Raiden Fighters Aces love?

[Aleksei]

Holy Guac-a- molly, I just bought Raiden Fighters Aces and golly, what a game(s). Three awesome and intense games and with a killer soundtrack, bass galore with very ravey riffs, it is like a new and exotic flavor. Why isn't there more discussion about this compilation? Is there something wrong with it? I'm pretty late on getting on the Raiden train so I missed the love, and recent searches reveal certain sentimental aerial foxes hate the music. Perhaps a poll to figure a yea or nai on the xbox 360 release, or just show some love below.

[Squire Grooktook]

I've seen a lot of people recommend it. A lot have even put it in their top 3 xbox 360 shmup purchases iirc.

[stryc9]

Raiden Fighters Aces is awesome. Not only are the games themselves some of the best STGs ever, the actual port is really good with some handy screen options, scanline support, various filters etc.

A must have for the 360 IMO

[BPzeBanshee]

YES

It's perfect in every way except JP version costs heaps due to low print run and US version is starting to spike up. Also, "curse of the RFA PAL distribution license".

Worth every dollar. Fuck the people who say it's too expensive.

[mice]

Also, "curse of the RFA PAL distribution license"

What's that?

[BPzeBanshee]

Also, "curse of the RFA PAL distribution license"

What's that?

It's the curse that every publisher gets when they get the distribution rights for RFA in the PAL region - they get it, they try to release it and they go insolvent or something happens to render the company dead. Feel free to read the Raiden Fighters Aces possible PAL release thread, just please don't post in it. Let the dead lie.

[Krooze L-Roy]

Sad to see the price has risen, as this was my go-to game recommendation. It was only 12 bucks on Amazon not so long ago.

[BIL]

Feel free to read the Raiden Fighters Aces possible PAL release thread, just please don't post in it. Let the dead lie.

Yup. ;-;



JUST LET IT GO, FOLKS (GET IMPORTING, CITIZENS OF EUROPSHIRE)

[BulletMagnet]

Why isn't there more discussion about this compilation? Is there something wrong with it?

Not at all, it's a great compilation, and definitely comes recommended (especially if you can pick up the cheaper US release, though the JP one has a superplay DVD included IIRC), but it has been out for awhile now (and the games it includes were all out in the arcades some years before that) so it's not too surprising that discussion has petered out somewhat. Doesn't make the collection any less worth snagging if you can, of course.

[klausien]

RFA is one of the best games on the 360. Everything said thus far about the ports is right on the money. Before I bought RFA, I had only played the first Raiden Fighters. It was the shmup available in the campus arcade when I was in college back in the late '90s. It was also only $.25, so I played it almost every time I walked by. The music is period appropriate.

OT, I prefer the techno music from that period over what we have with the new EDM craze today. The futuristic racing games from the time, like the Wipeout and Extreme G series, also had great techno. Of course, I could also never forget the sublime Rez, as well as its recent semi-sequel, Child of Eden. Some find it melodramatic or cheesy, but the progressive trance of the late '90s is far more musical than today's dubstep sounds. I recommend any of BTs first three records, or especially Sasha's Ibiza Global Underground sets to get a taste. Or just play Wipeout 3. You almost have to take drugs to stand the new sound, though it is also quite clear that I am getting old. The difference between my attitude and that of my parents is that I don't resent the fun one iota. I just know those days are behind me. Anyway, sorry so indulgent and OT!

Raiden Fighters isn't the best shmup ever, but it clearly triggers my nostalgia circuits as good or better than any other.

[Pretas]

I have yet to see a better handled home port of any arcade game, ever. Gulti should have taken on more porting projects.

[Cuilan]

It's the best version of RFJ with two extra games included as a nice bonus.

Also, I'm glad I picked up the JP version on release, instead of waiting like I so often do.

[amdiggywhut]

Absolutely love the RFA games. Truly appreciative of the scanline options. One of my most played 360 games. Can't stand the soundtrack though.

[colour_thief]

I love the games, but you can't call it perfect with the way they handled the framerate. Motion doesn't look smooth.

[Pretas]

I love the games, but you can't call it perfect with the way they handled the framerate. Motion doesn't look smooth.

Looks fine to me. What display and video connection are you using?

[HydrogLox]

recent searches reveal certain sentimental aerial foxes hate the music.

I think there is a good dose of resentment in there because RF/2/J insinuate themselves through their respective names as "Raiden" games. Simply including the Raiden mk-II(β) craft doesn't make them "Raiden" games - just like the Judge Spear/Blue Javelin craft don't make them Viper Phase 1 games.

But even as the Gun Dogs collection it would still be one of the best excuses to buy an Xbox 360 for.

[Furry Fox Jet Pilot]

I'm pretty late on getting on the Raiden train so I missed the love, and recent searches reveal certain sentimental aerial foxes hate the music.

