Was 3 and 4 just PS2 and Xbox 360 exclusives, no arcade versions?
-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
Shoot the Core! - Gaf Shoot em Up (aka Shooter/SHMUP) Reference Thread
- Thread starter fatty
- Start date
Was 3 and 4 just PS2 and Xbox 360 exclusives, no arcade versions?
I miss Shikigami. Don't really have a convenient way to play any of them at the moment either. (1 & 2 on Xbox OG, 3 on 360.) Might have to pick up 3 on Wii to play on Wii U BC? This is how desperate I'm getting here...
Raiden 3 and 4 were Type X arcade games first, got ports later. 5 was home console only and it suffered for it. I think I played 5 for like 20 minutes. Nothing about that game seemed fun. I wouldn't need a whole collection, just a decent port of 2 for fucks sake. To anything.
It's not particularly great-looking, I agree, but it was a small dev team aiming for 60fps at 720p on 2005 hardware. Wouldn't surprised me if they aimed low. If you compare it to their work from the PS2 era you'll see, well, *some* improvement lol. Now I'm wondering if Sine Mora is 60fps on 360!
As far as other polygonal STGs go, Strania looks nicer and that's also a 360-targeted game. Astebreed isn't a particularly good game imo but it's great-looking.
I wonder if some of these devs aim low with assets in order to mitigate performance issues later in development as the more complex scenes start to come together.
tomwhite2004
Member
I dont think they necessarily aim low but simply don't have the budget or resources to do any more given how niche the genre has become.
Raptomex
Member
I never liked how Dariusburst Chronicles looked, considering its release date. I do love the game, though.
tomwhite2004 said:
"aim low" is probably a crass way to put it but these aren't necessarily different things.
They know what they could implement given the hardware and they know that they don't have a lot of time and money to implement these things into their custom engine, work them into their workflows, optimize them, etc.
Raptomex said:
DB's simple look is a case of it coming from PSP hardware, I think. And then when it was time to make DBAC, I'm sure they had a tight budget and that game had to run smoothly at something like 2560x720 on aging Type X hardware, so they didn't totally rework the visuals.
tomwhite2004
Member
I can imagine that development budgets for your average STG are the same if not worse than in the PS2 era so no doubt these guys can't do a lot more than they already do.
The thing that baffled me about Caladrius on Steam was that it was a straight 720p port with no option to render in a higher resolution like many Steam ports with 3D assets have, think it would have looked much better if this was an option.
Yeah that was pretty outdated hardware even for the 2010 arcade release, luckily it has really strong art direction to make up for its relative simplicity.
SmiteOfHand
Member
FWIW, and it may be a minority view I dunno, but I like the chunky poly look. Might be nostalgia talking but there is something about high framerate chunky polys that feels really arcade to me. Even Deathsmiles, which I dislike aspects about its aesthetic, still warms my black heart.
Not to suggest well rendered stuff can't be cool too. Although I think from a presentation standpoint CB has a lot going for it. All the UI elements and giant sprites and such are real sharp looking, imo.
Let's not forget this isn't exactly a genre that blows the doors out in sales, either. High production values introduces a lot of risk.
Yeah. I think that CB, Raiden IV, and Raiden V all have a strong look to them. Definitely not pushing any boundaries but bright, solid, readable polygonal visuals are always going to have an easier time getting a pass from me.
I even find Eschatos to be pretty neat looking and I've read a lot of negative opinions on that game's look.
Unfortunately the PC port of Strania also has this issue. The internal resolution is locked at 720 even though you can select higher monitor resolutions.
Remembrance
Member
The biggest-budget "shmup" this year so far is Nier: Automata, and even that was mainly trying to recapture the look of a 15-year-old game (Ikaruga).
Let's face it, shmups are a tradition-heavy genre and most games are trying to evoke the look and feel of other games. Make your 3D game look too good and you mainly risk evoking the Euroshmup label. (Which is a shame.)
