BYOAC High Score Comp #1-40 all time champs - Got a throw down score?

[Epyx]

Original High Score List

COMPETITION #	GAME	HIGH SCORE	ORIGINAL CHAMP	HIGH SCORE DATE
#1	Shinobi	479,110	Destructor	22-Aug-08
#2	Jungle Hunt	27,150	CrazyKongFan	06-Sep-08
#3	Zoo Keeper	584,480	DeLuSioNal29	27-Aug-08
#4	Q*Bert	500,785	Quarterstringer	09-Oct-08
#5	Robotron 2084	6,073,500	+_+	23-Oct-08
#6	Joust	226,300	Shoegazer	11-Nov-08
#7	Elevator Action	85,150	Zebidee	24-Nov-08
#8	Mr Do	275,750	DeLuSioNal29	09-Dec-08
#9	Hyper Sports	291,200	Drawfull	18-Dec-08
#10	Wonder Boy	1,924,090	DrFrag	13-Jan-09
#11	Bubble Bobble	2,850,410	Mrclean	29-Jan-09
#12	Gunsmoke	334,100	Isucamper	17-Feb-09
#13	Ghouls 'n Ghosts	50,100	Ginsu Victim	26-Feb-09
#14	Ms Pac (Speed Hack)	342,080	CrazyKongFan	19-Mar-09
#15	Frogger	42,740	CrazyKongFan	26-Mar-09
#16	Grobda	64,410	Mimic	19-Apr-09
#17	Bank Panic	626,150	Ahofle	02-May-09
#18	Juno First	484,130	RayB	11-May-09
#19	Rolling Thunder	264,740	DrFrag	01-Jun-09
#20	Terra Cresta	210,100	Isucamper	12-Jun-09
#21	Gladiator	283,300	Jasonbar	18-Jun-09
#22	Alcon (Slap Fight)	392,310	DrFrag	13-Jul-09
#23	Galaga	1,346,630	Quarterstringer	22-Jul-09
#24	Defender	186,975	Quarterstringer	10-Aug-09
#25	Klax	1,567,265	CrazyKongFan	20-Aug-09
#26	Funny Mouse	88,800	Quarterstringer	02-Sep-09
#27	Rampart	25,515	Isucamper	23-Sep-09
#28	Satan's Hollow	209,280	jasonbarr	09-Oct-09
#29	The Speed Rumbler	209,280	Epyx	17-Oct-09
#30	Black Dragon	828,900	Epyx	07-Nov-09
#31	Twin Cobra	909,250	ArcadeNerd	20-Nov-09
#32	Tetris	177,878	DrFrag	02-Dec-09
#33	Gyruss	346,400	Hurray Banana	13-Dec-09
#34	Mappy	66,490	Jasonbar	1-Jan-10
#35	Bump 'n' Jump	359,092	Comtek	17-Jan-10
#36	Popeye	138,810	CrazyKongFan	24-Jan-10
#37	Pengo	104,570	CrazyKongFan	18-Feb-10
#38	Bomb Jack	664,160	bpark42	03-Mar-10
#39	Smash T.V.	7,126,450	jasonbar	14-Mar-10
#40	Rygar.	1,436,830	Cakemeister	04-Apr-10

TOP 3 TITLE HOLDERS

#1  with 6 scoring titles -> CrazyKongFan
#2  with 4 scoring titles -> Quarterstringer/DrFrag/Jasonbar
#3  two way tie with 3 scoring titles -> Isucamper


Updated and Current High Score Champs

COMPETITION #	GAME	HIGH SCORE	CURRENT CHAMP	HIGH SCORE DATE
#1	Shinobi	479,110	Destructor	22-Aug-08
#2	Jungle Hunt	27,150	CrazyKongFan	06-Sep-08
#3	Zoo Keeper	881,330	isucamper	08-Aug-10
#4	Q*Bert	889,655	HanoiBoi	02-Mar-10
#5	Robotron 2084	9,998,550	(+_+)	15-Dec-09
#6	Joust	261,150	HanoiBoi	12-Apr-10
#7	Elevator Action	85,150	Zebidee	24-Nov-08
#8	Mr Do	275,750	DeLuSioNal29	09-Dec-08
#9	Hyper Sports	291,200	Drawfull	18-Dec-08
#10	Wonder Boy	1,924,090	DrFrag	13-Jan-09
#11	Bubble Bobble	2,964.960	numbnutz48	23-Dec-09
#12	Gunsmoke	334,100	Isucamper	17-Feb-09
#13	Ghouls 'n Ghosts	50,100	Ginsu Victim	26-Feb-09
#14	Ms Pac (Speed Hack)	342,080	CrazyKongFan	19-Mar-09
#15	Frogger	42,740	CrazyKongFan	26-Mar-09
#16	Grobda	64,410	Mimic	19-Apr-09
#17	Bank Panic	626,150	Ahofle	02-May-09
#18	Juno First	484,130	RayB	11-May-09
#19	Rolling Thunder	264,740	DrFrag	01-Jun-09
#20	Terra Cresta	256,600	DrFrag	21-Dec-09
#21	Gladiator	283,300	Jasonbar	18-Jun-09
#22	Alcon (Slap Fight)	392,310	DrFrag	13-Jul-09
#23	Galaga	1,346,630	Quarterstringer	22-Jul-09
#24	Defender	186,975	Quarterstringer	10-Aug-09
#25	Klax	1,567,265	CrazyKongFan	20-Aug-09
#26	Funny Mouse	88,800	Quarterstringer	02-Sep-09
#27	Rampart	25,515	Isucamper	23-Sep-09
#28	Satan's Hollow	209,280	jasonbarr	09-Oct-09
#29	The Speed Rumbler	209,280	Epyx	17-Oct-09
#30	Black Dragon	2,201,800	DrFrag	21-Dec-09
#31	Twin Cobra	909,250	ArcadeNerd	20-Nov-09
#32	Tetris	238,388	quarterstringer	24-Dec-09
#33	Gyruss	346,400	Hurray Banana	13-Dec-09
#34	Mappy	66,490	Jasonbar	1-Jan-10
#35	Bump 'n' Jump	359,092	Comtek	17-Jan-10
#36	Popeye	138,810	CrazyKongFan	24-Jan-10
#37	Pengo	104,570	CrazyKongFan	18-Feb-10
#38	Bomb Jack	664,160	bpark42	03-Mar-10
#39	Smash T.V.	7,126,450	jasonbar	14-Mar-10
#40	Rygar.	1,436,830	Cakemeister	04-Apr-10

Think you can dethrone one of the past competition champs? Throw down your glove and post your results.

