Ms. Pac-man

[hansolo77]

December 2016 GOTM Winner: Mame Offender - 211,080 (link)

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Ms. Pac-Man Leaderboard

 

POSITION	USER NAME	TOTAL SCORE
1	Mame Offender	211,080
2	ExedExes	69,480
3	Cynicaster	66,130
4	millerbrad	42,600
5	patrickfx	37,550
6	Floyd Turbo	36,120
7	Luigimaker	34,840
8	rtkiii	24,070
9	GimmeClassics	23,450
10	hansolo77	22,080

Last Updated by hansolo77: 08-30-2020

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1. GeorgeT - 22,030 (link)

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Please use these settings when submitting a hi-score for Ms. Pac-man:

ROMSet: MSPacman
Rack Test [Cheat]: Off
Service Mode: Off
Cabinet: Upright

Coinage: 1 Coin/1 Credit
Lives: 3
Bonus Life: 10000
Difficulty: Normal
Rules: No in-game High Score table, just post your recent score that matches the in-game High Score!

Special Note - There are no official Twin Galaxies settings for this game.  So I've just set up the GameEx rules to be the standard default settings.  If we need to change it to something more difficult, please let me know!

 

The green coloured default values match the Twin Galaxies settings.
The red coloured values need to be changed!

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# you can change your Mame dip switch settings by following this guide:
# you can make a printscreen of your hi-score screen by following this guide:
# general rules for submitting you hi-score:

 

[hansolo77]

Here it is, the December 2016 GOTM!  And what a game to close out the end of the year on too.  This game was voted by participating members to be the favorite amongst the others in the randomly drawn selection of 6 games.  TwinGalaxies, the keeper of arcade game World Records, has no official entry for this game.  They do have one for the "Championship Edition" version though.  I thought about using that version, but after playing it I decided to just go with the original.  There was no difference in how the High Score data was presented, with no added in-game tables or initials screen.  So I decided the "Championship Edition" was just going to be too much for our friendly competition.  They included a timer, which when it reaches 0 causes you to die, and the last 10 seconds or whatever makes you crawl at a snails pace.  Not at all what you would expect.  But I can see how using this version on a World Stage would be a nice deviation.  But because we're just a cool bunch of people who are doing this for fun, why go to all the trouble?  So I created our rules based on the simple setup of the default, first run DIPs.  Just play like always, and you're good.  Don't make me regret it guys!  It's a joyous time of year so don't ruin it! 

[Adultery]

Ahh, this is a good solid choice! I might have to stop playing RetroArch on the Amazon Fire TV long enough to dust off the cabinet and post a score.

[GeorgeT]

I've never been any good on the Pac-Man family of games.  I haven't memorized ANY patterns

 

[hansolo77]

I'm the same way @GeorgeT... just like with Donkey Kong.  People say there are recognizable patterns, or ways to manipulate the outcomes.  I just play it assuming it's all random.  The ghosts do appear to be more attracted to you in this iteration than they did in the original.

[Mame Offender]

It is very fascinating, trying to figure out how the programmer is going to trick you and get you!  There is an article on PacMan about it.  

[Mame Offender]

I can get to the nineteenth, but I fall apart as soon as Ms PacMan starts to decrease her speed.  

 

A sweet title indeed.  Many, many hours on a sit-down table one at a local coffee shop.  Nostalgia has very nice rewards.

 

 

 

 

MO

[Mame Offender]

Oh boy, I am out of practice.

 

145,120

[patrickfx]

9 hours ago, hansolo77 said:

I'm the same way @GeorgeT... just like with Donkey Kong.  People say there are recognizable patterns, or ways to manipulate the outcomes.  I just play it assuming it's all random.  The ghosts do appear to be more attracted to you in this iteration than they did in the original.

Oh! I'm just dead if people know and take time to look for a pattern.  Are we in NHL of MS Pacman here 

I will make some try right now and see.

[Mame Offender]

Climbing the Competition Ladder.....

 

184,450

[Mame Offender]

For anyone who wants to learn in depth the ways of the ghosts AI and more, take a look at this article:

 

 

http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3938/the_pacman_dossier.php?print=1

 

 

 

MO

[hansolo77]

Thanks for the tip Mo.  I'll give it a browse some time.  And thanks for the first submission(s)!

