HSC Season 3 Week 18: Demon Attack

[Ze_ro]

Important note: This weeks competition is over. If you still wish to discuss this game, then feel free to do so, but no further scores will be accepted. Thanks to everyone for all their contributions! Please join in on the latest High Score Club competition!

 

Marooned on the ice planet Krybor, you watch legions of eerie creatures scream overhead. They hover ominously. They give you no quarter. Attack and destroy them, or be destroyed! Armed with your Laser Cannon, you confront the ultimate challenge: SURVIVE!

 

Game Information

• Game Name: Demon Attack
  
• Released By: Imagic, 1982
  
• Left Difficulty: A / Expert - Aggressive Demons
  
• Right Difficulty: N/A
  
• Game Mode: Game 1
  
• Chosen By: scogey
  

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 will be approximately Tuesday, Nov 22nd at 1:30 AM (CST). In case you haven't already done so, please read the High Score Club rules. There is other useful information contained in that previous link, including a list of previous High Score Club games!

 

As before, next week's game will be chosen by the next person in the member list, which happens to be awsomo3000! Please send me a private message with your choice of game for next week!

 

If you are not a member of the High Score Club, but would like to be, then all you have to do is post a score for this week's game, and I'll add you to the list!

 

Current High Scores

1. 328,580 (the 5th ghost) [+11]
   
2. 172,570 (SpiceWare) [+10]
   
3. 130,000 (Recycled) [+9]
   
4. 83,940 (homerwannabee) [+8]
   
5. 76,760 (keilbaca) [+7]
   
6. 29,095 (shadow460) [+6]
   
7. 27,820 (Keir) [+5]
   
8. 27,350 (RJ) [+4]
   
9. 20,090 (Fellow Atari Man) [+3]
   
10. 16,310 (graywest) [+2]
    
11. 10,840 (Cybergoth) [+1]
    
12. 10,530 (supercat) [+1]
    
13. 9500 (video game addict) [+1]
    
14. 9125 (Goochman) [+1]
    
15. 8240 (LarcenTyler) [+1]
    
16. 6210 (scogey) [+1]
    
17. 5850 (Omegamatrix) [+1]
    
18. 5640 (khryssun) [+1]
    
19. 4525 (vdub_bobby) [+1]
    
20. 1850 (Dan Iacovelli) [+1]
    

Best Tips

• supercat [+2]
  

Bounties and Challenges

• None yet
  

TwinGalaxies Top 3

(Default Settings)

1. 758,980 (Todd Rogers)
   
2. 321,280 (Troy Whelan)
   
3. 239,480 (Patrick Wickwire)
   

Current Standings

1. Coming Soon

Member List

Voch, Stingray, Bubbledragon, video game addict, pitfallaimee, Blackjack, racer raul, SpiceWare, Robert M, Lord Helmet, Lord Thag, Mad Scientist, Dan Iacovelli, iguana, Luigi301, Gateway, Damon Plus, gospeedde, Kepone, internetotaku, panda_racer, KaeruYojimbo, cyberneticimplant, bjk7382, davepesc, neotokeo2001, xeex, bmlbytes, Omegamatrix, the 5th ghost, Xebec's Demise, khryssun, vgcollector666, chadtower, moycon, Malc74, shadow460, Atarifever, Keir, supercat, FireTiger, Philflound, Fellow Atari Man, keilbaca, brendano, Cybergoth, durden26, sku_u, mitsubachi, arlo, Recycled, LarcenTyler, silverpoodleman, 128bytes, Goochman, Thomas Jentzsch, Christophero Sly, D.Yancey, mrppv666, Mordax, Numan, Mordax, vdub_bobby, Dones, Gamemaster_ca_2003, scogey, graywest, RJ

Scoring Points in Pole Position

• During wave 1, shooting a demon will give you 10 points.
  
• Every odd-numbered wave after the 1st, the point value of a demon increases by 5, up to a maximum of 35 points at the 11th wave.
  
