Tempest help

[Opry99er]

I SUCK at my Tempest clone on my android phone.

 

The controls are lame, as you have to move your finger around the edge of the playfieldto move your ship... Sounds nice, but your finger gets in the way of the view alot and sometimes a "left" motion translates into "right."

 

On the arcade game, I could get to the 8th or 9th board before losing a ship, but now I am lucky to reach the 5th.

 

So, to my question... As a point of Tempest strategy, do you typically rapidfire constantly (5 shots at a time) and circle the playfield or do you take a more measured approach? If the red X baddies get to your playfield, do you immediately zap, or try to avoid until the last second?

 

I cannot change the finger mechanics in WBT (the clone game name) but perhaps some solid arcade strategy might help me through.

[Catsmasher]

Tempest it tought to translate because it is just not the same without the spinner.

Don't expect it to be all that great on a phone. Play it like it was originaly designed - on an arcade machine (or at least mame).

Use your phone for calling people and talking to them.

Edited August 2, 2015 by Catsmasher

[ledzep]

I SUCK at my Tempest clone on my android phone.

 

The controls are lame, as you have to move your finger around the edge of the playfieldto move your ship... Sounds nice, but your finger gets in the way of the view alot and sometimes a "left" motion translates into "right."

 

On the arcade game, I could get to the 8th or 9th board before losing a ship, but now I am lucky to reach the 5th.

 

So, to my question... As a point of Tempest strategy, do you typically rapidfire constantly (5 shots at a time) and circle the playfield or do you take a more measured approach? If the red X baddies get to your playfield, do you immediately zap, or try to avoid until the last second?

 

I cannot change the finger mechanics in WBT (the clone game name) but perhaps some solid arcade strategy might help me through.

 

Don't know about your phone Tempest clone but on the original game I tended to fire constantly at the beginning before any enemies were near me. Having the red Flippers make it to the top isn't a bad thing, really, you can kill them as they are flipping over. It is easiest to do if one of the rows has a long green spike. Shoot the spike down, you will fire so constantly that the Flipper will die as it tries to flip down on you. You can achieve the same thing without shooting at a spike, just wait until its starts flipping and then fire, you'll kill it the same way. Shooting at the spike is just less to think about as you figure out where to move next. This is a little more difficult on a level where the rows are staggered like stairs, the Flippers can flip onto you much faster (only a 90 degree flip). You can also move past them as they are flipping and when you do they will continue moving in their original direction until they hit the edge of the level (if there is an edge) or they'll continue orbiting around back to you if the level is contiguous.

 

Without the spinner it's really a waste of time to play for too long, though. Very frustrating using your fingers (or a joystick or other substitute). The Atari 5200 homebrew/completed version uses the Trak-Ball which is the next best thing to a spinner. I play Tempest on my Atari Greatest Hits app on my Android phone, but not for long. Usually just to see it and hear it again, brings back fond memories.