Where do you focus your vision on manic shooters ?

abasuto

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Do you try to get wide eyed and take in as much of the entire screen at once ? focus on a smaller radius closer to your ship ? Try to keep your eyes focused the same way most the time or dart between taking in more or less of the screen/around your ship ?

I was just watching my friend play Esprade and noticed he sits back and bit with bugged out eyes, like he's trying to take in everything at once. I tend to narrow my vision down more, but sometimes need to take in more.

This switching the size of my focus I've noticed seems to be a major cause of my concentration slipping and it all goes to hell quick.

Just curous how others do it since I still kinda suck at these games and maybe this is something hindering me.
 

agustusx

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you definitely learn what to focus on and what not to. I cant say its going to be the same in every game or scenario.

Personally I try to fly-by-wire until i get killed by the same thing a few times, then I look out for attack/section that in particular.

Don't dart around too much, typically small movements keep you safe while running around like a chicken with its head cut off will get you killed.
 

Gentle Ben

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I have to say it...I don't really FOCUS on anything in particular...and it doesn't matter if it's a shooter or fighting game. I kind of un-focus, and for some reason I play better that way. Like describing the room you're in while staring blankly straight ahead.
 

fake

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For manic shooters, I don't focust on anything specific. It really depends on the situation. For example, in Mushi Futari, the Regular Mode is designed so that you're attacking one heap of enemies on one side of the screen and then another on the other side of the screen, so my eyes are always shifting focus. I definitely don't focus right on my character.

For non-manic shooters, I tend to focus on the lower third of the screen, which is where I usually keep my ship. This way, I react to the bullets and don't have to pay attention to the other ships (as long as it's a game where ships don't try to slam into you). This doesn't work for something like Musha Aleste, though, since you have to maneuver through canyons and stuff.

I just remembered a funny thing about vision/shmups. When Ikaruga came out for the GameCube, I was obsessed and involuntarily learned not to blink for a LONG time. I wore contacts at the time, and they'd always dry up and fall out when I'd play Ikaruga.
 
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complexz

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I just remembered a funny thing about vision/shmups. When Ikaruga came out for the GameCube, I was obsessed and involuntarily learned not to blink for a LONG time. I wore contacts at the time, and they'd always dry up and fall out when I'd play Ikaruga.

LOL nice.

I remember when I first played ikaruga I played so long and focused so hard that whenever I closed my eyes I would see bullets scattering, That is kinda common after a shmup marathon. But also when browsing the internet afterwards I felt like I was constantly scrolling upwards in a weird way. The illusion was even more trippy when actually scrolling up. I have never had that weird feeling since, maybe I just play more shmups now and have adapted to it. But ikaruga fucked my head up that nite :)

EDIT: oh yeah on subject, i focus most of my attention on the lower half of most manic games I find... or at least on whatever say 60% of the screen my ship resides in. I find myself having to glance up to see a bosses health bar in ESPgaluda, But strangely in dodonpachi I generally always have a idea of where his health is at with ought having to glance.
 

SNKorSWM

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I usually try to look at the entire screen at once as well. Because of this, I can't sit too close to a vertical screen in an arcade because otherwise I'd have to raise my head to see the top. I end up getting tired from extending my arms to the control. I play much better on a tv not being tated.
 

SuperDeadite

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I look at the background, after awhile you see the bullets and what not without looking at them. I can generally see everything at once. Just don't look directly at the bullets, or you will hit them everytime.
 

Dio Brando

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I try to concentrate a bit above my ship on vertical shmups. Basically, I want a point where I can pay attention to my ship, but still be able to see what is coming at me.

Above all else, though, I have to keep reminding myself not to be too distracted by enemy ships. If I focus on them, I am doomed to fail.

I look at the background, after awhile you see the bullets and what not without looking at them. I can generally see everything at once. Just don't look directly at the bullets, or you will hit them everytime.

Interesting, I think I will give that a shot...
 

ECZangief

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there's defintily a lot of game-specific strategies, but in terms of an overall approach, IMO it's best to focus on a point that's 4-6 inches (depending on scroll speed) in front of you ship and use your peripheral vision to follow your ship.

you should NEVER look at any bullets directly, but instead look at the overall patterns. Looking directly makes you 'blur' out nearby bullet formations.
 

Opethian

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Pattern recognition is key. I never worry about boss health unless I have a time limit.
 

SNKorSWM

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The attack patterns correlate with boss health. So if you know you need to get to the top of the screen before the boss drops down to a specific level, making a mental tally can help you prepare accordingly and save a bomb.
 

BigTinz

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My eyes are always focused on the prize.
 
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He ain't got no distractions
Can't hear those buzzers and bells
Don't see lights a flashin'
Plays by sense of smell
Always gets a replay
Never tilts at all
That deaf, dumb and blind kid
Sure plays a mean pinball
 

asr10 user

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I either focus on my ship, or nothing. You kind of start to just stare at the screen and move without even looking at your ship.
 

themisterfalcon

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200-400px North of my ship/character/dragon/gender-bender at all times.
 

Poison Sama

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Depends. If there aren't a lot of bullets on the screen, I'll either focus on the center or the enemies. Once a lot of bullets show up, I follow the bullets downwards towards my ship with my eyes and dodge accordingly. If I'm completely surrounded by bullets, I focus on my ship's hitbox.
 
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For myself, depends on the game, DoDonPacci has a pretty wild background so I try to focus on just the ship and shoot like mad (less headaches that way), Aero Fighters 2 on the other hand, I take the whole screen in as bullets coming my way are quite slow.
I think a lot has to do with screen size, lighting conditions and how busy the background is:spock:
 

td741

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My focus tends to shift around...

If it's a particularly tricky section that I'm not familiar with, then I will probably narrow my focus to my ship.

Generally, I think my eyes tend to focus more on the enemies and or the general pattern of bullets. I guess I infer my ship's location on the screen by "feel" and where my own bullets are found.

That said, I'm not that good at manic shooters... :P
 
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