Whoa, slow down there! I only hate RF Jet's music, it's just so out of tune, which is probably because of the fact that Yasuhiro Hashimoto composed it instead of Go Sato. I think Raiden Fighters 2's soundtrack is the best, now that is a set of tunes that gets my pulse racing!

[MrOldSchoolCool]

Trust me, every time I see it mentioned here it is getting a ton of praise.

Also, Raiden Fighters Jet has secured a bunch of placements in the top 10 of this site's annual top 25 list. I think Batsugun is the only other non-Cave or Raizing game to do this.

[colour_thief]

I love the games, but you can't call it perfect with the way they handled the framerate. Motion doesn't look smooth.

Looks fine to me. What display and video connection are you using?

The original arcade PCB was 54 fps and the port only outputs 59.94 fps. Your options are:

1. Speed up the same game engine by ~6 fps. Motion is smooth but everything is harder to dodge... This is sort of like playing a Cave game without slowdown, except it's always missing.

2. Duplicate every ~9th frame. (54/9) * 10 = 60. But this means the action pauses for 1 frame every 9 frames. It's jittery, the scrolling backgrounds and bullets don't move evenly.

3. Blend every ~9th frame. This still has all the problems of 2. basically.

The only way to get truly faithful motion is to output an integer multiple of 54 fps. I'm not sure if this is possible on X360 but not getting 54 fps is a bigger deal to me than scanlines.

[MrOldSchoolCool]

Comparatively, I feel the Fighters series has better pacing than the older classic Raiden games. The older Raiden games can feel like you're just dragging along for a while and then all of a sudden it's a shit storm. They seem to require more memorization than most games too.

And fox, you don't need to say anything because I already know what you're going to say. I understand.

[Ed Oscuro]

The original arcade PCB was 54 fps and the port only outputs 59.94 fps. Your options are:

I was waiting for this post, but you've left me in suspense about the informative bit: Which method does the port use? 2, I assume?

(Obviously I haven't plugged mine in yet despite having it since last year, d'oh!)

Personally I would favor method #1, even if the games already have quite fast bullets.

[BIL]

Those literally are your options, as provided by RFA's options menu. ^_~

you don't need to say anything because I already know what you're going to say.

INVADE YOUR MIND

[Ed Oscuro]

So basically, colour_thief is only going to be happy with a RF port in the days when we either have G-SYNC allowing variable framerates from consoles and displays (yay!) or when both consoles and displays have a common multiple of 54/60 fps (and the least common multiple for these numbers is 540).

BIG TYMERS use cabs or PVMs and the original game boards. They're getting more expensive all the time, so if you haven't gotten your RF games in every region you want, now's the time ;D

[Aleksei]

Great stuff guys, Invade your mind indeed.

[colour_thief]

So basically, colour_thief is only going to be happy with a RF port in the days when we either have G-SYNC allowing variable framerates from consoles and displays (yay!) or when both consoles and displays have a common multiple of 54/60 fps (and the least common multiple for these numbers is 540).

Whoa there. No need for G-sync (RF framerate is constant not variable!) or future 540 fps technology. I played Aces on a monitor that would have happily displayed 54 fps if only that was the output signal. If I play MAME on this same monitor, I can even make this happen. I don't think it's unfair to point out it would be nice if the port would allow the same. Not sure if it's a limitation of the X360 console or a coding oversight, but I think it's fair to acknowledge this flaw.

Also as much as I would appreciate a proper framerate, I'm totally not a snob about it. Judgement Silversword runs at 75.47 fps on a Wonderswan, and the port is frame blended 59.94 fps. And I've played the ever living shit out of the port.

So yeah, I'm not trying to make a big deal out of it. I'm just saying that maybe on a forum where people go full Recap over scanlines, maybe framerate should be discussed as it actually affects gameplay.

[trap15]

It's something that the X360 can't do.

[Tarma]

Superb pack of the Raiden Fighters games, with some great options for the visuals. I can lose a lot of time to RFA if I'm not careful, and as others have said, it is a must-have for any self respecting shmuper with a 360... in fact as I live in PAL-Land, RFA was one of the games I purchased with my NTSC/J 360 - happy days and money well spent

[Jeneki]

RFA ends up in my 360 more often than any other game. It's definitely a total package shmup: Toss it in for newbies who just want to shoot and bomb, and they have a great time. Toss it in for experienced players who fill the screen with 100k medals and AT ONCE QUICK KILL MICLUS FAIRY everywhere, and they have a great time. Such a good game for any crowd.

[lilmanjs]

Great port as said, though at least in the US port(not sure if leaderboards are same for US and Japan) nobody cares to play as dark sword in RF2. Is that a crap ship and I'm just missing that fact?

[To Far Away Times]

Raiden Fighters Jet is totally legit. Pretty sure the other Raiden Fighters games are good too.