• During wave 5, shooting a split demon will give you 40 points.
  
• Every odd-numbered wave after the 5th, the point value of a split demon increases by 10, up to a maximum of 70 points at the 11th wave.
  
• During wave 5, shooting a diving demon will give you 80 points.
  
• Every odd-numbered wave after the 5th, the point value of a diving demon increases by 20, up to a maximum of 140 points at the 11th wave.
  

Hints and Tips

As always, you really should read the manual.

 

What's that? You don't have the manual? AtariAge has a typed copy online. However, the manual doesn't provide any specific hints.

-When you get to the point where the demons split into two when shot, remember you don't have to kill all of them. There's no penalty (AFAIK) for letting a smaller demon land on the surface.

 

-Remember that only one demon can shoot at a time, so use this opportunity to take out the other demons while avoiding that one's shots.

The safest time to fire is when one if the birds is floating to the bottom. Use that time to destory the upper level ships, until one floats down again. keep up the neverending process.

If you destroy the middle demons after there are none left to warp in, the top demon will never move down or attack you. If you want to take a break to grab a sandwich or something, you may kill off the bottom demons while leaving the top ones and then leave for as long as you like.

 

One thing which is very helpful is to recognize that while the most dangerous part of the game is shooting a demon that's shooting and you, that's really only something you need to do once per level. Split the bottom demon, then the one above. At this point, focus on avoiding the small demon's bombs and destroying the upper demons. Avoid shooting bottom-row small demons when the middle-row demon is unsplit, and avoid shooting both bottom-row demons too quickly.

 

There are three 'demon zones' plus the bomb/diver zone. Any time all bombs disappear from the screen, the system will check to see if there is exactly one small demon in the bottom zone. If so, all demon zones will move down one, with that bottom-zone demon becoming a diver. Note that this is the only circumstance where demons will switch zones, and that middle-zone and upper-zone demons cannot shoot nor dive even if the zones below them are empty.

 

Thus, if the bottom and middle zone contain split demons and you shoot one demon from the bottom row, then after a few moments the other demon will start to dive and the middle-row demons will become the bottom row. Thus, as soon as the diver either crashes or is destroyed, you will come under 'small demon' attack. Note that if the middle row contained a single small demon, it will sometimes fire one attack of bombs before becoming a diver.

 

If the same situation applied but you shot both of the bottom demons very quickly together, then the bottom row would be vacant but the other rows would not move down. If all eight demons haven't yet warped in, you'd get an unsplit demon on the bottom row (nasty!). If all eight demons have warped in, then you'll be free to get a sandwich or whatever because none of the other demons will ever attack you.

Tips:

 

*Try to stay away from the corners, they could mean death if you get trapped by demon fire!

 

*STAY ALERT. Once you get killed, be ready to move the instant your next bunker appears onscreen.

 

Another tip: Stay alert, Part 2: stay aware of the demons' flight patterns, since, at times, they can swoop low and high...try to stay away from them when they're going to swoop very close to the surface, as you'll have a smaller chance of dodging their fire then, and a greater chance of being hit.

As for strategy, well, remove cart, stomp on cart, and toss the remains into a waste receptacle.

 

I actually shoot at whatever demon is easiest to hit. The middle and upper ones jump around so blasted much that I understand why the collision detection is so bad--the game itself probably doesn't know where they went when my shot passes by! This strategy has evidently landed me a decent score. I, therefore, shoot at the lowermost demon most of the time, and when they're split, I go after the half that isn't trying to use the bathroom on me. I try to go after other demons when the lone half is diving at me, then either kill or dodge the diver. Ideally, I'll have three divers in a row.

Killing divers is easy. Just sit in one spot and watch how the little wussies fly back and forth. Time a shot, and if you're lucky, it'll hit.

 

Now for the bane of my existence, the guided droppings. The first two waves of these ain't bad, which is a good thing after wave 12. Most of the waves' poop is guided the same way.

