High Score Challenge - S22 - Round 9 - Uncle Claude

[KarateEd]

Stardot high score challenge
Season Twenty Two: Round Nine
Uncle Claude chosen by Chrisn

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RULES
Round Nine starts at 9pm on Monday the 29th of April and ends at 9pm on Monday the 13th of May
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=53 (Uncle Claude)
http://www.bbcmicro.co.uk/game.php?id=2377 (Electro Freddy)
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INSTRUCTIONS
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There are 2 disk images. You can play either and depending on your skills you may need to revert to the next image. Uncle Claude has a bug around level 11 that makes it unplayable beyond that. Electric Freddy only has keystrokes (and weird ones at that) but has no known (as yet) bugs in it.
.

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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

table.png (10.59 KiB) Viewed 10 times

Link to Overall High Score Table...http://stardot.org.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=28296

Thanks to Galax for the Mode 7 fonts.

Is there no end to beating up on this poor genius?......Ed ...........
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[KarateEd]

I had this one when in Iceland. Can't say I'm enamoured but I wasn't then either. It does play quite well though, just me being petty.....

[KarateEd]

Yup, it's going to depend on how long I can stay awake playing this one.....

[klintworth]

Never played this before!

[FourthStone]

Something to get started, nice astectic to the game, gameplay is a little bland so far.

Score: 3000

[Venger]

The game reminds me a little bit of Whoopsy!

Here's a score from me.

[Venger]

So, after a few more goes, I finally got to level 11 and the game's graphics glitched. It wasn't a full crash, but I died as I couldn't see Uncle Claude and he killed me. The game actually let me record my score at death (16750).

[Venger]

I got the crash on level 11 again, this time recorded on YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ADUqeot3wo.

The crash occurs at around the 13:16 mark.

[KarateEd]

I got the crash on level 11 again, this time recorded on YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ADUqeot3wo.

The crash occurs at around the 13:16 mark.

So it appears we have a game that is limited in scope because of this crash......would that be a correct assessment?

[Venger]

I got the crash on level 11 again, this time recorded on YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ADUqeot3wo.

The crash occurs at around the 13:16 mark.

So it appears we have a game that is limited in scope because of this crash......would that be a correct assessment?

It looks like. I've personally gotten to level 11 twice and the game has semi-crashed twice. It'd be nice for someone else to independently verify if they get the "crash" too, if possible.

[necronom]

After getting my very temperamental Beeb to work I managed to get this. The really odd thing about this game (and something I've never seen before) is that I have to use the joystick backwards! That makes it a bit more difficult to hold it, but still better than me trying to use keys. If I hold it normally, up is down, left is right, etc.
I got to the tape to tape recorders I think (looked like frogs), something like level 7.

10,000

[necronom]

If I could get to level 11 I could let you know if it corrupts the screen on real hardware, but I doubt I'll get there.
I see that 11 is the last level and you collect BBC Model Bs, so maybe it only works if it's running on one

[necronom]

I actually did it!

And, yes it corrupts the screen on an actual BBC B. Maybe it's a bad file and there is a working one out there somewhere. We'd need someone with an original to see if it does the same.

16,250

[Venger]

I actually did it!

And, yes it corrupts the screen on an actual BBC B. Maybe it's a bad file and there is a working one out there somewhere. We'd need someone with an original to see if it does the same.

16,250

Nice work!

Ed, what do we do now though if we can't find a non-corrupt version

[Cybershark]

I just played through the tape version from The Stairway - using save states - and the exact same thing happens. Could this be The Beeb's answer to Pac Man level 256?

Somewhere I have a disc image (from my own collection) where I copied my original tape over onto disc but I imagine that will do the exact same thing.

[KarateEd]

I actually did it!

And, yes it corrupts the screen on an actual BBC B. Maybe it's a bad file and there is a working one out there somewhere. We'd need someone with an original to see if it does the same.

16,250

Nice work!

Ed, what do we do now though if we can't find a non-corrupt version

Well, that's a good question. We've had this before and just played through it but that seems pointless for this game.

I suppose if everyone agrees I could just put my hand in the bowl with my eyes closed and come up with another game.......

[KarateEd]

In case we decide to continue.....

[Cybershark]

I see that 11 is the last level and you collect BBC Model Bs, so maybe it only works if it's running on one

You are correct on both counts - the game wraps around for level 12 - but how were you able to determine those two facts?

It turns out that the alt version of this game - Electro Freddy - doesn't seem to have the same bug. Keys are different though. And please discount the score there, as it was achieved using save states.

[necronom]

I see that 11 is the last level and you collect BBC Model Bs, so maybe it only works if it's running on one

You are correct on both counts - the game wraps around for level 12 - but how were you able to determine those two facts?

The first post has the instructions. It mentions what all the objects are, and how many levels it has. I was looking forward to seeing the graphics for the BBCs.

I'm happy for this game to be kept, though if others don't want to then I'm okay with it. It would be a shame, as I enjoyed playing it and I may not do this well very often.

Maybe we could swap to the other game that's almost the same?

[Cybershark]

The first post has the instructions. It mentions what all the objects are, and how many levels it has. I was looking forward to seeing the graphics for the BBCs.

LOL, tripped myself up by not reading the instructions once again! I thought the "cruise missiles" look more like swords TBH.
The Beeb sprites are quite cute - complete with flashing LED lights

Maybe we could swap to the other game that's almost the same?

I didn't see any differences to it, other than the choice of keys - which I couldn't get on with. Don't think the joystick option is present though.

[necronom]

Yeah, I had alternative thoughts on a lot of the items. The clocks are watches, NES controllers are radios, blue blobs are cameras, robot heads are radios, frogs are tape recorders, the 6502 chips are synthesisers, and the swords are cruise missiles. I was 100% sure those were swords, same with the micro chips.

No joystick option on the other one would mean I'd probably get about 20% of my current score. I'd end up pressing left instead of down quite often, or something similar.

[MatthewThompson]

Best score so far, i'm happy to carry on playing as I am pretty sure this bug won't affect me , not likely to get that far !

[KarateEd]

So, I've put both images up, you can play either and or both to improve your score. The second one (Electric Freddy) has no joystick option and the keys are weird so when you're playing Uncle Claude and can only go to level 11 and switch over, you'll have to relearn the keys (or remap them on an emulator) so there are downsides but that's the best I can do folks. I hope it's acceptable.

[KarateEd]

I'll probably not get off Uncle Claude to Freddy......I don't think I'll have the patience.

[necronom]

I'll never see the BBCs on level 11. I can only get about 5,000 with keys on Electro Freddy. I'm constantly pressing the wrong direction. My corrupt level score will be my best.

[Venger]

Just got to level 12 on the Electro Freddy version. The game wraps around and Uncle Claude keeps his speed from level 11 (which is hard to cope with). Added to that is the fact that there is now an electrified gate on the level too. I didn't last very long .

P.S. the extra life every 4000 points claim is a lie too; it's just after the first 4000 points!

[KarateEd]

Still working on Claude, keyboard version. I'm more comfortable with keyboard than joystick......

[FourthStone]

P.S. the extra life every 4000 points claim is a lie too; it's just after the first 4000 points!

Maybe you need clock the game and get to 4000 pts again

[KarateEd]

Broke 10k.....

[KarateEd]

I can do no more tonight for fear of losing what's left of my sanity......