Seperating the posers from the actual champs

[TheSunshineFund]

Even though tacos are delicious I think I'd prefer burritos any day of the week.

Once you start to panini press, a simple run for tacos just isn't as impressive.

[stella_blue]

Even though tacos are delicious I think I'd prefer burritos any day of the week.

My personal preference is Cadillac Fajitas (half chicken, half steak), lightly dusted with Cajun spices, served on a sizzling blackened skillet with grilled onions, a basket of warm tortillas, red beans and rice on the side.

Accompaniments:  pico de gallo, guacamole, and a blend of shredded Colby and Monterey Jack cheeses.

[TheSunshineFund]

Even though tacos are delicious I think I'd prefer burritos any day of the week.

My personal preference is Cadillac Fajitas (half chicken, half steak), lightly dusted with Cajun spices, served on a sizzling blackened skillet with grilled onions, a basket of warm tortillas, red beans and rice on the side.

Accompaniments:  pico de gallo, guacamole, and a blend of shredded Colby and Monterey Jack cheeses.

I agree except I forego the accompaniments and instead add grilled peppers.

[stella_blue]

We really need a High Score List for number of successfully derailed topics.

As for minimum submission requirements, I'm thinking at least 10 replies that have no apparent connection to the original post.

Could somebody get on that please?

[TheSunshineFund]

We really need a High Score List for number of successfully derailed topics.

As for minimum submission requirements, I'm thinking at least 10 replies that have no apparent connection to the original post.

Could somebody get on that please?

I know which subforum it can go into!

[hchien]

Only posers like tacos.  Real champs like burritos.

[homerwannabee]

Edit: nevermind, continue with your talk, and pictures of burritos. 

[marinomitch13]

Hank, it's not nice to post pictures of Vincent's girlfriends without asking for permission first!

[f_symbols]

Those girls are just posing as burrito aficionados...

[corey.chambers]

On behalf of the so-called "poser". Do we have any one in the community that really fits this definition?

If by it we are referring to those who are presently just running boards... then I see most newer players wanting to get that first killscreen and getting there as quickly as possible. Why blame them? Running boards is safer on the barrel stage, it makes the attempt quicker leaving more time for additional attempts, lowers fatigue, etc. Why not shoot for a killscreen first and then press for more points? I did this during the WCR #3 Q#1. I ran boards to get a killscreen, once I got a score up in the 800K range I started two hammer games and put it up in the 900K range. Compare this to my WCR #3 Q#2 million point attempts. There is much to be said about the risk of a higher pace during a live tournament.

Speaking lightly of the killscreen achievement is not very encouraging for someone who has not achieved it yet. Although it may be true that there are some players who can achieve a killscreen any day they want to, it may not be best to say it so often or so strongly if we are getting a negative response from players who have not achieved the goal yet. 

[homerwannabee]

On behalf of the so-called "poser". Do we have any one in the community that really fits this definition?

Yep, I am definitely a Donkey Kong poser!   But hey, I was originally a Donkey Kong Junior poser as well.  I am one of those ones that you describe that just wants to get to the killscreen just to eliminate the to do list.  But like Junior I plan on slowly adding different things to enhance my scoring total such as going two hammers with possibly limited grouping.  I am crossing my fingers that I can do the same thing I did with Junior, and eventually put up a really good score by almost anyone's standards, including Sczerby's.

[JNugent]

<strikes a pose> = Poser = Jason

[stella_blue]

On behalf of the so-called "poser". Do we have any one in the community that really fits this definition?

Captain Poser, reporting for duty!   

Honestly, I employ a variety of playing styles, going with whatever feels right at the moment.

This is my current strategy, for better or worse:

Barrels

• Both hammers on Level 1-1. Press the board conservatively, just enough for 8500-9500 points.
• Skip the bottom hammer on Levels 02 and 03.
• Both hammers on Level 04.  Grab the bottom hammer (1) as soon as the initial fireball climbs, (2) when there are at least 8 barrels onscreen, or (3) if the 2nd blue barrel released is a wild barrel.  Limited grouping up top, as long as the nearest fireball is miles away.  Set up the top hammer for 7-8 possible smashes, trying to ensure one blue barrel in the mix.
• Both hammers on Level 05.  Same approach as Level 04.  Recover points lost due to skipped bottom hammers on L2-1 and L3-1 (using 3 barrel boards to compensate for 2).
  
• Top hammer only on Level 06 and beyond.  Take the bottom hammer only for defensive purposes, or to offset a low scoring death on the previous screen.

Conveyors

• Take the free pass whenever it is clearly available.  Otherwise, take the bottom hammer or retreat to the lowest platform, depending on fireball movement.
• Collect 2 of the 3 prizes.  Grab the 3rd only when access is unrestricted.
• Use the left hammer for safety, if waiting for an opening on that side.

