HSC Season 5 Week 44: Midnight Magic

[Ze_ro]

Important Note: This weeks competition is over and no further scores will be accepted.

 

Ever since I was a young boy, I've played the silver ball

From Soho down to Brighton, I must have played them all

But I ain't seen nothing like him, In any amusement hall

That deaf, dumb and blind kid, Sure plays a mean pinball!

 

 

Game Information

• Game Name: Midnight Magic
• Released By: Atari 1987
• Left Difficulty: A / Expert - Side Kickers and Center Post must be activated
• Right Difficulty: A / Expert - Side Kickers and Center Post must be activated
• Game Mode: 1 Player
• Chosen By: aftermac

Post your scores right here in this thread, and I will add them to the list. Remember to play the game with the recommended game mode and difficulty settings as shown above so that your scores will be consistent with everyone elses. The deadline for posting scores is Wednesday July 16th at 1:00 AM (CST).

 

Current High Scores 999,995 (midnight magicman) [+11] 933,225 (Deteacher) [+10] 787,295 (aftermac) [+9] 618,010 (SpiceWare) [+8] 437,275 (DarthCalvin) [+7] 388,560 (Mister VCS) [+6] 241,610 (Impaler_26) [+5] 210,685 (toymailman) [+4] 170,980 (Captain Beard) [+3] 155,375 (iangamer) [+2] 137,970 (Shannon) [+1] 121,580 (LaserHawk) [+1] 93,035 (Kurt_Woloch) [+1] 64,530 (darthkur) [+1] 32,305 (LarcenTyler) [+1] 11,060 (theking21083) [+1] Best Tips DarthCalvin [+2] Challenges None yet TwinGalaxies Top 3 998,015 (Christian L Keilback) (Game 1, Difficulty A)

Current Standings Deteacher [414] toymailman [382] keilbaca [225] aftermac [223] SpiceWare [172] Impaler_26 [172] Captain Beard [172] Kurt_Woloch [164] theking21083 [142] homerwannabee [90] Nathan Strum [88] PressureCooker2600 [87] phaxda [83] StanJr [75] Gemini [75] Mister VCS [71] rheffera [65] LarcenTyler [58] shadow460 [48] midnight magicman [47] godzillajoe [45] DarthCalvin [45] Recycled [44] Bentley Bear! [44] the 5th ghost [42] Blackjack [35] Christophero Sly [35] darthkur [29] ed1475 [24] Rom Hunter [23] jjd [22] opeygon [21] Butterwasp [18] jimdandy75 [17] Shannon [16] cosmosiss [16] doctorclu [13] Thomas Jentzsch [13] iangamer [13] tremoloman2006 [12] RJ [12] theKLT [12] lucifershalo [12] Artlover [9] atariwarrior [9] Dauber [9] atari2600land [8] vintagegamecrazy [8] Vectorman0 [7] Krytol [7] keitaro [7] lonewolfette9847 [6] Goochman [6] Omegamatrix [6] Phantom [5] chuckwalla [5] Nognir [5] MrBeefy [5] LaserHawk [4] Elerach [3] Crazy Climber [3] SeaGtGruff [3] hrecker [2] gospeedde [2] Snider-man [2] EricDeLee [1] Whickeycolumbus [1] jboypacman [1] paddleperson [1] [d2f]Iggy*SJB [1] HatNJ [1] KaeruYojimbo [1]

 

Scoring Points in Midnight Magic

• Score points by hitting the targets and bumpers. When the score multiplier is on, all scores are multiplied by the number shown.
• The five drop-targets at the top of the screen are worth 100 points each. Hitting a target when the arrow is pointing at it is worth 3000 points. It also lights up the bumpers, brings up the center post, and turns on the kickers. Hitting all five targets is worth 500 points and increases the score multiplier.
• Bumpers are worth 100 points each. When lit, they are worth 1000 points.
• Rollovers on the top right and left are worth 500 points. When the score multiplier is on, hitting a rollover earns you an extra ball.
• The two targets above the top flippers are worth 100 points each.
• The spinner is worth 10 points each spin. Each spin moves the drop-target arrow and bottom rollover lights.
• Bottom lanes are worth 500 points when lit. When the kickers are activated in the outside lanes, they kick the ball back into play, earning you 10 points.
• Each bounce on the walls above the flippers earns you 25 points.
• Each time the ball rolls over the white area beside the bottom flippers you earn 10 points.

