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Sega Genesis/MegaDrive Appreciation Thread: Alien Storm > Golden Axe
- Thread starter IrishNinja
- Start date
I didn't see the you part, my bad, I feel kinda blind!=p
davidwhangchoi
Member
You should play it.=O
davidwhangchoi
Member
yeah, i will this week. i need to finish it before Peagles =)
IrishNinja
Member
Damn shame about those Sega boxes.
as a sega fan, i absolutely loved their habit of putting their name on everything, haha
god, i hope segagaga finishes getting translated one day
i think you meant what are thooooooooooooose
socksfelloff
Member
I'll put uncharted4 on hold and check out alien storm when I get some free time today!
ResidentDante
Member
I got Alien Storm on a Mega Games collection cart, just finished the SOR trilogy with a friend, I think we'll try this next. But I doubt I'll have time this month. I love me some Alien Storm though, I've also played the arcade version a bit on MAME, looks a tad nicer but basically the same game!
Aren't the levels redesigned in the arcade version? Because they don't look like the Genesis ones much.
blast processed
Member
I posted a Genesis/Arcade video comparison in the GOTM post.
socksfelloff
Member
I'm playing it right now and I share this sentiment. It's a fun game but its a far cry from many other beat em ups.
I like it though. I've made it up to chapter 6 or 7 and died on the boss there once with each character ( the first one with a second phase). There doesn't really seem to be any way to replenish health outside of maybe getting some during the shooting phases?
The part where you run real fast and the music really picks up had my head banging. That's a fun part...although I don't know why or how you can run that fast? I guess it's because every beat em up has to have some sort of motorcycle/surfboard level.
That comparison makes me want to play the arcade version.
blast processed
Member
It real good and has an awesome ending.
I got some time put into Alien Storm today, first time playing it. Ended up getting to Level 7 (Destroy the UFO!) and almost made it into the crashed UFO before dying.
Cool game! It starts deceivingly simply, before kicking into overdrive in some of the later stages. That one with the two part boss really took a lot of my life away. Also, I didn't know that normal attacks also deplete your Energy, so I was pretty liberal with my Special attacks, then ran out of normal attacks a couple times.
I think another quick run through knowing what I know now in the first couple stages will probable get me to the end. Maybe later this week I'll get to it.
Cool game! It starts deceivingly simply, before kicking into overdrive in some of the later stages. That one with the two part boss really took a lot of my life away. Also, I didn't know that normal attacks also deplete your Energy, so I was pretty liberal with my Special attacks, then ran out of normal attacks a couple times.
I think another quick run through knowing what I know now in the first couple stages will probable get me to the end. Maybe later this week I'll get to it.
IrishNinja
Member
oh yeah, and you're boned without energy too! base melee attack is always garbage
again, i hope ya'll are practicing the run & jump/shoot downward move, it's imperative for some bosses and does fantastic damage without taking a ton of energy, like your specials do
again, i hope ya'll are practicing the run & jump/shoot downward move, it's imperative for some bosses and does fantastic damage without taking a ton of energy, like your specials do
I didn't even know you can run until halfway through my playthrough! I should've known better, most brawlers have a run move by double tapping a direction.
IrishNinja
Member
true, but it was early for that, i thought...without the manual, i think most of us tried just based on the Golden Axe formula, honestly
Just a simple/silly question. I have two Model 1 Mega Drive. The first one is japanese and for this one I don't have the AC adapter. The second one was bought in Italy, where I live, and it's european (PAL). For this one I have the AC adapter that came with it. May I use the european AC adapter to power on my japanese Mega Drive? If not, is there a simple/cheap solution?
Thanks
(Sorry for bad engrish, it's not my first language).
Thanks
(Sorry for bad engrish, it's not my first language).
MikeHattsu
Member
If they're both Model 1, then yes, using the EU AC adapter will work fine.
Played this today at the Mall of America. Fun, but not as good as the original.
This game sucks. It is so hard, if not impossible, avoiding getting hit. Sega's Rambo game is actually the only semi-decent recently made light gun game that I've played.
Yeah, both are Model 1. Thanks for the answer, MikeHattsu!
I think in an arcade thread I read that this game (and other ones in the same type of cab) actually have a dial-able damage countdown. Even if you don't get hit, you still effectively lose health over time. How extreme it is depends on the owner and how much money they want to make, lol.
socksfelloff
Member
GAF I'm looking for some help and opinions. I recently got a USB3HDCAP( X-capture-1 clone) and I'm learning how to use it. The problem is I'm not sure I've got my settings right.
I'm recording from a Genesis via RGBs through AmarecTV at the recommended 720x240/60 w/ line doubling. I'm using the Lagarith Lossless Codec. When viewing the raw capture footage in VLC it is clear that the capture is not as sharp as what I'm seeing in the preview window in Amarectv. Is this normal?