To kill any enemy that has guided droppings (even the oo ones):

First, slide just to one side of three or four loads of refuse if drops. After that, slide under the next one and do not stop. When you're sliding under one, time a shot. The demon dung will barely miss you and you have a better chance of scoring a hit than if you didn't shoot at all. After a while this becomes easy.

 

Now if you're killing most demons, you can usually peg them on the wing.

 

The oo demons are different. Instead of pegging their wings, get dead center under the one that's firing. I know that's crazy, but it works. Get dead center under him and let fly. In order for him to crap directly on you, he must remain still. This allows you shot to hit him, and then the demon dung simply falls straight. Either get out of its way or get out some Charmin.

 

Try sliding underneath the small (I call em oo) demons and shooting that way.

You let 'em drop two or three times, sliding away from the stuff, then slide under the stuff (and demon). While underneath them, peg 'em.

 

Also do try sitting still underneath the "shooter". Since the stuff is guided, he's gotta remain stock still in order to hit you. Your shot connects first (or you move), then you just slide away.

 

I also found that the more you move side to side, the more likely it is you'll get trapped by sweeping demon dung. It seems they move around with you, so keep the movements to a minumum--couple of cannon widths max, or just a pixel or two away from the stuff they drop.

 

--Ze_ro

[Cybergoth]

Hi there!

 

Finally!

 

(Ok, mode 1 will require some time to get used to, since I was prefering mode 3 (guided shots) back in the day.)

 

Greetings,

Manuel

[the 5th ghost]

Classic game!

 

Be advised that there are two different roms out there. The most common version out there will freeze after the 84th wave I think. But, apparently there is another version that won't freeze up.

[vdub_bobby]

I'll start off low...

4,525

[davepesc]

Great game!

And not that I've ever made it that far, but doesn't the cart crash after wave 84? If so, then that should be the "official" rom.

[keilbaca]

8395 for first game.

 

I hate it when they start to be smaller than the beams they shoot...

[Dan Iacovelli]

I know I've been out of this for while but I think I can play this game.

I have this game also so no need for an emulator.

[Ze_ro]

Be advised that there are two different roms out there. The most common version out there will freeze after the 84th wave I think. But, apparently there is another version that won't freeze up.

Interesting... does anyone have ROMs that are confirmed to lock up (or NOT lock up)? Is there any way to tell if an actual cart is one that would lock up? I'd hate to see someone lose out on a long run just because their copy locked up and someone else's didn't.

 

--Zero

[sku_u]

Be advised that there are two different roms out there. The most common version out there will freeze after the 84th wave I think. But, apparently there is another version that won't freeze up.

Interesting... does anyone have ROMs that are confirmed to lock up (or NOT lock up)? Is there any way to tell if an actual cart is one that would lock up? I'd hate to see someone lose out on a long run just because their copy locked up and someone else's didn't.

 

--Zero

966038[/snapback]

 

There's no way to tell unless you're opening up a sealed copy, unfortunately.

[graywest]

Hello all -

 

I'm new here, but I thought I'd give this a try.

 

7875

 

Edit: Played again - 9455

Edited November 15, 2005 by graywest

[D.Yancey]

If you do play that long, the screen will go black, so you cannot get a screenshot of your score after it's too late. My version locks up. I think most of the carts do. I've never had the pleasure to play one that didn't. Therefore, I have no shot at the Rogers record.

[Cybergoth]

Hi there!

 

If you do play that long, the screen will go black, so you cannot get a screenshot of your score after it's too late.  My version locks up.  I think most of the carts do.  I've never had the pleasure to play one that didn't.    Therefore, I have no shot at the Rogers record.

 

Just go for #2 and request #1 to be re-verified.

 

Oh and my first score: 7235

 

Greetings,

Manuel

[keilbaca]

Hi there!

 

If you do play that long, the screen will go black, so you cannot get a screenshot of your score after it's too late.  My version locks up.  I think most of the carts do.  I've never had the pleasure to play one that didn't.   Therefore, I have no shot at the Rogers record.

