Subterranean Animism (Touhou 11; ZUN, 2008)

[moozooh]

Subterranean Animism (東方地霊殿 Touhou Chireiden) is the 11th Touhou game, and its somewhat altered gameplay brings the series arguably closer to the modern arcade shmup experience. By the plot, one of the main protagonists (Reimu and Marisa, as previously) goes deep underground to solve some problem, and has one of their fellow youkai assisting them from above ground. The youkai assistant chosen depends on the character subtype (A/B/C) and affects the character in various different ways beside changing her shot characteristics. As such, the subtypes vary greatly both in scoring and survival capabilities, so keep that in mind. The game is very dynamic and about equally brutal at high difficulty levels, but any risk is rewarded with potentially better scores.

Further info on the game and its mechanics can be found here at Touhou wiki:
http://touhouwiki.net/wiki/Subterranean_Animism.
The WR list can be found there as well:
http://touhouwiki.net/wiki/High_scores.


Rules:

- one credit only;
- no frame drop rates over 5% (this is to ensure no slowdown has been used to an unfair advantage);
- full version only;
- replay files are required for top spot scores.


Format to submit scores in:

Code: Select all

name - score - stage - character - framedrop%

Example:

Code: Select all

John Doe - 123,462,330 - 5 - Marisa-B - 0.3%

Top scores (combined):

Easy: Heartbeam — 610,868,870 — Marisa-A (replay).

Normal: Heartbeam — 893,328,120 — Marisa-A (replay).

Hard: Heartbeam — 1,405,329,480 — Marisa-A (replay).

Lunatic: Funen1 — 2,407,942,880 — Reimu-A (replay).

Extra: Heartbeam — 1,047,520,960 — Reimu-A (replay).


Easy:

Code: Select all

REIMU
WR: nyanko          -   649,218,710 - ALL - Reimu-A

01. Heartbeam       -   571,423,680 - ALL - Reimu-C  - 0.1%
02. Shion           -   494,885,060 - ALL - Reimu-A  - 1.2%
03. Dodgeball       -   419,604,000 - ALL - Reimu-A  - 0.1%
04. Momijitsuki     -   412,222,470 - ALL - Reimu-A  - 0.2%
05. Zhiver          -   363,988,190 - ALL - Reimu-A  - 0.3%
06. Observer        -   353,806,080 - ALL - Reimu-A  - 0.2%
07. crono_logical   -   341,314,060 - ALL - Reimu-B  - 0.3%
08. A.H.W           -   264,987,890 - ALL - Reimu-A  - 0.1%
09. spongdangly     -   211,752,250 - ALL - Reimu-A  - 0.1%
10. lmagus          -   177,687,460 - ALL - Reimu-B  - 0.0%

MARISA
WR: nyanko          -   705,606,640 - ALL - Marisa-A

01. Heartbeam       -   610,868,870 - ALL - Marisa-A - 0.0%
02. Ravid           -   494,667,110 - ALL - Marisa-A - 0.0%
03. chum            -   381,077,920 - ALL - Marisa-A - 0.1% (no-focus, no-bomb)
04. Dodgeball       -   367,510,980 - ALL - Marisa-A - 0.1%
05. Javel           -   364,202,780 - ALL - Marisa-B - 0.2%
06. spongdangly     -   335,857,150 - ALL - Marisa-A - 0.1%
07. Momijitsuki     -   317,341,780 - ALL - Marisa-A - 0.1%
08. moozooh         -   311,065,310 - ALL - Marisa-C - 0.1%
09. Shion           -   293,903,100 - ALL - Marisa-C - 0.1%
10. Taylor          -   271,884,800 - ALL - Marisa-C - 0.1%

Normal:

