Let's All Play-Current challenge: Beat Outrun - end in one of the bottom 3 goals

[Ed Oscuro]

Everybody done with Argh-Type? I have a couple ideas ready, not sure which one to go with just yet though.

p.s. It works better to choose a specific game and settings versus "you can play any of these games of wildly varying difficulties at varying settings." I was playing the arcade game with default settings (i.e. three lives, default difficulty), otherwise I would have gotten an R-Type DX score in before Icarus posted. I still posted about the game first so I claim the win (hate to do it but sheesh).

[c0ldb33r]

Everybody done with Argh-Type? I have a couple ideas ready, not sure which one to go with just yet though.

People have until next Saturday at midnight to post a win. They only get a point if they get it done before then. So you should post your mission next Sunday sometime and I'll update the first page.

Actually wait - Icarus Moonlight posted the following 3 minutes before you did:

Status...
Sega Master System: This. Is. Caketown! *booted into the pit*

I counted this as meaning that he already beat the challenge for the SMS version. Am I right Icarus? If so, Icarus gets to pick next

[Ed Oscuro]

I don't want to be a drama queen about it, but I'm getting shafted for actually trying to challenge myself vs. playing the easiest version just to preempt everybody else.

Looking at your initial rules post, I think that your pick kind of breaks the spirit of your own rule #6 - the ports aren't practically identical to the original game.

Incidentally I used mameplus_bin_x86-0.135r4465-20091104 to play the game.

[c0ldb33r]

I don't want to be a drama queen about it, but I'm getting shafted for actually trying to challenge myself vs. playing the easiest version just to preempt everybody else.

I don't know what to say, the rules specifically allow for like 20 different versions. Provided that someone plays one of those versions, they're fine.

Looking at your initial rules post, I think that your pick kind of breaks the spirit of your own rule #6 - the ports aren't practically identical to the original game.

You're kind of right, rule 6 says:

6. If a game is available for a number of different systems (because of ports) then you may play any port of the game IF it is practically identical to the original port (you'll have to use some discretion here). I suggest that those who create the mission rules should address this issue. If you want to limit people to a particular version, say so. However, keep in mind that allowing ports will increase the available number of players.

However, rule 6 says that "I suggest that those who create the mission rules should address this issue.", which is exactly what I did. In any event, rule 8 allows mission makers to opt out of any rule as they see fit.

8. The person making the mission rules for a game may add, remove or alter any of the above rules for their game.

[Ed Oscuro]

I'm all for having fun and not caring but that's just sadistic.

Edit: Just for the record, this has taken up enough space so I'll abide by the result, but PLEASE make the playing field even next time.

[Icarus Moonsight]

Give it to Ed. I actually hadn't played the game when I posted, but I did finish it afterward. I knew I could, R-Type SMS was the first 1LC I ever attained.

[XYXZYZ]

Did it, 220,800 on stage 4. Arcade version, default settings. I got to the target on the ship in stage 3 without dying, then I crashed into a wall. Then I died twice after that trying to beat the damn thing. Killed it on my last life.

[c0ldb33r]

Give it to Ed. I actually hadn't played the game when I posted, but I did finish it afterward. I knew I could, R-Type SMS was the first 1LC I ever attained.

Good enough. Sorry Ed, I thought Icarus had finished it.

Ed picks the next mission!

[AB Positive]

Gave this a whirl on a few versions and actually... I find the arcade version easiest. I was able to actually beat level 1 on one credit first go which is farther than I ever got on SMS

[Ed Oscuro]

I think this is ahead of time (by about 19.5 hours), but I'm going to post it now so there's some time for feedback.

Challenge: Complete the first three stages of Super Contra arcade version without dying; don't use the Shell (bomb item) in the top down stage (Stage 2). For extra bragging rights, you can take out all parts of bosses before defeating them, but it's not necessary.
(I was thinking about doing the full game, but that would take a bit longer because learning some of those enemies if you don't know the tricks takes a while, longer than I can reasonably expect most people to want to attempt in a week, although I feel that if you can beat the first three stages without dying you're very close to completing the full game on Normal. This is not as hard a game as its reputation suggests, at least not on Normal difficulty where you can cheat quite a bit. Hard mode is another story, that's got some epic difficulty.)

Rules: DIP switch settings are MAME defaults: Normal difficulty; lives and continues don't matter because you won't be dying (although it's perfectly alright to use Continues, or even savestates for practice only, if that helps you out). Either version in MAME is fine; the difference is that the Japan board has a better title screen and lets you play a harder second loop, whereas the game ends after beating the final boss in the US version.

Tips for victory:
You can upgrade your guns by picking up the same icon again. Some guns end up much better than others (lightning gun seems to do double damage, for example, but is still pretty useless). Picking up any weapon gives you invulnerability for a short period, but stages are predictable enough that it's not needed.

Your heroes can jump higher if you pull up on the joystick while jumping.

