April 14 Super Off-Road

[Wolf]

game of the month for April
Ironman Stewart's Super Off Road - Arcade/Coin-Op (http://www.retrouprising.com/arcade.php?act=Arcade&do=play&gameid=5903)
was made in 1989 by Leland Corporation and hit the arcades in April and the home consoles in 1990 and 1991.

The game was endorsed by pro off road racer Ivan Stewart. This was the 1st arcade game to feature Dynamic Play Adjustment which the cpu would change the speed and skill of the grey car in relation to your performance in the game.

Happy Gaming

[hocus pocus]

The Ironman Stewart's Super Off Road has a new champion :D

[Barra]

Nice score. Looks like you have the scoring system figured out.
No one has made it past race 5 yet

---------- Post added 04-03-2014 at 03:46 PM ---------- Previous post was 04-02-2014 at 07:40 PM ----------

Another new record.

[hocus pocus]

You 're learning too fast :D

[cheetah32p]

Can I play this game for this month! :-). I enjoy playing this game! :-)

[Barra]

Just scored 1481000. Times were:
1) 65.54
2) 62.09
3) 53.48
4) 37.21
5) Winners time 38.21
Only weird thing was, the silver car got 3rd in race 5. Usually hes 2nd behind the blue car

[hocus pocus]

Why you get 12 date points, although we have April?

[Kong]

That is a bug. Not sure why yet but I will fix it next week. Max noticed it last week.

[Barra]

I can only find evidence of 1 higher score than 1481000.
Offroad - 2037000 (http://emux.esero.net/automaty_hra_romset_offroad,game:Ironman_Stewart_s _Super_Offroad_MAME_emulator,GMode:1,GEMVersion:AL L,GTour:arcade)
Cant find a way to download a recording. Only a screenshot and description of race 7. But the screenshot shows race 5. Unless race 5 and 7 are the same. Plus the other screenshot has the dudes initials on 3 other games so it probably wasnt recorded. If anyone knows czech feel free to translate :)

[Kugyince]

Best I can do.

This game is not playable reliably record! Take screenshot always successfully completed the race in order to confirm the progress RACE. If they miss the screenshots and record the play does not lead, it will not score for the tournament EMUX recognition!

[D.B. Cooper]

So, is the secret to getting big scores getting a better time on each race? I really have no interest playing this game again if I'm clueless on how to get better scores. But if I can figure a strategy where I can understand how to increase my scores, I may change my mind. It's really not fun playing a game you have no idea what your score might be until it's shown at the end.

[maxh]

If I'm understanding things correctly, one should go as slow as possible on the first three races but beating the previous race score on each race, then go all out non stop nitro on the fourth race. On race five, do your best (and you'll lose as you spent all previous cash on nitros that you've likely depleted in race four).

The higher the contrast between the first three races versus the fourth race, the higher the score.

It's a really strange scoring approach.

[D.B. Cooper]

Thanks. I'll give that a try sometime. I just played a game at my local arcade and once again thought I'd end up with a pretty good score but it came in at 964k. But I had really good times on the first three races and not so much on the fourth so what you say makes sense.

---------- Post added at 05:41 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:24 PM ----------

Ok, I just played another five or six games. At first, all my times were 45 seconds on the fourth track. Finally, I got a low 40 second lap with three good races before and it was my lowest of score of the session. This time I really give up. Too many games and too little time to spend anymore effort banging my head against the wall on this one.

[Barra]

Were your first three races getting progressively faster?

---------- Post added at 01:45 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:45 PM ----------

On the 1st three races I use no nitros at all. Occasionally need to on the third race to win

[hocus pocus]

I can only find evidence of 1 higher score than 1481000.
Offroad - 2037000 (http://emux.esero.net/automaty_hra_romset_offroad,game:Ironman_Stewart_s _Super_Offroad_MAME_emulator,GMode:1,GEMVersion:AL L,GTour:arcade)
Cant find a way to download a recording. Only a screenshot and description of race 7. But the screenshot shows race 5. Unless race 5 and 7 are the same. Plus the other screenshot has the dudes initials on 3 other games so it probably wasnt recorded. If anyone knows czech feel free to translate :)

Now you find a second one :sinister:
there's a new hi score in offroad.

About that 2 million, how can we be sure its real?
For czech translation you can use those auto-translate programs.

[Barra]

Nice score. No idea if that 2mil score is real. Ill assume it is

[Kong]

I tried to improve the translation.
This game does not reliably record game play. Take a screenshot of each completed race in order to confirm your progress. If you miss the screenshot and the recording does not work, your score will not be recognized by EMUX.

There is only a screenshot as evidence. I don't think that should count.

[D.B. Cooper]

To be fair, Barra's recording doesn't playback either so a screenshot is all we have for his score as well. A note from MARP states that sound needs to be turned off for the recording to not desync (sp?).

Edit: I see hocus pocus has the new high score and I was able to get his score to playback. Interesting as that's the first one that hasn't gone out of sync for me. So never mind,

[hocus pocus]

Why Barra's recordings are not playable, while mine are?

[QAOP Spaceman]

Why Barra's recordings are not playable, while mine are?

