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2018 Homebrew Tournament - Star Castle - Round 3


LidLikesIntellivision

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Castle 7 and just 11.5k? You must be very effective blasting the gun without removing too many segments. :thumbsup:

Yeah, I just happen to be on a roll during that game. A few of the rounds, I was able to get the opening and shoot the enemy at the same time as he shot me (which still advances you to the next round). :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

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I'm both looking forward to playing this game again and also afraid of the huge scores people are getting!!

 

We'll be playing Star Castle Arcade on both the next upcoming ZeroPage Homebrew show on August 15th and on the very last day of this round on August 31st trying to squeeze our way into the top scores. Wish us luck!

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From 2600 High Score Rules and Infos (http://atariage.com/forums/topic/47348-high-score-club-the-rules-info-updated-11715/):

 

"On an Atari 7800, moving the switch to the left is equivalent to "B (Novice)" and moving the switch to the right is equivalent to "A (PRO)", so simply set the switch to the appropriate position before starting the game."

Edited by oyamafamily
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From 2600 High Score Rules and Infos (http://atariage.com/forums/topic/47348-high-score-club-the-rules-info-updated-11715/):

 

"On an Atari 7800, moving the switch to the left is equivalent to "B (Novice)" and moving the switch to the right is equivalent to "A (PRO)", so simply set the switch to the appropriate position before starting the game."

thanks, I'll try it again and see if I can get game one selected

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What version are you using? The final release listed the game number at the top, and didn't have the extra 0's in the scores.

oh i must have a different version.... was there a different ROM than the one entitled "starRC1.bin" ??? (RC= Release Candidate) was there an RC2?

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We played our first broadcast of entries for this round of the Homebrew Tournament yesterday and got some non-embarrassing scores! We'll be playing our final round of games LIVE on August 31st on ZeroPage.

 

cimmerian 9740 @ 1:35:20-1:39:19

Aerlan 9190 @ 1:14:12-1:18:32

 

Here's the video:

 

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We played our first broadcast of entries for this round of the Homebrew Tournament yesterday and got some non-embarrassing scores! We'll be playing our final round of games LIVE on August 31st on ZeroPage.

 

cimmerian 9740 @ 1:35:20-1:39:19

Aerlan 9190 @ 1:14:12-1:18:32

 

Here's the video:

 

Great show as always.

I learned a lot from your video! The gun fires as soon it's alligned with the ring holes.

If I understood right, only the destruction of the outer ring causes the recreation of a new one.

I also discovered 20k is when difficulty is at the highest level. It makes me want to break the 32k high score even more.

I'm basically using the bounce strategy while trying (with poor results so far) to mix with that crazy strategy from the video Thomas posted.

 

I had Yars Revenge when I was around 6 and played it a lot back then!

Never saw a Star Castle cabinet and I only played SCA a couple of times before.

I'm loving to learn and try different strategies.

I'm glad I picked this game for the tournament, otherwise I probably wouldn't put the effort the game deserves. The game is hard but it's a rewarding experience.

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oh i must have a different version.... was there a different ROM than the one entitled "starRC1.bin" ??? (RC= Release Candidate) was there an RC2?

 

 

RC1 was a very early release candidate. The final one (linked to by Thomas) is radically different, and at least a year and a half newer.

@ Arenafoot

If RC1 has the same game play (speed, points, collision detection based on sprite size,difficulty increments etc.), your score can be accepted.

 

Unfortunately, if the rc1 game play is different, I'd have to remove it and ask you to submit another score using SCA cartridge or the rom Thomas linked to. It's good we still have some time to play, I'd hate to not have your score in this round.

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Thanks so much LLI! Glad you're enjoying our shows!! It's definitely a lot easier to figure out patterns within the game while watching someone else play, especially with a game as intense as this one!! Another thing I observed after the show watching the video is that when you fire at the parts of the ring that the mines are clinging to they will release early, at least in the early stages. In the later stages, they just jump off right away and go after you.

 

Thomas J. let us know on the stream that his 32k in the highscore table isn't real and is just a factor of 2, he said he's never actually got even close to that score. It's definitely something to aim for, it's such a crazy high score but since you've already made it past the 20k it doesn't get any harder!