You can tap the fire button quickly (with two fingers) to fire the first level rapid fire gun very quickly. Also keep in mind that if you're playing with a keyboard and holding the fire button down that you may have trouble registering jumps - key priority issues. A wired controller isn't a must though; I've been playing with a keyboard.

Stage 1: The tank can be obnoxious if the machine gun fires right before a tank shell. You may be able to jump over it, but it's best to prevent the guns from firing in the first place.

At the boss, sometimes the second rapid fire gun icon disappears if it lands on the ground in a certain spot.

After defeating the helicopter, and you run to the bunker entrance on the right, beware of a green beret running up close behind you (from the left). He's almost always there.

Stage 2: This stage is no problem. The rapid fire gun, and probably others as well, can shoot farther than enemies can. Check out the blinking lights on the heads of the boss guys!

Stage 3: Be careful and watch for movement, especially trails of bullets. Just like Super C you'll be firing into the trees a lot. It may be worthwhile to inch along and let unwanted powerup blimps fly away so you don't have to worry about unintentional pickups.

The boss is hardest if you try to take out the little goo spitting cherubs (okay they're about as close to a cherub as a housecat is to a spider, and about as pretty as that thing from Sengoku Ace). Thankfully, you don't need to. I think they give some ridiculously low point value (like 1000 points each, if that) for how difficult it is to destroy them when compared to the bosses' point payout (something like 100K), how much longer it lives, and how difficult its attacks are to dodge when you go after them.

[starsoldier1]

I just completed the R Type challenge but I only made it to stage 7 before losing all my lives. I even did a vid on it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUQfs4gLjmk

or

http://www.blip.tv/file/2906377

[Nonplus]

I finally beat the R-Type challenge, died on the fourth level, and turned it off, but I think I'm going to keep practising until I can at least get past level five.
Until then, onto Contra!

[c0ldb33r]

I beat my own R-Type challenge. I beat the level 3 warship without losing a single life and then level 4 wiped the floor with me. I was playing the PC Engine version on my PC Engine Duo.

I've only ever managed to beat level 4 on the SMS version. But, I only needed to beat level 3 and that was enough. I believe my score was about 179K.

I'm gonna ask that everyone double check my score tally at the first post of this thread. Make sure that I've kept your scores up-to-date. I've tried my best

[Nonplus]

I beat my own R-Type challenge. I beat the level 3 warship without losing a single life and then level 4 wiped the floor with me. I was playing the PC Engine version on my PC Engine Duo.

I've only ever managed to beat level 4 on the SMS version. But, I only needed to beat level 3 and that was enough. I believe my score was about 179K.

I'm gonna ask that everyone double check my score tally at the first post of this thread. Make sure that I've kept your scores up-to-date. I've tried my best

How did you get 179,000?! I'm not sure what my final score was, but I beat the second level with a little over 90,000. Is that bad? If it makes any difference, I played it via MAME.

[kupomogli]

First off. Fu** Irem. Second. I beat the challenge.

Now. I first started off with the PC Engine version. Beat stages 1 and 2 multiple times, stage 3 though? Bullshit. First time I got on stage 3, just like Irem is known for, bullshit cheap death because a blue ball comes forward really fast, I didn't know it wasn't an enemy so shot and died. Horse shit. Once you lose the blue lasers you're fucked, and it always seems that I lose those at the beginning because of stupidity.

Then people on here said the SMS version was easier. So I load it up and. Wtf. You liars. First and second stage were harder, but then I got to third stage which the cheap cannon bullshit is even cheaper. If you get past the cannon part, the rest of stage 3 on SMS is a joke, especially if you get there with the blue(which I died at the cannon part so obviously had to get the blue part later in the stage.)

There is one thing I do like about the SMS version over the PCE version. YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE THE STAGE :O. The area of view is much larger in the SMS version. I hate that about different version shmups, the fact that the area of view on some versions you can only see your ship and nothing else unless they're right ontop of you.

Anyways. Even though I did say fuck Irem. They're not all that bad. Atleast Steambot Chronicles is a fairly good sandbox type game that feels like Mega Man Legends somewhat.

[Ed Oscuro]

I hope the next challenge kicks in soon or else I'm gonna have to make it the whole game - some folks have had a heads-up on this one for a while now.

[c0ldb33r]

Hey Kupo I need some clarification, the time post on your posting says 12:01 AM yesterday.

My local time zone is Atlantic time (GMT-4:00), so does this mean that you actually posted that on 11:01 PM Satuday night (Eastern time?)

Also, for the Super Contra challenge, does Contra 4 for the DS have that game built-in or is it only the NES versions?

[kupomogli]

I'm on central time. I live in Fort Walton Beach Florida, closer to Alabama. Says 11-28-2009, 10:01 PM on my post.

[c0ldb33r]

kupo - thanks, I added the win. You and XYXZYZ are tied for first place

Hey Ed, can we use the XBLA version of Super Contra?

[Icarus Moonsight]

Just tried it, this is never going to happen for me. I'll blame my stick... YEAH! Piece of crap thing.