Code: Select all

REIMU
WR: nyanko          - 1,089,307,060 - ALL - Reimu-A

01. Heartbeam       -   785,194,190 - ALL - Reimu-A  - 0.1%
02. SiestaCephei    -   626,762,800 - ALL - Reimu-A  - 0.0%
03. chum            -   473,515,790 - ALL - Reimu-A  - 0.0%
04. CSF             -   413,291,160 - ALL - Reimu-A  - 0.5%
05. TheRealZero     -   409,785,310 - ALL - Reimu-B  - 0.1%
06. Dr Infy         -   382,259,620 - ALL - Reimu-A  - 0.0%
07. Shion           -   374,894,030 - ALL - Reimu-A  - 1.1%
08. Momijitsuki     -   271,558,570 - ALL - Reimu-A  - 0.1%
09. duckman         -   225,554,450 - ALL - Reimu-A  - 3.3%
10. lmagus          -   213,900,630 - ALL - Reimu-A  - 0.0%

MARISA
WR: nyanko          - 1,154,522,760 - ALL - Marisa-B

01. Heartbeam       -   893,328,120 - ALL - Marisa-A - 0.1%
02. Javel           -   510,074,970 - ALL - Marisa-B - 1.2%
03. moozooh         -   422,693,800 - ALL - Marisa-A - 0.0%
04. TheRealZero     -   398,485,720 - ALL - Marisa-B - 0.0%
05. Ravid           -   332,772,550 - ALL - Marisa-A - 0.0%
06. spongdangly     -   163,090,180 -  6  - Marisa-A - 0.0%

Hard:

Code: Select all

WR: ENAMEL          - 2,033,714,330 - ALL - Marisa-B

01. Heartbeam       - 1,405,329,480 - ALL - Marisa-A - 0.1%
02. chum            -   513,162,380 - ALL - Reimu-A  - 0.4%
03. Danbo Daxter    -   430,095,690 - ALL - Marisa-A - 0.2%
04. moozooh         -   273,291,240 -  6  - Reimu-B  - 1.9%

Lunatic:

Code: Select all

WR: UKT             - 4,745,957,920 - ALL - Reimu-A

01. Funen1          - 2,407,942,880 - ALL - Reimu-A  - 0.1%
02. chum            -   798,442,870 - ALL - Reimu-A  - 0.2%
03.

Extra:

Code: Select all

WR: IBUKI           - 1,111,423,420 -  C  - Reimu-A

01. Heartbeam       - 1,047,520,960 -  C  - Reimu-A  - 0.1%
02. Naut            -   980,168,240 -  C  - Reimu-A  - 0.0%
03. EPS21           -   944,590,770 -  C  - Reimu-A  - 0.0%
04. chum            -   876,546,980 -  C  - Reimu-A  - 0.0%
05. moozooh         -   258,452,450 -  X  - Marisa-A - 0.1%
06. Momijitsuki     -   222,605,110 -  X  - Reimu-A  - 0.1%

Notes:

1. I am including world records for the sake of comparison. They will not be an active part of the local scoreboard, although I will update them as well as the local scores. The latter will be trimmed to 20 entries per mode, not counting the WR.

2. I require a replay for the new #1 scores just because it's very easy to save replays (laughably easy compared to setting a new record in the first place). I will not require replays for other scores, but it's good if you post them. Don't post proofpics, as they clutter the thread needlessly yet provide no advantages over a replay file.

Free Touhou replay uploaders:
http://replays.gensokyo.org/
http://www.touhoureplays.com/

3. Character type reminder: Reimu is the red-white priestess, Marisa is the black-white witch.
Reimu-A is assisted by Yukari, she wraps her shot and herself around walls;
Reimu-B is assisted by Suika, she autocollects items without supergrazing;
Reimu-C is assisted by Aya, she moves at a very high speed;
Marisa-A is assisted by Alice, she has an inflated power gauge (0—8.0);
Marisa-B is assisted by Patchouli, she can change formation of her options (Battle Garegga-style);
Marisa-C is assisted by Nitori, her bomb is a semi-passive protection barrier (similar to Supernatural Border in PCB).
Here's a short summary on each character's pros and cons in regards to scoring.

