Intellivision HSC Season 15 - Game 17 - Auto Racing Extravaganza - Season Finale!!!

[Rickster8]

53 minutes ago, mr_me said:

With these type of games, they run about 20% slower on a PAL system.  If you think it makes a difference you can run it in speed one on an NTSC system.  That will make it a little slower than PAL disc speed.  Theoretically, one system or mode shouldn't produce faster times than the other.

Just so I understand you, you are saying the PAL system runs slower meaning the NTSC is an advantage over the PAL? Just want to make sure I am getting exactly what you are saying? Do you mean the actual car is slower or the timer is slower? It does in fact make a difference on some games... Case in point Christian Dallari scored 13 million on Beamrider playing on a PAL console, using NTSC he scores 250k..... 

[mr_me]

No, I'm not saying NTSC is an advantage over PAL.  Everything is slower on PAL, the cars, the clock.  Try pressing three at the titlescreen and see how slow everything becomes.

 

Edit:  Again, if anyone thinks they can get better times by running the game at a slower speed, press one at the titlescreen and try it.

Edited November 19, 2021 by mr_me

[gezkc]

5 hours ago, Rickster8 said:

Because I did NOT specify any rules before the season regarding NTSC and / or PAL I kind of have to accept the times from the PAL console. Going forward I will state that I believe in the order of fairness so we are all on the same playing field that we 'try' to use NTSC consoles. Because we do keep 'records' here for the site I will have to cite these specific times as being attained on a PAL console. No worries, we can make it work for now, but going forward I would like to see this change made. 

No, it's OK - count me out of this round if my times are going to cause problems for records etc. I just wish I hadn't wasted so much time playing it! Lol

 

Thanks for organising the HSC, Rick. It's been fun revisiting the old games.

 

Edit: Just for clarification, my old course 3 record (7:03) was played on my Ultimate Flashback which is NTSC. I've only recently started playing on my PAL console again when I bought my portable CRT TV. 

Edited November 19, 2021 by gezkc

[Rickster8]

7 hours ago, gezkc said:

No, it's OK - count me out of this round if my times are going to cause problems for records etc. I just wish I hadn't wasted so much time playing it! Lol

 

Thanks for organising the HSC, Rick. It's been fun revisiting the old games.

 

Edit: Just for clarification, my old course 3 record (7:03) was played on my Ultimate Flashback which is NTSC. I've only recently started playing on my PAL console again when I bought my portable CRT TV. 

Can you use the Ultimate Flashback for this round now? I think you had to get it fixed by Byte Knight correct? We still have like 11 days left in this contest.... Actually I think you got it fixed already right? Cool, just use that then.... ? 

Edited November 19, 2021 by Rickster8

[gezkc]

31 minutes ago, Rickster8 said:

Can you use the Ultimate Flashback for this round now? I think you had to get it fixed by Byte Knight correct? We still have like 11 days left in this contest.... Actually I think you got it fixed already right? Cool, just use that then.... ? 

I'll try course 5 again on it just out of interest to see what time I get, but I'm not going to drive all the courses again - I've already spent too much time on it! 

[gezkc]

OK, I've just tried Course 5 on my Ultimate Flashback, disc speed, and my best time so far is 3:41, and that was by no means perfect. 

 

There's definitely a difference between PAL and NTSC in the way the game plays, but I'm doubtful that either version is easier or harder than the other. 

 

Comparing the two, PAL feels noticeably slower, but so too does the steering, the responsiveness and the braking. I actually think it makes it harder to play. NTSC is much smoother and nicer to play. And at the end of the day, as you can see, the times you get are pretty much the same. I'm confident I could match my PAL 3:39 on NTSC with a bit of practice. 

 

As mr_me said in his post, try playing the NTSC version on speed 1 or 2 and you'll get an idea of what it's like to play PAL Auto Racing!

 

I'm not sure if you still think PAL times shouldn't count on this HSC, Rick, but honestly there is no advantage one way or the other. 

 

Course 5 (White car): 3:41 - NTSC disc speed

 

Edited November 22, 2021 by gezkc

[Rickster8]

Wow, that's incredible... I still think keeping all the scores (times) is fair in my opinion as I stated before I never set a precedence before the season started. I will do so for next season, but for this season I gotta keep the status quo and keep all the scores NTSC and PAL related... 

 

Nice job, you still smashed Al's time, WOW!!!!!! ?

Edited November 19, 2021 by Rickster8
Wording

[lupovax]

Track 1 (Blue):        4:43

Track 2 (Tan):        10:59

Track 3 (Red):         9:33

Track 4 (Green):      12:11

Track 5 (White):       5:15

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Track 4 (Green):      12:11

Edited November 19, 2021 by lupovax

[gezkc]

16 hours ago, mr_me said:

No, I'm not saying NTSC is an advantage over PAL.  Everything is slower on PAL, the cars, the clock.  Try pressing three at the titlescreen and see how slow everything becomes.

 

Edit:  Again, if anyone thinks they can get better times by running the game at a slower speed, press one at the titlescreen and try it.

This ☝️

? 

[gezkc]

2 hours ago, Rickster8 said:

Wow, that's incredible... I still think keeping all the scores (times) is fair in my opinion as I stated before I never set a precedence before the season started. I will do so for next season, but for this season I gotta keep the status quo and keep all the scores NTSC and PAL related... 

