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Re: Together Retro: Zoop

Posted: Tue May 17, 2011 2:41 pm
by CFFJR
Ivo wrote:I tried a bit of level 10, and despaired, for the background and the playing area are basically the same and it really confuses my eyes.


Apparently that's intentional.

From wikipedia:

Opti-Challenge

To make matters even more difficult, the game also employed what was referred to as "opti-challenge" backgrounds. As the game progressed, the backgrounds would become increasingly distracting. Early on, this would involve the use of contrasting colours, and increasingly intricate colour schemes. Background patterns would also become more intricate and would make subtle use of asymmetrical elements. Ultimately, the background on level 9 employed black and white tiles, roughly the size of the invading pieces, while the center square contained a picture of clouds, which expanded to fill the screen on levels 10 and later. Although the opti-challenge element of the game was used as a selling point, very little information exists about the technique itself, and no other game on the market has ever openly claimed to use opti-challenge graphics.


Congratulations on that crazy score though.

Re: Together Retro: Zoop

Posted: Tue May 17, 2011 3:33 pm
by Ivo
The other levels didn't bother me, at least not noticeably. But level 10, wow, it was like the difficulty curve of this aspect was a vertical wall of "Opti-challenge" :P I noticed the backgrounds were getting more psychedelic at times but I'm fairly good at abstracting, they were always backgrounds separate from the playing area I think I could handle pretty much anything provided as long as there is enough contrast. In level 10 they just sort of merge together and it is also hard to see the blue pieces...

And the precise score was 219800.

EDIT: Oh this was particularly funny. I got exactly 300000 (no joke), 5 springs on level 6 or so, lasted until level 8.

Ivo.

Re: Together Retro: Zoop

Posted: Tue May 17, 2011 4:07 pm
by YoshiEgg25
For those of you playing, here are some of the rules and records for Zoop in Continuous/Continual Play from Twin Galaxies. If there's a version that you're playing that's not on here (PAL, level mode, or other systems)

Atari Jaguar
Rules: None
Records:
1. 399,300 - Alan Reynard
2. 310,300 - Wendy Sparks

Game Boy
Rules: You may freely choose your Starting Level and Difficulty.
Records:
1. 13,440 - Ryan W Johnson

Playstation
Rules: Difficulty 0, Start at stage 1
Records: None

Sega Genesis/Mega Drive
NTSC:
Rules: You may freely choose your Starting Level and Difficulty.
Records: None

PAL:
Rules: You may freely choose your Starting Level and Difficulty.
Records: None

SNES
NTSC:
Rules: You may freely choose your Starting Level and Difficulty.
Records:
1. 179,300 - Ryan W Johnson
2. 70,100 - Jared E Oswald

PAL:
Rules: You may freely choose your Starting Level and Difficulty.
Records: None


So if you were to put current users' scores in there (with them in bold):

Playstation
1. 300,000 - Ivo (if he used a legit version, which he definitely should with a score like this)
2. 208,400 - dsheinem
3. 110,300 - Whatever
4. 74,800 - noiseredux
5. 51,900 - NebachadnezzaR


Sega Genesis/Mega Drive
1. 59,000 - WrathOskvro
2. 49,500 - Opa Opa
3. 47,000 - CFFJR
4. 41,600 - Hobie-wan


SNES
1. 179,300 - Ryan W Johnson
2. 70,100 - Jared E Oswald
3. 67,300 - CatchFiveBats
4. 56,300 - fastbilly1
5. 55,100 - stark
6. 24,000 - TheGregzilla



I highly recommend EVERYONE taping themselves playing and submitting their scores. A lot of you are in a great position right now. :)

Re: Together Retro: Zoop

Posted: Tue May 17, 2011 4:09 pm
by noiseredux
dammit, Yoshi... you make a good case.

Re: Together Retro: Zoop

Posted: Tue May 17, 2011 4:21 pm
by dsheinem
Ivo wrote:The other levels didn't bother me, at least not noticeably. But level 10, wow, it was like the difficulty curve of this aspect was a vertical wall of "Opti-challenge" :P I noticed the backgrounds were getting more psychedelic at times but I'm fairly good at abstracting, they were always backgrounds separate from the playing area I think I could handle pretty much anything provided as long as there is enough contrast. In level 10 they just sort of merge together and it is also hard to see the blue pieces...

And the precise score was 219800.

EDIT: Oh this was particularly funny. I got exactly 300000 (no joke), 5 springs on level 6 or so, lasted until level 8.

Ivo.


Yikes! Your new high score is 300,000?!

Any chance you could give it a go on real hardware? I'd hate to think you get a TG record only to have it not count...

Re: Together Retro: Zoop

Posted: Tue May 17, 2011 4:38 pm
by YoshiEgg25
Ivo wrote:EDIT: Oh this was particularly funny. I got exactly 300000 (no joke), 5 springs on level 6 or so, lasted until level 8.

:shock:

Re: Together Retro: Zoop

Posted: Tue May 17, 2011 4:49 pm
by Ivo
I'm playing on an emulator, but I have a PAL Playstation 1 somewhere. I can see if I buy the PAL CD (assuming I find one, that is).

David, I think you can break 300k if you get two spring clearings, and even with one. You just need more practice. Try training a bit in the faster levels so that you can get used to the increased spawning speed when coming from level 1.

Wait, there is a PC CD-ROM version? I could be all over that one, particularly if it has the same size playing field as the PS1...

Ivo.

Re: Together Retro: Zoop

Posted: Tue May 17, 2011 5:41 pm
by noiseredux
uh yeah Ivo, you should really just get the actual game and submit to TG man.

UPDATED

Re: Together Retro: Zoop

Posted: Tue May 17, 2011 11:41 pm
by Stark
SNES: 55100 Zoop =443

Re: Together Retro: Zoop

Posted: Wed May 18, 2011 3:58 am
by Ivo
I was recording my (still emulator) attempts of today. The first one was under 100k so I deleted it. Then I got one slightly below David's best score. The third one I recorded I got to 252k and saw the 10th spring (already cleared once), lost my focus and lost just when I was about to clear the screen. And then I notice my photographic camera ran out of battery from all the lengthy videos so that one wasn't recorded :/

Ivo.