HSC Season 7 Week 35: Grand Prix

[Ze_ro]

Important Note: This weeks competition is over and no further scores will be accepted.

 

The Activision Rally Championships are underway, and you've qualified for the latest race. Strap yourself in and buckle your chinstrap, because your machine is revved up and ready to go. Other drivers are on the track as well, and they'll do anything to slow you up, so keep your eyes on the road and drive carefully!

 

 

Game Information

• Game Name: Grand Prix
• Released By: Activision, 1982
• Left Difficulty: N / A
• Right Difficulty: N / A
• Game Mode: Game 2 - Brands Hatch
• Chosen By: LarcenTyler

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 is Wednesday April 21st at 1:00 AM (CST).

 

Current High Scores 0:51.13 (shadow460) [+11][+2] 0:51.85 (toymailman) [+10][+2] 1:08.33 (zylon) [+9] 1:13.72 (roadrunner) [+8] 1:16.26 (oyamafamily) [+7] 1:18.03 (Pioneer4x4) [+6] 1:18.44 (Zoyx) [+5] 1:25.72 (Lendorien) [+4] 1:27.62 (NML32) [+3] 1:27.78 (chuckwalla) [+2] 1:40.78 (LarcenTyler) [+1] Best Tips None Challenges Patch Challenge - Activision Driving Team - Finish with a time less than 1:00.00 and you get 2 bonus points! TwinGalaxies Top 3 50.81 (Todd Rogers) 50.93 (Mike Ratledge) 56.55 (David B Yancey) (Game 2, Difficulty B)

Current Standings toymailman [343] Zoyx [254] darthkur [191] roadrunner [158] shadow460 [137] oyamafamily [136] Cebus Capucinis [107] JacobZu7zu7 [99] Deteacher [92] LarcenTyler [90] Atardi [84] vjames [71] aftermac [70] Captain Beard [61] godzillajoe [56] zylon [54] katana [51] keilbaca [42] Mister VCS [38] brandondwright [30] Vectorman0 [29] Carey85 [29] 4Ks [29] homerwannabee [26] Impaler_26 [26] Hornpipe2 [25] SpiceWare [24] Wickeycolumbus [22] devwebcl [21] pis [19] chuckwalla [15] Tr3vor [15] Nathan Strum [11] LoneWolfSeth [10] LaserHawk [10] vintagegamecrazy [9] joeypsp [9] littleman jack [8] kote [8] NML32 [7] Pioneer4x4 [7] Animan [6] HatNJ [6] Chris Leach [5] Lendorian [5] MIKE5200 [4] Skaarg [4] JayWI [3] Shannon [2] jeremysart [2] sloth713 [2] jjd [2] SpaceInvaders [2] ChrisKoopa [1] SeaGtGruff [1] Nati [1] disjuakifa [1]

 

Scoring Points in Grand Prix

• This is a racing game, so you're going for the fastest time.

 

Hints and Tips

The Manual

 

As always, you really should read the manual. In case you don't have the manual, AtariAge has a typed copy and a scanned copy available online. Here are the hints it provides:

• When steering the car up and down the track, applying a slight pressure to the right on the joystick will eliminate any accidental braking. This pressure must be kept light to allow for quick braking in the event of an emergency.
  
• The more you play the game, the more keenly you'll anticipate the appearance of other cars. To some extent, you'll be able to memorize the traffic patterns and plan moves in advance. If you don't, the slowdown will happen for you in the form of a crash, and you'll pay for it with a loss of valuable time.
  
• The cars ahead of you have left a lot of oil on the track near the bridges, so, when you see a lot of oil slicks, watch for bridges ahead.
  
• Knowledge of the course is very important. Learn where you are and what's coming up ahead for each course. That way, time is on your side, which is exactly where you want it to be.

 

--Zero

[Zoyx]

Looks like 1 minute is the patch time... a point or two bonus for that?

[oyamafamily]

Zero, the game Grand Prix was released by ACTIVISION in 1982, and not SEGA.

