ACAM Donation 2008

[RTM]

Hello fellow gamers:

     While I won't be at FSX, I will be there in spirit in the form of a new donation to the ACAM. I just hope when it arrives that it can be brought to full working capacity.

     Thus far two (2)  of my previously donated titles have yet to be brought out to the floor...one from approx 4 years ago, the other from last November's trip. Hopefully at least one of these three will be wheeled out for FSX.

     I'm curious now how many I've donated...it does add up over time. I think this is it below...

Galaxian (the 1st donation, this one I remember well)
Timber
Indiana Jones
Pong Doubles
Rip Off (1st donation that did not work properly)
Smash TV
Donation from Nov/07 (did not arrive in perfect condition)
Donation for Jun/08 (a true surprise !!)

     I can't remember if there was another...it's been awhile. But a few more and there will be enough for a decathlon !!

Robert

     

[SanTe]

You've certainly done your part Robert.  I think it will only become more important as time passes to help track down games and parts and to make donations if we want these classic games to continue to be available for both ourselves and for future generations of gamers.

I haven't donated any cabinets to ACAM, but a couple of months ago I did donate two Kicker PCBs and two Kicker marquees to ACAM in an effort to help them get their Kicker cabinet out of storage and onto the floor.  I understand they are working on it.  Don't know if it will be available in time for the tournament but I hope so, because there is an interesting new development on this title.

New TG forum member Greg Laue (GDL) of Des Moines, IA has a talent for Kicker and at my urging he dove back into it on MAME to put up a score.  Little did I know that after an hour long warm up game a couple of weeks ago that tied the 2nd place score of 1,120,000 he would soon persevere for over 8 hours to take down my title.  It has already disappeared off of the TG front page but congrats are in order for Greg's new Kicker MAME WR of 10,127,100, verified today.  My sig has been duly updated.

Since Kicker may be available at Funspot X this is just the thing I need to motivate me back into practice before the tournament.  Greg is booked for Funspot X as well, so I look forward to meeting him and hopefully we can destroy Kicker together and race to set an inaugural WR on it, although I don't think either of us is looking forward to playing all day to do so.    In any event, I've already called dibs on Friday.   

[RTM]

Chris:

     Thanks for the kind words. This year's donation is an ECM title, so no one will have an advantage when the title is revealed...assuming it is 100% working properly when Gary reveals the title at FSX.

     Gary also said he is also working on one of my Nov/07 donations, a Nichubitsu title that was unable to get up and running by last November. Of the two titles I donated at that time, only "Smash TV" was working 100%, and it was a beauty in terms of condition. Martin was decimating that title and put up a 1-credit completion records, I forget the score. I hear that Abdner is pretty good at that one as well but he hasn't logged a score against it yet.

     Gary placed the title right next to "Indiana Jones" which meant that last November at any given time there were 2-3 players playing side-by-side either there (Darren/Martin/myself) or at the "1942"/Cobra" titles (Martin/myself). Made for easy score verifications if an when those times came, and they typically did every time Darren played "Indy" as his scores kept climbing.

     Thanks, by the way, for the reply on the installation of the older games. I tried your suggestion and something just didn't go as expected. I will provide a formal reply to that specific thread tomorrow after work.

Robert

[SanTe]

I have to laugh.

http://www.twingalaxies.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=82518

[RTM]

Hello fellow gamers:

     NAVL has confirmed that my donation arrives at the ACAM no later than next Friday (5/12)...so here's hoping to a smoothe transit and also that Gary and Randy can work their magic and have this baby up and running in time for the event.

     The title is one of the very first titles I played as a young gamer and should make an excellent companion to an existing title in the FS collection. I also donated the original flyer and schematics.

     There was another donation I made relating to an original sound capture on one of the earliest speaking games that was the first time I ever saw anything of that nature. I'll reveal this surprise shortly before the event.

