Phantasm Romance 2.5 Plus

[shadowbringer]

Phantasm Romance is a freeware Danmakufu game made by Len, featuring 6 stages plus a total of 4 secret ones, and two different game modes. It's similar to most Touhou shmups in gameplay, with buttons for rapid-fire, bombs, focused movement, counterbomb time and point of collection, yet features some changes, such as no collision detection on bosses and stage enemies, no items from enemies which are destroyed with bombs, a graze-based bullet-cancelling system which can be used for survival or scoring, a point item-based extend system, and in-game Extra Stages which can be accessed under special conditions


rules:
- default settings, default 4 characters only (ReimuA, ReimuB, MarisaA, MarisaB)
- replays required for #1 scores
- no average framerates below 55 fps
- Danmakufu VSync Patch is allowed

- submission format:

Name - Score - Stage - Character - Avg. Framerate - Mode

- for 'All' entries:
All(6) if the game ends after clearing stage 6
All(Ex3) if the game ends after clearing stage Ex3
All(Ex4) if the game ends after clearing stage Ex4


--- Normal Mode ---

# Name - Score - Stage - Character - Avg. Framerate
-----------------------------------------------------------------
#1  - Ghaleon - 302,466,229 - All(Ex3) - ReimuB - 57.47 - replay
#2 - Jaimers - 258,051,730 - All(Ex3) - ReimuA - 59.78 - replay
#3  -
#4  -
#5  -
#6  -
#7  -
#8  -
#9  -
#10 -

top 5 ReimuA

# Name - Score - Stage - Avg. Framerate
-----------------------------------------------------------------
#1 - Jaimers - 258,051,730 - All(Ex3) - 59.78 - replay
#2 -
#3 -
#4 -
#5 -

top 5 ReimuB

# Name - Score - Stage - Avg. Framerate
-----------------------------------------------------------------
#1  - Ghaleon - 302,466,229 - All(Ex3) - 57.47 - replay
#2 -
#3 -
#4 -
#5 -

top 5 MarisaA

# Name - Score - Stage - Avg. Framerate
-----------------------------------------------------------------
#1 -
#2 -
#3 -
#4 -
#5 -

top 5 MarisaB

# Name - Score - Stage - Avg. Framerate
-----------------------------------------------------------------
#1 -
#2 -
#3 -
#4 -
#5 -


--- Another Mode ---

# Name - Score - Stage - Character - Avg. Framerate
-----------------------------------------------------------------
#1  - Ghaleon - 391,700,321 - All(Ex3) - ReimuB - 57.52 - replay
#2  - Jaimers - 293,672,423 - All(Ex3) - ReimuA - 59.77 - replay
#3  -
#4  -
#5  -
#6  -
#7  -
#8  -
#9  -
#10 -

top 5 ReimuA

# Name - Score - Stage - Avg. Framerate
-----------------------------------------------------------------
#1 - Jaimers - 293,672,423 - All(Ex3) - 59.77 - replay
#2 -
#3 -
#4 -
#5 -

top 5 ReimuB

# Name - Score - Stage - Avg. Framerate
-----------------------------------------------------------------
#1 - Ghaleon - 391,700,321 - All(Ex3) - 57.52 - replay
#2 -
#3 -
#4 -
#5 -

top 5 MarisaA

# Name - Score - Stage - Avg. Framerate
-----------------------------------------------------------------
#1 -
#2 -
#3 -
#4 -
#5 -

top 5 MarisaB

# Name - Score - Stage - Avg. Framerate
-----------------------------------------------------------------
#1 -
#2 -
#3 -
#4 -
#5 -



general information:
- if you're playing in windowed mode and want to save a snapshot, it's recommended to use Alt+PrintScreen instead of the Home key, because the latter may often save weird snapshots
- if you reach stages EX3 and EX4, you can't continue. Instead, if you lose your last life there, the game will ask you if you want to save a replay (the default option at the top means "Yes". Pressing X will skip back to the initial menu without saving a replay, so be careful about it). From the replay menu (right below the Play option, before the character select screen) you can see your replay's score and average framerate as well. In the other stages, you have the option of taking a screenshot from the Continue screen. (the game doesn't allow you to save a replay if you used a Continue)


useful links:
download links: (source: http://155384.com/viewthread.php?tid=16056)
http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?uzmnnmjy2zg
http://spencer830612.miroko.tw/Phantasm%20Romance.rar

http://f27.aaa.livedoor.jp/~thdmhul/pukiwiki/pukiwiki.php?Phantasm%20Romance-%B8%B8%C1%DB%CF%B2%CC%A1%B5%AA%B9%D4 (wiki entry about the game, in japanese)
http://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm8994035 (gameplay demonstration on nicovideo)

[Ghaleon]

I assume it's ok to necrobump these threads?
anyway it's a shame such an excellent script has no cooperation, not even from Shadow! boo.
I think it's because you can't find any replays on gensokyo.org's replay archive or something. Everyone is too scared that they make newbie mistakes other people know not to do. I'll take the first bite.

