weekly contest VGS Weekly Contest - Adventure Island

[Gloves | 11,778]

40 minutes ago, bertsampson said:

Burning lives for points is no fun to me.  I like being able to do a run in five to ten minutes are whatever the game requires to finish it.  I prefer either 1-life, or extra points for beating the game with lives remaining.

Yeah, the latter would probably be preferable - bonus points per lives remaining.

Anyway, clearly people disagree with my points. Maybe I'm not making them well, or I'm patently wrong. I'm just trying to provide feedback that I think could help bring in more participants and make it seem less intimidating, as well as make it more fun for the lower end of the skill pool.

[docile tapeworm | 4,198]

if i make it to area 3 ill be happy

[MeganJoanne | 365]

I don't mind the 1 life thing, it requires you to be at your absolute best and discourages point racking, especially if the game has a timer, thus you can only get a little bit of that in before you have to rush on or risk losing that only life. But at the same time you don't want a contest that will discourage some from joining in.

As much as I like Kung Fu I never really played it from start on Game B (until the contest) because it is not really fun to have a game start out hard, so for that one in particular I felt like it was really on the elite level of gamer than some previous contests (didn't say anything then, typically I don't, I play by the rules, either take it or leave it), not a bad thing if that is all that it was about, the best of the best. But what I and ookii_risu had talked about regarding that one is how it was the very first game of the yearly contests and the bar was placed too high, thus if there were going to be any new comers, they could have gotten discouraged and then didn't bother, thinking, oh shit, I don't stand a chance here, this is like expert level shit, fuck it, I'm out and then probably never even bothered to look in or join any later ones because of that. An assumption, but a possible scenario.

Yoshi's Cookie on fast speed didn't seem like much though, and aside from puzzles just not being my thing I really enjoyed it. I knew I would not rank high in the score (slow thinker, and don't play these types of games very much) but still played it. What I found best when approaching these contests to keep from being discouraged and to feel any sense of accomplishment, play for the contest but if it is a game you are not as good at or even if you completely suck at it, use this contest as a chance at self improving, going against and beating your own score, not anyone elses. Look at the other scores, but don't feel you have to be as good as that, after all, there is always going to be someone better, even than the ones with the highest score. Thus is what I have been doing, improving my own score until I feel satisfied with my own standing. Such as the case with Star Force, I set a personal goal, 100,000, then 200,000, and each time I got better I raised my personal goal, the next realistic point level for me to beat.

I fall in the middle range here on the gamer skill, good enough to do really well on many games and given the game is my area and excel at certain particular games or genre do even better than many others, and and don't mind to tackle the toughest or trying new things to spice things up for myself, but got less patience than I used to have, thus after a bit find myself just saying, eh, fuck it, been there done that, this score is good enough for me and thus find myself just doing something else after a while. Even if it were a game I was really great at, one that I can easily no death, ones I've done many times before, still no good for others who are not as familiar if the game was set to the highest setting and they struggle to get even through the first stage or few while I'm blowing the competition away, and all because I've already had a ton more practice be it it may be a favorite game of mine and one I played to death since the early days thus have a huge advantage and they only have a week to get good at it, and if like Kung Fu game B, find it a near impossibility. It's all about balance, but then where to put that balance so that more will compete with more confidence without taking away from the point of a competition being for the challenge?

What I found myself sometimes doing in Star Force since the game was so hard is that once I died I paused the game, took a picture and if also recording kept that going and then unpaused and kept playing with my remaining lives just so I can better know what to expect further on thus when I managed to get further on a single life I would be better prepared for what was to come. So if anyone is having difficulty getting far into a game, or find it overwhelming, play the 1 life thing (take pic), but then keep going and see how far you can get before losing all of your lives, try to remember what you've encountered and then once you get better and get to the later points you will be better prepared for what you will need to survive against on that single life. I hated Star Force and so many times kept thinking, what the hell am I playing this shit for?! Yet, somehow it was addicting, the game was designed hellishly, to take your quarters and make you want to give it even more of your time and money had the NES had slots for such a thing. But the game was an arcade game, should've just been called "Quarter Muncher", or "Suicide Mission", or something. Though despite my addiction for that week given how difficult the game already was, 1 life on this one might have been a bit too hard core. Died, reset, reset, reset, reset, like every few minutes or less. I finally started getting good at it after 6 days of playing the hell out of it, good at being making it to Area D a few times and managing to kill the midboss more often than not. The game was a hell of a workout, my hands and arms were sore from all that button mashing.

