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Never mind, Phiggle helped me get it working reasonably well. So, here's Level 1 of Contra Hard Corps.
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Apr 27, 2013 13:51
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corps is pronounced core, not corpse. So it's CONTRA: "HARD CORE" And since the Hard core help the less core we will go to the Research centre. Rigged Death Trap fucked around with this message at 14:18 on Apr 27, 2013 |
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Apr 27, 2013 14:14
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Yeah, 'Hard Corps' is a pun to sound like 'Hardcore' (Not that it's clear for a non-native speaker) I say we go and help out the guys in the research center. I'm confident the game will let us get Dead Eyed Joe later anyway. BottledBacon fucked around with this message at 14:39 on Apr 27, 2013 |
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Apr 27, 2013 14:31
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Dectilon posted:Never mind, Phiggle helped me get it working reasonably well. FYI there's a legit safe spot right under the eye of that giant robot that jumps in from the background in the first level. If you stand centered right under the red eye, the fire columns will completely miss you, and since you're firing straight up into his face you deal fast enough damage that he doesn't even get to the car throwing move. I think FANG is my favorite character because his moves are so damaging and as long as you stick to the flame thrower or the spread gun for non-bosses, he clears the screen for most of the game. Definitely takes some getting used to when fighting bosses though, because like you said, the fire punch and the hadoken punch both root you in one spot. On the other hand, if you know where the safe spots are for each boss, his weapons deal so much damage that you can take them down pretty quickly.
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Apr 27, 2013 14:58
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You haven't played Shattered Soldier? It and Gradius V are tied for my favorite PS2 games. Which works out great because my PS2 can't read their discs any more. Thanks for the blue-backed CDs, Konami. 
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Apr 27, 2013 15:00
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  Checking out the characters.     Contra Force is a run-and-gun-style shoot-'em-up video game released by Konami for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1992 in North America only. It is a spin-off of the Contra series and the third game in the series released for the NES. In contrast to previous Contra titles, which featured sci-fi elements, Contra Force centers around a modern task force who must fight human terrorists instead. Aside from the name, Contra Force has little in common with other games in the Contra series. The familiar weapon pickups have been replaced by a Gradius style upgrade system that includes 2 unique weapons for each of the 4 characters. Contra Force also allows the you to switch between the characters at any time, which can be very handy when one is low on lives. It also includes a very barebones allied AI by allowing you to assign one of the 3 unused characters a formation command, though it only lasts a short duration and it's pretty incompetent. So what's the difficulty like? While not as fast and frantic as Contra or Contra 3, Contra Force relies more on enemy placement and platforming, resulting in a fairly high difficulty. Are you going to speed-run it or what? No, but I will beat it without dying. I also plan on showcasing each character in a separate video. MORE CONTRA!? Yes, more Contra. They're good, they're difficult, they're great for this thread. GmanTheTank fucked around with this message at 17:51 on Apr 30, 2013 |
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Apr 27, 2013 15:09
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I've never played this so I can't say for sure, but I'm pretty certain your aspect ratio is wrong on the video. I think it's stretched wide, a lot of things that look like they should be circles are ovals.
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Apr 27, 2013 15:15
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homeless poster posted:FYI there's a legit safe spot right under the eye of that giant robot that jumps in from the background in the first level. If you stand centered right under the red eye, the fire columns will completely miss you, and since you're firing straight up into his face you deal fast enough damage that he doesn't even get to the car throwing move. Problem is that Fang is really, really tall. It makes it rather hard to avoid some attacks you previously would have had no trouble with. Browny, by comparison, is by far the easiest character not only because of how short he is, but also because he gets two homing weapons with absurd power compared to the others. Anyway, I say we go to help the Research Center because we can't be letting those villains get their hands on...uh... research material. Yeah, that stuff.
