Berzerk room entrance strategy?

MJongo

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Hello, I posted this on the Twin Galaxies forum and thought I'd ask here too, as the TG post has been too popular:

What is the best strategy for when one first enters a room in Berzerk? I play left-to-right, enter in the middle of the doorway, fire a horizontal shot as soon as I enter, then either (A): run vertically for cover if available, shooting robots in my way (B): get lucky and hide behind a wall in front of me, or (C): get shot if there is more than two robots in front or diagonal to me. I want to rectify situation C, but can think of no possible way to avoid it, though it must be possible as some of the high scores suggest otherwise. On average I score 15k, and when I get lucky with the rooms around 20-25k. My high score is a bit under 40k, (reeeeeealy lucky rooms), but I've never gotten close to that again. Once I survive the first few seconds of a room I very rarely die until the next, so I just need help with this part.
 
Slightly lower than middle. Your tall firing profile will still fire in the middle of the screen where the robots are likely to spawn but you are that much closer to fleeing to a safer zone from which to operate if you are a bit lower entering the maze. This is how myself and Vic Osinaga (a great Berzerk player in his own right) both play going left to right.
 
So what would be next in priority? What is the best way to deal with diagonal robots? Also, I usually eliminate the robot in front of me with that shot, but what if it misses? Do I still focus on taking it out?

I don't think I've ever asked that many questions in a row before. :p
 
So what would be next in priority? What is the best way to deal with diagonal robots? Also, I usually eliminate the robot in front of me with that shot, but what if it misses? Do I still focus on taking it out?

I don't think I've ever asked that many questions in a row before. :p

If it misses you are quite close to dead on the 17k-18k+ levels if you get a rough room. My rule of thumb is to follow your shot like in basketball if you have trouble above and below. I take it on a room by room basis, however, I don't think one strategy works for every room. I try to identify and eliminate the most immediate threat and then get to a safe spot to operate from. Since 100% of your deaths will take place within a second or 2 of entering a room on the higher levels, you need to get to a safe operating position as soon as possible. Sometimes if you have multiple robots with strong angles on you, I just book to a safe operating position first. It depends. The game gives you the advantage by lighting up the room slightly before populating it, you should use that split second to see where you need to get to regardless of robot position.
 
Is it better to shoot as soon as you enter from wherever you are standing by holding the fire button down, or to take a moment to line up with a robot in front of you?
 
Is it better to shoot as soon as you enter from wherever you are standing by holding the fire button down, or to take a moment to line up with a robot in front of you?

I don't hold the button down upon entering a room. I'm American and want the freedom to choose my course of action.
 
I don't hold the button down upon entering a room. I'm American and want the freedom to choose my course of action.

In between asking that and your post, I played a game without holding the button and got 24k (about 8k above my average) on my first try, with even some really crummy rooms. I've been playing the other way for two years, and I feel really stupid now. Time to record some games for TG!
 
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