Reminiscing Virtue of Wind God (Hard or Lunatic)

[Lord Scalgon]

It's probably a thing of the past now, and it's been almost two years since I pulled off my first ever VoWG capture.  It's undoubtedly one of the most hardest cards to capture, and in my opinion, one of the biggest pinnacles in the series.  Since this is probably not mentioned much here, thought I'd relive the memories of how dreaded this card is (though fun at the same time).  What was your reaction when you first captured it, and how many attempts did it take for you to pull off your first ever capture? (guess you can throw in NBND VoWG timeouts, too...if you accomplished it, that is)

To be quite honest, I've never actually captured it on Hard.  Ever since I unlocked MoF stage 6 Lunatic (via replay method), I've been grinding it for a week straight, but even to this day, I just can't seem to NBND Kanako's 1st non-card, but anyway...

It took me at around 50 VoWG attempts to get the hang of it (no capture yet).  After some 90 attempts, I pull off my first ever NB1D VoWG run, which enticed me to grind it even more.  I finally capture it on my 172nd attempt (quite possibly the most attempts ever for a person in a first ever capture), though I've seen others capture it in < 100 attempts.  [First western Touhou player to capture VoWG despite not 1CC'ing MoF on Lunatic?  Could be wrong.]

After my capture, I just went nuts that I was able to pull it off (ok, I actually celebrated).  I was never able to stop thinking about it until the day after the capture.  Even then, I still have a long road ahead, which eventually led to accomplishments like 1CC PoFV Lunatic (with Marisa) and such.  I eventually noticed that most gamers are too afraid to attempt such a card like this, which is fairly understandable.  After all, as I mentioned in one video, "superhuman reflexes or bust".

As for NBND VoWG timeout, well...give me more time.  I came close to pulling it off before, only to NBND VoWG up to around 30 seconds left on the timer, and I died (followed by 5 intentional deaths from nerdraging).  I felt like I wanted to kill myself when that happened...*sigh  My best run is only a NB2D VoWG timeout, but eh...maybe I'll get there one day. (haven't grinded it that much lately)

Well, thread's away.

[Arcengal]

155 attempts. Like you, I won't forget it, it happened on my first run of the day when I figured I was warming up, then all of a sudden I heard the da da da da da da sound effect the later games make right before you capture. It took me a second to pick up on what it was and just as my brain realised what it was the explosion happened. I had to go up between two last waves that would otherwise trap me and then, when I was safe, I freaked out. It wasn't *quite* as much a freak out as my first Lunatic but it was close.

[I have no name]

I haven't captured VoWG on hard or lunatic, nor have I no deathed it on hard.
My first hard 1cc had 1 lives in stock going into it and I won the game off of a deathwave.  I would have raged so hard had it been a double KO.

Normal mode though, I have a lot of good memories on that one.  My first capture was in stage practice, on my third try of "I'm going to capture this spell".  Later, I captured it to end a no bomb run of normal mode (Kanako was perfect outside Miracle of Otensui), and later AGAIN, at 2 power, to 1LC the game.  Then later I captured it no vertical at the end of an otherwise dismal back half of a no vertical run.  Oh, and while attempting no focus runs, I was practicing the stages and ended up timing out MoF normal no focus.

I really should try to capture the hard version.  Except the stage isn't that fun as a whole and I'm kind of sick of it from grinding it on normal to capture Miracle of Otensui.

[Vanhaomena]

The countdown beeps totally make my heart skip a beat even when watching a replay or playing it myself after several deaths. I'd probably freak out completely upon hearing it in a would-be-successful attempt. No, I haven't even captured it, but that doesn't stop me from enjoying it for the full two and a half minutes :V

[Drake]

I've never really *tried* to capture it until like a week ago, when I noticed that my history was 0/x because every time I "capture" it I'm going for a perfect timeout instead.

now it's mocking me though with one deathbomb clear or one death clear or whatever

[ふねん1]

Always a fun card to play. I remember it took me around 60-70 attempts for my first capture, and of course I was as eager as the next guy to post that in the accomplishments thread. After that I did some occasional time-out attempts, learning how to slip through the amulet walls at some point during that time, though I wouldn't really take it much farther for a while. Then came August 2010, at which point I felt like I was beginning to truly understand how the attack worked, and I was more motivated than ever. So I decided to sit down and just grind it out. It took me around half a week from that point to land that perfect time-out (around 200 attempts judging from my Spellcard history), and it remains one of my high points to this day.

[Agent of the BSoD]

I have yet to get it on hard or lunatic. I've no-deathed it plenty, but capping it seems to be harder than expected. I usually just die somewhere in the middle of the card, and sometimes near the end. :\ Totally fun, nonetheless.

[MTSranger]

First captured it in Hard with Marisa C - that took only 20ish attempts.
Then, it was in lunatic with Marisa C 4 frostthrowers - 50-60? You don't really have to go through many walls with a quick capture.
Of course, I eventually start throwing attempts here and there to time out.
At some point my score.dat got corrupted in such a way that the spell history was reset.

Anyways, after getting my lunatic 1cc with ReimuB, I started using her to practice and got better at timing it out.
The timeout was a cold run on some day that just happened. Total attempts is probably in the 300+ range.
Before that, I always got too nervous when I look at the timer or when the beeping sound comes on and then rage when I derp.