RULES

Original Thread rules/games settings apply. Must post SS/.inp file. Click on links above for individual rules/settings

[Ginsu Victim]

Take the time to link those to their original threads. It's pretty easy.

[Epyx]

I am

[Ginsu Victim]

Ahhhh, a WIP post.

[Epyx]

Does anyone have Fronty's Elevator Action high score? I have put this up for grabs as I noticed all his posts in the HS Elevator action thread were deleted?

[GaryMcT]

I wish there were some way that I had any chance of getting a high score on any of these.   I'll enjoy watching though.

I'm working on my Robotron skills, but there is no freakin' way I'm ever going to get anything near that score!

[saint]

Does anyone have Fronty's Elevator Action high score? I have put this up for grabs as I noticed all his posts in the HS Elevator action thread were deleted?

Might be able to pull them from archive.org. What is the URL of the thread?

[Epyx]

Thanks Saint...it's http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=86740.0

[saint]

Thanks Saint...it's http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=86740.0

No luck.

[Epyx]

Np. I went with Zebidee as he has the 2nd highest "official" score..its a starting point

[GaryMcT]

Maybe google has the data?

[Epyx]

Updated #25 and adding top title holder categories...thinking this makes it #1 for CrazyKongFan...

[Ummon]

I've gone for some of these and have since topped that zoo keeper score.


New Zoo Keeper score - I gotcha DeL!

[Epyx]

Grats! 

New Zookeeper High Score Champ! 

#3	Zoo Keeper	584,480	DeLuSioNal29	02-Oct-08
#3	Zoo Keeper	702,380	Ummon	29-Dec-08

[MaximRecoil]

All those games clearly suck because I'm not good at any of them.

[DeLuSioNal29]

Ah!  A challenge!  I've gotten a lot better since then.

 

I've gone for some of these and have since topped that zoo keeper score.


New Zoo Keeper score - I gotcha DeL!

[Ummon]

All those games clearly suck because I'm not good at any of them.

Alas. Such truth.

Ah!  A challenge!  I've gotten a lot better since then.

 

Dude, I thought you fergot. I wouldn't be surprised if you beat it, given how you've studied the game. I don't think I've gotten past 550k since then, and I only play it occasionally, anyway.

[Ummon]

Grats! 

New Zookeeper High Score Champ! 

#3	Zoo Keeper	584,480	DeLuSioNal29	02-Oct-08
#3	Zoo Keeper	702,380	Ummon	29-Dec-08

Ahem...not to pester, but are you gonna alter the main list, too?

[Ginsu Victim]

You mean the original scores list?

[Epyx]

The original score list is a set in stone list of the original champs...the list below that is a list of the usurpers (such as yourself)...it will rotate and change but the original winners will always be the original winners...

I have updated the title of the second list to reflect this. Does that make sense?

[Ginsu Victim]

I thought it made plenty of sense to begin with. I was trying to figure out what Ummon meant, because the first list was obviously not going to change.

[Hoopz]

I was trying to figure out what Ummon meant

First mistake.

[isucamper]

Epyx.  Thanks for compiling everything up all nice.

I was also a bit confused at first like Ummon because the first list is listing the "current champ" which is misleading since the champ can't change. 

[Epyx]

I was also a bit confused at first like Ummon because the first list is listing the "current champ" which is misleading since the champ can't change.

Ah good point and ya that is misleading...I have re-labeled it "ORIGINAL CHAMP" and in the 2nd list it is entitled "CURRENT CHAMP"...that should clarify things. Thanks for catching that 

[Ginsu Victim]

Still, it says "Original High Score List", so it was obvious. "Original Champ" is better, though. I'd not even noticed the "Current Champ" heading.

[Epyx]

Damn those Marps guys

4 scoring title tie for both Quarterstringer and CrazyKongFan, grats guys. All that and with games they aren't  pros at lol.../sigh

[isucamper]

About the Marps.  I've been playing a bit of Shinobi to see if I could compete with the high score (since I love that game and didn't have my cab together back then to compete).  Reading back over that thread, the high score was around a modest 100K before Destructor (who's high score on Marps is over 700K)  came in and squashed everybody with his 400K+ "just for fun" score.  Not that I think we should alter the record books, but I think that one deserves an asterix if only because he says earlier in the thread that he won't compete. 

There's no way to regulate this, but I really like the tone of these competitions in that everyone is more or less playing these games from scratch.  It's a different skill that gets tested when everyone is racing to learn the game as opposed to having someone who already knows it forwards and backwards coming in and effortlessly taking the competition.

I guess my point is, if your a pro at a certain game, it's nice if you don't crush us .  At least for the 2 week competitions.  The longer term scores should maybe be open to everyone?

[Epyx]

I also like the scramble from baseline when a bunch of people start at the same level.  And MARPs players playing a game they haven't played before is fine too...it was fun trying in vain to catch Quarterstringer in Funny Mouse and it drove me to liking the game and I had never heard of it before the competition.

Hopefully the MARPs guys will just continue to use their discretion (which I think they have for the most part).  What's the fun in nuclear striking your competition into the stone age...then again on the long term score list it does set a "you better be good if you think you are usurping this spot".

