Re: Vector programming

On Wed, 13 Oct 1999 17:47:21 -0700, you wrote:

>> So the better you are, the faster you die? Hmm... a strange reward.
>>
>Well, not exactly... Tearing through the "easier" levels allows you to
>build up "reserve" score for an assault on the harder levels, and presumably
>you're not losing as many lives along the way.
>
>It's really kinda like existing games that don't let you start at an
>advanced level to begin with. You go through the easy levels (presumably
>relatively quickly compared to a beginner)

If it's designed similar to Tempest, progressively harder for each
level, then having to always play the low levels would become a major
deterrent to making it to the high levels. You might have to play
Tempest for 10 minutes to make it to a challenging level. Luckily
when you die, you don't have to play it for *another* 10 minutes to
get back where you were.

Which is exactly why Tempest was such a quarter eater! "I can't leave
now! I just got it up to a level where it's challenging!" Which was
also good for the operators, since once you played your 10 minute
game, you were at a nice 1-3 minute level that you played over, and
over again! (Damn I went through a lot of quarters!)

> and then hit the hard stuff and
>get whacked.

And "whacked" means losing you points?

>Instead of building up extra lives though you're building up
>your score. I think it's just a variation on a theme, but kinda "different"
>if nothing else...

Ok, that makes sense, but what about "The games not over until you're
out of points, or unless you commit suicide at a point where your
score is high, and presumably where the challenge is low." dilemma?

>> Or is this more like: "You are a worthy opponent and for this I offer
>> you a quick and painless death!" (Can I do the voice over? Please? ;^)

<spoiler snipped so that those who follow this thread but skipped the
last one may now continue on...> ;^)

If you write the game, and it's fun, I'm going to play it, after all
I'll own it!! (No need to worry about quarter eaters).

And regardless of how you score it, there will always be a way to rate
each other, even if the best and worst of players always end with "0"
points, there'll be things like "Did you make it past the Quonkers?"
or "How do you manage the hell-hounds when they turn purple? I can
never get past them..." the skill will show through even if it's not
reflected on the high score table.

Even in Tempest, most people aren't interested in each others score.
It's there for strangers to see how good you are. Between friends
it's always "Did you make it through yellow?" or "Man 'inviso' always
kicks my ass!".

-Zonn
Received on Thu Oct 14 12:50:20 1999