SotM Sept: Do-Do-Do-Do-Do-Dodonpachi

[city41]

Bees don't add a lot due to their point value, but they are crucial for chaining because exposing them refills your hit meter.
There are also times there I avoid them because I don't want to drop my chain, so it's sorta circumstantial depending on your current route.

I did not realize they fill your meter. That explains a lot.

Honestly the bees bug me because I just can't resist them. So when I spot one I always go for it even if I can't handle a switch to laser. Need some self control.

 

[city41]

In my (naive) opinion, the level 3 boss is the hardest one in the game (including the level 6 boss).

What I haven't figured out is sometimes I can kill all of the mini turrets near his core, leaving only the large blue bullets to deal with. But most of the time, no matter what I try, I can't kill the two in back.

 

[Kid Panda]

In my (naive) opinion, the level 3 boss is the hardest one in the game (including the level 6 boss).



What I haven't figured out is sometimes I can kill all of the mini turrets near his core, leaving only the large blue bullets to deal with. But most of the time, no matter what I try, I can't kill the two in back.

Your best bet is using the laser, you can hit them, it's best to take care of those so you don't have to deal with them in last form.

 

[Chempop]

I made a little diagram showing where to line yourself up in relation to the best landmark on the boss so you can take out the rear cannons. I think it's about right

 

[Kid Panda]

I've gotten to the point with the swirl attack that I just dodge inbetween bullets, plenty of room. You can get caught sometimes if you don't gauge the distance between two bullets, are there are sometimes overlapping bullets. Watch yourself kid!

 

[_rm_]

Yesterday, i was able to defeat that boss for the first time without bombing (and dying of corse,lol).
I simply went for the core and neglected all the "periphereal" cannons. It seemed to me that the last forms were way easier than usual, does this make any sense or i was just lucky?

Anyway, i significantly improved my score, i guess it has to do with the final bonus for not using the bombs.

I will give it another go tonight and post my score

 

[Chempop]

Unlikely I'll update scores till monday. Have a great weekend guys

 

[suicidekiller]

FUUUUCK!!! Made it to the last boss for the very first time and had six fresh bombs. But it wasn't enough to beat him Next time I'll kick his butt!

Spoiler:

Anyway, new score:

suicidekiller - 31,262,710 - 1-6 - C/Shot - 286 - SAT

 

[Kid Panda]

Nice one brotha!!!!!
Try staying to the eight when the boss barrel starts and sweep through the purple bullets slowly to the left, I think it's 4 sprays total? That should give you enough damage against the boss to drop laser bombs to his face. If you're playing on Saturn, try the score attack on that stage to practice the boss keep it up!

 

[egg_sanwich]

Making some moderate progress. Eliminating stupid deaths in stages 2/3 allowed me to keep the maximum bonus much longer which helped a lot. I think I've figured out the 1-up on stage 3 as well - just shoot all the boxes off the side of the big ship first, right?

I'm thinking the second extend seems attainable this week.

EGG - 14,717,970 - 1-4 - C/laser - 158 - pcb

 

[city41]

Nice, looking good suicidekiller!

I finally got some free time to give it a go tonight and have just had a garbage night, not even cracking 20 million. But, I took the opportunity to get better at the level 3 boss and the first pattern of the level 6 boss. Your tips worked well, Panda.

 

[_rm_]

Guess this will be my last score update for this month. This was such a lucky run, i don't think i will be able to beat it:

_rm_ - 30,763,060 - 1-6 - C/Shot - 162 - MAME

I'm happy with it

 

[suicidekiller]

Oh wow, congrats! You more than doubled your score. Did you make it to the final boss?

I'm still doing some training on the level 3 boss. For me it's the pivotal point of the game. If I make it with no lifes lost and maximum beyond this sucker, I can beat the 1st loop. Hell, I even downloaded MAME in order to practice it. Stupid gaijins...

 

[_rm_]

I'm still doing some training on the level 3 boss. For me it's the pivotal point of the game.

