High Score Club 9.11 - Fathom

[Ze_ro]

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

 

Titans have imprisoned Neptina, Neptune's daughter! They've shattered his magical Trident and scattered its pieces far and wide. Without his trident, Neptune is powerless.

 

Proteus, a member of Neptune's Court, longs to free the lovely mermaid. He sets out to find the missing pieces of the Trident. He roams land and sea, changing from a dolphin to a seagull and back again in order to deceive the mermaid's captors. Deadly trials confront Proteus -- octopuses, tangled beds of kelp, screaming flocks of black birds, even erupting volcanoes! But he fights on valiantly!

 

 

Game Information

• Game Name: Fathom
• Released By: Imagic, 1983
• Left Difficulty: N / A
• Right Difficulty: N / A
• Game Mode: Default

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 May 25th at 1:00 AM (Central Time, UTC-6).

 

Challenges

• Unfathomable! - Score 1000 points or higher and you get 3 bonus points.

 

Current High Scores 24,300 (Frostbite76) [+11][+3] 21,748 (DT Kofoed) [+10][+3] 21,105 (JacobZu7zu7) [+9][+3] 20,905 (Jifremok) [+8][+3] 20,662 (toymailman) [+7][+3] 18,566 (Chuck D. Head) [+6][+3] 14,842 (Stan) [+5][+3] 12,960 (Vocelli) [+4][+3] 225 (dwane413) [+3] 210 (Zach) [+2] 147 (pokeplayer984) [+1] 144 (Mister VCS) [+1] 119 (roadrunner) [+1] 118 (Amstari) [+1] 115 (Krytol) [+1] 110 (classicgamer_27330) [+1] 65 (Scrabbler15) [+1] 56 (Miss 2600) [+1] 10 (Gorfy) [+1] Best Tips Frostbite76 [+2] TwinGalaxies Top 3 1,110,500 (Todd Rogers) 116 (Greg Troutman) (Game 1, Difficulty B)

Current Standings JacobZu7zu7 [142] oyamafamily [140] toymailman [130] Vocelli [108] Frostbite76 [93] Deteacher [76] Gorfy [74] classicgamer_27330 [53] SpiceWare [48] Scrabbler15 [46] Miss 2600 [40] Amstari [40] pis [38] keilbaca [37] Stan [32] DT Kofoed [30] roadrunner [25] Cynicaster [20] SeaGtGruff [20] cparsley [17] HatefulGravey [17] Mister VCS [16] Curious Sofa [16] centiqueen81 [15] LarcenTyler [13] Krytol [12] pokeplayer984 [12] zylon [10] Jifremok [7] Wickeycolumbus [6] littleman jack [6] atarigal [5] Cortat G [5] bennybingo [5] atariUCLA24 [3] SpaceDice2010 [2] MIKE5200 [2] Mangia-Boy [1] rmaerz [1] Zach [1] Buck [1] 4Ks [1] Cream147 [1] theKLT [1] DickNixonArisen [1] leematari [1]

 

Scoring Points in Fathom

• The Level number appears at the bottom left of the screen. All games begin at Level 1.
• If you free Neptina, you automatically advance to the next level (2, 3, etc.). Your score for the new Level returns to 50.
• When you free Neptina, the points you earn on the Level are added to the point bank with the total number of points earned on all previous Levels.
• The points you earn are multiplied by the Level number you are on. Example: Earn 50 points on Level 2 and 100 points are stored in the point bank (50 x 2 = 100).

 

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. Here are the hints it provides:

• Run into all the sea horses and pink clouds you can. They're worth points.
  
• Avoid obstacles -- black birds, grey clouds, octopuses, seaweed and volcanoes. They cost you points!
  
• Time freezes when the dolphin and the seagull appear on screen together. Otherwise you lose points as the seconds tick away.
  
• Here's how to fin and fly through Level 1. After that you're on your own!
   
  As the dolphin swims down, octopuses and two sea horses appear. Touch both sea horses. Then touch the starfish that appears. A piece of the Trident now shows at the bottom of the screen. Note: You must reach both sea horses and the starfish without leaving that section of the sea. If you don't, return to the surface and try again.
   
  Next dive through lines of seaweed. More sea horses appear. Touch one and a bird symbol shows at the bottom of your screen. Return to the surface now, or try to reach other sea horses for additional points.
   