[CrazyKongFan]

I do have a couple of scores at MARP (all from the Macho/Funny/Super Mouse series, which I didn't participate in anyway ) I consider myself an average to slightly above average gamer...better than some, but no way world record class (even though I have a few, they're not that high on the titles. The arcade versions of the scores are alot higher) As to the ones I've won, my high on Klax was only in the 800K range before the competition (got better thanks to tips from quarterstringer and some luck), Jungle Hunt, that score isn't impressive at all, and sucks compared to people who can REALLY play it, and Ms Pac turbo, that's more of a just playing conservatively to stay away from the ghosts Some of the other scores I can't touch (Q*bert, Robotron, Wonderboy, Ghouls N Ghosts, Galaga, Bank Panic, Defender). I guess some of us are good at some games, and suck at others, and vice versa. Don't know about the players, but that's my view anyway.

[Ummon]

I wasn't confused about anything, though due to the complexity of the posting, I did have to look closely to make sure which list was the one needing amendment, if it did, and it did. (Man, that score is intense. Been actually playing the game a bit lately, and not gotten over four hundred grand.)

All this talk of high scoring brings to mind one of my other ideas that got passed over initially: a general BYOAC high score board.

[Ummon]

All this talk of high scoring brings to mind one of my other ideas that got passed over initially: a general BYOAC high score board.

As in.....??

[Ginsu Victim]

What the hell just happened?

[Epyx]

Hehe not sure...Ummon did you ask a question regarding your own statement? Im confused...

[Ummon]

What happened when?


And: I proposed something. No one said anything, so I re-capped it followed by question marks.

[RobotronNut]

here's my current robotron high score, set a couple of months ago:

score: 8,841,525
date: 7/28/2009
level: 255 plus 74
rom: robotron.zip
mame version: 0.121

inp file is attached.

[Epyx]

Updated, grats!

[Epyx]

Updated.

[Ummon]

---goshdarn---, comps've been goin for over a year now. Seems like it's only been maybe six or eight months.

[Epyx]

Ya, time friggin flies.

[RobotronNut]

i've finally turned over the score on robotron! somehow, i'd gotten the mistaken idea that this happens at 100M, but i've now learned by experience that it happens at 10M.

first time i did this, i was surprised by the score turning over to zero, and i wasn't recording an .INP file, so there was no way to document the momentous occasion.    after playing a few more levels, i decided to kill off my remaining lives, to see how many there were, and i counted 37!

a few days later, i managed both to record an inp file and to kill off my remaining lives (17) just before the score reset to zero, so i could record a high score of just under 10M.

screen shot of the high score (9,977,700) is attached, as well as zipped .INP file (for any die-hards who may want to watch the 2.5 hour game).

[CrazyKongFan]

Congrats! What version of MAME did you use?

[RobotronNut]

Congrats! What version of MAME did you use?

thanks.
mame 0.121.

[Epyx]

Updated and Grats!  

Will update the rest tonight.

[(+_+)]

RobotronNut,

I see your 9,977,700 and raise you.

There's a small catch though. This was performed on Level 10 difficulty. Have fun.

I wish I could provide an inp. I've tried using MNGer, Fraps, inp and can't get it to work. It either just doesn't work period or it jerks and twitches at 5 frames per second.
It doesn't matter though. I just wanted to reach out to another fellow RoboNut.

[RobotronNut]

I see your 9,977,700 and raise you.

ouch! looks like i only get 15 mins of fame...  
i'll have to see how close i can get to 10M without going over...  

i'd love to see your inp file. when we were kids, we learned a lot by looking over people's shoulders in arcades. nowadays, with the near-extinction of arcades, i guess sharing .INP files is the next best thing.

you should be able to capture a .INP by doing this:
    mame -skip_gameinfo -record robotron.inp robotron

and then play it back thru mame by doing this:
    mame -skip_gameinfo -playback robotron.inp robotron

have you tried that? if you can get that much to work, then post your .INP, and we all should be able to play it.

[(+_+)]

Try to do on difficulty 10 though and not the default difficulty 5. Believe me when I say, it'll be a night and day experience. One bad tank wave and you could be decimated. It's what separates the men from the boys.

Difficulty: 10
3 men to start
25,000 per free Elton (cause he looks like Elton John with those glasses)

Note: You need to hit F2 quite a few times to get to the right config screen to change the difficulty level.

I sometimes get creamed and don't even score a million. When I'm having a great game, it is still a constant struggle to get 10,000,000 because if you start to slack off, your bound to die off quick. The game is very fast and unforgiving. I'm actually quite exhausted after a rollover game at this setting. Level 5 is like a stroll in the park and not even a contest for experienced players such as yourself. You're score tells me so.

Give it a try and let me know how the new experience goes.

Thanks for the inp info. I can't remember if I used record when I tried. I believe I used some avi switch and the files would have been huge after playing for a couple of hours. How come your inp file is so small?

I'll give it another try tonight.

[CrazyKongFan]

There's 2 (well, at least 2) ways to record your MAME game. One is to make a movie, which is just like an AVI (I think 106 does an MNG) so it's HUGE. The other is to just record the input. Basically it records every keystroke you make as you play, then when you play it back, it just grabs the keystrokes from the INP file to recreate the game. That's why they're so much smaller. That's also what you use to submit MAME performances to TG.

[RobotronNut]

Try to do on difficulty 10 though and not the default difficulty 5. Believe me when I say, it'll be a night and day experience. One bad tank wave and you could be decimated. It's what separates the men from the boys.

i set difficulty to 10 and played for several hours last night (i held down F1 and tapped F2 twice to get to the setup screen, then used the joysticks to navigate and select).

it was absolutely brutal! mostly died during tank waves, like level 17 or 22. farthest i got was level 37, score 919K, couldn't break a million. it was really more frustrating than enjoyable. i think i may try something like incrementing the difficulty by 1 every time i roll the score over (or maybe just be happy at default settings for a while).

Thanks for the inp info. I can't remember if I used record when I tried. I believe I used some avi switch and the files would have been huge after playing for a couple of hours. How come your inp file is so small?

the .INP file just captures your joystick movements. since the emulator is deterministic, if it captures the exact time with each joystick movement, it can "replay" the game using just that info, which is tiny compared to capturing video.

to guarantee reproducibility i also save copies of:
    cfg/robotron.cfg
    nvram/robotron.nv
this will be mandatory for you to share with others, since your config is not the default.

this is just for playback within mame. making a stand-alone video is more involved. i have successfully done that, and have attached my (very rough) notes to this post. i'm sure there are better ways to do it.