Ghaleon-272525098-All(Ex3)-ReimuA-57.54-Another
http://www.mediafire.com/?4oohpinsts1cp9j

That's game features a pretty darn good example of how to beat Yukari (check it out if you need help with her). I captured all her spellcards except the blinding light bs one. It's a great example of how to suck at sakuya and Remi though. Shinki's stage was god awful too, I can't beliew how hard I blew it, I think it killed my score. But I did ok once Shinki reached her snowflake spellcard (I failed early parts of her hard too). I was actually trying to get a score for that game, and failed pretty bad I guess.

I got another replay with better score but bad survival (it's a different character so a separate upload).

Ghaleon-323067643-All(Ex3)-ReimuB-57.51-Another
http://www.mediafire.com/?pjdlx16u2pn8ypr

That file is older, not sure what it features. I just know I didn't do as well survival-wise IMO and wasn't even trying for score but somehow had a better score, go figure.

[shadowbringer]

gonna watch the replay then add it, can't do this now because I need to sleep. Thank you for posting and participating! (sorry for not participating too.. will reserve some time for it, someday..)

[Ghaleon]

I just tried this again using ReimuB to see if my score would magically get better again.. and it did. Though it wasn't very magical, I did the best ever. Ended the game with lives at cap still I think, managed to get Shinki's bonus spellcard (I didn't even think it was possible using ReimuB!). It's tragic I screwed up on her spinning triangle laser thingie card though, that's like her easiest one >=(. I "capped" her hardass 4-minion pink pellet shooting noncard though. eeek..

Anyway I don't think I'll ever do much better than this, should move on to Reimu's path now. I've done it but it wasn't very pretty.

Ghaleon-391700321-All(Ex3)-ReimuB-57.52-Another
http://www.mediafire.com/?41xgfdp8g1upf6k

[shadowbringer]

congrats on capping Mima's last spell, thought it would be harder than this. Maybe I overestimated the character's hitbox, and/or the big stars'. Nice grazing on EX3, haven't seen this before, not only it clears the bullets allowing you to get these point items, but it changes the existing bullets into more point items!

[Ghaleon]

Thanks, decided to do a Ex4 run. Did ok I guess, came torturously close to spellcapping SO many big spells.. Except the easiest of all the ex4 spells, I screwed up right at the start, derp derp.

I don't like Reimu's path much to be honest, she's a pretty boring boss IMO, and I really don't like her second noncard, it just seems luck based if she aims the grey amulet gap at you or not, most of the time she does and you just have to worry about streaming the red bullets slightly without leaving the safe area from the grey amulets, but sometimes she just chucks the wall right at you and there's no way you can fly to the safe zone in time.

Anyway:
Ghaleon-337254856-All(Ex4)-ReimuB-57.52-Another

[shadowbringer]

sorry for the delay, TV Tropes caught me once more (or to be more exact, my curiosity did this for me) while I was enjoying Roukanken's Dolphin Rider Koishi (which I thought would involve some Kamen Rider stuff, given that I was quite recently watching Kamen Rider Ryuuki and liked it )

tl;dr gonna get some time to watch the inp and then add it, don't worry

Spoiler:

bee happy

edit: just noticed now that it's a ReimuB

Spoiler:

ee

Another score, either I split (further) the boards into EX3 and EX4 scores (which Normal mode doesn't have) or I can't add the score (not because of the lack of a replay but because there's already one from you on the same category). I'd really like to encourage EX4 scores, as Jaimers once mentioned that EX3 is currently more advantageous for score, and am really considering having 4 more subcategories. Opinions?  :objection!: s?

[Ghaleon]

Jaimers has no say until he posts a score of his own >=P.

I think separation between Ex3 and 4 would be wise but really, is there really any point in worry about the format of how to categorize the scores when there are next to none? >=P.

Ex3 is simply more fun than Ex4 IMO. Shinki is a rather fun boss, while Reimu is rather dull. Also, you CAN play Ex3 and Ex4 on normal difficulty, you just can't fight sakuya or Remi on normal (it's Youmu and Suika regardless of if you did yukari or not). Ex3 and Ex4 seem to be exactly the same on normal as another mode though...