Exactly.

I've managed to beat Stage 3 with all lives and no bombing 3 times, but i'm nowhere near beating the first loop. The final stage is just too much for me,lolz. I panic and bomb too many times before even reaching the boss.

 

[Kid Panda]

Stage 5 is more learning enemy placement and dodging through holes that you make and stage 6 is mostly dodging through holes. At least that's what works for me. Keep at it guys, you're doing great!

 

[city41]

I'm still doing some training on the level 3 boss. For me it's the pivotal point of the game. If I make it with no lifes lost and maximum beyond this sucker, I can beat the 1st loop. Hell, I even downloaded MAME in order to practice it. Stupid gaijins...

Me too. I'm currently limping into the final boss (last life, one or two bombs typically). For me the stage 3 boss pretty much always means either lost bombs or lives.

I also found the stage 4 boss in Galuda the hardest boss in the game, weird how Cave does this.

I've given up on high scoring now though. I can feel the clear coming in the next couple weeks or so, so I've switched gears to that.

 

[ballzdeepx]

Ballzdeepx- 10,047,920 - 1-4 -C/Shot -154 -Mame

I know I can do much better, I keep dying in the worst places on stage 3.

Curious where you guys all focus your eyes while playing these types of games, do you stay focused on your ship looking for the hitbox when things get rough or are you always looking a few inches around your ship and never ahead? Is it a mix of both?
What about when facing bosses?

 

[ballzdeepx]

Might as well work towards a clear myself, as I'm not going to be able to hang with some of these scores.

Ballzdeepx- 13,342,010 - 1-5 -C/Shot -155 -Mame

 

[_rm_]

Curious where you guys all focus your eyes while playing these types of games, do you stay focused on your ship looking for the hitbox when things get rough or are you always looking a few inches around your ship and never ahead? Is it a mix of both?
What about when facing bosses?

Obviously i'm no expert to speak about this, but the subject has come around a few times before:
I guess the best option is to "avoid" looking at your hitbox at all (except maybe in some really dense and slower patterns, games like Futari God Mode, for example) and always try to plan ahead. If you manage to "decode" the next pattern before it hits you, it will be much easyer to avoid it with success.

I also think that monitor size has something to do with this, regular 29" arcade monitors make life easier to manage dense patterns but many players have a hard time to adjust to it, specially if you are used to play on a regular CRT TV wih a smaller diagonal.

 

[Chempop]

A mix of both.

Changing where you look is normal, especially on a big 27/29" screen. IF you are playing on something smaller, you might be able to avoid focussing on anything in particular and just sorta take it all in. But generally speaking, I look at the center of the screen and try to see it all. When patterns are dense I sorta look at the top of the screen first, and like _rm_ said, "decode" the trajectories, then I look towards the empty gaps in the patterns, pick the gap I'm going to move into and use my shot/laser as a guide to determine my ship placement. Yes, sometimes you are looking more at your ship than other times, especially when the slowdown occurs (which using shot can increase btw).

Mainly I tell beginners to stop looking at the bullets, but instead look at the openings between them.

 

[ballzdeepx]

That's helpful advice guys thank you.

 

[Chempop]

Shit dropped chain in 1-5, argh.

Chempop - 88,231,460 - 2-5 -C/Shot - 271 -PCB

 

[city41]

Dammit, I died when the final boss was juuuuuuust getting into his final pattern. But even still, I didn't have enough bombs to survive it (that's my plan for that pattern, just bomb through it )

City41 - 25,094,590 - 1-6 - C/Shot - 165 -PCB

 

[Kid Panda]

Shit dropped chain in 1-5, argh.

Chempop - 88,231,460 - 2-5 -C/Shot - 271 -PCB

Nice! Keep going!

 

[The_Chosen_One]

This is one of the rare gems I've never really played. Got a Saturn copy on its way from Japan now but probably won't make it by months end. Still awesome to see all the love and tips in this thread.


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