Manic Miner finishers

[AndyC]

It just takes practice, as the entire game is predictable. After a while muscle memory can take over and you can play without really having to think about it. Then you get a very zen like feeling of inner peace as once challenging levels can be passed easily.

[Oloturia]

Heh.

Which level/s are you failing on when you try for real? It's worth repeating them on cheat until they become robotic.

Mainly Solar Power Generator (where I failed TWICE the last f***g jump), but I usually mis-jump at the first key at the Warehouse.
My neighbours probably are now thinking that I'm summoning Satan himself, listening to all my loud curses.

During the first levels I am zen-like indeed. I made a run until level 6 or 7 while half asleep.

[Oloturia]

OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG!



This happened on the 97th run, but I trained a lot on levels 17 and 19. Overall it took 8 days to reach this remarkable achievement.
Now I feel better, my muscles are relaxing right now. The anger? Now is long forgotten. Now everything is completely peaceful.

So, I guess now it's time for Jet Set Willy?

[R-Tape]

Well done @Oloturia! One life left - I bet that was a tense Final Barrier.

Welcome to the fold brother. Your life will never be the same again (I'll PM you the details of the MM finishers' secret handshake).

[Morkin]

Another one joins the fold.... Well done..!

I had a another go at it to see if I could do it again - unfortunately I found I'd forgotten some of the paths for the later levels, especially Skylab - forgot my route.

[spider]

What can be tricky sometimes I found (even now if I am not paying full attention) in "Return of the Alien Kong Beast" , the leap leftward after getting the switch at the top and moving down, if you jump too far you land on the platform safely, but if you jump too far back you'll fall too far. It a pixel perfect position to jump from to fall the right height to catch the lower platform.

[Morkin]

What can be tricky sometimes I found (even now if I am not paying full attention) in "Return of the Alien Kong Beast" , the leap leftward after getting the switch at the top and moving down, if you jump too far you land on the platform safely, but if you jump too far back you'll fall too far. It a pixel perfect position to jump from to fall the right height to catch the lower platform.

Do you mean this one? Not sure it's pixel perfect, there seems to be a fair bit of room for error.

[spider]

Do you mean this one? Not sure it's pixel perfect, there seems to be a fair bit of room for error.

Yes, but moreso this one:



From that platform, jumping left:

If you are too far rightwards you'll miss and hit the floor (fatal fall)
If you are too far leftwards you'll end up reaching the platform above (safe but annoying)

Sorry the pic seems to be a bit truncated at the top.

Perhaps I just like doing this jump this way to make life difficult.

[Morkin]

Cripes, OK - that's not the route I take...

I just do the higher jump (as shown in the gif) and then drop down.

[Oloturia]

OMG I finished it twice...

Just for fun I tried Jet Set Willy. I thought that there are 60 screens instead of 20 levels, some of them being very easy or without any objects to get (like the Entrance to Hades or the bedroom) so it will take something like 60/20 = 3 times Manic Miner. But I found that the difficulty of the jumps is harder than in Manic Miner. It's like every screen is a Solar Power Generator. Maybe I'm wrong... this summer I have a lot of spare time...

[AndyC]

JSW is definitely tougher, partly because the hard rooms are really hard but primarily because of the stupid infinite death situations that can wipe out all your lives because of a single mistake.

[sn3j]

Well done @Oloturia! One life left - I bet that was a tense Final Barrier.

Welcome to the fold brother. Your life will never be the same again (I'll PM you the details of the MM finishers' secret handshake).

Ah, the secret MM finishers' handshake - I think I've seen it before. Now the whole picture gets clear.

Spoiler

[R-Tape]

Ah, the secret MM finishers' handshake - I think I've seen it before. Now the whole picture gets clear.

Spoiler

Exactly that! but then you perform a Quirkafleeg...

Spoiler

[Morkin]

I had another go this morning - lost all my lives on the Solar Power Generator (surprise, surprise).

Think I need to Karate Kid that one repeatedly until I can do it without issue.

Still not 100% of my route on Amoebatrons' Revenge.

[R-Tape]

Come on Morks! Nearly there!

I had another go this morning - lost all my lives on the Solar Power Generator (surprise, surprise).

Manic Miner has set green energy back a few decades.

Still not 100% of my route on Amoebatrons' Revenge.

I know that feeling. "I've totally got this level", and when you get there in the heat of battle "Oh my god I haven't got this levellll!".

[Morkin]

Yep, spannery moment #1 of my second try today was losing a life on the Central Cavern...

I might have a quick bash a few lunchtimes this week, with the aim of dragging the Speccy out next weekend for a proper completion run.

[Oloturia]

omg I looped twice

[spider]

Cripes, OK - that's not the route I take...

I just do the higher jump (as shown in the gif) and then drop down.

