High Score Challenge - S20 - R01 - Space Adventure

[KarateEd]

Stardot high score challenge
Season Twenty: Round 01
Space Adventure chosen by ManiacMiner

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RULES
Round Ten starts at 9pm on Monday the 6th of March and ends at 9pm on Monday the 20th 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=2402
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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

table.png (10.52 KiB) Viewed 2737 times

Link to Overall High Score Table...http://stardot.org.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=26514

Thanks to Galax for the Mode 7 fonts.

Another new world to discover...one that I hope will be happier......Ed ...........
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[Venger]

Has anyone actually played this yet? There's no on-screen score that I can see. I guess I'll just have to finish my game to see if there's one when you die.

First impressions are... Hmm... I'll let you all find out when you play.

[Venger]

It seems like the only time you see your score is when you die. Death was a relief to be honest

[KarateEd]

It seems like the only time you see your score is when you die. Death was a relief to be honest

Yes, when I was putting this up the only place I ever saw the score was when you died, not the usual way that scores are done on these games. What that does is it creates mystery as to how the scoring is done because you can't see what scoring looks like thoughout the game and you're relying on the programmer to give you an 'honest' scoring system.

Case in point...... I had played a few times on level one but completed it once to get to level 2. One would think that getting to level two would give you a higher score but......my score was lower on level 2 than it had been on 3 of my level 1 scores. How does that make sense? I don't know and I have no idea if the scoring is accumulative, ie: Level 1 plus level 2. I'll have to play it more but this one is going to wear thin very quickly, actually has for me already but.....maybe we'll learn something from it.

I'm wondering CyberShark if you are able to peruse the code in the program to see if you can deduce what is happening with the scoring so we don't cheat the people of getting their proper scores in this game? It's tough enough, well, kinda boring enough that every score achieved deserves to be correct if we're to be somewhat bored with the game itself.

[klintworth]

On vacation for the rest of this one - not sure I’m going to be missing much!!
[attachment=0]EFDACC8F-AFE6-4AE6-AF0E-C8804D39A8C4.jpeg[/attachment]

[KarateEd]

On vacation for the rest of this one - not sure I’m going to be missing much!!
EFDACC8F-AFE6-4AE6-AF0E-C8804D39A8C4.jpeg

So Paul, I see your score is 30 but you reached level 2. Did you notice if your score earlier in the game was higher than 30? It almost for certain had to be so I think we need to figure something out about the scoring system.

Thanks Paul,

[FourthStone]

Want to like this one, the sprites are quite smooth, but it does take a long time to work through the ship and the enemies are difficult to kill sometimes

Hey Ed, pretty sure you once you leave the starting area that is level 2, using the transporters I had to venture into level 3 to find a key for the locked room containing a crystal, I didn't complete level 3 however. I also used the transporter to jump to the other side of level 2 once I'd explored it twice trying to find the key I needed then realised I needed to transport to level 3, found the key then went back to level 2.

Score: 1250

[KarateEd]

Want to like this one, the sprites are quite smooth, but it does take a long time to work through the ship and the enemies are difficult to kill sometimes

Hey Ed, pretty sure you once you leave the starting area that is level 2, using the transporters I had to venture into level 3 to find a key for the locked room containing a crystal, I didn't complete level 3 however. I also used the transporter to jump to the other side of level 2 once I'd explored it twice trying to find the key I needed then realised I needed to transport to level 3, found the key then went back to level 2.

Score: 1250
SpaceAdventure_2023.PNG

Not quite sure why you're saying level 2 is the starting area, I thought level 1 was the starting area, is that not correct? That's normally what you do on most games, start level 1 then progress through the game. That's what I've been doing anyway.

[FourthStone]

Ah, when I start the game it starts me on level 2, then I can use the transporter to move to the other levels, not sure if it's different for others?

This is where I start...

I can use the teleported to reach the other levels...

[Venger]

Ah, when I start the game it starts me on level 2, then I can use the transporter to move to the other levels, not sure if it's different for others?

This is where I start...
SpaceAdventure_Levels_Start.PNG

I can use the teleported to reach the other levels...
SpaceAdventure_Levels_02.PNG

Yeah, I started on level 2 when I played too.

[KarateEd]

Ah, when I start the game it starts me on level 2, then I can use the transporter to move to the other levels, not sure if it's different for others?

This is where I start...
SpaceAdventure_Levels_Start.PNG

I can use the teleported to reach the other levels...
SpaceAdventure_Levels_02.PNG

Ah, sorry, I was having a brain fart......I was confusing skill level to start versus one of the 3 levels to start on. I checked again and it does start on level 2........

[Rod C]

Ah, sorry, I was having a brain fart......I was confusing skill level to start versus one of the 3 levels to start on. I checked again and it does start on level 2........

