M2 Toaplan collection

[m.sniffles.esq]

Vol. 3 on Steam and GOG and February 1 | includes Batsugun, FixEight, Vimana, and Tiger-Heli

probably doesn't need an entirely new thread but just in case

[Tokyo-J]

Vol. 3 on Steam and GOG and February 1 | includes Batsugun, FixEight, Vimana, and Tiger-Heli

probably doesn't need an entirely new thread but just in case

Well yes it needs it's own thread. This is not the M2 release.

[m.sniffles.esq]

Well yes it needs it's own thread. This is not the M2 release.

Boy, I really wish someone would hotlink it, just in case

[Bear78]

Wasn't it the case that the DLC for this (and Hishou Same³) came as a download code for the PS4 version (as opposed to Switch having everything on cart)? Unless LRG just copypasta'ed the details for both editions, that may mean the PS4 version here is more complete than the initial JP release, from an extras standpoint.

I'd be willing to double-dip if Teki Paki were included on cart/disc, but it's not looking like that will happen. I've got enough download codes to last my next two Switches, but having it on a physical medium would be nice.

According to Josh, everything will be on cart / disc on LRGs release.

https://x.com/LimitedRunJosh/status/174 ... 90971?s=20

[Steven]

"Japan arcade two player version" should probably be "Japan two player bootleg version", but...

[gbaplayer]

When is the next live stream of M2?

[gbaplayer]

No news?

[AGermanArtist]

I reckon we'll hear something in Feb.

[Steven]

Time to go for the Same! 1P clear. This game is hilariously mean, but it also seems possible somehow, which I kind of can't believe I'm saying, but here we are.

Game over on stage 6 today after being sniped by a tank on the way out after killing the stage 6 boss. No miss ended there, but it felt good to finally make it that far. I know I can make it to stage 7 now, so hopefully that will happen soon.

[jehu]

Time to go for the Same! 1P clear. This game is hilariously mean, but it also seems possible somehow, which I kind of can't believe I'm saying, but here we are.

Game over on stage 6 today after being sniped by a tank on the way out after killing the stage 6 boss. No miss ended there, but it felt good to finally make it that far. I know I can make it to stage 7 now, so hopefully that will happen soon.

Glad to hear it! Post progress updates - curious to see how quickly it comes together for you.

I muse about trying to do this myself, but I think it would take me several months of consistent practice minimum. Takes some serious stamina, and I envy you if you've got it right now.

[Steven]

Time to go for the Same! 1P clear. This game is hilariously mean, but it also seems possible somehow, which I kind of can't believe I'm saying, but here we are.

Game over on stage 6 today after being sniped by a tank on the way out after killing the stage 6 boss. No miss ended there, but it felt good to finally make it that far. I know I can make it to stage 7 now, so hopefully that will happen soon.

Glad to hear it! Post progress updates - curious to see how quickly it comes together for you.

I muse about trying to do this myself, but I think it would take me several months of consistent practice minimum. Takes some serious stamina, and I envy you if you've got it right now.

I was actually going to make a thread containing a log of my progress for both this and Tatsujin Ou and my entire first post was complete, but I figured nobody would care and I deleted it instead of posting it. Perhaps that was a mistake.

It's mentally exhausting to play this game beyond stage 2, mostly because the moment you die you might as well start over, which makes it extremely frustrating. Even Tatsujin Ou sort of lets you recover, but once you die here you're not getting very far without speed powerups.

[MJR]

Time to go for the Same! 1P clear. This game is hilariously mean, but it also seems possible somehow, which I kind of can't believe I'm saying, but here we are.

Game over on stage 6 today after being sniped by a tank on the way out after killing the stage 6 boss. No miss ended there, but it felt good to finally make it that far. I know I can make it to stage 7 now, so hopefully that will happen soon.

Glad to hear it! Post progress updates - curious to see how quickly it comes together for you.

I muse about trying to do this myself, but I think it would take me several months of consistent practice minimum. Takes some serious stamina, and I envy you if you've got it right now.

I was actually going to make a thread containing a log of my progress for both this and Tatsujin Ou and my entire first post was complete, but I figured nobody would care and I deleted it instead of posting it. Perhaps that was a mistake.

It's mentally exhausting to play this game beyond stage 2, mostly because the moment you die you might as well start over, which makes it extremely frustrating. Even Tatsujin Ou sort of lets you recover, but once you die here you're not getting very far without speed powerups.

