HSC Season 6 Week 7: Pitfall

[Ze_ro]

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

 

Picture this! You are deep in the recesses of a forbidden jungle - an unforgiving place few explorers ever survive. But you've got courage, because you're with Pitfall Harry, the world famous jungle explorer and fortune hunter extraordinaire. The lure of hidden treasure draws you and Harry deeper and deeper into the bush.

 

Note: In case multiple people achieve a perfect score, ties will be broken by time remaining.

 

 

Game Information

• Game Name: Pitfall!
• Released By: Activision, 1982
• Left Difficulty: N/A
• Right Difficulty: N/A
• Game Mode: Game 1 - Wave 1
• Chosen By: paddleperson

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 October 22nd at 1:00 AM (CST).

 

Current High Scores 114,000 1:46 remain (the 5th ghost) [+11][+2] Perfect Game [+5] 114,000 0:50 remain (Deteacher) [+10][+2] Perfect Game [+5] 113,990 (DarthCalvin) [+9][+2] 113,827 (Hornpipe2) [+8][+2] 109,919 (darthkur) [+7][+2] 109,795 (toymailman) [+6][+2] 105,269 (aftermac) [+5][+2] 101,579 (midnight magicman) [+4][+2] 89,739 (Nathan Strum) [+3][+2] 85,824 (Mister VCS) [+2][+2] 77,911 (jjd) [+1][+2] 63,126 (Impaler_26) [+1][+2] 32,716 (Kurt_Woloch) [+1][+2] 27,302 (ClassicGMR) [+1][+2] 3995 (LarcenTyler) [+1] Best Tips the 5th ghost [+2] Challenges Patch Challenge - Explorer's Club - Score 20,000 points or more and you get 2 bonus points! Perfect Game - Score 114,000 points, and you get 5 bonus points! (On top of the 2 you'd get for the patch) TwinGalaxies Top 3 114,000 (1:42 remaining) (Douglas C Korekach) 114,000 (1:28 remaining) (Daniel Vignes) 114,000 (1:01 remaining) (Todd Rogers) (Game 1, Difficulty A)

Current Standings toymailman [66] Deteacher [59] DarthCalvin [58] darthkur [51] SpiceWare [44] jjd [30] aftermac [29] the 5th ghost [27] Zoyx [22] Impaler_26 [19] Kurt_Woloch [19] homerwannabee [11] Mister VCS [11] Nathan Strum [11] maf [9] LarcenTyler [9] Hornpipe2 [8] chuckwalla [7] LS_Dracon [7] LaserHawk3000 [7] LoneWolfSeth [6] Spector [6] phaxda [5] ratfink [2] Artlover [1]

 

Scoring Points in Pitfall!

• Diamond Ring - 5000 points
• Gold Bar - 4000 points
• Silver Bar - 3000 points
• Money Bag - 2000 points

 

Hints and Tips

• As you set off on your first adventure with Harry, you'll notice two important features: that the logs always roll from right to left, and that the "replacement" Harrys (after Harry loses a life) drop from the trees on the left side of the screen. So, to minimize the number of rolling logs to be jumped and the catastrophic hazards to be re-tried, simply run to the left.
• Pitfall Harry's trip must be made through a maze of surface and underground passages through the jungle. To capture all 32 treasures in under twenty minutes, Harry will have to use some of the underground passages. I'd suggest that you make a map of the terrain each time you play. Knowing the jungle and planning the best route to all treasures is the only way to insure success time after time.
• Until you get really skilled at making Harry jump from croc to croc, you might wait until the crocodiles' jaws are closed, jump to the top of the first croc's head, then wait for the laws to open and close again before jumping to the next one. Soon you'll be skipping across crocs like they were stepping stones in a stream.

