Learning to play fighters/shumps properly!

[Number45]

Hmm, thinking about it, it might just be wireless 360 peripherals that are locked to the system. Been a while since I plugged anything in to one.

EDIT: Found this guide.

[hudson]

My 360 pad works fine with thy PC, maybe this means stick will too?

[dataDave]

I personally used to find learning to play a lot more disciplined after I'd invested a quid/50p on my attempt at beating the dude on the cab (or speaking of VF4, reaching Dural considering I was the only person ever using the cab - 97+% Kage usage rate).

The same went for StreetFighter2 when you had a fiver to last you all day and that was it - 25 credits at 20p a pop. You couldn't f**k around.

[kingmobster]

I use my 360 HORI stick on my PC. Works just fine. There are apparently some unofficial drivers (XBCD-something maybe??) somewhere on the net which let you fine tune sensitivity. I haven't tried them yet.

Back to shooters - I don't play them as much as I used too since I gave my tated tv away. I found the standard PS2 pad or the saturn pad worked just fine for all shooters in my collection. I don't have the stamina or time to get really good at cave shooters for instance, but I have three tips:

1) I don't focus on my ship but somewhere right in front of it. This helps me "see" both bullet barrages and where my ship needs to be to avoid them.
2) Play on a lower difficulty level if you have problems managing the default settings. I know this is anathema for shmup purists, but it really helped my motivation. I managed to 1CC Mushihimesama on easy instead of always getting slaughtered on level 4. This tip doesn't work for all shmups though. For instance, playing on easy in Ikaruga is a totally different thing from playing it on normal and won't help you get better at the "real" game.
3) Use a tated tv if the game supports it. You will see great improvements right away.

[sj33]

Oooh so I could buy (for example) this, and use it on my PC using XBCD? Awesome.

[Dazzyman]

Start with the older shumps like Battle Garraga as their not manic so you can learn bullet patterns. Force yourself to use one credit only to learn it and just get used to moving about the screen alot at bottom (never keep still) and learning the patterns as they come towards you. Boss fights you learn to go in set areas and to inch directions. They just take learning really nothing more.

Manic shooters have a smaller hit box so you look and think that you would die but in reality it just has to hit the centre of the ship not the edges.

[kernow]

Dude battle garegga is hard as balls lol

I dunno, the only reason I'm semi good at fighters is because I've been playing them since 1991, I usually get owned in 2p fighting too. I've only got into shmups in the last couple of years but I find them incredibly satisfying, just set it to one credit and try and get better, as they say practice makes perfect. Theres no quick way to get good.

[Dazzyman]

Oops must be me with Garegga then as I can one credit it to final boss lol Theirs not hundreds of bullets flying about though which is what I meant heh Im not a huge manic fan, I do like DDDJ and onwards but not as much as Garegga and Bakraid.

Their is the odd game I 3 credit mainly horiz shooters like Gradius V but in general I always 1 credit.

[kernow]

Jesus, I guess you're far better than I am then, nice one