EAB/Lemon Super League 2008: Round 1 - Super Stardust

[Graham Humphrey]

EAB/Lemon Super League 2008: Round 1 - Super Stardust



Right then, here we go with the opening round of the new competition.

Rules:
- The round starts now (Sunday, January 20) and will end at 11:59pm UK time on Saturday, February 9.
- Score as many points as possible.
- Post screenshots of your score in this thread, and write your score underneath. You can enter as many times as you like within the round's time frame.
- No cheating of any kind (including score leeching). If you suspect a contestant of cheating then don't post it in public (anyone who does so will have their posts edited or deleted)- please PM either me or Biscuit and we will investigate it. If we find anyone guilty of cheating then they will be banned for the entire season.
- Please only post your score on either the EAB or Lemon forums. The one you post on first will be your "team" for the whole season. However you are welcome to discuss the compo, game etc. on the other forum if you wish.
- Play on the default settings (three lives).

For the full rules and FAQ, click here.

To see how the Lemon guys are doing click here.

Download Links:
Disk 1, Disk 2, Disk 3, Disk 4, Disk 5, Disk 6. Or grab the pre-installed WHDLoad version here.

Have fun and remember if you have any questions then feel free to ask. Anyone can join at any time.

Final Scores: (EAB members in blue, Lemon members in red)

1. TodaysForgotten - 1,652,782
2. mailman - 1,596,134
3, john4p - 1,396,388
4. mjr - 1,218,646
5. blade002 - 1,179,988
6. Graham Humphrey - 1,098,946
7. CHook/OTT - 1,034,446
8. Biscuit - 874,744
9. Simon Humphrey - 595,902
10. cane - 518,900
11. Jolly Roger - 467,602
12. 5h00n4y - 361,002
13. paranoid - 240,542
14. Nightbird - 234,800
15. Anubis - 208,300
16. LinesMachine - 38,600

[mailman]

I participated in Super Stardust round on Lemon last year. To differ scores from the last compo and from current one I will use different initials. Instead of S.R (as on Lemon), now I use SEB (I don't want to erase my old scores).

My score:
1,551,140

[ppill]

Never played this one before and I'm absolutely hopeless at it. Barely made it to the 3rd level and ended with a 'Blind Zombie' rank

[Graham Humphrey]

502,302

[Graham Humphrey]

Getting better, the second boss did for me this time though...



551,302

[blade002]

Ohhh.. goody, its started all over again

[TodaysForgotten]

488,300

[TodaysForgotten]

578900

[TodaysForgotten]

893704

[TodaysForgotten]

think this is my last. Im spent on this game. horrible scoring this round, could have had 1mil


985842

[Graham Humphrey]

Another slight improvement (though nowhere near some people), I still can't beat that damn boss on world two though...



584,902

[TodaysForgotten]

Yea, he's a bit tricky. I find staying in the upper right is valuable and just working off/around that corner to develop your strat for when he starts to move.

[paranoid]

Never played this game before and wow it has really great graphics and holy cripes does it make me want to throw the controller. Anyway, here's the best of the night, and just before I start screaming.

My score: 240,542

[Biscuit]

Originally Posted by paranoid

and holy cripes does it make me want to throw the controller.

I'll second that. The zipstick's getting a beating this week.

[Graham Humphrey]

Originally Posted by TodaysForgotten

Yea, he's a bit tricky. I find staying in the upper right is valuable and just working off/around that corner to develop your strat for when he starts to move.

Cheers, I'll try that.

[blade002]

I finished this game a number of times, so this could be the game that finally gets me 1st place !

[Graham Humphrey]

Finally got past that wretched boss, did the special mission and got one extra life (are there any more?) and got about halfway through world three before dying.



786,144

[TodaysForgotten]

how did you wind up getting that free life? Collecting all the p's?

[RickyC]

Originally Posted by Graham Humphrey

Finally got past that wretched boss, did the special mission and got one extra life (are there any more?) and got about halfway through world three before dying.



786,144

Check my stardust video out on RAG I got all the lives and things from the bonus levels! Of course save states used so cant use that score here D:

Originally Posted by paranoid

Never played this game before and wow it has really great graphics and holy cripes does it make me want to throw the controller. Anyway, here's the best of the night, and just before I start screaming.



My score: 240,542

Dont play the original stardust then...thats like 3x harder imo D:

[Graham Humphrey]

Originally Posted by TodaysForgotten

how did you wind up getting that free life? Collecting all the p's?