I would be also very interested to read a diary of your progress, even if I didn't have the time to read it right away. Those games were indeed done on era when there were not too many other distractions competing for your attention. Oh the time I sank on Tatsujin & Hellfire megadrive japanese imports back in 1992.. those hours were insane.

[AGermanArtist]

It would make for interesting reading. I've already thrown in the towel. I love the game as I love its prequel and while I can clear that with relative ease, Same! Same! Same! wants to crush me. I find myself taking deaths from ultra fast bullets I haven't even seen.

[Steven]

Log started: viewtopic.php?t=72803

[AGermanArtist]

I figured we'd have heard something by now. Wasn't there an M2 presentation this time last yr?

[gbaplayer]

Also awaiting some news...i want Outzone and Tatsujin Oh on my Switch.

[gbaplayer]

February is almost over...no news?

[gbaplayer]

I really wonder when we will get Information on vol 4...

[Samildanach]

Repeatedly asking for news won't make it come any faster. You can be pretty sure that someone will post news about it here as soon as there is any.

Or maybe there IS news but we have all decided not to tell you!!

[sherbaby]

But what would we do without the rhythm of mild disappointment at seeing this thread bumped every 2 weeks only to click through and find no actual news?

Actually, it does remind me to check M2's Twitter every now and again. And there were some interesting updates today! M2 ShotTriggers and Tatsujin will be presenting at Shooters Fes 2024, April 6/7: https://shootersfes.com/

In the tradition of Toaplan Absent Garage, though, the schedule shows M2's slot is a DDP DOJ Re:Incarnation session, and the Tatsujin slot is shared with Bitwave, so almost certainly just Embracer Budget Bundle business.

It would be crazy, if this series is still happening, for M2 to not even drop a teaser slide or something. Here's hoping!

[Sumez]

Don't underestimate M2's expertise in disappointments

[MJR]

Repeatedly asking for news won't make it come any faster. You can be pretty sure that someone will post news about it here as soon as there is any.

Or maybe there IS news but we have all decided not to tell you!!

Ssshhhh!!!

[seattlexc]

But what would we do without the rhythm of mild disappointment at seeing this thread bumped every 2 weeks only to click through and find no actual news?

The only reason I check this forum daily is for updates on this thread, I live for mild disappointment

It would be crazy, if this series is still happening, for M2 to not even drop a teaser slide or something. Here's hoping!

Don't tell me M2 would abandon ship halfway through this journy! I bought a physical copy of every release, including 3 copies of Sky Shark! Don't stop before Truxton and Batsugun!

[Sumez]

You guys gotta respect how much work it takes to load a couple of new roms into their existing emulators and menu platform for a new release. No wonder it takes over a year for each new one

[MJR]

^ post above is probably sarcasm, especially since the poster is quite knowledgeable

But I pretend to be boring person who doesn't understand internet sarcasm, so I play it straight just for this post;
my impression was that M2 goes into detail and depths not seen in any other release, when making their emulations rather than just slapping their things together like other people do (and I believe this was the point of the sarcasm in Sumez's post).

I also understood that this is a kinda free time hobby project for them. So it's not surprising at all that it takes a very long time. So, stop bitching, my sweet princesses! Your toys will come if you just can wait.

[AGermanArtist]

Aleste aside, do M2 have anything else on this year?

[Sumez]

^ post above is probably sarcasm, especially since the poster is quite knowledgeable

But I pretend to be boring person who doesn't understand internet sarcasm, so I play it straight just for this post;
my impression was that M2 goes into detail and depths not seen in any other release, when making their emulations rather than just slapping their things together like other people do (and I believe this was the point of the sarcasm in Sumez's post).

I'm being facetious moreso than sarcastic.
M2's emulator releases are generally high quality and they do put some work behind it. If nothing else, the gadgets obviously don't just magically pop up when they load their rom into their emulator. Also, unless you're just licensing mame (which M2 clearly aren't) you can't just reuse the emulator made for one piece of hardware with games made for another piece of hardware.

BBBUUUUTTTT I also think the stupidly low baseline for emulator releases in general these days probably creates a false impression of how much work is really needed to just release a game that doesn't run like garbage. M2 have been doing high quality emulator releases for years, and if we're assuming they know what they are doing, they have a decent pipeline set up to standardize these releases. You can tell a lot of assets and general structure is reused between every ShotTrigger release.

