So what I was thinking for the project, is we have a way for users to search entries by the type of difficulty. I can't really query how hard all STGs are compared to each other because answers people give will be too relative to the player's unique skill and won't be comparable to anybody else. Still, people do ask "what are manic shmups for _____" and so on, so I think trying to establish guidelines for at least the type of difficulty will be enough to inform players what they're up against.Rob wrote:I have no idea what standard and semi-hell means. This should be clear enough through type, year and developer. The description of the game ("Overall Unique Characteristics"/"Player Mechanics") should cover everything if it isn't.DJ Incompetent wrote:Difficulty Style: (Standard, Semi-Hell, Memorizor, Manic Bullet-Hell)
Memorizer and Bullet-Hell are fairly classified. But games just outside those two (loose) classifications (AFAIK) don't have any real shorthand ways of identifying Gradius V difficulty apart from Air Zonk, even though we all know those are two completely different beasts. Yet despite things like Gradius V bullets and obstacles fill the screen often, G5 isn't widly considered a manic STG.
Something like this came up at a Midwest Gaming Classic and one of the people called the 'fill the screen with disorganized patterns or super fast bullets' the name of "semi-hell". I kinda liked it, but I dunno if that's a standard term or whatever, so I'm gonna pitch it here and see what the people say.
cools version
cools wrote: Standard
-Primarily aimed bullets
-Few enemies on screen
-Large hitbox.
examples: Flying Shark, Raiden
Manic
-Aimed bullet patterns
-Increased enemy quantity
-Smaller hitbox.
examples: Batrider, Garegga
Danmaku
-Dense aimed and fixed bullet patterns
-Tiny hitbox.
examples: Psyvariar, EspGaluda
my version
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I intend to use four types of Difficulty Styles for the shmupswiki.com and ultimately, Xenocide. Please review and comment on the definitions below:
Manic Bullet Hell
BulletMagnet's Glossary:
Manic Shmup: (also Bulletsprayer, Dodge-em-Up) A type of shmup which is characterized by very high numbers of bullets and/or enemies being present on the screen at one time; forces the player to rely on quick reaction time and on-the-spot dodging skills, rather than memorization of where things are within a level, to survive. Due to the highly restricted amount of safe space for the player to move around in, manic shmups almost always feature relatively small hitboxes, usually located near the very center of the player’s craft..
Bullet Hell:
1) Over-arching label that encompasses all types of manic shmups, i.e. any title which is notable for the large amounts of bullets that the player is required to avoid.
2) Informally, refers to any particularly bullet-heavy attack, i.e. “The second boss unleashes some nasty bullet hell on his third phase.”
Curtain Fire: (also Danmaku)
1) Tightly-packed bullet formation which moves steadily towards the player’s craft and covers most of the screen; could be considered something of a cross between a wave and a bullet maze. Such a formation MUST be “waded through” by the player, since it’s impossible to avoid entirely.
2) Used as a sub-category label for certain manic shmups which tend to use such formations frequently.
Literally, “danmaku” is the Japanese word for “barrage,” though it is sometimes also translated “bullet curtain.” It is generally believed that the oft-used “curtain fire” term first came from a mistranslation featured on the loading screen of the popular homebrew shooter Perfect Cherry Blossom.
Strict criteria for identifying Manic Bullet Hell from the other three is the combination of:
(on default settings)
- Organized bullet patterns (intentional designs as opposed to continuous #'d spread shots and single aimed shots).
- Bullets fill (40%+ of) the screen often, weather by single bullet patterns from specific enemies or many enemies firing multiple shots continuously.
- Organized bullet patterns or screen-filling bullet patterns define at least half the stages of the game or more (especially boss fights).
- Most Bosses, midbosses, and large enemies are designed with multiple unique bullet pattern attacks in their set.
- Player has a minimized hitbox (any size smaller than the player's graphical sprite/model).
- Player's weapons set may powerup, but does not drastically change throughout the course of the game. (some exceptions)
Examples: All modern Cave/Raizing/Psikyo/Touhou STGs
Methodical (formally Memorizor)
BulletMagnet's Glossary:
Memorizer: (also Memory Shmup) A type of shmup, usually horizontal in orientation, which forces a player to repeatedly play its levels and memorize its layout in order to perform effectively, though quick reflexes are also a factor to an extent. The R-Type games are the most well-known examples.
Strict criteria for identifying a Methodical from the other three is the combination of:
(on default settings)
- Stages have physical terrain and obstacles (throughout most the game)
- Checkpoint-based lives system (as default)
- Title is notorious for multiple situations where if a player loses a life at a part (normally powered up), players fail the credit by spending all their remaining lives attempting the clear the same part.
