HSC Round 4.41: Gravitar

[bigbee99]

Final Round

 

 

 

 

Gravitar

 

 

The player controls a space ship in three different solar systems. Each solar system consists of a home base, a death star, a red alien planet and four regular planets. Each planet has its own unique terrain.

-klov

 

 

Game Information

Game Name: Gravitar (version 3)

Released By: Atari 1982

MAME ROMset: gravitar

Dip Switches: Lives: 3/ Difficulty: Easy/ Bonus Life: 10000 (not default)

Chosen By: Cynicaster

ROM Location: http://www.romnation...-version-3.html

AtariAge Arcade/MAME HSC Record: n/a

The Round and Season end Sunday, July 22st @ 12PM EST

 

 

Leaderboard

 

65,350 kane

31,600 Cynicaster

30,400 M.A.M.E Offender

19,800 bigbee99

6,350 arcenTyler

5,300 roadrunner

1,850 BillyHW

1,200 jblenkle

 

 

 

 

Season FINAL Standings

1. Cynicaster 646

1. bigbee99 646

3. M.A.M.E Offender 634

4. kane 342

5. patbb 321

6. roadrunner 180

7. mr. toast 166

8. JohnnyBlaze 125

9. LarcenTyler 128

10. acelkin 117

11. jblenkle 84

12. richard stewart 78

13. Barra 66

14. BillyHW 41

15. kojr 39

15. keilbaca 39

17. andyy119 33

18. onmode-ky 30

19. retrorussell 27

19. mightymage 23

21. Kurt_Woloch 18

22. rmaerz 16

23. homerwannabee 15

24. NE146 8

25. chuckwalla 6

25. Raygunn 6

27. Fres 1

Edited July 22, 2012 by bigbee99

[BillyHW]

Ooooh vector game. This should be interesting.

[Kombalar]

Great. My favorite arcade machine of all time. I'll be following.

 

Here's some playing tips for you:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLmAIyTOqGQ

 

Check out parts 2, 3, 4 and 5 from my channel (game fully completed & clocked). Best controls for PC keyboard:

 

Z - RotateLeft

X - Rotate Right

SPACE - Shield / Tractor

SLASH - Thrust

RIGHT SHIFT - Fire

 

Good luck!

Edited July 16, 2012 by Kombalar

[bigbee99]

Man those levels get crazy! I'm going to drop my test run score of 7,400. Now that I have watched the clip, I am sure I can do better though.

 

B

[Kombalar]

Check the later parts (2, 3, 4 & 5). The same levels change to invisible. THAT'S when it gets crazy. It literally took me 30 years to complete the game. The first 2 universes aren't really that difficult. There is a learning process though... but if you can play Asteroids, you'll learn it quick.

 

Here's a lot of info and tips of the game from Dan Coogan (the world record holder):

http://www.cooganphoto.com/gravitar/

 

It's a highly enjoyable game as soon as you figure out the control physics. You gotta use the original Asteroids-type button layout though... it's impossible to play with the arrow buttons.

http://www.8-bitcent...tarControls.jpg

Edited July 16, 2012 by Kombalar

[kane]

I'm a big fan of Gravitar, it's a tough game though. I can do the first solar system OK, but can't do any good on the second.

 

30,350

 

[Kombalar]

Well played Kane.

 

Second solar system is tougher but not that much, really. In the first solar system always go for the upper left planet first. You'll get the super bonus and all other planets are also worth 8K after that.

[bigbee99]

19,800

 

I managed to get the super bonus. Then all of the levels got really hard lol

 

B

[jblenkle]

Gravitar - 1,200

 

This one is a new one for me...never played it...

[kane]

In the first solar system always go for the upper left planet first. You'll get the super bonus and all other planets are also worth 8K after that.

 

That's the way I play it if I'm going for points, top-left first then clockwise.

 

Gravitar - 1,200

This one is a new one for me...never played it...

 

It's a steep learning curve I reckon, but well worth it.

 

_________________________________________

 

 

I'm up to 'co pilot' rank, first solar system done, died on first planet of ss2.

 

46,550

 

Edited July 17, 2012 by kane

[Kombalar]

That's a good score man... you're quickly learning the game. It's pretty easy to get to the next skill level as soon as you get familiar with the 5-button control system.

 

PS: Crank up the beam width and contrast... MAME has a problem showing the red gun turret shots because the screen is way too dark with the default settings.

 

I use these screen settings for MAME (although the game looks much better on AAE Vector Emulator).

http://i47.tinypic.com/332mp0y.jpg

[bigbee99]

It's pretty easy to get to the next skill level as soon as you get familiar with the 5-button control system.

 

For me, I am so use to using the keyboard these days, setting the controls up as you suggested just got me all mixed up.

 

B

[kane]

2 planets cleared in the second solar system, not sure if I can get the other 2 out, bullets flying everywhere...

 

62,750

 

[Kombalar]

2 planets cleared in the second solar system, not sure if I can get the other 2 out, bullets flying everywhere...

 

62,750

 

Well done.

 

Check out my gameplay video (in the 2nd post) for the tactics. You'll get past them. The first real obstacle is the "snake" planet in the 3rd solar system.

 

Here's what the world record holder Dan Coogan said:

Each time I started on a new screen that I had not played before I thought "I'll never be able to get through this one -- it's just too difficult." -- after some practice and perseverance I raised my game to the next level and completed it.

[bigbee99]

I'm beginning to think 19.8k is the best I have. Tough game

 

B

[Lauren Tyler]

6,350

 

Will have to try the suggested control config soon.

[Cynicaster]

31,600

 

This has to be the most tactical, methodical arcade game in the history of humankind.

[kane]

 

Well done.

 

Check out my gameplay video (in the 2nd post) for the tactics. You'll get past them.

 

What I meant was, I doubt I will get past them by Sunday, eventually I'm sure I will. To be honest I don't like to watch any gameplay videos of games I enjoy playing, sort of ruins it, like skipping to the end of a film to see what happens.

[roadrunner]

5,300

[bigbee99]

Here we are with less than 24 hour left in this seasons competition. Scoreboard is updated!

 

B

[kane]

My final effort...

 

65,350

 

[M.A.M.E Offender]

This is it.

 

It was kind of a disappointing ending for me, seeing that I had the lead for a good, long while just to watch it vanish after my bad showing at the Independance DaY Craptacular.

 

Even though I let myself down, I can still tell you that I have had so much fun in this HSC. I really hope next year we can have a block of competitors about 8 wide. That is my only complaint about this year.

 

It looks like it is going to be a photo finish between my brother and BigBee99. Wow!!! Who wouldve thought it was going to be this close!!!

[M.A.M.E Offender]

GRAVITAR --- 30,400

[BillyHW]

1850. Just to get a score in before the lock. Crazy week. Found a job and will have to move 2000 miles.

[bigbee99]

This is it.

 

It was kind of a disappointing ending for me, seeing that I had the lead for a good, long while just to watch it vanish after my bad showing at the Independance DaY Craptacular.

 

Even though I let myself down, I can still tell you that I have had so much fun in this HSC. I really hope next year we can have a block of competitors about 8 wide. That is my only complaint about this year.

 

It looks like it is going to be a photo finish between my brother and BigBee99. Wow!!! Who wouldve thought it was going to be this close!!!

 

Who saw a tie coming at the end? Congrats to Cyn for coming up from behind. He was over 20 pints out just 2 weeks ago!

 

It's been a fun haul but it's time it came to an end. Even if just for a few months. Several new faces showed up here about 1/2 way through the season dropping some really nice scores. I hope we can all make it back around the end of August. I might look into revamping the rules some. Until then, game on!

 

B