High Score Competition #98: Phoenix

[kixfan]

Previous winners

#1 - Shinobi - Winner: Destructor, Second: fixedpigs
#2 - Jungle Hunt - Winner: CrazyKongFan, Second: DeLuSioNal29
#3 - Zoo Keeper - Winner: DeLuSioNal29, Second: Ummon
#4 - Q*Bert - Winner: quarterstringer, Second: CrazyKongFan
#5 - Robotron 2084 - Winner: (+_+), Second: opt2not
#6 - Joust - Winner: (+_+), Second: Shoegazer
#7 - Elevator Action - Winner: FrontyDev, Second: Zebidee
#8 - Mr Do - Winner: DeLuSioNal29, Second: rotheblog
#9 - Hyper Sports - Winner: drawfull, Second: Ummon
#10 - Wonder Boy - Winner: DrFrag, Second: drawfull
#11 - Bubble Bobble - Winner: mrclean, Second: isucamper
#12 - Gun.Smoke - Winner: isucamper, Second: Ummon
#13 - Ghouls 'n Ghosts - Winner: Ginsu Victim, Second: Zebidee
#14 - Ms Pac-Man (with speedup hac) - Winner: CrazyKongFan, Second: wooowman93
#15 - Frogger - Winner: CrazyKong Fan, Second: Jasonbar
#16 - Grobda - Winner: mimic, Second: Cornchip
#17 - Bank Panic - Winner: ahofle, Second: Jasonbar
#18 - Juno First - Winner: RayB, Second: Shoegazer
#19 - Rolling Thunder - Winner: DrFrag, Second: isucamper
#20 - Terra Cresta - Winner: isucamper, Second: Jasonbar
#21 - Gladiator - Winner: Jasonbar, Second: Hewskie
#22 - Alcon (Slap Fight) - Winner: DrFrag, Second: Bender
#23 - Galaga - Winner: quarterstringer, Second: ToddH
#24 - Defender - Winner: quarterstringer, Second: tcleary
#25 - Klax - Winner: CrazyKongFan, Second: TAG
#26 - Funny Mouse - Winner: quarterstringer, Second: Epyx
#27 - Rampart - Winner: isucamper, Second: john_abey
#28 - Satan's Hollow - Winner: jasonbar, Second: ummon
#29 - The Speed Rumbler - Winner: Epyx, Second: mimic
#30 - Black Dragon - Winner: Epyx, Second: CrazyKongFan
#31 - Twin Cobra - Winner: ArcadeNerd, Second: jasonbar
#32 - Tetris - Winner: DrFrag, Second: qlunch
#33 - Gyruss - Winner: Hurray Banana, Second: vorghagen
#34 - Mappy - Winner: Jasonbar, Second: TAG
#35 - Bump 'n' Jump - Winner: Comtek, Second: DrFrag
#36 - Popeye - Winner: CrazyKongFan, Second: isucamper
#37 - Pengo - Winner: CrazyKongFan, Second: MazzMn
#38 - Bomb Jack - Winner: bpark42, Second: Flaptop
#39 - Smash T.V. - Winner: jasonbar, Second: quarterstringer
#40 - Rygar - Winner: Cakemeister, Second: jasonbar
#41 - Krull - Winner: jasonbar, Second: I/O
#42 - Tutankham - Winner: DrFrag, Second: creatine28
#43 - Astro Blaster - Winner: mimic, Second: WhereEaglesDare
#44 - Son of Phoenix - Winner: jasonbar, Second: syph007
#45 - Metal Slug - Winner: doteater, Second: Hewskie
#46 - Puzzle Bobble - Winner: quarterstringer, Second: Benevolance
#47 - Street Fighter 2 - The World Warrior - Winner: isucamper, Second: jordanshadow
#48 - Crazy Climber - Winner: jasonbar, Second: quarterstringer
