High Score Challenge S9 - R3 - Gyroscope

[KarateEd]

Stardot high score challenge
Season Nine: Round Three
Gyroscope by Barbarossa69


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RULES
Round One starts at 9pm on Monday the 5th of March and ends at 9pm on Monday the 19th of March
The aim is to score as many points as possible
Post scores and screenshots/photographs in this thread
The rules are here
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DISK IMAGE
http://www.bbcmicro.co.uk/game.php?id=293
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INSTRUCTIONS


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SCORING
Points will be awarded using the following formula.
points = (YS / BS * 50) + ((NOP - YP + 1) * (50 / NOP))
YS = Your Score
BS = Best Score
NOP = Number of Players
YP = Your Position
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HIGH SCORE TABLE



Link to Overall High Score Table...viewtopic.php?f=46&t=14413

Thanks to Galax for the Mode 7 fonts.

Don't lose your marbles (errr.....gyroscope) on this one....Ed ...........

[KarateEd]

This is purely an horrible score but it's a start and should encourage many...... 800...

Ed......

[KarateEd]

Ok, one more just for fun..... 1,275...

Ed......

[FourthStone]

Oh gawd, the controls are tough (as in touchy, sticky, sporadic) on this version, first effort made it to level 4.

Anyone know the technique for the spider web looking bits?

Score: 2145

[KarateEd]

I'm finding this to be a pretty tough game. Someone come along please and tell me it ain't so...... 1,835...

Ed......

[KarateEd]

Anyone know the technique for the spider web looking bits?

I just went around it FS...... yeh, I'm finding the controls..... not too manageable..... we'll see. Perhaps once one gets a bit used to it, it's only been 1/2 a day so far......

Ed......

[FourthStone]

I just went around it FS...... yeh, I'm finding the controls..... not too manageable..... we'll see. Perhaps once one gets a bit used to it, it's only been 1/2 a day so far......

Ed......

The results can be interesting, sometimes it's quite punishing if you come too close to an edge or obstacle, other times it seems like I'm rolling over everything with impunity. I've come way too fast down a ramp thinking this is a death roll only to somehow roll over the edge and onto the next platform and survive

[KarateEd]

Ok, so this only really seems to have 4 or 5 screens then repeat using some other way to make your gyroscope harder to use, as if it wasn't hard enough already. I think it's going to be a long 2 weeks...... 2,880...

Edit: Yes, I agree with your sentiments but the scoring seems a bit wonky too..... not quite sure why when I seem to be doing very well that I don't score better and other times when I'm struggling, the points move upwards......

Ed......

[richardtoohey]

times when I'm struggling, the points move upwards......

If that's the case, I am so going to win this round!

[KarateEd]

times when I'm struggling, the points move upwards......

If that's the case, I am so going to win this round!

You know what Richard? You very well could......

How is NZ treating you?

Ed......

[barbarossa69]

Well I suggested this because I remember it being really tough to play back in the day, and me and my brother used to have good high score battles with it. Haven't played it for about 25 years though so not sure if it stands the test of time or not...

First attempt was pretty much as I remember the game-play.. Score 1575.

What you've got to remember is.. you're a gyroscope, which means you're a fast-spinning spinny thing and you have inertia in the direction you're travelling, the faster you go in that direction the more inertia you have, so if you go fast in a direction, you have to reduce that to be able to move in a different direction.

The collision detection seems a bit iffy.

[barbarossa69]

3495

[KarateEd]

Well I suggested this because I remember it being really tough to play back in the day, and me and my brother used to have good high score battles with it. Haven't played it for about 25 years though so not sure if it stands the test of time or not...

I guess we're going to find out........ and it is pretty tough......

What you've got to remember is.. you're a gyroscope, which means you're a fast-spinning spinny thing and you have inertia in the direction you're travelling, the faster you go in that direction the more inertia you have, so if you go fast in a direction, you have to reduce that to be able to move in a different direction.

I figured this part out, doesn't necessarily make it any easier though..

The collision detection seems a bit iffy.

I found this to be true for both the 'cliffs' and the 'monsters'....
I've played several games on this challenge that at first I didn't like and this is one of those so far but many of those games are now among my favourites to play. I'm hoping that this one becomes that as well.

