September Shmup of the Month - UNDER DEFEAT - PS3/ARCADE/DREAMCAST

[mjmjr25]

Greetings,

This is the scoreboard and strategy discussion thread for UNDER DEFEAT

RULES:
- Default Settings
- 1 Credit / No Continues
- Formats accepted: PS3 (arcade mode), Dreamcast (arcade mode), NAOMI, MAME (arcade mode)
- Pics are nice and should be included on any score placing you in the top 5
- Post score as SCORE - USERNAME - STAGE - FORMAT
EXAMPLE: 1,000 - shroomdr - Stage 1 - NAOMI

*No NEW ORDER scores allowed. No hidden ships (PS3).
*I'll do my best to update daily - PM me if i've gotten a day or two behind
*No old scores

1. 1,283,670 - gabe - 1-4 - Normal - DC
2. 1,193,910 - mjmjr25 - 1-4 (boss) - normal - PS3/Arcade
3. 1,163,110 - cc - 1-4 - normal - naomi
4. 937,420 - Skate323k137 - 1-4 - reverse - NAOMI
5. 744,950 - lemony vengeance - 1-3 - normal - naomi
P. 684,110 - Tyranix95 - 1-3 - Reverse - NAOMI
P. 674,130 - whisper2053 - 1-3 - Normal - DC
P. 658,580 - Mugicha - 1-3 - Reverse - DC
P. 328,210 - DonMontG - 1-2 - Normal - DC

 

[Lemony Vengeance]

Wow one I can actually play!

 

[skate323k137]

Aww shit. time to dust off the NAOMI. Doubt I'll be anywhere near the top of the scoreboard, but it'll be fun anyway.

 

[Tyranix95]

This month looks fun.

---

Tank, I need a pilot program for a B-212 helicopter....

 

[mjmjr25]

I've put quite a bit of time into this game if anyone has any questions - by all means post them.

It's pretty straightforward. The key to scoring is knowing how to use your option. Your option is your co-fighter who appears when you engage him (meter full of green and a "click" sound).

Depending on your option:
Yellow Option - Vulcan - lasts about 12-15 seconds - least power
Green Option - Cannon - lasts about 7-10 seconds - moderate power
Blue Option - Missile - lasts for 2-5 seconds (or one hit) - most power

If you have an option, say yellow-vulcan, and you another option is floating on screen, here's what will happen:
grab yellow - 5,000 pt bonus
grab green - switch to cannon, no bonus
grab blue - switch to missile, no bonus

Each enemy your option kills is worth double. Meaning if you kill a 5,000 pt missile battery...you get 5,000 points. If your option kills a 5,000 pt missile battery, it's 10,000 pts.

Bosses and large enemies killed by the option is how to score in this game.

There are also bonuses for bombs in stock, fuel consumption, and percentage of enemies killed at the end of each stage.

There are no extends.

First 2 bosses are relatively easy, but stage 3 midboss and beyond ramps up difficulty. The 5th boss is a nightmare. Good luck to everyone!

 

[codecrank]

let's get this started !

741,540 - codecrank - 1-3 - NAOMI

 

[mjmjr25]

Died twice on stage 3 mid-boss trying to save up bombs :/

It's a start:

703,010 - mjmjr25 - Stage 3 - PS3/Arcade

 

[Mugicha]

Reporting for duty, sir!

658,580 - Mugicha - 1-3 - Reverse - DC



thx for the tip about the options MJ, I never really used em before and always struggled trying to kill big enemies with my standard fire, I also didn't realize how useful they were for scoring.

 

[skate323k137]

771,190 - Skate323k137 - 1-3 - NAOMI

Top for now (I'm sure that won't last), glad to see some other scores in already. Made it to the 3rd boss and put up a decent fight, but no 1-4 for me today.

 

[Mugicha]

I edited my score post to include Reverse direction. Not that this has any bearing on scoring, but I'm also curious which style you guys are using as well.

 

[skate323k137]

I also prefer "reverse"

 

[mjmjr25]

I use normal - I can adapt to reverse and do about the same, but I find if I alternate back and forth I struggle.

Where is everyone after each stage?

I typically clear stage 1 at 230-240K range (including end stage bonus). I think my best ever would be right around 280K.
Stage 2 really varies - if I can avoid bombing the first section (about 20 seconds in) and any of the 3 sections around the big ship then the potential is huge - so many 10K and 20K items to have your option double up on. I've cleared this stage w/as low as 400K total and as high as 675K.
Stage 3 is where skill comes in - it gets hairy and it can be hard to hold off and get your option going again, so double up points become limited. I often have to bomb the midboss, which is good for survival but leaves a ton of points on the board (no points for bombed enemies).
Stage 4 I find easier than stage 3 and lots of points to be had - where stage 4 becomes difficult is that if you are like me, you are on your last life and bombs aren't as plentiful as they are on earlier stages.

For Boss tactics, this is what I do to maximize score:
Stage 1 - once he dive bombs and begins to retreat I engage the option (I use cannon on him). Shoot while dodging and allow your option to do damage as well.
Once the option expires, I do a count to 10 in head and then re-engage the option. By doing this, you ensure your option will have a full run to do damage when he stops firing and exposes his back end. You can usually take him out at this time if done right. If not, he'll start w/the hard to see white missiles. Avoid shooting once his health is 25% or less to ensure your option gets the kill bonus. Engage your option and weave until he's dead.