The only reason they shouldn't be able to put out a new Toaplan Arcade Garage release out every second month is, as you say, it must be entirely a "spare time hobby project" for them, that they somehow can't afford to shuffle into regular company hours.

I have a lot of thoughts about all these "put existing games on an emulator" re-releases we're seeing nowadays, across M2, Hamster, Ratalaika, Digital Eclipse, City Connection, LRG, and everyone else, and the stupid ways those are generally handled. But that's quite a lengthy tangent for a different thread.

[ryu]

I don't mind them spacing their releases since each of them can last you months to years depending on how you play them.

[Arino]

^ post above is probably sarcasm, especially since the poster is quite knowledgeable

But I pretend to be boring person who doesn't understand internet sarcasm, so I play it straight just for this post;
my impression was that M2 goes into detail and depths not seen in any other release, when making their emulations rather than just slapping their things together like other people do (and I believe this was the point of the sarcasm in Sumez's post).

I'm being facetious moreso than sarcastic.
M2's emulator releases are generally high quality and they do put some work behind it. If nothing else, the gadgets obviously don't just magically pop up when they load their rom into their emulator. Also, unless you're just licensing mame (which M2 clearly aren't) you can't just reuse the emulator made for one piece of hardware with games made for another piece of hardware.

BBBUUUUTTTT I also think the stupidly low baseline for emulator releases in general these days probably creates a false impression of how much work is really needed to just release a game that doesn't run like garbage. M2 have been doing high quality emulator releases for years, and if we're assuming they know what they are doing, they have a decent pipeline set up to standardize these releases. You can tell a lot of assets and general structure is reused between every ShotTrigger release.

The only reason they shouldn't be able to put out a new Toaplan Arcade Garage release out every second month is, as you say, it must be entirely a "spare time hobby project" for them, that they somehow can't afford to shuffle into regular company hours.

I have a lot of thoughts about all these "put existing games on an emulator" re-releases we're seeing nowadays, across M2, Hamster, Ratalaika, Digital Eclipse, City Connection, LRG, and everyone else, and the stupid ways those are generally handled. But that's quite a lengthy tangent for a different thread.

Uhm. I always thought M2 releases were actually not emulated at all. I always thought they rebuilt the games with all the assets extracted, or something like that. Something I heard. So that's not the case?

[BIL]

I'm using the first half of this year to knock off my FromSoft backlog, because I'll soon be too blind to read at >2cm and the text is my favourite thing about them - but if I wasn't, I would join Stevens on the Same Same Train straight to Valhalla with a layover in Jigoku, which I hear is nice this time of year. There's lots of stuff to enjoy in the meantime.

...chances are they'll have Tatsujin Ou by then, for the definitive Started On A Trip To Hell

I also think the stupidly low baseline for emulator releases in general these days probably creates a false impression of how much work is really needed to just release a game that doesn't run like garbage.

M2, Hamster, Ratalaika, Digital Eclipse, City Connection, LRG, and everyone else

I agree to a large extent. It's always deeply unfortunate when basic competence can no longer be assumed. I've no doubt, especially with your credentials, that getting 80s/90s boards accurately emulated on console with no perceptible added latency isn't some unreachable miracle.

Sadly, M2 and Hamster might as well be walking across water at this point, compared to nostalgia merchants like Digital Eclipse. Frank Cifaldi has openly called old games unworthy of playing without rewind. I asked him when SNK40th's broken LS-30 emulation might be fixed. He replied never, because at barely two years post-release, it was now "super old." Oh well. Meanwhile M2 were founded on enthusiast initiative via X68k Gauntlet, and have only become more driven in the thirty years since. Hamster work with certified hard nuts like TZW_Guile, and it seems even The Just Blade Mihara allowed them to retain their heads post-TGM1&2, at least once they patched the first game's Hi Score mode RNG seed bug. (closer to home, it was your exceptionally trusted recommendation of ACA Bubble Bobble that convinced me to give them a chance, six years ago my having little faith after the PS2 Thunder Cross fiasco, which I later learned they called the ACA release "atonement" for)

None of it would mean anything if they didn't turn in good work, of course. But personally it's less about their technical prowess, more their not regarding these games and their players with open contempt.