Is it worth doing anyway? Of course - but somebody has to set an example and it's not going to be a risk-averse small studio.
Let's face it, shmups are a tradition-heavy genre and most games are trying to evoke the look and feel of other games. Make your 3D game look too good and you mainly risk evoking the Euroshmup label. (Which is a shame.)
Is it worth doing anyway? Of course - but somebody has to set an example and it's not going to be a risk-averse small studio.
Shin Johnpv
Member
So I can't comment on Raiden V as I don't have an Xbox One yet, but I finally got Raiden IV Overkill on the PS3 recently and if I can be honest, I was disappointed in it visually. I felt like too much kind of blended together on screen. To me the low res textures and low poly count objects feel lower fidelity than the 240p classic 2D games. I feel like I'm getting less detail, and less hmmm information if you will, if that makes sense. I was also really disappointed that the tate window was so small. I need to play with the options but I was kind of expecting it to fill more of the screen.
Uh, what?
deadscreensky
Member
In most cases it's clearly a budget thing. Shmups don't generally make big bank, and 3D games are expensive.
sixteen-bit
Member
I remember Omega Five looking good for the time. I wonder if it holds up (probably not, lol)
With Wild Guns reloaded coming to Steam, I wonder if Omega Five will follow (same dev team).
With Wild Guns reloaded coming to Steam, I wonder if Omega Five will follow (same dev team).
hardseppo
Member
Thanks for the warm welcome - I started with G7400 and actually my first side-scrolling SHMUP was Gradius on the NES, but it wasn't near as impressive to me as R-Type with that bio-mechanic look. Unfortunately in my age with 41, my reflexes won't be as good as then so I don't play those games as often anymore... hahahaha
Others I loved were Thunderforce 3 and 4, Gynoug, Robo Aleste and Elemental Master if that counts. Still listen to the soundtracks until today. Man that Technosoft really knew how to compose some fantastic tunes. On the TurboDuo I loved Gates and Lords of Thunder among a few others.
Wow, nice info - I never knew that. Thx.
hmm
I'd imagine that the low-res assets stand out more in 1080p, but playing it in 720p back on 360 everything looked pretty consistent detail-wise while still being readable. As good-looking as some of the sprite-based games? Maybe not.
Vertical-monitor arcade games in 16:9 are bad news though for sure.
I would like Omega Five on Steam, good game
SmiteOfHand
Member
Don't sweat the reflexes.
You should give DARIUSBURST Chronicle Saviours a look. Might be up your alley. Bosses are all enormous mecha sea creatures, so what's not to love. It is on the higher end of cost, but goes on sale regularly. Difficulty is less demanding than a bullethell, and it has some real nice modes for mixing up each play through.
And a disgustingly good amount of DLC ships.
Bar81
Member
M.U.S.H.A
EGM #18 January 1991
MEGA PLAY #2 Jan/Feb 1991
(I thought EGM had more coverage than they did, seems most of it was in Mega Play).
Thanks for this. The two 8s are cracksmokers.
Yes indeed.
Guys, I still don't understand why I can't find more coverage of this game by EGM, not counting Mega Play. That first preview is all EGM had?
Edit: Well! I found Game Player's guide and review
Edit: And GamePro's!
Edit 2: So EGM's Tricks of the Trade had some codes.
Edit: and from GameFan's shooter special (October 1993):
sixteen-bit
Member
This Touhou fan animation is kinda like a super robot anime
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWeH_CcTq_8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWeH_CcTq_8
Dangun Feveron out 4.28 on PSN for 3700 yen. No "physical" edition this time?
http://www.4gamer.net/games/341/G034198/20170424093/
http://www.4gamer.net/games/341/G034198/20170424093/
sixteen-bit
Member
Dangun Feveron out 4.28 on PSN for 3700 yen. No "physical" edition this time?
http://www.4gamer.net/games/341/G034198/20170424093/
Maybe they're holding out for the Feveron/Garegga deluxe pack on disc.
