
Shmup of the Month Club 2012
Re: Shmup of the Month Club (Metal Black)
I am around 136K, still dying stupidly on the second boss 

Re: Shmup of the Month Club (Metal Black)
dsheinem wrote:I am around 136K, still dying stupidly on the second boss
If you repeatedly blast those grey orbs, they will die. Takes about 20 direct hits each, but you have time to do it as he circles around 2 or 3 times before releasing his lazer. If those are gone, avoiding the bouncing lazer becomes much easier.
Then it's just a matter of avoiding running into him.
I've made stage 3 boss (2) of my last (3) runs yesterday but I haven't learned patterns fully. Hitting stage 3 w/4 lives, but I am crashing on the ceiling at least twice per round trying to blast the up/down lazer beem guys.
I'll probably give it some more time next weekend.
Good score Hashirya, your about 20K ahead of me at the same stage of the game.
What is your normal score for the stage 1 bonus round?
- hashiriya1
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Re: Shmup of the Month Club (Metal Black)
mjmjr25 wrote:
What is your normal score for the stage 1 bonus round?
I don't have a solid consistent score but if I there is less than 15 'seconds' left on the timer by the time I am done, I'll usually start over. If I don't start stage 2 with AT LEAST 80K I won't feel motivated to continue.
Re: Shmup of the Month Club (Metal Black)
hashiriya1 wrote:mjmjr25 wrote:
What is your normal score for the stage 1 bonus round?
I don't have a solid consistent score but if I there is less than 15 'seconds' left on the timer by the time I am done, I'll usually start over. If I don't start stage 2 with AT LEAST 80K I won't feel motivated to continue.
Yeah, that's what I was thinking.
I've been at 80K twice after really solid bonus rounds, but my last 3 runs yesterday, which were the farthest, all had bad bonus rounds and once I didn't even get the perfect, hit stage 2 at 59K. Ended up making 3rd boss w/like 169K - should've been nearer 200K.
Re: Shmup of the Month Club (Metal Black)
hashiriya1 wrote:mjmjr25 wrote:
What is your normal score for the stage 1 bonus round?
I don't have a solid consistent score but if I there is less than 15 'seconds' left on the timer by the time I am done, I'll usually start over. If I don't start stage 2 with AT LEAST 80K I won't feel motivated to continue.
Jeeeez, no wonder my score has been low. I usually end the clock with 9 or so seconds left, and start round 2 with 74k (50k for first stage + 5k ship bonus + 10k perfect + 9k time left). The bonus stage really feels like luck to me, so am I missing out on some trick? At least I know I'm getting what you're getting in the first stage. The jump in difficulty from the first to the second though is tremendous, and those damn space rockets are a pain in the ass.
mjmjr25 wrote:If you repeatedly blast those grey orbs, they will die. Takes about 20 direct hits each, but you have time to do it as he circles around 2 or 3 times before releasing his lazer. If those are gone, avoiding the bouncing lazer becomes much easier.
Woot! Didn't know that. Time to try again.
Re: Shmup of the Month Club (Metal Black)
o.pwuaioc wrote:The bonus stage really feels like luck to me, so am I missing out on some trick?
I am wondering this too. It seems that your reticule is left wherever the last ship was downed - and where a new one spawns is pretty random. I don't like that much of the score can be attributed to luck here....80K seems nuts, as I usually hover around 75K going into level 2.
Re: Shmup of the Month Club (Metal Black)
dsheinem wrote:o.pwuaioc wrote:The bonus stage really feels like luck to me, so am I missing out on some trick?
I am wondering this too. It seems that your reticule is left wherever the last ship was downed - and where a new one spawns is pretty random. I don't like that much of the score can be attributed to luck here....80K seems nuts, as I usually hover around 75K going into level 2.
Not to mention that you're screwed if they go offscreen. I was 13 seconds left, and the last bugger went off screen for 10 of those seconds.

Re: Shmup of the Month Club (Metal Black)
o.pwuaioc wrote:dsheinem wrote:o.pwuaioc wrote:The bonus stage really feels like luck to me, so am I missing out on some trick?
I am wondering this too. It seems that your reticule is left wherever the last ship was downed - and where a new one spawns is pretty random. I don't like that much of the score can be attributed to luck here....80K seems nuts, as I usually hover around 75K going into level 2.
Not to mention that you're screwed if they go offscreen. I was 13 seconds left, and the last bugger went off screen for 10 of those seconds.
I have had this happen too. Irritating as fuck. I have had 15ish seconds left on the clock once or twice, but there are a LOT of points (as a percentage of the whole) to be had in what seems like a random round...
Re: Shmup of the Month Club (Metal Black)
166,050 - Stage 3 - MAME
Ok, got past stage 2 boss (I had already figured the trick of shooting the spheres, but thanks!) - but not very far into stage 3 yet. I keep dying by doing stupid stuff, but still think I should be able to get to 200K without too much difficulty. Hope to have another run tomorrow before leaving for LA, but then I won't get a crack at it until next weekend.
At this point this is my favorite since Dragon Blaze so far. I liked Truxton quite a bit too, the others have been hit and miss for me - but I see myself sticking with this one all month.
Ok, got past stage 2 boss (I had already figured the trick of shooting the spheres, but thanks!) - but not very far into stage 3 yet. I keep dying by doing stupid stuff, but still think I should be able to get to 200K without too much difficulty. Hope to have another run tomorrow before leaving for LA, but then I won't get a crack at it until next weekend.
At this point this is my favorite since Dragon Blaze so far. I liked Truxton quite a bit too, the others have been hit and miss for me - but I see myself sticking with this one all month.
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Re: Shmup of the Month Club (Metal Black)
Dragon Blaze was my favorite. I actually enjoyed Zanac Neo quite a bit once I got into it. Truxton, Axelay and Dimahoo I either didn't play or barely played. This is my least favorite so far, though.