[(+_+)]

Fortunately for me (in a sick and demented way), our local arcade owner was evil. He actual once powered off the arcade and uped the difficulty to 10, 50,000 per free man because I pissed him off for doing to well. Now that was brutal. Deep down inside I know he liked me, because he loved the game too. May he R.I.P.

I still haven't tried the inp setup yet, but will.

Capturing keystrokes makes sense, but I don't see how based on your movements the game would know how to play out since each screen starts out pretty randomly. I'll try to post one soon.

Thanks for you help
Marc

[RobotronNut]

Capturing keystrokes makes sense, but I don't see how based on your movements the game would know how to play out since each screen starts out pretty randomly. I'll try to post one soon.

the screens appear random, but they are only pseudo-random, generated by a reproducible algorithm, probably seeded by the the time in between user actions.

no hurry on posting an inp.

[(+_+)]

So the inp worked like a charm, except...

I had one game that went up to just over a million and I was doing amazing until the screen lucky charmed on me. I'm assuming the shot in the corner bug where the screen goes color snowy starting from left to right.

I then proceeded to check the inp hoping the inp was intact and to my surprise it was... or was it. It played out perfectly to about 500 K and then my man started to wonder around like a complete idiot. It looked as though he was commiting suicide.

I said ok, that was very weird. So I tried again, experienced a few miserable games and then stumbled into a game where I started to do well and reached 1.6 million and  it blanked out again. Once more my inp didn't play correctly. I was tired and cheesed off at this point. Not to mention it was 1:00 AM. I play a few more miserable games and went to bed.

Has anybody every witnessed that with an inp file. Is it due to it not being closed off properly and it just starts to weird out? I forgot to mention on one of the games it put in G Z (I think) as initials after the inp started to bug out. I am not sure if I caused the initials since I did move the joysticks around when it bugged out. I'm looking forward to trying it again tonight. I should have backed up the buggy inp for posterity, but I did save a screenshot of one of the freezes.

But all in all, I'm impressed with the inp's small size vs other methods such as MNGer and using the AVI option.

I'll try to get a game some time over the next few days and when I reach about 2 million, I'll kill off my men quickly and exit the game to avoid it from blanking out. It has me paranoid and is affecting my gameplay. Once I hit escape to exit. That is equivalent to capping off the inp file correctly, right?

Thanks

[RobotronNut]

i'm very familiar with the crashes you're describing. they happen occasionally when there's an "enforcer" touching the right edge of the screen and you kill him by shooting diagonally down/right. if you avoid that situation, you avoid ALMOST all the crashes in robotron, although i have (very rarely) seen robotron crash when i wasn't doing that. this happens most often when you have an enforcer sitting in the lower right corner. when that happens, just shoot him with a downward shot or a right-ward shot, and you won't cause the crash.

there's some info about the bug here: http://maws.mameworld.info/maws/romset/robotron, but it is not 100% correct: (1) it says the enforcer has to be in the lower right corner, but i've observed that it can happen with an enforcer anywhere along the right edge, and (2) it says that the blue label rom (the one named "robotron") fixes the bug, but i can assure you it doesn't.

i don't think a crash should mess up an .INP file, but i've never tried to play one back.

hitting Escape to end a game is all you need to do to finish recording the .INP file.
don't forget to make a copy of any .INP file you want to save, or it will be overwritten the next time you capture an .INP file.

[(+_+)]

You're absolutely right. I was killing an enforcer in the bottom right corner.

I made a mistake earlier about the second crash. The second crash was not a snow screen but an abstract color freeze, where all the guys on the screen froze in place and the colors went weird. That's the one I have the screenshot of and believe was the 1.6 million game.

I'll definitely save the next inp that does anything strange. I'll also check the recycle bin. It may still be there.

This is going to be great. I'll move onto joust next and then qbert. Those scores are going down. 

[(+_+)]

Hey RobotronNut,

I've got the inps. I included robotron.inp which is just over 2 million and the 1.6 million version from last night.
On the 2 million version, I ended up with 21 men in reserve but started to worry the thing would flake out on me again
so I nuked the game.

I'd love to see one of you inps on difficulty 10. Keep on plugging, it'll start to slow down and level out once you get used to the speed.

 

[ahofle]

You are supposed to delete nvram and hi score files (if your version of mame supports them) before you start recording and also before you playback the inp.  That is the best way to make sure the game behaves exactly the same for the playback.  As mentioned, 'randomness' really doesn't exist in computing and is based on 'seeds' (numbers) -- arcade games used things like the hi-score table to seed the randomness, so if you try to playback an inp with a different hiscore table (for example), the enemies may appear in totally different places and you will look like you are 'wandering around like an idiot' when you playback hehe.
You also should use the same exact version of MAME for recording and playback (ie you can't record in MAME 0.35 and expect it to playback in MAME v.035.

[RobotronNut]

You are supposed to delete nvram and hi score files (if your version of mame supports them) before you start recording and also before you playback the inp.  That is the best way to make sure the game behaves exactly the same for the playback.  As mentioned, 'randomness' really doesn't exist in computing and is based on 'seeds' (numbers) -- arcade games used things like the hi-score table to seed the randomness, so if you try to playback an inp with a different hiscore table (for example), the enemies may appear in totally different places and you will look like you are 'wandering around like an idiot' when you playback hehe.
You also should use the same exact version of MAME for recording and playback (ie you can't record in MAME 0.35 and expect it to playback in MAME v.035.

ahofle - i've been assuming that if you have the following 5 pieces, you can reproduce the game:
        mame version
        name of rom (e.g. "robotron")
        robotron.inp
        robotron.cfg
        robotron.nv
does that sound correct? i know that is sufficient for me to reproduce games on my machine, but i'm not sure it's sufficient for someone else to reproduce my games on their system.