4. Each board can hold up to 20 entries per difficulty mode. When I gather more than 5 score submissions for one of the main character types (Reimu or Marisa), I split a board in two to allow a broader competition scope. Split boards hold up to 10 entries per main character type.

5. The game isn't freeware. Meaning you'll have either to buy it, lend, or leech off the internet. Paletweb offers preorder starting from August 22nd. As for leeching, search google for doujinstyle or go ask your favorite torrent trackers. (And be prosecutedt to the full extent of the jam.)

[Momijitsuki]

Great, I can't wait to put my first 1CC on here, no matter how bad it is.

[moozooh]

Judging from the trial, it won't be an easy 1CC this time. Well, not counting Easy mode, which is still easy.

[Observer]

They didn't sell anything out yet for the simple fact that the game, like MoF, will be available in September 17th. Reservations begin in August the 22nd.

Release day : Sep 17,2008

Pre-order Will be available at Aug 22, 2008.

Maybe Himeya or White-Canvas will have it.

But go and try to reason with the 234"·$"·$ at the imageboard about this. Or all the 'tards spoiling the hell out of everything. I think I'll make this place my home till the hype dies down.

lol, full extent of the jam. Long live Cave!

Looking forward to attempt a 1cc in Normal.

[Momijitsuki]

I found an early torrent of the full version. I have to say it is fucking GORGEOUS, but it's relatively hard even on easy (when compared to other Touhou games). I made it to the fifth boss before game over on Easy.

1CC coming...eventually. >_<

Easy:
Momijitsuki - 61,959,140 - Stage 5 - ReimuA - 0.1%

[bsidwell]

This is by far the hardest Windows Touhou, for what that's worth.

[moozooh]

I can agree with you here. This is what stage 4 looks like, and I expect stage 5 to look a lot like DDP. :D

So far I only managed to get to stage 6 midboss on Normal. Stages 4-5 are pretty amazing. I really enjoy this!

Here are the preliminary scores w/replays (that are a complete and shameful mess):

Easy:
moozooh — 183,588,770 — ALL — Marisa-B — 0.5% (replay).

Normal:
moozooh — 172,890,100 — 6 — Marisa-B — 0.0% (replay).

Hard:
moozooh — 73,040,750 — 4 — Reimu-B — 0.0% (replay).

All of them are actually very bad. :P

Also, Reimu-B, while complete balls for scoring, is quite amazing for survival. Her shot is one of the most effective overall, and it doesn't require you to stay directly underneath the enemies, she also can autocollect items regardless of your grazing rate, and her bomb (attention here!) absorbs every bullet shot by an enemy and turns it into a homing revenge bullet instead!

[Observer]

Also agreed: hardest Touhou game so far.

I cannot pass stage 5 in normal yet... But I managed to 1cc it on Easy with RaymooA.

Let me see:

Easy:
Observer — 283,806,620 — ALL — ReimuA — 0.1% (replay here)

(I use a different name for my files... just in case anyone wonders when checking the replay)

I make so many stupid mistakes towards the end... So yeah, lame replay here as well.

[joeboto]

first try (just got the game).
first impression : ME PLAY A DO DOWN PATCH?

fuck stage 2 boss with her homing stream of bullets.

NORMAL
joeboto - 47,264,770 - 4 - ReimuA - 0.0%

pathetic score. :*(

[Momijitsuki]

A little off-topic, but what's the key to scoring in this one? I collect pretty much every point item and I don't start losing any lives until stage 5, and I haven't gotten any higher than

Easy:
Momijitsuki - 88,372,780 - Stage 6 - ReimuA - 0.1%

while Observer and moozooh have much higher scores by that time. Is there something I'm not getting, here?

[moozooh]

Scores updated.

A little off-topic, but what's the key to scoring in this one?

