Fixed Killscreen (bug?) How High Can You Get?

[John73]

Guessing most killscreeners would be aware of this article http://www.donhodges.com/how_high_can_you_get.htm

Just wondering what the general feeling is among the elite players.   There doesn't seem to be any interest in using this "fixed" ROM and I was wondering why - well I have my own theories but then I'm not an elite player.

If money was thrown at this, e.g. a bounty to see who can marathon this I still feel like most of you guys wouldn't be interested in it.

p.s. Not looking to start any arguments, it's just always seemed kinda weird to me that this corrected ROM has never been embraced by the DK community; no this isn't the original but it is probably what the original programmers would have wanted if they ever knew someone would play this game to it's premature end

[ChrisP]

We discussed this about a month ago:
https://donkeykongforum.net/index.php?topic=185

Basically the consensus is that the record wouldn't be more than 2.5 million, and that's generous.

Dave I think put it best. Even if you were running boards and racked up 1.8 million, taking you to Level 40 or so, it would be the equivalent of playing two back-to-back 900K kill screen games. How often are even the best players able to do that? Unavoidable conveyor and rivet screwings just happen too often (definitely more than once every 10 levels!) for DK to be marathonable.

The "fixed" ROM isn't popular simply because the kill screen is what defines the game and really forces players to pull out the big guns in terms of skill. The "infinite version" would simply be boring, obnoxious, and lack any kind of suspense or rhythm, since you wouldn't have to point press and it would basically just be a matter of waiting for accumulated bad luck, dumb mistakes, or fatigue to do you in.

Still, it does seem weird that not one person has at least tried it! It seems like the kind of thing that Vincent would try.

I disagree with you about the bounty though. If there was money involved the no-killscreen challenge would get interesting in a hurry. It's been more than a month since the last wildcard tournament and Ross has to pay rent somehow! 

[Xermon54]

Let's put it this way:

Reaching a kill screen on first man is INCREDIBLY hard for every elite players. Even if you're the best Donkey Kong player, you still require a lot of luck to not die and reach a kill screen.

I personally reached a first man kill screen on my speed run game, and ended at pretty much 800k. If someone wants to get 3m+ with the bug fixed, it would require him to reach 4 times the equivalent of a first man kill screen.

I would consider the odds of an elite player to reach a first man kill screen at 1:30. So to reach the equivalent of a first man kill screen x 4 = 30x30x30x30 = 1 chance out of 810k.

So, the moral of this story: An elite player would have pretty much 1 chance out of 1 million to bet Steve Sander's score!

[stella_blue]

Just wondering what the general feeling is among the elite players.   There doesn't seem to be any interest in using this "fixed" ROM and I was wondering why - well I have my own theories but then I'm not an elite player.

I'm not an elite player either, John.  I'll offer my opinion anyway.

Simply put, I believe that DK is a far more interesting game with the killscreen than without it.  From a competitive standpoint, the challenge of trying to maximize points within a finite space, while continuously assessing risk versus reward, offers a more exciting and eventful journey than an open-ended version.

When I was first introduced to DK, I played the game somewhat regularly for 12-24 months, unaware that the killscreen existed.  My strategy was very simple.  I played for survival, trying to complete each stage as quickly as possible in order to rack up bonus timer points.  At some point during the years 1983-85, I managed a 448,400 high score.  I continued to play for a short time thereafter, then decided that my personal best was good enough.  I stopped playing, pursued other interests, and didn't touch the game for 20 years.

In a game with no killscreen, I wonder how many capable players would be sufficiently driven to push their scores higher, doggedly running boards for 25-40 levels (and maybe beyond).  For me, the experience would (and did) become tiresome.

I should mention (again) that I have yet to reach the killscreen, whether point pressing or not, so it's possible I've been playing the modified ROM all along, without even realizing it.   

One more thing...

One million is a nice number.  It's also a score that can be achieved by a player employing a modest point pressing strategy (both hammers on the barrel boards, grouping optional).  The fact that 1M is attainable, despite the limitations imposed by Level 22-1, makes for an inviting challenge.  The definitive endpoint also facilitates speculation as to what the "practical maximum" range of scores might be.

Still, it does seem weird that not one person has at least tried it! It seems like the kind of thing that Vincent would try.

Vincent is far too busy wandering the streets of Quebec, looking for unattended, parked vehicles to bench press. 

[John73]

We discussed this about a month ago:
https://donkeykongforum.net/index.php?topic=185

Wasn't aware, I knew I should have searched first *doh*  I'll check that thread out, thanks.

Thanks for the other replies guys.

I'm 50/50 either way whether it would be good or not for Nintendo to release a new "fixed" DK.   I get the feeling that if the game was designed without the unintentional "bug" then the game would not be what it is today, but it does also seem like a shame that the game does end.