HSC Season 3 Week 16: Save Mary

[Ze_ro]

Important note: This weeks competition is over. If you still wish to discuss this game, then feel free to do so, but no further scores will be accepted. Thanks to everyone for all their contributions! Please join in on the latest High Score Club competition!

 

Oh no! This was supposed to be a fun trip to the Hoover Dam, but as you look over your shoulder, you see your sweetheart standing oblivious at the bottom of the Black Canyon! And worse yet, it seems the dam has sprung a leak! You have to get Mary out of there, and FAST! You quickly get to the crane controls and start moving blocks around to help her escape the flood waters, you must Save Mary!

 

Although this game was never released, AtariAge has a copy of the ROM available for download so you can play it on an emulator or on a real 2600 with a Cuttle Cart.

 

Game Information

• Game Name: Save Mary
  
• Released By: Atari, 1990 (Never released, but copyright date is 1990)
  
• Left Difficulty: B / Novice
  
• Right Difficulty: B / Novice (Not sure what the switches do here, but lets at least stay on the same page here)
  
• Game Mode: Advanced (Choose this from the title menu)
  
• Chosen By: Dones
  

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 will be approximately Tuesday, Nov 8th at 1:30 AM (CST). In case you haven't already done so, please read the High Score Club rules. There is other useful information contained in that previous link, including a list of previous High Score Club games!

 

As before, next week's game will be chosen by the next person in the member list, which happens to be Dones! Please send me a private message with your choice of game for next week!

 

If you are not a member of the High Score Club, but would like to be, then all you have to do is post a score for this week's game, and I'll add you to the list!

 

Current High Scores

1. 63,190 (SpiceWare) [+11]
   
2. 38,350 (Dones) [+10]
   
3. 36,805 (vdub_bobby) [+9]
   
4. 31,975 (Mordax) [+8]
   
5. 25,165 (supercat) [+7]
   
6. 21,045 (scogey) [+6]
   
7. 13,915 (khryssun) [+5]
   
8. 7205 (bjk7382) [+4]
   
9. 6160 (keilbaca) [+3]
   
10. 3860 (LarcenTyler) [+2]
    

Best Tips

• Dones [+2]
  

Bounties and Challenges

• None yet
  

TwinGalaxies Top 3

(Default Settings)

1. 18,705 (David B Yancey)
   
2. 15,540 (Micheal Garber)
   

Current Standings

1. Coming Soon

Member List

Gamemaster_ca_2003, awsomo3000, Voch, Stingray, scogey, Bubbledragon, video game addict, pitfallaimee, Blackjack, racer raul, SpiceWare, Robert M, Lord Helmet, Lord Thag, Mad Scientist, Dan Iacovelli, iguana, Luigi301, Gateway, Damon Plus, gospeedde, Kepone, internetotaku, panda_racer, KaeruYojimbo, cyberneticimplant, bjk7382, davepesc, neotokeo2001, xeex, bmlbytes, Omegamatrix, the 5th ghost, Xebec's Demise, khryssun, vgcollector666, chadtower, moycon, Malc74, shadow460, Atarifever, Keir, supercat, FireTiger, Philflound, Fellow Atari Man, keilbaca, brendano, Cybergoth, durden26, sku_u, mitsubachi, arlo, Recycled, LarcenTyler, silverpoodleman, 128bytes, Goochman, Thomas Jentzsch, Christophero Sly, D.Yancey, mrppv666, Mordax, Numan, vdub_bobby, Dones

Scoring Points in Save Mary

Coming Soon

Hints and Tips

As always, you really should read the manual. Of course, since this game was never actually released, that's not quite possible in this case. However, the gameplay is nicely described over at AtariProtos.com

Ok I got some tips:

 

* Take the freeze water powerup whenever you can. It will buy you some time. To get a powerup you have to pick it up and drop it on the top ledge on either side.

* Ok the shape of the power up descriptions at atariprotos can be quite different of the actual sprites. For example the "plug" actually looks like a flower pot (at least to me). I didn't know it was a plug until I read the manual. The "oil can" doesn't look at all like a can (actually it looks like a smaller version of the crane). Gold block is on spot however. The "stop sign" is just a brown circle and looks more like the rock from jungle hunt. BTW this is the most cryptic power up in the game because (unless you have read the manual) its effect isn't obvious.

