Battle Garegga...oh man this game is insane

[zinger]

Also, what happened to Raizing?

Pardon me if this has been said before, and correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe team Raizing merged into Eighting fully.

I'm probably wrong though, I haven't looked too much into it.

I think you're quite right. But to my knowledge, they haven't produced a single shooter since Brave Blade (2000?).
I bet the ex-raizing members are working for Cave on Ibara though...

http://www.8ing.net/

[TWITCHDOCTOR]

So you're saying if it had a practice mode it would be a much better game???

Yep. Kind of pisses me off to play a long time to get to the same spot, then die in the same spot. Fortunately for me there's mame, which in addition to having hella better sound effects than the saturn version (perhaps the best explosions/guns (on the green helicopter) of any game) has savestates So tonite I had some fun with it now that I got past that stupid spot, which I won't mention how hideously early in the game it is.

I hope your not one of those people who think shmups should be easy.
You can't "practice" certain stages in the arcade, and thus these games take time to learn to play properly, e.i master.
This is exactly why I say that some games may takes years to beat. Here's to replay value!!!

Some shmups are just harder than others, it won't bother me none if I never see stage 8 in Strikers 1945 Plus. However, I'll still keep playing and enjoying it. Hey, I can only get better, you won't do worse unless you either give up or stop playing for a LONG while.

[TVG]

I hope your not one of those people who think shmups should be easy.
You can't "practice" certain stages in the arcade, and thus these games take time to learn to play properly, e.i master.
This is exactly why I say that some games may takes years to beat. Here's to replay value!!!

Some shmups are just harder than others, it won't bother me none if I never see stage 8 in Strikers 1945 Plus. However, I'll still keep playing and enjoying it. Hey, I can only get better, you won't do worse unless you either give up or stop playing for a LONG while.

he's not complaining about the difficulty, just that the first 3 stages are waaay too easy, then all of a sudden it becomes hell. so he has to replay trough these 3 boring stages everytime.

and i can sort of understand, ive never seen a game where it was so obvious.

but i still like donpachi, it's too different from the rest of the cave stuff. and the announcer and music are way too good.

in our modern days, i like to consider stage select on home ports a given, especially on score heavy shmups, its better with than without, and you can always choose to not use it, afterall..

arcade perfect port (more or less) + stage select = perfection, me happy.

[Nuke]

Regarding Donpachi, I actualy (gasp!) like it better than DoDonpachi.

[BulletMagnet]

Hey, I can only get better, you won't do worse unless you either give up or stop playing for a LONG while.

Or your eyes begin to fry from staring at the screen too long.

[dave4shmups]

OK, I found some screenshots of this game on the Destroy All Monsters site, but I CANNOT tell if they are of tate mode or not, because it doesn't say anywhere.

Looking up more screenshots is not going to help, because, again, it never says what mode the screens are from. That's why I'd like some feedback from anyone who owns this game, and, say Batsugun, which has a very generous non-Tate mode.

I do not care for Saturn DonPachi or DoDonPachi one bit; they are both a waste of money, IMO. The first has ridiculous amounts of slowdown for a 2D Saturn game, and the second is has horribly pixilated explosions. And both have absurdly narrow non-Tate modes.

[mannerbot]

Dave, are you meaning to tell me you get psyched up over Trizeal and XII Stag but now you refuse to play Dodonpachi -- shmups forum's #1 shooter on the top 25 list last year -- because of one graphical error?

[Neon]

Since there's no good reason not to play in TATE (or RGB for that matter) I'd say don't worry about it. Just get a nice tateable RGB monitor.

I'd say saturn ddp is worth it. It's a lot cheaper than the psx version and more or less the same. I've been looking for the psx version for a few weeks, can't find it anywhere. too rarez00rz.

[mannerbot]

There were a couple of copies on eBay a couple of months ago, still goes for about twice as much as the Saturn version though.

[CMoon]

but i still like donpachi, it's too different from the rest of the cave stuff.

And I honestly feel this the REAL problem with Donpachi--it isn't much like the other stuff, and its name. If it was named Batsugun 2, everyone would love it. Well that and they keep playing the poor saturn port.

[dave4shmups]

"because of one graphical error? Confused"

Dude, its more then just "one graphical error". I already mentioned the stingy non-tate mode. I don't have the dough to shell out for a monitor, and some TV's simply will NOT tate. I happen to own one, and so it's these two factors that make DDP a waste of time and money for me. And I could care less if it's the number one rated shmup on this site. I'll take any one of Compile or Toaplan's shmups any day over DDP.

In any case, I would still really like a description of the non-tate mode in Battle Garegga.

[LoneSage]

The non-Tate mode in BG is like any other shmup's, I guess. I find it a lil bit harder because things are more condensed into a smaller area, whereas the bullets have more range in TATE.

So yea, it's cool non-TATED.

[Neon]

I don't have the dough to shell out for a monitor, and some TV's simply will NOT tate. I happen to own one

Then Dave-o, you should stick to hori's or yoko-verts

tate is secksie.

[TVG]

"because of one graphical error? Confused"

Dude, its more then just "one graphical error". I already mentioned the stingy non-tate mode. I don't have the dough to shell out for a monitor, and some TV's simply will NOT tate. I happen to own one, and so it's these two factors that make DDP a waste of time and money for me. And I could care less if it's the number one rated shmup on this site. I'll take any one of Compile or Toaplan's shmups any day over DDP.