#49 - Strider - Winner:Jasonbar, Second: Bender
#50 - Donkey Kong - Winner: wweumina, Second: javeryh
#51 - Champion Wrestler - Winner: vorghagen, Second: Bender
#52 - Karnov - Winner: DrFrag, Second: darcyp
#53 - Gauntlet - Winner: quarterstringer, Second: vorghagen
#54 - Tapper - Winner: CapriRS302, Second: quarterstringer
#55 - Namco Classic Collection Vol.2 - Winner: jasonbar, Second: CapriRS302
#56 - Gain Ground - Winner: jasonbar, Second: upprc04
#57 - Escape from the Planet of the Robot Monsters  - Winner: DirtyDachshunds, Second: upprc04
#58 - Raiden  - Winner: jasonbar, Second: Gray_Area
#59 - Buster Bros  - Winner: spoot, Second: jasonbar
#60 - Dig Dug  - Winner: quarterstringer, Second: Matthew Anderson
#61 - Mario Bros - Winner: LeapinLew, Second: Nickelstringer
#62 - Chicken Shift - Winner: quarterstringer, Second: jasonbar
#63 - Roc'n Rope - Winner: dfmaverick, Second: Nephasth
#64 - Moon Patrol - Winner: CrazyKongFan, Second: jasonbar
#65 - Nibbler - Winner: CrazyKongFan, Second: jasonbar
#66 - Truxton II - Winner: jasonbar, Second: spoot
#67 - Aliens vs Predator - Winner: Nbk_Orchid, Second: spoot
#68 - Caveman Ninja - Winner: Nbk_Orchid, Second: jasonbar
#69 - Majestic 12 - Winner: emphatic, Second: jimmy2x2x
#70 - Sky Shark - Winner emphatic, Second: jasonbar
#71 - Make Trax - Winner: djm858, Second: jasonbar
#72 - Super Puzzle Fighter 2 Turbo - Winner: quarterstringer, Second: djm858
#73 - Bomber Man (Japan) - Winner: djm858, Second: AlienInferno
#74 - X-Men - Winner: djm858, Second: jasonbar
#75: MotoRace USA - Winner: 51mmz0rz, Second: jasonbar, Third: CrazyKongFan
#76: Gaplus - Winner: jasonbar, Second: Gray_Area
#77: Time Pilot '84  - Winner: jasonbar, Second: Spoot
#78: Shadow Dancer  - Winner: StriderDSO, Second: Hurray Banana
#79: Omega Race - Winner: CrazyKongFan, Second: JasonBar
#80: Amidar - Winner: jasonbar, Second: CrazyKongFan
#81: Pleiads (Pleiades) - Winner: Hurray Banana, Second: jasonbar,
#82: Snap Jack - Winner: Kixfan, Second: jasonbar,
#83: Mr. Do's Wildride - Winner: Draginit, Second: Bender
#84: City Connection - Winner: patbb, Second: kikfan
#85: Space Dungeon - Winner: paigeoliver, Second: doteater
#86: Up 'N' Down - Winner: Draginit, Second: jasonbar
#87: Metro Cross - Winner: Draginit, Second: Kixfan
#88: Timber - Winner: PatBB, Second: Kixfan
#89: Ladybug - Winner: Kixfan, Second: PatBB
#90: 1942 - Winner: opt2not, Second: jasonbar
#91: Burgertime - Winner: Kixfan, Second: Yotsuya
#92: Gorf - Winner: Nephasth, Second: Gray_Area
#93: Exerion - Winner: mimic, Second: Nephasth
#94: Knuckle Joe - Winner: mimic, Second: Kixfan
#95: Flicky - Winner: Tafoid, Second: Kixfan
#96: Black Widow: Winner - Gray_Area |  Second - Jasonbar
#97: Mouse Trap: Winner - Kixfan |  Second - Gray_Area