Elevators

• Collect all 3 prizes on every stage.
• Leech the fireball and springs on Levels 02 and 03, until the bonus timer reaches 400 (L2-2) or 1500 (L3-3).  Don't bother adjusting the horizontal position to leech the shortest springs (down the road, perhaps, but not yet).
• On the final ladder approach, retreat when necessary (i.e., don't be an idiot).

Rivets

• Use the Star as the primary pattern.
• Switch to the Weave if the firefox spawning locations and early behavior seem threatening (whatever that means).
• Take the easy taunting points on Levels 01 through 03, but don't jump through hoops in an attempt to force those opportunities.
• From Level 04 onward, unless there is a clear advantage to taking the top hammer, consider bypassing it, particularly if the lower hammer is productive and/or the board can be completed rather quickly (3000-4000 bonus timer points).

Using this approach (or some variation of it), I hope to secure a 115K start, 48K level averages, and 10K from deaths 1-3 combined (when running boards, points from barrel and spring deaths are generally low).  If all goes reasonably well, my first killscreen game could be somewhere in the 940K neighborhood.

[Shane_NC]

 Instead of spending hundreds of dollars and hours learning the game, now an expert player can explain to someone nearly all they'll need to know to get a KS in under 30 minutes!

Mitch, this is bullshit and you know it. You can be told exactly what and how to do, yet it still has to sink in and you still have to apply this to your game. How many players have been told to watch donkey kong and still get 1/16? How many players are told REPEATEDLY not to get on middle platform on pies with more than 1 fireball on each side, due to the possibility of being trapped, how many players and the list goes on and on and on... It does not work this way.

Being told the right way, and learning how to actively apply it to your game and the correct RNG situations is much much different.

Also, I played crazy kong for 4 hours + last night going for KS and the easy 2 fireball pie factories really opened my eyes to exactly how fucking hard DK really is. Just because some of you guys have invested 4+ years and 1000's of hours into the game doesnt, make it any easier.

Yea, there is more information out there than it used to be, yet we have only had 4 new KS in the last 9 months. And a few of these players had been playing for over 2 years.

It is honestly a struggle and very hard for a new player to learn strategy, apply it effectively, and achieve a KS. It is unbelievably hard. This isn't like running through mario 64 or playing bubble bobble. This is a really hard RNG game that is very very very difficult to complete.

[marinomitch13]

 Instead of spending hundreds of dollars and hours learning the game, now an expert player can explain to someone nearly all they'll need to know to get a KS in under 30 minutes!

Mitch, this is bullshit and you know it. You can be told exactly what and how to do, yet it still has to sink in and you still have to apply this to your game. How many players have been told to watch donkey kong and still get 1/16? How many players are told REPEATEDLY not to get on middle platform on pies with more than 1 fireball on each side, due to the possibility of being trapped, how many players and the list goes on and on and on... It does not work this way.

Being told the right way, and learning how to actively apply it to your game and the correct RNG situations is much much different.

Shane, I think you're misunderstanding what parts of 'getting' a DK KS I am saying is easier. In my mind, there are 2 parts to 'getting' a DK KS, one part is composed of 2 smaller parts. I implied this (pretty strongly) by my use of italics in the sentences preceding the one you quoted:

Essentially, the act of already having the necessary skills and executing a KS is the exact same as it was for people BITD, however, the process of acquiring that skill set is much, much easier and simpler now. Instead of spending hundreds of dollars and hours learning the game, now an expert player can explain to someone nearly all they'll need to know to get a KS in under 30 minutes!

The 2 main parts of getting a DK KS are as follows:

1) Acquiring the skills:

       a) This includes knowledge -which is the aspect of the whole process that I am saying is significantly easier than BITD.
       b) And this includes practicing to apply that knowledge consistently -this I also think is much easier than back in the day, since now 1a) you don't have to cough up money like some people did, or 1b) you don't have to have your own machine, like some people did before MAME was around and arcades basically had ceased to exist, 2) People can have the added accountability of streaming their game or submitting inps where the best current players can analyze the game and give you constant and immediate feedback (the very existence of the internet works wonders to this end).

2) Playing the actual individual game that results in the KS (this is after already having acquired the necessary skills) -this I am saying is basically the same as BITD, since, in general, the good/bad luck in DK will tend towards the same average across various machines/MAME roms.


So, with what I was trying to explain now having been made (hopefully) even clearer and more explicit, I'm gonna have to stand my ground and still say that in terms of acquiring the skills necessary for a KS, getting a DK KS is basically easier than it has ever been.