In any case, I would still really like a description of the non-tate mode in Battle Garegga.

with all the shit you buy, you cant afford a second-hand mid or small size tate-able TV?

i know it's no use trying to reason with you, but believe me, sacrificing one purchase to play all the others in tate is well worth it.

i dont know why im posting this, though, since im seeing your reaction from a mile.

[dave4shmups]

There's no need to get nasty Vagrant! As for "all the shit I buy", a lot of my recent purchases stem from the money I got for selling the Asian PSTwo and shmups. So don't start this "Dave picks money off of trees" nonsense with me again-obviously it's you who cannot be reasoned with.

I prefer non-tate to tate, that's all there is too it. Having different preferences in that regard hardly makes me an unreasonable gamer.

Thanks for the feedback on Garegga's non-tate mode, in any case, it's too awesome a game to pass up if you own a Saturn. I just wanted to know if it was as narrow, as, say DDP's non Tate mode on the PS1-man is that constricted!

Back on topic, I've read a some complaints about bullets being hard to see in Garegga, but I never had a problem with this when I played it in MAME. I played Bakraid on there too, and I can honestly say that Garegga is my favorite of the two, although I obviously wish that the former had gotten a Saturn port. Garegga also has, IMO, about the most kick-arse intro to any shmup ever made!

[TWITCHDOCTOR]

I agree with the above poster...however I don't feel the need to be so "blunt" about it.

Anyway, all vertical games will look and play better in Tate, period. You can play em all in "sqaushed up mode" if you want, but you really won't be getting the full experience.

Take my word for it...the Pachi's are fine and playable on the Saturn. In most cases they are a little better on the PSX. If you really want to play em right, either use emulation or get the PCB's. Use this order as a guide...
1.PCB's
2.Emulation
3.PSX
4.Saturn

Also, actually try to lay on your side if you can't Tate. You may be surprised that it can and will actully work.
Don't forget, you can buy a small 20inch TV at most Wal-Marts for under $150.00...even less?
It almost seems like you can't afford NOT to tate.

[dave4shmups]

Yeah, but how well are those 20 inch TV's at Wal-Mart made, Twitch?
I own an RCA; the brand that pratically invented AV jacks. And selling it would be a royal pain, since I have no way of putting photos of it on Ebay, and packing it up would really stink.

There's plenty of Saturn shmups that you can get the full experience with without tating: pretty much every hori for the Saturn, and pretty much every STV shmup as well.

[raiden]

Yeah, but how well are those 20 inch TV's at Wal-Mart made, Twitch?

it doesn´t need to be good. Playing yoko means losing half the resolution, the best TV in the world can´t make up for that loss with picture quality. Just try switching on the tate mode, turn your head, and see what you´re missing. You don´t need to play that way (I couldn´t), but to get a glimpse of what it looks like, you don´t even need to buy a new TV yet.
I used to have a "good", expensive TV that couldn´t be tated. Then I got a cheap one just for tate, and then I got rid of the old one, determined not to buy a TV which can´t be tated ever again.

[Shatterhand]

I second playing in Tate.

If you can get a TV to do it, then do it. I don't regret not even a bit of moving from a 29' TV that couldn't tate to a 20' TV that I can tate. Yes, now fighiting games are in a smaller screen, but HELL, now I can tate, and it's worthy.

[MadSteelDarkness]

Dave, you could always do what I did. After not being able to get my TV to work right in Tate, I bought an inexpensive 19" VGA monitor. It was only $100, and it has a manual degauss function. I run my Jp PS2 through a Hori Upscan Converter, and that does the trick quite nicely. Also, this way I can hook up my DC to it for the power and glory of true native VGA (damn, I loooove my DC).

Oh, and yes I would prefer a XRGB-2 to the Hori, but hey, sometimes I can be a cheap bastard .

Trust me, and all of the rest of us who say: Once you go Tate, you'll never go back. Hell, even my GF, who's definitely not a hardcore gamer in any way, noticed the difference. She said, "Ya know, I thought you were smoking crack with this whole "tate" thing. But there really is a big difference."

But hey, like the man says, do what you're gonna do. Don't let anybody else tell you what to do.

[Neon]

Yeah, I got an rgb monitor from Venom for $65 shipped...from Canada. Just gotta buy an rgb cable and do some simple rewiring and I'll be enjoying saturn and some dc in RGB and tate Component's probably good enough for the ps2.

[dave4shmups]

Well, you guys made some good points, but I have no idea how to do any re-wiring. And how good could the sound on any monitor be compared to a TV? I also don't want to have to purchase speakers.

I'm sure that DC games look incredible on VGA, but I already think that games like ZG2 and Border Down look incredible on my TV-how much more of a difference could it possibly make?

In any case, I would have to sell the TV that I now have before doing any of this, and I've already pointed out the problems involved in selling it.

[Neon]

I'm sure that DC games look incredible on VGA, but I already think that games like ZG2 and Border Down look incredible on my TV-how much more of a difference could it possibly make?

You have no idea

Just get a VGA box...baby steps Dave, baby steps... they're like ten bucks and you'll see what it's all about.

[dave4shmups]

I know how cheap VGA boxes are, but you can't use 'em with TV's right? You have to have a monitor, don't you?

[Neon]

Yes...just use your pc's monitor.

[mannerbot]

That's the whole point, that's why they're called VGA monitors.

Bottom line, composite is garbage compared to VGA. Worlds of difference.

[dave4shmups]

Well, this is a family computer; so I can't exactly just haul off the monitor to my room to use for my DC. And there isn't enough room on the computer desk to fit my DC.