_____________________________

ROMSet: phoenix.zip

Default Settings

Lives: 3
Bonus life: 3,000 and 30,000
Difficulty: N/A

----------------------------------------------------

Wikipedia:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenix_%28video_game%29

KLOV: http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=9004









----------------------------------------------------

- One credit only!

- NO 200K Easter Egg Shots - See KLOV link above

- No continues or adding credits!

- No MAME cheats!

- Last day is Tuesday September 4th (11:59:59pm Pacific Daylight Time), 2012.
 
- High score wins.

- No savestates, savestate practices, etc. during the round.

- MAME INP recordings are encouraged but optional.

- A screenshot is required to enter a score (press F12 to save screenshot showing your final score) or take a photo of the game screen.

- If you're a MARP competitor on this title, keep in mind this is just a friendly competition among forum members, so maybe you shouldn't enter. However, if you're a forum member and this is a game you're good at and nobody knows about it, this is your time to shine!

- Even if you don't have a competitive score or if you don't *think* that you have a competitive score, please post it anyway to keep the thread fun & to give everybody a good sense of score ranges.

- Please make sure your scores are from games that take place during the competition period (no posting your best score from last year, etc.).

- Use of autofire or other non-standard hacks within MAME or your PC's OS are not allowed.  No program or other person or entity of any sort may manipulate your controls during your game.  Coaching & back-seat driving is fine as long as the party doesn't directly influence the game or controls.

- If you can beat any of the high scores from the previous competitions, you can submit your score to the BYOAC High Game Scoreboard.

Good luck!

[kixfan]

PLEASE READ!

Until I created the KLOV link I did not know there was an Easter egg in the form of a 200k points if you shoot while birds are spreading wings.  Please see KLOV link for full details.  My initial feeling is that we should not include this.  If anyone feels differently just let me know and maybe if enough people want that we can allow it.

Good Luck!

 

[Gray_Area]

The problem is, it can happen easily enough, and can be hard to avoid. It's generally been by accident that I've done it.

I swear this game had been played......but I guess not.

[kixfan]

The problem is, it can happen easily enough, and can be hard to avoid. It's generally been by accident that I've done it.

I swear this game had been played......but I guess not.

Might not really matter, it may be just me and you playing.   

I like this game a lot and never noticed this flaw.   I don't think I've ever got a score higher that 30-40k.   I think you are right, this may be too hard to avoid.   I was surprised this hadn't been picked either, maybe because everyone else knew about this issue.   There is a game called son of phoenix that had been selected.   

[jasonbar]

We've played Son of Phoenix (which seems to have no real relation to Phoenix) & Pleiads (which is basically a Phoenix sequel) so far.

Phoenix is a problematic game on my cabinet. I'm forced to run an older rev of MAME b/c my PC can't do the sound emulation correctly, so I'm running an older version that uses samples.

Totally swamped--I hope to find time to compete on this one--it is, after all, a SHMUP!

-Jason

[mimic]

In regard to 200K bonus, can we just agree that the score is XXXXX -200K ( where "-" = minus)? It would just suck to have a good run and high score, but not be lucky enough to pull the 200K bonus versus someone winning because of that.

[harveybirdman]

I suck at this game, having trouble just breaking 10k. Anybody have a good method?

[kixfan]

I agree with mimic in regard to the 200k issue.   In my previous post I indicated my average was like 30k, well I must have had my scores mixed up with another game.   My average so far is about 7-8k.    I had one game where I somehow got 8200 for destroying the mothership.  I think it had to do with shooting the ship very close to the bottom of the screen.   I also spent quite a while just trying to get the 200k special, which I could not do.   It will be interesting to see how any people can get this.

[teeuwen]

ive broken 10k so far, man this is a tough game though, i seem to have the most difficulty with the first wave.

[Nephasth]

Meh, my best so far is only 8990. Got to level 8 or 9 for that. But yea, tough game. I like the challenge these old shmups provide, makes you think a little different.

[jasonbar]

19,350 after a few games. Will post pic if that score matters...

-Jason

[kixfan]

I can't seem to past the screen 10.   As previously mentioned, on one attempt I got 8200 for the mothership and had a score of 15110.   On the flip side, you can end up getting 0000 for the mothership, not sure how I did it.   

[Ravenger]

This is one of my favourite games. but I've not got a decent high-score for this challenge yet  (My best ever is around 30,000).

Good tips are:
On the egg/big bird waves keep to the left/right hand sides of the screen. It's easier to shoot the birds there, though more difficult to dodge the bullets.
On the mothership screen, shoot out all the moving shield pieces, and let the mothership get to the bottom of the screen. Then head into the centre to shoot the alien. Even if you've not shot a hole through the bottom of the ship your bullets will hit the alien anyway, and you'll score maximum bonus - 8200 for wave 1. I got 9200 on wave 2 once by doing this.

[Gray_Area]

This is one of my favourite games. but I've not got a decent high-score for this challenge yet  (My best ever is around 30,000).

Good tips are:
On the egg/big bird waves keep to the left/right hand sides of the screen. It's easier to shoot the birds there, though more difficult to dodge the bullets.
On the mothership screen, shoot out all the moving shield pieces, and let the mothership get to the bottom of the screen. Then head into the centre to shoot the alien. Even if you've not shot a hole through the bottom of the ship your bullets will hit the alien anyway, and you'll score maximum bonus - 8200 for wave 1. I got 9200 on wave 2 once by doing this.

I didn't know this. That reeks of a 'bug', that I have not seen in the history.dat .  Anyways, I've gotten 40+ on older MAME. Newer MAME seems harder. The thing about the three-shot bug is that it doesn't add 200k points to your score. It changes your score to 204k, in which case you lost the difference between your score and four thousand. Mm-mmm. We'll see.

