Deathsmiles Xbox 360 port!

[HVL]

Yeah, I wouldn't pay any mind to VGChartz numbers. They can be wildly off and sometimes completely fabricated.

In other news, it seems Cave is responsible for messing up the slowdown in the US port:

http://www.aksysgames.com/forums/topic/732

Maybe if enough people complain they could patch it.

I, for one, can't see that happening. How many times was the slowdown adjusted for the better in the Japanese ports?

Even if CAVE is responsible for this, Aksys shouldn't have let that slip past.

[njiska]

I, for one, can't see that happening. How many times was the slowdown adjusted for the better in the Japanese ports?

Even if CAVE is responsible for this, Aksys shouldn't have let that slip past.

From what I understand after talking to Cherie Baker, Aksys didn't have the final say in this arrangement, Cave did.

[HVL]

http://www.aksysgames.com/forums/topic/732

All right, I have a response from Cave. Pardon the literal translation:

Cave wanted to fix some unintended slowdown in the original, which compromised the level of difficulty in those sections. They upgraded the production environment of the graphics engine, so the U.S. version handles the graphic assets better. They're now working as originally intended, so things will be more difficult.

Hope that makes sense.

I don't quite get that - but hey, it's working as intended!

[EOJ]

That's BS. The JP version already ran too fast in every mode except Arcade (and the arrange modes 1.1 and MBL 1.1), which was perfect. There was no reason for them to mess up the US version of Arcade mode. If they wanted to "fix" the slowdown further, they should have included a wait on/off option in the US version, or at least just made the changes in 360 mode.

[Kiken]

http://www.aksysgames.com/forums/topic/732

All right, I have a response from Cave. Pardon the literal translation:

Cave wanted to fix some unintended slowdown in the original, which compromised the level of difficulty in those sections. They upgraded the production environment of the graphics engine, so the U.S. version handles the graphic assets better. They're now working as originally intended, so things will be more difficult.

Hope that makes sense.

I don't quite get that - but hey, it's working as intended!

So Cave's intention was to make Death Mode 2 unplayable and to make sure that nobody ever got to MBL Bloody Jitterbug ligitimately...?

If so, mission accomplished.

[NR777]

So, CAVE intentionally broke scoring for the Western release?  Bad move.  I'm still enjoying the hell out of the game but this news saddens me...new hi score table for NA version or are we going to note it with an asterisk?

[EOJ]

Definitely a different table for the NA scores.

[ookitarepanda]

I should also note the most glaring error from Deathsmiles PCB to Xbox port, at least in my experience in the NA version.

If you type in your name on the 360 as "POO" it changes it to "CAV."


BULL FUCKING SHIT!

[EOJ]

What's the deal with the initials in the US version? I've heard no matter what you input it changes it to CAV.

[HVL]

What's the deal with the initials in the US version? I've heard no matter what you input it changes it to CAV.

Perhaps the NA version is so messed up it's not meant to be played for score.

[Daigoro]

So Cave's intention was to make Death Mode 2 unplayable and to make sure that nobody ever got to MBL Bloody Jitterbug ligitimately...?

If so, mission accomplished.

sounds like it. greeeeaaaaat. thanks Cave!

What's the deal with the initials in the US version? I've heard no matter what you input it changes it to CAV.

i havent had a problem entering mine.

[EOJ]

US version has been slashed in price to $39 and change at amazon.

Personally I still think it's $39 too much, but for those of you who don't care about score and just want to credit feed through to see the endings while you gaze at the faceplate and listen to the lousy soundtrack CD, the US version is for you.

[Third_strike]

Is this version worth in slowdown accuracy ? http://www.ncsxshop.com/cgi-bin/shop/search.html?mv_profile=searchstring&mv_sort_field=title&mv_exact_match=1&mv_matchlimit=10&mv_search_page=search_results&mv_searchspec=death+smiles&Submit.x=0&Submit.y=0&Submit=Submit

[brentsg]

That is the JPN version so it's region locked to JPN/Asia consoles, but yes the slowdown is better.

More interestingly, I see that NCSX is carrying the Deathsmiles II toresetsu.

[fuse]

Seems that Rising Star are bringing this to Europe in early 2011. Source here via the Cave World EN Twitter. Google translate says of the article;

In our interview with Cave-producer Makoto Asada here at the Tokyo Game Show , he told an exclusive visit to Eurogamer.se to their Xbox 360-exclusive shoot 'em up game DeathSmiles will be released in Europe very early in 2011 ". This, together with Rising Star Games.

DeathSmiles is a horizontal shooter which was released in Japan for a year and a half years ago and has sold more than 50 000 copies. The game was released in the U.S. now in July, and now it becomes our turn to buy it in stores.

[HVL]

Great news. Definitely buying it unless they "Aksys" it.

My suggestion for the LE bonus is a Casper dakimakura.

[StarCreator]

Great news. Definitely buying it unless they "Aksys" it.