 

* Depending on your skill sometimes it's better not to take the speed powerup. Granted speed makes you travel faster, but will make it harder for you to align the pieces. Better to be slow and accurate than fast an slippery.

* Do not throw away bad pieces! You get points for every piece standing at the end of the level. Better to leave an area of the well for those bad pieces to form a column even if you don't plan Mary to use it.

* Plan your column building. Building a column in the middle of screen might work fine for beginners, but try looking for other ways to build (and maximize well usage).

* If you got Mary high enough to save her and still have time to spare (water level is still low) then keep stacking pieces to rack up points.

* Avoid killing Mary! Don't throw pieces on top her (easier said than done [specially on harder levels]).

* Mary likes to jump a lot. Use that to your advantage! Instead of one long platform for Mary to step to better break it into two or more columns parallel to each other. If you make them close enough, it will force Mary to jump from one column to the other. This slows her down a bit, giving you time to drop a piece without risking dropping it on her.

* Sometimes when the columns are high enough, you will be able to catch Mary with your rope while she is at the top of her jump.

 

 

This I haven't confirmed, but sometimes if you camp out at one side waiting for a piece to come out, the piece won't show up. I don't know if this is a rule of the game when in harder levels (you know, force you to alternate sides), if it's a programming perk or just myself being impatient. I don't recall seeing this behavior at novice level though. If anyone can confirm please let me know.

 

Setting Blocks 101:

 

Bottom blocks of the pieces must be supported or they will break. Depending on the piece:

 

* Two-block pieces never break. They only need the bottom block to be supported.

* Three-block pieces need at least two blocks to be supported.

* Four-block and Six-block pieces need two blocks to be supported.

 

Blocks will break if parts of them fall on the left and right edges of the canyon or if you try to place them above full water level.

Re: Four-block and Six-block pieces need two bottom blocks to be supported.

 

Any two blocks will suffice, though in the case of the six-block pieces only the bottom ones are possible. It's possible to build rather crazy structures with the four-block pieces

....Y.Y.
.....Y.Y
..X.X...
...X.X..
#.#.....
.#.#....

In the picture above, one could drop the "X" piece on the "#" one, and then drop the "Y" piece on top of that.

 

--Ze_ro

[Dones]

Hey Zero may I suggest changing the difficulty because novice is perhaps too easy. The real challenge is in advanced. I am referring to the small menu at the title screen (can't tell if difficulty switches were implemented in this game).

 

Ok I got some tips:

 

* Take the freeze water powerup whenever you can. It will buy you some time. To get a powerup you have to pick it up and drop it on the top ledge on either side.

* Ok the shape of the power up descriptions at atariprotos can be quite different of the actual sprites. For example the "plug" actually looks like a flower pot (at least to me). I didn't know it was a plug until I read the manual. The "oil can" doesn't look at all like a can (actually it looks like a smaller version of the crane). Gold block is on spot however. The "stop sign" is just a brown circle and looks more like the rock from jungle hunt. BTW this is the most cryptic power up in the game because (unless you have read the manual) its effect isn't obvious.

 

* Depending on your skill sometimes it's better not to take the speed powerup. Granted speed makes you travel faster, but will make it harder for you to align the pieces. Better to be slow and accurate than fast an slippery.

* Do not throw away bad pieces! You get points for every piece standing at the end of the level. Better to leave an area of the well for those bad pieces to form a column even if you don't plan Mary to use it.

* Plan your column building. Building a column in the middle of screen might work fine for beginners, but try looking for other ways to build (and maximize well usage).

* If you got Mary high enough to save her and still have time to spare (water level is still low) then keep stacking pieces to rack up points.

* Avoid killing Mary! Don't throw pieces on top her (easier said than done [specially on harder levels]).

* Mary likes to jump a lot. Use that to your advantage! Instead of one long platform for Mary to step to better break it into two or more columns parallel to each other. If you make them close enough, it will force Mary to jump from one column to the other. This slows her down a bit, giving you time to drop a piece without risking dropping it on her.

* Sometimes when the columns are high enough, you will be able to catch Mary with your rope while she is at the top of her jump.

