Nice Build.
I used to stink at the game, when I was a kid that was barely able to see over the control panel.
Using mame and cheats, I learned some advanced tactics. Below are TIPs, as well as some
of my ideas and other notes...
TIPS:
1) Some of the Asteroids carry many more Crystals than others. If you are noticing that very few are shaking out... its better to find another asteroid to mine instead.
2) Learn to be able to move the stick in very small amounts, to prevent over-shooting the crystals. I believe you can actually turn the ship to face any direction, without actually moving the ship, if you have super precise control.
3) Try to find close groupings of asteroids. (look at the scanner map) This allows you to quickly go from one rock to the next, especially if one of them isnt paying out well. You can also use the other rocks as cover from the enemies. And... if you were in the center of some rocks, crystals that would otherwise fly far away.. might get bounced back, when hitting one of the nearby rocks.
4) Try not to fight the general Enemies, unless you absolutely have to. Focus on mining, unless a Warrior (Tank) comes into play... as they can end up blowing you up.
5) Try not to travel long distances to find Asteroids, or to Chase an Escaping enemy. The more time you are not mining... the more time that the enemies have to build Sinistar.
6) It does not take the maximum load of Sinibombs, to kill Sinistar... BUT... you NEED your Sinibombs to be stocked Full. If you have Siniboms left after defeating him... it will give you a HUGE head-start on the next level (where you will have far less time, and far more difficulty, to collect the bare minimal)
7) When you use Sinibombs, make sure that Sinistar is fairly Close to you... as otherwise the bombs might end up hitting one of the asteroids / enemies, instead of him. This will help keep as many Sinibombs as possible, for the next level. Release them at a fairly slow pace, rather than rapid-firing them all at once. Watch the screen flicker, and count the presses / explosion, to make sure that you are not blowing more Bombs than is Needed to end him.
8 ) Keep an Eye on the Radar, right after Sinistar is built.. to make sure that he doesnt run right into you.
9) You can find the location where Sinistar is being built... and shoot bombs at it, before its even fully built. This can help delay the build.. however, this strategy can often fail, as they can often build him back faster than you can mine for more bombs. Being well stocked, or completely full.. before attempting this, is better than trying this with minimal bombs in reserve.
10) Sinibombs have Auto-Tracking, so its possible that you can fire a bomb from quite far away... and it will still eventually hit Sinistar. This could help or hinder you... depending on if the bombs fail to land.
If your Sinibomb cache is Full.. you can Mine a rock to make some crystals float away from it... Then shoot some of your Sinibombs right afterwards (Long Distance / Offscreen). These should home in on Sinistar... and while thats taking place... quickly scoop up the on-screen crystals that are still floating, so that you replenish the bombs you just fired off.
Basically, you are pre-replacing the bombs as you are shooting, allowing you to do damages, and still maintain a full Sinibomb cache.
11) You can use the Asteroids to help block Sinistar.. as they will get in between you and him, as well as may slow him down a bit. However, if you shoot a Sinibomb.. you have to be careful as they may hit the asteroids instead of him.
Notes:
I love the game. If only it was a hair bit more fair... (hope the Dev finds the "perfect" romset before its too late).
If I had the resources, I might consider adding to the experience, by making a moving motion simulator chair, to add to the experience.
- Use of Bass-Shaker Transducers, would also add to the feel of things. (such as when hitting an Asteroid, bullets..etc)
- Individual coils / shaker effects might be applied when specifically pressing the Sinibomb button... so that you really Feel that massive surge of power, being released.
- Possibly find a way to activate flashing strobe light when you explode ..and or, possibly add a red-tinted strobe.. for when enemies explode.
*Instead of just flashing red for explosion effects.. one might use IR Heat Lamps. That could be a wicked way to experience the Heat of an actual explosion (as well as already having that reddish orange colored bright light). Not sure how well those lamps hold up to frequent on/off cycles, however.
Interesting enough... since the background of the game is black... one might even be able to create a Floating 3D effect, similar to an Asteroids Deluxe cabinet. Where the main monitor image is bounced off the front face of a half silvered mirror... And behind it, you would place a monitor that had generic planets, and replicated game asteroids, and stars.. that are programmed to move (animate) as you moved the joystick. This would create a real 3D depth of field effect, and could be quite visually amazing.
They would have to be reduced in brightness and detail (blurred), to help prevent confusion between the different depths, and the gameplay layer.
*** A true Stereoscopic 3D version would be another awesome thing. Same lightning fast 2d gameplay... but floating asteroids on different planes of depth, stars, comets, and explosion effects.. from particles, to pieces of enemy craft pieces... flying out, and into, the screen.
*** I had started to design (on paper) an Updated version of the game. One of the ideas, were that the enemies would actually become part of the main sinistar structure. Any programmers out there, want to make an updated version?
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PERFECT ROMS - MOD
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BYOAC member 10yard looked over the source code to Sinistar... and said that he "MIGHT" be able to figure out how to restore the "Perfect" balanced version of the game (before the company forced them to make the difficulty to an Unfair / Unbalanced state)
He managed to notice that the first stage level is almost identical to the current rom. However, I did mention to him, that the real changes ramp up dramatically on the 2nd level. The first level is always going to be the easiest, because its meant to introduce the game to the player. Its the ramp up on the next stages, that makes all the difference in the world.
Maybe he could be persuaded with some donations, to look further into this.
Its a real shame, that the game is basically Impossible to play for more than a few levels deep.
Even with all of the Tips I provide here... i think most of the best players cant get past the 4th level.
I think with all of my hours of cheat play... I got enough experience to make it to level 5 Once, and by that time:
1) You will be totally out of all extra Sinibomb reserves
2) You literally cant mine fast enough
3) The asteroids are too far apart... making it take even longer to mine
4) Asteroids give even less Crystals... and even more asteroids give little to none at all.
5) The enemies move and shoot, at speed and numbers, that are virtually impossible to mine and deal with.
6) Sinistar is built in the shortest amount of time. Its not even Realistically possible.
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