Arcade Talk!

TreborPugly · **Arcade Talk! -** 02-06-2007, 02:39 PM

Okay, let's get the chatter going here about the arcade! There was some chatter during the early days of MSq (Yeah, it's so old now), but nothing recently.

There are tons of tournaments waiting for players. Come on folks, sign up now. Everyone's got a good chance to win these, since you only get a few tries. (nevermind that I won the last three tourneys - I picked the game on those...)

And we need some smack talk! Hey Gai-jin, thanks for creating a Lost your Marbles tournament, which gave me the motivation to actually figure out how to play that game. Now I'm so good it's like I can walk through walls...

And finally, the begging and pleading for hints. Uther, how the heck do you get such high scores in Tower Defense? I'm stuck in the 60's.

Ditto to Martin on Tower Blaster. (maybe I'm just not good at playing with towers?)

markz · 02-06-2007, 03:48 PM

Yeah, I'd like some hints for Tower Blaster, Mahjongg Connect, Bumper Cards, and a couple of those Yeti games.

I have Yahtzee all figured out, and the Yeti Pengu Throw game.

procrastinator · 02-06-2007, 04:13 PM

I'd love hints for Mahjong Connect, too. At most, I make it to the second level, and that's only on rare occasions. Do those of you who score over 1000 on a regular basis have some secret superpower you're not sharing with the rest of us?

--Debbie

TreborPugly · 02-06-2007, 04:44 PM

For Mahjong Connect

Really basic stuff: The rule is that the pieces must be connectable with a wire that has at most two bends in it. The when you remove a pair, the pieces move following a different rule for each level. Level 1, they move up and down from the center. Level 2, they move left and right from the center. Level 3, they move to the left. (hard!) Level 4 they move down. (A bit easier than 3 I think)

More advanced hints:
Once you've got a path opened completely through the center (first or second level), there are almost always plenty of connections to be made in the middle somewhere. And remember that once you make a "hole" in one side, the piece that can see straight through the hole can now connect with anything on the outside edge.

Game quirk:
As was mentioned in the "Ask the Wizard" area, the hints sometimes give you "non-hints," of either a pair that doesn't match, or just a single piece. When the game does this, it means there is a pair right next to each other somewhere. The game refuses to give those as hints for some reason. However, save those hints, because you use up one hint when the board shuffles. (which it does when there's no moves) I have seen the game refuse to give hints, even when there are some outside matches - my theory is that it turns off hints if you use a hint when you have plenty of time, until you make a match with a good bit less time left, but that's not confirmed. One final quirk is that sometimes pausing the game doesn't work. It appears to be paused, but when you come back, you immediately run out of time.

I don't think there's any secret, other than being good at finding matches quickly, and knowing how the game works. You get alot more points for finishing quickly, so if you do the first level quickly, you are already close to 1000 points.

My weakness is on pairs right next to each other in the middle somewhere. I regularly do a scan, assure myself that there aren't any interior matches, and then ask for a hint, only to find it telling me there's an adjacent pair in there somewhere.

montag · 02-06-2007, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markz

Yeah, I'd like some hints for Tower Blaster, Mahjongg Connect, Bumper Cards, and a couple of those Yeti games.

I have Yahtzee all figured out, and the Yeti Pengu Throw game.

Well spill the beans. I've done pretty good on the Pengu Throw game but can't get over the hump. What's the trick?

markz · 02-06-2007, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by montag

Well spill the beans. I've done pretty good on the Pengu Throw game but can't get over the hump. What's the trick?

I guess my comment was misleading. Unfortunately, there is no secret that I have figured out. I think I just got lucky when I scored that high. I have gotten decent scores on occasion, but cannot do it with any regularity. And sometimes I still accidentally swing before the penguin drops or just get 75-100 feet on some swings.

There has to be a sweet spot on the swing, but I haven't found it.

procrastinator · 02-06-2007, 05:28 PM

Thanks for the hints, TreborPugly. It sounds like my problem is just that I'm too slow, more than anything else.

--Debbie

markz · 02-06-2007, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by procrastinator

Thanks for the hints, TreborPugly. It sounds like my problem is just that I'm too slow, more than anything else.

--Debbie

Me too. I haven't cleared the first level before the time ran out.

TreborPugly · 02-06-2007, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markz

I guess my comment was misleading. Unfortunately, there is no secret that I have figured out. I think I just got lucky when I scored that high. I have gotten decent scores on occasion, but cannot do it with any regularity. And sometimes I still accidentally swing before the penguin drops or just get 75-100 feet on some swings.

There has to be a sweet spot on the swing, but I haven't found it.

