Re: Game musings and news
Ars has an interesting summary of the details that have called Billy Mitchell's Donkey Kong high scores into question.
tl;dr a slow-motion play of the video shows rendering details that are consistent with MAME rather than authentic hardware, and between that and improbably high scoring on the hammer, it looks like he probably save-scummed favorable RNG results.
He's still confirmed as scoring 900,000-point games without cheating. Ditto for his record as the first person to play a perfect game of Pac-Man. And it's been a long time since King of Kong; Billy was no longer a top contender anyway, his top DK score was ranked #20 on the all-time list. (With his top three scores removed, his top legit score now is #47.)
The most famous scene in King of Kong is probably the one where some of Mitchell's representatives go to Steve Wiebe's house and take apart his cabinet while he's not home, to check for modifications. This adds some substantial context as to why Mitchell suspected anyone who could beat his high score must be cheating.
tl;dr a slow-motion play of the video shows rendering details that are consistent with MAME rather than authentic hardware, and between that and improbably high scoring on the hammer, it looks like he probably save-scummed favorable RNG results.
He's still confirmed as scoring 900,000-point games without cheating. Ditto for his record as the first person to play a perfect game of Pac-Man. And it's been a long time since King of Kong; Billy was no longer a top contender anyway, his top DK score was ranked #20 on the all-time list. (With his top three scores removed, his top legit score now is #47.)
The most famous scene in King of Kong is probably the one where some of Mitchell's representatives go to Steve Wiebe's house and take apart his cabinet while he's not home, to check for modifications. This adds some substantial context as to why Mitchell suspected anyone who could beat his high score must be cheating.
Re: Game musings and news
It's been a long time since the documentary, but this does add significant new light on the events of it. The extremely sketchy scores Billy submitted that were shown in the documentary, the ones that were framed like they shouldn't have been accepted but then were anyway, were among those falsified and thrown out. And this means Steve Wiebe, even if he's nowhere near top score now, is officially the first person to have scored a >1 million point game.
It's a great coda to the story.
It's a great coda to the story.
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zaratustra
- Posts: 1280
- Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2014 6:45 pm
Re: Game musings and news
the trump administration is a fucking boss rush of the last three decades
Re: Game musings and news
It appears that you can buy Socks the Cat Rocks the Hill on cartridge now.
There was word, during the Kickstarter, about being able to buy it as a ROM download too, but I haven't seen any such release for non-backers yet.
There was word, during the Kickstarter, about being able to buy it as a ROM download too, but I haven't seen any such release for non-backers yet.
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beatbandito
- Posts: 2082
- Joined: Tue Jan 21, 2014 8:04 am
Re: Game musings and news
I'm getting the twitch to pick up a new survival game.
It sounds like Conan is finally a pretty much complete and fun game now. But as far as I can tell single player and each individual server all make you start from scratch. Meaning it's basically just single player or constantly getting ganked.
Metal Gear Survive still seems like a boring, miserable mess (but that's kinda what I look for in a survival builder) but one that lets you play solo to make a golden god character that you can then use when playing with friends.
As dumb as it seems that actually makes it a pretty even split in my book for which to choose. Anyone here have opinions on either offering?
It sounds like Conan is finally a pretty much complete and fun game now. But as far as I can tell single player and each individual server all make you start from scratch. Meaning it's basically just single player or constantly getting ganked.
Metal Gear Survive still seems like a boring, miserable mess (but that's kinda what I look for in a survival builder) but one that lets you play solo to make a golden god character that you can then use when playing with friends.
As dumb as it seems that actually makes it a pretty even split in my book for which to choose. Anyone here have opinions on either offering?
Re: Game musings and news
Of those two, Conan Exiles at least has the option to set up a private server so you can play with friends without having to worry about ChronicMan420 chucking a spear into your head the moment you spawn. Metal Gear Survive does not allow this, probably because of whatever fucking energy system they implemented into their full-priced MGO mod.
Personally I'd rather run Ark if we were going to do something like this but I'm guessing that one's been done to death already.
Personally I'd rather run Ark if we were going to do something like this but I'm guessing that one's been done to death already.
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beatbandito
- Posts: 2082
- Joined: Tue Jan 21, 2014 8:04 am
Re: Game musings and news
Yeah that's the thing. Without a dedicated bronto server (or other friends I totally have) than any Conan multiplayer wouldn't persist past the session, unless we want to risk having mad blunts hacked into our inventories on a public server.
MGS, for all its mostly failings, doesn't seem to be server based at all. All multiplayer interaction I've seen has been more of a lobby system, so you can pick up with different people as you go, which I really like for a survival game with character progression. I understand you don't want new servers flooded with laser weapons and bullshit, but if I still have to punch the tree to get the wood stick to break rock to get the rock stick, etc., at least don't make me relearn how to make and wield the iron stick when I get to it.
MGS, for all its mostly failings, doesn't seem to be server based at all. All multiplayer interaction I've seen has been more of a lobby system, so you can pick up with different people as you go, which I really like for a survival game with character progression. I understand you don't want new servers flooded with laser weapons and bullshit, but if I still have to punch the tree to get the wood stick to break rock to get the rock stick, etc., at least don't make me relearn how to make and wield the iron stick when I get to it.
Re: Game musings and news
beatbandito wrote:I'm getting the twitch to pick up a new survival game.
It sounds like Conan is finally a pretty much complete and fun game now. But as far as I can tell single player and each individual server all make you start from scratch. Meaning it's basically just single player or constantly getting ganked.
Metal Gear Survive still seems like a boring, miserable mess (but that's kinda what I look for in a survival builder) but one that lets you play solo to make a golden god character that you can then use when playing with friends.
As dumb as it seems that actually makes it a pretty even split in my book for which to choose. Anyone here have opinions on either offering?
IF you choose MGS, don't buy it from steam or anything. I'm still sitting on a key I preordered and never used, because it was an impulse buy I regret. I can let you have it for cheaper than the stores want.
Don't take this as a push to get that one, though. If you want Conan, get Conan. But if you decide on MGS, please keep that in mind.
