(PC) Gわんげdash (GuwangeDash)

[Lance Boyle]

I think I screwed up while attempting to patch this, and several of the new ships show up as large gray boxes.

Would someone mind taking the latest version (v0.995) and uploading it somewhere? The whole thing is no more than 30~ MB.

[mjclark]

I think I screwed up while attempting to patch this, and several of the new ships show up as large gray boxes.

Would someone mind taking the latest version (v0.995) and uploading it somewhere? The whole thing is no more than 30~ MB.

[Clessx]

Is there a way to continue in this game ?

[mjclark]

Is there a way to continue in this game ?

No but hopefully in the final version there will be

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Is there any way to correct the 4:3 screen aspect ratio when the doujin shmup of GwangeDash is displayed in tate on a 16:10 widescreen PC monitor setup? Or would it be better to use a dedicated 4:3 SVGA monitor for tate purposes?

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[BPzeBanshee]

Is there any way to correct the 4:3 screen aspect ratio when the doujin shmup of GwangeDash is displayed in tate on a 16:10 widescreen PC monitor setup? Or would it be better to use a dedicated 4:3 SVGA monitor for tate purposes?

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

Have you tried all of the screen modes in the options menu? If not, I think you're screwed because it's within the program.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Is there any way to correct the 4:3 screen aspect ratio when the doujin shmup of GwangeDash is displayed in tate on a 16:10 widescreen PC monitor setup? Or would it be better to use a dedicated 4:3 SVGA monitor for tate purposes?

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

Have you tried all of the screen modes in the options menu? If not, I think you're screwed because it's within the program.

Yes, I've tried all the screen modes as you suggested. It ain't that hard to use a traditional 4:3 SVGA monitor setup to display GwangeDash properly tate'd. Thanks for your helpful suggestion, BPzeBanshee.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[BPzeBanshee]

Is there any way to correct the 4:3 screen aspect ratio when the doujin shmup of GwangeDash is displayed in tate on a 16:10 widescreen PC monitor setup? Or would it be better to use a dedicated 4:3 SVGA monitor for tate purposes?

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

Have you tried all of the screen modes in the options menu? If not, I think you're screwed because it's within the program.

Yes, I've tried all the screen modes as you suggested. It ain't that hard to use a traditional 4:3 SVGA monitor setup to display GwangeDash properly tate'd. Thanks for your helpful suggestion, BPzeBanshee.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

There may be options within your own graphics driver settings to rotate the actual screen to make it so that the resolution corrects the aspect ratio in some form or another, as well, though none of the computers I own have such nifty functions. Fortunately the one I TATE is 4:3 anyway and the one I dont I physically cant. Good luck with getting GwangeDash TATEd and looking nice anyway.

[mjclark]

v0.998 is just up on the Developer's Board for testing.
There's 16 ships now and you can play in Ikaruga and Gradius styles as well as a "special" extra version of Don-Z.
This seems to be turning into a monumental WIP and it would be great to see difficulty levels, extra credits and an analytical scoreboard which I hope will all be coming in the final version but I don't got no japanese to post on 2chan and say so

[Tyjet]

that hyper option in the new don-z is awesome . this game gets better and better every version. Still not sure what the potential for the ikaruga ship is.

[DocHauser]

Anyone else tried using Vic Viper yet? I thought I was doing pretty well, with 4 options, fully-powered-up Ripple laser and a shield. Then I realised that the shield had taken a few hits and didn't seem to be disappearing, so I deliberately started running into bullets. The shield just kept getting bigger and bigger, until it looked really blocky and pixellated and took up the entire screen...and I still didn't die!

I guess it'll be fixed in the next version.

[Observer]

heh, Vic Viper is too awesome to die!!!

By the way, I just noticed on stage 4 they put one of the Psyvariar 2 mechs as a mid-boss. This game is like the ultimate crossover I've always dreamed of.

The storyline bits during the demostration have some of the best engrish I've seen in a while.

[BPzeBanshee]

I didnt have that problem with Vic Viper, it got bigger then it just disappeared. :/

Now, the G&G Spirit&Saber, now there's an awesome ship to play. The autobombs with that and the DFK-style ship are quite LOL though considering they get three and Hibachi gets two.

Also, anyone noticed playing Death Label to the end and seeing the credits comes up with a strange glitch where your player ship (when its supposed to fly up away from the screen) turns into the Guwange ship's big logo? I can't say if it's like that with other ships but I think I tried Solvalou the other day and beat it with it doing the same thing.

