Have you ever played multiplayer on shooters?

norton9478

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IIRC: 2 players is the only way I can beat viewpoint (since you can continue on the spot).
 

LoneSage

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IIRC: 2 players is the only way I can beat viewpoint (since you can continue on the spot).
Ha. Now that you mention it, I remember I used that trick with the only other shooter I played with a friend - Forgotten Worlds on Genesis.
 

wyo

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I always enjoyed multiplayer shmups as a kid, working together with one of my brothers or friends. Unfortunately back then they were the exception on home consoles and computers due to hardware limitations. More often we would play co-op beat em ups or run n guns. Probably put in the most time on Streets of Rage and Contra 3.

It's too bad no one wants to play co-op games these days, it's all about 1ccs or scores. I'd rather play co-op but you need to be at a similar level. You learn tricks from each other and progress much faster.
 

Arcademan

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IIRC: 2 players is the only way I can beat viewpoint (since you can continue on the spot).
Ikari Warriors, which did not have a continue feature, could be continued when a player enters as the other player loses its final life. That's the only way I could finish the same since I was nowhere as skilled to 1cc the game.
 

oliverclaude

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Yeah, it's a good question. I'd like to answer it with another question, though: Were there any STGs made primary for 2-players? Something like It Takes Two in shooter form? The already mentioned Space Ship Gomorrah seems to be programmed with two players in mind, but duties are divided in such a way, that only the one maneuvering the ship is playing a shooter, the other guy plays Operation Wolf with the ships crosshair. It's still fun and works fine within the stage design, but it's not exactly what I'm expecting from a multiplayer.

Talking 'bout "real" two (or more) player STG, it's kind of tough. I immediately had to think about that one Evangelion episode, in which Shinji and Asuka are training together in order to synchronize their actions and pull off a coordinated dual attack set to a timed dance routine hahaha. You'd probably never want to see your gaming buddy again after such a training regimen, but without one, there's little hope you'll have fun playing a shooter together. If you are serious about it anyway. Seems it's either that, or the 2nd player is reduced to just a sidekick like in SSG.

Still, the ones I had casually fun with were Shienryu and Xevious 3D. There was a good way to combine weapons together: one took the weak spread shot, the other the strong but range-limited laser. That certainly would be a way for other STGs to make a 2-Player run meaningful beyond the embarrassing instant-respawn-after-taking-a-credit feature. I always wanted to try Super SVIW/Firepower 2000 and see if placing each player in a different plane would work as good as it sounds and some games even offer special attacks when two ships combine their firepower.
 

Azra113

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I like having the option to play with a friend. Two player shooter can be fun when you are synchronized and fair with the power ups.
But I draw the line at 2, Darius burst had a 4 player option and that shit is too chaotic to comprehend.
 

oliverclaude

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For me this genre has always been strictly single-player. Games like Gradius, R-Type, etc. were not games that I'd want to play with other people. Any shooter, really.
Sounds pretty right Sage. It's not that lonesome, though, this is a genre one loves to "play" with others in a different way. Like a couple people playing the same shooter for score, two players trying to crack one, feeding each other lines, discovering rank strategies, boss tactics... if there's a new shoot'em-up around, threads start to shoot up like mushrooms. Why? Becase it works.

In a shooter it's mostly you against the CPU, that is pretty lonesome. To compensate, you start to discuss every detail with multiple other players. You can discuss a particular game in this genre and still not loose the suspense or the pleasure to play it for yourself. You can't spoil a "story", because there isn't one. Secrets are sometimes present, but serve as a byproduct, not a goal.
 

ggallegos1

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Only with my brother, and we would credit feed just to see the different endings and bosses. If I'm playing seriously, it's always on my own
 

Neo Alec

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You have to have someone you can practice with and get better with, or two people who really know the game. Otherwise it's just a casual playthrough. My brother and I used to play through Blazing Star together a lot.

There are a lot impressive one-player videos out there, but I would be a lot more impressed with a good 2-player one.
 

Ajax

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This is how it all started for me, playing Life Force with one of my friends when we were six years old. That was massive.

It's obviously not something I take seriously, but it's still fun to mess around on some games two player. My daughter and I have played all kinds of shmups together, it's always a good time.
 

Capitalistix

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I love multiplayer shmups and I seek themout wherever possible. I have a close friend who's like a gaming buddy, we go over to eachothers houses and have made single player games a group experience since we were in middle school. We play anything and everything, and so when we find an actual cooperative experience its like a treat. COuch co-op is so rare in the game indusry nowadays I relish the chance to have a co-op shooter. As far as it being more hectic? Perhaps? Depending on the game? But honestly isnt a challenge what shmups are all about?
 

Johnny16Bit

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You have to have someone you can practice with and get better with, or two people who really know the game. Otherwise it's just a casual playthrough. My brother and I used to play through Blazing Star together a lot.

There are a lot impressive one-player videos out there, but I would be a lot more impressed with a good 2-player one.


This reminds me when I got the opportunity to play Alpha Mission II with someone who also actually knew how to play the game rationally...

It was a complete disaster :lolz:
The game just gets exponentially demanding on 2p...

Most of the time my experience of 2p shooters is casual freeplay, games like PI2 or Aero Fighters 2-3 are good for that kind of mindless button mashing.
 

rholdenl

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I actually really enjoy multiplayer shooters. It definitely hurts how well I play the game, but with the right amount of beer, it's way more fun.
 
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