One-Credit Rule

NeoKubrick

This article may be of interest to a few people here.

To understand the essence of arcade gaming you must never continue.

Like, ever.

[We] watch as this fucking dude gets up all the way to the fourth form of the last boss of Guwange, having killed the demon spiders, and the demon caller, and the freaky demon spawn baby, and loses his last life just as the fucking demon guardian spirit thing is about to bite the dust. And what does this guy do? He gets up and leaves.

Why doesn't this guy drop in another coin and just bomb the fucking thing to death? What's a hundred yen worth these days -- can he really be that cheap? Doesn't he want to see the ending? What the fuck is wrong with him?

What the fuck is wrong with every single one of the several hundred fucking people in the two floors of this fucking arcade?

Why do they never continue?

But of course there's a perfectly reasonable explanation why people don't continue in a busy as fuck Japanese game center on a Saturday night. You see there's this unwritten rule in Japan that, while people are waiting behind you, you are only allowed a single credit. So perhaps it's not that they don't want to continue; perhaps they do, but simply refrain out of politeness.

So we leave it at that and agree to meet on Monday morning at the same arcade, when it will be pretty much empty, and see what happens when there's no pressure on the players to give up their seat to others who are waiting. And of course on Monday we get the exact same story. [...]

Perhaps, since we happen to be in one of the most famous game centers in all of Japan, perhaps this place, and the others around it, are frequented mostly by ultrahardcore players who are not likely to continue [...] but wherever we go it's always the same story.

And with each successive time you continue you end up getting less and less playtime, to the point where you might as well just be emptying your wallet's contents into the fucking thing.

But if you take it from the beginning enough times, the opposite starts happening -- you get increasingly more playtime out of each credit, instead of less; eventually, you get to a point where you can go on for twenty minutes or more on a single credit. Get good enough at two-three games, and suddenly spending a few of hours in an arcade ends up being relatively inexpensive.

This is how the one-credit rule began -- with kids cutting school with little money in their pockets, loving these games and wanting to spend as much time as possible with them.

Back then we had no access to freeplay modes. Back then there were no emulators with infinite credits. But though we were forced by circumstances to play these games the hard way, we soon discovered that that was the only way to play them.

Myrddin

I never continue if I lose in Street Fighter...ever. Continues are for wuss'es

o1s1n

I read that article a few years ago and just completely decided to stick to the 1 credit rule. Haven't looked back since

It's a million times more rewarding. There's nothing like the thrill of getting further than you ever have on one credit. You start screaming obscenities at the machine with every near miss. Well I know I do anyway :pac:

Retr0gamer

Always play 1 credit only now or if it's a conversion I use the games default amount of credits or at worst limit myself to 3. I've credit fed a good few games to completion in my time and when I discovered mame I credit fed a lot of old games and it kind of spoils them and ruins the magic. You can see everything within 45 minutes and then the magic is gone since you know what to expect. Now I limit myself and enjoy the game the way it was meant to be played. After a while you might actually 1 credit some games. I've done it on ghouls n'ghosts and carrier airwing.

o1s1n

Speaking of which, anyone any idea how many levels there are in Dodonpachi? It's one game I've never credit fed. So I've only seen up to level four.

Last night was hilarious. My girlfriend must have thought I'd gone insane.

'AHH! ****! NOO! DODGE YOU ****! DODGE! DIE DIE DIE!!! HAHA! EAT **** AND DIE!! AHHH DODGEEEEEE /PHEW GOLDEN BEE! AH GET THE GOLDEN BE!!!'

/phone rings

'AHH! ANSWER THE PHONE! PLEASE! SOMEONE ANSWER IT! DODGE!!! AH **** NO, SO MANY BULLETS! WOOHOO HOW DID I DODGE ALL THAT?!?! I AM YOUR MASTER BITCHES!!!'

/Oisin's girlfriend answers the phone

'Sorry, Oisin can't talk to you right now, he's playing a very important videogame'.

Retr0gamer

There's 6, I've credit fed it

Kind of reminds me of that wipe my butt scene in King of Kong.

I think we have turned o1s1n into a bullet hell lover. Next he'll be getting a japnese 360 just to play the cave shooters.

o1s1n

Retr0gamer wrote: »

There's 6, I've credit fed it .

Cheers! So only two to go. I can and I will one credit this game Can feel it within my grasp.

Retr0gamer wrote: »

Kind of reminds me of that wipe my butt scene in King of Kong.

Exactly what I thought. For that one reason I will never have children.

Retr0gamer wrote: »

I think we have turned o1s1n into a bullet hell lover. Next he'll be getting a japnese 360 just to play the cave shooters.

I like them to a point. Not too mad on when they start getting all silly and become more about luck than skill.

Still, Ikaruga breaks my brain. I know you said big areas clear up when you change polarity, but there's something about the whole system that just makes a section of my brain ache. There's a part in stage 2 where you go into an indoor area, a door slowly opens up and you get these big arcs of bullets coming towards you. I can just about manage it, but my brain hasn't felt like that since honours maths in secondary school

Retr0gamer

o1s1n wrote: »

Cheers! So only two to go. I can and I will one credit this game Can feel it within my grasp.