 

I also played the hell out of Yar's Revenge back in the 80's and 90's, it definitely deserves its place as the best selling original title for the 2600.

 

I'm also glad you picked this game as I also don't think I would have put in this much work to get the score that I got!! :-) This tournament was a great idea and also some great content for the stream!

 

Great show as always.

I learned a lot from your video! The gun fires as soon it's alligned with the ring holes.

If I understood right, only the destruction of the outer ring causes the recreation of a new one.

I also discovered 20k is when difficulty is at the highest level. It makes me want to break the 32k high score even more.

I'm basically using the bounce strategy while trying (with poor results so far) to mix with that crazy strategy from the video Thomas posted.

 

I had Yars Revenge when I was around 6 and played it a lot back then!

Never saw a Star Castle cabinet and I only played SCA a couple of times before.

I'm loving to learn and try different strategies.

I'm glad I picked this game for the tournament, otherwise I probably wouldn't put the effort the game deserves. The game is hard but it's a rewarding experience.

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@ Arenafoot

If RC1 has the same game play (speed, points, collision detection based on sprite size,difficulty increments etc.), your score can be accepted.

 

Unfortunately, if the rc1 game play is different, I'd have to remove it and ask you to submit another score using SCA cartridge or the rom Thomas linked to. It's good we still have some time to play, I'd hate to not have your score in this round.

I understand - I thought it was the released version. I'm not sure if anything is different though.

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I understand - I thought it was the released version. I'm not sure if anything is different though.

A little bit. :)

 

Here is the latest change log (after RC1):

