BBH wrote:I don't oppose it because of the NVRAM nuisance. I oppose it because it's an advantage that's gained from previous games played on the machine.
how so? all you need to do is rewatch those replays and adjust/add any mole points from using whatever standard nvram file was created and change their score accordingly. It sounds like unlike what I stated previously, that sync of playing back replays for HS isn't affected by whether you use the nvram file they used or use no nvram file. I guess the game uses the same timing between events whether it registers and recognizes a new record or doesn't. Perhaps that is why on the pole vault the mole points can't be rewarded...cuz that would change the timing of the game...which Konami didn't want to do perhaps.
They aren't getting cheated out of anything by adjusting.
MARP policy has been pretty explicit about this - only the first credit counts, so all recordings are done as if the machine has just been turned on for the first time. Using NVRAM nullifies this, and insures that previous games had already been played before the recording.
That is flawed IMHO. The replay file is still just popping 1 credit and playing the 1 game...any additional games played in that replay would be ignored.
nvram doesn't change that at all...as long as it's not some odd continuation benefit.
In the vast majority of games, this won't affect a thing gameplay-wise. But obviously these "mole bonuses" are reliant on previous world records being on the machine, which was a very stupid decision on Konami's part.
Yes, I think all gamers would agree here. Why they coded it like that is silly....all of their games have that similar flaw. It's just more significant in HS.
If we allow this, what's next? Consider some of the older Atari games that let you "warp" to a higher level at the beginning, like on Tempest or Black Widow.
no...cuz to do that requires a "continuation" type game. The gameplay of that additional game is influenced by what was previously played. if nvram files are capable of being saved with this so on using it and popping that 1 credit and starting the game allows for that warp type stuff, then that type of nvram data certainly shouldn't be allowed.
It's clear (I thought) that for all games you aren't to benefit from a previous game played....meaning these warps or when the history of the gameplay would affect the actual gameplay.
Either way, there is still a very distinctive line drawn here that is separate from using nvram.
Using nvram only affects the HS score, it does not affect the gameplay at all. There is the difference.
Plus, we aren't talking for all games...just allow special rules to make an exception for it in certain cases where 67% have agreed to it....just like we do for special rules for any game.
This may not be exactly the same scenario (and I don't think this data is stored in NVRAM anyway),
Most of the time it isn't...but yes, the possibility exists that some game would have this.
However, again, it's all treated on a case-by-case basis with the "default" being no nvram file allowed.
Many seem to think if you allow HS that is opening a can of worms for all kinds of stuff. I don't think so. I think that can was always there anyway. That's what the special rules for games are mostly about....exceptions to the general rules of play or special settings for those specific games.
I actually think it makes a difference...although not as severe...for T-n-F as well. If you happen to tie the computer on the running events to get that 1000 bonus...but your time is good for a new record, I think you get ripped off the 1000.
Hell, it's to my understanding that Twin Galaxies allows people to warp straight to World 8 on Crystal Castles after reaching that level on a previous game. That's obviously not going to be allowed at MARP.
Currently this is allowed for the arcade track..but NOT allowed for the MAME track of Crystal Castles. I will be opening a discussion at TG on this though as I think it should be played under the same rules the arcade tracking is. The reason it isn't allowed for MAME tracking is simply because Mark Longridge wanted all replay files to just show 1 game played....versus going through the first "dummy" game to then see the real game.
It's not possible to compete with the arcade record scores on Crystal Castles under the TG-MAME rules. You could have the best player ever set an awesome score using MAME and it would generally be ignored and viewed as inferior to the arcade scores. Is that fair?
HS also sets this as a precendent IMHO...since HS-arcade scores are certainly with high heights set for the pole vault before that record game was started.
Ben wrote:Clearly this is not fair. And, clearly, not everyone has
access to a Hyper Sports machine on which the top 3 on every event is
very good. This makes the playing field uneven.
Yes, this is true....it's not 100% "even"...but each game likely had at least 5.93s or 5.94s as the height records.
Any gamer out to set a world record would easily understand they needed to play the game many times to set high height records first BEFORE going for the record.
Each gamer has that same opportunity...so in that sense it is even.
Finally...for Crystal Castles, the world record score actually isn't from using a continuation tunnel to warp to level 8. The record plays 1 game...to level 2...kills off his men..then starts a new game...warping to level 2....and playing all out from there.
This allows for a higher potential score for the true masters of the game versus using the continuation tunnel warp to level 8.
Either way, it's something not possible without allowing the continue tunnel be used.
And get to 45s swimming. 
I beat KK's record I'll post about it on the board I guess.
