complete noob

[warpshadow]

I have just started to play Touhou games (have downloaded a couple of the demos) and I have a few questions.
1.Spell cards. Exactly what are those. As far as I can tell spell cards are just a bonus if you fight a boss for a certain amount of time without dieing or using a bomb. Most bosses have mutliple spell cards each with their own fire pattern. Is there anything else I am missing.
2.How do you get focused fire? I hear there are two fire patterns but all I know is that you hold down the z button to shoot.

[Zengar Zombolt]

I have just started to play Touhou games (have downloaded a couple of the demos) and I have a few questions.
1.Spell cards. Exactly what are those. As far as I can tell spell cards are just a bonus if you fight a boss for a certain amount of time without dieing or using a bomb. Most bosses have mutliple spell cards each with their own fire pattern. Is there anything else I am missing.

Spell cards are pretty much named patterns that give some goodies if you capture them. (namely, the capture bonus, some Point Items and Power items if you aren't at max power)

2.How do you get focused fire? I hear there are two fire patterns but all I know is that you hold down the z button to shoot.

Hold shift. It works on all games.

[Drake]

Spell Cards are more than just extra patterns, kind of. They're usually more beautiful and complex than noncards, they're given a name and a cut-in appears. You also get a Spell Card bonus if you capture the card (no deaths or bombs) and a bonus for how many bullets were in play when you beat it. Some also give you a few items. It's also usually a counter for how far you are in a battle.

Going past the games, in Touhou these flesh out the character a bit, giving a demonstration of their ability or style. You have a specific amount of cards to use and once you're out of cards you formally lose the fight.

[Alice Fact]

1.Spell cards. Exactly what are those. As far as I can tell spell cards are just a bonus if you fight a boss for a certain amount of time without dieing or using a bomb. Most bosses have mutliple spell cards each with their own fire pattern. Is there anything else I am missing.

Nope, except they're intended to "show off" more than what we refer to as "non-spells", but some non-spells can be worse.

2.How do you get focused fire? I hear there are two fire patterns but all I know is that you hold down the z button to shoot.

Hold Shift. It does various things in various games, but it generally slows your character down and changes your weapon in some way (might concentrate it, might change what it can do, etc). This only applies to the Windows games (the sixth game and onward).

[Sodium]

2.How do you get focused fire? I hear there are two fire patterns but all I know is that you hold down the z button to shoot.

Hold Shift. It does various things in various games, but it generally slows your character down and changes your weapon in some way (might concentrate it, might change what it can do, etc). This only applies to the Windows games (the sixth game and onward).

Actually, there's focus in LLS and MS; it's just that it only affects the speed of movement, but doesn't increase the shot damage at all.

[Doomsday]

some people have already answered but i will anyway:

1. Spell cards are kind of the bosses "Signature attacks" and are more complex attacks that are *usually* tougher than the bosses normal attacks. they aren't bonuses and you always go against them in a boss battle (apart from Final spells in Imperishable Night)

2. Hold down shift. this normally focuses your fire to a more specific spot, but also slows your movement speed

[ghost333]

i think the most important apsect of honding down shift (focusing)  for a new player is that the hitbox of ur char becames visible...
thats the red/white dot in the center of ur sprite if that touches a bullet or boss hitbox  u die (beware that some bullets have also smaller hitbox than the actuall sprite.)

[Seiryuu]

To reiterate what everyone else has said:

Spell Cards are really fancy patterns that can be fun (Youkai Polygraph) or torturous (Virtue of Wind God) that can distract you from dodging bullets around your person. Get past a spell card, you get extra points, possibly point items, and more.

Focus fire is holding down the shift key. While you'll do more damage (as your attack range narrows), the real focus (<-lol c wut i did thar) is that you minimize movements so that you don't go flying into a bullet.

[Alice Fact]

Actually, there's focus in LLS and MS; it's just that it only affects the speed of movement, but doesn't increase the shot damage at all.

I know this, and I don't blame you for misunderstanding.

[warpshadow]

Thank you for the information. Learning how to focus fire has really helped me with my game playing.