Shmup of the Month Club 2012

[dsheinem]

LV8.

... What difficulty level are you guys playing with for the CPS2/Mame version of MM? The US version defaults to 3 and the Japan version defaults to 4.

why aren't you playing at the default?

[ChrisHaha2049]

Rapid Piercing Laser is the only disadvantage of the one button config. The Auto Pierce function in the DC version does make things a little easier. It seems impossible to do it as rapidly the 'normal way'. While moderate tapping is sufficient enough for rapid normal shots.

And you guys should keep separate score tables anyway. They didn't just increase the score cap by adding 2 digits to the DC version. They also must've increased the base score value of enemies...or something. Whatever it is, scores inflate quicker on the DC even with a lesser EXP/multiplier...

MAME (567,937 exp...stage 4... only 39.8 billion total score)


DC (only 300,791 exp...only to stage 3...yet 50.1 billion total score)

[Tyranix95]

LV8.

... What difficulty level are you guys playing with for the CPS2/Mame version of MM? The US version defaults to 3 and the Japan version defaults to 4.

why aren't you playing at the default?

I am. The score I posted is a Lv3 run.

But, LV8 seems easier to me. IDKW, but this game seems to get easier for me the Higher the LV goes and Harder for me the Lower the LV goes.

Anyways, the DC guys should play arcade. And I vote for Default, LV3. 'casue it's the lowest default region setting on all the arcade boards. That way, we'll all have somewhat of a level paying field.

[dsheinem]

wow... Mars Matrix is hard. Haha.

Yeah, I really just played it for the first time with an understanding of how it works and FUCK. I have dabbled in it previously and just credit fed a bit, but this game is no joke.

Still, I can see giving this some time.

[noiseredux]

wow... Mars Matrix is hard. Haha.

Yeah, I really just played it for the first time with an understanding of how it works and FUCK. I have dabbled in it previously and just credit fed a bit, but this game is no joke.

Still, I can see giving this some time.

word. I'm still trying to fully grasp everything honestly. Can make it to lvl2 just dodging and shooting, but I obviously need to figure out the bullet absorbing stuff properly still.

[Tyranix95]

My 2nd Default Lv3. run and my last guy died in right about the same spot but my score went up--a bit. /

Tyranix95--CPS2--Mosquito 02--Score: 9,650,936,670--Exp:172,479 (Lv.4)--Stg: 3.



And newbie is right: We're gonna need seperate scoring tables for the DC crew 'cause thier game is juiced.

[Tyranix95]

wow... Mars Matrix is hard. Haha.

Yeah, I really just played it for the first time with an understanding of how it works and FUCK. I have dabbled in it previously and just credit fed a bit, but this game is no joke.

Still, I can see giving this some time.

word. I'm still trying to fully grasp everything honestly. Can make it to lvl2 just dodging and shooting, but I obviously need to figure out the bullet absorbing stuff properly still.

Some tips:

I. THE PULSE CANNON:

It Kicks ass. Use it early and often. Get the recharge timing down so you can use as manny times as possible during a game.

--Use it agains Enemines that line up in a Row.
--Use it against Enemimes in a tight group.
--Use it against Structures.
--Use it against Bosses.

--And learn how to hit deap with the PC. It does more damage the closer you are to your target or the longer it hits a target.


II. THE NORMAL SHOT:

Normal Shot is week (compared to the PC).

--Use it when attacking a spread formation.
--Use it when you need to strafe.
--And level it up, fast.

Note #1: LEVELING UP. Learn how to collect as many Mars Matrix Cubes in a row as you can. Cube points not only not only level up your ship but these also also power up your NS. And you need to power up your NS as fast as possible.

Note #2: AUTO GUARD: Use the NS when you you are flying thorugh a tight bullet formations. If your GH/B meter is full, then sometimes the rapid pressing of the buttion will active the GH decive--if a bullet is too close to your hit box--and thus make your ship invincible for a split siecond, and suck the bulets in the GH, and then flick (or toss) the close buttlets away form your ship--kind of like an auto guard device (which only takes away a little bit of GH/B meter). Be warned, the auto guard does not always seem to work; however, when it does--it's cool.

III. THE GRAVITY HOLE / BOMB aka THE MOSQUITO:

Two things in one. Learn to work them both.

A. Use the Gravity Hole Device to make your ship invincible.

--When your GH/B meter is max, you can activate it.
--When you activate the GH, it makes your ship invincible as long as your ship is flashing.
--When you're invincible, jet to safe spots on the board.