[mjclark]

Anyone else tried using Vic Viper yet? I thought I was doing pretty well, with 4 options, fully-powered-up Ripple laser and a shield. Then I realised that the shield had taken a few hits and didn't seem to be disappearing, so I deliberately started running into bullets. The shield just kept getting bigger and bigger, until it looked really blocky and pixellated and took up the entire screen...and I still didn't die!

I guess it'll be fixed in the next version.

Looks like you're right! Patch to fix Vic Viper issues etc just out on Developer's Board

Now, the G&G Spirit&Saber, now there's an awesome ship to play. The autobombs with that and the DFK-style ship are quite LOL though considering they get three and Hibachi gets two.

So what are the origins of the Spirit&Saber ship and what does it's charge shot do? Can't get my head round it at all

[BPzeBanshee]

Now, the G&G Spirit&Saber, now there's an awesome ship to play. The autobombs with that and the DFK-style ship are quite LOL though considering they get three and Hibachi gets two.

So what are the origins of the Spirit&Saber ship and what does it's charge shot do? Can't get my head round it at all

I'm not really sure about the origins of the Spirit&Saber ship but I can point out that its pink colour and wings seem like a nod to Gradius Gaiden's Falchion Beta. The design also reminds me of the RVR-02 Vambrace from Thunder Force V as well as the Broken Thunder ships. Looking at the weapon design and Googling the name title came up with Dragon Spirit and Dragon Saber, with the video showing two ships using attacks that looks suspiciously similar to the G&G incarnate, which leaves me to think it came from that game predominantly.
As for its weapon design, here's what I've figured so far based only on playing it:
Stop shooting with A shot, and it charges with a blue aura. When its charged, tap A and it launches a charge shot that does a fair bit of damage (like three hits I think kills the first boss). It does have a bomb but it will autobomb something different if you get hit by anything. Hyper mode will change its main shot weapon type, aura colour and charge effect depending on how much you stock up hypers. If you autobomb I think your chain gets cancelled, not too certain about that one. B shot doesn't seem to do anything other than serve as a point-blank weapon to use against anything when charging your A shot.

Also, bug with end of Death Label and credits still showing the player ship change into the Guwange ship logo is still there.
Anyone noticed how horribly this game performs when running off a USB?

[mjclark]

I'm not really sure about the origins of the Spirit&Saber ship but I can point out that its pink colour and wings seem like a nod to Gradius Gaiden's Falchion Beta. The design also reminds me of the RVR-02 Vambrace from Thunder Force V as well as the Broken Thunder ships. Looking at the weapon design and Googling the name title came up with Dragon Spirit and Dragon Saber, with the video showing two ships using attacks that looks suspiciously similar to the G&G incarnate, which leaves me to think it came from that game predominantly.
As for its weapon design, here's what I've figured so far based only on playing it:
Stop shooting with A shot, and it charges with a blue aura. When its charged, tap A and it launches a charge shot that does a fair bit of damage (like three hits I think kills the first boss). It does have a bomb but it will autobomb something different if you get hit by anything. Hyper mode will change its main shot weapon type, aura colour and charge effect depending on how much you stock up hypers. If you autobomb I think your chain gets cancelled, not too certain about that one. B shot doesn't seem to do anything other than serve as a point-blank weapon to use against anything when charging your A shot.

Thanks-that's really helpful. The other G&G ship, ESP..., seems to be a combination of elements from GStream G2020, Esprade, R-Type Leo and Shikigami No Shiro so they're both very interesting hybrids.
This game seems to be going through some intense testing and developement on the Developer's Board now though Google Translate is my only way of understanding it. There's a new experimental patch out on the Board which modifies the behaviour of the Ikaruga ship somehow too.
Maybe someone with some japanese could post about the Death Label bug etc. on the Board, and still don't know what that "CPU PR" config option does either.
Anyway this is just getting more and more interesting

[BPzeBanshee]

I'm not really sure about the origins of the Spirit&Saber ship but I can point out that its pink colour and wings seem like a nod to Gradius Gaiden's Falchion Beta. The design also reminds me of the RVR-02 Vambrace from Thunder Force V as well as the Broken Thunder ships. Looking at the weapon design and Googling the name title came up with Dragon Spirit and Dragon Saber, with the video showing two ships using attacks that looks suspiciously similar to the G&G incarnate, which leaves me to think it came from that game predominantly.
As for its weapon design, here's what I've figured so far based only on playing it:
Stop shooting with A shot, and it charges with a blue aura. When its charged, tap A and it launches a charge shot that does a fair bit of damage (like three hits I think kills the first boss). It does have a bomb but it will autobomb something different if you get hit by anything. Hyper mode will change its main shot weapon type, aura colour and charge effect depending on how much you stock up hypers. If you autobomb I think your chain gets cancelled, not too certain about that one. B shot doesn't seem to do anything other than serve as a point-blank weapon to use against anything when charging your A shot.