As for Adventure Island, it's a hard game anyway and I've only given it a handful of half ass tries in the past and still question myself, play it more for the contest or pass? Hey, never beat Battletoads ever before, but then those many years ago during one of the contests for it, I was really determined and beat it, never again though, never even wanted to try again after that. Maybe having a really challenging game I never beat before being played for the contest would be great motivation, that what helped for Battletoads could work for Adventure Island? I had a lot more motivation back then though, it was all about the win, but then sometimes it depended on the game of choice, still that strong spark I used to have for pushing myself to the limit, not there as much anymore, I've become... dread I say it, on no, casual gamer! Aaagh!

Without the 1 life thing we have to have some way to discourage endless point racking, that has always been the tricky point to the contests, especially if 1ups in games are easily gained, and then it becomes one long boring play of monotony through the same level over and over just to get a bragging score of all 999,999 or the such or roll it over.

That said, Super Mario Bros, 1 life rule, no warps, small Mario only, second quest! Joking. Though I would still play it because still some of that competitor gamer spirit remains that would make me jump right in and see how far I could go. Actually I did this long ago, forget the results of this personal little challenge. I love challenging myself to make a game tougher, but those are self inflicted and always games I've already exceeded at many times on their regular gameplay, such as whip only or even subweapons only for Castlevania or nothing but my fists in Shatterhand, or no subweapons in Ninja Gaiden, games I spent a very long time being good, but just because I can do these things, doesn't mean everyone can or wants to. I even thought and gave it a try of seeing how far I could get in Adventure Island on the skateboard before losing it (not far) and if I were already good at the game and actually enjoyed it I would most likely forced that challenge upon myself. I have beaten Castlevania on the 2nd quest (the second round has bats or medusa heads everywhere, constant) but do not enjoy it because it starts out very difficult, it is not as enjoyable.

What I am saying here, challenge is great but one has to decide how to approach it, one week for everyone to give it their all, and if the challenge is set too high, only a handful will endure, the rest will throw in the towel or not even bother playing at all.

I still say the 1 life rule is fine in most cases. But as for making the game more difficult by setting on a higher difficulty, not so much a fan of that, unless I am playing a game to beat it and it affects the ending, but for score, accessibility, and let the gameplay do it's thing against the players.

[Gloves | 11,778]

Limiting point racking is a simple and easy solve. Limit it to the default amount of starting lives. Ezpz. 

[TWarwick07 | 122]

Updated

K club!!

 

 

 

 

Edited April 4, 2020 by TWarwick07

[TWarwick07 | 122]

I'm wearing out my reset button the last two weeks.... I don't mind one life but maybe not back to back weeks

[TWarwick07 | 122]

6 hours ago, skinnygrinny said:

does anybody else use the trophy emoji to say like a "your the champ! wooooooo!"?

I use the trophy for champ worthy posts

[MeganJoanne | 365]

Score updated and personal goal of over 100,000 passed. Still have several days left in the contest, may play again. Next goal to pass not score but reaching world 3 on one life.

[ninjistar | 517]

1 hour ago, MeganJoanne said:

[...snip...]

What I found myself sometimes doing in Star Force since the game was so hard is that once I died I paused the game, took a picture and if also recording kept that going and then unpaused and kept playing with my remaining lives just so I can better know what to expect further on thus when I managed to get further on a single life I would be better prepared for what was to come. 

[...snip...]