Hey, Ed, better open the window and try again!

I remember playing this a few times years ago and kinda like it but the combat is a bit slow and tedious. Also I'm not very good at that!

[Rod C]

Did a little better this time.

[Venger]

I can feel this game slowly sucking the life out of me

Anyway, here's my 2nd go.

[KarateEd]

I can feel this game slowly sucking the life out of me

I've played it like 4 times and my life is now a blob.......

[Rod C]

I can feel this game slowly sucking the life out of me

I've played it like 4 times and my life is now a blob.......

C'mon guys, you can do it! Early days yet!

[KarateEd]

I can feel this game slowly sucking the life out of me

I've played it like 4 times and my life is now a blob.......

C'mon guys, you can do it! Early days yet!

Yeh, that's what I'm afraid of Rod......

[KarateEd]

Ok, here's my first and possibly last post for this.....

[Rod C]

Getting there.

[MatthewThompson]

Got 680 on 2 games.

This could have been a lot better with a bit of fine tuning, the map and rooms system is good, but it's the combat with the aliens which is really annoying and long winded.

[tnash]

Skills.

[Venger]

Skills.
20230309_180258.jpg

At least you didn't last long enough to suffer too much

[tnash]

I swear even this took half an hour

[KarateEd]

I swear even this took half an hour

Nah, it just felt like it....

[Cybershark]

I'm wondering CyberShark if you are able to peruse the code in the program to see if you can deduce what is happening with the scoring so we don't cheat the people of getting their proper scores in this game?

Afraid I won't be able to repeat those sorta tricks too often, Ed. Just got lucky with those Peter Scott games, as they used a BASIC framework. I'm as clueless as everyone else, this time around

...the combat is a bit slow and tedious.

It's atrociously unpredictable and laborious!

Here's an attempt from me:

Score: 680

Didn't read the instructions yet, but I somehow doubt that'll give rise to much improvement.

[Rod C]

Rod C wrote: ↑Wed Mar 08, 2023 12:09 pm
...the combat is a bit slow and tedious.
It's atrociously unpredictable and laborious!

Since I wrote that I've changed my view somewhat and I don't think this game fully deserves the bad rap it's been getting.

There are slow elements, particularly the leisurely stroll through empty rooms but at least it gives you time to weigh up whether to charge your life support or your blaster, assuming you have a power peanut or two in your pocket. Certainly, the return trip to a crystal location once you have the key is a bit tedious as you've already cleared the enemies out of that pathway.

As for the action, I think it's best to go straight in for close combat where you can fire rapidly and then there's no sense of slow and tedious. Getting in close without taking too many hits can be tricky and a bit of dodging and weaving is needed. Playing the slow game by taking pot shots from a distance doesn't seem to help me much.

I still like the game, probably because it reminds me of a program called Robowars which I had decades ago on a Mac. You programmed your robot using the coding language provided and pitted it against others. You could also submit your robot to the international competition organised by the creator. Some people allowed their code to be read but the deadliest bots that killed in about two seconds had their code locked.

As for Space Adventure, it certainly has its limitations. I'd say it's frustrating rather than laborious and ultimately luck plays a part due to the random distribution of objects although the crystals seem to have some favourite hiding locations. If only they had been more generous with the power peanuts, especially for skill level 1 but then it might be ...boring!

[KarateEd]

No, it fully deserves the bad rap it's getting.......

[FourthStone]

With renewed enthusiasm I thought I'd have another go... got a little further but still find the fighting system kludgy.

Score: 1540

[Venger]

No, it fully deserves the bad rap it's getting.......

To be honest, I've got to agree with you on this one, Ed. I may moan a little about some games, but I generally give them a few goes even though I'm not fussed on playing them. With this game, I've played it twice and it just bores my socks off. I have no urge to play it again (although I probably will towards the end of the week, just to get my score up). The combat is just so mind-numbingly tedious and vapid. It wouldn't be such a problem if you could leave the room and run away, but you're forced to engage in the combat until you eventually die of boredom.

At the end of the day, games are supposed to be fun. I find this about as much fun as receiving a bed bath from Edward Scissorhands.

[KarateEd]

No, it fully deserves the bad rap it's getting.......

To be honest, I've got to agree with you on this one, Ed. I may moan a little about some games, but I generally give them a few goes even though I'm not fussed on playing them. With this game, I've played it twice and it just bores my socks off. I have no urge to play it again (although I probably will towards the end of the week, just to get my score up). The combat is just so mind-numbingly tedious and vapid. It wouldn't be such a problem if you could leave the room and run away, but you're forced to engage in the combat until you eventually die of boredom.

At the end of the day, games are supposed to be fun. I find this about as much fun as receiving a bed bath from Edward Scissorhands.

or a root canal in 6 teeth at the same time......