27 replies to this topic

[bigbee99]

Final Round




Gravitar



The player controls a space ship in three different solar systems. Each solar system consists of a home base, a death star, a red alien planet and four regular planets. Each planet has its own unique terrain.
-klov


Game Information
Game Name: Gravitar (version 3)
Released By: Atari 1982
MAME ROMset: gravitar
Dip Switches: Lives: 3/ Difficulty: Easy/ Bonus Life: 10000 (not default)
Chosen By: Cynicaster
ROM Location:  http://www.romnation...-version-3.html
AtariAge Arcade/MAME HSC Record: n/a
The Round and Season end Sunday, July 22st @ 12PM EST


Leaderboard

65,350 kane
31,600 Cynicaster
30,400 M.A.M.E Offender
19,800 bigbee99
6,350 arcenTyler
5,300 roadrunner
1,850 BillyHW
1,200 jblenkle




Season FINAL Standings
1. Cynicaster 646
1. bigbee99 646
3. M.A.M.E Offender 634
4. kane 342
5. patbb 321
6. roadrunner 180
7. mr. toast 166
8. JohnnyBlaze 125
9. LarcenTyler 128
10. acelkin 117
11. jblenkle 84
12. richard stewart 78
13. Barra 66
14. BillyHW 41
15. kojr 39
15. keilbaca 39
17. andyy119 33
18. onmode-ky 30
19. retrorussell 27
19. mightymage 23
21. Kurt_Woloch 18
22. rmaerz 16
23. homerwannabee 15
24. NE146 8
25. chuckwalla 6
25. Raygunn 6
27. Fres 1

Edited by bigbee99, Sun Jul 22, 2012 10:18 AM.

[BillyHW]

Ooooh vector game.  This should be interesting.

[Kombalar]

Great. My favorite arcade machine of all time. I'll be following.

Here's some playing tips for you:



Check out parts 2, 3, 4 and 5 from my channel (game fully completed & clocked). Best controls for PC keyboard:

Z - RotateLeft
X - Rotate Right
SPACE - Shield / Tractor
SLASH - Thrust
RIGHT SHIFT - Fire

Good luck!

Edited by Kombalar, Sun Jul 15, 2012 9:07 PM.

[bigbee99]

Man those levels get crazy!  I'm going to drop my test run score of 7,400.  Now that I have watched the clip, I am sure I can do better though.

B

[Kombalar]

Check the later parts (2, 3, 4 & 5). The same levels change to invisible. THAT'S when it gets crazy. It literally took me 30 years to complete the game. The first 2 universes aren't really that difficult. There is a learning process though... but if you can play Asteroids, you'll learn it quick.

Here's a lot of info and tips of the game from Dan Coogan (the world record holder):
http://www.cooganphoto.com/gravitar/

It's a highly enjoyable game as soon as you figure out the control physics. You gotta use the original Asteroids-type button layout though... it's impossible to play with the arrow buttons.
http://www.8-bitcent...tarControls.jpg

Edited by Kombalar, Sun Jul 15, 2012 10:58 PM.

[kane]

I'm a big fan of Gravitar, it's a tough game though. I can do the first solar system OK, but can't do any good on the second.

30,350

 gravitar.png   5.79K   5 downloads

[Kombalar]

Well played Kane.

Second solar system is tougher but not that much, really. In the first solar system always go for the upper left planet first. You'll get the super bonus and all other planets are also worth 8K after that.

[bigbee99]

19,800

I managed to get the super bonus.  Then all of the levels got really hard lol

B

Attached Files

•  grav0000.png   4.47K   4 downloads

[jblenkle]

Gravitar - 1,200
 joe's gravitar - 1,200.png   12.4K   3 downloads

This one is a new one for me...never played it...

[kane]

Kombalar, on Mon Jul 16, 2012 8:38 AM, said:

In the first solar system always go for the upper left planet first. You'll get the super bonus and all other planets are also worth 8K after that.

That's the way I play it if I'm going for points, top-left first then clockwise.

jblenkle, on Mon Jul 16, 2012 10:32 PM, said:

Gravitar - 1,200
This one is a new one for me...never played it...

It's a steep learning curve I reckon, but well worth it.

_________________________________________


I'm up to 'co pilot' rank, first solar system done, died on first planet of ss2.