Updated OP, DB, RSS

[rtkiii]

On 12/3/2016 at 11:05 PM, GeorgeT said:

I've never been any good on the Pac-Man family of games.  I haven't memorized ANY patterns

 

Yeah...I'm horrible too...just like the sounds and music of the game take me back to when I was in 3rd grade.  

I remember one time they had a bartop version in Wendy's and I was sitting there pretending I was playing because I was waiting for my sisters to get out of the bathroom, I had no money to actually play and this couple next to me set a quarter on the top on the screen so I could play. One of the nicest things I think a stranger has done for me.  I cannot remember if I played for 1 minute or 15 but to this day I remember that couple anytime I think of this game.

So I will definitely enter but I doubt I'll ever be close to competing in this one.

[Cynicaster]

I am absolutely hopeless at all Pac-Man games, except for maybe Championship Edition DX (which is a completely different game so doesn’t really count). 

Admittedly I haven’t tried *that* hard to get better over the years—so maybe if I do, I will—but I find Pac and Ms. Pac to be examples of those games where you feel like you never get any better no matter how many times you play.  You might have a decent game and feel some temporary encouragement, but then your next credit you die twice on the first screen and don’t even break 20k.  I tend to get discouraged with that sort of thing and just move on to a different game.  Maybe part of the problem is I have zero interest in trying to memorize patterns—that sounds like more work than play and life’s too short for that. 

[hansolo77]

I'm the same way guys.  It'll be a nice fun game to play.  That's what the competition is all about though; having fun.  So have fun, regardless if you're good or not. 

[patrickfx]

Same for me. I will go step by step. My first run I get 20k only. No bananas ! The ultimate when I was young. Now, we will have to get a lot of bananas to see our name on top

I'm ready 😊

[patrickfx]

OK, There is my proud scoring to start.  I said, step by step !!!  37,550.  Can't wait to see the full blast video of 3rd ac , hahaha!  Did you remember, the in-between sequence was the summon at that time.  A video sequence into a game , wow!  Still so fun to play 

[hansolo77]

I didn't know that, but I could definitely see it happening.  "Hurry up!  He's about to unlock the next level in Ms. Pacman and show the new act animation!!"

Updated OP, DB, RSS

[patrickfx]

Hummmm! Hope I'm not misunderstanding here. By video sequence I mean ... like you see after 2 maze complete 😎

[DazzleHP]

On 06/12/2016 at 2:43 PM, rtkiii said:

Yeah...I'm horrible too...just like the sounds and music of the game take me back to when I was in 3rd grade.  

I remember one time they had a bartop version in Wendy's and I was sitting there pretending I was playing because I was waiting for my sisters to get out of the bathroom, I had no money to actually play and this couple next to me set a quarter on the top on the screen so I could play. One of the nicest things I think a stranger has done for me.  I cannot remember if I played for 1 minute or 15 but to this day I remember that couple anytime I think of this game.

So I will definitely enter but I doubt I'll ever be close to competing in this one.

@Rich, you have to make a film of that!!

[Mame Offender]

192,080 

 

I made it to level 22.

 

[Mame Offender]

Here is a couple of tips necessary to know about Ms. PacMan:

- there are only a couple of differences in the ghosts A.I. between PacMan and MsPacMan.  One difference you MUST know about is the fact that MsPacMans ghosts will change directions only twice per board.  PacMan's ghosts can switch directions up to 8 or 9 times per board.  This will make "hiding spots" in MsPacMan way easier and safer to use.

- exploit the "hiding spots".

 

[hansolo77]

Thanks for the tip MO.  And that's a killer score.  Don't know if anybody can beat it. 

Updated OP, DB, RSS

[patrickfx]

That game look so easy.  But dam it's difficult.  arrrggggg!!!  I hate to be squeeze between these ghosts.  Thank's for hint anyway MO, I will think about it.  22 Levels, wow!  

 

 

 

[Mame Offender]

Died right before the 200k.

 

197,570