Thanks-that's really helpful. The other G&G ship, ESP..., seems to be a combination of elements from GStream G2020, Esprade, R-Type Leo and Shikigami No Shiro so they're both very interesting hybrids.
This game seems to be going through some intense testing and developement on the Developer's Board now though Google Translate is my only way of understanding it. There's a new experimental patch out on the Board which modifies the behaviour of the Ikaruga ship somehow too (and mirror here: Ikaruga Test Patch)
Maybe someone with some japanese could post about the Death Label bug etc. on the Board, and still don't know what that "CPU PR" config option does either.
Anyway this is just getting more and more interesting

Yeah, ESPStream is an oddball one too. Let's not forget the R-Type (Iforgottherelease) rubber balls. Honestly I wouldnt really say it was anything like the ESPRade characters though, I just see no resemblance. Stage 4's mecha-midboss, now THAT'S straight from ESPRade's Satoru Iwata-whateverhisnamewas stage boss.
I did a check through Google Translate earlier and it seems that at least one person there is familiar with Xeno Fighters R and is taking ideas from that too. Very good to see.

EDIT: The Ikaruga ship update makes it spend a few frames turning when switching polarity just like how it did in the original game. Before it just switched colours. Nice to see that change.

[Observer]

mmm, I thought the Stage 4 mecha midboss was a Psyvariar 2 mech. The more I look it, the more I stare at the cover of Psyvariar 2 and the OST, the more they look the same...

Either way, this is the epic crossover I've always been asking for. If it weren't for the anal chaining, I would love it even more.

edit: by the way, I made a video using Hibachi (or whatever name they put him in this game) during Stage 4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5jOd_SPDqY

Ignore the awful play. The ship is incredibly hard to control but so, so rewarding to shit danmaku of all kinds upon thee. Obviously, you can forget about chaining with this ship since I couldn't seem to find a "laser" or something that could stick to a bigger enemy to keep my chain going... especially when even the bigger enemies fall in 2 seconds.

[mjclark]

Yeah, ESPStream is an oddball one too. Let's not forget the R-Type (Iforgottherelease) rubber balls. Honestly I wouldnt really say it was anything like the ESPRade characters though, I just see no resemblance. Stage 4's mecha-midboss, now THAT'S straight from ESPRade's Satoru Iwata-whateverhisnamewas stage boss.
I did a check through Google Translate earlier and it seems that at least one person there is familiar with Xeno Fighters R and is taking ideas from that too. Very good to see.

EDIT: The Ikaruga ship update makes it spend a few frames turning when switching polarity just like how it did in the original game. Before it just switched colours. Nice to see that change.

Those rubber balls are from R-Type Leo and the luminous green main shot could very well be from Espgaluda (rather than ESPRaDe).
Wonder how many other shmup references there are in here waiting to be discovered!
and

edit: by the way, I mad a video using Hibachi (or whatever name they put him in this game) during Stage 4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5jOd_SPDqY

Good to see this game getting bigged up on YouTube too

[DocHauser]

Either way, this is the epic crossover I've always been asking for. If it weren't for the anal chaining, I would love it even more.

You think? I've actually found it a lot easier to rack up long chains in this than I have in, say, DDP or Ketsui. Depends which ship I'm using, though. With the Border Down ship or the Gemini Wing ship I managed to rack up 500+ chains without really trying too hard.

[Observer]

Oh, yeah, depends of the ship indeed. I can kind of keep up decent chains with the Ketsui ship but with Hibachi it's quite harder. The Xevious ship makes it night impossible since you have to aim the crosshair to the ground and fire air separately.

Either way, I get the feeling that one shouldn't take the chain as strictly as the DDP series. It's supposed to be the ultimate, epic crossover of every renowned shooter around and a tribute to the guys that are still alive and making them.

[Tyjet]

It kinda made me giggle that the demo story ended with, "these sentences were translated with excite." it is accurate enough for me.

[BPzeBanshee]

Oh, yeah, depends of the ship indeed. I can kind of keep up decent chains with the Ketsui ship but with Hibachi it's quite harder. The Xevious ship makes it night impossible since you have to aim the crosshair to the ground and fire air separately.