 

 

This I haven't confirmed, but sometimes if you camp out at one side waiting for a piece to come out, the piece won't show up. I don't know if this is a rule of the game when in harder levels (you know, force you to alternate sides), if it's a programming perk or just myself being impatient. I don't recall seeing this behavior at novice level though. If anyone can confirm please let me know.

Edited November 1, 2005 by Dones

[silverpoodleman]

Save who? A Prototype? Come on!!!

 

Guess I'm not playing for the high score this week.

[Goochman]

Houston I think we have a problem - Doesnt this only work on the 7800 even though its a 2600 game?

[Ze_ro]

Hey Zero may I suggest changing the difficulty because novice is perhaps too easy. The real challenge is in advanced. I am referring to the small menu at the title screen (can't tell if difficulty switches were implemented in this game).

Very well then, advanced mode it is!

 

--Zero

[Recycled]

someday, I'll participate again.

[Lauren Tyler]

Ugh, prototypes... why did it have to be prototypes?

[Mordax]

I wish I knew what I was doing.... guess this one will require a little more time figuring it out. Anyway, here is a score to get on the board at least.

 

6200

 

Edited November 1, 2005 by Mordax

[vdub_bobby]

6,230

 

Fun little game.

[keilbaca]

Houston I think we have a problem - Doesnt this only work on the 7800 even though its a 2600 game?

957803[/snapback]

 

Nope it works on the 2600, its on the Flashback 2.

[128bytes]

It's ok to use the FB2 for any HSC game if it's on the machine, right?

[vdub_bobby]

14,190

[+SpiceWare]

It's ok to use the FB2 for any HSC game if it's on the machine, right?

958061[/snapback]

I'd say yeah, it is an emulator.

[Dones]

I wish I knew what I was doing.... guess this one will require a little more time figuring it out. 

 

Setting Blocks 101:

 

Bottom blocks of the pieces must be supported or they will break. Depending on the piece:

 

* Two-block pieces never break. They only need the bottom block to be supported.

* Three-block pieces need at least two blocks to be supported.

* Four-block and Six-block pieces need two blocks to be supported.

 

Blocks will break if parts of them fall on the left and right edges of the canyon or if you try to place them above full water level.

Edited November 2, 2005 by Dones

[supercat]

* Two-block pieces never break. They only need the bottom block to be supported.

958185[/snapback]

 

It need not, though it usually will be if the other two are. If the two outside pieces are supported, the block will be fine.

[khryssun]

13,915

 

Funny Game

[Dones]

* Two-block pieces never break. They only need the bottom block to be supported.

958185[/snapback]

 

It need not, though it usually will be if the other two are. If the two outside pieces are supported, the block will be fine.

958190[/snapback]

Are you sure you are talking about the piece I am reffering to? I am talking about this one .

Edited November 1, 2005 by Dones

[supercat]

* Two-block pieces never break. They only need the bottom block to be supported.

958185[/snapback]

 

It need not, though it usually will be if the other two are. If the two outside pieces are supported, the block will be fine.

958190[/snapback]

Are you sure you are talking about the piece I am reffering to? I am talking about this one .

958199[/snapback]

 

Oops. I meant to copy the line about the three-block pieces needing the bottom block supported. A three-block piece will stay put if ANY two blocks are supported (even if it's just the two upper ones).

[Dones]

Yes I noticed. I corrected that bit in my previous post. Thanks.

Edited November 1, 2005 by Dones

[supercat]

* Four-block and Six-block pieces need two bottom blocks to be supported.

958185[/snapback]

 

Any two blocks will suffice, though in the case of the six-block pieces only the bottom ones are possible. It's possible to build rather crazy structures with the four-block pieces

....Y.Y.
.....Y.Y
..X.X...
...X.X..
#.#.....
.#.#....

 

In the picture above, one could drop the "X" piece on the "#" one, and then drop the "Y" piece on top of that.

[silverpoodleman]

Updated score ..........0..........still don't have this game.

 

See ya next week folks!

[+SpiceWare]

5990 - interesting game.

[vdub_bobby]

22,130

[homerwannabee]

18260 I played it on the flashback2 so I am not to sure it was on the hard dificulty level.

[+SpiceWare]

You set the difficulty on the title-screen. In the screenshot below it's set for STANDARD. Move the joystick down to select ADVANCED and then start the game.