1. Always keep the communication gauge (the slider in the bottom left corner) at max, otherwise your point items aren't worth shit. It literally acts as a multiplier for their point worth, beside being a portable PoC, and it starts at zero. Guess how much you get by picking up a point item with this thing being at zero? :P

2. Graze at every opportunity. It increases the communication gauge multiplier (by 0.01 for every 100 bullets grazed) and helps keeping the gauge itself at max value for autocollection.

3. Don't die. Each time you die, the point value is reset to default 25000, and you won't be able to graze enough bullets to make up for the difference.

The rest is usual.

pathetic score. :*(

Hey, aren't you the one who 1CC'd Mushi Ultra? I guess I expect a Lunatic clear from you by the end of the year. ;P

[spongdangly]

Easy:
spongdangly — 211,752,250 — ALL — Reimu-A — 0.1%

So many bullshit deaths. This truly is one of the hardest touhou games.

while Observer and moozooh have much higher scores by that time. Is there something I'm not getting, here?

I got around 100 millions points for beating the game.

[joeboto]

Hey, aren't you the one who 1CC'd Mushi Ultra? I guess I expect a Lunatic clear from you by the end of the year. ;P

dont!

well, hopefully. i need moar slowdowns. moarrr. struggling at normal (especially stage 2, grrrr). im afraid to 'highlight' the lunatic...

[Observer]

Just finished 1ccing Easy with MarisaC. The shield is helpful but still at times you really feel the lack of spread fire to clear the screen.

This score won't make it to the scoreboard but I ended with 247,298,680.

Replay Here (if you want of course. Again, heaps of cheap deaths all over and Marisa has a bigger hitbox that is also eye-deceiving dammit, although no excuse to die twice at Parsee stupid flower spell, it drives me mad because she won't stop moving)

I noticed I got an end-game bonus of around 113 mill. Insane. I wonder how it'll be for Lunatic. Can this thing be counterstopped?

The only stuff I noticed for good scoring is: graze like mad. And while you are at it, graze even more. And if you can't kill the enemies... grazes the bullets. Oh, and don't die because it resets the score multiplier and that particularly sucks, especially because I tend to get owned a lot by Random Bullet A.

This one also keeps you moving all around like no other Touhou game did (at least as a personal experience). Gone are the days where you could hug the bottom of the screen and see how all the barrages passed around.

[Shion]

Great game, just gave it a try. Seems a lot harder than the other Touhous, but it could be the new-ness factor

Because I haven't played Touhou in months, I decided to be a pussy and play Easy modo.

Shion - 293,903,100 - ALL - Marisa C - 0.12%

Replay

Haven't fully figured out the scoring yet, but it seems grazing (especially lazers) can increase your score enormously.
Deaths also weigh a whole lot. They seem to reset the point counter to 25k

[bsidwell]

Can this thing be counterstopped?

No. The game adds a billions digit when necessary.

[Momijitsuki]

Scores updated.

A little off-topic, but what's the key to scoring in this one?

1. Always keep the communication gauge (the slider in the bottom left corner) at max, otherwise your point items aren't worth shit. It literally acts as a multiplier for their point worth, beside being a portable PoC, and it starts at zero. Guess how much you get by picking up a point item with this thing being at zero?

2. Graze at every opportunity. It increases the communication gauge multiplier (by 0.01 for every 100 bullets grazed) and helps keeping the gauge itself at max value for autocollection.

3. Don't die. Each time you die, the point value is reset to default 25000, and you won't be able to graze enough bullets to make up for the difference.

#1 pisses me off in ways I can't imagine. There isn't always a good grazing spot, after all.

[spongdangly]

Normal:
spongdangly — 106,052,440 — Stage 5 — Reimu-B — 0.1%

Also, Reimu-B, while complete balls for scoring, is quite amazing for survival. Her shot is one of the most effective overall, and it doesn't require you to stay directly underneath the enemies, she also can autocollect items regardless of your grazing rate, and her bomb (attention here!) absorbs every bullet shot by an enemy and turns it into a homing revenge bullet instead!