 

Nice job, you still smashed Al's time, WOW!!!!!! ?

Thanks Rick.

Al's only human - his scores can be beaten! ?

[mark griff]

Here are my scores tracks 1 to 4 I finally got the steering control. At first I hated the steering and the game but once you get use to it it’s not bad a little touchy. I remember as a kid I never bought the game and now I have 5 copies go figure. My neighbor had it and I remember being very frustrated and we never really played it much. However once you get the steering it’s not bad. I still suck at it and the touchy disk gets me frustrated but not bad at all. I came around to this game. I may try to better these scores but I don’t think they will get much better and write now I can’t even finish course 5 Course 1 624 blue

course 2 1042 ran

course 3 1104 white

Course 4 1202 green

[mr_me]

The white car seems best for track five.  That's what I remember as a kid.  Right now I'm trying out the green car.  It might be possible for me to get better times with green on track five but it's not happening so far.

Edited November 20, 2021 by mr_me

[gezkc]

Thought I'd have another try at this on my Ultimate Flashback. I messed up a couple of corners on the last lap, but pretty pleased with this!

 

Course 5 (White car): 3:38

(NTSC Disc speed)

 

 

Edited November 22, 2021 by gezkc

[JacobZu7zu7]

I can't end the season with just 1 game played, I shall return for the Finale ... 

 

[IntyFanMatt]

18 hours ago, JacobZu7zu7 said:

I can't end the season with just 1 game played, I shall return for the Finale ... 

Where you been man?

[lupovax]

Track 1 (Blue):        4:43

Track 2 (Tan):         9:03

Track 3 (Red):         9:33

Track 4 (Green):      12:11

Track 5 (White):       5:15

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Track 2 (Tan):      9:03
 

[gar0u]

Glad to see this doesn't close until 11/30.  I keep thinking about this last challenge and have decided to give it a go.  You'd made me get my original game out of retirement to optimize my car choices to the particular courses.  Auto Racing was my third game for the Intellivision back in the '80s.  (I only remember because Las Vegas Poker & Blackjack was the pack in, and Star Strike was my first game I got--bought at the same time as I we got the system; from a Safeway grocery store of all places!)  I couldn't tell you what our fourth game was. 

 

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone in the US.

 

 

[gar0u]

Played original cartridge on Intellivision II with homemade Flashback controller cable and Flashback controller.

 

I dare say by the time I did Course 4 (I saved the hardest for last), I felt like I was getting the hang of steering.  I think I appreciate this game a lot more now as a software developer.  As a kid, I never could get the hang of steering and space games were more my thing--so this one just didn't get the attention it deserved.  This may be the first time I've driven all five cars and courses.  I just might even come back and try and improve my score before Sunday!  Right now, the times below are "one and done".

 

Course 1, Tan car: 6:30

Course 2, Green car: 12:23

Course 3, Red car, 11:31

Course 4, White car, 13:00

Course 5, Blue car, 7:43

 

 

 

[gezkc]

One more try at Course 5 - I've improved my time slightly but I think that's about as far as I can push it with this car.

 

Anyway, at least this hopefully proves that there's no real difference playing the game on NTSC or PAL - you can get very similar times on either version. 

 

Course 5 (White car) : 3:36 (NTSC) 

Edited November 26, 2021 by gezkc

[mr_me]

Game speed might make a difference to some people but probably not to those that have mastered the game.  Game difficulty is the same, all it does is make the game take longer to play.

[mr_me]

Course 1, blue, 3:26

Course 2, tan, 6:52

Course 3, red, 7:12

Course 4, green, 8:53

Course 5, white, 3:43

Intellivision hardware and controller

[Rickster8]

Track 5 Update: Sorry I have been out of it for the past few weeks due to a family emergency.... ?

 

 

Track 5 - Green Car - 3:36

 

 

[JacobZu7zu7]

On 11/23/2021 at 11:44 PM, IntyFanMatt said:

Where you been man?

Hey, had some sinus/ear issues, and climbing up from back it seems  I'm glad health is doing better, I hope this continues!  

[gar0u]

I'm so excited for the final results of this season.  Will I finish in the Top 10?

 

Can't wait for the next season.  Definitely going to try and participate more.  I love Intellivision and this is a really fun way to have something to do that feels like a community during the pandemic.

 

I really appreciate the hard work that goes into running this and all the competition and engagement with other Intellivision fans.

 

Thank you all!

[Rickster8]

On 11/25/2021 at 7:51 PM, gar0u said:

Played original cartridge on Intellivision II with homemade Flashback controller cable and Flashback controller.

 

I dare say by the time I did Course 4 (I saved the hardest for last), I felt like I was getting the hang of steering.  I think I appreciate this game a lot more now as a software developer.  As a kid, I never could get the hang of steering and space games were more my thing--so this one just didn't get the attention it deserved.  This may be the first time I've driven all five cars and courses.  I just might even come back and try and improve my score before Sunday!  Right now, the times below are "one and done".

 

Course 1, Tan car: 6:30

Course 2, Green car: 12:23

Course 3, Red car, 11:31

Course 4, White car, 13:00

Course 5, Blue car, 7:43

 

 

 

Not that it really matters, but the pic for track 5 (blue car) doesn't seem to be correct. At the finish the car should be pointing in the clear other direction and the road should be straight up at the finish. No worries either way. Just pointing it out that this pic doesn't seem right for Track 5....