It's hidden in the special level somewhere. Basically it pays to explore every single area of the special missions.

[TodaysForgotten]

1072444

[Graham Humphrey]

That's almost a week gone already... mailman has held top spot since day one but there's still time for it to change.

Anyone else fancy a go...?

[ppill]

I'll be posting results next week (waiting for my new joystick to arrive). But there's no way my scores will shake up current standings

[mailman]

I nearly beat my personal score:

1,596,134

[Graham Humphrey]

Great score - how far did you get?

[mailman]

I got to the end.

[cane]

So far I only managed to get till boss on level 1.
My score: 211700

[blade002]

Just spent 2 hours on the damn thing and managed a pretty poor score. Will try again when i find time

852,446

[blade002]

Originally Posted by Graham Humphrey

It's hidden in the special level somewhere. Basically it pays to explore every single area of the special missions.

I managed to find 3 extra lives in that bonus level, although there could be more !?

For those who are unsure, the "P" is for extra points and the "X" is an extra life.

[Graham Humphrey]

Three extra lives? Looks like I've got a lot of exploring to do (that is if I ever reach it again and not die at the second boss, as per usual).

[mailman]

In Stardust and Super Stardust there are three extra lives in each Special Mission. But I don't think that extra lives are the essence of this game. I can easily get through the whole game without loosing more than 3 lives. It is just the matter of practice and order of dealing with levels. To get higher score it is necessary to destroy as many obstacles as it is possible in tunnels. For each you get 3000 points.

The biggest pain in the arse is the third guardian (that spinning thing with three barrel guns). The rest are just rookies

[Graham Humphrey]

The extra lives are pretty important to me but that's because I'm not very good

I really hate the second boss, if I'm on my last life I'm totally screwed; if I have one spare then I can usually defeat it.

[mailman]

Originally Posted by Graham Humphrey

I really hate the second boss, if I'm on my last life I'm totally screwed; if I have one spare then I can usually defeat it.

You need to be wise in dealing with him as well as the previous levels. Here is my guide:

First world start from Level 1 and upgrade 3-way to the third level. Then go through Level 5 and get Bouncer. Keep it upgrading. You must be cautious and not lose any life. Then head to Level 6, Level 2, Level 3 (Fire Spiller) and Level 4 (Bombers). The biggest challenge is Fire Spiller (and that is why I advise to do it pre-last). Make use of bomb gadget when this vessel is near. You can even sacrifice G gadget so it could change into bomb if it may help you in destroying the Spiller. Even if you lose a life here, you still have Level 4 to upgrade bouncer to full (Bombers are a piece of cake). General advice in dealing with meteors. As you enter the level do not move but rotate your ship to position 20-30 degree left from north (it depends where the meteors come from). You should take down some of them very easily. It is very important not to panic here and do not move but rotate a bit. The meteors are rushing towards you from north. If you keep shooting and stay calm some of them will be destroyed just before reaching you (of course you need the weapon to be powered-up enough).

The guardian - Ernesti - is stupid. Just move horizontally. He comes out from left. Make it slowly to the right and he will chase you. Make it through the right edge of the screen and you will appear on the left side. Ernesti will notice it and head towards left. He will stop and open fire. Use your shield and keep shooting him. When he closes himself, he will chase you to the left. Make it slowly to the left and through the egde of the screen you will appear on the right. Again Ernesti will notice it and head back to you. He will stop and open fire (if not you can make him to turn back - just stick your nose of the edge on the other side). Use shield and fire at him. Repeat everything until you destroy him. If you get lucky, you might even not lose any energy.

The second world is also very easy. At first deal with Level 7. You will get Plasma and you may start to upgrade it. Bombers are not a challenge as well as Space Worm (Level 12) - just shoot it through the edges of the screen. Trilons might be difficult because of small amount of time but you may handle them and even get some practice before the guardian. They come from the bottom (the same as guardian) and you may start shooting upwards so the bullets will fly through the bottom edge of the screen. It will damage the vessel even before he shatters and starts the attack. When the vertical trilon appears remember to use bomb gadget to help you. It can inflict him a lot of damage and speeds his demise. The last level you should deal with is Level 6. There are Rotating Blades. They are not dangerous if you know how to destroy them. Stay in the middle and shoot the one which appears first. When you take it down thrust up to the gap it created, rotate 180 degrees and in the same time try to get to the center line of the screen and shoot the others. They have a tendency to gather in the middle so you can shoot more than one at once. If they are destroyed or vanish, make it to the center of the screen and repeat everything to second and third wave of blades.

