Activision Patches, difficulty & 2015 Summer Quest

[darthkur]

Private Eye - 100,100 (Solved Third Case)

 

[the_8bit_gamer]

frostbite! and my 20th patch!!

Edited September 4, 2015 by the_8bit_gamer

[oyamafamily]

PRIVATE EYE: TIPS AND WALKTHROUGH FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR!

http://www.electricfrankfurter.com/2009/07/closer-look-3.html

Edited September 4, 2015 by oyamafamily

[toiletunes]

whew- probably won't play that again until next summer...

[the_8bit_gamer]

order up! pressure cooker.

[mikey.shake]

Whoo hoo! Activision's Skiing... Game 3, Difficulty B. It took a few (frustrating) sessions, but there's the magic number:

 

 

Frankly, I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. This type of "timed sporting game" has never been my thing. (I just find Sky Jinks to be incredibly relaxing.) A switch from a CX-10 to a CX-40 made all the difference. The shorter, more "precise" throw really helps to get accurate, helping work against turning too hard or overcompensating.

 

I think that's my Lucky 13th. I wonder what else I can squeak out before summer's up...

[Nutsy Doodleheimer]

Private Eye - 100,100 (Solved Third Case)

 

100_9114.JPG

[darthkur]

2015-09-03-21-48-28--2114182320.jpeg

 

 

I used to watch that show.

[Nutsy Doodleheimer]

I used to watch that show.

Same here!!! Only thing was the music and updates creeped me out and frightened me. I was 7 or 8 when it debuted in the late 80's. I had to make a fitting meme for you completing Private Eye. You just need to complete Crackpots and Space Shuttle to get at least one of the game's patches!! You're gaming skills is awesome and a tip of the cap to you! :thumbsup:

[mikey.shake]

Okay, so here's my confession: it took me forever to fully understand Starmaster. I wanted to love it from the get-go. I love early first-person space-blasting sims. But the primitive/clever way the game conveys info (flashing screens, color-coded alert systems, single-letter abbreviations)... it took me a while to wrap my simple brain around it. So I read the manual tonight. Really gave it a good one, and tried to get a grip on this game. And voila.

 

 

Look, I know I'm just squeaking by, but this one was special to me because it represented not only "achieving at a game", but also "decoding a game" enough to fully immerse myself in it and enjoy it a bunch. I not only did "well enough" at Starmaster, but I took the dang time to sit down and understand it despite previous frustrating interactions. Modern gaming has made me lazy. I need to be doing more of this immersion.

 

Once I was fully in the swing of things, I was really impressed by the game in a lot of regards. The first-person perspective, the capable (if not amazing) graphics, details like having to dodge asteroids while warping, the novel integration of the console switches, the dual map/pilot perspectives, and the way you can "complete" the game (start your mission, save the day, then see how you did) seems really novel -- rather than just "blast as many as you can til you die". After playing a lot of late '70s titles recently, this has a "next level" kind of depth-of-gameplay.

 

While I realize Starmaster didn't pioneer most of these concepts, seeing them all come together was pretty impressive. Especially when tipsy on a Saturday night, playing on a big glowing TV in an otherwise-dark bedroom. "Far out, man... my God... it's full of pixels!"

 

- Proud Ensign in The Order Of The Supreme Starmaster

 

[i want to give Star Raiders a better chance, but I can barely get my clumsy left hand to throw ANY switch on the console in time, and those SR buttons still cause me trouble. Maybe I'll enlist a co-pilot..]

Edited September 6, 2015 by mikey.shake

[toiletunes]

 

[Opry99er]

Okay, so here's my confession: it took me forever to fully understand Starmaster. I wanted to love it from the get-go. I love early first-person space-blasting sims. But the primitive/clever way the game conveys info (flashing screens, color-coded alert systems, single-letter abbreviations)... it took me a while to wrap my simple brain around it. So I read the manual tonight. Really gave it a good one, and tried to get a grip on this game. And voila.

 

 

Look, I know I'm just squeaking by, but this one was special to me because it represented not only "achieving at a game", but also "decoding a game" enough to fully immerse myself in it and enjoy it a bunch. I not only did "well enough" at Starmaster, but I took the dang time to sit down and understand it despite previous frustrating interactions. Modern gaming has made me lazy. I need to be doing more of this immersion.

 

Once I was fully in the swing of things, I was really impressed by the game in a lot of regards. The first-person perspective, the capable (if not amazing) graphics, details like having to dodge asteroids while warping, the novel integration of the console switches, the dual map/pilot perspectives, and the way you can "complete" the game (start your mission, save the day, then see how you did) seems really novel -- rather than just "blast as many as you can til you die". After playing a lot of late '70s titles recently, this has a "next level" kind of depth-of-gameplay.

 

While I realize Starmaster didn't pioneer most of these concepts, seeing them all come together was pretty impressive. Especially when tipsy on a Saturday night, playing on a big glowing TV in an otherwise-dark bedroom. "Far out, man... my God... it's full of pixels!"

