WARNING! SHMUP PORN!

Andrew76

Dodonpachi DAI-OU-JOU for the PS2 arrived this morning. Thankfully it arrived in one piece as the seller just turfed into an envelope with no padding at all, I know it's only a PS2 case but cheap git all the same. Comes with a nice superplay dvd and the manual is actually a folded up poster. The game itself looks gorgeous.

Pic spammage incoming.



Manual/poster:







Some shots of the game in action:

o1s1n

Nice! Your ability to photograph scanlines amazes me :eek: they come up so clear!

Spent some time with Souky this evening. I remembered about the Battle Garegga demo on the disc so decided to give it a go. I was interested in seeing which version it was. Turns out it's the harder one with the bullets which are hard to see.

Accidentally selected vertical screen orientation. Decided to leave it and turned my head to the side - managed to 1cc the demo like that Not bad.

Pyongyang

Nice one, I haven't checked my manual, I just played the game and superplay. Will dig it out and have a look later!

I agree with Pantryboy, you have a knack of taking great snaps of your Trini.

Andrew76

Cheers lads.

o1s1n wrote: »

Nice! Your ability to photograph scanlines amazes me :eek: they come up so clear!

Funny you mention that. Most of the time when I look at the TV through the camera there is a big black shadow moving across the screen (obviously fine through the naked eye) so 90% of the pics I take are useless. I used the same camera to record some Raiden play on the cab but 640 x 480 and dire sound recording did not make a nice video, was like a 90's You've Been Framed home video. :pac:
Have a camcorder knocking about but can't remember what resolution that records at, must give it a try.

o1s1n wrote: »

Accidentally selected vertical screen orientation. Decided to leave it and turned my head to the side - managed to 1cc the demo like that Not bad.

Impressive skills! I wonder was it made easier by the arrival of that luxurious new couch you mentioned. :cool:

Is there more strategy to Souky than just dodging bullets? Never really gave it much time but it felt like a thinking man's shmup, bit like Radiant Silvergun.

Pyongyang

Try Night Raid for a thinking persons shooting game. You'd need a Fields Medal, Abel Prize and Chern Medal just to get even a basic understanding of the scoring mechanics.

As for Soukgyyivdsvhkolmhradwfbjiovesdthoprentai, it's amazing. It is a bit 'thinky' but not in the same vein as Ikaruga or Radiant Silvergun. Only the first run prints have the demo on them, I think. Or it might be the budget reprint. I forget, i have he first run print, what's yours Pantryboy?

o1s1n

Andrew76 wrote: »

Cheers lads.

Funny you mention that. Most of the time when I look at the TV through the camera there is a big black shadow moving across the screen (obviously fine through the naked eye) so 90% of the pics I take are useless. I used the same camera to record some Raiden play on the cab but 640 x 480 and dire sound recording did not make a nice video, was like a 90's You've Been Framed home video. :pac:
Have a camcorder knocking about but can't remember what resolution that records at, must give it a try. .

Ah right, I get the same when I try to take photos of my tv. It's a refresh rate thing as far as I know. It's like what you see on old tv shows whenever there was a television/pc monitor on screen.

I usually just hold my finger down and eventually a photo comes out which looks okay. Never to the quality of yours though. Are you taking them with a tripod yeah?

Andrew76 wrote: »

Is there more strategy to Souky than just dodging bullets? Never really gave it much time but it felt like a thinking man's shmup, bit like Radiant Silvergun.

It's somewhere in between your standard bullet dodger and a thinking man's game. You can play it fine with the standard shot gun on rapid fire, similar to playing Raiden or something like that.

You do however have a homing gun which extends out in two ways -

A cone or a dome shape.

The cone is smaller but uses more powerful attacks. The dome is broader, but not as strong.

The big draw for me (apart from the awesome gameplay and music!) is the difficulty. It can be tough. Really worth trying though, it's one of my favourite shmups. I'd much rather it to any of these modern day Cave releases.

Pyongyang wrote: »

reprint. I forget, i have he first run print, what's yours Pantryboy?

Your Pantry-LORD has the reprint. Actually I didn't even know Saturn reprints existed until you mentioned it a while back.

When I then noticed the white boarder on my Souky cover I fell on the floor in dispair, fists in the air, and let out a resounding -

'NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!'

ondafly

Andrew76 wrote: »

Dodonpachi DAI-OU-JOU for the PS2

Is this the same one thats on the Xbox360 with the terrible loading times and redone menus ? I started back playing it recently out of curiosity but the loading times are a joke

Andrew76

o1s1n wrote: »

I usually just hold my finger down and eventually a photo comes out which looks okay. Never to the quality of yours though. Are you taking them with a tripod yeah?