46,550

 gravitar01.png   5.66K   3 downloads

Edited by kane, Tue Jul 17, 2012 2:23 AM.

[Kombalar]

That's a good score man... you're quickly learning the game. It's pretty easy to get to the next skill level as soon as you get familiar with the 5-button control system.

PS: Crank up the beam width and contrast... MAME has a problem showing the red gun turret shots because the screen is way too dark with the default settings.

I use these screen settings for MAME (although the game looks much better on AAE Vector Emulator).
http://i47.tinypic.com/332mp0y.jpg

[bigbee99]

Kombalar, on Tue Jul 17, 2012 8:56 AM, said:

It's pretty easy to get to the next skill level as soon as you get familiar with the 5-button control system.

For me, I am so use to using the keyboard these days, setting the controls up as you suggested just got me all mixed up.

B

[kane]

2 planets cleared in the second solar system, not sure if I can get the other 2 out, bullets flying everywhere...

62,750

 gravitar02.png   5.76K   3 downloads

[Kombalar]

kane, on Thu Jul 19, 2012 4:14 AM, said:

2 planets cleared in the second solar system, not sure if I can get the other 2 out, bullets flying everywhere...

62,750

Well done.

Check out my gameplay video (in the 2nd post) for the tactics. You'll get past them. The first real obstacle is the "snake" planet in the 3rd solar system.

Here's what the world record holder Dan Coogan said:
Each time I started on a new screen that I had not played before I thought "I'll never be able to get through this one -- it's just too difficult." -- after some practice and perseverance I raised my game to the next level and completed it.

[bigbee99]

I'm beginning to think 19.8k is the best I have.  Tough game

B

[LarcenTyler]

6,350

Will have to try the suggested control config soon.

[Cynicaster]

31,600

This has to be the most tactical, methodical arcade game in the history of humankind.  IMG_3262.JPG   196.92K   2 downloads

[kane]

Kombalar, on Thu Jul 19, 2012 10:09 AM, said:

Well done.

Check out my gameplay video (in the 2nd post) for the tactics. You'll get past them.

What I meant was, I doubt I will get past them by Sunday, eventually I'm sure I will.  To be honest I don't like to watch any gameplay videos of games I enjoy playing, sort of ruins it, like skipping to the end of a film to see what happens.

[roadrunner]

5,300

Attached Files

•  grav0015.png   6.17K   2 downloads

[bigbee99]

Here we are with less than 24 hour left in this seasons competition.  Scoreboard is updated!

B

[kane]

My final effort...

65,350

 gravitar03.png   5.77K   2 downloads

[M.A.M.E Offender]

This is it.  

It was kind of a disappointing ending for me, seeing that I had the lead for a good, long while just to watch it vanish after my bad showing at the Independance DaY Craptacular.

Even though I let myself down, I can still tell you that I have had so much fun in this HSC. I really hope next year we can have a block of competitors about 8 wide.  That is my only complaint about this year.  

It looks like it is going to be a photo finish between my brother and BigBee99.  Wow!!!  Who wouldve thought it was going to be this close!!!

[M.A.M.E Offender]

GRAVITAR ---   30,400

Attached Files

•  DSCF5592.JPG   173.18K   1 downloads

[BillyHW]

1850.  Just to get a score in before the lock.  Crazy week.  Found a job and will have to move 2000 miles.

[bigbee99]

M.A.M.E Offender, on Sun Jul 22, 2012 6:23 AM, said:

This is it.  

It was kind of a disappointing ending for me, seeing that I had the lead for a good, long while just to watch it vanish after my bad showing at the Independance DaY Craptacular.

Even though I let myself down, I can still tell you that I have had so much fun in this HSC. I really hope next year we can have a block of competitors about 8 wide.  That is my only complaint about this year.  

It looks like it is going to be a photo finish between my brother and BigBee99.  Wow!!!  Who wouldve thought it was going to be this close!!!

Who saw a tie coming at the end?  Congrats to Cyn for coming up from behind.  He was over 20 pints out just 2 weeks ago!

It's been a fun haul but it's time it came to an end.  Even if just for a few months.  Several new faces showed up here about 1/2 way through the season dropping some really nice scores.  I hope we can all make it back around the end of August.  I might look into revamping the rules some.  Until then, game on!

B