 

Hints and Tips

The Manual

As always, you really should read the manual. In case you don't have the manual, AtariAge has a typed copy available online. Unfortunately, it doesn't provide any hints.

DarthCalvin

My tips: Always activate the extra 3 bumpers first by clearing the colored tile at the top with the arrow pointing to it. Do this before anything else. The plunger has 6 "pegs" which I assume represent the spring. Pull the plunger back until the middle left peg has just disappeared from view. If done correctly, about 1 out of 3 times the ball will land on top of the highest bumper and bounce into the middle colored tile, activating the 3 bumpers. Remember to activate the bumpers before the ball drops below the highest pair of flippers. The fastest way to score points is with the spinner in the middle of the screen, but it's a waste to try to rack up points without a multiplier. Clear all the colored tiles at the top to enable multiplier. If you can survive to 4x, it's easy to get 6 digit scores per ball. 1. Activate bumpers 2. Reach at least 2x on multiplier 3. Keep the spinner moving at all times until you lose a ball 4. Repeat A final thought, while the physics may be questionable, the ball is still predictable. It's a computer program using the same logic each time. If I want the ball at the top of the screen, I know when to flip to send it there. Practice. Practice. Learn ball behavior. Practice more.

aftermac

Tip: As soon as you reach the next screen/multiplier try to direct the ball over one of the oval shaped pieces in the upper left and right corners to receive a free ball. The free ball does not carry over from one screen to the next and you can only get one per screen. Tip: With the blockers and center post activated, sometimes the ball will still get under the flippers into the alley under the side blockers. When this happens raise the flipper on the side that the ball is on (don't raise the other flipper) and if the ball has enough speed and bounce sometimes it will bounce off the center post and back into play Tip: You get better control of the ball using the side flippers when the ball starts in the corner against the side wall and the yellow catch above the side flippers and slides down onto the flipper. If the ball is against the catch, but not against the side wall, you can use the flipper to direct it back up into the corner.

keilbaca

1. Move the plunger to the very hardest, then tap up once. 2. Launch ball, hit the ball with the left flipper as soon as it hits. This hits a target every time, 1/3, it hits the center. 3. The biggest tip: Keep the ball in motion. If it shoots down the left pass lane to go to your flipper very fast, just hold the flipper up so it shoots up and out, and back into the bumpers. 4. Get 2x. 5. Do everything you can to get it into the upmost alleys. It gives you an extra ball, and most importantly, you get to keep your multiplier when you lose your ball. 6. Keep that ball in motion, and try to get as high of a multiplier as you can. Once you get to 4x, all you have to do is keep the ball in play and you can get a super high score.

Deteacher

If you have the lane blocks activated and the ball is dive-bombing for the middle, rather than try to flip the ball back up, resist the urge and let the ball drop to the center block. More often than not, it'll just bounce back into play. I found that if I try to flip, it'll usually catch the tip of the flipper and drain. Collision detection on the flipper edges is pretty dicey.

 

--Zero

[DarthCalvin]

This weeks game will be Midnight Magic, both difficulty switches on A (side kickers and centre post must be activated).

 

--Zero

 

With both switches on A there is NO sidekicker or center post. I'm confused

 

 

EDIT: Nevermind, they must be activated by the player. Got it. Sorry

Edited July 9, 2008 by DarthCalvin

[aftermac]

Alright, finally get to play my game! It's gonna be a fun week!!

[DarthCalvin]

204,850

 

I haven't played this one in a while, should be a fun week

 

[Kurt_Woloch]

OK, here's my best so far... 93035.

 

I don't know if I'll be able to improve this, though... I don't manage to consistenly reach higher scores. My score on this game seems to be all over the place... sometimes it's only a few thousand points, sometimes it's much higher. I've reached the 93035 right on the third game, I think...

 

[+SpiceWare]

120,275

[Captain Beard]

My score on this game seems to be all over the place...

Like me, I suspect you slept through the unit on Bizarro World physics in your high school physics class.

 

Seriously, I know this game has a lot of defenders, but... well... WHY?

It's awful.

If this was a real pinball machine, no one would play it. The layout blows, there's very little to shoot at and there's endless opportunities for the ball to get sunk without you being able to do a damn thing about it. At least Video Pinball has a nudge feature, fer crissakes! And seriously -- in what way do the actions of the ball reflect anything resembling reality? It's usually moving slowest at the bottom of the table! This game is mostly just an exercise in frustration and restarts for me (after all, what's the point of continuing if your first ball sucked? It's not like you'd be wasting a quarter or anything...)