[Jaimers]

Well, I just kind of assumed back then that Ex3 was more advantageous for score with the, you know, screen being covered with hundreds of point items.
I'm not sure if it's the case now as point items aren't worth a whole lot in the grand scheme of things. Ex4 is a lot longer and it would make sense that you would be able to score higher if you keep a high shot multiplier through the entire thing as the shot points seem to make a big part of your score.
[/speculation]

Anyway, nice scores Ghaleon! Makes me want to give this script another go, especially now that I know you can actually practice individual stages.

Also, have some old SotW scores.

Normal Mode
Jaimers - 258,051,730 - All(Ex3) - ReimuA - 59.78

Another Mode
Jaimers - 293,672,423 - All(Ex3) - ReimuA - 59.77

I totally didn't procastrate posting these scores ever since you made this thread.

[shadowbringer]

Jaimers, can I ask you for replays of your ReimuA playthroughs so I can add them to their first place categories? :p
(even if you had replays available right now, I'd have to reserve some time to watch them, not now :p -- need to sleep now)

Congratulations to you two!

[Ghaleon]

Dang I missed this for SotW? dohh... I kinda gave up with that after every game seemed to not work with each version of mame I got, and the one version of mame I had that seemed to work with everything wouldn't let me stage practice via states at all.

Anyway, what is this about shot points? I literally have no clue how the score of this game works. I just know collecting points seems to give you some, and spellcard captures seems to give quite alot (for my scores anyway). I've tried milking graze bombs and whatnot but that doesn't seem to make much of a difference.

[Jaimers]

Oh yeah, I forgot that.
http://www.mediafire.com/?7r9fsmxb4s52145

Anyway, what is this about shot points? I literally have no clue how the score of this game works. I just know collecting points seems to give you some, and spellcard captures seems to give quite alot (for my scores anyway). I've tried milking graze bombs and whatnot but that doesn't seem to make much of a difference.

I think it's something like this.

Scoring Rate
The bare score is not directly added to your score in Touhou Danmakufu. Scoring rate, which is shown at left-bottom of the game field, is multiplied to the gained score. Scoring rate fluctuates based on the following conditions:

- Shot increases the scoring rate by bits.
- Getting a spell card adds 2 to the scoring rate and the upper bound.
- Losing a life decrease 25% of the scoring rate.

The scoring rate will increase up to the upper bound as cherry point of Perfect Cherry Blossom.

So basically, no miss and capture spell cards to increase the multiplier you get for shooting stuff. You can see your score skyrocket when you shoot bosses late in the game and you haven't died much.

I have no idea why PR makes the scoring rate invisible though.

[Ghaleon]

Thanks, I was looking for info regarding phantasm romance specifically, doh.
That scoring system sounds pretty normal I guess except:
Not sure about the shot part though, guess I should just run another script and see for myself.

[shadowbringer]

updated; for some reason both replays desynched during one of Shinki's nonspells (both at that same nonspell, which is iirc the spiraling needles (with spiraling needle streams right before the spider web-like sc), there were enough lives so that both replays took a while to reach game over even with desync.

Tip: Yukari's snake-like attack can be dodged through triangle-like movements (rather than trying to do circle movements) :p

Nice job, Jaimers

[Ghaleon]

I just did a spur of the moment normal run... Normal sure seems harder than another mode when you've only played another mode for so long >=P.

Normal mode
Ghaleon-302466229-All(Ex3)-ReimuB-57.47

I rekon I could have done much better if I didn't suck so hard at mima. (had a couple screw ups on yukari too...her memorization spellcard at the end is hard when you don't remember it though!). I failed at shinki's last noncard, oh the shame. And to boot I almost captured her final (non bonus) spellcard. I mean I bombed it early, but didn't bomb again, arrrrrr.

[shadowbringer]

can I haz replay for adding to the Normal ReimuB table? :p
nice work, btw.. (someday I'll get to take advantage of the grazing bullet cancel through stages and nonspells.. just a tip, dunno if you already know it. If you're planning to graze bullet cancel nonspells in advance, keep in mind that this will bring the boss' nonspell hp down from full hp but will never (afaik) end it unless you've damaged the boss (so you can bullet cancel Aya's nonspells twice)

[Ghaleon]

http://www.mediafire.com/?9vc4deapyeldtz3
I think that's the one, I uploaded it awhile ago but forgot to link it doh.

Anyway, as for bullet cancelling nonspells. I don't know how this shot score mechanic works. But if your score multiplier increases by shooting dudes, maybe graze bombing noncards actually hurts your score in the long run? I don't know.

I generally don't worry about timing my graze bombs unless I see I'm really close to one already by accident. I'm not Jaimers-tier in shmups so I'm more likely to get myself killed than benefit from higher points by doing such a thing >=P

[shadowbringer]

updated! (after much procrastination, sorry)

nice playthrough!