     And last but not least, earlier this year I donated to the ACAM the original 1986 and 1987 Guinness Arcade Gaming Competition manuals that I purchased from $200 from MDA years back. They have conclusive proof that Guinness' OWN MANUALS did not have a provision other than a "dash" for a certain dip switch position in a certain trackball title, and this should all but completely shoot down someone's claim that this setting was tracked during the early competitions.

     I wish I still owned the original "TG Bible" (binder of settings) but I had to turn that over to Walter when I resigned. That was the other definitive proof that TG did not track that as well. Between the two, and the claim is totally shot down as completeley and without a doubt in the world un-provable that ANY organization would have taken note of this specific setting back then.

Robert

Robert

     

[Moon Jump]

I was trying to see if anybody over at Neo-Geo.com wanted to pitch in and try to help donate a 4 Slot Neo-Geo MVS with the 4 original games, but sadly only two people have said they would help. I spoke to Gary about donating one and he said he'd be fine with it.

A lot of the members on the forum want to try to challenge the world records but their fishy about how TG will handle the carts and whatnot. I'm more interested in getting the machine itself donated first before worrying about how the high scores are kept.

[MDARULZ]

I was trying to see if anybody over at Neo-Geo.com wanted to pitch in and try to help donate a 4 Slot Neo-Geo MVS with the 4 original games, but sadly only two people have said they would help. I spoke to Gary about donating one and he said he'd be fine with it.

You're nice to try to get this arranged, Nick.  As I've mentioned previously on these forums, some standout omissions from Funspot's collection are: a Neo-Geo cabinet or two; true laserdisc games; and a Bally-Sente cab or two.  The latter was remedied this year (nice work, Bob / Gary / crew), and there's a ton of great B-S kits that can be had for peanuts on eBay, and plug right into the cabs.  Of course, the ultimate prize would be a Snakepit; I'll contribute some nice $$$ to ACAM if they snag that one !!  Other titles on my wish list (for FS, or any arcade) would be Time Pilot '84 and The Glob.  The latter three titles I mentioned are all very underrated games; check 'em out on MAME sometime, and PM me if you need the ROMS !

A lot of the members on the forum want to try to challenge the world records but their fishy about how TG will handle the carts and whatnot. I'm more interested in getting the machine itself donated first before worrying about how the high scores are kept.

I don't think getting TG on the ball as far as tracks go is any problem.  And, if it is, remember - I accept world record submissions for the onsite scoreboard !!  I'll be having a separate CAGDC scores only scoreboard at some point (in addition to the present one), but for now, all scores (CAGDC, TG, APA, HRIS, etc...) are intermixed on my 'True arcade gaming world records' scoreboard, and anyone is welcome to submit to me for inclusion (remember - your score must be a world record, and if it's an inaugural score, it must meet a certain threshold score amount to qualify; and, certain other submission rules apply, of course).

As you say, Nick, let's get a game in, and then we'll get submissions taken care of, whether it's to me, TG, Guinness, or whatever other scoring entity is accepting scores.  Just make sure you pick one with knowledge, experience, and reliability.  OK, OK... MDA / CAGDC shameless plug over... 

[pauldean]

Moon Jump wrote:

I was trying to see if anybody over at Neo-Geo.com wanted to pitch in and try to help donate a 4 Slot Neo-Geo MVS with the 4 original games

NeoGeo in Arcades, NeoGeo in Homes (1989-1994)

"The first four game cartridges  for Neo Geo in the Arcades --NAM-1975, Baseball Stars Professional, Top Player's Golf and Magician Lord."
NAM-1975, Baseball Stars Professional, Top Player's Golf, and Magician Lord
http://www.gamespot.com/features/6089278/p-4.html

I think that the newer cartridges would get much more play and interest. The good news
is that both the new and old cartridges can be found pretty cheaply most of the time.

