1st Annual BBRMAME Pentathalon -- Discussion Thread

[TStodden]

1st Annual Blah Blah Roundtable MAME Pentathalon<
>Welcome everybody to the 1st Annual Blah Blah Roundtable MAME Pentathalon, where your gaming skills are tested in the ways of the arcade. The Pentathalon is open to everybody & you may join in at any time, but it's to YOUR ADVANTAGE for you to join in as soon as possible to get the most points you can. The Pentathalon is only for Bragging Rights, but Queen Ingrid may grant the winner a custom title.<
><
>First of all, all the games in the Pentathalon will be using the Twin Galaxies Tournament Standard settings. This means that your performance in this Pentathalon will be eligable for submission into the Twin Galaxies Intergalatic Scoreboard for everybody to see. Please be aware that you'll need to do a little extra legwork in order for your attempt to get onto the scoreboard & is optional.<
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>Second, you will need to pick up a copy of WolfMAME 0.99 for your computer (about 8 MB's) at wolfmame.marpirc.net/. WolfMAME is a variant of MAME that disables all forms of cheating & pausing when recording your performance & keeps track at how fast the game was running (which is why it's TG-preferred). When recording your performance, two files will be created: an INP file (which is short for input) & a WLF file (contains meta-data about your computer & your performance). In order to successfully submit your performance, you will need to send BOTH FILES in a zip file from your INP directory (which would be something like C WolfMAME\INP\). Linux users are allowed to participate in this as well by picking up x-WolfMAME 0.99, but please be aware that problems may occur during playback of your performance on a Windows system. If you can play the game on a Windows system, please do!<
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>Third, MAME requires the usage of multiple ROM files, called ROMSETS. The games in this pentathalon will use specific ROMSETs & it's your responsibility to obtain a complete working ROMSET for WolfMAME 0.99. However, if you're having problems finding a ROMSET, you won't be left out in the cold. Just e-mail me with your request for the ROMSET(s) that you may need. You should also be aware that some ROMSETs may have (or require) additional files. Any ROMSETs that may have these files will be noted & you can normally pick these files up in the download section of the MAME website at http://www.mame.net/. These additional files are usually sound samples & bezel artwork (that's around the screen).<
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>Finally, if you have ANY PROBLEMS OR QUESTIONS about WolfMAME... especially how to work it. Please check out my WolfMAME Starter's Guide first to see if it's already addressed. If he problem isn't addressed in the guide, feel free to ask me & I'll try to assist you the best that I can. I may not be able to help you on everything, but I can probably take care of most of your problems.<
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>As for scoring in the Pentathalon, points will be awarded based on your performance with a maximum potential of 100 points per game. The player with the highest score will be awarded a full 100 points & everybody else will be award points in relation to the best player. For example, if the best player in a game scores 10,000 points & your score is 5,975 points, you would be awarded 59.75 points. Needless to say, you can get any points if you don't submit your performance. The person with the highest score (out of 500 pts) will win the Penathalon.<
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>You will have roughly 2-3 weeks to submit your performance (a zipped up file with the INP & the WLF file for that game) once the game is announced. All performances must be verified (as per TG regulations) in order to get onto the scoreboard. There will only be one game PER MONTH during the Pentathalon. The actual game will be selected at random among the following list.<