B. Use the Gravity Hold Device as a "Buzzsaw."

--Again, you're invincible as long as youre flashing; however, as long as the Gravity Hole is spinning around your ship, you can fly in to objects and damage them with the Gravity Hole Device.
--Works great for cutting up bosses.

C. Use the Gravity Hold Device as a Reflex Barrier.

--As long as the Gravity Hole is spinning around your ship, it will cause enemy bullets to orbit (follow) your ship when you fly next to them.
--Use the joystick to move the collected bullets on the edge of the Gravity Hole by flying in the opposite direction.

Note#1 If you want the captured bullets to be on the top (or front) of the Gravity Hole, then fly back (or down). And vice versa.

--When the Gravity Hole Device is deactivated, then all the collected bullets are on the edge of the Gravity Hole are projected away from the ship back at the enemy.

Note #2: If you want the captured bullets to scatter in all directions, then make a quick 360 joystick rotation, let it return to center, and then deactivate the Gravity Hole Device.

Bonus: When a captured enemy bullet collides with an enemy ship not only does it damage the enemy but it also transforms into a Mars Matrix Cube.

Note #3: Get good at making and collecting extra "Bonus" Mars Matrix Cubes and you can leveling up your ship and your NS fast.

D. Use the Gravity Hole Device as a Bomb.

--Deplete the Gravity Hole Device meter to Bomb the screne and clear it of enemy bullets and weak enemies.
--Usefull when combined with a "Buzzsaw" attack to add some extra damage.
--But, detrimental in that the the GH/B meter takes a long time to recharge after a bomb.

Note: You start each level with a fully charged GH/B memter. And, of course, knowing when and were to Bomb in a game helps out a lot. So check out a 999/SuperPlay Vid on the Tube.

[ExedExes]

Holy horizontal screen vertical shmup! I know Capcom did this with Giga Wing and 1944 The Loop Master too.

The big difference of this and GW is the fact that you need to keep picking up cubes to get the progressive chain to stay as opposed to just not dying and losing that chain. Too slow, back down to +1.

As many have said, it takes getting used to, but I like the aggressive play it offers in the fact that enemy collisions don't kill you, and I think the pace is pretty brisk, the stages are a decent length, and it has those big multi part GW bosses with the pretty looking bullet hell patterns.

That being said, I started playing it on the Dreamcast. My settings are as follows

- 1 button for all shot operations (all autofire functions are disabled)
- 3 lives
- 1 credit
- Difficulty 4

Now as far as I know, the DC Arcade mode plays exactly like the CPS2/MAME versions. The only difference is the SCORE ATTACK mode which has special items that change the EXP gathering and scoring a bit. I may grab it for MAME if the arcade scores claim to be different.

ExedExes - 3,648,488,900 - Stage 2 - Mosquito 2 (Blue) - Dreamcast

[skate323k137]

Probably as good as I'll do tonight. too tired to focus on stage 3. FWIW I vote for difficulty 4, at least for the DC scores since that's default.

Skate323k137 - 23,035,228,490 - Stage 3 - Mosquito1 - Dreamcast

[ChrisHaha2049]

The DC (Arcade mode) and CPS2 versions play exactly the same...the stages, enemies, bullet patterns, timings, etc. All the same. However the DC version's base score values have indeed been "juiced".

But don't take just my word for it...
http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.php?t=78 (3rd paragraph)

This feature [maxed out score] had been removed in the port, since they added two extra digits in the score. ALSO, all larger enemies and boss parts are worth more in score, meaning that the scores are somewhat bigger (basically, about 30-40%, but i'm not really sure: it seems they're worth x5 or x10 times their original value).

Proof is in my earlier post here:
MAME score=39.8 billion - EXP=567,937 - stage 4
...DC score =50.1 billion - EXP=300,791 - stage 3 ...DC must be juiced...

As for Score Attack, only the Elite mode portions of SA are tweaked. In addition to applying Special Options, it also gives out extra (tiny) +1 cubes whenever you hit enemies with a Pierce Laser attack; enabling those scores to be much, much higher. (Works wonders for stage 4.) The "Arcade" Score Attack is exactly like the regular Arcade mode. And just to be clear, the extra EXP cubes do not occur in the regular Elite modes...


TIP for those with the DC version: Purchase "Strategy Stage 1" from the Shop as soon as possible. It gives a good demonstration of chaining and usage of the Mosquito shield and how to fight the boss properly. Getting a good start (EXP/Multiplier) on stage 1 helps your score out a lot. Or...search for CaptainRansom on youtube. His superplay's stage 1 is relatively similar.