For scaling and uploading to YouTube I'm up scaling it to 1440x960/60 with a high bitrate. The exported video has the same clarity as the Losses recording. From what I can tell.
Encoding the losses capture and maintaining the original resolution causes YouTube to treat it as a 360/30 video and it looks like booty butt cheeks.
Keeping on Topic I've recorded and uploaded my first attempt at Alien Storm. If you guys could do me a huge favor and check it out and let me know what you think of the video quality. I want to start uploading HQ game play of older games and I wan't to get it right before I start.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGaKqlVZKLg&feature=youtu.be
I'm recording from a Genesis via RGBs through AmarecTV at the recommended 720x240/60 w/ line doubling. I'm using the Lagarith Lossless Codec. When viewing the raw capture footage in VLC it is clear that the capture is not as sharp as what I'm seeing in the preview window in Amarectv. Is this normal?
For scaling and uploading to YouTube I'm up scaling it to 1440x960/60 with a high bitrate. The exported video has the same clarity as the Losses recording. From what I can tell.
Encoding the losses capture and maintaining the original resolution causes YouTube to treat it as a 360/30 video and it looks like booty butt cheeks.
Keeping on Topic I've recorded and uploaded my first attempt at Alien Storm. If you guys could do me a huge favor and check it out and let me know what you think of the video quality. I want to start uploading HQ game play of older games and I wan't to get it right before I start.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGaKqlVZKLg&feature=youtu.be
You should use the x264 codec, it's much better than Lag, I'm personally isn't a huge fan of Lag.
Also when you using the 720x240 line/scan doubled to 720x480 at 720p@60 FPS you should scale to 1080x720 but youtube uses around 2000 mb for that res, which is not high quality.
1620x1080 should be used at 1080p res from 720x480 and can use around 5000 mb for that res, which is better quality, but not the best.
2160x1440 should be used at 1440p from 720x480 and can use around 9000 mb for that res which is really good quality and some of the best. It's ideal for 3D games as well for perfect for 2D games. You can check out my Superman Genesis vid to see how great 1440p@60 FPS looks.
socksfelloff
Member
I tried the x264 codec and didn't notice any visual difference. I will record a fresh run with your advice and see how it turns out.
These are my x264 settings. Could you take a look? Thanks for the help Timu
edit: Your superman video seems to have the same softness mine does. Do you notice it looks sharper in the preview window?
You're using a high CRF(anything between 1-18 is high) which is good, but you should be using higher res that I list in order for youtube to use higher bit rates that I also listed. Follow those res and bit rates(preferably 1440p as in 2160x1440 at 8-9000 mb) and you'll have great quality.I tried the x264 codec and didn't notice any visual difference. I will record a fresh run with your advice and see how it turns out.
These are my x264 settings. Could you take a look? Thanks for the help Timu
That softness has more to do with the res since it's being upscaled, it's actually great quality considering how most youtube vids have worse quality due to lower bit rates and lower res. Do you also view these vids in google chrome? Because Firefox makes them look softer for some reason while google chrome doesn't.
socksfelloff
Member
I'm using chrome but I notice the same softness running the videos on my computer as well.
That softness is probably due to the res being upscaled, but noticed in my Superman vid that there's no compression artifacts or anything like that(which I see in your vid) which is common for youtube vids. That's due to the 1440p res and high bit rate.
Shadow Hog
Member
Honestly, if the blurriness is roughly as it is in Timu's video, then you're actually pretty friggin' well-off. That's remarkably sharp, considering.
Also, Superman looks kinda fun.
Also, Superman looks kinda fun.
It's pretty much the best you can do on youtube. It literally has little to no compression and for being upscaled to a 4:3 1440p res it does a great job considering the upscaling.
Yeah it's one of the better Superman games, and it's still just ok. Took me 3 weeks to beat it without dying though.
socksfelloff
Member
Hey Timu,
What do you think of this? Fresh clip recorded with the x264 presets we talked about and scaled to 2160x1440. I have a feeling YouTube isn't flagging it as 1440p though? The highest setting I'm getting is 1080p. On your videos I can do 1440
short clip
Sixfortyfive
He who pursues two rabbits gets two rabbits.
Any "softness" you're seeing might be due to upscaling the video with a lanczos, bicubic, or similar algorithm instead of nearest neighbor.
1440p@60 FPS takes time to render longer than anything below it and 1440p@ 30 FPS. That's how it is.
I have some questions to ask: What program do you use to convert your files and what bit rate do you use?
I used 4k Downloader to download your vid and it does show up as 1440p. Also the bitrate seems to be 2329 which is a low bit rate. You need between 5000-9000 for anything decent to good to great.
socksfelloff
Member
Okay apparently I have to wait. Other, lower, bitrates have appeared now.
