RF Generation Message Board

Most of us who are active in the retro-gaming scene will remember 9-9-1999, the day that the Dreamcast was launched to much fanfare in the US. Unfortunately, that hype was short-lived, and soon thereafter, Sega exited the console market. Sega's little console built a loyal following, and in the years since its commercial fortunes dried up, there has been a stream of new software released for the system. One genre that has received the most love of any in the posthumous state of the Dreamcast has been the shmup. Multiple developers have created new games for the platform, and others have ported older titles to the DC. Some have been out of sheer love for Sega's last hardware hurrah, and others because it was an easy platform to develop for. Indie developer Hucast Games known for developing Dux brings us our Shmup Club pick for June 2019, Ghost Blade.

Since its initial release in 2015, this game has seen multiple print runs for the Dreamcast, most recently from independent game house JoshProd. In 2017, it received an HD upgrade and ports to modern consoles including the Wii U, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC (Steam), with a Nintendo Switch port in the works. Eastasiasoft also offered a limited physical release of the HD version for PlayStation 4, through a partnership with Play Asia. With so many options, it's easy to get a playable version of this game for any setup. Pick your platform, and join the RF Generation Shmup Club, as we blast off and take on the remnants of the A.I. "Evil Shira" to ensure it's destroyed!

Participants:
MetalFRO
Addicted
zoydo
VicViper_Mk2
Christapp76
Dingo
BrandonGuerra97
dtungsten

HIGH SCORES
Dreamcast Novice: zoydo - 1,354,142,900 (1CC!)
Dreamcast Normal: zoydo - 1,354,142,900 (1CC!)

HD Easy: BrandonGuerra97 - 4,440,748,025 (1CC!)
HD Normal: MetalFRO - 2,357,274,800 (1CC!)
HA Hard: zoydo - 1,592,952,033
HD Score Attack: zoydo - 1,059,486,769

Save a spot for our special guest.  ;)

I don't want to spoil the surprise  ;D

That's funny, i just ordered a DC-copy last week, finally.
So guess i'm in on DC and PS4.

Excellent! I'll be playing both as well, so it will be good to have multiple perspectives on the differences between the original and HD versions.

Sounds nice, count me in. let me just dig up my PC version

Hi, how do I sign up to this?

New member of RF Generation

Sounds great, Vic, good to have you aboard!


You just did! :D
Which platform do you plan to play on? Also, welcome to RF Generation!

Oh ok, great

Well have both versions but probably do the PS4


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Sounds good! Feel free to play both, if you like. I'll be doing so, and it would be good to have discussion about the differences between the original and HD versions.

Cool, will do


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Just picked up this game. Been on my wish list for some time now so this was the perfect excuse. Count me in!

Isn’t this the game Ser from Studio Mudprints did the music on?


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count me in. got my ps4 digital version at the ready

Played a few runs on both versions. Couldn't beat my PB in the DC version, but i think i had a good start anyway.

Ghost Blade DC:

Novice: 1.354.142.900 - All - Ghost
Normal: 1.116.251.640 - All - Ghost
[img width=375 height=500]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47990914001_feb51eb959.jpg[/img]

Ghost Blade HD/PS4:

Easy: 2.653.083.250 - All - Ghost
[img width=500 height=375]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47990859463_f3c6a3d406.jpg[/img]

Normal: 1.506.050.324 - St.4 - Milan
[img width=500 height=375]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47990860728_6129eedb53.jpg[/img]

Score Attack: 612.216.754 - Ghost
[img width=500 height=375]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47990857533_f42b4d1ce1.jpg[/img]

Ser did the arranged soundtrack for the HD version, yes. You going to join in this month?

Welcome aboard Dingo and BrandonGuerra97! Thanks for jumping into the fray this time!

And woah - zoydo throwing down the score gauntlet early! Those will be hard scores to top, but let's see what we can do to make it happen.  Here's my best so far on the Dreamcast version, reaching Stage 4, using the default ship (Ghost) on Normal difficulty: 795,093,355 points
[img width=640 height=480]https://i.imgur.com/yzOmUK1l.jpg[/img]

No Metal.  I don’t have this one but I’ll keep an eye out for next months pick. Maybe I’ll have a way of playing via emulator if it’s a retro title. Best of luck to all you guys with Ghost Blade. I’ve never played it but I’m sure it’s pretty decent if Ser was involved at some point.


