Shmup Ticker: What are you playing RIGHT NOW?

[BIL]

The best part about the middle core method is that, even if you're not pixel-perfect (which will completely decimate the boss's firepower), trapping just a few orbs will still make things dramatically easier and give you a chance to improv-dodge while killing the other two cores.

I never use the lower-right timeout method now, partly because it's so easy to die setting it up, but mostly because it's quicker and more satisfying to outright kill the thing.

[ReSe2k]

Mushimesama Original - Had a great run yesterday that sadly ended right after the stage 5 Mid-Boss. Ireally need to practice stage 3 Boss more. But i can already smell my first 1cc

Under Defeat HD Arcade - No missed the first two stages for the first time while scoring heavy but got killed fast in the third stage.

[parts]

Ddp2 bee storm on pgm hardware in nac. This cave shmup is like crack, volume turned up. Gotta get through stage 3 on 1cc....

[trap15]

Bee Storm isn't by CAVE

[blackoak]

Dragon Blaze for me. Such a fun game, and I'm a hair away from the clear. I switched back to Ian... since his bomb gives total protection on the vertical axis, its pretty good for finishing bosses (once you're familiar with their movement). I like the quickness of his dragon shot and the ability to macro dodge certain patterns.

I'm really enjoying this though... its encouraging me to try more of Psikyo's games. And as someone playing on a pcb, I really like their "continue checkpoint" system. The only tricky thing is that starting a stage with 0 power and at low rank isn't really representative of a successful run.

[RNGmaster]

The only tricky thing is that starting a stage with 0 power and at low rank isn't really representative of a successful run.

It's not supposed to be, it's a game that exists solely to kick you in the balls unless you do shit right. Which is why I love it, of course.

[zeroroute]

raystorm

[Master O]

Gradius is the domestic abuser of the shmup world. One tiny mistake and the game beats you, takes away all of your things and make you do everything all over again without the nessecary equiment. But its so loving sometimes... such a tender and beautiful game, I can't bring myself to leave it. No one's perfect, and love can see past his flaws...

Oh! Gradius hi... I-I was just talking to my friends online... What? No we weren't talking about Thunderforce! No please! Those Moai will kill me without my options!!! (TT_TT)

So, if Gradius is the Domestic Abuser, what's Parodius?

[BareKnuckleRoo]

Parodius would be a serial rapist pedophile you hear about on the news who drives an ice cream truck offering kids treats laced with tranquilizers.

It's all fun and games until you realize the rank is truly out to fuck you.

[Master O]

Parodius would be a serial rapist pedophile you hear about on the news who drives an ice cream truck offering kids treats laced with tranquilizers.

It's all fun and games until you realize the rank is truly out to fuck you.

And Darius?

[trap15]

[Master O]

Parodius would be a serial rapist pedophile you hear about on the news who drives an ice cream truck offering kids treats laced with tranquilizers.

It's all fun and games until you realize the rank is truly out to fuck you.

And Darius?

And R-Type? (let's keep the gag going.)

[drunkninja24]

Car broke down, couldn't make it into work, so I've spent this evening playing DOJ Black Label on my 360 and finally got a 1CC

Maybe this should happen more often.

[blackoak]

It's not supposed to be, it's a game that exists solely to kick you in the balls unless you do shit right. Which is why I love it, of course.

Haha, yeah. I stopped continuing on those levels once I learned my "general" strategy, since it became counterproductive to constantly face 1-6 and 1-7 at low rank. But I actually really like that pacing. The checkpoint system forces you to memorize in broad strokes, but doesn't trivialize the challenge when you get there on a single good credit.

I cleared it with Ian tonight, great game. I especially like the stages, the scoring, and the dragon shot... so many ways to use it: aggressive attack, collecting medals in harms way, or as a well-timed "sweep" shot on recall. I have a feeling the strategy, even for survival, would be pretty different with another character. With Ian I had to balance use of the dragon shot with the need to be mounted for the homing daggers (especially helpful with the swarms in 1-6 and 1-7).

My only wish with this game is that the boss attacks weren't so fast and Psikyo-y, especially the later bosses. My sight dodging skills and intuition have come a long way, but at anything beyond low rank it was just "bomb and dragon shot." I know I could memorize tap routes but thats the kind of thing I can only stomach with mame and savestates.

[spadgy]

Juggling Mad Shark and Twin Eagle, the latter being the star of the weekend's shmupmeet at my flat. Twin Eagle bloody rules!

[null1024]

Mushihimesama Futari Black Label [Arcade].