I'm thinking that at least 3 revolutions increases your release speed, but I'm not positive. (hard to compare results) I haven't seen any benefit to letting him swing around 10+ times. (yeah, I tried

Straight up gets a max of 270 or so, so you have to use the seals to get the really high scores. The best scores I've gotten have been with one that was nearly straight up, and hit a seal right as it was starting to come back down. Also some good scores when I happened to get an angle that made the seals kick it to the next seal 2-3 times.

markz · 02-06-2007, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TreborPugly

I'm thinking that at least 3 revolutions increases your release speed, but I'm not positive. (hard to compare results) I haven't seen any benefit to letting him swing around 10+ times. (yeah, I tried

Straight up gets a max of 270 or so, so you have to use the seals to get the really high scores. The best scores I've gotten have been with one that was nearly straight up, and hit a seal right as it was starting to come back down. Also some good scores when I happened to get an angle that made the seals kick it to the next seal 2-3 times.

That's another yeti game, but I agree with your assessment.

Ninny · 02-06-2007, 05:57 PM

I am still trying to master Blocks.

Stupid game.

HeyItsCory · 02-06-2007, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markz

Yeah, I'd like some hints for Tower Blaster

It's very unlikely that you will lose the first level, so you can take your time on it.

If you put 50 on the bottom and 41 on the top, you can score 11,000 or more in level 1.

I still have yet to come close to the top scores, but I certainly know how to pad my score on the first level.

markz · 02-06-2007, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeyItsCory

It's very unlikely that you will lose the first level, so you can take your time on it.

If you put 50 on the bottom and 41 on the top, you can score 11,000 or more in level 1.

I still have yet to come close to the top scores, but I certainly know how to pad my score on the first level.

Cool! It worked 2 of 3 tries. I ended up losing with 320 points once though. I did get into the top 10!

Thanks!

Uther · 02-07-2007, 02:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TreborPugly

And finally, the begging and pleading for hints. Uther, how the heck do you get such high scores in Tower Defense? I'm stuck in the 60's.

Nature towers are the best. Don't build anything else.

Angie · 02-07-2007, 03:57 PM

How in the bloody heck do I keep getting paired with the current high-score holder in all the tournaments??? Grr.

TreborPugly · 02-07-2007, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uther

Nature towers are the best. Don't build anything else.

Even Ultimate Towers? Upgrading those things looks like it's not worth it, but 3000 for a tower that does 9000 damage seems like a good deal. (And anyone notice that you don't actually get charged 3000 when you build one? I seem to get charged somewhere between 1000 and 2000 each time)

Marc · 02-07-2007, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TreborPugly

Even Ultimate Towers? Upgrading those things looks like it's not worth it, but 3000 for a tower that does 9000 damage seems like a good deal.

If you upgrade a Nature Tower to its highest level, the cost is only 2360 (20+40+80+160+320+640+1100) and it gets you 9000 damage with a much greater range.

Uther · 02-07-2007, 05:24 PM

Yes, you need TTHHE ULLTTIMMATTE TTOWWERR to get past level 86 or so. The Ultimate Arm(or)ed Tower does indeed only cost 2000, though you need 3000 to buy it. It is horribly slow with its firing, however. A fully upgraded nature tower (Living Tower) will do a lot more damage. Only TTHHE ULLTTIMMATTE TTOWWERR is better.

montag · 02-08-2007, 07:49 PM

What do you think is going to be the toughest high score to beat? Or which high score is most impressive?

I can't imagine ever coming close to Otto's score on the Flight game. I've only once made it out the window.

Philosofy · 02-08-2007, 10:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by montag

What do you think is going to be the toughest high score to beat? Or which high score is most impressive?

I can't imagine ever coming close to Otto's score on the Flight game. I've only once made it out the window.

On TCR, my Four Balls score. It was insanely difficult to keep two, let alone 4, balls going, but I got a ball stuck between a wall and the paddle, and it scored several points a second.

JETarpon · 02-08-2007, 10:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Philosofy

I got a ball stuck between a wall and the paddle

.

mercurial · 02-09-2007, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Philosofy

On TCR, my Four Balls score. It was insanely difficult to keep two, let alone 4, balls going, but I got a ball stuck between a wall and the paddle, and it scored several points a second.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JETarpon

.

That happened to you, you'd get a bit philosophical too...

~Muse · 02-09-2007, 10:04 PM

I seem to have suddenly acquired Balloon Bomber 'Champion' status. I'm puzzled by this as Snowman held that position and I never beat his score. In fact, I don't recall ever making the score that it currently shows I have. Also, all his scores are missing?? Why would this be??

If I'm going to be champion, I want to earn the title on merit; not by default.

TreborPugly · 02-09-2007, 10:30 PM

Scores time out for the high score list. His old high score is evidently a month old, so your score is the highest in the last month. Yeah you!

Marc · 02-09-2007, 10:32 PM

And in about 6 days, ~Muse's scores will expire off and trojanrabbit might gain the lead, unless someone gets a score higher than his.