 

I am suggesting for this competition 2 bonus points for patch challenge: Beat the game in 1 minute or less, because we are playing Game 2 (Brands Hatch). According to Grand Prix Manual, the world record mentioned for this variation is 0:51.06.

Edited April 14, 2010 by oyamafamily

[oyamafamily]

 

First attempt - 1:40.56

 

 

New attempt - 1:20.26

Edited April 16, 2010 by oyamafamily

[shadow460]

1:16.77 so far

 

now 1:08.75

 

and then ...

PATCH!!

 

54.50 with only ONE wreck. I can make it to the bridge consistently without crashing.

Edited April 15, 2010 by shadow460

[zylon]

1:12.95 after trying about 10 times

[Lendorien]

Anyone know where a good place to find the bin file for this is. I found one on an abandonware site, but Atariage doesn't have it. Might be helpful to those jumping in without the cart.

Edited April 16, 2010 by Lendorien

[Lendorien]

Well, I tried. Got to keep trying though I'm done for tonight., I've never played this before, but I'll admit that it has its charm. No photos atm, but if I get a score lower than 1:10, I'll take some.

 

1st Attempt:

1:36.33

 

2nd Attempt:

1:33:67

 

3rd Attempt:

1:39.43

 

4th Attempt:

1:32:84

Edited April 16, 2010 by Lendorien

[toymailman]

The patch on this game is pretty tough to get. Not there yet.

 

1:14.67

[Zoyx]

1:18.44 - I am beginning to see the patterns. This will take some work to get below a minute.

 

[Zoyx]

You can get the rom file from here - http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-2600-vcs-grand-prix_7337.html

[roadrunner]

1:13.72

 

 

[shadow460]

Wheee!

 

0:51.13

 

I don't think it gets much better than this.

 

Oh, yeah, that was a PERFECT run with NO accidents!

Edited April 17, 2010 by shadow460

[Lendorien]

Wheee!

 

0:51.13

 

I don't think it gets much better than this.

 

Oh, yeah, that was a PERFECT run with NO accidents!

 

There's definitely a consistent pattern of when and where the cars appear. The trick to getting a perfect score would be to learn the pattern. Theoretically, you could then get a perfect score every time. The only downside is once you know it, the game would present little challenge. I'm slowly going through it to learn the pattern.

[oyamafamily]

 

New attempt - 1:16.26

[shadow460]

Wheee!

 

0:51.13

 

I don't think it gets much better than this.

 

Oh, yeah, that was a PERFECT run with NO accidents!

 

There's definitely a consistent pattern of when and where the cars appear. The trick to getting a perfect score would be to learn the pattern. Theoretically, you could then get a perfect score every time. The only downside is once you know it, the game would present little challenge. I'm slowly going through it to learn the pattern.

 

Yep. I feel this game has very little to do with racing and has everything to do with recall and muscle memory. It's like learning music on an instrument. You learn the timing and the patterns, and then you're good to go. The only difference is that if you crash even once, Grand Prix changes the patterns on you.

That said, I wouldn't give up the racing theme. It's kinda cool!

[NML32]

1:27:62

 

[toymailman]

No patch yet, but got more of the pattern down.

 

1:04.81

[Pioneer4x4]

1:18.03, Doubt I'll ever get the patch.

[zylon]

Some further improvements 1:08.33

[chuckwalla]

1:27.78

[Lendorien]

Well, I tried again today after three days rest. I'm going to keep trying throughout the day.

 

1:26.57

 

Edit: I belatedly noticed that I was not using the Activision version of the rom. But I don't think it matters since the patters are the same as far as I can tell.

 

Edit: I bested that score on the new rom.

 

1:25:72

Edited April 20, 2010 by Lendorien

[Lauren Tyler]

1:40.78

 

Not been feeling well this past week, so just submitting a quick score.

[Pioneer4x4]

1:16.77 so far

 

now 1:08.75

 

and then ...

PATCH!!

 

54.50 with only ONE wreck. I can make it to the bridge consistently without crashing.

impressive!

[shadow460]

^^^^^^^^thanks, Pioneer. Don't give up on the patch. It's just a little memory and timing is all, really.