; Explanation:
; - = open
; o = partially
; + = done
; ? = debatable
; x = cancelled
; Arcade Differences:
; + 3..6 lives via dip switches; 5 or 3 lives depending on left difficulty
;
; x extra lives > 100
; + game speed increases with score, segments, time...?
;   + gamespeed (0..15) now based on score (increases every 1000 points)
; + ring rotation
;   + not in sync
;   + direction moves with ring (DONE: check mines on rings, gun gaps)
;   + speed moves with the ring
;   + speeds
;     + increases with score (not castle)
;     + reverse rotation at constant speed: 4.7s/loop, (1st castle: middle)
;     + others: 0..1250 pts: 4.7 (outside)/3.2s (inside); ..2500 pts: 3.2/2.35s; then: 2.4/1.9s
;       own speed range defined
;   + offsets are transfered with the expanding rings
;   + hit sparks (DONE: graphics)
;   + castle slowly regenerates after being killed (NOT at start!), starting with two rings (inner and tiny inner)
; + killing gun and getting killed costs one life
; + shield kick
;   + ignores previous speed
;   + gives new speed
;   + doesn't reposition
; + ships
;   + facing left at life start
;   + start position moves up with each new life? (10 positions, 1st is from previous game, 2nd one is bottom + 1?)
;     1st one not reset at new game
;     + index: ships - initial - castle
;     - number indexes = 10? (currently 
;   ? X and Y speed are NOT linked together
;   + deceleration is linear and lower
;   x ship decelerates differently in left/down (100%) than in right/up (~50%) direction!!!
;   + after castle completed, ship continues at current spot in next castle
;   + ship bounces during explosion
;   + increased turning speed acceleration
;   + max turning speed too slow (~10%)
; o mines
;   + immediate respawn
;   + spawn position depends on gun direction (dir - 90°)
;   + spawn independent from ship direction
;   o hop back and forth on the rings
;   + higher homing speed at higher scores (as fast as player's ship)
;   + homing mine movement has some randomness to prevent mine grouping
;   + homing mine lifetime varies (lifetime counted on ring too, but only 50%)
;   + slower turning speed in lower castles
;   o mines hop much faster in arcade in higher levels
;   ? max. one mine per ring segment
;   + disappear when they hit a ship
;   + mines on ring do not kill ship
;   + hit sparks (DONE: graphics)
; + gun
;   + shots immediately when there is a gap
;   + projectile moves a bit faster (using bullet speeds now)
;   + projectile disappears when ship is hit
;   + starts new gun life at last direction
;   + starts next ship at last direction
;   + shots whenever there is space, no matter where the player's ship is
;   + is turning slower, especially initially
; + bullets
;   + max. 3 at a time
; o sounds
;   o siren frequency depending on segments (~65..260Hz):
;     + intermediate screen (highest pitch, slightly higher than 3)
;     + 36..28: 0 (lowest pitch)
;     + 27..24: 1 (slightly higher)
;     + 23..20: 2
;     + 19..16: 3 (high pitch)
;     + 15..12: 4 (reset to between 1 and 2)
;     + 11.. 8  5 (slightly higher, still lower than 2)
;     +  7.. 4  6 (slightly higher than 3)
;     +  3..    7 (slightly higher = intermediate)
;   o decide for siren (and other) sound volumes
;   x no sound when hitting segment first time
;   + thrust sound very low
;   ? projectile sound starts like fire sound
;   + better sound mapping
;     + channel 0:
;       + 2. ship explosion (x channel 1?)
;       + 9. siren
;     + channel 1:
;       + 1. gun explosion
;       + 3. projectile
;       + 6. bullet fire (DONE)
;       + 8. ship ring bounce
;       + 10. bullet sector 1st hit
;       + 11. thrust
;     + both (but only once!):
;       + 4. bullet mine hits
;       + 5. bullet sector explosion
;       + 7. homing mine sound (delta mode, improved)
;       + prevent same sound twice
; + scoring:
;   + 10/20/30 points per segment hit (not per segment destroyed)
;   + no leading zeroes
;     + score
;     + castle
;     + ships
;     + highscore
;   x scores are centered
;   + digits are slightly wider
; - ...
; Bugs/TODOs:
; + it seems that the gun is correcting direction after finding a gap but before fireing
;   this leads to shots going through intact sectors
; + increase vertical screen size (DONE: use gained time)
;   + define extra stars data
;   + adjust stars in various screens
;   + center/resize other screens
; + make ring 1 data ordered like ring 0 + 2 data
; + gun needs gaps in all three rings
; o general task management
;   + allow individual tasks with priority and order
;   o adjust parameters of tasks (check if they could be skipped)
; + regenerate if middle ring is empty (test arcade).
; + homing mines broken at higher castles (>=6)
; + explosion too slow (check again when CPU time is reduced!)
; + vector angle gives too coarse results
; + occasional glitch when mine is shot
; + bullet sometimes glitches when it hits (could be same problem as with initial mine?)
; + DIR_SEARCH
;   x gap found a bit too early (counter clockwise)
;   + no gap found when GUNDIR = 17
; + occasional reversed intermediate castle/ship graphics
; + first mine glitch (only if thrusting or fireing!?)
;   resulted from following order: 1. x-pos mine; 2. create mine; 3. display mine
; + thrust sound corrupted
; + thrust sound set to lowest possible frequency and made 50% louder
; + siren twice as loud
; + bullet/ring check may have flaws
; + occasional single pixel glitch on empty ring segments
; + another occasional single pixel glitch at start of new life (reason: odd without even rotate)
; + empty high score initials ... (instead of aaa)
; + difficulty switches fixed at start of game (4 different high score tables)
;   + make different high socre tables identifialble (DONE: "Game 1", removed colors)