[Gray_Area]

So I fired up the machine. First game was fourteen grand, though more than half of that was the boss bonus of 8200. So, yeah, it works. You don't have to shoot all of the shield. You just have to wait till it get to the bottom of the screen. Watch out, though. I bought it twice that way.

Second game was better, as I got the bonus on the second boss, too - which is 9200. Don't know whether that's for the level, or for getting the first and second bosses.

But like I said, I've gotten 40+ thousand doing it the hard way, level five if I remember correctly.

[teeuwen]

This is one of my favourite games. but I've not got a decent high-score for this challenge yet  (My best ever is around 30,000).

Good tips are:
On the egg/big bird waves keep to the left/right hand sides of the screen. It's easier to shoot the birds there, though more difficult to dodge the bullets.
On the mothership screen, shoot out all the moving shield pieces, and let the mothership get to the bottom of the screen. Then head into the centre to shoot the alien. Even if you've not shot a hole through the bottom of the ship your bullets will hit the alien anyway, and you'll score maximum bonus - 8200 for wave 1. I got 9200 on wave 2 once by doing this.

your tip works good, though i find if you kill them when they are still in egg forum you don't get the bonus points for the shots.

pretty intense game though, seems to reward patience, its kind of got a big greed factor to it that keeps it very addictive.

ive yet to post a score higher then 14,000 so far, will have to try some more tonight with the tips from everyone else.

[danny_galaga]

Excellent! I'm not great at this, but I do like it. These comps are a great way for me to put in some serious time on my cab. I was going to play Steel Battalion tonight, but Phoenix waits for no man 

[Gray_Area]

I was playing this on recent MAME, and it is harder.

[danny_galaga]

10250

[kixfan]

@ Gray_area - Can you elaborate?

I'm playing on a newer mame and this thing is just mean.    I just can't seem to get past the 2 cycle of screens.   It doesn't seem like it matters how many ships I have on the 2nd mothership screen I just get clobbered.   I don't know how many times I've gotten a 0000 on the first mothership screen.   I am still confused on how that is fair.   Specifically on the mothership screen I would swear I was shooting the attack ships and the hits don't seem to register.    You know how some times the enemy ships hang around motionless in your ships movement area, well there was a time where there was 7-8 of them just sitting there.   I know I picked this game but darn it, this is really frustrating. 

[danny_galaga]

  I know I picked this game but darn it, this is really frustrating. 

13000

[Gray_Area]

Well....on the mothership, I'm thinking you're shooting in the black area around it. Shots look like they'll go through it, but they won't.

Phoenix in newer MAME is just harder. I'd have to sit down and compare, but it may just be that the baddies are more devious.

However, just now I got juked in two consecutive games, where I pushed my shield, and it activated AFTER I got hit. ?  Then twice where I'm pretty sure I got bombed, pressed my shield, and there were some rounds left after it died, but I was now just to the side of that spot - and I died!  I'm wondering whether MAME is accurate, and if it is, it's as ---fouled up beyond all recognition--- up as the game was originally. I don't remember as I only played this a few times as a kid, and didn't like it anyways.

[Ravenger]

26160

(Disregard the 32600 high score as I did that before the competition started  )

[kixfan]

However, just now I got juked in two consecutive games, where I pushed my shield, and it activated AFTER I got hit. ?  Then twice where I'm pretty sure I got bombed, pressed my shield, and there were some rounds left after it died, but I was now just to the side of that spot - and I died!  I'm wondering whether MAME is accurate, and if it is, it's as ---fouled up beyond all recognition--- up as the game was originally. I don't remember as I only played this a few times as a kid, and didn't like it anyways.

Yes I've had that happen to me as well.   I think I may just concentrate on avoiding them instead of shooting them since it seems almost impossible to hit.   I finally was able to get past the 2nd mothership screen, died shortly there after but not before posting a score of 26,310.   

[kixfan]

Ok, for some reason I just had 2 games where I was able to get past the 2nd mothership.   29,440, I'll post picture in a little bit.   I was so close to another ship, dang it!!

[Gray_Area]

Before knowing about the mothership bug (like, up until this comp), I used to shoot away the center barrier, shooting down-coming baddies along the way, then from the side shooting a good gap in the purple part, and then taking out the mothership. I think I averaged around 2000. I would play this game once every few or so months, and generally would get to the third or fourth mothership. I found my high score - 45k - and it was on older MAME via the hard way: shooting everything as quickly as possible on every board, mothership included.

