RF Generation Message Board

The RF Generation Shmup Club will be digging into the archives for our February game of the month. We'll be playing Compile's very first shoot-em-up, the classic Zanac! Jump in the cockpit of the AFX-6502 Zanac spacecraft, and take on hordes of enemy spaceships, cannons, and bases, as you fight the System, literally. You are the last hope of mankind against this bio-mechanical menace. Fly and blast through 12 areas, with a wide assortment of weapons, and screens full of resistance to your mission. Take the fight to the enemy, and save humanity from destruction!

Originally released in 1986 in Japan, both on the MSX home computer, and the Famicom Disk System, Zanac saw release on the Nintendo Entertainment System in North America the following year. An updated version, Zanac EX was released for the MSX2 home computer in 1986 as well. The original versions were also released on the PlayStation, alongside an updated version known as Zanac Neo, in the Zanac x Zanac compilation. The NES version also saw a release on the Wii Virtual Console, and Zanac x Zanac is still available on the PlayStation Network, for the PlayStation 3. Join the RF Generation Shmup Club in February for some classic blasting action!

Participants:
MetalFRO
Addicted
Duke.Togo
Crabmaster2000
Pam
cverz2
EZ Racer
Redd McKnight

High Scores Per Version
NES:
Famicom Disk System:
MSX:
MSX2:
Zanac NEO:


Original hint:
[img width=477 height=141]https://introcomputing.org/software-compiler.png[/img]

@MetalFRO: Silent Debuggers!

LOL, if that were a shmup, that'd be a good guess, wise guy ;)

I'm trying to Compile it but all it says is "Syntax Error!"

In it to win it.

Welcome to the fight!

I’m in!

Let's collect some smiley faces!!

Ohhhhh man.    You guys are in trouble. 



High score right here.  LOL


I LOVE THIS GAME!!!!!!   My friend up the street had this game and I played it ALOT.

Pam, Crabby, & cverz2 - welcome to the squadron!

This game requires turbo. I made it to the end of stage 4 last night.

Nice! As for the Shmup Club, there's no restriction against using turbo functionality, so keep that in mind, everyone.

Gonna crank it up tonight and try to shake the rust off.

Haven't tested it yet, but my NES Zanac arrived in the mail today, so count me in

Played a little Zanac and got to level 4. Forgot to take a shot of my score. Then I got too busy playing Zanac Neo.

Here is my high score. Playing on easy and got to level 6.
[img width=700 height=525]https://i.imgur.com/FoNNbiA.jpg[/img]

My preferred ship is the Scar Face, as I really like weapon 7 on it. I keep forgetting about the blast though, and I'm sure I'll do much better if I can keep it in mind.

The soundtrack on this game is really fantastic!

No pic yet, but 2nd time playing beat a few mini-bosses. Long ways to go.

Is it too late to join? I just got this on PC for free via Project EGG.

Never too late to join! Welcome aboard, gents :D

High score time! This game is challenging, for sure. And I'm finding that the enemies and attacks that come at you will depend upon which sub-weapon you have. It varies quite a bit, which is quite interesting. It's very forward thinking for its time. I managed to reach Stage 3 last night, on a single credit:
[img width=700 height=525]https://i.imgur.com/xuOwa2g.jpg[/img]

I managed to score 463,080 points, which I thought wasn't half bad. I like sub-weapon 2, which is the shield, but the game starts to throw A LOT at you, which just diminishes the shield faster. I also like 3, because it gives some of the protection of the shield, but is also good for offensive play. However, it doesn't start to get really effective against incoming bullets until you power it up to at least level 3, where you have 2 orbs rotating around  you, providing more cover. I also like weapon 7, because it shoots fast, and repels some enemy fire. However, be careful using that against the plane mini-boss in Stage 2 - sometimes that ship will repel the sub-weapon, and leave you vulnerable against its own barrage of shots that come down!

I made it to area 6 with a score of 1,122,010 on one credit.

[img width=700 height=525]https://i.imgur.com/7QIYOmZ.jpg[/img]

I really find that weapon 7 is essential to making good progress as it wipes out enemy bullets, covers a great portion of the screen, and lasts a long time as it only uses energy when it destroys something.

A couple tips:

Don't fire any shots and use your secondary weapon to kill the first enemy that swoops down and goes back off screen at the beginning to turn him into a 1up. I've gotten a couple other blue landers before, so I am not sure if there is a guaranteed trigger for the others.

On a few levels there is a face on the ground. If you shoot if enough before it scrolls off screen, you will become fully powered up for your primary and secondary weapons. Don't collect any more of the chips as it will downgrade your primary weapon.

I haven't had time to play yet.

But another tip is....

At the beginning before you shoot the blue boxes that give you the white pellets that give your guns more bullets.

Just fly directly into the middle(usually) one and it will automatically give you the 3 bullets.  BUT REMEMBER do not shoot it first.

Just a little trick I picked up when I was a kid.

[img width=700 height=417]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190207/fe060d9f1372236de6d8f55fca96b4cf.jpg[/img]

Here is what the blue lander (1up) looks like.
[img width=256 height=232]https://i.imgur.com/HWcwMAa.jpg[/img]

Good tips, gentlemen, keep them coming!

I haven't managed to reach Duke.Togo heights in score yet, but I did nearly break 1 million points yesterday, while streaming the game:
[img width=700 height=525]https://i.imgur.com/tGeevjo.jpg[/img]

Now that I know the trick to fully powering up in the first stage, I'm going to have to start using that tactic! It certainly makes the game more manageable right from the get-go. However, as I mentioned a couple times during my stream, your fortunes can change in the game so quickly because of one mistake, and because you have almost no window of invincibility upon respawn, a single mistake can turn into 2 or 3, just because you can't escape a swarm of enemies or bullets.

