GoTaS
Junior Member
Posts: 56
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Post by GoTaS on Mar 7, 2007 22:52:27 GMT -5
The invincibility window is the easiest thing to get a grasp on. Just pay attention to what color the bar at the top is. Green is good. Keep it green by buzzing more bullets and blasting more enemies. You NEED to make use of the buzzing system to have the invincibility work. You have to look for ways in which you can squeeze the most buzz out of each stage to keep your bar at green. So, yes, the levels are built around the gameplay (I don't see how this is a bad thing). Buzzing also levels you up, and you can tell when you level up with each new lightning blast.
Also, there are 6 levels, and there are three different versions for each early level (I believe up to level 4...).
-GoTaS
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Post by dai jou bu on Mar 7, 2007 23:35:13 GMT -5
Anyway, I played a bit of Psyvariar 2. I'm still not sure how the whole invincibility thing works yet . Your buzz starts when you hear a special sound with lightning sparks coming out from your mech. While in your buzzed state, you'll also see a shield form around you and slowly start shrinking. That shield is your invincibility time frame for the buzz, and acquiring another one immediately replenishes the shield. Having your mech continually rolling (you need to tap in opposite directions to make your mech roll in the Dreamcast version, and you'll have to continually have to hold a direction to keep your mech in this state after it starts) makes you move slower and shrinks the hitbox by a good margin while also filling up your buzz meter a little bit more. Your fire trajectory also changes from a spread shot to a forward shot as well. However, once you're buzzed, you'll move at normal speed even while in this state, giving you more of an incentive to keep buzzing. The color of your buzz meter determines how fast it'll fill up when you graze bullets. Red is the slowest and always turns this color when you fight bosses. Blue is the best. Certain enemies on screen will change the color of the meter periodically, and it's usually a good idea to destroy those that slow the meter down while keeping those that increase the meter alive for as long as possible. An example of enemies that help improve the buzz meter would be in 00:10-00:20 of this video. See those two metal orbs behind the big ship he doesn't destroy? Those two change the buzz meter from green to a mint hue.
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Post by sideshow on Mar 7, 2007 23:35:42 GMT -5
I agree GoTaS, Psyvariar 2 is such an awesome game. When I first played it a couple years ago it felt like a revival for me on the shmup genre. Even though I dont favor techno music, it really sounds great for this game but more importantly once you get past the learning curve of the buzz system it gets highly addictive. The PS2 version has an exclusive mode where you have to complete certain types of challenges and some of them are really tough.
I'd go with Psyvariar 2, Under Defeat, and Ikuraga as my favorite Dreamcast shmups.
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Post by Discoalucard on Mar 8, 2007 0:03:20 GMT -5
An example of enemies that help improve the buzz meter would be in 00:10-00:20 of this video. See those two metal orbs behind the big ship he doesn't destroy? Those two change the buzz meter from green to a mint hue. Wow. Maybe if I was that good, I'd enjoy the game more. I still definitely need to spend more time with it to get the hang of before I can form much of an opinion. I can definitely see the potential now, but I'm still not so sure I'm crazy about the concept.
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Post by sideshow on Mar 8, 2007 1:03:56 GMT -5
Psyvariar Revision is probably a better game to play before Psyvariar 2 cause its easier to buzz. Revision is just a directors cut of the first Psyvariar game with more levels and easier to buzz gameplay. Psyvariar Complete Edition for the PS2 has both Psyvariar and Psyvariar Revision on 1 disc which is a great value. I just see it at first glance you play through the levels shooting everything and thinking to yourself, "this is kinda fun but the levels are really short"; but when you stop shooting the enemies and just focus on dodging/buzzing the bullets and ramming into the enemies with your shield, the funfactor goes way up.
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Post by dai jou bu on Mar 8, 2007 1:04:45 GMT -5
Maybe I should've used the term "level up" instead of "buzz," since the game describes the buzz as a graze.
Yeah, if you also level up enough times, your mech will evolve (ie- get better firepower, although that's mostly pointless for this game unless you're using Kei).
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Post by sideshow on Mar 8, 2007 1:09:42 GMT -5
Have you ever got to the last true level ubuojiad? Its knucking futs to get there. I sure havnt done it yet. I believe you have to transform your ship every other area or so in order to unlock it and thats like gaining 50 levels in each area.
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Post by dai jou bu on Mar 8, 2007 1:12:47 GMT -5
You mean this one? I've never had much time to really play/practice this game for the past two years, mainly because of WoW and other games that I caught my interest at the time. It's kinda nice to be able to play your backlog once in awhile though, which is what I'm doing at the moment now that I've kicked off my WoW addiction for the time being.
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Post by sideshow on Mar 8, 2007 1:17:15 GMT -5
I didnt watch the video cause its a spoiler for me but yes that area. I just cant get my ship to level 480 or so by level 5. I need more practice.
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Post by dai jou bu on Mar 8, 2007 1:19:28 GMT -5
I've still got a long way to go. Heck, ever since I stopped I've been only able to get past Stage 0 while evolving. =/
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Post by sideshow on Mar 8, 2007 1:23:36 GMT -5
Dont feel so bad though. The game is tough as nails in order to take advantage of every buzz opportunity. I'm going to take another stab at it this weekend. I think my highest level was around 380 or so by the end of the 5th area so I know I can do it. Its just a matter of memorizing all the key places through the game that has high buzz factor.
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Post by Discoalucard on Mar 8, 2007 22:31:59 GMT -5
Added a quick look at Karous to the OP.
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Post by sideshow on Mar 8, 2007 23:47:14 GMT -5
So I take it these games appeared durying the regular life cycle of the cast. Bangai-O Giga Wing Giga Wing 2 Gundbird 2 Ikaruga Mars Matrix Segagaga (Has a shmup level at the end of the game) By the way, you could mention Drill. The game is homebrew and technically only a downloadable demo so far. The game feels quite well made for a homebrew. Check it out! www.drill.rr.nu/index.htm
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GoTaS
Junior Member
Posts: 56
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Post by GoTaS on Mar 9, 2007 22:23:24 GMT -5
Ikaruga was released in 2002, pal. And the Drill project has been put on hold for now.
-GoTaS
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Post by Discoalucard on Mar 19, 2007 18:13:12 GMT -5
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