POLL How do you play your Tempest?

jacklick

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Was actually trying to get better at it tonight and started wondering, how do others actually play this game?

1) start on level 1 and just go
2) start on max level 9, go get mega bonus and go
3) set dip switch to demo mode and start anywhere
4) set dip switch to demo mode and do cheat to try and get HS of 999,999
5) other?

Interested in what you do and why.
 
Last edited:
You forgot option 6:

Light candles, say chants of protection, pray to arcade deity, then turn on machine. ;)

... but real my answer is #2.
 
I used to do #2, but another member here was kind enough to modify my board a while back, and now I do the level select. After the blue levels, things get difficult quickly!
 
>another thread reminding you you don't have a Tempest

1512860913351.png
 
I do option 2. There is no challenge in the earlier levels, so I like to start closer to where I am going to die.
 
#1. I'm lucky to even get to level 9.... and if I start on level 9, I'm lucky to beat it.

DogP
 
Burned the Level Select ROM update so I can start on whichever level I prefer.

Pretty much always start on Level 81 (last level choice).

Long ago mastered the levels below that with a TON of quarters BITD :).

It's still my favorite game of all time! :D .

Jon
 
Also, you can simply set the DIPs to one of the Demonstration Modes, which lets you select up to Level 81... but it doesn't save high scores. I know that because I spent an hour or so troubleshooting why it wasn't saving scores... voltages were good, EAROM checked out, etc. Finally came across a post talking about the demonstration mode DIPs. :p

DogP
 
Option 5: Don't look, spin and shoot like crazy. I managed to get to level four back when mine was playing blind.
 
I thought poll threads used to calculate the results for you. Anyway thanks for all the responses. I had also usually just started on Level 9 but may try rom hack now. I have something like

1) 3 KLOVers start on level 1
2) 5 KLOVers start on level 9
3) No KLOVers set dip switch to demo mode and start anywhere
4) No KLOVers set dip switch to demo mode and do cheat to try and get HS of 999,999
5) 2 KLOVers did other. Hacked Rom to allow start at any level. which is really #3 and #4 combined.

link to some tempest playing tips
http://www.smalltalksystems.com/clayberg/arcade/tempest_tips.htm
 
Using the Open Level hack to start beyond level 9 is really the key to getting better at the game IMO, as starting at the higher levels forces you to get better much faster.

I'm by no means a great arcade player in general, but I was able to learn to beat levels in the 40-60 range in reasonable amounts of time (i.e., a couple of weeks of casual play). The higher ones take a little more practice, but it's doable. But play for a week at level 40, then go back to level 9, and you'll be amazed at how differently you perceive it.

That's one signature of a well-designed game though, IMO. It grows with you as you get better, and has a long learning curve, so it can stay challenging for a long time.
 
It depends on how recently I have played it. Sometimes I might start at level 5 or 7 just to knock the dust off and get dialed in a bit. Generally I can get through to level 9 or 10 from there without losing a life and adding one on a bonus.

It's round 15 or 16 (the figure eight) that presents the first real challenge. Something about that spatial relationship throws me for a loop and I better have a few extra lives going into that round or I am toast.

I have not gotten to round 20 yet and have not tried the game in demo mode to skip to the much higher levels. I didn't even realize you could do that until watching a video from TNT Amusements recently. Need to log more time into the game weekly than I do currently. I might get thirty minutes a week in and it looks like my board needs some repair so I will be focused on sucking at Defender, Joust and zbubbles in the meantime.
 
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