So that gives you an idea of how much harder recent MAME is.

[Gray_Area]

I just now played a single game on MAME. 104 .

I got to the fifth level, the hard way. Notice my score on the first mothership! I don't know what factors made for that.

Notice in the last image there's a piece of a baddie. Perhaps similar to Moon Patrol, where a saucer or blue and yellow ship will not blow up, but just sit in the air where you shot it.

[kixfan]

Before knowing about the mothership bug (like, up until this comp), I used to shoot away the center barrier, shooting down-coming baddies along the way, then from the side shooting a good gap in the purple part, and then taking out the mothership. I think I averaged around 2000. I would play this game once every few or so months, and generally would get to the third or fourth mothership. I found my high score - 45k - and it was on older MAME via the hard way: shooting everything as quickly as possible on every board, mothership included.

So that gives you an idea of how much harder recent MAME is.

WOW!   If I had known there was such a difference in this game with mame versions I would have picked something different.   It's been 30 years since I played this game on a real machine.   I wonder which version is proper?   Anyone out there with a phoenix machine?

[kixfan]

Ok, for some reason I just had 2 games where I was able to get past the 2nd mothership.   29,440, I'll post picture in a little bit.   I was so close to another ship, dang it!!

Sorry, score was just a little off.  Was really 29,420.   I'm done.

[danny_galaga]

This has to be about the most I've improved on a game in ages. My best before was about 8000 (although I had a mysterious 204,000 from some unknown player at one stage. Now explained here. Thanks guys!). After some work, I got to 10,250. Then I read the tips. Normally I don't like to head them, but that mothership trick is brilliant! As well as staying to one side on the eagles. I also realised (probably everyone realises this already) that you shouldn't shoot the eagles while they're eggs, since they're only 50 points as ovum. Im no where near the top guys here, but I'm pretty pleased with what I have so far- 17420. I might see if I can better that before I go to bed, but I've left it a bit late...

[kixfan]

Here are the final scores. 

Ravenger, it is your pick for next game.


Kixfan:               29,420
Ravenger:          26,160
Gray_area:        25,970
Jasonbar:          19,350
Danny_galaga:  17,420
Nephasth:           8,990

[Nephasth]

Somebody's gotta bring up the rear...

Congrats Kix!

[Ravenger]

Well done Kixfan!

How about Pac-Land as the next game?

Classic platformer with lots of secret bonuses. Quite hard too.

[jasonbar]

Wait, it's over already!??! Dang, I was going to play some more...

Oh well!  :]

[kixfan]

Thanks everyone!   I don't think I have ever played Pacland so I'm up for anything!   

[Gray_Area]

Pacland wasn't popular, and I've never taken to it, but pick what you like.

[kixfan]

@ravenger

Did you need some help setting up the next high score thread?    There are some great instructions written by Opt2not here.

And if you are having a hard time choosing I don't think RallyX has been selected.   

[mimic]

I vote that if Ravenger doesn't setup the game by friday midnight a volunteer sets up Pac-Land so we have fresh competition for the weekend. That's the game he mentioned I think we could honor his suggestion? Any other ideas?

Btw 14,something in Phoenix (at least I wasn't last! BIG "L" @ Nephasth  )

[Ravenger]

Sorry guys, I've been a bit busy and not been checking this thread.

If you don't want to do Pac-Land, that's fine by me. All the games I would have chosen have been used in previous competitions!

I didn't realise I had to set up the new thread. Any special instructions I need to follow?

[kixfan]

That's the nice thing about winning the pick, you get to pick the game YOU like whether anyone else likes it or not.   No matter what game you pick someone will not like it.   below are some instructions I borrowed from Opt2not...

- Hit the quote button on the first post in this thread
- Copy the contents of that quote and paste them into a newly created thread. don't forget to title that thread.
- Delete the quote flags at the beginning and the end of the text you pasted
- Add the url link to this thread under the url links of the old competition threads (follow the format). Don't forget to append the winner and second place names after the link
- replace the title of the game (it's the one with the / b bolded flag)
- replace the image link (you can find the image off maws, or just google it)
- Replace the details of the game: romset, settings etc...
- Add any addition information you want to add can be put in there as well, like tips or game history

If you don't feel comfortable setting it up just let us know for sure what your pick is and someone will set it up.