...I suspect it's not a heinous conspiracy :)

Until I can get a coupla quid together and donate (hopefully in the next day or two) nobody's recordings are playable to me...

I'd love to know what y'all are doing :D

[cheetah32p]

I haven't beaten the 1.2 mill yet and I've tried different strategies to see if my score will go up and it still hasn't! I dunno how you guys are doing it otherwise! Unless you are racking up all the cash on the courses and the points are going up that way! I have tried the no nitros the 1st 3 races and I haven't seen a big dramatic change in my score yet!

[Barra]

This game is notorious for desyncing. As DB Cooper mentioned, MARP says you have to have sound off.
Ive been able to play back most recordings here. There will always be the odd one that desyncs

[hocus pocus]

But marp use only wolfmames.
The marp WR is just 1,365,000
The times are
1. 61,18
2. 55,44-56,57(?)
3. 46,45
4. 44,63

[Barra]

Yes wolfmame but you can still record with sound off. The command is -nosound in the command line version.

[Barra]

Not long left for this game of the month. Ill give it another shot tomorrow.
Still yet to work out the exact scoring system (havent exactly given it any thought recently!)

[QAOP Spaceman]

Well, Barra, while you've been wasting your time on obscure classic-era titles nobody's heard of, like Galaga, some of us have been working hard on the games that matter, like this one.

:D

In all seriousness, though, I despair. I do love playing the game (so many ZX Spectrum memories) but the scoring system is a bloody enigma.

If I'm understanding things correctly, one should go as slow as possible on the first three races but beating the previous race score on each race, then go all out non stop nitro on the fourth race. ...

The higher the contrast between the first three races versus the fourth race, the higher the score.


I've tried the maxh strategy, getting 85 on race 1, 83 on 2, 69 on 3 and 37 on 4 and only 1.2m ish.

Then 63, 61, 55 and 36 - 1.4m.

It all seems to come round to whipping round track 4, and maybe trying to keep the times for 1 to 3 as low (and decreasing) as possible?

:bulgy-eyes::bulgy-eyes::bulgy-eyes:

[D.B. Cooper]

This game is evil. I will not play it anymore:at-wits-end:

[QAOP Spaceman]

This game is evil. I will not play it anymore:at-wits-end:

I can feel that 100%.

But the f***** keeps tempting me back. :pissed-off:

[maxh]

I'm not convinced that my previous understanding of this game was accurate (and clearly neither of you do either).

I was hoping as I've seen Spaceman playing a ton of this that he would shed some light. He speaks in code though. I think we just need to figure out what "f*****" means.

My bet is that Barra's exhaustive efforts tracking and researching things will give us a result.

D.B. Cooper wrote: This game is evil.

Yes. Yes it is.

-85 on race 1 is really sluggish Spaceman! I was only able to manage an 83.

[Barra]

My efforts on this game have been far from exhaustive lately.

[QAOP Spaceman]

-85 on race 1 is really sluggish Spaceman! I was only able to manage an 83.

Yeah, max, using your theory of slow on the first 3 tracks I managed 85 a couple of times - it's the 'worst' I've been able to do... I let the other cars almost lap me and try to get the first lap in at about 37.

The problem is the 3rd track where I've never been to able to get slower than 69...

Such a fun game to play - but the frustration of trying to get the score up is enough to make any f***** speak in m************ code!
:q

[Barra]

I think faster times are still better, while still having a lower time each race.

[QAOP Spaceman]

I think faster times are still better, while still having a lower time each race.

No doubt on this... (see my NASA-grade statistical analysis on the previous page) :) although max's super slow theory had me for a good while. It's innarestin' to note the immediate slowdown of Grey as soon as you make the first lap at 37...

I'm also so intrigued by the 2m screenshot that was posted... I'ma take it as a genuine score, and am wondering if maybe getting through track 6 super fast may have the same huge effect on score as belting round track 4 does...

A few months ago there was a retro gaming expo here in Barcelona and among the Jamma and 60-in-1 stuff, this game was the only original cabinet there... what fun to play against other people... I honestly think I can't stand too much more of this one player 2m chasing...

DBC's right... the game is evil >:D

[maxh]

Spaceman said: max's super slow theory had me for a good while.

I'm feeling really bad here as I think I just misunderstood what Barra wrote as my understanding of things. (Barra has done most if not all the tracking and research on this to date.) If it's any consolation, I've made numerous attempts using the super slow theory as well.

Spaceman added: wondering if maybe getting through track 6 super fast may have the same huge effect on score as belting round track 4 does...

I was thinking along the same lines too. Why stop at race four?

Race five is difficult to run though as the AI appears to never forget your sudden improvement on race four. Even taking away the sudden burst of improvement, the track itself is pretty complex as there are a ton of things to bash and bump into. I'm not sure that this track is the best choice to try the quick like a bunny technique on. Then again as you note, if you can do it it should pay off in theory.

I'm wondering what he next easiest track to blaze through is and if it's plausibly reachable. Does six appear to be an easy enough track to do this on?

I'm pretty sure I never passed race five to date.

[QAOP Spaceman]

I'm feeling really bad here

I think the Super Slow Max Technique (TM) may well yet pay off...