The Manual
As always, you really should read the manual. In case you don't have the manual, AtariAge has a text copy and a scanned copy of it available online. Here are the hints it provides:
Ze_ro
I also suggest you take a look at the Pitfall Map in the often overlooked AtariAge Archive.
DarthCalvin
I have not made it through all of the screens yet and some of them I've skipped using the underground. Out of the ones I've seen, the following screens have rolling logs that can hit you the moment you appear on the screen so be ready to jump. These are moving left to right. Screens #5, 14, 24, 27, 45, 56, 62, 68, 71, 90, 94, 139, 151, 170 Using the underground passages moves you 3 screens ahead. For example, go down the ladder on #14, move 2 screens over and come out at #20.
the 5th ghost
If done right, you can pick up 4 seconds by dying above ground (moving right to left.) Hitting a scorpion (moving right to left) only gains you 2 seconds. I was also gonna give my tip on making a map, but since there is already a nice map here to use, I guess there really isn't a point. But my tip was to record yourself playing, (using a VCR,) and go left for 129 screens. Hit reset, then go right for 125 screens. Counting the starting screen, you would cover all 255 screens this way. Then play back the tape and mark down which screens have ladders and where the walls are. Once you finish, you can determine where you could pick up time using the underground passages (since each underground screen covers three screens above.) And to give yourself the best chance of collecting all 32 treasures, it is best to move right to left. But you still have to use the underground passages in order to give yourself the best shot of not running out of time. To match my time, you just need to figure out when you have to push it, in order to reach a vine, or clear the quicksand. If you miss a vine you were supposed to get...that's at least 4 seconds lost. You also have to memorize the fastest route. I know two different routes that can yield sub-19 minute completion times, but one will get you 1:42 if done right, the other 1:18 if done right. Another hint is that I reach the first gold bar (screen 7) at the 19:28 mark. You have to move non-stop to do that. In fact you shouldn't stop till two screens after the money bag, (2nd treasure,) which I reach at the 17:59 mark. On screen two, jump the two rolling logs so you land on top of the ladder. Before you fall, quickly push down then forward and you'll bounce right out! Keep going and you'll reach that vine. You'll have to do a similar move on screen #5 with the three rolling logs...jump the wide pit, jump into the ladder, quickly bounce out and get ready to imediately jump the log that will be coming toward you as you bounce out of the ladder.

 

--Zero

[Hornpipe2]

2000 points!

EDIT: 113,827! It won't win any perfection awards but I'll be damned if I will play through this game any more.

Edited October 20, 2008 by Hornpipe2

[DarthCalvin]

106,461

 

 

I have not made it through all of the screens yet and some of them I've skipped using the underground. Out of the ones I've seen, the following screens have rolling logs that can hit you the moment you appear on the screen so be ready to jump. These are moving left to right. Screens #5, 14, 24, 27, 45, 56, 62, 68, 71, 90, 94, 139, 151, 170

 

Using the underground passages moves you 3 screens ahead. For example, go down the ladder on #14, move 2 screens over and come out at #20.

 

Edit:updated screen #'s

Edited October 15, 2008 by DarthCalvin

[ClassicGMR]

I never do well with Pitfall!

[Impaler_26]

63,126

[jjd]

Made it through the full 20 minutes, now I need to remember how to get higher scores.

 

77,911

Edited October 17, 2008 by jjd

[Deteacher]

89,885.

 

I've been able to make it through the full 20 minutes and I remember some of the underground shortcuts, but I need to work on mapping out the parts I forgot.

 

My tip for the week: Make a map and find the shortcuts.

[Ze_ro]

Note that I've added some bonus challenges. I imagine most of you won't have much trouble with the patch score.... though I suggest you check out this map if you're going to try to go for the perfect score.

 

--Zero

[Lauren Tyler]

3,995

 

I need a LOT more practice.

 

Also, Scene 1 is where you start on the map, am I right?

Edited October 17, 2008 by LarcenTyler

[the 5th ghost]

Note that I've added some bonus challenges. I imagine most of you won't have much trouble with the patch score.... though I suggest you check out this map if you're going to try to go for the perfect score.