Ed......

[KarateEd]

High Score Tables Updated......

Ed......

[barbarossa69]

Small improvement: 3880

[MatthewThompson]

I remember this one , but never owned it, looks pretty impressive graphically, shame controls aren't quite 100% - a possible better version of this type of game was 4th Dimensions Inertia, same idea, but much better controls (the Arc version is even better)

I've had a few games where the gyroscope has got stuck and won't move (both on level 2 but in different areas) and just emits a horrendous monotonous drone and I have to reset and start again.

[MatthewThompson]

Slight increase.

[KarateEd]

Barbarossa69 was asking about the web thingys and how to get through them. I had been going around them but with careful maneuvering you can go in the center of them and slowly and carefully move through the web. It's less hazardous than trying to go around them, though both work.

Edit: I think this game has more wrong with it that it has right with it.....
- poor controls (I know, it's a gyroscope)
- sometimes die and guaranteed to keep dying until all lives are lost
- get stuck between the bumpers and lose a life
- have one of the meanies go back and forth with no chance to go around it in any way

Those are a few things so far and in spite of them I'm kind of enjoying the game anyway but I don't think that's going to last.

Ed......

[chrisn]

Here's my first attempt - I got to near the end of level 3, those colours ... 1850

[KarateEd]

High Score Tables Updated......

Ed......

[CMcDougall]

had this BITD, was rather good! still only got to level4 : 1,890

covA

covB

[FourthStone]

Had another blast but gee the bugs are annoying, gyro kept re-spawning on top of an alien loosing all seven lives in one go, he kept getting stuck on objects like the bumpers until timer runs down, the broken glass section (spider web) was causing little gyro to become non responsive to keyboard input then leaping off the ledge... and the collision detection is completely random along with alien movements.

I'll try again tomorrow but little bit put off as when trying to play the game it seems the game is playing you

[KarateEd]

Had another blast but gee the bugs are annoying, gyro kept re-spawning on top of an alien loosing all seven lives in one go, he kept getting stuck on objects like the bumpers until timer runs down, the broken glass section (spider web) was causing little gyro to become non responsive to keyboard input then leaping off the ledge... and the collision detection is completely random along with alien movements.

I'll try again tomorrow but little bit put off as when trying to play the game it seems the game is playing you

All things that I've also experienced. It's really quite frustrating but hey, we get to experience it and in many ways that's good because then other games will seem so much better.

Ed......

[barbarossa69]

Yeah this game has a lot of problems, I wish I hadn't suggested it now! Sorry folks!

[KarateEd]

Yeah this game has a lot of problems, I wish I hadn't suggested it now! Sorry folks!

No, it's not a problem. We're doing this challenge partially to discover things about the games of the 80s. I'm kind of enjoying the challenge of trying to get a better score and for sure I'm going to as I'm discovering with patience you can pass the 'spider webs' fairly easily.

We've had some games that were real duds but all have elements of discovery, at least for me.

We're also all on the same level playing field so you have nothing to feel sorry about Barbarossa...... Let's all just play the game, note any faults that haven't already been mentioned but also note discoveries of a positive nature too. That's in line with the spirit of these challenges.

Above all, let's have fun as much as we can in the challenge of it all.

Ed......

[barbarossa69]

Marginal improvement - 3945

[barbarossa69]

4900.
The third time around the colours are back to as they were the first time around. It doesn't appear to be any harder.

Just eventually my concentration went and I lost 5 lives cheaply in the same place.

Really really painful game to play!!

[chrisn]

A little better ... 2715

[KarateEd]

High Score Tables Updated......

Ed......

[FourthStone]

To be fair this game does have some redeeming qualities, I'd be interested to find out how the scrolling screen works, when each level starts we see the entire scene being painted bit by bit which takes a second or two. Once the game starts and little gyro moves to a new area the new scene is just scrolled in without having to be drawn or so it appears.

The way the bonus works it would probably be worth dying near the end so that when completing the level on the next life the bonus timer is higher. This would surely be a no no with current rules but the game seems to punish players score wise if the level is completed in 1 life as the bonus will be lower.

Will have another play tonight and see how it goes.