Can you elaborate on what you mean by this quip?  I think we've definitively proven everything that went wrong with Deathsmiles NA is traceable back to Cave themselves.

[EOJ]

This is going to be the same damn f'd up version that Aksys released. Don't buy this garbage!

[StarCreator]

This is going to be the same damn f'd up version that Aksys released. Don't buy this garbage!

There's simply no way for any of us to know that.  Hell, we don't know for sure if this release will even happen at all.

And even if it is pretty much the same version as Deathsmiles NA, I would advise purchasing the game anyway if you want to help convince whoever is publishing it to bring more over.  Not purchasing the game is only a vote for not having any more ports come into the continent, good or bad.

[Hive]

Companies often get away with publishing mediocre products when they see that consumers will pony up for them.
It sets a bad precedent, so I would only advise only getting the DeathSmiles localization whenever you see it on sale.

[njiska]

It's not mediocre, it's just not an arcade accurate port. If you like shmups and aren't an anal purist you're bound to have fun with it. At the very least it is worth purchasing to show support and encourage future releases.

At the same you should be petitioning the fuck out of Rising Star Games to not let Cave butcher it like they did the US release. A modified Deathsmiles is better than nothing, but if you can get a perfect copy all the better for you. I need to go buy the JP version now.

[StarCreator]

Companies often get away with publishing mediocre products when they see that consumers will pony up for them.
It sets a bad precedent, so I would only advise only getting the DeathSmiles localization whenever you see it on sale.

This argument simply doesn't work on much smaller productions like these - the message more likely to be received by the company from poor sales is "this genre doesn't sell, let's not bother doing anything more".  Buying the product, despite any flaws, at least shows there is interest in the market and perhaps good things can happen down the line.

But again, we don't know what version will be released in Europe, if any, so this is all getting ahead of ourselves.

[gsl]

It's not mediocre, it's just not an arcade accurate port. If you like shmups and aren't an anal purist you're bound to have fun with it. At the very least it is worth purchasing to show support and encourage future releases.

I'm gonna have to agree on this part.  I know Tonk and a few others got all hot and bothered about some of the minuscule changes to the slowdown handling, but honestly, if you're not a high level player that's sunk a ton of time into the PCB you probably won't even notice.  The negative hyperbole being lofted about in regards to this game is getting pretty annoying, as it's hardly the disaster its made out to be, and I think people are getting the impression that the game itself is a massively flawed product broken in every conceivable way.  If you've never played the game before, you won't even have a clue as to what the differences are between the Western release and the original Japanese version.

[EOJ]

You don't have to play the PCB to be bothered by the changes in the US version. And these changes are very significant. You simply can't score as well in any of the modes compared to the JP version. For the casual gamer who doesn't play for score, I can understand why they wouldn't care about this. Anyone else should care.

Also, Cave programmed an English version, and in doing so they altered the whole game code. There's no way they are going to go back, use the JP version, and program English text in it for the Euro version, instead of just using the US version.

I still say people shouldn't buy messed up localizations like this. It only shows the company they can do this again at their discretion.
I don't support such shoddy products.

[njiska]

You don't have to play the PCB to be bothered by the changes in the US version. And these changes are very significant. You simply can't score as well in any of the modes compared to the JP version. For the casual gamer who doesn't play for score, I can understand why they wouldn't care about this. Anyone else should care.

Also, Cave programmed an English version, and in doing so they altered the whole game code. There's no way they are going to go back, use the JP version, and program English text in it for the Euro version, instead of just using the US version.

I still say people shouldn't buy messed up localizations like this. It only shows the company they can do this again at their discretion.
I don't support such shoddy products.

I care and i'm not a hardcore score player, nor have I played the PC. I care because i want an accurate copy and Lvl 3 just isn't as fun. However I also acknowledge that i'm probably the minority of the people buying the US port and I'm sure a lot of people who don't have the attachment to the original version like we do are having a lot of fun. Remember, in the end that's all that matters.

The problem with the whole "don' buy it if it's a shoddy product" mentality in this case is that it would be more likely seen as a lack of interest in their products in general, rather than a lack of interest in this particular variation. I still maintain the best solution is to buy the game if you like/enjoy it and then bitch and moan about the problems so they clue in next time. I'm pretty sure the message has bee very clearly conveyed by this point.

[gsl]

The problem with the whole "don' buy it if it's a shoddy product"

See, I think calling it a 'shoddy product' is going too far.  When I think shoddy product, I think poorly coded.  I think bugs and unacceptable load times--the sort of stuff that's plagued 5pb's BLEX port.  In Deathsmiles' case, the slowdown and overall game speed are off compared to the JP original and the PCB.  I honestly can't see it.  I can't point to a spot in the game and say, "Here, here's where they fucked it up."  If not for the original Japanese release, the current version wouldn't be any more remarkable than any number of arcade ports of any genre that have come before and been not-quite perfect.  I just find the backlash to be really extreme and a little ridiculous.  It's not as close as the initial version; okay, this is unfortunate.  Do we really need to saddle up and go on a campaign to try and talk everyone who might be interested out of buying it?  Again, I don't think it's such a bad port as to merit that sort of response, and it's certainly not the sort of thing that will guarantee the future of releases outside of Japan.  Some of the vitriol towards the NA port makes me feel like I'm stuck in some kind of alternate reality where I'm apparently failing to grasp some basic concept that's perfectly obvious to everyone else.

