means the game will start and be somewho playable.

[trap15]

An emulator requires at least somewhere in the ballpark of 10x the specs of the target machine. For 2D systems. For 3D systems it's far far greater, especially one as complex as the Dreamcast. And past that, the CPU on the DC is far more efficient, so the MHz are worth more than the same on a PC.

Bottom line: If your game runs better emulated rather than native, you're probably doing something terribly wrong.

[EmperorIng]

Well, this is why I'm asking what type of settings people are using to run the game (resolution, windowed or not, etc.). My laptop is only ~3 years old, so I am doubtful it doesn't have enough juice to handle Ikaruga's wobbling popcorn enemies and bicycle-wheels-of-death.