No tripod, just turn off the flash and turn on that macro "flower" setting that EnterNow enlightened me about - it's for taking close up pics I think.

ondafly wrote: »

Is this the same one thats on the Xbox360 with the terrible loading times and redone menus ? I started back playing it recently out of curiosity but the loading times are a joke

Actually I'm not sure. Just had a look on play-asia and I'm wondering was it Do Don Pachi Daioujou Black Label Extra? After enduring one loading time I turned it off and never played it again, fecking DIRE those loading times are on the 360 especially when running off the hard drive. The above PS2 game is fine, only small loading times same as the other PS2 shmups. Might go back and check out the 360 one, briefly! :pac:

Pyongyang

Dai Ou Jou on PS2 load times are minimal. Much better than Ibara on the PS2 anyway. I haven't played Espgaluda on PS2 in a while so can't remember what load times are like with that.

Pyongyang

Ooh, DoDonpachi Maximum & DoDonpachi Dai Ou Jou coming to Windows Phone and iOS, might have to buy that Nokia Lumina 900 after all...

http://www.cave.co.jp/gameonline/maximum/jp/

http://www.cave-world.com/jp/games/dodonpachi-daioujou.html

CiDeRmAn

Now, there's an idea...
Instead of investing in some LCD rotating monitor I'll just pick up a cheap Trinitron somewhere and roll it on it's side!
Are those TVs robust enough?
I would be leaving it in that position permanently so to play all that vertically scrolling shooty goodness!

Andrew76

Haven't heard of Maximum before, is that a mobile specific version? Fair play to you for supporting them on the phones. Oh and a very special sealed package arrived this morning from Japan. :eek: I didn't believe Jeff when he said it would only take 4 days, chap is a legend. Will try get some pics up at some stage.

Andrew76

CiDeRmAn wrote: »

Now, there's an idea...
Instead of investing in some LCD rotating monitor I'll just pick up a cheap Trinitron somewhere and roll it on it's side!
Are those TVs robust enough?
I would be leaving it in that position permanently so to play all that vertically scrolling shooty goodness!

I guess it depends on the model of Trinitron and what shape it is at the sides. I think o1s1n said his (which is the same as yours?) was too dodgy to leave on it's side. My one is perfect though, I've had it sitting on it's side for ages now and not a bother. This looks like the exact same model: http://www.adverts.ie/1198290.

Pyongyang

Is that your Raiden DVD? Nice! Get those photos up mate! Did Jeff throw in some Kit Kats? Usually he does. Reminds me, I've to order my Ibara superplay from him next week.

DoDonpachi Maximum, I think, is a unique title to Windows Phone. Watching this one with great interest because if it's any good, and the rest of the catalog comes to WIndows Phone, I'll be looking at a Nokia Lumina 900 very soon seeing as my contract is up on my iPhone 4 in 2 weeks.

Dai Ou Jou is a no-brainer. Probably Cave's finest moment.

o1s1n

Andrew76 wrote: »

I guess it depends on the model of Trinitron and what shape it is at the sides. I think o1s1n said his (which is the same as yours?) was too dodgy to leave on it's side. My one is perfect though, I've had it sitting on it's side for ages now and not a bother. This looks like the exact same model: http://www.adverts.ie/1198290.

That's it really. As far as I know, CRTs tune themselves to the magnetic field of the earth. So if you rotate a screen vertically, it'll eventually end up being how the tv 'likes' to be.

If it starts going purple and weird when you first rotate it, it just needs to be degaussed. TVs have a degauss coil which is activated whenever you turn it on.

Only cosideration really is the CRT weight versus the tv's own shell. If the shell can't support it, it ain't going to work.

That one you got (and linked) is indeed perfect for it. I'm still trying to figure out where to place it in my house

Andrew76

Actually that reminds me, there was a very good post on the shmups forum that said to wait 30 mins or so before turning it on when you have moved it from horizontal to vertical and vice versa.

Pyongyang

Andrew76 wrote: »

Actually that reminds me, there was a very good post on the shmups forum that said to wait 30 mins or so before turning it on when you have moved it from horizontal to vertical and vice versa.

Yep. Let it settle itself before you tinker with turning it on. You could always buy a degaussing wand too.

Anthony 'Greek Mother' 76. Where are those racy photos of your GET'S!?

Andrew76

Pyongyang wrote: »

Anthony 'Greek Mother' 76. Where are those racy photos of your GET'S!?

:pac:

Just too busy with work, waiting til lunchtime to take some snaps. So far I've just checked that the DVDs and CDs worked fine, the package overall looks delicious I must say, no kit kats btw.

Oh and I had to watch gameplay of the first level of Raiden, chap scored 130,000. I average 122,000 to 124,000 so I'm not too bad with that level, he stuck with the bullet weapon rather than laser and the boss fight lasted a bit longer giving him a higher score. He's also using the blue ship not red. Very briefly looked at Raiden 2 and the chap was ignoring the first few power up ships. Was impressive how he managed to avoid destroying it while killing everything else.