I'm using Adobe Premiere. I've attatched a photo of my settings. I've used CBR and VBR 2 pass. I'm a little confused about the bit rates. Are you saying I need to be doing at least 50-90mbps?
I never used that.Okay apparently I have to wait. Other, lower, bitrates have appeared now.
I'm using Adobe Premiere. I've attatched a photo of my settings. I've used CBR and VBR 2 pass. I'm a little confused about the bit rates. Are you saying I need to be doing at least 50-90mbps?
I use 2: Any Video Converter and Freemake Video Converter, both are excellent. Also, you need more control over your bit rates.
You don't need 50-90k mbps, just 5000-9000 mbps, like 5k-9k.
Also when you set the framerate in a program it's best to have it at 60 instead of 59.94 to be more safe for youtube.
Damn!! So I got further in Alien Storm, getting most of the way through the last stage, before some Kangaroo looking mofos just ruined my day. I'll try again later this week and hopefully beat it.
Meanwhile, note the manhole in this stage... Alien Storm reboot on NX confirmed?
Meanwhile, note the manhole in this stage... Alien Storm reboot on NX confirmed?
socksfelloff
Member
Thanks for the tips about the frame rate.
I believe you mean 5k-9k KBPS not mbps? That would be insane. Setting the output to 50mpbs has windows saying my video is 42427Kbps. The low bitrate on the youtube video must be from youtube itself.
Yeah, something like that, in kbps, like 5000-9000kbps. 42427Kbps is overkill, youtube will never use that much for 720p, 1080p, 1440p and even 4k.
In short, on youtube, they only use the amount of bitrate depending on res, like:
720p=2000 kbps
1080p=5000 kbps
1440p=9000 kbps
Also I recommend just getting Any Video Converter to make it easier to tell what bitrate you are using when converting for youtube because they actually show 2000, 5000 and such like you can see here. It's free as well.
blast processed
Member
Damn!! So I got further in Alien Storm, getting most of the way through the last stage, before some Kangaroo looking mofos just ruined my day. I'll try again later this week and hopefully beat it.
Meanwhile, note the manhole in this stage... Alien Storm reboot on NX confirmed?
NY for New York. Sorry to kill the dream.
socksfelloff
Member
I'm just making sure there is no issue on my end. I'll worry about lowering the bitrate once I get a video I'm happy with. I'm going to upload 1 last recording and let it sit overnight and see if 1440p shows up. Thanks so much for the help Timu I can't thank you enough for the prompt input.
When recording, have as high as a bit rate you can. When converting, that's when you lower the bitrate to what youtube accepts as I pointed out posts above. Yeah I'm glad I could help. I learned about this for years and finally got caught on how to get the best quality for youtube vids.
I used the run and jump over attack and that seemed to work well. Couldn't get too far into Stage 8 though.
blast processed
Member
Last week to vote for it.
Thunder Force II
Eighteen years ago the planet Nebula was attacked by the Lone Star System, arch enemy of the Interplanetary Federation. Its population decimated, the few survivors swore to protect its future with their lives. That time has come. Docked in the space portal of the planet Nebula, sits the combat weapon fortress Plealos, mother ship of the Lone System's fleet. What she can't take, she'll destroy. Now's your opportunity to use your sophisticated combat skills and save your planet. You're Ryder Jupiter. Known as Ace to the Federation, you've got vengeance on your mind. And the only person you trust in battle is the faithful Diana Rean, a bold determined comrade. What brings you together is the tyrant Reficul, Emperor of Lone. His plans to dominate Nebula can only be thwarted with the power of Thunder Force II which must be jettison deep below the planet's surface to Plealos for the final confrontation. Here you'll rely on the molecular Excelizer, a blast so strong it leaves nothing behind but memories. Go forth brave one, and free the entire Federation of Reficul forever.
Gain Ground
Gain Ground became a sensation overnight as the newest human vs. Android competition. One day, though, the Mother Computer that controlled the androids went crazy and trapped spectators in the Coliseum. Join the group of skilled fighters who are trying to defeat the system, and save those innocent people from a fate worse than death!
Dynamite Headdy
Hot-headed Headdy gets into some real head-banging to thwart the Dark Demon's devious deeds. This wacky headcase is up to his neck in surprises! Switch heads to match the job! Over 15 heads to choose from! Bash heavy objects with Slammer Head! Suck up foes with Vacuum Head! Stick it to your enemies with Spike Head! Headdy's spring-loaded head gets him where he's gotta go! Use it to swing over ledges, grab onto objects and shoot hoops in the basketball bonus round. Use your head to whiz through a radical variety of play! Action, shooting and strategy speed you on to a surprise ending!