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I just managed to beat the Score Attack no miss (Ghost). Still need to work on my bombing. :/

Score:1.059.486.769
[img width=500 height=281]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48008389643_7b8528d43b.jpg[/img]

Also played Hard Mode and got to Stage 4 (Ghost):

[img width=500 height=281]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48008389398_d99a12b533.jpg[/img]

And a Score-update on Normal (Stage 5/Ghost):

[img width=500 height=281]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48008382971_3a11f50f07.jpg[/img]


Scoring with Milan was a little better last time. I was around 1,5 in the mid of Stage 4. With Ghost i reached 1,5 by beating the Stage 4 Boss.

first attempt for today on easy, still falling short on the final boss

Easy: Ghost - 2,879,069,033 - Stage 5 Boss


then on normal, a really good run puts me at over 2.3 billion at stage 4

Normal: Ghost - 2,351,958,431 - Stage 4

Stage 3 boss is as far as I've gotten thus far. Still using the green ship primarily.

Great stuff, guys! Keep those scores coming, and hopefully as the month goes along, we'll start to see some 1CCs :D

Good Job BrandonGuerra97 and Dingo!

I could optimize my scoring a little bit, but still not as good as Brandon:
[img width=500 height=375]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48016939667_aafd90d1dc.jpg[/img]

I also tried to play with my arcade stick instead of the PS4-pad on my last run yesterday. I had a really good run until Stage 3, than my stick disconnected somehow, i lost control and bam: game over. I think i will stick to that anyway, the stick allows me to play more aggressive and maybe thats wha i need to score better.

I totally forgot to post my own score from last night! I managed to reach Stage 5, and did it this time with Milan, instead of Ghost:
[img width=640 height=480]https://i.imgur.com/cOTW77ql.jpg[/img]

SCORE UPDATE:

Just managed to secure a 1CC on easy with a score of over 4.4 billion

Previous Score: 2,879,069,033

New Score: 4,440,748,025

Now onward to Normal....

Great job on the 1CC, Brandon!

@BrandonGuerra97: Good Job Brandon!

Here's my score update:

2.155.089.800, Stage 5
[img width=500 height=286]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48041175353_5e923669a7.jpg[/img]

Throwing down the gauntlet with the Dreamcast version - just got the 1CC with Milan!
[img width=640 height=480]https://i.imgur.com/UsXnbnjl.jpg[/img]

1,216,914,810 points!

Milan has a good balance of speed and power. That ship (green) has a more narrow focus fire than either other ship, but it makes up for it with its maneuverability and the fact that you can rip right through stuff with the focus fire.

Wii U in TATE mode.

Very nice! How's it play on the Game Pad?

On my stream earlier, I managed to hit over a billion in Ghost Blade HD on PS4, and managed to reach Stage 04!
[img width=640 height=480]https://i.imgur.com/Yt7S5NGl.jpg[/img]

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Went back to the DC version for sunday. I did another clear and increased my score. My personal best so far. (#2: 1.274.365.585)

Only thing i don't get is how the column for combo on the scoreboard works. It shows 0, but i finished the first 3 stages without losing a life, so there must have been a higher combo somewhere. Until now i thought it shows the highest combo you got during your playthrough, but it seems that is not how it works...
I lost a life shortly before defeating the final boss, so maybe it just shows the combo you had before finishing the game or Game Over). Maybe someone knows for sure?

Oh and @MetalFRO: i did beat your highscore. ;)

[img width=396 height=500]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48081247583_e4b3184457.jpg[/img]

1,215,895,399

PS4 normal

Man, stage four is difficult![img width=700 height=525]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190620/2742015cce5a56ed5369d44c55488630.jpg[/img]


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I seem to play best using Milan


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Good score, Christapp76! And yes, Stage 4 in the HD version is quite difficult!

zoydo - way to step up and best my score! I might have to jump back into the DC version if I can manage a 1CC in HD, and see about taking that down ;)

Upped my score a bit this evening on stream:
[img width=640 height=480]https://i.imgur.com/KoJg6oyl.jpg[/img]

Feels like it takes a little while for me to find a rhythm with the game, but I'm getting closer to the end of Stage 4, so that's good.