One can dream, lol.
RoryDropkick
Member
Dangun Feveron out 4.28 on PSN for 3700 yen. No "physical" edition this time?
http://www.4gamer.net/games/341/G034198/20170424093/
Yknow, I'm ok with that. I feel pretty burned on getting the Premium day one and seeing it go for what, 3100 yen now? Yeah.
Shin Johnpv
Member
How is it getting another region's PSN shop games on the PS4? Will I be able to buy Feveron on PS4 on PSN on my US system?
SmiteOfHand
Member
You will need a Japanese account, but once it is setup it is all really painless, and you'll be able to play it in your primary account.
- Setup a Japanese PSN account
- Setup your PS4 as the primary system for this account.
- Buy a Japanese PSN card from an online retailer. Play-asia delivers it immediately. Amazon.co.jp might now, as well?
- Redeem, buy, and download the game using your Japanese account.
- Since your PS4 is set as primary you can switch back to your regular account and play/unlock trophies/etc on there.
tomwhite2004
Member
Its been delayed by 4 months, not sure how that is sooner...
StarCreator
Member
Where are you getting that metric? As far as I know the only release ballpark we had before today's announcement was "Winter", which ended only one month ago - and even then, that was only a ballpark, not a concrete date.
same here, this was out of the blue & very very nice!
tomwhite2004
Member
Fair enough, delayed for a month then.
SmiteOfHand
Member
I've created an arcade focused Discord server. If that is the sort of platform you are interested in quote for an invite link, or PM and I can send it over.
STG's will obviously be very welcome, but also arcade games of all genres and eras. (As well as "arcade style" just because a game never technically lived in a cabinet, it's all good)
STG's will obviously be very welcome, but also arcade games of all genres and eras. (As well as "arcade style" just because a game never technically lived in a cabinet, it's all good)
Shin Johnpv
Member
Thanks for the info, I'm going to have to do that this week.
sixteen-bit
Member
Feveron trailer got me hyped
Good news!
Senko no Ronde 2 announced for PC (Steam) and PS4
http://gematsu.com/2017/04/senko-no-ronde-2-announced-ps4-pc
Senko no Ronde 2 announced for PC (Steam) and PS4
http://gematsu.com/2017/04/senko-no-ronde-2-announced-ps4-pc
shaowebb
Member
O_O
Oh my God...FINALLY! And with it on steam it'll be on the home of shmups! I can actually get matches!
cosmicspooks
Member
I've never heard of Senko no Ronde before so I do a quick google and this sounds like the hottest thing ever?? I'm gonna buy the heck out this
sixteen-bit
Member
Unexpected, but awesome. Getting the Steam version day one.
GurgleBot20
Member
I like shooters. Particularly Layer Section (Saturn), Crimzon Clover, and Ikaruga.
I'm also terrible at them and will probably never beat one without Free Mode.
I'm also terrible at them and will probably never beat one without Free Mode.
In for G.rev. I got them all but have never played any. But nice seeing PS4 get the shooters.
Anybody recommend that indie-crossover version that came out last year?
tomwhite2004
Member
all three of those are tough games on the normal difficulty settings.
give the novice boost mode a go on crimzon clover, unless you are using a really bad controller then it should be quite a simple 1cc.
tomwhite2004
Member
senko no ronde despite appearances isnt really a shooter. i have played quite a bit of the nesica x live version of duo and think of it more as a top down version of virtual-on with a more prominet lock-on than anything else.
never played the touhou ps4 version / clone as i didnt hear much positive about it from reviews and community, although mainstream site always give luke warm opinions on this stuff at best.
BuckRobotron
Member
I have Senko on Xbox 360, Wartech as it was called. Fun game that I recall getting fairly good at at one point but takes some readjustment for the unconventional style if you spend time away from it.
Me Too! Absolutely day one!
Not only that, but by the time it was released for US 360 it'd been out for a while in Japan and existing JP players were really, really good at it.