If you can deal with Trilons, the guardian is not a problem. Use the same technique. Fly to the top of the screen, head north and fire. You can inflict him a lot of damage before he starts spinning and waving his chain arms. If he does, fly after him but keep distance and not get to close (in range of arms). You should fire all the time. Even if you don't hit him, the missiles you collected will.

The third world becomes tricky. The order is no important here. You have Plasma so keep upgrading it in case of losing life. Speeders can be easily tricked using the same technique as with Blades (rotating and thrusting which makes you circle around when you fly - the Speeders fly after you but you are shooting at them). Beetles are difficult, especially in the moment when they are ready to fire and start to bounce back. In dealing with meteors remember that sometimes it is more worthy to miss G gadget and take bomb instead in which it will change.

Guardian is rather difficult. I would say, the most difficult in the whole game. It spins and moves very fast, it shoots dangerous bullets. Just keep shooting at him and when he is ready to fire make sure he is not aiming at you.

Forth and fifth world are similar. No order here (any you like). All the above advices are useful and concentrate in use. Forth guardian is a piece of cake as well as the fifth one.

[lilalurl]

You seem in a writing mood mailman.
Care to make a FAQ/strategy guide? Maybe a html one with a few pics.

I'd sure be glad if you did.
It has been a while since I last played SS but I remember that besides what you describe for the 1st world, I also tried to get the missile upgrade just after the level getting bouncer which proved useful until bouncer was full.
I also did something about getting the 'energy' bonus come at the right time (I don't remember how it was triggered but I remember it often replenished my life at the right time when it was very low).

Also, might seem obvious but since nobody mentionned it, it is a good idea if you are certain to die to quickly hit space and switch to 3-way or flamer once you get it so that you don't lose plasma or bouncer upgrade levels and turn missiles off so that not to lose one of them.

[Graham Humphrey]

That is a superb guide mailman, thanks!

[Shoonay]

I nearly swallowed my guts making this awesome score:



361002

[mailman]

Originally Posted by lilalurl

You seem in a writing mood mailman.
Care to make a FAQ/strategy guide? Maybe a html one with a few pics.

I'd sure be glad if you did.
It has been a while since I last played SS but I remember that besides what you describe for the 1st world, I also tried to get the missile upgrade just after the level getting bouncer which proved useful until bouncer was full.

What is funny in SSD, you cannot collect missile in the first world. It is possible in Stardust but not in Super Stardust (at least I have never managed to do so).

I also did something about getting the 'energy' bonus come at the right time (I don't remember how it was triggered but I remember it often replenished my life at the right time when it was very low).

System of energy and extra lives from gadgets is different than in Stardust. In Stardust energy and extra lives appear eg. as a tenth or twentieth (it is example - I never counted this) in the whole game. In Super Stardust I noticed it works different. Still it is tenth or twentieth but if you don't lose life. If you lose, the counter resets.

Also, might seem obvious but since nobody mentionned it, it is a good idea if you are certain to die to quickly hit space and switch to 3-way or flamer once you get it so that you don't lose plasma or bouncer upgrade levels and turn missiles off so that not to lose one of them.

Yes, if you are fast enough it works. Instead of loosing upgrade of Plasma you may lose 3-ways.

[lilalurl]

Originally Posted by mailman

What is funny in SSD, you cannot collect missile in the first world. It is possible in Stardust but not in Super Stardust (at least I have never managed to do so)

You're right I guess, I probably mixed up the two games in my mind. Ah, bad memory....

Regarding the extra life and energy option, I remember that except for the levels with new weapons to get, I tried to keep away of 'easy' levels so that I could play them when I was getting low in energy hoping to have an energy gadget and without too much opposition.

Too bad I don't have much free time at home right now to train again for this competition, even though at my best I never managed to go past the 4th world without cheating.

[turrican3]

can you explain me how to use bouncer ?
what is g gadget
how to launch bomb and hwo to find it ?
i'm a little bit lost in this game , if you can help me with the key to use and how to launch weapons.

[mailman]

Originally Posted by lilalurl

You seem in a writing mood mailman.
Care to make a FAQ/strategy guide? Maybe a html one with a few pics.

In fact, I do care

I think that soon something should be available.