- Most reasonable players cannot pass these multiple difficult situations in their first tries having never played the part previously (basically, players have to learn or memorize a predetermined path to navigate the situation).
Examples: All Irem STGs. Gradius III Arcade, Gradius IV. Pretty much every difficult hori with checkpoints.
Semi-Hell
Semi-Hell is normally a major classification below Bullet-Hell, but does not always mean the STG is instantly easier than a Methodical or Bullet Hell. It is a shmup that possesses some, but not all of the main five classifications of a Manic Bullet Hell hyphened above and does not possess all four of the traits of a Methodical hyphened above. The Semi-Hell classification encompasses all shmups that are generally really difficult, but not for reasons that exactly characterize a Methodical or Bullet Hell. Any one of these can characterize a Semi-Hell:
-Notoriously fast bullets instead of many slow ones
-Enemies or obstacles flood or fill the screen instead of bullets, presenting situations where a player's fire speed can be overwhelmed.
-Enemy homing attacks are used often or in large numbers
-Deaths from touching enemies are more common
-Bullets fill the screen, but none of them are from complex bullet patterns. All attacks are
--single aimed shots
--simple spread shots
--simple fixed direction attacks
BUT, most scenes where bullets fill the screen do not consist of a complex mix of aimed, spread, and fixed attacks. The majority of the game enemies normally attack with primarily one type of fire/obstacle at any given time.
(Any of the Below) Loose criteria for identifying a Semi-Hell from a Manic
Bullet Hell or Methodical:
(on default settings)
- Normally Disorganized, simple, or extremely basic bullet patterns throughout the game (boss fights could seem more like pattern recognition in a platformer or run 'n gun than a STG)
- High difficulty in avoiding bullets/patterns is mostly from fast bullet speeds (and possibly poor bullet contrast/color) rather than the pattern's shapes or spreads
- Organized bullet patterns or screen-filling bullet patterns define very few areas of the game (usually the last few boss fights)
- Few or no fast attacks are telegraphed by the enemy
- Pretty much all standard enemies have one bullet attack and/or try suiciding
- Enemy homing attacks are more common (bullets or suiciding)
- Enemies fill or flood the screen instead of bullets
(Any of the Below) Loose criteria for identifying a Semi-Hell from a Standard (Old-Style):
(on default settings)
- Objects to dodge are many throughout large portions of the game; creates overwhelming situations
- Regular game is widely considered difficult
If this 'Semi-Hell' term should be named something else, Suggest one in a reply.
Examples: Gradius V, Raiden Fighters series, Geometry Wars series, Raiden 1, Raiden 2, Raiden DX, Smash TV.
Standard / Old-Style
This label is reserved for the rest of the shmups that do not fall into any of the other categories. These types of shmups are either experiences that do not go out of their way to aggressively challenge the player or lack across the board almost every evolution that separates this type from modern shmups. Old-style shmups are most appropriatly identifiable when using a 'retro' classification. Usually near the very end, a large difficulty spike may take place that can still make the videogame challenging, but be such a rare occurrence that it is hardly identified as a Methodical.
(Many of the Below) Loose criteria for identifying a Standard/Old-Style from the other three:
(on default settings)
- Regular game is widely considered easy
- Title normally has 'dead zones' or places in stages where nothing is happening.
- Objects to dodge are slight throughout large portions of the game, rarely creating any tension until the final stages
- Number of on-screen bullets are pretty scarce
- Many enemies don't fire at all
- Safe spots are identifiable, effective for laughably long periods, and may not be rare
- Player's base firepower is fairly or extremely limited
- Radical changes in player weaponry
- Enemy attacks with large objects are somewhat common
- Stage booby traps occur
- Player's hitbox is usually the full size of a player's craft or generally large
- A moderate amount of the difficulty is from running into enemies
- Instant kill enemy attacks (non-scrolling lasers) occur and may be common.
- Boss fights may have disorganized, simple pattern, or extremely basic attacks. The boss' body will usually be used (intentionally or unintentionally) as an attack in some part of the fight. (boss fights could seem more like pattern recognition in a platformer or run 'n gun than a STG)
- Difficulty curve feels unintentionally unbalanced
- Cause of a miss may feel unidentifiable, possibly 'cheap'
Examples: Star Soldier series, Dead Moon, Air Zonk, Life Force/Salamander, Omega Five, anything by Compile, caravan games
I was thinking of calling 'Standard' something like 'Retro' or 'Old-school', but idiot reviewers throw those terms around for almost every STG that comes out today, so using those labels may just confuse newcomers more. If you can think of a better name, let me know.