You haven't truly beaten the game until you go through the even harder second loop and take on the true final boss!

o1s1n wrote: »

Still, Ikaruga breaks my brain. I know you said big areas clear up when you change polarity, but there's something about the whole system that just makes a section of my brain ache. There's a part in stage 2 where you go into an indoor area, a door slowly opens up and you get these big arcs of bullets coming towards you. I can just about manage it, but my brain hasn't felt like that since honours maths in secondary school

You've just got to concentrate on nothing but Ikaruga for a while. You'll eventually get used to the colour scheme. It really isn't a bullet hell shooter. As for that bit in the second stage, well I just try to survive it. Don't bother concentrating on killing things and just change colours when the bullets get close. You should see stage 4 if you think that is hard. There's a big round thing in the middle of the stage spinning and spitting bullets. White bullets go one way, black go the other. Couldn't for the life of me get past it until I stopped caring about killing enemies and just concentrated on the bullet streams, even then it wa s ahead **** and sucked up lives. I actually find the final stage a breeze after stage 4 other than one of the bosses.

CiDeRmAn

Thats it!
I'm simply not brain wired to play complex shooters!
Thank the gods!
An answer to my pain!
Now I know why I feel so bad when I play Ikaruga, despite knowing it's brilliant!
This brings a gamer closure, you know?

That's what we need, an Arcade & Retro Gaming Therapy page, that can dispense adivce and soothing words to distress gamers out there...

Retr0gamer

It's official:

Halo: the remedial class of videogaming.

johnny_ultimate

o1s1n wrote: »

I like them to a point. Not too mad on when they start getting all silly and become more about luck than skill.

Mushimesama Futari v1.5 on Arrange mode is the purest, most engaging bullet hell experience I've had. It is very possible - in fact, probably easy - to one credit it, but the goal is just to keep your combo meter built up. You can slow down and shoot bullets back to build up silly combos, and being able to stop the bullet storm means the game isn't about just dodging anymore, but using them to your advantage. Great fun - all the joy of thousands of bullets, without the pain! Switch it onto Ultra mode for good times

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQcLm37gHrM

Can't recommend it enough, DoDonPachi seems old fashioned in comparison (still great though). Of course, switching to Arcade mode brings the old school hell!

Overall, I'm not quite good enough to one credit any games. I've had great fun trying to top high scores on one cred, but still will often just credit feed to see the end. Geometry Wars remains one of the purest examples of one credit mentality for me - since you're limited to one credit, you just keep having one more go!

NeoKubrick

o1s1n wrote: »

/Oisin's girlfriend answers the phone

'Sorry, Oisin can't talk to you right now, he's playing a very important videogame'.

Classic.

I've credit-fed two games, Contra and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (XBLA); at least they are the two I've finished and remember credit-feeding.

Retr0gamer wrote: »

It's official:

Halo: the remedial class of videogaming.

How would you know, Retr0, you still haven't the moxy to play Halo: Combat Evolved on Legendary, yet? Or play without using Covenant weapons, without using the sniper, or without using the tank... :pac:

Retr0gamer

I have played the game on Legendary and it just isn't any funand just a lesson in frustration. The enemies are just bigger bullet sponges while the grunts through more laser guided grenades, not like there's a complex systen there to master just more hiding behind scenery to recharge your shield. Frankly I had better games to play than to play the same mediocre game in more frustrating form and having to restart the same crappy sections over and over. That's not replayability it's self flagellation.

NeoKubrick

Retr0gamer wrote: »

I have played the game on Legendary and it just isn't any funand just a lesson in frustration. The enemies are just bigger bullet sponges while the grunts through more laser guided grenades, not like there's a complex systen there to master just more hiding behind scenery to recharge your shield. Frankly I had better games to play than to play the same mediocre game in more frustrating form and having to restart the same crappy sections over and over. That's not replayability it's self flagellation.

See, now I know you haven't played it on Legendary for a considerable amount of time, because anyone who has knows, like an arcade Jap player would know the one-credit rule, that the harder the game is, the more engaging the battles with the terrific artificial intelligence and variety of enemies become in Halo.

It only comes apparent if you experience it and then recognize it. It's described in the design implementation of the game where Bungie found that the tougher an enemy is, the more intelligent the player thinks an enemy is.

The Illusion of Intelligence

Retr0gamer

Sorry to disappoint you but I played up to halfway through the Library until I realised I was wasting my life. I didn't see any extra intelligence in the enemies other than they took more damage, I took more and the grunts threw grenades a lot more. It didn't impress me anyway. It was an ok game turned into a total slog in legendary and wasn't any fun whatsoever, that's why I didn't play on. As for Halo 2, it was rubbish, no way I was going through it again and Halo 3 was ho hum and basically moreof the same. I wasn't wasting anymore time on the series by going through them on legendary.

Bungie can create as many powerpoint presentations as they like, they didn't fool me with their illusion. I'd played too many PC games and seen it all before.