  Jump out of the water when you reach the surface. Fly to the left or right. Land appears. Flap your wings hard and fly up. Touch two pink clouds in that section of the sky and a star appears. Touch it. You'll have another piece of the Trident. Return to the dolphin. Fly until you reach land on the other side. Repeat the game of tag with pink clouds. Touch one pink cloud and acquire a fish symbol; touch the other and a star appears. Touch the star and the third piece of the Trident is yours. Return to the dolphin, change forms and dive for the bottom. When you arrive, the mermaid's prison will dissolve.

 

We played this game once before in the High Score Club, you might want to check out that thread for more hints.

 

DT Kofoed

 

1. Remember that pulling down as a seagull makes you drop faster.
   
2. It's vital to memorize the starting cloud positions for each screen, so that you enter a new sky screen hitting those low flying clouds rather than low flying birds (or avoiding them as your fall through grey-cloud skies, if you've taken too long).
   
3. I find a free fall along the right side of the sky screens avoids both clouds and birds, allowing you to descend as quickly as the programming allows. Following down the left side will hit birds on the lower two screens if you're in free fall.

(Check out his post over here for a map)

 

Frostbite76

 

1. Collect the pink clouds from the rooms that have the most of them it. If you're in level 6 for example, collect the pink clouds in the sky with six clouds. After you get all six clouds, go down to the sky with 5 but don't get any. Then go back and get the 6 clouds. Keep doing this until the clouds are grey.
   
2. The water levels: go all the way to the right and go down to avoid most of the enemies if not all. Same thing to go back up
   
3. Level 5-7. In the Water go to the 5th screen and collect all but one of the pink things. After you do this go back up one screen then go back down and collect all but one again. Keep doing this until you can't collect anymore. This is the fastest and safest way to collect.
   
4. Study the map after you switch. I can stay there for as long as you want. You can even leave and go back there to freeze time.
   
5. Level 5-7 are the most important levels by far, so be very careful. These are the levels you can really rack up the most points. Level 7 alone can get about 8,000 points. 1100x7. So do not hit the valcano on these levels. It could cost you about 1,000. every time you get hit.
   
6. Fall down from the left side of the screen to avoid grey clouds. But don't go down too fast. To avoid getting hit by the birds on the two lower screens, move over about an inch to the right.

 

Chuck D. Head

 

How to finish level 1:

1. Swim down from start, touch all seahorses on the screen and a star will appear - grab it.
   
2. Go down a screen, grab more seahorses until your bird symbol appears at the bottom. Swim to the surface and press the button.
   
3. Fly one screen to the right and one screen up. Touch both clouds and a star will appear. Grab it.
   
4. Go back to the center screen (where you changed to a bird) and then repeat step three but to the left side. Once you touch the third star you have all three pieces of the trident.
   
5. Go back to the center screen and press the button to turn back into a dolphin. Go down the side to avoid obstacles, all the way to the bottom and touch the mermaids cage to free her and complete the round.
   
6. Unless you touched too many octopus, enemy birds, or grey clouds, you will now have a score. YAY!

 

Stan

 

I was having trouble avoiding birds in the sky because of how your character tends to hover. Tapping the button lightly makes him flap just enough, but usually you won't be accurate all the time to get it to stay in short flaps. Therefore, make a habit of using DOWN on the joystick religiously. By quickly pressing it down you can make your bird descend just a bit to slow down his ascent. Doing it rapidly gives you more control over hovering, and thus getting the clouds. You can also use this to descend rapidly through the sky by just holding down.

 

--Zero

[Chuck D. Head]

Oh hell yeah, I'm in!!

[Gorfy]

Umm, how do you score in this game? I played 5 times in a row, and ended up with zero each time.

[dwane413]

Umm, how do you score in this game? I played 5 times in a row, and ended up with zero each time.

You have to free Neptina to get any points. After reading the manual, I got 21 points. I'm sure that's not good, but it was the first time I played after sort of understanding what I was doing.

[Gorfy]

WOO HOO!! Broke the zero barrier!

 

Score: 10

[oyamafamily]

This time I will NOT participate, because I DON'T have any interest to play Fathom. But remember: my goal for 2600 HSC, Season 9, is:

Stay among TOP 5, and finish this Season at least on the 5th place (considering the Season 9 Final Ranking)!

[JacobZu7zu7]

This game is horrible... (114) no pic.

