What shmup are you playing now?

[ExedExes]

The hitbox seems a bit inconsistent, there are some bullets that seem to graze a left or right wing and it kills me and then others seem to cut through the top 1/3 of my ship and I survive. It doesn't have a feel of "safe points" like most shooties.

that's a really major problem I'm having and it's causing me to just play really defensively since I don't "trust" my guess at the hitbox. Playing defensively seems detrimental to score in this game though.

It's also sad that 400K (or even 500K) might be my best yet everyone else has no problem completing 1 or 2 loops on it

[mjmjr25]

Well, think of it this way. It really isn't that many - there are maybe 10-12 guys hitting 1mil so far, and really, this is the major competition on the major forum for all of North America and Europe (and some in Asia).

I mean, to me, hitting 500K is sorta like running the 100yd dash in 11 seconds. Pretty damn good. But if you show up at the Olympics, there are going to be a handful of guys running at 9.7 seconds. I take solace in knowing that i'm playing with the absolute best of the best and this is, in some cases, literally all they do. There are guys in that thread who have put hundreds of hours into particular shmups, save-stating areas, and running it over and over and over until they find a path for the entire game.

I think hitting 300K in this game is pretty good. Hitting 400K is very good and hitting 500K is excellent. If you can reach the extend in a Psikyo game, that's impressive. You just have to block out the insane 0.0001% of the population that is just insanely good at things.

[dunpeal2064]

Strikers 1999 aka Whack-a-Medal

I think the medals being in the air makes this game even more anal than Gunbird 2.

I love Psikyo, but I hate Gunbird 2 and Strikers 1999's scoring.

[ExedExes]

Well, think of it this way. It really isn't that many - there are maybe 10-12 guys hitting 1mil so far, and really, this is the major competition on the major forum for all of North America and Europe (and some in Asia).

I mean, to me, hitting 500K is sorta like running the 100yd dash in 11 seconds. Pretty damn good. But if you show up at the Olympics, there are going to be a handful of guys running at 9.7 seconds. I take solace in knowing that i'm playing with the absolute best of the best and this is, in some cases, literally all they do. There are guys in that thread who have put hundreds of hours into particular shmups, save-stating areas, and running it over and over and over until they find a path for the entire game.

I think hitting 300K in this game is pretty good. Hitting 400K is very good and hitting 500K is excellent. If you can reach the extend in a Psikyo game, that's impressive. You just have to block out the insane 0.0001% of the population that is just insanely good at things.

No doubt this is the shmup olympics for sure. I do notice that many are capping out around 400-600K so that is comforting. I'd just love to get past 1-4. I could never reach that dedication level that so many videos on YouTube show. My name may be a shmup and I may love them more than any other genre, but I like many, many other games too.

I see those staggering scores, even on the games we've been doing this year on RB, and I sometimes forget to realize that many of these games I've never played before, like Radiant Silvergun. My 800K score is not too bad for a first timer. That competitive spirit many of us have just push us to do better, I always do my best every month, and I just like being able to actually have places to compete and discuss strategy on these games.

Plus, I think many have their favorite games and series that they concentrate on. For example I've probably put many more years into Axelay than many have.

I still love this event and I wish I was there when they did 1944 The Loop Master and Daioh

[ExedExes]

Strikers 1999 aka Whack-a-Medal

I think the medals being in the air makes this game even more anal than Gunbird 2.

I love Psikyo, but I hate Gunbird 2 and Strikers 1999's scoring.

I'm getting the timing down on them better. I think it's easier to see them move and get them in the right position than it would be to wait for them to briefly shine/flash/whatever.

[Opa Opa]

I hate the "touch the walls and you're dead" mechanic.

I'm not a spaceship, I'm a flying octopus! Surely an octopus could touch walls.

(edit: I'm playing Parodius, in case it wasn't obvious enough. How many other shmup cephalopods are there?)

(and the site thinks "cephalopod" isn't a word. Screw you computer editor! It is a word.)

[wip3outguy7]

Got my DoDonPachi for Saturn resurfaced and now it works. So I've been playing that. Looks ugly in YOKO (it's scaled back to fit), but TATE is almost indistinguishable from the arcade. Everything is scaled properly and the pixelated look magically goes away. If you have the option to regularly play in TATE, don't bother with the PS1 version.

I'm also playing Einhander. I was able to nab a free complete copy from someone at work, as stated in the video game finds thread here. The US version is so much more playable than the Japanese, IMO. It's good to have it back.

[foxhound1022]

I actually think the game would be funner w/o the X-36, at least there would be some added strategy and playing to strengths.

Yeah, and that. I feel bad using (arguably) the super fast super overpowered ship in a game that everyone else is whereas the other ones should be just as good, but I can't even score well with the others. At least in the RF series the Slave would (arguably) be the best, but there are others that can still net a decent run.

I can't even score decently with the X-36; My high score is with the Harrier. My play style is mostly reflexive, so faster ships twitching around usually lead to me dying stupidly. I can't even get 500K with the X-36, but I consistently break 600K with the Harrier. IDK; guess I'm just weird. I'll sacrifice speed for overwhelming firepower anyday.

[mjmjr25]

^That's impressive dude - I think only one other guy posted a 500K+ score w/anyone but X-36. I've tried the others - I actually do prefer the F-18 first 3 stages, but after that he takes way too long to keep up w/bullets and kill stuff in a hurry.

Nice job dude.

Did you post yr score yet? Get one in even if you think you might top it - the GMT thing always throws off our timing for last minute submissions.

I gave up at 535K - just too many frustrations - wasn't fun in the end, just punching my wife table in anger.

[foxhound1022]

Yeah, I posted it.

I don't know if I'm gonna get any runs in today anyways; I'm sick as hell and feel crappy. I wanted to do a little better, but I think I made a decent effort for only really playing for 3 days.