Reimu-B's bomb sending back revenge bullets definitely helps out in terms of survival. She doesn't autocollect items unless I'm powergrazing though.

[moozooh]

#1 pisses me off in ways I can't imagine. There isn't always a good grazing spot, after all.

You don't always need a good grazing spot, because grazing works like chains in DDP DaiFukkatsu: once you set it off, you only need to graze like two bullets per second to keep the chain going. Otherwise, the PoC is still there and is to be used in many cases. This is, after all, a good risk-rewarding system: play with danger and be a king, go safe and enjoy your meager scores.

Tried Reimu-B on Normal in an attempt to successfully 1CC the game today, didn't work. :|

She doesn't autocollect items unless I'm powergrazing though.

Let go of both fire and focus buttons.

On an unrelated note, seems we already have our first WR-worthy Japanese score: Extra no-miss/all-spellcard run by d??, the score is amazing 902 million. It doesn't use the Sanae exploit, though, so I guess we can expect as much as 1 billion in a few weeks.

Also, it seems like the game gives out more extends than MoF, which can be attributed to profitable suicide spots on Hard/Lunatic, although it's hard to tell whether ZUN was intending that or just compensating for the increased difficulty.

[MX7]

Stage 2 needs to be removed and replaced with a better one.

Also, IF I SEE THAT FUCKING CAT ONE MORE TIME (obligatory).

[MX7]

MX7 - 126.514.610 - ALL - ReimuB - 0.2% (EASY)

Shit score, but only my second go on the full version, and I'm well hungover, so actually I'm awesome. This game is so fun, even on easy. And I love how dramatic the final boss is. Certainly shaping up to be my favourite Touhou, stage 2 or no stage 2.

Interesting use of physics in the final bullet pattern of the game, too. Usually this would be an STG faux pas, but I think it was quite well implemented. Well done, ZUN my son.

[moozooh]

Updated.

For those interested, Lunatic 1CC nabbing over a billion points is available.

[joeboto]

joeboto - 164,950,360 - ALL - MarisaC - 0.7% - EASY

bad score is bad. stage 5 boss is.. a blackhole...
cant imagine hows this on lunatic.

[Observer]

joeboto - 164,950,360 - ALL - MarisaC - 0.7% - EASY

bad score is bad. stage 5 boss is.. a blackhole...
cant imagine hows this on lunatic.

A freaking nightmare of colorful death and kitty loli? I think it's already hard in Normal/Hard...

Tried the game with ReimuC but Aya is seriously one 3$"·$. I mean, come on, in a game where bullets keep you cornered for grazing she gives you the ability to move extremely fast. For what? To crash against bullets and enemies? (unless I'm missing something) And in spots like the final boss moving extremely fast might doesn't seem to be an awful mistake?

I'm glad there are no 'homing' shots though. Make people care more about where they are shooting. Plus you HAVE to pay attention where are you shooting: there are a crapload of 'trap' enemies and spellcards where if you shoot the wrong place or enemy, BLAM, get ready to eat bullets for breakfast.

edit: "Manipulation of Nuclear Fusion." People say ZUN is running out of ideas. Right. Sure. But, come on! You can't tell me that's generic...

[moozooh]

I mean, come on, in a game where bullets keep you cornered for grazing she gives you the ability to move extremely fast. For what? To crash against bullets and enemies? (unless I'm missing something)

It's the same as Reimu-A's ability; i.e., for local/emergency cases. Which include quick trips to PoC and quick retreats (certain parts of stages 2 and 5 might benefit from this on higher difficulties).

Watch that run I linked just above, btw. The player is very decent, but he's getting slaughtered starting from stage 5. The game ends with no lives in stock. Just wow. ZUN certainly did his homework well: this is true arcade difficulty right there. o_0

[Observer]

I mean, come on, in a game where bullets keep you cornered for grazing she gives you the ability to move extremely fast. For what? To crash against bullets and enemies? (unless I'm missing something)

It's the same as Reimu-A's ability; i.e., for local/emergency cases. Which include quick trips to PoC and quick retreats (certain parts of stages 2 and 5 might benefit from this on higher difficulties).