 

--Zero

 

Question...for the perfect score challenge, does that also mean that the score needs to be achieved without losing a life?

[Deteacher]

Note that I've added some bonus challenges. I imagine most of you won't have much trouble with the patch score.... though I suggest you check out this map if you're going to try to go for the perfect score.

 

--Zero

 

Wow! Nice map. That saved me a lot of trouble. Thanks Ze_ro!

[ClassicGMR]

All the years I've attempted to play Pitfall! I have never tried going left! Between that and the map... why I bet I could double my score to 10,000!!

 

I must try again!

[aftermac]

83,042

 

Well, I made it through 19:59...

 

Until this week Pitfall had never held my attention long enough to collect one piece of treasure.

 

[+Nathan Strum]

Just ran left.

 

89,739

 

 

I had started mapping the game out back-in-the-day, but hadn't figured out how the underground passages worked. I was really floored by this game when it came out. It was the first 2600 game that I'd played that made me feel like I really was in some other environment - traveling deeper and deeper into a jungle. It still has really excellent graphics.

[DarthCalvin]

Question...for the perfect score challenge, does that also mean that the score needs to be achieved without losing a life?

 

Perfect Game - Score 114,000 points, and you get 5 bonus points! (On top of the 2 you'd get for the patch)

 

I think he's saying "Perfect Score" because the only requirement actually listed is the points. I could be wrong, but I don't think he means it like Twin Galaxies does. At least, I hope that's the case

[Ze_ro]

Question...for the perfect score challenge, does that also mean that the score needs to be achieved without losing a life?

No, I'm not going to be that strict about perfection. As long as you get 114,000, I'd say that's good enough. Though dying would cost you some time (or are there some situations where it might actually SAVE you time?)

 

--Zero

[DarthCalvin]

Yes. If you're moving right to left and fall in a pool you would appear on the left side of the screen, opposite where you died. Not much time saved though.

Edited October 18, 2008 by DarthCalvin

[Deteacher]

Yes. If you're moving right to left and fall in a pool you would appear on the left side of the screen, opposite where you died. Not much time saved though.

 

True, but if you're in an underground passage and run into a scorpion, you practically warp to the left side. I bet you could shave a few secs off your time there.

 

New high for me: 113,932 with 54 seconds remaining. I've never been able to make a perfect run, but now, perfection is pretty much the only way to improve.

Edited October 18, 2008 by Deteacher

[ClassicGMR]

27,302

 

I give... this game is fun as hell but I can never do well with it! Yeah ... I admit that is my best score EVER on Pitfall! Feel free to laugh now.

Edited October 18, 2008 by ClassicGMR

[aftermac]

27,302

 

I give... this game is fun as hell but I can never do well with it! Yeah ... I admit that is my best score EVER on Pitfall! Feel free to laugh now.

 

You earned the patch didn't you? That's pretty respectable.

[Mister VCS]

first run: 37,562

 

update: 79,761

Edited October 19, 2008 by Mister VCS

[DarthCalvin]

Yes. If you're moving right to left and fall in a pool you would appear on the left side of the screen, opposite where you died. Not much time saved though.

 

True, but if you're in an underground passage and run into a scorpion, you practically warp to the left side. I bet you could shave a few secs off your time there.

 

Also true, but then you couldn't get the Twin Galaxies definition of a perfect game

[Deteacher]

Yes. If you're moving right to left and fall in a pool you would appear on the left side of the screen, opposite where you died. Not much time saved though.

 

True, but if you're in an underground passage and run into a scorpion, you practically warp to the left side. I bet you could shave a few secs off your time there.

 

Also true, but then you couldn't get the Twin Galaxies definition of a perfect game

 

Agreed, but.....errr......ummmm.....ok, I got nothin'.

[darthkur]

101,880

 

If not for the availability of the splendidly drawn map, I doubt that many of us would be doing even half as well.

 

 

 

Update:

109,919

 

Edited October 18, 2008 by darthkur

[aftermac]

103,469

 

Bump.