But nor am I suggesting that people somehow have a responsibility to purchase shoddy products in order to show support to publishers for hypothetical future releases.  If a game is really crappy, you're under no obligation to buy it (obviously!).  But I don't believe the newer versions of Deathsmiles fall into that category.  And I think if you've never played the arcade or J360 original, it's not going to make much of a difference to you if you buy the NA/EU version.  I mean, if the idea of 100% arcade fidelity means that much to you, then it's not like the PCB or J360 port are impossible to find.  If that's not an option for whatever reason, I just think acting like the game should still be avoided at all costs is silly.

I've said my piece, though, so now we can get back to talking about the ports or whatever.

[EOJ]

When I think shoddy product, I think poorly coded.  I think bugs and unacceptable load times--the sort of stuff that's plagued 5pb's BLEX port.  

Have you even played the BLEX port? BLEX is a more accurate port than Deathsmiles NA (any mode). Initial load is long, but it's the same as Mamoru-kun and no one bitches about it for that game. Once you load up Black Label version, loads are pretty much gone, there are no bugs, and the game is dead-on to the PCB. For me, as someone who cares first and foremost about having very accurate arcade ports at home, the bitching about BLEX is far less deserved than the bitching about Deathsmiles NA.

Are you a casual gamer and/or one who doesn't play for score, gsl? You sure sound like one (and that's fine, that's not an insult, but I already said such people won't be bothered by the changes in Deathsmiles NA).

Some of the vitriol towards the NA port makes me feel like I'm stuck in some kind of alternate reality where I'm apparently failing to grasp some basic concept that's perfectly obvious to everyone else.

Could it be that's because you don't know what it's like to really care about scoring? Just a thought.

[antares]

I tend to agree to EOJ's opinion on this subject.

I'd say I'm a mediocre score player, if I really like a game I'm able to get above average scores but nowhere near the top of the scale.

I honestly can't see much differences in Mushi Futari or ESPGaluda 2 compared to the PCB. But in Deathsmiles the differnces are quite big. I think this is because the Slowdown is heavily linked to good scoring in DS. Once you start noticing how you can extend your power up phases with the use of slowdown you will see the difference even between jp 360 mode and jp Arcade mode.

When I got DS on the 360 I played only 360 mode in the first couple of weeks and had a very good feeling for the slowdown there. When I felt I had reached my limit in scoring I started playing Arcade mode and I instantly noticed how much longer you can stay in power up mode there thus resulting in a much higher score only after a few playthroughs which would be not possible in 360 mode for me at this time.

So yeah, I think the inaccurate slowdown in 360 mode or the US version is more of a big deal in DS than in other inaccurate ports.

But of course if you don't own a jp 360 I'd still recommend buying the PAL Version. Chances are high, that people who don't own a jp 360 at this point aren't very much in the shmup genre anyway to care enough about the differences.

[skykid]

When I think shoddy product, I think poorly coded.  I think bugs and unacceptable load times--the sort of stuff that's plagued 5pb's BLEX port.  

Have you even played the BLEX port? BLEX is a more accurate port than Deathsmiles NA (any mode). Initial load is long, but it's the same as Mamoru-kun and no one bitches about it for that game.

Nah man, loading times on BLEX are quite a bit longer than Mamoru-Kun! Where's my patch damnit! 

Regardless though, it's true that the BLEX bitching is largely unwarranted. I just put down a BL PCB to play BL on BLEX (what a mouthful!) and it's actually a fairly difficult game of spot the difference.

Re: DS I see it EOJ's way only because I'm a shmup fan who wants the game to be as close to the arcade experience as possible in regard to the timings and scoring subtleties. You want to be able to compete on the same scoreboard as everyone else and not be faced with a more difficult challenge simply because the adjustments have made higher ranks unfair to play.

On the flip side, look at it from Cave's point of view: DS 360 JP is region locked, the PCB isn't distributed in the west - as far as they're concerned we don't know any different. And I think that's the key point, they optimised their game because they felt slowdown would be frowned upon and wanted the first western release with their name on it to not be associated with poor coding (in the eyes of uneducated gamers.)

So would I say boycott the US/EU port? No, I'd like to see some other games released here, so if you can get it on the cheap and it's your only option, may as well have a bash.
If Cave do the same thing twice though, never buy their shit again! 

[EOJ]

Nah man, loading times on BLEX are quite a bit longer than Mamoru-Kun! Where's my patch damnit!  

I timed the initial loading time of both once (both installed on the hdd), and they were almost the same. Other in-game loads (to/from menus) are longer in BLEX, though.