It's hard to believe that, only 1 year ago, the RF Generation Shmup Club was just ramping up, and starting our 2nd month. After playing various versions of R-Type throughout the month of May, we were beginning to jump into the original Gradius, and getting steeped in a couple classics of the shoot-em-up genre. As I reflect upon the past year, it's been an interesting ride. I never imagined I'd be doing this, but I'm glad I started it, and I'm even happier that it's taken off in such a big way.



By now, every here on RF Generation knows me as "the shmup guy" in many ways, and not just because of the Shmup Club. I joined the site back in November 2014, and jumped pretty quickly into the fray. I started cataloging my games right away, and really dug the database. But the forum, with the Community Playthrough, is what hooked me. I joined the November 2014 play-through of Super Metroid, and really enjoyed engaging with members on the forum. But the following month was what truly captivated me. Each December, the site runs a competition for the Community Playthrough, and December 2014 was tailor-made for me, as a shmup competition. I owned nearly all the shooters being showcased during the month, and ended up getting high scores in everything but Sin & Punishment: Star Successor. The resulting pictures I took, with the custom wrestling belt that was the prize, became my de facto avatar here on the site, and I use that picture everywhere.


Fast forward to early last year, and I had a conversation with singlebanana, where he encouraged me to start up another play-through, focused on shmups. It sounded like a good idea, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I wanted to do it. I have been a fan of classic scrolling shoot-em-up games since I was a kid, and usually try and pop a quarter (or token) into one whenever I see an arcade cabinet. I go through times when I'm really hot on the genre, and actively playing the games, and others when I cool on it somewhat, and still buy and collect them, but focus on other game styles. It didn't take long for me to start thinking about doing a podcast, much like the Playcast, as a companion to this new play-through. Almost immediately, I began thinking of cool ideas for names, and seeking out an artist to make a logo.

The podcast hasn't quite reached a year old, since we recorded and released 2 episodes during August 2018, but after we caught up, we've been going strong. A big part of that is the participation we've had from, not only existing members, but also new members who have come to the site since we've started it up. Some of those new members came for the Shmup Club itself, and others have stumbled in and found it organically. Either way, seeing daily comments on the thread, seeing high scores posted, and reading all the impressions of each game, sharing strategies, etc. has really made me dig into this genre even more. For that, I'm grateful, and I thank every participant for helping to once again stoke the fire that has long burned for the shoot-em-up.


As I look toward the list of games picked out for the rest of the year, and what we've already discussed for 2020, I'm struck with an interesting duality of feelings. Part of me has an urgency to play each of these games, because there are so many more to play! The other part of me is happy to take my time, and really dig into each title, and let it soak in. Despite only focusing on each game for a month, it's enough time to learn about a game, and make a decision, as to whether or not it's something to put back on the shelf, or dig into further. I can play some games for a month, and put them away, happy to have had the experience, but secure in the knowledge that I've had my fill, and don't need to "get my money's worth" by continuing to play it. Other games captivate me, and despite being busy with work, and other endeavors, I know I'll return to some of these games again, and they'll once again pull me in, once I decide to go back.

Thank you again, to the RF Generation family, for putting up with all my shmuppery, and for giving me a home online to come to every night after the rigors of work wear me down. Thank you for hosting this silly gaming club, and for helping me start a podcast that I've become very proud of. Thank you for participating so far, and thank you for listening to me as I implore you to continue to do so. My hope is, from now, until mid-2020, we can bring in even more new faces to the site, expand the community's reach, and continue to follow the genre as it goes through its current renaissance. Knowing I had some tiny part to play in all that, will continue to make me smile.

Permalink | Comments [9] | Digg This Article | Tweet