</rant>

 

Anyway, here's my submission: 96,075

[DarthCalvin]

290,250

Edited July 10, 2008 by DarthCalvin

[DarthCalvin]

437,275

 

 

I can almost taste that half million...

 

My tips:

Always activate the extra 3 bumpers first by clearing the colored tile at the top with the arrow pointing to it. Do this before anything else. The plunger has 6 "pegs" which I assume represent the spring. Pull the plunger back until the middle left peg has just disappeared from view. If done correctly, about 1 out of 3 times the ball will land on top of the highest bumper and bounce into the middle colored tile, activating the 3 bumpers. Remember to activate the bumpers before the ball drops below the highest pair of flippers.

 

The fastest way to score points is with the spinner in the middle of the screen, but it's a waste to try to rack up points without a multiplier. Clear all the colored tiles at the top to enable multiplier. If you can survive to 4x, it's easy to get 6 digit scores per ball.

 

1. Activate bumpers

2. Reach at least 2x on multiplier

3. Keep the spinner moving at all times until you lose a ball

4. Repeat

 

A final thought, while the physics may be questionable, the ball is still predictable. It's a computer program using the same logic each time. If I want the ball at the top of the screen, I know when to flip to send it there. Practice. Practice. Learn ball behavior. Practice more.

[Mister VCS]

first run: 102,245

no screenshot at the moment-internet at home is offline

 

update: screenshot added:

Edited July 11, 2008 by Mister VCS

[aftermac]

110,820

 

Managed to get a couple games in this morning. So, far I've only made it to the 2x multiplier, which goes up to 5x. I've scored over 900,000 on difficulty B and over 600,000 on A. Hopefully, I can improve on that when I get more playing time.

 

Tip: As soon as you reach the next screen/multiplier try to direct the ball over one of the oval shaped pieces in the upper left and right corners to receive a free ball. The free ball does not carry over from one screen to the next and you can only get one per screen.

 

[Captain Beard]

... while the physics may be questionable, the ball is still predictable.

See now in my mind the above statement is directly contradicted by this one:

 

The plunger has 6 "pegs" which I assume represent the spring. Pull the plunger back until the middle left peg has just disappeared from view. If done correctly, about 1 out of 3 times the ball will land on top of the highest bumper and bounce into the middle colored tile, activating the 3 bumpers.

{emphasis added}

 

Seems to me that "if done correctly", pulling the plunger to the exact same spot each time should result in exactly the same opening shot. Y'know, kinda the way pinball machines in the real world work. After all, if the ball behavior wasn't predictable, skill shots would be luck shots, right?

[keilbaca]

I had a good 400k+ game going. Then the cat decided to go in behind the gaming setup, and ended up resetting the atari. I was pretty mad, but its all good. I'm hoping to actually roll the game this time.

 

I'd like to add what I do.

 

1. Move the plunger to the very hardest, then tap up once.

2. Launch ball, hit the ball with the left flipper as soon as it hits. This hits a target every time, 1/3, it hits the center.

3. The biggest tip: Keep the ball in motion. If it shoots down the left pass lane to go to your flipper very fast, just hold the flipper up so it shoots up and out, and back into the bumpers.

4. Get 2x.

5. Do everything you can to get it into the upmost alleys. It gives you an extra ball, and most importantly, you get to keep your multiplier when you lose your ball.

6. Keep that ball in motion, and try to get as high of a multiplier as you can. Once you get to 4x, all you have to do is keep the ball in play and you can get a super high score.

 

That's how I got my TG score, and I know I can get higher. I just need to get the cat out of the wires.

[DarthCalvin]

... while the physics may be questionable, the ball is still predictable.

See now in my mind the above statement is directly contradicted by this one:

 

The plunger has 6 "pegs" which I assume represent the spring. Pull the plunger back until the middle left peg has just disappeared from view. If done correctly, about 1 out of 3 times the ball will land on top of the highest bumper and bounce into the middle colored tile, activating the 3 bumpers.

{emphasis added}

 

Seems to me that "if done correctly", pulling the plunger to the exact same spot each time should result in exactly the same opening shot. Y'know, kinda the way pinball machines in the real world work. After all, if the ball behavior wasn't predictable, skill shots would be luck shots, right?

