Super League 2022: Round 3 - IK+

[Biscuit]

IK+ [lemon] [hol]
Before Archer MacLean wowed everyone with Jimmy White's Whirlwind Snooker, he made International Karate for 8-bit microcomputers and this sequel wound it's way to the Amiga. Check out Archer's list of favourite games, including Mercenary, Sentinel, Leaderboard Golf, Populous and Doom. Plus a nice interview at this link.

Round Ends: 23:59 (UK Time) on Saturday 12th March 2022

Rules:

• Get the best score you can, during this round.
• Post screenshots of your score in this thread, and write the score nearby.
• Scores to be achieved without save-states, trainers, passwords, and cheats.
• No continues or infinite score leeching.
• Finish the game and post a screenshot of the end for the completion star.
• Full rules and info are HERE.

Special Rules:

• Play using the default normal speed or go faster if you like.
• For the completion star, get the Megahero belt (written on scoreboard).

Get the Game:

• ADF
• WHDLoad (direct link)

Extras:

• Lemon's Round 3 thread is HERE.
• IK+ 2013 Round 9 thread is HERE
• Super League Live Ladder.
• Super League updates available via Twitter.

Live League Table:


All new players are welcome at any time. Join us!

[Biscuit]

My first okay go at this. Would recommend taking a look at the controls in the manual on Hall of Light. Music is great.

Also, have added a note to the first post that if you get the black belt you get the completion star.

14,400

[turrican3]

35800

[Biscuit]

Good start t3. Think I'm gonna get my butt whipped on this one.

I've just been told that there is a belt above black, called the Megahero belt. That is now the target for the completion star. A few people got it last time, so good luck.

[el_pasi]

118,600

Didn't get megahero-status, but at least broke my previous own record by about 10,000 points

[Biscuit]

Yeah, I'm screwed.

16,400

[Trapshot]

Managed to get around to playing this finally today - will do some more runs soon.

Score - 161700





Just noticed, everyone else put their initials into the HS table... was that a rule? If so happy to have this score scrubbed and I'll submit another later.

[Biscuit]

Don't worry we trust ya Trapshot.

Maybe I just like to write my name on stuff. Except toilet walls of course.

[Trapshot]

New score - 558900

[john4p]

Okay, now we have 1 week left to figure out this AI exploit. I bet it's sweep canceled into sweep and sometimes into reverse sweep. You're almost invincible in the sweep position (at least against the AI). Gonna try that.

[linesmachine]

Originally Posted by john4p

Okay, now we have 1 week left to figure out this AI exploit. I bet it's sweep canceled into sweep and sometimes into reverse sweep. You're almost invincible in the sweep position (at least against the AI). Gonna try that.

I kind of came to a similar conclusion, but from a different direction. I posted over at LA that I rotate a 3 style strategy across the rounds. The sweep/reverse sweep/groin punch, combined with a simple high kick is a round winner most times. So I now use that every other round.

[john4p]

Originally Posted by linesmachine

I kind of came to a similar conclusion, but from a different direction. I posted over at LA that I rotate a 3 style strategy across the rounds. The sweep/reverse sweep/groin punch, combined with a simple high kick is a round winner most times. So I now use that every other round.

Just noticed it's not as easy as I imagined. With only sweep they jump most of the time. But sweep + groin punch and sweep + shin kick works well.
Thanks for the advice - I'll try adding the high kick as well (which means just add fire to the shin kick movement). Still getting to lvl99 seems an immense task. Don't think anyone will beat Trapshot's score.

[Trapshot]

Originally Posted by john4p

...Still getting to lvl99 seems an immense task. Don't think anyone will beat Trapshot's score.

If it's any consolation, IK+ has been one of my faves since around 1988 when my brother got the original - I'd say it's probably one of the 5 games I've put the most hours into in my life alongside Worms Armageddon, Speedball 2.

I will also say that previously my highest lvl reached was 93 - I was around 16 (I think around 1996) at the time and remember thinking "I wonder if it rolls over at 99?"... I never found that out until the other day with that score!! Turns out it just sticks at 99 and you keep playing, so I think I reached about level 115 or so before losing to the AI.