NeoKubrick

Retr0gamer wrote: »

Bungie can create as many powerpoint presentations as they like, they didn't fool me with their illusion. I'd played too many PC games and seen it all before.

Give up the ghost, man, give up the ghost.

Retr0gamer

Well there's also a quote from Gearbox about the Halo AI when they converted it to PC. They said the only impressive thing about it was that it was good at avoiding scenery.

CiDeRmAn

And Gearbox have had, how many hit games again?
Brothers In Arms?
A bunch of Half Life mods?
Samba De Amigo remake?

Nope, Halo games on Legendary get tough, when you die it's your own damn fault and you get punished, Demons Souls uses that mechanic to great effect too, don't you think?

You just look jaded and bitter when you slag Halo Retro, move on man, move on!

And if your XBL ID says you're playing Halo:Reach your rep is screwed, you know that, don't you?

Myrddin

CiDeRmAn wrote: »

You just look jaded and bitter when you slag Halo Retro, move on man, move on!

What's the nicest brand of popcorn? Do any of you mix King or anything in with it?

Retr0gamer

Nope, Demon's Souls is very different. The big difference for me however was that Demon's Souls was one of the most enjoyable game experiences ever while I felt Legendary in Halo was frustrating and not very enjoyable at all.

If I don't play Halo Reach then how would I be qualified to tell you halo fanboys how wrong you are? It would be like me slagging off Halo on Legendary without having played it :P

Retr0gamer

EnterNow wrote: »

What's the nicest brand of popcorn? Do any of you mix King or anything in with it?

I've been told that the blasphemous mix of popcorn and malteasers is amazing. I'm not brave enough to try it.

Myrddin

Retr0gamer wrote: »

If I don't play Halo Reach then how would I be qualified to tell you halo fanboys how wrong you are? It would be like me slagging off Halo on Legendary without having played it :P

Have you a pre-release copy or something? Genuine question

o1s1n

Retr0gamer wrote: »

I've been told that the blasphemous mix of popcorn and malteasers is amazing. I'm not brave enough to try it.

Indeed it is. You feel like a bit of a pig by the time you're finished though!

Myrddin

Retr0gamer wrote: »

I've been told that the blasphemous mix of popcorn and malteasers is amazing. I'm not brave enough to try it.

o1s1n wrote: »

Indeed it is. You feel like a bit of a pig by the time you're finished though!

Cheers lads, I'll try it for Ciders next retort agsint you Retr0

Retr0gamer

EnterNow wrote: »

Have you a pre-release copy or something? Genuine question

No but I used to get the Halo games 2 months in advance though because there was a factory down the road that printed all the Xbox games. Was playing Halo 2 about a month before review copies were sent out They somehow managed to sneak out and end up in my friends hands.

I'll be giving Reach a miss for a while, too much in my wishlist I want to buy before they disappear from stores. I'll probably get a lend of it.

Myrddin

Retr0gamer wrote: »

No but I used to get the Halo games 2 months in advance though because there was a factory down the road that printed all the Xbox games. Was playing Halo 2 about a month before review copies were sent out They somehow managed to sneak out and end up in my friends hands.

I'll be giving Reach a miss for a while, too much in my wishlist I want to buy before they disappear from stores. I'll probably get a lend of it.

Ah I see, cool little arrangement. I thought you had played Reach, was wondering what it was like. I'm actually really looking forward to Black Mesa myself.

Popcorn & Malteezers is the food of Gods by the way :pac:

Retr0gamer

No, I've a friend that is reviewing it and has played it but he's in Canada. He says it's great but he's a big Halo fanboy. I've another friend that is also reviewing it and seems to be less impressed although he is hard to read. I haven't seen him in a while though. They were talking about it on facebook anyway. I'm interested in the game as well. It looks sufficiently different from the older games to make me think it might actually be worth playing.

Myrddin

Retr0gamer wrote: »

I'm interested in the game as well. It looks sufficiently different from the older games to make me think it might actually be worth playing.

That's actually what he me interested in it too, & I've said I never played any of the other Halo's...but this seems I dunno, different. I'll give it a whirl on release and see what all the fuss is about.

Retr0gamer

You basically play a generic space marine shooting aliens heavily camoflagued in bright primary coloured armour so that you can meet Audrey 2 and be disappointed that there's no musical number.

CiDeRmAn

Retr0gamer wrote: »

You basically play a generic space marine shooting aliens heavily camoflagued in bright primary coloured armour

Oh wait, I know that one, hold on, it's on the tip of my tongue, wait, it's really good, Edge said so, so it must be true..

Come on, what was it?

It had a guy, with two guns! and armour, and some other thing, oh feck....

Gears of War, that was it, phew!

Retr0gamer wrote: »

so that you can meet Audrey 2 and be disappointed that there's no musical number.

Now I'd play that one!
Once I get the sing-a-long version so I can join in a few verses of "Green, Mean Mother From Outerspace", "Suddenly Seymour" and "I'll be a Dentist"!

(the little squeak she emits when she learns that the plants name is Audrey 2 is brilliant, I love Ellen Greene, even as Sylars mother!)