(+_+) - i tried your .inp and got the "wandering around" effect. there was obviously something out of sync. are you using mame 0.133?  you can just always delete your .nv file, as ahofle suggested, or you can do what i do:

in your mame directory, make a folder named SavedConfig.
copy nvram\robotron.nv SavedConfig\robotron.nv
copy cfg\robotron.cfg SavedConfig\robotron.cfg

make a file named robotron_capture.bat:
    copy SavedConfig\robotron.nv nvram\robotron.nv
    copy SavedConfig\robotron.cfg cfg\robotron.cfg
    mame -skip_gameinfo -record robotron.inp robotron

make a file named robotron_playback.bat:
    copy SavedConfig\robotron.nv nvram\robotron.nv
    copy SavedConfig\robotron.cfg cfg\robotron.cfg
    mame -skip_gameinfo -playback robotron.inp robotron

now to play a game and capture an inp file: just double-click robotron_capture.bat.
when sharing an inp file, include also the 2 files from SavedConfig.
to playback the current inp file,  just double-click robotron_playback.bat.

[(+_+)]

RobotronNut,

I noticed that there was no mention of delete as per ahofle's input.

I have attached the .nv and .cfg files.

Mame Version - 0.133
Rom Name - Robotron

I hope that does the trick.

Thanks you guys for your help!

[(+_+)]

I have been toying around with the batch file idea based on the marp version below and what you guys said previously and what I've noticed is if you move these files, you will constantly be having to tweak your controls and difficulty settings before you play every time. I'd like to come up with a bat file that archives and time stamps your games, but I need to have a better understanding first so I can do it right.

The question I have is if you were to zip up your game inp, cfg, nv and hi (if applicable) files and pass those along to the person who wants to view them and they replace their versions accordingly, would that work also? I'm new to the recording business, so I may be missing the boat completely but I'd really like to have an understanding of the ins and outs.

Thanks.

rem usage: record <gamename> [ other MAME options ]

move hi\%1.hi hi\%1.tmp
move cfg\%1.cfg cfg\%1.tmp
move nvram\%1.nv nvram\%1.tmp
mame %1 -record %1 %2 %3 %4 %5 %6
move hi\%1.tmp hi\%1.hi
move cfg\%1.tmp cfg\%1.cfg
move nvram\%1.tmp nvram\%1.nv

[ahofle]

I think it works if you pass the original pre-recording hi and nvram along, but it's just easier to delete them before you start recording just to take them out of the equation (basically it's like a fresh boot up of the game).  If you zip up the nvram AFTER your recording, it is already modified and the recording will be useless (you need the pre-recording nvram).  I don't think the cfg file should affect anything as it's just MAME input related.

[RobotronNut]

I think it works if you pass the original pre-recording hi and nvram along . . .

that's what the bat files i posted above do. every time you record or play back, you start from the exact same saved cfg and nv files. perhaps the cfg is not necessary, as you suggest. the advantage of this over just removing the files is that changes you've made (like setting the difficulty in robotron) are preserved, so you don't have to re-make them every time you capture an inp.

i'm not familiar with the hi directory or .hi files. i don't seem to have them in any of the versions of mame i have installed (0.103, 0.121, 0.133). i assume they're for the "high score hack", which i suppose you have to explicitly enable, which i haven't. my understanding is that the high score hack peeks into memory and scrapes out high score info, which it saves in files. does it also copy that info back into memory from the files? if not, then it could be safely ignored.

[(+_+)]

It appears that all you need is the robotron.nv and robotron.inp file that I have attached earlier as well as mame 0.133 and robotron.zip.
Perhaps this may not be the case if you do have a hi directory, but I don't have one and I was able to playback on my other machine.

Plop the .nv file in your nvram directory, the .inp in your .inp directory and run the
playback command.

Can one you guys try it out and let me know.

Thanks
Marc

[(+_+)]

Hi guys,

Here's a joust high score just over 1,000,000.

[RobotronNut]

It appears that all you need is the robotron.nv and robotron.inp file that I have attached earlier as well as mame 0.133 and robotron.zip.

i tried this, and i was able to watch your game.

unfortunately, i didn't notice anything very different between our games, in terms of strategy. i think you and i play similarly, except that your reactions are faster than mine. your game at diff 10 looks a lot like my game at default diff (attached several posts above). at diff 10, things are moving so fast that i often get killed by missiles that i normally avoid or shoot. i also walk into mines and enemies more often, because my attention is engaged somewhere else on the screen.

the one difference i did note was that you always shoot in one direction at a time, while i sometimes sweep the joystick rapidly back and forth thru an arc, to spread shots alternately in 2 (or even 3) directions. i've experimented with this in the past, and i tried again last night, at diff 3 and at diff 10, and my scores are always lower when i play without the sweeping movements.

i'm attaching my best game at diff 10, score 992K. it's not a pretty sight.

[(+_+)]

I'm trying to view yours but it seems to be stuck on the factory settings restored screen. Your file is quite large. I'm wondering if you left it on that default message for a while.

As for difficulty settings, it is definitely on 10. You can always tell based on the number of stars that the enforcers shoot. Tanks also blast balls at lightning speed. There is a part in the recording that shows me get one blasted into my face. No hope there. Factory settings are so slow it's crazy. Tank waves which are my nemesis on level 10 are usually completed on one man.

I do tend to shoot in the direction I'm moving to open holes, but I'm constantly picking off things at other angles. If you notice, I also try to get rid of the grunts since those are the ones that come back to haunt you later when they get too fast. I'm also a big fan of strategic short pauses to let things zing by my head and to sort of fish them in. Sudden change of direction in mid play also buys you a moment since they've already used their bullet quota into empty space.

I hope I can get yours to work. It's been a dogs age since I've actually watched someone else play while my quarters were lined up ready to go.

[(+_+)]

Very well done RobotronNut !!

I got it to work. I think I may not have overlaid the .nv file properly.

You're right! We do play similarly. You're going to be well on you're way to 10,000,000 soon enough if you keep practicing. The only downside is if you keep plugging away at diff 10, you'll never enjoy factory settings anymore.

The only thing I noticed was you crashed into things once in a while. At that difficulty, you need to save you're lives for tank waves since they can be devastating. I sometimes have games where I'm crashing into everything. Some of those times I've had a few drinks. The end result is a low scoring game.