 

- Proud Ensign in The Order Of The Supreme Starmaster

 

[i want to give [i]Star Raiders[/i] a better chance, but I can barely get my clumsy left hand to throw ANY switch on the console in time, and those SR buttons still cause me trouble. Maybe I'll enlist a co-pilot..]

Thanks for this post. Makes me want to 'learn' the game now.

[spawnshop]

Well, it's enough for the patch.....lol

 

[darthkur]

Same here!!! Only thing was the music and updates creeped me out and frightened me. I was 7 or 8 when it debuted in the late 80's. I had to make a fitting meme for you completing Private Eye. You just need to complete Crackpots and Space Shuttle to get at least one of the game's patches!! You're gaming skills is awesome and a tip of the cap to you! :thumbsup:

 

Thank you very much. I certainly have enough experience, being obsessed with arcade games since the mid 70's. I think I'm going to need a really lucky game to snag the Crackpots patch. Those damn red and green spiders, with their zigzag patters always throw me off. I still need to actually sit down and learn how to play Space Shuttle. Definitely one of the most complicated games in the 2600 catalog. There are few other patches I'm lacking as well. Still trying to blast 72 tanks in Robot Tank to obtain the Star of Honor. The 300,000 necessary for the Secret Society of Dolphins still is out of my grasp. Honestly haven't been able to get half that much as of yet. Also I've been endlessly trying to get under the 6 second mark for Dragster. I'm missing some sort of trick obviously. I've come within 8 1/100th of a second of snagging it. It's damn frustrating. Speaking of frustrating, finding that sweet spot on the seemingly microscopic racket in Tennis is proving to be an endeavor in futility. Won't stop me from trying still on all of them though.

[darthkur]

I thought that I'd update Retrogamer81081's leader board that he created a couple of pages back.

The 2015 Activision Summer Patches and Difficulty Quest standings as of September 7, 2015.

Total Patches Earned: 236

Patch Leaders:

1. darthkur (37): Barnstorming, Beamrider, Chopper Command, Decathlon (Bronze), Decathlon (Silver), Decathlon (Gold), Dolphin, Enduro, Freeway,
Frostbite, Grand Prix, H.E.R.O., Ice Hockey, Kabobber, Kaboom!, Keystone Kapers, Laser Blast, Laser Blast Special 1,000,000 point patch,
Megamania, Oink!, Pitfall, Pitfall II, Plaque Attack, Pressure Cooker, Private Eye, River Raid, Robot Tank (Medal of Merit), Robot Tank (Cross of Excellence),

Seaquest, Skiing, Sky Jinks, Spider Fighter, Stampede, Starmaster (Ensign), Starmaster (Leader), Starmaster (Wing Commander),
Starmaster (Starmaster)

2. Oyamafamily (30): Barnstorming, Beamrider, Chopper Command, Crackpots, Dolphin (Friends of Dolphins), Dolphin (Secret Society), Dragster,
Enduro, Freeway, Frostbite, Grand Prix, H.E.R.O, Ice Hockey, Kabobber, Keystone Kapers, Laser Blast, Laser Blast Special 1,000,000 point patch,
Megamania, Oink!, Pitfall!, Pitfall 2 Lost Caverns, Plaque Attack, Pressure Cooker, River Raid, Robot Tank (Medal of Merit), Robot Tank (Cross of Excellence),

Seaquest, Sky Jinks, Spider Fighter, Stampede

3. Retrogamer81081 (27): Barnstorming, Chopper Command, Decathlon (Bronze), Decathlon (Silver), Decathlon (Gold), Dragster, Enduro, Freeway,
Frostbite, H.E.R.O., Ice Hockey, Keystone Kapers, Laser Blast, Laser Blast Special 1,000,000 point patch, Megamania, Oink!, Pitfall!, Pitfall 2
Lost Caverns, Plaque Attack, Pressure Cooker, River Raid, Robot Tank (Medal of Merit), Seaquest, Sky Jinks, Spider Fighter, Stampede, Starmaster (Ensign)

4. the_8bit_gamer (21): Barnstorming, Chopper Command, Dragster, Enduro, Freeway, Frostbite, Grand Prix, Ice Hockey, Kaboom!, Laser Blast,
Pitfall!, Pitfall 2 Lost Caverns, Pressure Cooker,River Raid, Robot Tank (Medal of Merit), Seaquest, Skiing, Sky Jinks, Stampede, Starmaster (Ensign), Tennis

5. cvga (16): Beamrider, Chopper Command, Decathlon (Bronze), Decathlon (Silver), Enduro, Freeway, Ice Hockey, Kaboom!, Keystone Kapers,
Megamania, Pitfall!, River Raid, Seaquest, Spider Fighter, Starmaster (Ensign), Tennis

6. Roadrunner (15): Beamrider, Chopper Command, Frostbite, H.E.R.O., Ice Hockey, Laser Blast, Megamania, Pitfall!, Pitfall 2 Lost Caverns, River

Raid, Robot Tank (Medal of Merit), Seaquest, Sky Jinks, Spider Fighter, Starmaster (Ensign)