In terms of the AI exploits - I've never really looked into it, but here's a few tips from my experience of playing it all these years - maybe it will help someone:

1) - If you score poorly in the early bonus rounds, the AI appears not to be as aggressive I've noticed - so you could try that.

2) - There are some rounds that feel "unwinnable". These are rounds where Red and Blue get turned on full aggression straight away and seem to have increased hit % and fail to go down even when you seem to connect perfectly. In these situations, I "stop" fighting - let them come to me if they want and be alert enough to counter. If they start knocking each other out, then I see who gets to 4 points first - and then approach that AI player and let him knock me out (if the other is on 0 points), or approach the weaker AI and knock him out (pick on the weakest AI) to stay in the round.

3) - Playing on Swift speed for me has always been better - the Bonus rounds are automatically on Swift speed, but having the fighting on Swift also helps as it's more responsive for the controls in my opinion.

4) - In terms of move-set:

a) - I don't limit my move-set at all from the beginning

b) - If you are being aggressive, then use moves that land you "on top" of the opponent, and then use the reverse face-punch (up-left / up-right) to turn and get a hit, or the double split-kick (up left/right + fire) to catch them with that. If you need to back out of the overlap, always backflip - never flykick or reverse-hich-kick as it leaves you too close and vulnerable

c) - If you are being defensive and waiting for them to attack and countering them, then always position yourself at least one and a half "fly kick lengths" away from them. This way you lure them into a fly-kick, and then can sweep, stomach punch or fly-kick and usually connect.

d) - If you time it correctly, the Side-Kick (left/right + fire) always counters the incoming fly-kick - it needs to be slightly late in execution, and ideally a "fly-kick and one tap" length away from the enemy

e) - My least used move is the reverse-high-kick (Diagonal down-left/right +fire). This move is great if it connects, but has too many frames where you can be hit by stomach punches to the back, fly-kicks and sweeps etc.

f) - If you get into the position where the AI is in the corner back-flipping, which often seems to happen to me, then don't spam moves; just time a leg sweep (down) to connect as they come out of the back-flip. There is a frame or two here where the back-flip leaves them vulnerable to a leg sweep. Don't worry about how close you are to the edge of the screen, the sweep will still connect as the player gets pushed back when executing the move.

g) - If you are feeling more confident, when the AI is back-flipping in the corner, position yourself one head-butt distance away, and nut them as they come out of the back-flip. This also works well and scores more points, but leaves you a touch more vulnerable, as the sweep in "h tip" above is quicker to execute, less tricky to pull off and hides your players upper hit-box.

i) - After level 50 or so, the Bonus rounds seem to get a lot easier in my opinion. They are lots faster, but the patterns seem to get more repetitive so they seem easier to play through

Hope this helps a bit - keep trying!!

[john4p]

Originally Posted by Trapshot

If it's any consolation, IK+ has been one of my faves since around 1988 when my brother got the original - I'd say it's probably one of the 5 games I've put the most hours into in my life alongside Worms Armageddon, Speedball 2.

I will also say that previously my highest lvl reached was 93 - I was around 16 (I think around 1996) at the time and remember thinking "I wonder if it rolls over at 99?"... I never found that out until the other day with that score!! Turns out it just sticks at 99 and you keep playing, so I think I reached about level 115 or so before losing to the AI.

In terms of the AI exploits - I've never really looked into it, but here's a few tips from my experience of playing it all these years - maybe it will help someone:

1) - If you score poorly in the early bonus rounds, the AI appears not to be as aggressive I've noticed - so you could try that.

2) - There are some rounds that feel "unwinnable". These are rounds where Red and Blue get turned on full aggression straight away and seem to have increased hit % and fail to go down even when you seem to connect perfectly. In these situations, I "stop" fighting - let them come to me if they want and be alert enough to counter. If they start knocking each other out, then I see who gets to 4 points first - and then approach that AI player and let him knock me out (if the other is on 0 points), or approach the weaker AI and knock him out (pick on the weakest AI) to stay in the round.

3) - Playing on Swift speed for me has always been better - the Bonus rounds are automatically on Swift speed, but having the fighting on Swift also helps as it's more responsive for the controls in my opinion.