Timing it out was a high point indeed, probably as much as 1cc'ing lunatic with ReimuB and MarisaC.
Plus, I never get bored of that card.

[AJS]

I've captured it on Normal (but of course at that level, it's not even "VoWG" :derp:) and came STUPIDLY close to capturing it on Hard on multiple occasions (panic-bombed when her health was REALLY low).  I haven't really tried grinding it yet though, but I'm sure if I did, I'd be able to capture it.

[Drake]

yeah so i capped it

now to timeout and be #14 or whatever we're at

[nintendonut888]

I recall that it took me exactly 64 tries to capture it for  the first time. It was, as is often the case, in a run where I was not preparing to take it seriously at all. I was developing a theory that it is possible to cripple the card after you die or bomb it, but ended up capturing the card before I managed to test anything (incidentally, after further testing that theory turned out to be a success). I remember vividly that in my replay I slowly focus-moved to the top, unable to think clearly, though it was more a "o.o" than a "o_o". Since it was so long ago, I don't remember if I captured it before 1ccing, but it's possible.

[Zengeku]

Its a really awesome card. None of that pixel perfect BS, great balance between speed and pattern complexity and overall just damn fun to play. Even if I'm 90% consistent at it today it can still throw me off so I need to pay close attention to what I'm doing. As for capturing it the first time, I think it was 25 attempts for me. I can't really remember how it felt though. I suppose it felt good? Yeah, of course it did.

Timing it out took... I don't really know. Not that many serious attempts I think. Most of the time I didn't really think I was ready for it and just timed out whenever I got hit. When I got my first 1DNB timeout i was convinced that I could time it out for real so I started getting serious at that. I'd say anywhere between 50 and 100 attempts but again, I don't really know for sure.

As for my current capture rate, its... 70'something out of 250. Yeah, i played that stage like 4 times more than most other stages in Touhou. Only UFO Stage 5 can really match that... you know, because Shou is there.

[Lord Scalgon]

yeah so i capped it

now to timeout and be #14 or whatever we're at

Last time I checked, Naut was the last person to time it out (NBND VoWG timeout #11) shortly after I pulled off that NB2D timeout.  I don't know if there's already a 12th, since I haven't even checked here in a while.

[mikeKOSA]

It took me about 60 attempts to get my first capture and 30 to timed it out. It was the hardest card for me back then and every capture felt good but now it's pretty much a cakewalk.

Also, 2nd VoWG timeout.

[Zil]

Well I captured it on my first try on Hard mode. Never done it on Lunatic though. Actually never been past stage 4 on Lunatic MoF. That's gonna change though, when I finally have time to sit down and figure it out. Anyway, it's easily one my favorite cards in all of Touhou. If it's true that there only a few westerners who have timed it out on Lunatic, I just may have to go for it.

[MTSranger]

Last time I checked, Naut was the last person to time it out (NBND VoWG timeout #11) shortly after I pulled off that NB2D timeout.  I don't know if there's already a 12th, since I haven't even checked here in a while.

#12 was Aizo or smthing.
I'm #13.

So yeah, next would be #14

[Zengeku]

As much as it makes the accomplishment feel less exclusive, its nice that so many people have managed to pull it off. It went from 2 people to 13 people in just two years.
I wonder what Kefit would say

[I have no name]

I haven't captured VoWG on hard or lunatic, nor have I no deathed it on hard.
(stuff)
I really should try to capture the hard version.

Got it, just now.  It was a rush, somehow avoiding all the card waves while looking at about a ninth of my total screen area as I forgot to put in on fullscreen from recording,  There are harder spells, there are more fun spells, but there are few that can rival the epic factor of Divine Virtue of Wind God.

[Naut]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2u0fLJ1l-Bk

I fucking love vowg

[K.B.]

VoWG is so good that I'd play it at least once every day if I could just skip to it, like if MoF had spellpractice.  No hyperbole; every day.  Or, better yet, if ZUN gets tired of making new things and decides to milk the series and makes a best-of spellcard practice cd... I would buy that so hard.

Captured hard fairly quickly, but lunatic...  early lunatic try i got her to, oh, about one-eighth remaining.  Couple dozen attempts afterward: nothing close.  Been working other things lately but it's high up on the must-do list.

Marisa C 4 frostthrowers

Yes!  Let's be friends.

[The Greatest Dog]

Yes!  Let's be friends.

Good to know I'm not the only one using MarisaC for VoWG Mountain of Faith.
Hey, a capture is a capture!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2u0fLJ1l-Bk

I fucking love vowg

I fucking love you.

[Zil]

Managed to get the timer down to 46 with no bombs or deaths. This is going to happen! I will be the 14th!!  :V

[Lord Scalgon]

Never knew that two more pulled off a NBND VoWG timeout while I wasn't around.

Managed to get the timer down to 46 with no bombs or deaths. This is going to happen! I will be the 14th!!  :V

As long as you're persistent, you just might nail it.  I don't feel like trying at the moment, but good luck!

Also speaking of VoWG, I forgot I TAS'd it for the lulz. o.o