I really need to find a Japanese speaker to translate the text on screen, no doubt it's important info.

o1s1n

Andrew76 wrote: »

Very briefly looked at Raiden 2 and the chap was ignoring the first few power up ships. Was impressive how he managed to avoid destroying it while killing everything else.
.

Odd!

Must be some hidden way of scoring more points. (either that or he's just showing off!)

I'll have to give that a go.

Pyongyang

Andrew76 wrote: »

No kit kats btw.

Shame. Although he does only put them in when he has some in stock, maybe he was all out? Sometimes he puts flyers in too, I got a bunch tucked in to a copy of Shooting Gameside I bought from him a while ago.

Sounds like the Raiden superplay package is the bees knees! Superplays are great aren't they? You more or less proved it's worth yourself there when by watching one of the runs you saw how your already good score could be improved.

I think they are valuable (and sadly expensive) learning tools for the dedicated. Glad to see more folks getting interested in them.

Andrew76

o1s1n wrote: »

Odd!

Must be some hidden way of scoring more points. (either that or he's just showing off!)

I'll have to give that a go.

Had a look at that level again, he uses the red ship, normal bullets and normal missiles for the entire level. Yeah, he ignores the first two power up ships, then takes red power ups from the next two and then ignores the last one at the end of level bosses, no idea why. The videos are split screen with the game on the left and the score and info on the right, now and again during game play some Japanese text comes up in a box on the right - presumably with some info and what he's just done. He ends up with a score of 151,520. When you get your supergun setup you should have a crack at that on your board.

Took a load of pics especially of the book that comes with it, need to re-size them so will upload later. Looks to be tons of interesting info in there, most of it unreadable though, some strange pics too.

o1s1n

Andrew76 wrote: »

He ends up with a score of 151,520. When you get your supergun setup you should have a crack at that on your board.
.

Nice having a score to aim for, I'll definitely be giving that a go.

Question for our very own deceased Korean dictator - I was playing Darius II a bit this evening for the Saturn.

What do you reckon is the best zoom setting? Or do you zoom in and out as you play?

I was playing it on the farthest away one, to see everything, but it can be a little tricky to dodge some bullets.

The middle one is probably the best, but then it's annoying not being able to see all the enemies.

Three monitors the only solution?

safetyboy

Just ordered Shooting Gameside Vol 1 and 2. Darius and Gradius!! lets hope thats the end of it

Pyongyang

safetyboy wrote: »

Just ordered Shooting Gameside Vol 1 and 2. Darius and Gradius!! lets hope thats the end of it

Excellent purchase! Don't forget to buy Vol 0, 3 and 4 though (oh and read my interview with the editor at my blog )

http://www.pinkbullets.co.uk/blogs/?p=236

Pyongyang

Before you read any further, I suggest fetching yourself a spare pair of pants.




























































































Darius Burst is coming to iOS!

http://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2012/01/21/taito-bringing-darius-burst-shoot-em-up-to-ios

Confirmed by Famitsu as Darius Burst: Second Prologue

http://app.famitsu.com/20120122_24136/

johnny_ultimate

Once you've played that magnificent cab no port will ever be good enough

Pyongyang

DoDonpachi Sai Dai Ou Jou announced!

http://www.cave.co.jp/gameonline/saidaioujou/

Pyongyang

More SHMUPPY SMUT! Taito polled gamers of Darius Burst AC EX and asked them who their favourite bosses are.

GWT topped the poll unsurprisingly. I'm disappointed though that King Fossil only just scraped the top 10. To me, King Fossil is as iconic as the Legend and Silver Hawk ships and is the one boss you always hope to see in any Darius game.

Here's the poll results:

http://darius.jp/dbac/news/campaign.html

Pyongyang

YouTube video of the week IMHO.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mByRoL4fHl0

Andrew76

Nice screen setup but jesus all those candies....

Where would you recommend someone start if they wanted to get a flavour for Darius? Darius 2 on the Saturn? This might be sacrilege to say but I'm not a fan of the graphics in G-Darius so would prefer ones with a more old school 2D look.

Pyongyang

Playing Darius at home? Darius II on the Saturn is a good start. Or Darius Gaiden. If you suffer Darius withdrawal, Darius Burst on the PSP will calm your twitches and give you a good fix whilst out of the house.

Carry the OST's (specifically the Burst OST for Goodbye My Earth) on your mp3 player for any other occasions.

Finally, if you have an iPhone, wrap it in a Darius Burst cover. For all other phones simply grab some crayons and draw King Fossil on your phone yourself.

