Topic: Arcade SHMUP High Score Thread

Scoring-wise, if you're playing single credit, you'll potentially have a higher score because you'll be gaining points for the power ups once you max out your firepower. So for example, if on two separate runs you complete stage 5 with two continues and no continues, the no continue run should naturally have a higher score due to points gained by extra powerups (and I realize that the game cuts back on power up squadrons when you're doing well). Correct me if I'm wrong.

Real sorry for this misunderstanding tbh. As I said before, I'm cool with either resetting or going on with last week rules. We could even split the leaderboard so everybody can compete under his favourite ruleset... just a suggestion by the way

@RetroGamerAndrew It's cool. These details were always going to arise at some stage. Good to bring it up and discuss it. All here for fun and sure we can agree on a system that suits us all 👍

lol, look at the mess we just made.

Yeah, that's my main problem with this.
Been playing all these games for the past 20+ years and even longer when it comes to 8-bit games with the general rule that pretty much everyone in the shmup community has been using since it's inception. 1CC, normal settings, only now to start playing with a new credit-feeding rule that will end up messing all the scoreboards up and making playing 1CC games a pain in the butt due to the board being overrun with way higher stuff that should be completely separate is a huge turn off.
Heck, it's pretty clear that's why Psykio ended up putting the 100001, 100002, etc thing into the point total in the first place.

Basically, it's an affront to humanity! ;P

I wouldn't be against that that at all.
in fact, I'd prefer it in cases where the 5 minute caravan mode transforms the game into a weird exploitable grind-fest compared to a regular 1CC play as was intended in the actual arcade release.

Ok, going to repeat myself just to be crystal-clear - I'm open to every common ruleset the player-base agrees upon.
But till then, I'm going to put Striker 1945 down and I'll be giving my huge, ever-growing backlog some (well deserved) love

I'll repeat. I'm flexible and happy to go with whatever rules @oorwullie wishes to enforce. All fun and games to me 👍

I would prefer single credit. (But then I'm guessing folk know this already lol.)

My 2 cents, sorry if I'm repeating myself from previous post:

• It's just common rules set for all in for short, fun challenges. For this purpose, it shouldn't matter if the rules are different from "norm" rules used for high score chasers.
• Whole concept of 1 credit, 3 lives for certain amount of money was just something what was decided back in the day, it's not more correct than have 3 credits, 9 lives or let say 1 life.
• I think it's good that default settings are used, especially for newer people.
• I was sceptical about using 2 continues when I started the Tengai challenge, but found out that it was just as fun if not more fun as I saw more levels.
• No matter the rules, still best players get more points when using same rules.
• these Psikyo games are hard, getting past even first loop is not easy in any of them not to mention maximising the score. Probably those default settings have been decided to be 2 credits to balance between fun and challenge.
• I think I enjoy this format much more than to perfect some shorter run to max in very short amount of time. I think it was fun first to try to pass the first loop and then start to figure out how to get as best score as possible from that (I'm probably going to pass all caravan challenges myself as I don't think I enjoy that kind of format myself)

In general, I'm fine with 1 credits, but I think using the default settings is better, I would think it's more fun for most and it doesn't make it any less skill based.

I definitely don't think the rules should be change during ongoing challenge! I think the rules have been posted very clearly at the start of the challenge and can be seen from the leaderboard thread as well.

The game is so tough, I had a go on Monkey last night, was easy at first and I thought I'd easily beat the game but from stage 4 onwards it got tougher, I won't say what stage I got to as to not spoil it for anyone who hasn't passed stage 5 or 6, but I very much doubt I'll beat it on normal without boosting lives and credits!

I would say please make a poll what people prefer before changing the rules even for future challenges as I don't think it's that clear what majority enjoy the best just because some are vocal about their preferences here, like myself (I think 2 credits is just more fun way to get to know the game and it still works in this challenges).

