Bring Back High Score Challenge?

[Sut]

Yeah I didn't consider the save state and speed manipulation variables. Fair points.

[Atariboy]

I wonder if we have enough compilation owners, where something like a Midway Arcade Treasures centric contest across the GCN/Xbox/PS2 could succeed? Would be nice to get arcade games into the mix, and by being so specific, you're guaranteed to be playing an even playing field with identical dip switch settings.

I was thinking about reinstating the High Score challenge forum... Suggestions?

How about tying this in with the main page? Give accomplishments some attention to encourage participation, while perhaps more importantly, letting the contests serve as a draw to bring more readers into your forum community?

Comments?

If this is to succeed, we're going to need some organization.

For example if we have an Atari 2600 high score contest, someone should volunteer to organize it by selecting the first game and establishing some basic ground rules (I remember an Outrun contest at another forum, where literally any version from the Master System original to the arcade game, were fair game; A format that's obviously unworkable for a high-score contest). They'd also have to keep things updated as we go along like maintaining the standings.

Hopefully someone steps up to the plate and starts a contest. I'd love to see an Atari 2600 high score thread with a season that lasts perhaps 3 months, with a new game every few weeks.

I presume emulation would be OK for when we don't own the game ?

Emulation should not be allow due to save states. Not sure how you could prove its not an emulator though.

I don't see why emulation should be barred. Sut doesn't have an Atari 2600 for instance, so it would be a shame in such cases to keep someone out. I think a picture at minimum should be fine (And I'm all for mandating that some evidence be provided).

There's no satisfaction in cheating, and if one slips through the cracks, cheats have a way of revealing themselves. The incident last time came from a now banned individual with no credibility, with a score that very few outside of this small message board community ever have achieved. Didn't take long for him to hang himself.

If we do ban emulation, I hope it's a selective ban. There's no save states in most commercial emulation products to abuse (Although several Sega collections and the Wii U Virtual Console do have them, to name some notable exceptions). Atari Anthology on the Xbox and PS2 for example is free of them and accurate enough, that I see no reason why they shouldn't be allowed.

[Atariboy]

I sure killed this thread...

Anyone thinking of starting a high score contest? AtariAge has some such things, if anyone wants to draw some inspiration and start their own. Here's their sub-forum for the 2600 high score contest.

http://atariage.com/forums/forum/59-260 ... core-club/

I'd definitely be interested, although I have no desire to be the one organizing such a thing.

[Rev]

I didn't want to post in the actual forum because I don't have a high score challenge, but I wanted to ask- any interest in people wanting to do a High Score Challenge from a game 3rd generation+? The only problem I have with the forum is I don't own any consoles (anymore) that are 2nd generation (Atari, Intellvision, Colecovision) and they don't really interest me. Any more modern games that might be interesting to do a high score challenge for? I think a common game that most people would own might be a good starting point to revitalize the thread but I'm not exactly sure what would fit into that category. Any ideas?

[Rev]

I would be down for either of those... If we did a platformer how would it be graded? Would it be a stage run through or score throughout the game? We could do high score through one continue in a game like sonic. Perhaps. Shmups might also work if there is a really common one that people own.

[nesfan]

We could do Mega Man. That's the only game in the series that keeps a score.

[Rev]

I would be fine with mega man. Since it has several ports it should work (assuming they kept it on the mega man collection).