[CrazyKongFan]

You're nice to try to get this arranged, Nick.  As I've mentioned previously on these forums, some standout omissions from Funspot's collection are: a Neo-Geo cabinet or two; true laserdisc games; and a Bally-Sente cab or two.  The latter was remedied this year (nice work, Bob / Gary / crew), and there's a ton of great B-S kits that can be had for peanuts on eBay, and plug right into the cabs.  Of course, the ultimate prize would be a Snakepit; I'll contribute some nice $$$ to ACAM if they snag that one !!  Other titles on my wish list (for FS, or any arcade) would be Time Pilot '84 and The Glob.  The latter three titles I mentioned are all very underrated games; check 'em out on MAME sometime, and PM me if you need the ROMS !

I tried out Snake Pit the other day, took me awhile to figure it out (I was using the joystick keys..didn't realize it was a trackball game, but I should have known, since you had the MAME record for it :p ) I finally did it with the mouse and was able to do alot better, although nowhere near your record. What does the "Alaron"  button do? I haven't been able to figure out

[PacWhiz]

I don't think getting TG on the ball as far as tracks go is any problem.  And, if it is, remember - I accept world record submissions for the onsite scoreboard !!  I'll be having a separate CAGDC scores only scoreboard at some point (in addition to the present one), but for now, all scores (CAGDC, TG, APA, HRIS, etc...) are intermixed on my 'True arcade gaming world records' scoreboard, and anyone is welcome to submit to me for inclusion (remember - your score must be a world record, and if it's an inaugural score, it must meet a certain threshold score amount to qualify; and, certain other submission rules apply, of course).

Ahh Cool Mark, can ya add me twice to that great list? 
1. LR 65,650 or 99,990 (if Fred's pic is sufficient - thx Fred!)
2. MsPac 1-man limit 885,920 (you recorded that one, right?) 

Ciao4now,
~Aart

[CrazyKongFan]

Here's 2 screen shots of Aart's unofficial Lunar Rescue record. It was after Funspot X was over, and there were no refs around. He was tired of playing, so instead of rolling the score, I kept watch on his score as he shot space ships so he'd get exactly 99,990, then killed remaining the players (if there were any, I can't remember). It was on 6-4-08, at 5:43pm. His official record was 65,650 on 6-1-08. I have higher resolution images, but I had to shrink them down to post here.

[CrazyKongFan]

Here's another good one, from 6-3-08, another one of Aart's Ms. Pac-Man kill screens. Also note the high score. It replaced the 8 with an H, and kept it that way after the game was over. Interestingly, it did fix it during the kill screen. I don't know if him dying the first time fixed it, then it messed up again, or what. I've got kill screen pics of it with H46480 at the start of the level, 846700 while he's playing it, then H47310 when he was getting eaten by Blinky (his last player)

[PacWhiz]

Hiya Fred!

Cool pix man!!    Excellent stuff... Thx!
I had actually forgotten about the 'H' in the score, was the first time it had ever happened (with me at least). 

Hey how was the rest of your vacation and the drive back home?
Hope you can make it out again in November, or at next year's tournament 

Later
~Aart

[voodoo_chilly]

That H is interesting! Is that hex numbering for "8" or something?  I think DK Jr does levels with letters after a while instead of numbers (I've never got that far in DK Jr!).

John Marks
Jupiter, FL

[johnbart]

That H is interesting! Is that hex numbering for "8" or something?  I think DK Jr does levels with letters after a while instead of numbers (I've never got that far in DK Jr!).

John Marks
Jupiter, FL

There's no H in Hex based so that can't be it.  When you're dealing with something like a kill screen you're usually looking at reading memory that you shouldn't be due to a overflow/underflow or array out of bounds type issue.  In that case all bets are off since anything can be in that memory.  That memory could have been affected by any number of things previously done in the game or just the randomness of what un-initialized data is in that block when you turn the machine on.  That's why i think it's entirely possible that play on previous boards could actually affect the behaviour of the kill screen in MsPacman.  This is all just conjecture but I've been in the software industry long enough to see all kinds of weirdness due to trying to access un-initialized memory to think that it's possible.