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Apr 27, 2013 15:21
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In the video you said that the game was running super slow but it wasn't the recording software causing it. Are you sure about that? I played this on my old NES as a kid and I don't remember the game running at 10 FPS. I'm pretty such much of the challenge is gone when the game is running at 1/3 speed. If it isn't the recording software, might it be the emulator settings you're using? HGH posted:Problem is that Fang is really, really tall. It makes it rather hard to avoid some attacks you previously would have had no trouble with. You'd think that, but I actually played through the game last night on a lark with everyone talking about it in this thread, using FANG, and his sprite still avoids attacks that might seem like they should clip him. For example in one path you wind up going through an infinite hallway fighting a robot boss that has several different forms, and at one point the robot is crawling on the ground and firing a steady stream of missiles at you. If you cling to the ceiling and hang at the back edge of the screen (so the scrolling of the screen is moving you) the rockets can only go so high, and it looks like they're colliding with FANG's feet, but you don't take a hit. There's other things too where it looks like something should collide with his sprite, but for whatever reason it doesn't register. Brownie is definitely shorter, but I almost feel like there's some kind of sprite equivalency going on where despite how tall they're drawn, the characters are all the same real height. Freaking Crumbum fucked around with this message at 15:26 on Apr 27, 2013 |
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Apr 27, 2013 15:22
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Dectilon posted:Never mind, Phiggle helped me get it working reasonably well. Good thing I decided to use Ray. I guess if I still uploaded I'd be playing independently of all this, unless you want to make a more organized plan of action. I thought of using Fang cuz of that alleged "expert" pedigree, but I went for Ray since Fang's weapons are brutal, while Ray's are...pretty understated by comparison.
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Apr 27, 2013 15:26
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Dectilon posted:Never mind, Phiggle helped me get it working reasonably well. You should go to the Research Center next.
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Apr 27, 2013 15:35
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Maybe you're playing the PAL version of Contra Force? Never played it myself, but that's the first thing that comes to my mind when a game seems weirdly slow.
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Apr 27, 2013 15:36
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Oh my lord this thread really has gone Contra crazy. That, plus the Contra 3 race I was part of last week, made me go back to Contra 4. On Hard mode. I think it might be my favorite Contra game, and I'm strongly considering popping a no-death Hard Mode run of the game in here. Also someone's playing Contra Force for this thread? I have not heard kind words about that one. You have my sympathies. Oh yeah, and for Hard Corps, take on the research center next. FreezingInferno fucked around with this message at 15:44 on Apr 27, 2013 |
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Apr 27, 2013 15:41
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Jumping on the Research Center bandwagon. Save the helpless!
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Apr 27, 2013 15:50
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homeless poster posted:In the video you said that the game was running super slow but it wasn't the recording software causing it. Are you sure about that? I played this on my old NES as a kid and I don't remember the game running at 10 FPS. I'm pretty such much of the challenge is gone when the game is running at 1/3 speed. If it isn't the recording software, might it be the emulator settings you're using? It's not the recording software because it runs s;ow;y even when I run my practice rounds. I had the opposite experience, if I remember correctly, because I don't remember it running much faster on my old NES. I'll try to mess with the settings to see what happens, though.
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Apr 27, 2013 15:56
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homeless poster posted:In the video you said that the game was running super slow but it wasn't the recording software causing it. Are you sure about that? I played this on my old NES as a kid and I don't remember the game running at 10 FPS. I'm pretty such much of the challenge is gone when the game is running at 1/3 speed. If it isn't the recording software, might it be the emulator settings you're using? I was curious about this too. but it seems to run just as slow in other playthroughs on youtube, so it's probably just a byproduct of lovely programming. Another weird thing about the game itself is that it wasn't even meant to be a Contra spinoff, but an unrelated game called "Arc Hound". Konami then slapped on the Contra name for the US release and canceled the Japanese release altogether. edit: The aspect ratio is definitely hosed up in that video though. Zellus fucked around with this message at 16:14 on Apr 27, 2013 |
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Apr 27, 2013 16:06
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Good god you need to fix the aspect ratio on that.
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Apr 27, 2013 16:10
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If anything needs to be said about Hard Corps first stage, it's that the music is amazing. Also, that opening sequence is like Contra 3 on steroids.
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Apr 27, 2013 16:13
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Yes, Contra Force also runs terribly on actual hardware.
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Apr 27, 2013 16:14
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Great job on the VVVVVV LP, Phiggle, you showed everything off nicely and your commentary was fun to boot  .