Quack Shot
Donald unearths an ancient scroll that reveals a long-lost treasure. Off he dashes on a dangerous expedition! He leaps over cacti, sidesteps scorpions, and slides down slopes to claim the loot before Big Bad Pete can get it. Donald's temperamental tantrums keep the bad guys runnin'! He thonks 'em with his plunger and bounces on the handle to hop over their heads. Then he blasts 'em with gooey bubblegum! Yuck-a-duck! Donald creeps through the evil Count's castle, and plumbs the depths of Aztec ruins. With Huey, Dewey, and Louie's help, he'll find the key to unlock the secret of the most fabulous treasure on earth!
Shadowrun
The year is 2050 and the megacorps rule by the power of information. everyone is on file in the global mainframe... everyone but you and a handful of "invisible" outlaws called shadowrunners. Move through the grim and magical realities of futuristic Seattle and uncover a diabolical plot that could destroy the world. Team up with spell casting mages, wire-headed deckers, or mythic orcs and trolls of the distant past. Take on a variety of shadowruns including: Cleaning up the streets, jacking into the Matrix for a big time cyber-heist or pulling off a risky "Corporate Extraction." Stalk the cities in real-time combat and glide through the virtual battlefield of the Matrix, where an encounter with Black ICE may be your last!
Thunder Force II
Eighteen years ago the planet Nebula was attacked by the Lone Star System, arch enemy of the Interplanetary Federation. Its population decimated, the few survivors swore to protect its future with their lives. That time has come. Docked in the space portal of the planet Nebula, sits the combat weapon fortress Plealos, mother ship of the Lone System's fleet. What she can't take, she'll destroy. Now's your opportunity to use your sophisticated combat skills and save your planet. You're Ryder Jupiter. Known as Ace to the Federation, you've got vengeance on your mind. And the only person you trust in battle is the faithful Diana Rean, a bold determined comrade. What brings you together is the tyrant Reficul, Emperor of Lone. His plans to dominate Nebula can only be thwarted with the power of Thunder Force II which must be jettison deep below the planet's surface to Plealos for the final confrontation. Here you'll rely on the molecular Excelizer, a blast so strong it leaves nothing behind but memories. Go forth brave one, and free the entire Federation of Reficul forever.
Gain Ground
Gain Ground became a sensation overnight as the newest human vs. Android competition. One day, though, the Mother Computer that controlled the androids went crazy and trapped spectators in the Coliseum. Join the group of skilled fighters who are trying to defeat the system, and save those innocent people from a fate worse than death!
Dynamite Headdy
Hot-headed Headdy gets into some real head-banging to thwart the Dark Demon's devious deeds. This wacky headcase is up to his neck in surprises! Switch heads to match the job! Over 15 heads to choose from! Bash heavy objects with Slammer Head! Suck up foes with Vacuum Head! Stick it to your enemies with Spike Head! Headdy's spring-loaded head gets him where he's gotta go! Use it to swing over ledges, grab onto objects and shoot hoops in the basketball bonus round. Use your head to whiz through a radical variety of play! Action, shooting and strategy speed you on to a surprise ending!
Quack Shot
Donald unearths an ancient scroll that reveals a long-lost treasure. Off he dashes on a dangerous expedition! He leaps over cacti, sidesteps scorpions, and slides down slopes to claim the loot before Big Bad Pete can get it. Donald's temperamental tantrums keep the bad guys runnin'! He thonks 'em with his plunger and bounces on the handle to hop over their heads. Then he blasts 'em with gooey bubblegum! Yuck-a-duck! Donald creeps through the evil Count's castle, and plumbs the depths of Aztec ruins. With Huey, Dewey, and Louie's help, he'll find the key to unlock the secret of the most fabulous treasure on earth!
Shadowrun
The year is 2050 and the megacorps rule by the power of information. everyone is on file in the global mainframe... everyone but you and a handful of "invisible" outlaws called shadowrunners. Move through the grim and magical realities of futuristic Seattle and uncover a diabolical plot that could destroy the world. Team up with spell casting mages, wire-headed deckers, or mythic orcs and trolls of the distant past. Take on a variety of shadowruns including: Cleaning up the streets, jacking into the Matrix for a big time cyber-heist or pulling off a risky "Corporate Extraction." Stalk the cities in real-time combat and glide through the virtual battlefield of the Matrix, where an encounter with Black ICE may be your last!
IrishNinja
Member
again, happy with pretty much all these choices, and i really dig the gifs you use to give a window of gameplay too, man.
blast processed
Member
Thanks! I'm not sure June will look like this because I'm moving in a week and doing everything from my phone.
With that said, I'll be playing on an PSP w/emulator until I get my stuff unboxed.
They do look good! Sadly my Genesis is not hooked up now. I'm not sure if I will hook it back up soon either. I think I am going to wait and see reviews/cost of the HD Retrovision component cables to see if that's the route I go or if I S-video mod it.