Had a credit at this. Was doing rather well, although I had two very avoidable deaths [had enough room and knowledge of what would hit me to escape]. Nothing feels as bad as always dying with bombs.

...wish I had a J360 so I could play this at home...

[blackoak]

Decided to hook Esprade back up and see if I couldn't clear it. As usual, I get to Garra with 2 or 3 lives in stock, but the combination of the hiccuping lag and the unintuitive hit box spelled a quick end. I've never seen anyone else mention this infuriating "lag", but I've experienced it on MAME and the pcb... it completely fucks with my dodging. And yet many have cleared Esprade? Its not even supposed to be that hard... aghh. I may sell this pcb soon, the frustration is just too high. If I refine the earlier stages, maybe I can get to her with 4 or 5 lives and have a chance by bombspamming... not sure if I want to though.

[chum]

I've never seen anyone else mention this infuriating "lag", but I've experienced it on MAME and the pcb... it completely fucks with my dodging.

I had the same problem, if it wasn't for the lag it would be a great game. I don't even find the hitbox troublesome at all.

Imagine the final boss with a smooth framerate. It would be so glorious...

[trap15]

If you turn on cheats, you can overclock the CPU in the Sliders menu. Just turn it up to 200% and feel the lack of slowdown

[jepjepjep]

Do you play with A+B full auto? I find the lag to be a little smoother with it on. With it off, the lag is heavy when the B bullet spurts come out so it can be really jerky.

[blackoak]

Thanks for the advice guys. I'll have to try that 200% trick out at my next MAME session (my astro city is shared between a mame comp, an x360, and dreamcast setup...SDOJ atm). That would kill the helpful slowdown in other parts of the game though, right? Hmm...

I think A+B full auto is on, but I'll check that too.

@chum, haha. While looking up "dragon blaze 1cc" I found your clear list on rateyourmusic. We're on a pretty similar path it seems, though you have more Psikyo clears than me.

[chum]

90% of my playing time is Touhou, so it can't be that similar

[BareKnuckleRoo]

ESP.Ra.De, made it to Ms. Gaara too, woo. Most of my deaths were to stupid stuff when I had bomb gauge remaining, so I actually think a clear is in sight. Alice section was a bit of a mess, but Artemis head went amazingly well (I died once, realized I'd gotten the second extend, and managed to get to Ms. Gaara's first form). It really is a lot easier when you're bombing aggressively. It was a shitscore run, I don't play with the rapid fire option which just seems to make bubble shots come out in spurts when you're using the main shot, more useful off because you get full bubble sprays which can be curved easier in stages and do more damage for bosses. I just held down the bubble shot most of the time.

Holy shit it's hard though, Ms. Gaara's second last form with the giant pink balls of doom is a major fuck you imma kill you.

[MadSteelDarkness]

Dangun Feveron.

FEVER!

[Gespenst]

http://shimage.net/anvader/

A decent time waster indeed.


And this (can't seem to find the author's homepage though, but he provided the download link in the description).
http://www.nicovideo.jp/mylist/36405458

[Kiken]

Under Defeat HD Arcade Mode

Back to the top spot on the Japanese 360 leaderboards. Just barely missed the 2 All... no missed up to 2-5 and then made some crucial mistakes... had to dodge one last pattern of backfire from the boss' final form (he was one rocket away from death) and misjudged. I'll get it next time.

By the way... someone lend me a PS3 so I can put a 6 million + score on the US Arcade Mode scoreboards.

[Zaarock]

Strania [XBLA]

Someone from the forum asked me to try and help him 1cc expert in co-op, so I've been playing it a bit.
co-op is a lot of fun because of the weapon system and the netcode is pretty much the best there is for a shmup as there is no input lag added for either side, it checks if there are any conflicts players like GGPO or such.

So yeah if anyone else wants to try co-op hit me up If someone from scandinavia wants to try expert on Side Vower that'd be great, I've always wanted to co-op through vower but it desyncs with high pings.

[blackoak]

Finally got that Esprade 1CC, phew. Turning on full-auto did help smooth out the lag, making it more regular and predictable somehow. I still find the hitbox mysterious, and its one of the few games where I often find myself going "wtf?!" when I die. The hitchy lag no doubt contributed to that too. I had to be very conservative with my dodges and bomb in places where I would otherwise feel comfortable squeezing through. If this were ever ported, a modern hitbox option would really help.

[KAI]

Ibara for survival.
I just want to clear the game to say "I've cleared the 3 Ibaras yo, I'm suppa ozom"
The rank control is being a bitch though.

[Crazy Climber]

Gradius Gaiden (PSX) and I really need to practice, lol