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Apr 27, 2013 16:38
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Tsym posted:Fun fact: Cave actually removed the two safespots in the True Final Boss's first two attacks for the 1.5 version release, but put them back in (or forgot about them) for the Black Label release. On the other hand, they added in a True True Final Boss in the Black Label release along with a bunch of other mechanics, which you can see here. And before you ask, that is actually intentional slowdown. Still a monstrosity of an attack though, because it's just plain impossible without sufficient resources.  Is it wrong if I see this and I have no idea how you could possibly do this ever? Because gently caress.
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Apr 27, 2013 16:56
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Tsym posted:Fun fact: Cave actually removed the two safespots in the True Final Boss's first two attacks for the 1.5 version release, but put them back in (or forgot about them) for the Black Label release. On the other hand, they added in a True True Final Boss in the Black Label release along with a bunch of other mechanics, which you can see here. And before you ask, that is actually intentional slowdown. Still a monstrosity of an attack though, because it's just plain impossible without sufficient resources. loving hell, that video is nuts. I mean, I've seen bullet hell shmup bosses before, but that boss is well beyond anything I've seen before. It might sound weird, but I kinda wish a boss like that appeared in a game in a different genre; bullet hells are a bit inaccessible, and they remind me more of Dance Dance Revolution than an action game.
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Apr 27, 2013 17:35
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Nice job, Dectilon - I always thought Browny was "EZ" mode in Hard Corps because he's so short some attacks won't even hit him and his yo-yo attack is so damaging it downright wrecks bosses. I don't think I've ever used Fang much because he always seemed kind of awkward to use. This game rocks. 
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Apr 27, 2013 17:43
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 Ninja Gaiden, released in Japan as 'Ninja Ryuukenden', is a sidescrolling platforming action game that was ported to the NES in 1989. It is infamous for a steep difficulty curve that becomes something of a brick wall very suddenly around the endgame. It's actually a lot like the NES Castlevania games, but more fast paced. Wait, port? Well, sorta. Ninja Gaiden was released in the arcades, but was just a side-scrolling beat-em-up that has more in common with Double Dragon than anything. It is also Kinda lovely. This game's great, though! How hard are we talking here? Pretty hard. About halfway through Act II they get bored and start spawning fast enemies behind you, and placing enemies near ledges you need to get to and try to insta-kill you off of a cliff. Enemy placement in general is constructed to gently caress you over to a magnificent degree, and a fair amount of memorization is pretty much required to get through it. The last couple levels are considered to be basically impossible. This isn't gonna be a pro run, by any means, but I played this game every day from age four to age eleven, when I, err... finally beat it. I'm running on pure muscle memory. I highly recommend it, though, it's basically my favorite game ever. Let's get started! Act I: This is what Japan thinks America is like. Act II: How long was I out? Act III: The Bad News Birds The Proofreader fucked around with this message at 01:19 on Apr 29, 2013 |
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Apr 27, 2013 18:06
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Level 2B, where the boss has as much fun as we are. Browny is definitely easy mode (as easy a mode as you can get in this game). He even has a double jump!
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Apr 27, 2013 18:16
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Tsym posted:That is actually DoDonPachi DaiFukkatsu, the game that was released after Daioujou. DaiFukkatsu is unfortunately really confusing to watch from a casual spectator's standpoint because of how complicated the power/bomb/hyper system is. Without getting into the nitty gritty, just watch the player's bomb stock at the lower left. I remember seeing the touhou games being played and being astounded at the skill of people who could play those on insanity mode. This, however, is just INSANE. Someone needs to LP this just for the sake of my brain. That final attack....  How does the game not crash?
