Touhou 12 announced.

SockPuppetHyren · Post by **SockPuppetHyren** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 12:54 pm

Torrent file downloads

Mediafire: http://www.mediafire.com/?b9ezhz0zywh
Megaupload: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=WMRC4OAS

Hopefully I'm not breaking any rules with this, as it is a demo. If I am, I'll take them down.

Momijitsuki · Post by **Momijitsuki** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 12:56 pm

Thank you <3

Observer · Post by **Observer** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 1:56 pm

SockPuppetHyren wrote:Torrent file downloads

Mediafire: http://www.mediafire.com/?b9ezhz0zywh
Megaupload: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=WMRC4OAS

Hopefully I'm not breaking any rules with this, as it is a demo. If I am, I'll take them down.

The demo will be offered at ZUN site sooner or later, along with some updates (well, usually) so I guess there shouldn't be any problems. And it's a demo indeed.

After all, I'll be buying this when it's released. Looks damn fun compared to the SA and MoF. I mean, at least you have to move across the screen chasing the UFOs and the barrages look less claustrophobic than usual.

moozooh · Post by **moozooh** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 2:09 pm

So, it seems the core of the scoring system is to get the blue (multicolored, if blue is not available) UFOs to appear when there's a lot of floating items on the screen, let them snatch as many items as possible (the gauge around them will fill then) and destroy them at the last second. That way the point items' worth is increased rapidly, and all the collected items aftomatically float to you to be collected at full point worth.

The initial rumor of this having a low-scoring system are about to be proven false. We'll likely see scores closer to that of SA on lower difficulties and PCB on higher. I can do ~120 million on Normal without exhausing my scoring opportunities.

moozooh · Post by **moozooh** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 4:00 pm

Breakdown of characters.

Reimu: relatively slow this time. Not very useful as I see it.
Marisa: fast and strong. Use the A-version.
Sanae: about the same speed as Marisa, with shots that cover a large part of the screen without having to be underneath the aforementioned part. The only problem is the hitbox that appears off-centered if you look at the sprite, so look only at the shot when unfocused.

Reimu-A
Middle ground between Reimu-B in PCB and MoF. Very strong, has very strong and long-lasting bomb which is rather awkward to use due to character slowdown.

Reimu-B
Homing amulets make their comeback. They're still pretty weak, weaker than MoF's Reimu-A from what I can tell. The bomb is that usual Fantasy Seal from EoSD and PCB.

Marisa-A
Laser Marisa. Stupidly strong this time (stronger than Reimu-A), which is good. The bomb is Master Spark, and as usual, it near-immobilizes you during the time of effect. In other words, use only at the top of the screen to be able to collect items.

Marisa-B
Similar to MoF's Reimu-C: absolute killer at point-blank, garbage at the lower part of the screen. Will probably be among favorites for high level play on Easy.

Sanae-A
Bornnam shot from Raizing games. Very useful, and pretty strong. The bomb covers the entire screen and doesn't impede mobility. Probably the best character all around.

Sanae-B
Miyamoto shot from Raizing games. Pretty strong, but needs getting used to. The bomb kills everything in sight just like that.

Observer · Post by **Observer** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 5:12 pm

So this is the Raizing approach of Touhou?

Well, I just faced the freaking cloud+fist. Finally ZUN drew something else but I absolutely loathe that face... The fist is fine. Hokuto No Ken anyone?

The first stage music is awesome this time around. And I think Marisa's hitbox is also a bit off or something? (similar to what I felt happened in SA) I keep getting owned by the lasers of the last spellcard at Stage 3.

So, the good girl is also a good choice? heh.

Momijitsuki · Post by **Momijitsuki** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 5:22 pm

Loving this so far. I like SanaeA the best right now, but I've always been very fond of homing-amulet Reimu too.

moozooh, what do the other colored UFOs do, like if you collect three red or green?

Observer · Post by **Observer** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 5:29 pm

Momijitsuki wrote:Loving this so far. I like SanaeA the best right now, but I've always been very fond of homing-amulet Reimu too.

moozooh, what do the other colored UFOs do, like if you collect three red or green?

Red: for lives.
Green: for bombs.
Blue: for "massive score bonuses".

If you pick one of each you get a bigger ship and, apparently, a random bonus?

Some UFOs have a static colour so guess those are the ones to have in mind when playing for score so you don't 'screw' the UFO score chain. I still don't get the multiplier that shows up when you cash in the UFO.

moozooh · Post by **moozooh** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 5:31 pm

Just visit Touhou wiki.

Momijitsuki · Post by **Momijitsuki** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 5:42 pm

Touhou Wiki wasn't updated when I last checked. ;P

Udderdude · Post by **Udderdude** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 8:58 pm

It's pretty fun, the stages feel a bit less formless and filler-less than previous Touhou games, but they still aren't up to par with other shmups. Something to pass the time before the boss shows up, which are still the main attraction.

ZUN's art has actually gotten better also, holy crap

I like the UFO idea. It's at least something new in a series of games which is starting to feel a little tired out.

Taylor · Post by **Taylor** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 9:32 pm

While MoF was my favourite touhou game I couldn't get on with SA; stage design and patterns didn't really stand out and the 'ships' are gimmicky and unbalanced (in my opinion, of course).

But I'm really impressed with UFO. Stages have a nice pace to them and the UFO thing means there's a lot to focus on. Nothing seems that gimmicky, the art has improved a lot, no stand-out patterns but certainly no bad ones either, and the characters seem interesting enough. How can he follow a mouse with a weathervane, youkai umbrella, and being punched by a deity?