Either way, I get the feeling that one shouldn't take the chain as strictly as the DDP series. It's supposed to be the ultimate, epic crossover of every renowned shooter around and a tribute to the guys that are still alive and making them.

Yeah, some of the ships actually slow the chain timer down a fair bit, and some ships just slow it down period. The Twin Cobra helicopter for example has a considerably slower timer than the Dodonpachi ships, and some ships have no way to slow down the chain through use of a particular weapon like the Tiger Schwert's lock-on lasers. Hibachi can't make additional hit counts by itself unless it physically kills off an enemy. It's quite inconsistent how each ship works in regards to the hit count and chain timer.

[DocHauser]

I'm not sure if it's inconsistent, or if it's just that some ships are more geared towards survival than chaining. I think it's quite a good balance on the whole.

I found it hard to chain with the Ikaruga ship, for example, but it seems a lot easier to survive. Who'd have thought that making half the bullets on screen absorb-able would make the game much easier? It's quite a good demonstration of how difficult Ikaruga actually is compared to other shmups.

[mjclark]

Brand-new-completely-mental-Hibachi-replacement-ship patch just up on the Developer's Board.
Patch is for v0.998debug version and IkarugaTest version, and new Hibachi replacement seems to be inspired by DDP Resurrection (but I wouldn't know cos don't got no iPhone just a sexy Samsung lol).
The patch also adds Continues option (at last!)
MENTAL!!

[Observer]

Brand-new-completely-mental-Hibachi-replacement-ship patch just up on the Developer's Board and mirror here
Patch is for v0.998debug version and IkarugaTest version, and new Hibachi replacement seems to be inspired by DDP Resurrection (but I wouldn't know cos don't got no iPhone just a sexy Samsung lol).
The patch also adds Continues option (at last!)
Prepatched full IkarugaTest version here: IkarugaTestdebug
MENTAL!!

CONFIRMED LEVEL OF AWESOME. NOW REACHES THE FATAL ATTRACTION BE DESCRIBED AS "ULTIMATE CROSSOVER". DECIDE DESTINATION.

I just made a video using Vic Viper. The ship is really cool but one death will screw you over beyond reason. Might as well restart. AH! That old Gradius feeling is still there in the middle of the bullet hell!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJ6wd8qdxvI

This game is getting more and more awesome. It just needs a visible hitbox option and some extra work on the backgrounds for stages 3-5.

[BPzeBanshee]

Brand-new-completely-mental-Hibachi-replacement-ship patch just up on the Developer's Board and mirror here
Patch is for v0.998debug version and IkarugaTest version, and new Hibachi replacement seems to be inspired by DDP Resurrection (but I wouldn't know cos don't got no iPhone just a sexy Samsung lol).
The patch also adds Continues option (at last!)
Prepatched full IkarugaTest version here: IkarugaTestdebug
MENTAL!!

The continues option was with the IkarugaTest version as I recall, when I was playing GwangeDash at Uni with the prior patches I had a continue function that I could get to via the Main Menu.

I don't get this new Hibachi though, I just dont like it. It has no bomb, three shot types excluding hyper and for some reason it insta-kills the hit count the moment you use any shot other than the B shot. Racking up the hit points seems to lie with the hyper but I haven't quite got that figured out yet either.
EDIT1: The old Hibachi is available using the old hold-down-when-selecting-a-ship trick though, I hope they do something to make the DDP-R version more competent for scoring though, it's like they neutered the power that made it unbalanced and decided to make it useless for scoring too.

[mjclark]

The continues option was with the IkarugaTest version as I recall, when I was playing GwangeDash at Uni with the prior patches I had a continue function that I could get to via the Main Menu

You're probably right- I've had hardly any time to play so probably overlooked this, but really want to make a concerted effort with Vic Viper after seeing Observer's vid (Red Wasp's still my fave at the moment), and yeah chaining's gone wrong with the new Hibachi so it's still useless for scoring. Hope this is addressed in the next update.
All that's missing now for me is an analytical scoreboard which would show score, ship type, stage reached, max hit etc and the developer is clearly so well versed in the shmup genre that that's gotta be coming.
Also selectable difficulties and Maniac Death mode in the main menu.
As has already been noted this is becoming increasingly awesome!

[BPzeBanshee]

Yep, totally with you on that mjclark. I'll be happy with a Hibachi that's not useless.

[mjclark]

Just been looking at screenshots from the original project which the current developer has taken over.
Not wanting the moon on a stick or anything, but it will be amazing if the final version has this degree of polish to go with the already-excellent gameplay
There's also a new .exe up on the Developer's Board but really can't work out what difference it makes so far.