Watch that run I linked just above, btw. The player is very decent, but he's getting slaughtered starting from stage 5. The game ends with no lives in stock. Just wow. ZUN certainly did his homework well: this is true arcade difficulty right there. o_0

I see. I knew I was missing something. I actually love the fact that I can graze to avoid going up for the PoC... Thus, I pull off'a Psyvariar 2' and try to graze like mad to collect everything. Heh, I almost expect to hear "LEVEL UP! LEVEL UP!".

I might try it more then. I like to position my shootan power wherever I want.

ZUN here seems to be proving he can be dead serious when it comes to mean flak and insane barrages. Also granted (I read the thread at the shmups discussion), the game is absolutely less noob friendly. The fact that you don't get lives through score, the fact that you have to pick the stars to get the lives (implying you cannot die during that boss pattern) makes it even harder and, ultimately, that continuing sends you back to the beginning of the stage disables the credit feeding.

Something like that, right?

[Momijitsuki]

Updated.

For those interested, Lunatic 1CC nabbing over a billion points is available.

Am I the only one who notices that replays are messed up in this game? It says that he gets over a billion points, but he gets a game over on or before Utsuho Reiuji's first spell card-- it's different each time! I noticed that with my own replays as well.

That's rather fucked up, no?

Either way, it was insane that he could *supposedly* 1CC it on Lunatic...

[moozooh]

The replay does finish the game, I don't know why it desyncs on your computer. :\ Just tried playing it back from stage 5 with ctrl held from time to time — finished the game alright. That's one thing ZUN has been seriously slacking off on ever since the release of MoF. :\

A billion is far from the potential maximum on Lunatic, though. Among the most important things he didn't do was not milking Kisume and all the stage 2 milk spots for lots of graze points. Then, he didn't suicide-milk Parsee's concentric attack patterns (not blaming him, though, otherwise he wouldn't even finish the game) for graze, but lost the point value due to dying on stage 4 anyway. Both strategies take about equal amount of risk, but it would have had a great impact on the score if the player succeeded on at least one of them. I'd say the theoretical maximum will be somewhere at 1.7 billion and up. Hard and Extra will surely break the billion as well. Normal definitely won't.

[EDIT]

Indeed, here's Reimu-A Lunatic 1CC by Eternal, scoring 1.18 billion.

[Taylor]

The bomb on MarisaC is pretty cheese, but it also means you fight harder versions of Nitori's MoF patterns on stage 4. I got there with 1 death on Normal and it ended my run. Bad Nitori!

Might just finish it on easy to get a rough idea what's coming up.

[Momijitsuki]

The replay does finish the game, I don't know why it desyncs on your computer. :\ Just tried playing it back from stage 5 with ctrl held from time to time — finished the game alright. That's one thing ZUN has been seriously slacking off on ever since the release of MoF. :\

A billion is far from the potential maximum on Lunatic, though. Among the most important things he didn't do was not milking Kisume and all the stage 2 milk spots for lots of graze points. Then, he didn't suicide-milk Parsee's concentric attack patterns (not blaming him, though, otherwise he wouldn't even finish the game) for graze, but lost the point value due to dying on stage 4 anyway. Both strategies take about equal amount of risk, but it would have had a great impact on the score if the player succeeded on at least one of them. I'd say the theoretical maximum will be somewhere at 1.7 billion and up. Hard and Extra will surely break the billion as well. Normal definitely won't.

[EDIT]

Indeed, here's Reimu-A Lunatic 1CC by Eternal, scoring 1.18 billion.

I don't get it! No matter how many times I sit through it, or fast-forward for that matter, it ends early (it even shows him dying in ways that even a newbie like myself could avoid)... He dies three times before the first spell card, and it seems that every time I watch it, it's at different places when it ends.

Screenshot to prove I'm not making this up: