Spectrum Computing

Posted: **Tue Sep 15, 2020 1:18 pm**

I forced myself to give it another go...

Kosmic "Effing" Kanga: 1,290 (new)

#jesuiskanga

Posted: **Tue Sep 15, 2020 5:50 pm**

New score:

Kosmic Kanga: 1,401
Pinball 7,140 (no change)

Posted: **Tue Sep 15, 2020 10:53 pm**

Rev_Stuart_Campbell wrote: ↑Tue Sep 15, 2020 7:41 pm
clebin wrote: ↑Tue Sep 15, 2020 11:08 am My tactic is to hold 'down' to do little hops along the bottom.
That's all very well in the horizontal levels, but it's a real shitshow on the vertical ones.

I reckon you could stay alive for a very long time doing that. I've heard that if you keep going long enough the bouncing ball eventually deflates, but that might be* an urban myth like the trailer in Lunar Jetman.

*definitely is

Posted: **Tue Sep 15, 2020 11:21 pm**

I didn't vote for it, but it seems that I've also succumbed to whatever cosmic mind control is making everyone think that Kosmic Kanga is not a pile of crap. Only [mention]Morkin[/mention] can snap us out of it.

Scores so far:
Pinball - 8090
Kosmic Kanga - 1455

In fact, if push came to shove, I'd say that Kosmic Kanga is the best game I've ever played.

Happy day.

Posted: **Tue Sep 15, 2020 11:35 pm**

Kosmic Kanga - 5209
Pinball - 7815

So I took a break from the mighty Kanga to play this here Pinball game. And I have to ask, [mention]Morkin[/mention], is this some kind of elaborate performance art? What clairvoyance do you have that allowed you to take revenge in this way? Somehow choosing a game that I would dislike so intensely, months before Kosmic Kanga was even picked and then using some kind of psychic control to influence the RNG into selecting it this week.

Do you use the same technique to stop the ball sailing between the two paddles or down the side-alley? Because as far as I can tell, without a nudge option, even Uri Geller would have hard time avoiding 50% of the balls lost in this game.

My high score is from my very first attempt. At that point, I thought Pinball was quite entertaining, but 20,000,000 attempts later I find myself wanting to buy a copy off eBay just to smash it into tiny pieces. On the times when I actually have a hope in hell of stopping the ball going out, I have less and less patience and concentration span to react in time. Thus, my scores are getting lower and lower each time I play, 7000, 5000, 3000... This post might look like petty tit-for-tat, but FFS I hate this game!

EDIT: funny how R-Tape’s post also mentions cosmic mind control. Is there a full moon? I think I can see a moonbase.

Posted: **Wed Sep 16, 2020 7:25 am**

Rev_Stuart_Campbell wrote: ↑Tue Sep 15, 2020 7:41 pm
clebin wrote: ↑Tue Sep 15, 2020 11:08 am My tactic is to hold 'down' to do little hops along the bottom.
That's all very well in the horizontal levels, but it's a real shitshow on the vertical ones.

I agree. That vertical 3rd stage gets me every time. I'm better off spending all my time in stage 1 and 2 to rack up as much points as possible.

Called in sick today so I had some gaming time. Here are my updated scores:

Kosmic Kanga: 2,173
Pinball: 12,470

Pinball is all about getting that bonus number up and then hoping that your ball travels through the purple highlights so that the bonus adds to your score. Somehow the bonus resets if it gets to 1000 but not sure what triggers it.

Posted: **Wed Sep 16, 2020 7:53 am**

Yeah, Kosmic Kanga is a devil invention. The more you play it, the more you feel addicted to it. Abducted, I'd say.

I started to feel it last game. Let's hope this challenge ends soon.

And no, I won't change my avatar:

Run, and you'll live... at least a while. And dying in your beds, many years from now, would you be willin' to trade ALL the days, from this day to that, for one chance, just one chance, to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they'll never take... OUR AVATAR!

I'll pray for those who couldn't avoid it.

Posted: **Wed Sep 16, 2020 8:39 am**

This week definitely has a Stockholm syndrome vibe to it.

I picked Pinball not because I rate it insanely highly or can do well at it, just because I remember it being a playable pinball game from yesteryear.

My experience is the same as [mention]clebin[/mention]'s, in that my first try yielded far and away my best score, and I can't get close to it now. I think there is a smidgen of skill involved in that you can 'hold' the ball against your paddle (er... fnar?) but the movement seems quite random and sometimes you just can't avoid those side channels.

I think after having a go at the bonus game when it's announced <cough, cough>, I'm going to submit my scores and escape this foul place. The sun is shining. There is a world out there.

Posted: **Wed Sep 16, 2020 9:20 am**

cmal wrote: ↑Wed Sep 16, 2020 7:25 am That vertical 3rd stage gets me every time. I'm better off spending all my time in stage 1 and 2 to rack up as much points as possible.

CHEESING ATTEMPT DETECTED! Yes, folks, the point-based loitering is a no-no. Especially that you'd have to die on purpose to do that, since the game is always pushing you forward.

So, just channel your inner marsupial, embrace the spirit of the "mighty Kanga" and conquer that pesky 3rd stage

(avatar changing is optional)

Posted: **Wed Sep 16, 2020 9:47 am**

I got to the vertical stage twice and lost all my lives each time. That flippin' ball thing just flies straight at you.

Posted: **Wed Sep 16, 2020 12:36 pm**

R-Tape wrote: ↑Tue Sep 15, 2020 11:21 pm I'd say that Kosmic Kanga is the best game I've ever played.

Posted: **Wed Sep 16, 2020 1:59 pm**

R-Tape wrote: ↑Tue Sep 15, 2020 11:21 pm In fact, if push came to shove, I'd say that Kosmic Kanga is the best game I've ever played.

Posted: **Wed Sep 16, 2020 3:27 pm**

Rev_Stuart_Campbell wrote: ↑Tue Sep 15, 2020 7:41 pmThat's all very well in the horizontal levels, but it's a real shitshow on the vertical ones.

cmal wrote: ↑Wed Sep 16, 2020 7:25 amI agree. That vertical 3rd stage gets me every time. I'm better off spending all my time in stage 1 and 2 to rack up as much points as possible.

akeley wrote: ↑Wed Sep 16, 2020 9:20 amSo, just channel your inner marsupial, embrace the spirit of the "mighty Kanga" and conquer that pesky 3rd stage (avatar changing is optional)

Wait, what? There are other stages?!

*mind explodes*

Posted: **Wed Sep 16, 2020 4:03 pm**

Say what you will about Kanga, it definitely is the most talked about game of this HSC and a board-wide trend. That's gotta count for something!

BONUS GAME BONUS GAME BONUS GAME BONUS GAME BONUS GAME BONUS GAME BONUS GAME

So this being Marmite Round, we will of course stay in this spirit for the Bonus Round.

And what's a better candidate for that than a roguelike?

Ernesto's Adventures (2019, NedoPC Group & Outsiders)

It's a game from the last year's Yandex compo. One of this genre's staples is learn-as-you-go, so there is no handy manual, but it ain't rocket science either. If you're really stuck though we can always hash it out here.

I think you win the game if you get to level 5 and find that "cave king Maraken", so that's one of the aims. We can also see who amasses most money/experience. The problem is that once you die it all disappears, so maybe take scr$ when you're feeling flush.

Have fun

Posted: **Wed Sep 16, 2020 4:07 pm**

Pinball 4370:

Kosmic Kanga - This game is horrendous and I hate it. The fact that my best score was only 400 and summit has nothing to do with how much I hate this game

Posted: **Wed Sep 16, 2020 4:50 pm**

Every time i load Pinball, it has a different Hi Score:

That Hi Score of 7465 is not mine.

Posted: **Wed Sep 16, 2020 4:51 pm**

Midweek score update... by way of inspiration to hit your highest heights.

Posted: **Wed Sep 16, 2020 4:58 pm**

I can see I've chosen the wrong hobby! Perhaps I should take up knitting?

Posted: **Wed Sep 16, 2020 5:38 pm**

RWAC wrote: ↑Wed Sep 16, 2020 4:58 pm I can see I've chosen the wrong hobby! Perhaps I should take up knitting?

Definitely, you could knit one of these for us all:

Anyway, I think I'm probably pretty much done for this week, so I'll submit now.

Code: Select all

KfK -      1,701
Pinball - 11,935
Ernesto - Level 5, 63 money

KOSMIC 'EFFING KANGA

I know it's already been said. What a pile of carp this game is. The fact that some Spec-chum scores have been beaten by starting the game and doing nothing but holding down the fire key says a lot about the total crappiness of the controls. This is another game character that needs to be fired into outer space (along with Dizzy).

PINBALL

I found I enjoyed playing this game - in short doses. When I was repeatedly trying to beat my high score (that I got on my first game) it became highly frustrating - a lot of the scoring is down to luck rather than skill, though you can exercise a bit of tactical paddle control here and there. I still think it's probably my favourite Speccy pinball game.