 

Just go for #2 and request #1 to be re-verified.

 

Greetings,

Manuel

966177[/snapback]

 

Why? If he has the rom that doesn't lock up, he can play clear to 999,999 if he feels like. Its not like its a one cart only deal, there are quite a few that don't lock up at the 84th level. Just a whole bunch more that do.

[Cybergoth]

Hi there!

 

Why? If he has the rom that doesn't lock up, he can play clear to 999,999 if he feels like. Its not like its a one cart only deal, there are quite a few that don't lock up at the 84th level. Just a whole bunch more that do.

 

Is the existance of such a bugfixed version confirmed?

 

EDIT: Just found that goochman owns such a version, where he scored over 1 million: http://www.atariage.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=12351 (Hey, hey, go tape that! It'd be the world record! )

 

Greetings,

Manuel

[+batari]

Hi there!

 

Why? If he has the rom that doesn't lock up, he can play clear to 999,999 if he feels like. Its not like its a one cart only deal, there are quite a few that don't lock up at the 84th level. Just a whole bunch more that do.

 

Is the existance of such a bugfixed version confirmed?

 

Greetings,

Manuel

966207[/snapback]

Yes. Nukey fixed it.

[keilbaca]

Hi there!

 

Why? If he has the rom that doesn't lock up, he can play clear to 999,999 if he feels like. Its not like its a one cart only deal, there are quite a few that don't lock up at the 84th level. Just a whole bunch more that do.

 

Is the existance of such a bugfixed version confirmed?

 

Greetings,

Manuel

966207[/snapback]

Yes. Nukey fixed it.

966223[/snapback]

 

Yes, Nukey fixed it, but ithat's not the version Todd played, as the hack was done after the record.

 

EDIT: If you get a Krok cart, set it up as a single game, and play it, being it plays identical except for the glitch being fixed (Like Todd's) then I don't see why you can't use it for the WR.

Edited November 15, 2005 by keilbaca

[Omegamatrix]

Can anyone dump the corrected version (not Nukey's fix)?

[+batari]

Can anyone dump the corrected version (not Nukey's fix)?

966237[/snapback]

The programmer, in an interview, said he changed a single line of code to fix it. The single line could have been commenting out the infinite loop or the check to see if we should enter the loop (or replacing either with NOP's.) But either way, Nukey's fix should be functionally identical, if not completely identical, to the "official" fix.

[video game addict]

I wonder if goochman has the text label or a blue label version?

[keilbaca]

I wonder if goochman has the text label or a blue label version?

966244[/snapback]

 

That brings up another interesting idea.

 

It was mentioned the only way to know if it was a fixed version is if it was sealed.

 

Does that mean that the blue label ones are fixed?

[Recycled]

I'm in:

 

16,165

[video game addict]

I wonder if goochman has the text label or a blue label version?

966244[/snapback]

 

That brings up another interesting idea.

 

It was mentioned the only way to know if it was a fixed version is if it was sealed.

 

Does that mean that the blue label ones are fixed?

966246[/snapback]

 

 

But seal or no seal, blue labels are a noticeably differenece. I'm guessing a copyright date, or variation somewhere, but why wouldn't all the later issued carts have the fix?

 

If some silver Imagic ones were later fixed, you would think all of the blues would be fixed rom version, unless they got the two confused somewhere.

 

 

 

8230 for the first score:

[Lauren Tyler]

Well, I'm really into this. I have to warm up my 7800!

 

Also, a couple of things:

 

-When you get to the point where the demons split into two when shot, remember you don't have to kill all of them. There's no penalty (AFAIK) for letting a smaller demon land on the surface.

 

-Remember that only one demon can shoot at a time, so use this opportunity to take out the other demons while avoiding that one's shots.

[keilbaca]

Alright, time for my tip.

 

The safest time to fire is when one if the birds is floating to the bottom. Use that time to destory the upper level ships, until one floats down again. keep up the neverending process.

[+SpiceWare]

22,780