User:1ccsDontMatter/Dodging strategy

Normally in shmups, one wants to avoid danger in the forms of bullets, enemies, and obstacles when aiming for a goal such as a 1cc, 2-all, or score run. Dodging theory is an analysis of the different types of dangers one is likely to face as well as axioms for coming up with solutions to such obstacles.

Avoiding bullets

Routing

In general, the best way to avoid any type of danger, including bullets, is to know what will happen beforehand and to plan a safe route to avoid that danger. Even randomized elements of a shmup can benefit from routing by analyzing the random elements and routing towards the greatest probability for success. For instance, routing oneself into a safer, less bullet-dense part of the screen far away from the source of random danger.

Threat zones

Hundreds of bullets being herded into safe, simple lines on top of each other by careful tap dodging. Erratic movements would fill the screen with chaotic and dangerous patterns.

Sources of danger, normally bullets, can be thought of as projecting a threat zone along their path. The closer one is to this zone, the greater the chance the player will make an error and collide with the bullet. It follows then that dodging strategies should be centered around controlling and minimizing threat zones, thus giving the player the largest areas of safety and freedom that are possible.

Streaming / Herding / Luring

One of the most common ways to minimize threat zones is to force sources of danger to overlap each other via streaming. Essentially, threats that are overlapping share the same threat zone, and by luring many sources of danger into a small area or controlled trajectory, the player effectively frees up some other part of the screen they can use to escape to.

Bullet patterns

Because "reading" bullet patterns is often error prone, and in extreme cases, impossible, it's useful to learn strategies that can be used to avoid danger without relying merely on sight. If a bullet pattern falls into a known type, a known solution is likely to be effective in surviving it.

Static bullet patterns

A dense and fast ring pattern that would be quite difficult without using safe spots.

Static bullet patterns are the same each time, so their threat zones fill predetermined positions and timings regardless of the player's position or other game states. Static patterns cannot be herded or lured, but instead they are very predictable, and thus static patterns are often solved safely by memorizing safe spots.

Static patterns are more common in older shmups as their predictable nature makes them relatively simple to conquer with enough analysis.

Aimed bullet patterns

Aimed bullet patterns are patterns that are oriented towards or aimed directly at the player. These are probably the majority of patterns in shmups.

Aimed even

Easily surviving aimed even bullets by not moving.

Also known as enclosing patterns, aimed bullet patterns with an even number of bullets contain two or more streams of bullets aimed away from the player. Usually the best way to survive evens is to not move and let the danger pass by.

Aimed odd

Odd bullet patterns contain one or more streams of bullets that are aimed directly at the player. Usually the best way to survive odds is to tap once perpendicular to the source of the bullets and into a safe place.

Random bullet patterns

Rings with a random orientation. Strategy can't help here. The only solution is to react and find the gaps.

Random bullet patterns are patterns that are not aimed at the player and spawn with a random trajectory. Often, random patterns are actually oriented in some way towards the player, and are actually aimed random patterns. Random patterns can be bullets with completely random trajectories from a central source, or they can be patterned attacks such as rings that expand with an unknown trajectory aimed at the player or not.

The danger with this type of pattern is that the threat zone of the attack is usually a circle radiating out from some point over the entire screen, meaning there are no possible safe spots. Analysis of such attacks may reveal that certain parts of the screen will be less dense than others, increasing the chance of success if taking refuge in that area; however, the need to remain in a certain position to attack an enemy may make such solutions impossible to effectively execute. Ultimately the only way to avoid random patterns is to read the incoming bullets and react.

Homing attacks

Homing attacks lured into a clump at one side, then allowed to run out of homing power over the length of the screen. If lured into the center, the player would likely end up trapped.

Homing attacks are bullets or missiles that spawn with some initial trajectory but continue to curve towards the player for some amount of time. Homing attacks are usually either slow with a high turn rate or fast with a low turn rate.

Fast, low turn rate

Often depicted as homing missiles, the threat zone of this type of attack is a cone in front of the projectile. The sides and especially back of this attack are safe. Exploit their slow turn rate by cutting them off at a sharp angle and getting behind them. It will take a long time for them to reorient towards you and they may time out.

Slow, fast/infinite turn rate

Often depicted as energy balls that follow the player around, outmaneuvering homing attacks with a high or instant turn rate is impossible, so general distance should be sought until they despawn. If possible, lure them all together in one area and then escape to the opposite side of the screen where one can deal with other patterns without worry of the homing attacks interfering.

Homing lasers

Todo: show how figure eights are effective against homing lasers, th5 shinki homing lasers

Magic bullets

Magic bullets (todo: maybe there's another term for this?) are bullets such as rotating bullets (Compile), oscillating bullets, or curving bullets. Todo: give a theory on dealing with them

Hybrid patterns

Aimed random patterns

Aimed patterns with elements of randomness added. They are the majority of bullet patterns in newer shmups. They usually cannot be avoided by memorizing when to tap/not tap like normal aimed bullets and instead must be reacted to.

Static aimed patterns

Combines elements of static and aimed patterns. todo: explain luring the aimed bullets into the static threat zones to reduce danger, etc --> animation of strikers 1945 loop 2 russia boss part 2 would be the perfect example here

Overlapping patterns

The majority of situations, especially during stages, are likely to be different types of patterns overlapping. todo: explain how to use threat zones to analyze and come up with routes through overlapping patterns, blah blah blah