I especially liked you fight to survive on level 24 and then once again when you were down to your last man. Never give up. You can sometimes fight your way back to "in memory". That is when you have seven guys lined up with extra unseen guys in memory.

I also notice on wave 25, that you didn't save mikey. Was it unintentional?

Anyways overall, I really enjoyed watching you play.

I'll talk to you later
(+_+)

[Epyx]

You guys both kick arse...nuff said

[DrFrag]

Another cool thread I have somehow missed.    I especially like that there's a list of original competition high scores.

I'm totally going to go for Shinobi, Terra Cresta, and Black Dragon.    Possibly Bubble Bobble too, although I remember the epic battle with Mrclean only to come second and I'm not sure I have it in me to try again. 

Are we allowed to post scores for games we picked?  I'm pretty sure I can beat the top score for Terra Cresta.

Also Epyx, is there any chance of getting the last 5 or 6 games added to the list?

[Shoegazer]

Delurking since my Joust "win" (though I do recall a certain someone besting the rest of us by so many orders of magnitude they were disqualified).  ;-)

Great thread.  I've always just used snapshots to record my high scores exclusively since:
1) High score saving is no longer supported in official MAME (and high scores can get lost between releases)
2) State saving is worthless for high score purposes because again, states almost always get lost between releases
3) .avi movies are too cumbersome - you need to remember to start recording every time you put a quarter in, and stop when the game's over for another replay (would be great if someone knew of a way to trigger this to occur - don't think you can bind "record start/stop" to the coin key)
4) .inp saves are too cumbersome for the same reason, PLUS the fact that you need the original version of MAME to replay

On that last one, what would be really nice is if the .inp feature not only recorded the game, but created a new, self-executing file that included the MAME binary used to record the inp, as well as the inp, cfg and nvram files.  Launch the file and it does nothing more than playback that game.  Optionally (obviously controvertially) the game ROM could be included in the package for further portability.  This would prevent against the file not working with newer updates to the ROM.

[(+_+)]

That is a great idea Shoegazer. I too find inps way to cool, but at the same time a slight pain in the neck.

We you referring to me  . You won the comp hands down. These are just after the fact throw downs.

Q*Bert's next completing the 3 in a row "menage a trois".

[RobotronNut]

You're going to be well on you're way to 10,000,000 soon enough if you keep practicing.

you have to realize that the game i posted was my highest score over at least 8 hrs of playing at diff 10 over a couple of days. for now, i'm just going to ratchet up the diff slowly, rather than go straight for level 10.

The only thing I noticed was you crashed into things once in a while . . .

heh, heh - trust me, it's not on purpose. it's kind of a "fog of war" thing - paying attention to something elsewhere on the screen and running into something close. it's even worse with mines, which are stationary - like the T-rex in jurassic park, i often just miss them because they're not moving. these problems are magnified at difficulty 10.

I especially liked you fight to survive on level 24 . . .

there's nothing more gratifying than getting into a totally insane situation and then somehow surviving it. fun to watch after the fact, too. one of these years, i'm going to have to capture a bunch of hairy escapes and make a video.

I also notice on wave 25, that you didn't save mikey. Was it unintentional?

i'd read that the "mikey bug" only works on the first brain wave. supposedly, there is always one human the brains target, but wave 5 is the only wave during which you can tell who it is. i've never tested that statement, just assumed it was true.

[Shoegazer]

That is a great idea Shoegazer. I too find inps way to cool, but at the same time a slight pain in the neck.

We you referring to me  . You won the comp hands down. These are just after the fact throw downs.

Q*Bert's next completing the 3 in a row "menage a trois".

Yep, I believe it WAS you.    I consider myself good at Joust, but when I see scores like that, well, I'm in awe of people who can play like you.  I recall two guys in HS who were that good at Joust - it was almost inhuman, yet SO fun to watch them.  There was another guy on my lacrosse team who was equally good at Rygar.  By that I mean, he knew just about every secret in the game (and if you know that game, there's millions of secrets), and he could finish the game on one LIFE.  It was crazy.  Still one of my all-time favorites though - right up there with Joust and Jackal.

Anyway, I have hopes oneday that there'll be a decent solution to the high-score saving "problem" but until then, I'll just stick with screen shots..

[(+_+)]

RobotronNut, the mikey trick always works on the lady stages and there is always one mikey somewhere. I have noticed that once in a blue moon they start reprogamming your humans even though mikey is still alive. And don't forget picking him up yourself cause them to start feasting.

[Epyx]

Also Epyx, is there any chance of getting the last 5 or 6 games added to the list?

Absolutely...unfortunately work and school have kept me WAY too busy...no progress on my arcade cab or even posting as much as I usually do...in a few days I have a few days off and will add the last few comps in.  Maybe even later today but as usual...on a Sunday I find myself logged into the Terminal Server at work and doing...work

[DrFrag]

Absolutely...unfortunately work and school have kept me WAY too busy...no progress on my arcade cab or even posting as much as I usually do...

If this is any help...

#28	Satan's Hollow	209,280	jasonbar	09-Oct-09
#29	The Speed Rumbler	160,200	Epyx	17-Oct-09
#30	Black Dragon	828,900	Epyx	07-Nov-09
#31	Twin Cobra	909,250	ArcadeNerd	20-Nov-09
#32	Tetris	177,878	DrFrag	02-Dec-09
#33	Gyruss	346,400	Hurray Banana	13-Dec-09

[(+_+)]

The Q*bert score has been passed.
I couldn't add the inp file since it was too large. Still had a few guys left and snapped a screenshot.

[DrFrag]

I've found that you can squeeze a fair bit more out of an inp by zipping the zip file.

I've just beaten Terra Cresta.  256,600.  Inp file recorded with Mame32 v0.129.

[DrFrag]

I beat Black Dragon.  2,201,800 points.  Seems to be much higher scoring than Black Tiger (where my top score is 812,600).

INP recorded with Mame32 v0.129.

[Epyx]

Updated to include DrFrag's (Revenge when my new cab is complete DrFrag!) high scores and the last few comps.