Got on a decent run earlier and broke 300K, making it to Area 3. What really helped was watching MetalFro's stream and ask a few questions on the live chat to better understand the mechanics of the game. Big thank you to him.

Gotta say the more I play this the more I like it, but it definitely seems geared towards no deaths with losing all your power-ups. Maybe it's just me, but when I die I get 2 or 3 more deaths compounded on it before I can get back in a rhythm, provided I still have any lives left.

I feel the same way about getting into a rhythm. Dying in the game is harsh, not only because of your loss of powerups, but also because there's almost no window of invincibility when you respawn. If you come back in the middle of a swarm, expect to die again, and there's little you can do about it.

Found some more useful information: https://shmup.fandom.com/wiki/Zanac

This game is hard! I haven't even gotten a score I'm willing to post.

You are absolutely right! I was struggling with it quite a bit while streaming last night. I did manage to finally get into a rhythm and break 1 million points, but I had several runs where I didn't even break 100K, or leave the first level, because it can be quite unforgiving, especially with regards to recovery after you die. Your choice of sub-weapon also greatly affects the composition of enemies that you'll encounter, so keep that in mind.

I'm away for a few days and then I'm planning to jump in again. It's been a few years since I played last, but I'm pretty excited. Duke got me hooked on Compile shooters and I completely credit him for turning me onto this game in particular.

I played Zanc Neo a little last night. My score is nothing to brag about but it's a start.

[img width=700 height=525]https://i.imgur.com/Vy5DREH.jpg[/img]

Making progress in Zanac! I managed to reach Stage 6 last night, and got my highest score so far...
[img width=700 height=525]https://i.imgur.com/AMf6f2n.jpg[/img]

Did a little refresher run and got to stage 7:

[img width=640 height=480]https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7846/47175689021_09c837b0fa_z.jpg[/img] (https://flic.kr/p/2eSKJLD)

Second run was much better, but I chocked multiple times on the last 2 stages and blew some great powerups. Ended my run on stage 12 at 3,301,420

[img width=640 height=480]https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7841/47175682801_80847b5a96_z.jpg[/img] (https://flic.kr/p/2eSKGVp)

This jerk ended up taking my last few lives. He's a huge pain and I need to figure out a better method for him:

[img width=640 height=480]https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7890/32233913107_306b8a6415_z.jpg[/img] (https://flic.kr/p/R7pemx)

This game is so much fun. I forgot how great the soundtrack is too, really lively and upbeat.

Been listening to the title screen music on repeat for the last hour. Really like this song a lot:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkmdItOQkKo

Dang, Crabby, you're a beast! I forgot to post this, but I managed to get my highest score so far on stream, and had a decent run going up to Stage 4:
[img width=700 height=525]https://i.imgur.com/7dGnfS5.jpg[/img]

I still haven't managed to get past Stage 6, though, and usually I can't even make it that far. It's crazy how quickly your fortunes can change in the game. Just out of curiosity, which weapon do you typically use?

One of my favorite things about the game is that I feel like all of the power ups are fun to play with and there are no stinkers. Given a choice 7 is my favorite, but after a death I'm happy to grab any number that is offered to me and focus more on getting my main guns powered up rather than focus on my secondary weapon. The default 0 is even quite good especially when the enemies that show up from the front/back and close together on you appear. It's one of the best for those guys.

I probably avoid 2 and 4 the most then 5, all the rest I strive get and power up. 5 is amazing on bosses though so if it's late in the level and I have a choice I'll go for 5.

I was looking up the weapons, and 5 actually turns into lasers, once you power up beyond level 2. So I'm going to try and use those. I also generally go for 7, and I also quite like the 3, because of the barrier it creates. It gives you a nice balance between offensive and defensive capabilities. In a pinch, the 0 weapon works well enough, when powered up a bit. 2 makes you a target, and unless you dodge like a madman, it's hard to survive that very long. 4 isn't overly useful, and 1 isn't great unless it's fully powered up. 6 is cool, but hard to hold onto, in order to make it fully useful. Apparently, at full power, 6 converts all on-screen enemies to 1ups!

Streaming Zanac again on Friday night, and ended up getting my highest score yet again, reaching Stage 6. Slowly but surely, I'm improving!
[img width=700 height=525]https://i.imgur.com/yZvCX6a.jpg[/img]

Anyone else have any thoughts to share, or scores to record? I'm compiling the outline for the upcoming podcast, and would like to have a few more community thoughts, if possible. Thanks to everyone for participating, and hopefully we can close out this short month strong!

On stream last night, and I managed to hit my secondary goal: 1.5 million points! 1,546,410 points, to be exact :D
[img width=700 height=525]https://i.imgur.com/NMkMLda.jpg[/img]

Never really could get good enough to get a solid score to post. I'm glad I got this and started playing it, but more for the fact I can see where the development of some other Compile shooters like Gun Nac and Guardian Legend got their influence.

I mentioned it on one of MetalFro's streams, but it's hard to make consistent progress. In all my attempts, I never got a sense of being able to build on what I had learned from previous attempts. Especially with the harder games, you need that sense of slow accomplishment, and I never got that with this game. While the AI set up in Zanac was initially interesting, it also took away the sense of being pulled in to keep playing and just get a little farther, because it always was a bit of a crapshoot in just how far I would get on any given run.

Zanac is one to me worth looking at from a game history perspective, in that you can see how it influenced the genre, especially within its own company. That said, it's probably not one I'll visit very often in the future.