7. mikey.shake (14): Chopper Command, Dolphin, Ice Hockey, Kaboom!, Keystone Kapers, Laser Blast, Megamania, Pitfall!, River Raid, Seaquest, Sky

Jinks, Skiing, Spider Fighter, Starmaster (Ensign),

7. toiletunes (14): Chopper Command, Enduro, Freeway, Ice Hockey, Keystone Kapers, Laser Blast, Megamania, Oink!, Pitfall, Plaque Attack, River Raid ,

Robot Tank (Medal of Merit), Seaquest, Spider Fighter

8. Larcen Tyler ( 8 ): Chopper Command, Dragster, Enduro, Frostbite, Keystone Kapers, Pitfall 2 Lost Caverns, Plaque Attack, River Raid

9. hermi 69 (6): Barnstorming, Chopper Command, Freeway, Megamania, Pitfall!, River Raid

9. KaeruYojimbo (6): Freeway, Frostbite, Ice Hockey, Pitfall!, River Raid, Seaquest

9. flashbackmatt (6): Ice Hockey, Kaboom!, Megamania, River Raid, Seaquest, Spider Fighter

10. 24fanatic365 (5): Chopper Command, H.E.R.O., Megamania, River Raid, Seaquest

10. Dr.Venkman (5): Chopper Command, Pitfall 2 Lost Caverns, Seaquest, Starmaster (Ensign), Starmaster (Leader)

10. Mangia-Boy (5): Chopper Command, Frostbite, Pitfall!, River Raid, Seaquest

11. Bucket Brigadier (3): Chopper Command, Kaboom!, Seaquest

11. The Mr. Video (3): Chopper Command, Laser Blast, River Raid

11. thorr: (3): Ice Hockey, Kaboom!, Keystone Kapers

12. BurritoBeans (2): Chopper Command, Laser Blast

12. Jin (2): River Raid, Robot Tank (Medal of Merit)

12. LidLikesIntellivision (2): Frostbite, H.E.R.O.

12. troff (2): Pitfall!, River Raid

13. Opry99er (1): Seaquest

13. spawnshop (1): Pitfall

13. Staalwart (1): Megamania

13. yugobrandon (1): Chopper Command

Edited September 7, 2015 by darthkur

[Nutsy Doodleheimer]

Altogether as a whole we have earned 236 patches, way to go!!!

[Nutsy Doodleheimer]

I remembered recalling that we decided Labor Day is the final day and deadline of the Activision Summer Patches Quest. I have to do this. Time to present out the trophy to the patch winner and "Activision's Achievement of Awesomeness" to Darthkur. With an amazing 37 patches accumulated. Way to go!!! And also a special trophy to Oyamafamily with his insane scores and endurance runs and accumulating 30 patches. Congratulations you two and I hope to see another one in 2016!

 

 

 

[spawnshop]

Way to go guys!!!

[Opry99er]

Epic

[toiletunes]

_{Starting earlier in the season next year, look out! This was a fun challenge, makes me want to look at the hsc...}

Edited September 7, 2015 by toiletunes

[mikey.shake]

This has been a blast. Never ever thought I'd be able to make "Top Ten" scores in any kind of casual video game contest/quest. So, not only have I had lots and lots of fun. Dare I say that this summer quest even... made me a better gamer?

 

Thanks to cvga for kicking this off, everyone involved for being so supportive of each other, and all the other players for the spirit of friendly competition and challenge. What a civil bunch of gamers!

 

Oh, and thanks to all those early Activision programmers (if any of you are paying attention), because your games are clearly awesome. 26 (international) players and 236 patches in just a couple of months? That's some good stuff.

[darthkur]

Thanks so much from everyone. Especially from Retrogamer81081 for the trophy. Congrats to all participants as well. Activision would have been busy shipping out patches. This was such a great time. It's a shame that I only discovered it a couple months after it started. I will definitely say it made me a better player. I really focused on a bunch of these. Very much looking forward to the next one.

For those that really enjoyed this as well I welcome you all to join the various HSC's here on AA.

[Nutsy Doodleheimer]

This sure was fun!! Cvga you are awesome for hosting this!! And thanks for letting me be your statkeeper. I love the Atari 2600 and was born the time Activision games got it's start. This has been such a fun challenge to raise the bar high for ourselves and get us better in these fun games and to continuously practice and get better. It's great seeing other people participate and those who grew up playing this in the early 80's to see their impressive scores and even Wilson Oyama (whom I shall consider Professor 2600) posting youtube videos and being a tutor to us and giving great tips and hints displayed in his game play videos. And I credit him on my earning of the 27 patches in my quest and getting me to being a better 2600 gamer. This was nothing but a fun friendly challenge and I show a lot of respect for the other fellow gamers. Nothing but absolute fun, and I want to see a return of this next Summer!

[Bucket Brigadier]

That was a lot of fun; wish I could have gotten more! Well, always next year.

[Opry99er]

I only had time for one patch this season. Next season, I will earn more. I want to definitely get Pitfall, Megamania, Enduro, Kaboom!, and Oink!.

 

Gives me something to strive for in the future...

 

You guys are some amazing gamers.