 

I free one mermaid, the clouds go grey, and don't give me the Star that I need... in 10 years of owning this game, I never got to level 3. How perfect do you need to be here??

 

Controls are like a dysfunctional Joust, if I fly off the screen and come back, it seems to erase my progress.

[JacobZu7zu7]

Look at the Twin Galaxie gap in score from 1st to 2nd place,

 

TwinGalaxies Top 3

(Game 1, Difficulty B)

 

 

* 1,110,500 (Todd Rogers)

* 116 (Greg Troutman)

 

 

 

 

In one of the tips back in season 5... it says "Make a Map" after level 2. Oh no...

 

 

iangamer said:

"Trident piece 1 is in the water, and the other 2 pieces are in the air, so yes, you do alternate in a sequence like this when collecting pieces (starfish) in levels 1 & 2:

- Piece 1 (Water)

- Pieces 2 & 3 (Air)

 

Levels 3 and beyond: I suggest making a map for these levels. "

Edited May 19, 2011 by JacobZu7zu7

[Vocelli]

Ok...

I just got this game last week!

Never played it.

Now that I have played it...

If I have a lot of time this will be fun.

Saved one mermaid (she is hot) but not as hot as the Tapper dancers.

My score flashed : 27

No pic yet...

WHAT 1,000 for a bonus!

[Chuck D. Head]

OK, first score 320 after two levels. I am not using my old map, but I will be making a new one.

[DT Kofoed]

First time playing... 26... ouch. I've ordered the cartridge for this one, since the keyboard is not well suited to this control scheme. Hope it arrives in time to get some real playing in.

[Chuck D. Head]

I made it through level four and two trident pieces on five before succumbing to the deep.

 

1821

 

[Frostbite76]

After mapping the game for a few hours. I solved the first 6.

 

score [9,866

I like this game a lot

 

I beat this back in April but lost my map.

[Frostbite76]

Look at the Twin Galaxie gap in score from 1st to 2nd place,

 

TwinGalaxies Top 3

(Game 1, Difficulty B)

 

 

* 1,110,500 (Todd Rogers)

* 116 (Greg Troutman)

 

 

 

 

In one of the tips back in season 5... it says "Make a Map" after level 2. Oh no...

 

 

iangamer said:

"Trident piece 1 is in the water, and the other 2 pieces are in the air, so yes, you do alternate in a sequence like this when collecting pieces (starfish) in levels 1 & 2:

- Piece 1 (Water)

- Pieces 2 & 3 (Air)

 

Levels 3 and beyond: I suggest making a map for these levels. "

getting a score above 30,000 for this game is impossible because the game ends after level 7. My High score is 14,000+. If you played a flawless game, 25,000-30,000 might be possible.

[Chuck D. Head]

A much better score but just a tad more progress. I got 3190 but got lava-raped by the green volcano on my way home with trident number five.

 

[Krytol]

On the board with 115.

[JacobZu7zu7]

The pink things are clouds?! I thought they were barbie blimps floating by.

 

I got into a few of 'em!

 

I mapped as I played, and did much better... the game still seems lacking somethin,

but at least I can play it now.

 

 

2,458

 

HIT THE BONUS!

[JacobZu7zu7]

Got to level 6... and 1 key!

 

7,390

 

The water where the Mermaid swims is completely black now.

 

I need to change that!

 

Ladies and Gents,

The mermaids water is now CLEAN!!! Thanks, just doin' my job

 

16,971

 

My map looks like mad genius scribblings... I will improve on this score later.

Edited May 20, 2011 by JacobZu7zu7

[DT Kofoed]

 

Though this looked useful...

[Frostbite76]

beat the game and got that weird code again

 

Final score was 18,840. I'll try to top 20,000

[Frostbite76]

even better 20,588

[Amstari]

118

 

 

Hey it's Ecco the Dophins ancestor! I'm enjoying this game.

[Vocelli]

Ok...

Did much better.

I could not find the last trident piece on Level 7.

My flying abilities SUCK! No wonder my score is so low.

Vocelli: 6419

[JacobZu7zu7]

 

Though this looked useful...

 

 

Nice map, but I have mixed feelings on this being posted.

 

On plus side, it should make for better competition,

but negative is that people now will easily get the bonus just from looking at this.

 

I am glad I did it on my own.

 

Nice sense of discovery that way.

[Stan]

Great game. Something I need to play a little more. It can be a little maddening at times, but I think it's underappreciated. Let's see what I can do!