Looks like DrFrag just threw down a couple of challenges...grats! 

[quarterstringer]

(+_+) Great score on Q-bert.
I was going to try and beat it, then I saw how many men you had left.

Here's my score for Tetris - 238,388

[numbnutz48]

I have no friggin idea about the .ini file thingy or whatever, but i do have 2 screenshots of my latest bubble bobble game! Personal all time best too!!

[(+_+)]

(+_+) Great score on Q-bert.
I was going to try and beat it, then I saw how many men you had left.

Here's my score for Tetris - 238,388

Believe me quarterstringer, it wasn't a cakewalk. I suffered miserably going down to one man on 2 occasions and thought you'd remain the local champ. I only started to warm up at the end. It used to be so much easier when I was a kid.

[Epyx]

Updated

[HanoiBoi]

I had a mini-marathon with Q*Bert. 

I built up a good amount of extra lives (got one at 8k and every 14k).  From what I could tell, you don't see the extra Q*berts after you've accumulated 9 (on screen) but as soon as you die, you gain another, as if it was in a queue?  The 9 on screen started dwindling shortly after passing 700,000.  I thought I was done for sure....then I started wondering if I could reach 1 million....  Well, that didn't happen. 

I took a screen shot in progress, around 500k, and again at the end.  After about two and a half hours, I ended up with 889655.

I was playing with a Mag Stik Plus, configured for the diagonals with no issues. Except the joystick stared feeling loose (like underneath).

As mentioned, I've got screen shots but I don't know how to record video.  Nor do I know how to play back others' vids.  Any help?

-HanoiBoi

[Epyx]

Screenshot is sufficient. I will update this as time permits!

[Ginsu Victim]

Congrats!

I was just checking Twin Galaxies and they record the score after the fifth death. I wonder where you were at that point.

[HanoiBoi]

Thanks Ginsu.    I don't know when my 5th death was.  Next time, I'll see if I can count. 

I've been on Twin Galaxies site before, but saw many instances for the same games.  Some as tournament, some as marathons.  MAME versus not MAME...I can't make heads or tails of it to determine which list/rules to look at.

(Any thoughts on how to capture a vid?)

[Ginsu Victim]

Twin Galaxies' Recording FAQ
http://www.twingalaxies.com/index.aspx?c=70

[CrazyKongFan]

There's 2 tracks for MAME Q*Bert, Marathon and Tournament. Tournament is the 5 lives only track. Marathon is until you drop dead It's easy to figure out which one to look at...if you're playing MAME, select platform MAME when doing the search, otherwise choose arcade. Some games you don't really need to worry about it, as there might only be a couple versions, but a popular game, like Pac-Man, if you don't choose a platform, you'll get a ton of different ones. That's why it's just easier to search on whatever platform you're looking for.

[HanoiBoi]

Thanks for the explanation CrazyKong.  I did not know what they meant by 'Marathon'.  I figured it was a score recorded at some annual gathering or something.

As I mentioned, looking at Twin Galaxies site often confuses me, and mayeb this is good example of why...

Right now I'm looking at Asteroids/MAME([Asteroids Rev 2]) http://www.twingalaxies.com/index.aspx?c=22&pi=46&gi=4293&vi=12447.

If I'm reading it correctly the 10th place score is a mere 9,640.  Even 7th thru 10th haven't reached 100,000. 

Either I'm misinterpreting the site or people just aren't submitting scores. 

[CrazyKongFan]

Some have lots of scores (look at Donkey Kong for MAME), and some only have a few. Also remember, the arcade scores have been tracked since the early 80's. Some of the MAME scores are recent (although Asteroids has probably been tracked since they started tracking MAME scores). Alot of arcade games get a ton of scores from events like the Funspot tourney. Usually everyone who participates in the tournament has their scores entered in TG's database (although it's not actually a TG event, they're usually there with a few refs)

[Ginsu Victim]

Thanks for the explanation CrazyKong.  I did not know what they meant by 'Marathon'.

Yeah, seconded. I didn't understand either.

[Epyx]

Thanks for the explanation CrazyKong.  I did not know what they meant by 'Marathon'.

+3

[HanoiBoi]

Screenshot is sufficient. I will update this as time permits!

Epyx, any chance on popping my Q*Bert score up there?

[Epyx]

You bet...I will catch up on all the others as well and get the list updated on my lunch break.

EDIT: Updated April 8, 2010

[HanoiBoi]

Thanks for the update Epyx. 

Now, I was looking to take on Joust, but I'm a bit confused....the high score appears to be 226k by Shoegazer, but when I look through the Joust thread, it looks like (+_+) got over 1 million.

So, what's the 'score to beat' for Joust?

[Epyx]

Shoegazer was listed in all the competitions since then as the #1 with no corrects ever put forth so that is what I went by (just looked for the highest Shoegazer score based on the comps all showing him as #1 since the Joust competition.

Sure enough it shows +_+ with a higher score but then you will notice that Shoegazer starts off comp #7 and he is listed from then on as the high score champ for Joust...

My guess (unless they say otherwise) is that +_+ disqualified himself as a MARPs competitor or just played it for fun.

[HanoiBoi]

Okay!  I just got myself 261,150.  Funny, because when I was approaching the end, I was thinking the score to beat was 266k and thought I fell short.  Then I saw your update!

I used to be pretty good at this game.  I remember playing once, playing one game for 6 hours.  I know this because I rode my bike to the arcade so that I was there when they opened at 11am and had to leave at 5p to be home for dinner...lol.  At one point, I had all top 40 scores on the machine...and it was a very popular arcade.  Since it only allowed for 5 entries of the same initials, I had stuff like TJB, TB_, _TB, T_B, TJ_, _TJ, T_J, etc.

Ever since MAME though, I really didn't have interest in playing.  Too slow at first, then too fast.  Now, I'm finding the love again.   

F12 isn't as easily accessible right now so I went with the camera...

[Epyx]

Updated. 

[extendedplayarcade]

I know it isn't on the list but I been working my way up the karate champ score.