Somebody said having those continues let's you avoid hard parts, which kinda I disagree. I think it gives you choice to choose you battles, which difficult parts you want to focus on and learn in this one week what you have for the challenge. I enjoyed that tactical aspect very much myself.

I'm easy either way, but I'll hold back posting any scores until the rules are decided.

@GFoyle

I agree with GFoyle here as the rules were posted clearly. However, If we truly want to have it be like an arcade, then it’s clearly one coin, three lives and you’re done.

I’m OK either way as I enjoy the competition and the discussion that ensue.

I vote that since we already started we keep playing this week’s choice as originally intended, with two continues, and then we can go hard core retro next challenge.

It's been probably 30 years or so since I last time touched actual arcade machine, was it really so that you had to start from beginning with each credit in these games (I'm not talking about score only now) ?

Anyway, I guess the arcade games were designed so that they kept you feeding more and more coins and one credit didn't take too long in gaming time. Of course it's more authentic like that,, but I hope this is just not only nostalgic trip, people want to enjoy themselves and not all enjoy such brutal difficulty and challenge there is with just 1 credit. These Psikyo are especially nasty in that regard as they get more and difficult the better you do (how long you survive, how many lives left, how many power ups) + has random level orders and other "random" elements to throw you off (and make you feed it with more coins).

I fully get it that there are people participating this who are quite hardcore in this regard and enjoy this aspect the most, but I think the rules would be better to be such that also those aren't like that can get more out of it.

One option/idea is to have same game for two weeks/two challenges, first week with normal, 2 extra credit rules and then second with 1 credit rule (you can reset you scores from the game settings for this). People who play in both, have the change to get to know the game better on first week and probably then also have better change for achieving some success in the 1 credit challenge. What do you think?

How about we leave this challenge open for 2 weeks and have 2 separate leaderboards, one with default settings and one with single continue scores. Maybe I could open the Tengai challenge again as well for single continue scores to run alongside it. Then in 2 weeks we'll have 2 final challenge leaderboards for the Psikyo games as well as open leaderboards.

How does that sound?

@OorWullie Like a real headache for you but clearly some folk here have much, much stronger opinions than I on how this should be done.

I'll go with and support whatever you decide is for the best. All in good fun 👍

To me credit feeding is a huge turn off.
If this is the ARCADE SHMUP Challenges thread then for runs the rules are clear:
1 player/standard lives/extras/arcade difficulty/no continue.
If this is your own new spin on the canon way, Nintendolife’s Own Arcade Challenges, then obviously you can do whatever you prefer and change on a game-by-game basis. I don’t think splitting leaderboards would be a good idea, problem is that Zerodiv’s ports already see less competition simply by having no online leaderboards and few people bothering to post scores/screens (I’ve been guilty of this myself). I’d say let’s do a poll (yes or no, please don’t say “whatever is fine” cause it doesn’t help us), but if I’m honest I know that I’m not likely to play the competition if “continues-YES” wins and it sucks cause I love Psikio’s catalog. Sure, I’ll still play casually and enjoy reading the thread but won’t participate, it just ain’t fun to me: I’m 40 and enjoyed reminiscing of the old arcade days with you guys, credit feeding goes against my whole being, it sends shivers down my back LMAO
•••••
UNLESS we do the Challenges with the credits-YES (although only for Tengai and this one since @OorWullie didn’t know of the score digits/credits correlation, next one would be standard shmup rules) BUT have the OPEN leaderboards with just 1cc.

So whoever won previously and will win this, has done it under this specific challenge’s rules, while the OPEN leaderboards will work as usual.
What do you think?
•••••

Either way, this thread is still golden, great work and great players

I'll play by whatever rules the group decide to play by. I don't feel that strongly either way, but if I had to choose I would go with 1cc no continues.

OK that sounds good to me.

We complete this challenge with the rules as they are.

The Strikers 1945 open leaderboard shall be for single credit runs only.

Future challenges are single credit runs.

@OorWullie Aye! Also thanks for all your work setting this up and updating the leader boards and such.