All these years I've been making that cavern harder than it should be!

JSW is definitely tougher, partly because the hard rooms are really hard but primarily because of the stupid infinite death situations that can wipe out all your lives because of a single mistake.

JSW2+ (and much later MJSW) did rectify that, but as you know its still possible to royally screw up in the 'original' JSW2, not as easy as JSW1 but still easy.

omg I looped twice

Well done!

You do know you get a special different ending if you loop it three times in a row yes ?

Spoiler

no its a joke, sorry

[equinox]

Laughing really hard that this has 15 pages of forum thread.

Do you wanna hear about my stupid Manic Miner story? TOO BAD, Sir or Madam! I can play this piece of s--t (Peter's friend) 100 times and I can usually get to the Mutant Telephones screen. If I have really tough game, I can get to the Warehouse -- oh my god -- you know, nobody ever spoke enough about the "solar panel" thing. Total nightmare.

--In reality: did I ever "beat" (I prefer to say "solve") the game? No, no, I didn't. Does anyone remember the "JSW Online" game by Ovine by Design? I did actually finish that one -- but that's a whole other story.

[R-Tape]

--In reality: did I ever "beat" (I prefer to say "solve") the game? No, no, I didn't.

Think of this thread as a life coach eq. I played it 100, maybe 1000? times and only reached the same screen, probably the bank. It's when I decided to complete it, that it became solvable. After a period of applying myself, and when I knew I was ready, I loaded it on my +2 and clocked it twice. And that's when you realise you are more powerful than you can ever imagine.

Now give me £50.

[equinox]

Think of this thread as a life coach eq. I played it 100, maybe 1000? times and only reached the same screen, probably the bank. It's when I decided to complete it, that it became solvable. After a period of applying myself, and when I knew I was ready, I loaded it on my +2 and clocked it twice. And that's when you realise you are more powerful than you can ever imagine.

Now give me £50.

Do you remember "Ovine by Design" doing a -- no? no? Well. The monetary bet is one, but not right now.

[equinox]

Think of this thread as a life coach eq. I played it 100, maybe 1000? times and only reached the same screen, probably the bank. It's when I decided to complete it, that it became solvable. After a period of applying myself, and when I knew I was ready, I loaded it on my +2 and clocked it twice. And that's when you realise you are more powerful than you can ever imagine.

Now give me £50.

Still kick yer arse on the Solar Power Generator.

[Morkin]

Manic Miner musings of the day
Had a go last night on emulation. Managed to finish it (perfect run before losing four lives on the SPG), then looped round to Solar Power again. Then died. Will have a go on my Speccy at the weekend.

Eugene's Lair
I didn't realise that if you fall down from the furthest bottom right tiny platform (forget to press jump) it's possible to jump over those two spiky bushes and you can still finish the level

The Vat
One you've picked a route, however crap, DO NOT entertain the idea of changing it for efficiency. You'll have a bad time.

Solar Power Generator
Does anyone collect the bottom right key first? I was doing it this way initially without luck, but I figured it might just reduce the number of those long jumps you have to do.

[spider]

Solar Power Generator
Does anyone collect the bottom right key first? I was doing it this way initially without luck, but I figured it might just reduce the number of those long jumps you have to do.

I used to, and sometimes still do however I think its a serious disadvantage now because you're already on the platform so it makes sense to jump up and get the top right object, then the top left, then get the lower right then get back up top.

Do you remember "Ovine by Design" doing a -- no? no? Well. The monetary bet is one, but not right now.

Yes, I played it a few times, multiple choice games with multiple players!

[equinox]

Manic Miner musings of the day
Had a go last night on emulation. Managed to finish it (perfect run before losing four lives on the SPG), then looped round to Solar Power again. Then died. Will have a go on my Speccy at the weekend.

Eugene's Lair
I didn't realise that if you fall down from the furthest bottom right tiny platform (forget to press jump) it's possible to jump over those two spiky bushes and you can still finish the level

The Vat
One you've picked a route, however crap, DO NOT entertain the idea of changing it for efficiency. You'll have a bad time.

Solar Power Generator
Does anyone collect the bottom right key first? I was doing it this way initially without luck, but I figured it might just reduce the number of those long jumps you have to do.

This must have been previously said in 15 pages, but the first Kong level is, IMHO, a very important one, mainly because you can get serious points (and PETS MEAN PRIZES -- maybe an extra life soon). Also because the initial setup looks really hard until you realise "oh, the exit is a hole that I can sit in"...

The last time I played MM I wasn't paying enough attention and lost like 2 or 3 lives in a row on that screen, immediately, bc you "spawn" (as the modern Minecraft kiddies say) next to the barrel. Savage.

I am more of a JSW guy honestly.