It isn't a great score but not horrible either.



I just recently been taking screen shots of it but when I eventually get better and over the 100,000 mark consistantly I will start video taping it.

[Ginsu Victim]

Looks like he kicked you in the stones for the cheap win. What a jerk.

[extendedplayarcade]

Looks like he kicked you in the stones for the cheap win. What a jerk.

That is exactly where he put his foot.  Right in the family jewels.

[extendedplayarcade]

I was thumbing though this thread and saw this link.

I have a few WR's:
 
http://www.twingalaxies.com/index.aspx?c=16


My Player Profile:

http://www.twingalaxies.com/index.aspx?c=16

also Score a hole in one this past sunday on my golden tee 99 machine



and shot -10 on coconut cove 

Twin Galaxies' Recording FAQ
http://www.twingalaxies.com/index.aspx?c=70

[Epyx]

Awesome scores! 

The only thing to keep in mind is that the high score comps here are generally more friendlies than professional outings...we generally ask Twin Galaxy/MARP competitors to partake but not necessarily submit their scores.

[extendedplayarcade]

Yeah My Twin Gallaxy scores where submitted way before I knew about this thread.  I am not a professional by any means just showing off because i have nothing else in my life hahahhaha

That isn't 100% true I have a lovely family and two great little girls.

You guys get what I mean or at least the ones with small children do.  Not much time for anything.  Ok i have completely derailed 

Awesome scores! 

The only thing to keep in mind is that the high score comps here are generally more friendlies than professional outings...we generally ask Twin Galaxy/MARP competitors to partake but not necessarily submit their scores.

[Epyx]

Oh I get it...believe me...wife and kid, so I know the drill well

Gaming time is all the more fun as it happens much more rarely nowadays!

[extendedplayarcade]

I am very Proud of this score.  I just scored it 6-20-10  15 under par on Coconut Cove Golden Tee 99 Arcade PCB Machine.

I scored an eagle on the last whole to break my record for that course.  I wish I video taped the whole thing but the girls would of just kicked it over or something.

(you can hear my daughters in the background screaming for me)

[isucamper]

are we still doing this?  it was only a matter of time before I took zookeeper, having acquired a real one a few months ago

881,330

[Epyx]

Yep, will update this today. Just have to finish what I am working on at the home front

*UPdated*

[bpark42]

I'm sure there are better bomb jack players on this board since the game was new to me as of the competition....even so, it would be nice to have my actual winning score listed until I get beaten down. 

This thread says 222,710, but my winning score was 664160.   

I actually beat that score by a fair margin about a week after the comp ended.  I wasn't doing so well with my own game choice of smash t.v. so I went back and played a few games of bomb jack.  I had forgotten some of the patterns, but oddly enough I ended up doing better.

[javeryh]

I just started playing Dig Dug over the weekend.  Man, what an awesome game.  I suck (54,XXX is my high) but I am learning how to group the enemies for maximum points on the rocks.  Also, I just figured out that the fruit appears after you drop the second rock no matter what.  Yeah, I'm slow.  Any other tips?

[DeLuSioNal29]

are we still doing this?  it was only a matter of time before I took zookeeper, having acquired a real one a few months ago

881,330

Not bad.  I just reached 814,370.  I was just about to post my new high score and yours already beat mine.  I've improved so much on my vertical cab.  :-)  Hopefully I'll hit 1 million soon.  



DeLuSioNaL29

[Epyx]

I haven't added the last 10 games or so but will over this weekend...I have kept up with all other posted scores and will try my best to continue to do so.

[isucamper]

are we still doing this?  it was only a matter of time before I took zookeeper, having acquired a real one a few months ago

881,330

Not bad.  I just reached 814,370.  I was just about to post my new high score and yours already beat mine.  I've improved so much on my vertical cab.  :-)  Hopefully I'll hit 1 million soon.  

I am in love with this game.
1,898,800

[Gray_Area]

are we still doing this?  it was only a matter of time before I took zookeeper, having acquired a real one a few months ago

881,330

Not bad.  I just reached 814,370.  I was just about to post my new high score and yours already beat mine.  I've improved so much on my vertical cab.  :-)  Hopefully I'll hit 1 million soon.  

I am in love with this game.
1,898,800

And here I was hoping to have the high score, because the board hasn't been updated with isucamper's. At least it's a new high score for me. The platform screen after level 8 is ferocious. Funny thing is it wraps at one million.

[isucamper]

take your snap from the high score page and it'll tell you how many millions you have

i have since crushed my high score, just haven't had time to post the snapshot yet

[DeLuSioNal29]

I would LOVE to have an original Zookeeper cabinet.  I'm so jealous!  That, a Robotron and a Ms. Pac and I'd be a happy camper.

 

[isucamper]

Well, mine is in a Qix... which isn't as cool, but it's an official conversion so it feels identical.



Btw... 3,258,020

Had a 2 million point jump on this one.  What an awesome game!

[Vebbo]

I'm sure there are better bomb jack players on this board since the game was new to me as of the competition....even so, it would be nice to have my actual winning score listed until I get beaten down. 

This thread says 222,710, but my winning score was 664160.   

I actually beat that score by a fair margin about a week after the comp ended.  I wasn't doing so well with my own game choice of smash t.v. so I went back and played a few games of bomb jack.  I had forgotten some of the patterns, but oddly enough I ended up doing better.

Not sure what u got in the end there bpark42 but i finally got my cab playable a week ago and i tought i give BombJack a try. Today i started playing Bomb Jack, man its been 25 years since i played this game with arcade controllers and i love it :-) I managed to get 848412 

[Gray_Area]

Btw... 3,258,020

Had a 2 million point jump on this one.  What an awesome game!

Yeah, once you get up to around level 7, the points really start adding up. I actually had two keepers extra at the platform screen that high, and the coconuts came so fast, yet everything was moving so slow (famed hardware slowdown) that it just tripped me out. Kind of like being really amped up in Foosball, and then the opponent slides a slow ball right past you.

[Epyx]

Lol...man behind...my only excuse is work and a project have derailed much of my free time...will try to update soon.