[img width=700 height=525]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190624/666fc6fb00442195b57858c2758f3b30.jpg[/img]

Still struggling on level 4!

PS4



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I managed to reach the final boss (barely) last night, and got my highest score so far in Ghost Blade HD, on Normal difficulty:
[img width=480 height=640]https://i.imgur.com/zO2qdHkl.jpg[/img]

Having got used to the increased pacing of the HD version, the extra bullets, and that there's just generally more going on, I'm curious to know, if I went back to the original Dreamcast version, would I do better in it, and could I 1CC it with the other ships?

Mr Guru, what’s the deadline for scores?


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Haha, you don't have to call me Mr. but thank you for your kindness ;)

The deadline is midnight on the last day. I'm not 100% sure what time the server is, but I think it's Pacific time, so let's say midnight Pacific, just as a standard. Or perhaps midnight in your own time zone, but Pacific is the cutoff, and everyone's on the honor system :D

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[img width=700 height=934]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190627/4ae6e4ebd3a754070dcce3bf1e80ee71.jpg[/img]

My god the DC is slow and buggy or is just my set up 😂

First attempt and probably my last. Will stick with the PS4 version I think


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The DC version is definitely slower than the HD version, and yes, it's a bit quirky. But it's a relatively easy clear, so I would encourage you to give it another try, and see if you can get the 1CC :D

June is over already., that was fast. I was a bit lazy the last week and played a few runs only, because it's freaking hot outside. Had a lot of fun this month and i really enjoyed playing Ghostblade. I love the Dreamcast, it's one of my favourite Consoles (maybe Top3) and it's awesome, that there are still games released on this gem until today.  Especially for shmups theres a lot of love on the late Dreamcast, just recieved Armed 7 last week, which was released recently.

I got he DC-Version of Ghost Blade two weeks before the playthrough and only played the HD-version before.
The DC-version is quite a bit easier than the HD-Remaster and has some technical issues too. But still love this version because it's fun to play, it's colourful and the soundtrack is awesome and after a few playthoughs you got a feeling for where to bomb, to reduce the technical issuses and go on.

Couldn't clear the HD-Version yet, but maybe i can do that over time (made it to the final boss already). There's really a lot going on and sometimes it's hard to keep a clear view, because there are tons of different bullets, points and power ups. They really amped up everything for the HD-Version and added a Hard Mode and Caravan Mode as well. So the HD-Version might be the best choice to play the game.

Still like the DC-Version a bit more because Dreamcast!
What i also really like about the game is, that it's made by a german team. There aren't too many games coming from Germany, so it's totally awesome, that we have some talented  and dedicated
indie-developers doing cool shmups for the DC (and other platforms), such as NG:Dev., Duranik and Hucast.
 

Thanks for sharing some final thoughts, zoydo!

I managed to get the 1CC on Normal in Ghost Blade HD!
[img width=480 height=640]https://i.imgur.com/wO74upBl.jpg[/img]

And here's my high score, 2,357,274,800 points:
[img width=480 height=640]https://i.imgur.com/BcJNxEUl.jpg[/img]

I also put in a couple runs on Hard, and managed to get over 1 billion:
[img width=480 height=640]https://i.imgur.com/yliimUel.jpg[/img]

And had a decent run on Score Attack mode as well, squeezing out just over 1 million points:
[img width=480 height=640]https://i.imgur.com/fLT4wvul.jpg[/img]

This was a great month, and I'm happy to have finally dug into this game! Anyone else have any final thoughts?

My final thoughts on ghost blade:

I bought the PS4 version a couple of years ago but never really played it until now, so thanks Mr Guru! I have to say it really is a top shooter and glad I put the time in.

Now, I cannot say the same for the Dreamcast version. I found it very laggy and the game really should have been play tested more before release. I played using a crt and original DC hardware and found it very buggy and slow paced compared to the PS4 version. Admittedly the DC version was a lot easier. With all the faults mentioned I can now understand why the DC version got mixed reviews when originally released and I doubt I will go back and play it.

For some reason I cannot explain, I managed to score a lot higher using Milan compared to the other ships.

Overall I could not get passed the fourth level on the PS4 version but will certainly continue to play it more often.

PS4 version 8/10
Dreamcast 5/10

Cheers




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Initial posted with high scores - great job this month, everyone!