Momijitsuki · Post by **Momijitsuki** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 10:21 pm

There have already been associations with Nazrin with Chen or Orin ala Tom and Jerry.

Kadou · Post by **Kadou** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 1:50 am

I finally got the demo to work (Wine was giving me FPS trouble), and I like what I'm playing so far. That time-based point value thing that MoF and SA had is gone now, so I feel much more relaxed than usual. The UFO concept is also pretty damn neat and useful, but those non-changing UFO pickups screw me up when all I want is Blue. >_>

On another note, Sanae-A kicks ass. This is probably the second time I won't play as Marisa in a main game.

lgb · Post by **lgb** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 2:07 am

Oh my god... it's a spiri...spiritual sequel to...Tat...Tatsu... *gulp* Tatsujin...

*faints*

Drascin · Post by **Drascin** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 7:09 am

Kadou wrote:On another note, Sanae-A kicks ass. This is probably the second time I won't play as Marisa in a main game.

But Marisa is finally useful again, which she hadn't really been since about PCB! (still beat every game with her, out of principle, but the point stands). Seriously, that laser is surprisingly strong, without the need to get rigt into the boss's face like the SuwaShot needs.

Me, I'm happy I finally get to play my lasers without everyone and their mother yelling at me to pick Reimu's needles because they're just better.

As for the game itself... I keep saying, it flows amazingly well, and the UFO thing is fun, if distracting. I'm loving it. If the last stages improve on this as much as SA's last three improved on SA's demo, I might just have a new favorite Touhou game, finally dethroning PCB.

Elixir · Post by **Elixir** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 8:55 am

Sanae B dominates this game. The UFOs are cute. I like the scoring system. Stage 3 Lunatic is bullshit. I was happy to hear about bombs not altering your power, but the lack of bombs is irritating. Overall I think it beats MoF and SA.

I like it, but some patterns on Lunatic just seem to be "ok go here" instead of actual spellcards.

Observer · Post by **Observer** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 10:47 am

This game leaves me quite confused. First, I love the UFO thing, how the barrages finally are less dense (at least in normal/hard) and actually make you move more (I freaking hate staying still for 5 mins looking how the pretty colours pass by) but when I see that the mouse loli is actually 10 times cooler than the other bosses (both in music and such), the music of stage 2 and 3 (boss themes included) is so meh, the spellcards are average at most... Argh.

I'm happy though for the stages got a bit funnier now that you gotta catch 'em all, although I know there is a strict, anal, DDP-esque way of catching the UFOs in order to systematically get bombs/lives in some obscure order only ZUN thought about.

Oh, yeah, and the manly cloud. Brofists. Hokuto No Ken. Etc.

Momijitsuki · Post by **Momijitsuki** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 2:58 pm

Elixir wrote:Sanae B dominates this game. The UFOs are cute. I like the scoring system. Stage 3 Lunatic is bullshit. I was happy to hear about bombs not altering your power, but the lack of bombs is irritating. Overall I think it beats MoF and SA.

I like it, but some patterns on Lunatic just seem to be "ok go here" instead of actual spellcards.

Bombs are easy to get, though! You just have to sacrifice a chance to get points for them.

So far, I've become rather fond of ReimuA, MarisaA, SanaeA, and SanaeB (if not just for the frog bullets on the last one there).

Also, is it just me, or are bombs waaaay overpowered this time around?

Oh yeah, and I love the Kogasa's theme.

SockPuppetHyren · Post by **SockPuppetHyren** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 5:51 pm

Finally got to a decent computer and gave the demo a go.

I'm loving it so far. SanAe is freaking aweseome, especially her SNAAAAAKE bomb. This will be the game that makes me stop picking ReimuA all the time. Getting the UFO's are pretty fun, too, though it seems a bit memory heavy, even with the cycling UFOs. This game is damn fun, and I'm looking foward to the final version [fanboy]and crossing my fingers for FYumemi v2.0 as the final boss[/fanboy]

...stage 2 boss is love...

Momijitsuki · Post by **Momijitsuki** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 6:26 pm

SockPuppetHyren wrote:Finally got to a decent computer and gave the demo a go.

I'm loving it so far. SanAe is freaking aweseome, especially her SNAAAAAKE bomb. This will be the game that makes me stop picking ReimuA all the time. Getting the UFO's are pretty fun, too, though it seems a bit memory heavy, even with the cycling UFOs. This game is damn fun, and I'm looking foward to the final version [fanboy]and crossing my fingers for FYumemi v2.0 as the final boss[/fanboy]

...stage 2 boss is love...

Who knows? Yumemi could be the final boss, and Chiyuri as the obligatory fifth boss as the final boss's assistant/servant.

And yes, the stage 2 boss is fantastic~

Kadou · Post by **Kadou** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 8:04 pm

Drascin wrote:But Marisa is finally useful again, which she hadn't really been since about PCB! (still beat every game with her, out of principle, but the point stands).

You're right, but I still play as Marisa because I can't handle moving slow. Even if it's more of an advantage to play as Reimu, I won't be able to get used to moving slower all the time. I like buzzing around way too much. >_>

On another note, it's amazing how my first use of a Rainbow UFO changed how I played the first level. I was only going for Blue UFOs before, but now it feels like I could randomly just get good scores just by switching between the two (or not >_>).

moozooh · Post by **moozooh** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 8:39 pm

There are moments in the first two levels when there are about 40-50 red items dropped within a very short time frame. In these moments it is very much recommended to have a multicolored UFO going.