ERNESTO

(Spoiler tags used as screenshot is from Level 5)

Spoiler

A well-presented game, that Yandex comp has a pretty high standard of entry from what I've seen. Fairly simple game but quite tactical. Level 5 is a massive difficulty spike though - I guess the trick might be to grind out the levels and equipment before you get there. I do like Rogue-like games. If anyone manages it, give us a shout!

Hint: turn on the Kempston mouse in your emulator for this one.

Posted: **Wed Sep 16, 2020 5:54 pm**

akeley wrote: ↑Wed Sep 16, 2020 9:20 am
cmal wrote: ↑Wed Sep 16, 2020 7:25 am That vertical 3rd stage gets me every time. I'm better off spending all my time in stage 1 and 2 to rack up as much points as possible.
CHEESING ATTEMPT DETECTED! Yes, folks, the point-based loitering is a no-no. Especially that you'd have to die on purpose to do that, since the game is always pushing you forward.

So, just channel your inner marsupial, embrace the spirit of the "mighty Kanga" and conquer that pesky 3rd stage (avatar changing is optional)

Actually in my case it was "accidental cheesing". I accidentally lost a life near the end of stage 2 so was forced to replay it. However, I still made it to round 3 and am still on a mission to get past that stage.

Posted: **Wed Sep 16, 2020 6:45 pm**

Kosmic Kanga was written by Dominic Wood, who's also responsible for a few other titles on the Spectrum. I've always wondered if Dominic Wood is related to Julian R.E Wood. Julian Wood released a number of type-ins for Your Computer magazine. Does anyone know if they're related or not?

Posted: **Wed Sep 16, 2020 8:41 pm**

Getting the hang of this... slowly

Kosmic Kanga: 1335

Posted: **Wed Sep 16, 2020 9:19 pm**

cmal wrote: ↑Wed Sep 16, 2020 6:45 pm Kosmic Kanga was written by Dominic Wood, who's also responsible for a few other titles on the Spectrum. I've always wondered if Dominic Wood is related to Julian R.E Wood. Julian Wood released a number of type-ins for Your Computer magazine. Does anyone know if they're related or not?

This leads to another question

: There's a Julian Wood and Dominic Wood who both worked on Project Future. In the database, Julian Wood and Julian R.E Wood are listed as two different people. Are they indeed two different people?
I guess I'm straying off topic a bit...

Posted: **Thu Sep 17, 2020 6:49 am**

My new scores:

Kosmic Kanga: 1,550
Pinball Wizard: 7,140 (no change)
Ernesto's Adventures: money: 5

Posted: **Thu Sep 17, 2020 2:27 pm**

My current scores...

KfK - 2,155
Pinball - 8,780
Ernesto's Adventures - Level 5, Money 121

Spectrum Computing

ZX HSC Round 8 - Kosmic Kanga / Pinball

Re: ZX HSC Round 8 - Kosmic Kanga / Pinball

Re: ZX HSC Round 8 - Kosmic Kanga / Pinball

Re: ZX HSC Round 8 - Kosmic Kanga / Pinball

Re: ZX HSC Round 8 - Kosmic Kanga / Pinball

Re: ZX HSC Round 8 - Kosmic Kanga / Pinball

Re: ZX HSC Round 8 - Kosmic Kanga / Pinball

Re: ZX HSC Round 8 - Kosmic Kanga / Pinball

Re: ZX HSC Round 8 - Kosmic Kanga / Pinball

Re: ZX HSC Round 8 - Kosmic Kanga / Pinball

Re: ZX HSC Round 8 - Kosmic Kanga / Pinball

Re: ZX HSC Round 8 - Kosmic Kanga / Pinball

Re: ZX HSC Round 8 - Kosmic Kanga / Pinball

Re: ZX HSC Round 8 - Kosmic Kanga / Pinball

Re: ZX HSC Round 8 - Kosmic Kanga / Pinball

Re: ZX HSC Round 8 - Kosmic Kanga / Pinball

Re: ZX HSC Round 8 - Kosmic Kanga / Pinball

Re: ZX HSC Round 8 - Kosmic Kanga / Pinball

Re: ZX HSC Round 8 - Kosmic Kanga / Pinball

Re: ZX HSC Round 8 - Kosmic Kanga / Pinball

Re: ZX HSC Round 8 - Kosmic Kanga / Pinball

Re: ZX HSC Round 8 - Kosmic Kanga / Pinball

Re: ZX HSC Round 8 - Kosmic Kanga / Pinball

Re: ZX HSC Round 8 - Kosmic Kanga / Pinball

Re: ZX HSC Round 8 - Kosmic Kanga / Pinball

Re: ZX HSC Round 8 - Kosmic Kanga / Pinball