4) - In terms of move-set:

a) - I don't limit my move-set at all from the beginning

b) - If you are being aggressive, then use moves that land you "on top" of the opponent, and then use the reverse face-punch (up-left / up-right) to turn and get a hit, or the double split-kick (up left/right + fire) to catch them with that. If you need to back out of the overlap, always backflip - never flykick or reverse-hich-kick as it leaves you too close and vulnerable

c) - If you are being defensive and waiting for them to attack and countering them, then always position yourself at least one and a half "fly kick lengths" away from them. This way you lure them into a fly-kick, and then can sweep, stomach punch or fly-kick and usually connect.

d) - If you time it correctly, the Side-Kick (left/right + fire) always counters the incoming fly-kick - it needs to be slightly late in execution, and ideally a "fly-kick and one tap" length away from the enemy

e) - My least used move is the reverse-high-kick (Diagonal down-left/right +fire). This move is great if it connects, but has too many frames where you can be hit by stomach punches to the back, fly-kicks and sweeps etc.

f) - If you get into the position where the AI is in the corner back-flipping, which often seems to happen to me, then don't spam moves; just time a leg sweep (down) to connect as they come out of the back-flip. There is a frame or two here where the back-flip leaves them vulnerable to a leg sweep. Don't worry about how close you are to the edge of the screen, the sweep will still connect as the player gets pushed back when executing the move.

g) - If you are feeling more confident, when the AI is back-flipping in the corner, position yourself one head-butt distance away, and nut them as they come out of the back-flip. This also works well and scores more points, but leaves you a touch more vulnerable, as the sweep in "h tip" above is quicker to execute, less tricky to pull off and hides your players upper hit-box.

i) - After level 50 or so, the Bonus rounds seem to get a lot easier in my opinion. They are lots faster, but the patterns seem to get more repetitive so they seem easier to play through

Hope this helps a bit - keep trying!!

That's very valuable information, thank you.
I'm glad it's not a cheap AI exploit that got you so far, makes the score even more impressive and shows what a great game this is.

Gonna stop trying to find an exploit that works everytime (which doesn't seem to exist anyway) and just play normal again, incorporating your tips.

[JanciB]

31,100

[Graham Humphrey]

Finally getting a chance to play this tonight. I played it quite a bit when I was younger but not seriously for a long time, and I am getting nowhere near Trapshot's effort! We'll stream some goes at this (amongst other games probably) from 7:30pm GMT over on Twitch

[lifeschool]

Thanks Trapshot and to Graham's stream for the hints, and everyone who shared their tips this round.

I compiled a list of all the IK+ tips the compo players have shared during the times we played this game, and uploaded it to the Hints page on the LA database entry for IK+.

https://www.lemonamiga.com/games/docs.php?id=1875

The list hopefully includes the bugs and tips; like watching the intro of the game until the end to reset the AI. As IK+ is full of easter eggs, I have no doubt that Archer programmed it to reward anyone who sat through the whole intro, as it's not something most players will do.

[el_pasi]

Played one hour and finally got that megahero-status

176,200

[Graham Humphrey]

Originally Posted by lifeschool

Thanks Trapshot and to Graham's stream for the hints, and everyone who shared their tips this round.

I compiled a list of all the IK+ tips the compo players have shared during the times we played this game, and uploaded it to the Hints page on the LA database entry for IK+.

https://www.lemonamiga.com/games/docs.php?id=1875

The list hopefully includes the bugs and tips; like watching the intro of the game until the end to reset the AI. As IK+ is full of easter eggs, I have no doubt that Archer programmed it to reward anyone who sat through the whole intro, as it's not something most players will do.

Great work, thanks for that! There's so much more to this game than meets the eye.


Meanwhile, thanks to everyone who tuned in last night. I was pretty poor at this game but at least managed to get to a purple belt eventually. Here's the clip for that particular session (which will stay up even when the full stream expires in a couple of weeks).


And here's my score...





35,200

[Biscuit]

The match is over.

Congrats to those on the podium.

Trapshot takes the lead with another runaway victory. el_pasi and john4p finish very close together in 2nd and 3rd. Also, well done to newcomer BobbyZeal for grabbing the Megahero belt.

1st - Trapshot
2nd - el_pasi
3rd - john4p

Footy up next.