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> +----------+---------------------------+------------------------------+| ROMSET | Name | Extras |+----------+---------------------------+------------------------------+| ASTEROID | Asteroids (Rev 2) | Artwork Available || BOMBJACK | Bomb Jack | No extras available || BERSERK | Berzerk (set 1) | Samples & Artwork Available || BUBBLES | Bubbles | No extras available || CITYCON | City Connection (set 1) | No extras available || DKONG | Donkey Kong (US set 1) | Samples Available || DKONGJR | Donkey Kong Jr. (US) | Samples Available || DKONG3 | Donkey Kong 3 (US) | Samples Available (Optional) || ELEVATOR | Elevator Action | Artwork Available || GALAGA | Galaga (Namco Rev. B) | No extras available || GALAXIAN | Galaxian (Namco set 1) | No extras available || GAPLUS | Gaplus (Rev. D) | Samples Available || GORF | Gorf | Samples Available || JOUST | Joust (White/Green Label) | Artwork Available || METROCRS | Metro-Cross (Set 1) | No extras available || MILLIPED | Millipede | Artwork Available || MRDO | Mr. Do! | No extras available || MSPACMAN | Ms. Pac-Man | Artwork Available || PACMAN | Pac-Man (Midway) | Artwork Available || QBERT | Q*Bert (US set 1) | Artwork & Samples Available || QIX | Qix (set 1) | Artwork Available || RALLYX | Rally X | Samples Available || SHOLLOW | Satan's Hollow | No extras available || ATETRIS | Tetris (set 1) | No extras available || DRMARIO | VS. Dr. Mario | No extras available || WOW | Wizard of Wor | Samples Available || ZOOKEEP | Zoo Keeper (set 1) | No extras available |+----------+---------------------------+------------------------------+<
>When a game is announced, the settings (including dip switches) will be stated as well. Below is an example...<
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>Game 0 -- Asteroids<
>ROMSET: ASTEROID<
>LANGUAGE: ENGLISH<
># OF LIVES: 3<
><
>If there's no "Dip Switches" available for a specific game, you will have to hit "Service Mode" (which WolfMAME conviently places it as F2 once you're in the game) to go through the system tests & get access to the settings. You will not necessarily have to go through service mode on the majority of the games, but be aware for the "SERVICE MODE" notice when they appear.<
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>Before any games get played in this Pentathalon, here's a few ground rules.<
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>1) Make sure that the game settings (& dip switches) are set for the game BEFORE you record your performance.<
>2) NO CONTINUES ARE ALLOWED -- Your performance is based on one credit only. You are allowed to play the game multiple times.<
>3) Try to make your best performance on the first try -- This is to help keep the INP file small & makes it easier for me to verify your performance. INP files can only be played in real-time & cannot be paused, so I have to go though your first two games in order to watch your third game.<
>4) You may submit as many performances as you like... presuming that they're better than your last performance.<
>5) Referee's decisions are GENERALLY FINAL -- Twin Galaxies regulations DO ALLOW players to CHALLENGE another player's performance if cheating is suspected. This option will be extended to you as well, however, this is rarely used. Any player who has their performanced challenged (& agreed by the referee) will have to submit another performance, but only needs to obtain 95% of their challenged score to stand. A PLAYER'S PERFORMANCE MAY ONLY BE CHALLENGED ONCE AND CANNOT BE CHALLENGED AGAIN!<
>6) Any performance package (which must include both INP & WLF files) that are missing, corrupted, incomplete or cannot be viewed on a Windows system will not be verified & you will not receive any points.<
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>Again, if you're playing Asteroids, you'll need to include ASTEROID.INP & ASTEROID.WLF in your Zipped file. When sending your performance, please use the following naming system:<
><
>[USERNAME]-[ROMSET]-[Number].zip<
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>Examples:<
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>TStodden-ASTEROID-01.zip<
>ImaWario-DRMARIO-02.zip<
>Soloist-QIX-10.zip<
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>Good luck everybody! If you have any questions, please feel free to ask! My e-mail address for this competition is TStodden.geo@yahoo .<
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>Linkage:<
>WolfMAME -- wolfmame.marpirc.netMAME -- http://www.mame.netWolfMAME Starter's Guide -- tstodden.tripod.com/WolfMAME_Guide.txt <
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>Twin Galaxies Ref at Large -- DDR, N64 & GCN<i>Edited by: TStodden  at: 9/2/05 3:41 pm<
></i>

[Haryuu no hanekata]