Race five is difficult to run though as the AI appears to never forget your sudden improvement on race four.The only damn thing I'm sure about in this game is that the slower you finish one track, the slower the AI cars drive on the next one. So finishing track 4 in 50+ seconds makes track 5 easily do-able.

Even taking away the sudden burst of improvement, the track itself is pretty complex as there are a ton of things to bash and bump into.
You're dead right, track 5 is a nightmare... the chicane at the top is pure chicanery :)


I'm wondering what he next easiest track to blaze through is and if it's plausibly reachable. Does six appear to be an easy enough track to do this on?
Yeah, track 6 is just track 3 in reverse, and I've almost done it. No way to tell what the score is until it's actually done, though... the problem is even if you get through track 4 in 50+, it's bloody hard to get round 5 in more than 45 and in track 6 they're so fast you need a ton of nitros in reserve to have a hope.

Still not giving up yet :mad-tongue:

[Barra]

I see some good scores coming in!

[maxh]

Thanks to Spaceman's insistence on figuring this (and new strategies) out, I too have found a renewed interest on this game. This could wain at a moments notice of course, but for now, I've had some success trying the following:

Run each race as fast as possible, using nitros for position/bumps as needed but don't over do the speed (if that makes sense). In other words, faster than a no nitro run but slower than an all out nitro blast.

Race four, blast.

Race five: push the leader as best as possible to keep the race pace up, then get out of his way when he is about to lap you to keep the race time as high as possible.

I was able to manage a half dozen or so 1,300,000+ games including a 1,463,000 using these strategies. Of course, it could just be happenstance too. :/

I'm tracking speeds again in a spreadsheet. I'm capturing only five race runs, end time for each race and end time for the winner of race five. It does trend to fastest average equating to highest score (including the race five winners time). However, anomalies still exist. :/

When I exclude race five winner results, the numbers (oddly so) end up making less sense.

Am I on the right path? No freakin' idea.

I caught a 1,496,000 on my first run after writing the above post. For those interested, here is the race data I've been tracking sorted by score:

Sorted By Score





















Entry Race 1 Race 2 Race 3 Race 4 Race 5
Total
Average
Score 19 65.00 59.15 53.27 36.91 37.94
252.27
50.454
1,496,000 6 63.15 62.30 53.85 37.33 38.20
254.83
50.966
1,463,000 17 63.66 64.33 54.30 37.54 38.30
258.13
51.626
1,357,000 16 64.21 61.30 51.85 38.66 41.30
257.32
51.464
1,337,000 11 61.79 61.97 59.03 37.15 38.15
258.09
51.618
1,325,000 8 61.48 61.48 55.30 38.42 42.24
258.92
51.784
1,307,000 14 62.66 59.97 53.57 34.88 36.48
247.56
49.512
1,283,000 18 64.61 59.70 53.45 35.82 37.70
251.28
50.256
1,258,000 12 66.61 58.73 52.36 41.57 47.39
266.66
53.332
1,133,000 7 62.21 58.09 54.15 40.36 47.97
262.78
52.556
1,131,000 13 64.39 59.45 53.03 41.57 45.54
263.98
52.796
1,125,000 10 60.97 60.61 53.94 41.85 46.91
264.28
52.856
1,104,000 15 62.57 61.30 54.54 39.15 41.91
259.47
51.894
1,054,000 4 64.06 58.94 56.33 38.79 42.27
260.39
52.078
1,043,000 3 63.33 59.61 54.70 40.42 47.61
265.67
53.134
1,027,000 1 64.54 61.85 55.96 40.24 45.57
268.16
53.632
1,014,000 9 64.75 61.00 56.33 40.30 45.24
267.62
53.524
1,010,000 5 63.06 57.91 56.63 41.42 46.54
265.56
53.112
987,000 2 65.91 59.97 55.75 42.00 46.57
270.20
54.040
979,000

[QAOP Spaceman]

Nice work taking the top spot Max :)

And thanks for the stats. Can't take any more Ivan Ironman today...

Will have a bash again at getting thru track 6 tomorrow morning. If the 2m screenshot is real and from track 7 I still think getting through 6 ight be the key to 2m...

:bulgy-eyes:

[maxh]

Thanks Spaceman.

Sorry the stats were not formatted better. They looked great in my pre post preview pane.

I love the two mil logic. It makes perfect sense. Knock that out tomorrow!

[Wolf]

congrats to maxh for having the highest score

[Barra]

Congrats Max and thanks for the stats. Will chuck them in with mine (which are all scribbled on paper at the moment!)

[QAOP Spaceman]

Well, made it past track 6.

(Track 7 is the water jump one in reverse btw)

Approx times: 82, 79, 72, 52.4 (?), 52.2 (?), 42, didn't finish...

*drum roll* .......870000.

A little disheartened. :love-over:

It could be that I've got the times for track 4 and 5 the wrong way round - they were very close - and have thus being penalised for not having faster scores each race. So maybe I'll try again later... or maybe not.

[maxh]

Well, made it past track 6.

It could be that I've got the times for track 4 and 5 the wrong way round

Nice on getting past 6. The 870K is a rough reward.