Double Dragon

[hansolo77]

Time's up people!

Thanks to those (few) players this month.  Don't know what to say.  Should we just stop this altogether?  Seems like a waste of time if nobody cares to play and submit scores anymore.  I mean, this game was VOTED.  We had more voters pick this game than we did players participating.  It's very frustrating to go to all the trouble setting up a contest, with a poll, and have somebody take the time to write a program to keep track of all the data, and then not have support from the community with actively using the system we've set up.  Very disappointing.

Anyway, let's congratulate our June GOTM winner..

RedDog - 101,020 (link)

With his impressive score, beating the game, and unorthodox method of screen capture (snicker), nobody was able to beat his mightiness!  If I'm not mistaken, I do believe this is also his first win with our competition.  So congrats for that achievement as well!  Hopefully, @GimmeClassics will be in touch with you to provide you with your signature award.  Since we don't have a tie vote this month, I'd like to provide you another reward.  Please let me know what game you'd like to see as a bonus (not part of the GOTM) game to be added, and I'll see that it's made available.  Standard rules apply (must have an initial screen, no crazy controls or extra requirements).

That's all for now!  Hopefully next month (July) will see more submissions and participation!

[ExedExes]

It was another good month here @ the GOTM, I just couldn't beat that score. Had I completed the game, I probably would have ended up just short of RedDog's performance. Congratulations!

I also run a monthly high score competition over at Racketboy, but the focus is on shmups. Since the inception of that in 2012, the numbers have also been dropping off. I understand, life gets in the way, especially in the summer, and the games we pick get less mainstream and more obscure. We got a good slate coming up starting in August, so I expect the crowds to hopefully re-gather. What I'm trying to say is that I know what it's like running a competition with no activity, but it hasn't stopped me from continuing to present it as well as organize it. I also had thoughts of shutting down, but what good would it do?

I'm sure the same situation(s) of our regulars are also happening here. It's the summer! Unfortunately because of this, our GameEx team for the Internet Gaming Bash of the Year starting on Tuesday only has 2 members this year (me and Mame Offender), so we're going to be merging with Atari Age and Team PNS. I will provide my finest performance to represent GameEx! Even with that going on, I will continue to participate in the new games this month over here.

I appreciate all that GC and Han have done for us, and I'm looking forward to BayRoute, since I suggested this game. If the GOTM was really in any danger of going under, I'd have a lot more banners under my signature

[RedDog]

All the credit goes to the elbow smash and back jump kick...and lots and lots and lots of attempts.  

[hansolo77]

Just a heads up, RedDog has requested ExciteBike for our next BONUS game.  I've got a migraine tonight so I won't be adding it tonight.  I'll try to get it tomorrow or Thursday (day off) definitely.  Keep those scores coming!

[rtkiii]

Congrats!  I tried playing but as soon as 3 players were on screen at the same time it lagged like crazy for me. 

[RedDog]

It's one of the few arcade games that I recall seeing lag on.

[hansolo77]

I think the lag affected us all.  I even mentioned it in my submission by saying the controls are sluggish.  I chalked it up to just being an old game that hadn't been optimized with good technology yet.  Maybe the emulation just isn't up to par for it yet?  I wonder if the game lags/etc on an actual machine.

[Mame Offender]

I concur, it lags big time.  There is no way the arcade rom plays like these emulated ones from Mame.  

[RedDog]

Actually...the lag is part of the rom itself. If you do some googling, you will find some commentary about it.

I played the game often enough back 'in the day' and I do kind of remember it as well.

[hansolo77]

Nice.. so Red's skill is truly legit. 

[Mame Offender]

I never played it back in the day, so I can't tell if the lag is the same.  I stand corrected.  

[Cynicaster]

Double Dragon is a historic game for sure.  I love the soundtrack and graphics, and the game mechanics were hugely influential in the 5 or so years that followed.  At the same time, Double Dragon might be the strongest example of a game "not aging well" that I have ever seen.  The slow-down is atrocious, the hit detection is iffy, and you pretty much have to exploit a cheap tactic (elbow smash) to survive.  

Regarding the slow-down problem, we mustn't forget that the primary purpose of MAME is accurate preservation of old technology; the developers do not set out  to tinker with old games to make them more fun to play in the present day at home on a computer.  That is usually a good thing, but the flip side is that it means that if the original game had bad slow-down or lag, then those problems will be present in MAME as well, by design. 

I played a fair bit of DD in arcades back then, and I remember the slow-down, but I just can't believe that we weren't more bothered by it at the time.  I think the game was so revolutionary with its graphics and action--and so many light years ahead of what we could get on our home consoles--that we were willing to overlook the major flaws. 

84,110

[hansolo77]

I think it's just nobody knew they were even there in the first place.  If it was the first game of it's kind, etc, nobody would really know any different.  We're just used to the way games are now, and when a game like this comes along that's not all super fast, we get upset about it.  It's awesome that the game originally had it and MAME accurately duplicates it.  I'm sure there's a modified/hacked rom or something that can be used to play at full speed without the slowdown, but where'd be the fun in that?

Updated OP, DB, RSS

[Cynicaster]

For me, it’s not so much that I wish the game were higher speed, just consistent speed.  What makes it annoying is that the game slows down and speeds back up in fits and starts, which can really throw your timing off.  Like, you’ll be walking all sloooooooowww then suddenly the game kicks back to full speed, and you walk off a cliff and die because it catches you by surprise.  Or, your character does a bunch of things you don’t want him to because the slow down affects how button presses are processed—you’re jumping and head-butting and kicking when you don’t mean to, etc. 

I’m not aware of any hacks to fix the slow down, but I wouldn’t be surprised if something like that existed.  If you want to get a feel for how the game plays without slow down, try the Genesis version; it looks almost identical to the arcade but runs more smoothly.

If you want to play a really great version, check out the Game Boy Advance version.  It’s actually more of a re-imagining than a port, but it’s really good.

 

[Luigimaker]

Nowhere near the initials but oh well

[hansolo77]

OOF!  Tough game huh?  Was it the speed issues causing you problems like everybody else?  Maybe you just need more practice.  Luckily, with so few submissions, you're got a pretty good placing nevertheless. 

Updated OP, DB, RSS

[Mame Offender]

15700

 

As you can see, these beatemup games beat the shit outta me.

 

On the board.  This board anyways.  My score was so low, it didn't even make the in game board.

So hear is a snap of my score:

 

[hansolo77]

Dude!  I used to have that same exact AV Receiver.  Upgraded to a Denon after the fire. 

Updated OP, DB, RSS

[Floyd Turbo]

I fell in a hole on my last life, hence no leaderboard. 

67,940

if you want to do well, just use elbows the entire game. Lol

[hansolo77]

Not a bad first entry for this game.  Gotta watch out for those holes!

Updated OP, DB, RSS

[Floyd Turbo]

I think this may be a game I can beat.  Always pumped a ton of cash into this machine.