This is also what I do. I tend to document my runs, at the very least with a photo, to recall whatever elements are important (progress, score, where I died). During the 2017 season, I recorded a number of videos. I wish I had done that from the start this year. It's great to look back and see all of the things you've learned during that short week of beating on a game. I also continue playing after a death  (or wherever you'd normally stop for the contest) to learn what's next. It's a more efficient use of time. 

[TWarwick07 | 122]

Broke 90K on my last run of the night. Going to give it another go tomorrow night after work and try to get into the K club

[Gloves | 11,778]

Had another run, broke 100k. Bit by bit.

[Gloves | 11,778]

Oh yeah almost forgot! I did a quick run last night where I took the skateboard through level 1. In case anyone is curious, unlike other games in the series you do NOT get a bonus for doing so, at the end of the level. 

Interestingly, you carry the skateboard into the next level. I got to the next levels skatebroad egg, activated it, and was too fast to see what it gave me instead of another skateboard, so I'll do another run to be sure. That said, it didn't give me any points, and may have simply been another skateboard with no effect. 

[guillavoie | 1,208]

17 minutes ago, Gloves said:

Oh yeah almost forgot! I did a quick run last night where I took the skateboard through level 1. In case anyone is curious, unlike other games in the series you do NOT get a bonus for doing so, at the end of the level. 

Interestingly, you carry the skateboard into the next level. I got to the next levels skatebroad egg, activated it, and was too fast to see what it gave me instead of another skateboard, so I'll do another run to be sure. That said, it didn't give me any points, and may have simply been another skateboard with no effect. 

I think the skateboard gives you milk when you already have a skateboard, but I"m not sure if I remember this correctly, so please, do it again so we know!

[ninjistar | 517]

Will be joining the 100k club soon  

[Gloves | 11,778]

150k this last run. Couple more before I fall asleep.

[ninjistar | 517]

Just now, Gloves said:

150k this last run. Couple more before I fall asleep.

Show off!  

[Gloves | 11,778]

1 minute ago, ninjistar said:

Show off!  

Are you calling me a showoff, or asking me to post photos?

[ninjistar | 517]

22 minutes ago, Gloves said:

Are you calling me a showoff, or asking me to post photos?

Both?

[Gloves | 11,778]

5 minutes ago, ninjistar said:

Both?

I didn't take a photo, these aren't serious attempts.

[ninjistar | 517]

30 minutes ago, Gloves said:

I didn't take a photo, these aren't serious attempts.

That makes me a saaaaad panda!

Score updated to just over 100k, but still less than @Gloves non-serious scores  

[docile tapeworm | 4,198]

88610

 

Edited April 4, 2020 by skinnygrinny

[ookii_risu | 206]

8 hours ago, Gloves said:

Yeah, the latter would probably be preferable - bonus points per lives remaining.

Anyway, clearly people disagree with my points. Maybe I'm not making them well, or I'm patently wrong. I'm just trying to provide feedback that I think could help bring in more participants and make it seem less intimidating, as well as make it more fun for the lower end of the skill pool.

I agree with you. As Megan mentioned, I thought it was discouraging for Kung Fu to be on mode B for the first contest. I think the people who are really good will demonstrate their abilities no matter what the challenge is; there's no need to make things harder so that people who've never played the game are intimidated.

[bertsampson | 345]

Score updated page 2.

[MeganJoanne | 365]

Score updated a few times, made it to world 3. New goal, world 4, maybe.

[Bearcat-Doug | 5,105]

7 hours ago, Gloves said:

Oh yeah almost forgot! I did a quick run last night where I took the skateboard through level 1. In case anyone is curious, unlike other games in the series you do NOT get a bonus for doing so, at the end of the level. 

Interestingly, you carry the skateboard into the next level. I got to the next levels skatebroad egg, activated it, and was too fast to see what it gave me instead of another skateboard, so I'll do another run to be sure. That said, it didn't give me any points, and may have simply been another skateboard with no effect. 

The game gives you a 5,000 point bonus for clearing a level with the eggplant. I don't know if it's worth the risk of trying it on purpose, but I had that happen yesterday.