After reading the topic about what games are or arenot a SHMUPS I was wondering if STGs and SHMUPS are the same thing? I noticed I usually see STG on more Japanese/Chinese type BBSes and message boards and SHMUPS on more Euro/American boards.
Sort of. AFAIK, STG are shooting games, which could be any sort of spaceship/airplane shooter like Gradius or Air/Ace Combat. Run 'n guns are generally considered half-STG's.
It's a broader classification than "shmup" since few people would consider Starfox a shmup even though it's an STG. At the same time, it's more specific than "shooter" since an STG can't be an FPS. "Shmup" was a European term whereas "STG" was an abbreviation coined by the Japanese so you see these words used more in their respective domains.
STG does include ego shooters. At least I´ve seen games like Doom, Duke Nukem 3d, Blam! Machinehead and such in the STG category at stores in Akihabara and Nihonbashi.
raiden wrote:STG does include ego shooters. At least I´ve seen games like Doom, Duke Nukem 3d, Blam! Machinehead and such in the STG category at stores in Akihabara and Nihonbashi.
OK, my bad then. so I guess "STG" is just a broad a definition as "shooter."