Pyongyang

Nano Assualt 3D coming to the 3DS in April! The 3DS is tempting me, STOP IT NINTENDO! I WANT A VITA! :mad:

http://www.famitsu.com/news/201201/24008820.html

Steve X2

Pyongyang wrote: »

Nano Assualt 3D coming to the 3DS in April! The 3DS is tempting me, STOP IT NINTENDO! I WANT A VITA! :mad:

http://www.famitsu.com/news/201201/24008820.html

Get one, *IS NICE


*Borat Voice

.

Pyongyang

Steve SI wrote: »

Get one, *IS NICE


*Borat Voice

.

Not until Cave make all of their new title announcements this week!

We've had DDP: Maximum, DDP: SDOJ. That leaves the untitled Vita game and the 'brand new game' to reveal. Chairman promised to reveal all the news by Feb 1st.

I've been put off getting a Vita at launch now though. It's hardly selling in Japan now and surely a price cut must be imminent?

3DS will drop again I reckon, though I might wait and see if a new revamped model is released. Still not sold on it.

Steve X2

Pyongyang wrote: »

Not until Cave make all of their new title announcements this week!

We've had DDP: Maximum, DDP: SDOJ. That leaves the untitled Vita game and the 'brand new game' to reveal. Chairman promised to reveal all the news by Feb 1st.

I've been put off getting a Vita at launch now though. It's hardly selling in Japan now and surely a price cut must be imminent?

3DS will drop again I reckon, though I might wait and see if a new revamped model is released. Still not sold on it.

The screen on the Vita is just so good. Your shmups will look very nice indeed on it.

.

Pyongyang

Steve SI wrote: »

The screen on the Vita is just so good. Your shmups will look very nice indeed on it.

.

Feck the Vita, I want that Neo Geo AES portable!

Andrew76

Pyongyang wrote: »

Feck the Vita, I want that Neo Geo AES portable!

Lol you want everything now! :pac:

Pyongyang

Andrew76 wrote: »

Lol you want everything now! :pac:

ondafly

time for some Darius Pr0nz

o1s1n

Now the big question -

Is that a seizure or a tantrum?

CiDeRmAn

Tantrum.

I've seen tons of seizures.

Trust me, I'm a professional!

Pyongyang

ondafly wrote: »

time for some Darius Pr0nz

Here's some more Darius Pr0nz



I can submit more smutty Darius imagery if you wish.

Retr0gamer

Pyongyang wrote: »

GWT topped the poll unsurprisingly. I'm disappointed though that King Fossil only just scraped the top 10. To me, King Fossil is as iconic as the Legend and Silver Hawk ships and is the one boss you always hope to see in any Darius game.

I hope Queen Fossil from G-Darius got in there, probably my favourite shmup boss other than the R-type tribute boss in radiant silvergun.

I'm going to cause some agro now by saying that I think the Darius games aren't actually very good until Gaiden came out and really don't like the first Darius. I'm off to watch the fireworks :P

Pyongyang

CiDeRmAn

Retr0gamer wrote: »

I hope Queen Fossil from G-Darius got in there, probably my favourite shmup boss other than the R-type tribute boss in radiant silvergun.

I'm going to cause some agro now by saying that I think the Darius games aren't actually very good until Gaiden came out and really don't like the first Darius. I'm off to watch the fireworks :P

Don't mind him he plays shooters featuring naked japanese body builders when he knows the undeniable glory of R-Type Final is gnawing at his soul... or at least the red plastic bucket where he keeps it.

Pyongyang

King Fossil is the best. He's the iconic boss of nearly every Darius games (the exceptions being the two games he wasn't in).

That boss ship has even made cameo appearances in other games such is King Fossil's popularity. It perplexes me as to why this boss was only placed 9th on the list.

You think of Darius, you think of the iconic ship and King Fossil. The two go hand in hand like a lime and a coconut, like Chakademus and Pliers, Milli Vanilli, rum and cola............. Brian Cowen and Lou Gehrig's disease.

Poor form from the gamers polled for this survey.

Retr0gamer

Leave Cho-Anik alone, the Super CD games are awesome.

Speaking of PC Engine, hoping to sneak this track into the podcast tomorrow:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eFz1gviENY

Retr0gamer

Never heard of this game:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtGrLGA-rX8

Pyongyang

All of the 'Soldier' games are smothered in lashings of awesome. Looking forward to the podcast if we've Bomberman, Ginger Feckoff Daihatsu Sapphire and all of the Soldier games to look forward to. Sounds like a show packed with greatness!

That game Over Horizon was released in the early 90's. Quite collectible now as its rather rare. Must add that to my Famicom wish list along with Zombie Nation.

Monkeyto

Pyongyang wrote: »

DoDonpachi Sai Dai Ou Jou announced!

http://www.cave.co.jp/gameonline/saidaioujou/

There's a location test at HEY Arcade in Akihabara on the 3rd, 4th and 5th of Feb! Get your hidden cameras out!