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Apr 27, 2013 18:37
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Contra Hard Corps Level 1: Ray Level 1: Fang Level 2A: Ray Level 2A: Fang Level 3: Ray  Level 3: Fang  Level 4: Ray  Level 4: Fang  Level 5b: Ray  Level 5a: Fang  Also, give this song a listen. It only plays in these paths for about 10 seconds and it's woefully underplayed. Level 5B: Fang  Level 5A: Ray  Level 2B: Ray  Level 2B: Fang  Level 3E: Ray  Level 3E: Fang  Level 4C  Level 5D: Ray Level 5D: Fang  Level 6D: Ray Level 6D: Fang  Level 5C: Ray Level 5C: Fang  Level 6C: Ray Level 6C: Fang 
Zeikier fucked around with this message at 22:16 on May 19, 2013 |
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Apr 27, 2013 18:47
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CyanideMonkey posted:I remember seeing the touhou games being played and being astounded at the skill of people who could play those on insanity mode. This, however, is just INSANE.  Seriously though, the slowdown in these games is surprisingly integral. I can't remember which game it was, but the home ports of one game (pretty sure it was a Cave shooter as well) managed to remove the slowdown, giving a much smoother experience over the arcade version. They actually got complaints from players, since the slowdown factored in to many strategies. On top of that, the removal of the slowdown inadvertently wound up making the game harder (it's possible)! Also, liking these C:HC runs. Every playthrough out there uses Brownie, so seeing other characters used is a fun change.
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Apr 27, 2013 19:05
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Dectilon posted:Level 2B, where the boss has as much fun as we are. Sheena's straight laser is definitely one of the best weapons in the game though. It's slow but the it hits so hard we probably won't get to see most of the bosses' attacks. Maybe switch to the homing laser sometime? Zeikier posted:If it's alright to play the same game alongside Dectilon, here's my Ray playthrough of Level 1 in Contra Hard Corps. I know people give the Genesis sound chip a lot crap for how limited it is, but the music in this game is still really amazing. Especially the over the top boss themes. CyanideMonkey posted:I remember seeing the touhou games being played and being astounded at the skill of people who could play those on insanity mode. This, however, is just INSANE.
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Apr 27, 2013 19:17
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Zeikier posted:If it's alright to play the same game alongside Dectilon, here's my Ray playthrough of Level 1 in Contra Hard Corps. Play as Fang, always do the opposite branch of whatever Dect does.
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Apr 27, 2013 19:19
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Konami isn't sorry and neither am I
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Apr 27, 2013 19:36
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Alright, to make things more interesting I'll stick with Fang. Here's an alternate take on Level 1 using him. I think I can see why people would call him an "expert" character. He's got a very weird arsenal (granted, since we're not dying, the A weapon can rip things apart just fine). I'll get to the actual branch ASAP. EDIT: Upon further testing, I think Fang will just be an exhibition thing. His weapons are just too drat nasty against everything. I think he almost doubles Ray's damage output. Zeikier fucked around with this message at 02:04 on Apr 28, 2013 |
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Apr 27, 2013 20:18
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 I added Act II of Ninja Gaiden here. The Proofreader fucked around with this message at 23:55 on Apr 27, 2013 |
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Apr 27, 2013 20:50
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The monkey you rule with as single-player is always female? Huh.
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Apr 27, 2013 21:04
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Contra: HARD CORPS is the best game.
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Apr 27, 2013 21:12
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Bloodly posted:The monkey you rule with as single-player is always female? Huh. I think all we can say for sure is that it wears lipstick.
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Apr 27, 2013 21:24
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Holy poo poo, so it's a wolfman with a gun for an arm with shades named Fang? This thread has hit peak 90s.
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Apr 27, 2013 22:03
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WarpedLichen posted:Holy poo poo, so it's a wolfman with a gun for an arm with shades named Fang? This thread has hit peak 90s. Neo Contra takes place in the 45th century; one of its playable characters is a black alien cyborg samurai named Jaguar; stage 2 is a vehicle stage where you ride an armored velociraptor; later you fight standing on top of rotating helicopter blades.
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Apr 28, 2013 00:35
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For some reason, Contra HC feels much more scifi than the previous Contra games did. Like, I know they were supposed to take place in 2600 or whatever, but besides the aliens, they looked more like the 80's. Hard Corps is just Needlessly High-Tech Headquarters and SKY POLICE and little anime robots and mercenary hackers and cyborg furries right out of the gate. It's all so stupid and over the top and I love it.
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Apr 28, 2013 00:53
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The Proofreader posted:
The cutscene music that opens this chapter is still the best thing ever.
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Apr 28, 2013 00:59
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