 

 

I'm sorry I wasn't exactly clear. The ball is predictable when you're hitting it with the flippers. I'll be sure to keep my tactics to myself from now on

Edited July 10, 2008 by DarthCalvin

[Shannon]

Hmm well at least I'm not the only one that thinks the physics in this game is wonked.

 

OK. I take back what I said. It must have been the 8-bit computer version I was thinking of. The 2600 version plays pretty decent.

 

Here is my first score. 137,970..

Edited July 10, 2008 by Shannon

[+SpiceWare]

345,945

 

Nice score DarthCalvin! Is there a SithHobbes?

Edited July 10, 2008 by SpiceWare

[Deteacher]

I started playing some last night. I didn't really have a score worth posting, but I remember rolling it a long time ago. Hopefully I can get that skill back. I'll agree that the physics of this game are pretty whacked, but for its time, it's not a bad pinball emulation.

 

I wish there was a nudge/tilt feature. It would be nice to have a little ball control.

 

I'll add one tip to the rest of the pile. If you have the lane blocks activated and the ball is dive-bombing for the middle, rather than try to flip the ball back up, resist the urge and let the ball drop to the center block. More often than not, it'll just bounce back into play. I found that if I try to flip, it'll usually catch the tip of the flipper and drain. Collision detection on the flipper edges is pretty dicey.

[Shannon]

Whoops nevermind...

Edited July 10, 2008 by Shannon

[Captain Beard]

I'm sorry I wasn't exactly clear. The ball is predictable when you're hitting it with the flippers. I'll be sure to keep my tactics to myself from now on

Egad, man, don't do that! Clearly, I need all the help I can get!

 

Seriously, I just like to rip on this game -- I ain't ripping on the people the like it!

[aftermac]

I'm sorry I wasn't exactly clear. The ball is predictable when you're hitting it with the flippers. I'll be sure to keep my tactics to myself from now on

Egad, man, don't do that! Clearly, I need all the help I can get!

 

Seriously, I just like to rip on this game -- I ain't ripping on the people the like it!

 

With Atari pinball games I've really found it depends on which one you grew up with. Those that grew up with VP can't stand MM and vice versa. Honestly, I don't think the physics are all that bad in MM and over all my games tend to play much like when I play an actual pinball machine... my first shot doesn't always go in the same place regardless of how far I'm pulling out the plunger and some times I lose a ball almost instantly and some last a really long time. I will almost always play all 5 balls, because you usually only get one or two good balls per game. I've scored 10,000 combined on the first 4 balls and then 400,000 on the 5th ball. However, just like any other video game if you lose a life quickly, you might as well restart the game.

[Impaler_26]

Nice game! And it IS better than Video Pinball without a doubt!

 

First entry:

 

138,375.

[aftermac]

185,515

 

I still plan on improving, but here's a bump.

 

[DarthCalvin]

I'm sorry I wasn't exactly clear. The ball is predictable when you're hitting it with the flippers. I'll be sure to keep my tactics to myself from now on

Egad, man, don't do that! Clearly, I need all the help I can get!

 

Seriously, I just like to rip on this game -- I ain't ripping on the people the like it!

 

 

Sorry, just a little grouchy this morning

[DarthCalvin]

With Atari pinball games I've really found it depends on which one you grew up with. Those that grew up with VP can't stand MM and vice versa. Honestly, I don't think the physics are all that bad in MM and over all my games tend to play much like when I play an actual pinball machine... my first shot doesn't always go in the same place regardless of how far I'm pulling out the plunger and some times I lose a ball almost instantly and some last a really long time. I will almost always play all 5 balls, because you usually only get one or two good balls per game. I've scored 10,000 combined on the first 4 balls and then 400,000 on the 5th ball. However, just like any other video game if you lose a life quickly, you might as well restart the game.

 

You're right, I don't care for VP and I had MM waaaaay before I got the other. To be honest, I don't play pinball machines so I'm not one to really care too much how real it is. On my latest score over 400k, 2 balls were worth a combined 500 points or so, 250k or so came from the 5th ball. It definitely gets frustrating.

[aftermac]

680,810

 

Well, here is my aforementioned planned improvement. I cleared the 5x screen 3 times on ball 1, to the tune of ~650,000 points. Then choked the rest of the game.