Once I get my computer working I'd like to try it out. <b>The Ancient Forest ~ Neighborhood 99<
>The Gates of Horn and Ivory ~ The Blah Blah Roundtable<
></b><i></i>

[soloist]

I too wish to compete,<
>though I hope that<
>time will be on<
>my side. Be<
>back on<
>Sund-<
>ay.<
><
> <
> <i></i>

[TStodden]

The First game won't be announced until around September 10th, so you can work out the kinks of WolfMAME/32 as well as getting the ROMSETS.<
><
>Again, if you're having problems finding the ROMSETS, e-mail me & I'll send you the ROMSET w/ the extras, if available. <
><
>Twin Galaxies Ref at Large -- DDR, N64 & GCN<i></i>

[Nakor BlueRider]

I may participate. I'm considering it at least. I haven't played Mr. Do! or Gorf in a very long time, so it might be a good chance just to play those again. <i>There are many rules of<
>physics that govern our world.<
>There is only one exception.<
>His name is Nakor.</i><
><
>--Nakor, the Blue Rider<
><
><i></i>

[soloist]

Very well! I need only<
>prepare for the d-<
>ate listed then<
>and hope ti-<
>me is on<
>my si-<
>de!<
><
> <i></i>

[TStodden]

I have the ROMSETS & Audio Sample Packs uploaded to my Yahoo! Briefcase (
iefcase.yahoo.com/tstodden.geo ) for easy download, but you'll need to login to Yahoo! to access them.<
><
>I would have the Artwork pack in there as well, but it's too big for the
iefcase at the moment... I'll upload them separately to the same area when I can. <
><
>Twin Galaxies Ref at Large -- DDR, N64 & GCN<i></i>

[soloist]

I do not have a Yahoo account which would<
>probably explain why I was unable to<
>view the contents of each of t-<
>hat latter folders (the only<
>ones I checked). Hop-<
>efully I will be ab-<
>le to get an<
>accoun-<
>t!!<
><
>(we shall see...) <i></i>

[TStodden]

Just send me an e-mail to TStodden.geo@yahoo.com & I'll send the files that way...<
><
>Just make sure your inbox can handle 10 MB attachments & you have about 20 MB's of free space (to be on the generous size of things) <
><
>Twin Galaxies Ref at Large -- DDR, N64 & GCN<i></i>

[TStodden]

Since a Gameset has been selected, I've uploaded the COMPLETE GAME SET (All 5 ROMSETS, with Samples & Artwork included) to my Briefcase for your downloading pleasure.<
><
>You'll need a Yahoo! account to access the files OR I can e-mail them to you. <
><
>Twin Galaxies Ref at Large -- DDR, N64 & GCN<i></i>

[Nakor BlueRider]

While the folders say they have X items in them, I cannot see any of the files when I go into the folders. It seemingly won't let me access them; you may need to add our Yahoo IDs to your
iefcase's friends list.<
><
>Mine is: lance_draken<
><
>TIA. <i>There are many rules of<
>physics that govern our world.<
>There is only one exception.<
>His name is Nakor.</i><
><
>--Nakor, the Blue Rider<
><
><i></i>

[soloist]

My experience is similar<
>to yours when attem-<
>pting the view the<
>contents. My e-<
>mail address<
>is at the C-<
>astle TS-<
>todde-<
>n, o-<
>k?<
><
>(try for Wednesday 7th)<
> <i></i>

[TStodden]

Soloist,<
><
>I've sent an e-mail with the link to the files to your e-mail address.<
><
>If that doesn't work, I'll send the files as an attachment. <
><
>Twin Galaxies Ref at Large -- DDR, N64 & GCN<i></i>

[soloist]

Many apologies, TStodden!<
>I just took the block o-<
>ff of my account, s-<
>o if you would be<
>so kind as to s-<
>end the e-m-<
>ail right n-<
>ow, per-<
>haps?<
><
>(thanks in advance)<
><
> <i></i>