; + stop gun shooting when ship is exploding
; o more ring colors
;   + 8 different sets
;   o define colors (NTSC done, TODO: PAL)
; + mine graphics (maybe slower?)
; + mines do not change colors when ring regenerates (automagically DONE by phase regeneration)
; + thrust sound broken after gun explosion
; + occasional crash!!! (X used in CheckRegenerate)
; + fixed last color mode remembered
; o check PAL colors on real hardware
; + mine explosion graphics
; + add "arcade" to the title graphics
; + pulse red part of the title graphics in sync with music
; + (c) 201*(3)4* (fixed "3" font)
; x new ship must not start at blind gun spot (but arcade does too)
; + highlights in small letters M and W and score 4
; + adjusted flashing text on/off ratio
; x vary ship's thrust display frames %10 -> e.g. %101
; + white vertical line before highscore
; o more gun explosion animations
;   o gain space (TODO: fix position of some gun directions)
;   + optimize overlapping
;   + implement new data (center structure need more details)
; + rings once suddendly degenerated, starting with a shot mine (not 100% sure fixed)
; + occasional pre-kernel timer overrun glitch
; + bullet glitch when shot is started
; + stall code with 50Hz timing wrong
; + loop bullet vs mine code
; + 50Hz music speed adjusted
; o adjust game speeds depending on FPS
; + position 10 for new high score displayed as "01"
; + ship not comming to a full stop
; + ship is not slowing down while thrusting at a 90° different direction
; + artefacts when rotating gun top to right
; + artefacts when rotating gun right to top
; + top row gun is missing when rotated left
; o check frame losses (too many?)
; + some factors fail with 50Hz (MineKickChance & GunSpeed)
; + ship rotating must be doubled (asl!)
; + siren flanging a bit more dynamic
; + make bullets/ships a bit brighter (+2)
; + ship very close to ring can kill new castle while generating (v140)
; + mines approaching from the side are killed by ship's shots (v140)
; + mines wrap horizontally too easy (v140)
; + mines turn speed wraps to zero at highest level
; + rare timer glitch, seems to happen when bullet hits (inner?) ring (v145)
; + move all screens up by 5 pixel (TODO: check if this causes any problems)
; + load difficulty switches value on startup
; + ARIA boards support
; + artefacts when killing the gun and dying at the same time
; - ...
; Ideas:
; + transfer colors with rings too
;   + gun changes color too, is that OK?
;   + smoother transitions, e.g. phased
;   ? use a 4th color
; + PAL50 timing option
; + smaller ship to allow better manouvering?
;   + data (ship, ship + flames)
;   + offset
;   + reflection
;   + projectile collision
; + use direction search for mine/bullet ring hits
; x using VDELP0 to move ship smoother vertically (not possible)
; x reverse display of double hit segments (dotted = complete, full = hit once)
;   x done, but is it a good idea?
; + increase some difficulties 1000 points earlier (kick chance, gun turning)
; x better do 16 difficulties for those?
; ? reduce maximum ring rotatation speed (saves CPU time)
; + rename "Wave" into "Castle"
; ! more kernel lines (200/262 -> 208..212/270), adjust scanlines
;   + AA logo
;   + title
;   + Melody load
;   + highscores
;   + game
;   + messages
; + remove single-shot segment option, allow switch for something else
; + left difficulty starts at 50% of max. level
; + added sound for sector 1st hit (not existing in arcade)
; + always get initials from last highscore
; + wipe only deletes highscores (not color mode and initials)
; + add copyright and version into code
; + reworked spinner graphics (a bit more fancy now)
; + move kernel left by 3 pixel (better centered then)
;   + kernel
;   + messages
; x make sonar ping event driven (cleanup channel 0 data)
; o save CPU time to reduce task frame skips
;   + merge GunLogic with DrawGun and frameskip both (->HandleGun)
;   x frameskip Joystick task (moved debounce fire into task) (becomes sluggish!)
;   + moved mine and bullet flicker code into VSYNC
;   - improve BulletCollideRing
; + allow one undo of kernel miss
; + RESET at high score input still saves the score
; + add simple grayscale test screen (LEFT + FIRE)
Edited by Thomas Jentzsch
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Thanks so much LLI! Glad you're enjoying our shows!! It's definitely a lot easier to figure out patterns within the game while watching someone else play, especially with a game as intense as this one!! Another thing I observed after the show watching the video is that when you fire at the parts of the ring that the mines are clinging to they will release early, at least in the early stages. In the later stages, they just jump off right away and go after you.

Correct, the mines jump from ring to ring. And they are jumping faster when the game becomes more difficulty. And yes, if there is no segment to where the jump, they will jump to the next ring (or from the last ring). And if you destroy their current segment they will jump too.

 

Thomas J. let us know on the stream that his 32k in the highscore table isn't real and is just a factor of 2...

The latter part is not 100% correct, 32k is the size of the RAM. And the other numbers of the initial high scores all have a meaning too.

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@ Arenafoot

Unfortunately, if the rc1 game play is different, I'd have to remove it and ask you to submit another score using SCA cartridge or the rom Thomas linked to. It's good we still have some time to play, I'd hate to not have your score in this round.

Go ahead and remove it - I'll try with the other ROM - I can't edit or delete my post and score.

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