Stage 2 - This boss is very easy IF you are willing to use a bomb. I go back and forth, depending on how my run is going. Rocket or Cannon are the option of choice. I prefer rocket myself. Typically I have 4-5 bombs at this point and sacrificing the 10K bomb bonus is worth the easy kill.
Once the clock has started, have your option engaged and start shooting. He does a sweeping patttern, keep shooting and round all the way up the left or right side of the screen - you'll likely get cornered up there, just before hit, release a bomb and sweep back down to 6pm position on the screen - re-engage your option and in most cases, it will just be one bullet pattern to dodge while your option finishes him off.

Stage 3 - Easy boss with practice. The bullet patterns are relativiely simple and not overwhelming. He releases a seeking rocket that you have to avoid. To do this, bury yourself in either corner - allow it to approach you and then do a loop to the opposite corner - you only have to avoid him for about 5-6 seconds before he retreats. He'll keep being released, just do the same thing, whether on the top or bottom of the screen. The boss should be nearly dead after the 4th seeking rocket and he releases pods. Those pods release 4 straight-long bullets. There are temporary safe spots at 8pm and 4pm - you can usually hang here safely for the first 2 pod releases. If you've done it right - boss is dead now. If not, the pods will keep coming and now you will have to move.

Stage 4 - I don't have a good strategy yet - i've only faced him a couple times.

 

[skate323k137]

Thanks for the tips. The Rocket can kill the 1st boss in one hit once he turns around. I usually roll with cannon, but that boss gets destroyed much faster with a rocket at least from the couple times I tried that. 2nd boss isn't too bad. I'll need to work on the 3rd boss, it's been a long time since I played this even close to regularily.

 

[mjmjr25]

I think there are milking points if you use vulcan or cannon though? (score seems to be going up w/each hit of damage) But yes, rocket does the trick (and is the weapon of choice on stage 4 and 5 bosses from my understanding). I use cannon exclusively on first stage in order to best take out the missile batteries. There is a chance to switch to rocket about 15 seconds before the boss, but it will cost you 5K same-option-bonus to switch. I'll have to compare stage clear scores using cannon vs. rocket on the boss...

 

[skate323k137]

You're probably right, score may be better with cannon all the way through. I usually play mainly for survival until I can clear the first few levels of a game easily, then I work on scoring better on those levels.

 

[codecrank]

on boss 1 , I find it that not using the option kill actually gets you as much points as I'm able to clear him with 30+ sec left. I can usually score 220k - 250k

just now made it to boss 3, I had completely forgot his patterns,,,

823,950 - codecrank - 1-3 - forward - NAOMI

 

[mjmjr25]

Died stupidly (bomb conservation) on 1-3 boss or would have had a real shot at 1-5. A good run though. I used rockets on the stage 2 ship - will take some getting used to, but lots of point opportunities for sake of a bit more bullet dodging while it refuels.

1,010,760 - mjmjr25 - 1-4 - Forward - PS3/Arcade

 

[skate323k137]

827,140 - Skate323k137 - 1-3 - NAOMI

Not uploading a pic for this because I hope I can beat it quickly. 1-3 boss had like 2px of health left when he got me >_<

 

[codecrank]

interesting tip for boss 2

you can attack the command tower aka boss before the life gauge ever appears, this way by the time the boss battle starts, he's already lost of lot of energy , no need to waste bombs

 

[gabe]

I started using reverse because it seemed more intuitive to me, but then switched to normal, and started doing better. This will be my benchmark score... I won't be submitting another until I see some significant improvement... Which may be a while. This game is a lot for my feeble mind to handle.

756,520 - Gabe - 1-3 - Normal - DC

 

[skate323k137]

Glad to see you in on this one Gabe!

This is as good as I'm doing tonight I think:

937,420 - Skate323k137 - 1-4 - reverse - NAOMI

 

[mjmjr25]

Had a 900K, an 870K and then 3 runs in a row where I died...on the first stage.

That's the sure fire sign it's time to pack it in for a bit. Kids starting school tomorrow so I probably won't hop back on til' next weekend.

 

[Tyranix95]

Ok, Naomi up and running.

276,960 - Tyranix95 - 1-2 - Reverse - Naomi

Whoa! Ok. Rockets--Defiantly like Rockets--Now, to work on my aim.

 

[Mugicha]

Had a 900K, an 870K and then 3 runs in a row where I died...on the first stage.

That's the sure fire sign it's time to pack it in for a bit. Kids starting school tomorrow so I probably won't hop back on til' next weekend.

It happened to me last night, all my runs were lower than my posted score

I'm trying to get as much time in on this one as possible, I've got a meetup planned on the 18th and the blast monitor needs to be rotated back to hori by then.

 

[codecrank]

Ok, Naomi up and running.

276,960 - Tyranix95 - 1-2 - Reverse - Naomi

Whoa! Ok. Rockets--Defiantly like Rockets--Now, to work on my aim.

After watching the following, I need to switch to using the rocket option for the most.

Being a francophone, I was able to listen to his tips, lotso good stuff. check out how be clears boss #3 and #4 He learned some of it via a superplay dvd.