The how long will it take to clear, thread...

[Gaijin Punch]

Okay, here's something new, sort of. I'll post a game I intend to clear, and like a huge internet dork, document how long it takes. I started Rolling Thunder 2 in Mame for some random reason last week (I believe on Thursday). And, I'm only up to stage 5 of 8. Considering I only do about 3 good runs per day I play (and don't get to play every single day) I think 2 weeks for a game of moderate challenge seems about right.

Rules: Continues/credit-feeding practice okay. No save state mid-stage and whatnot. All defaults.

Round 3: Magical Crystals
Progress
Day 2 (3:01:50) 273,329 4-3
Day 3 (4:0X.XX ) 384,124 6-1

Round 2: Diet Go Go
Result:
5 Days (4:45:21 Total Play Time)

Progress:
Day 5 (4:45:21) 2,545,298 ALL
Day 4 (4:54:20) 1,764,250 Stage 10-8 (whatever the Boss is)
Day 3 (2:57:XX) 1,630,XXX Stage 10-5
Day 2 (1:56:37) 1,533,023 Stage 10-1

Round 1: Rolling Thunder 2
Result:
1 Week

Progress:
2009.04.06: Stage 6
2009.04.08: Stage 7
2009.04.09: ALL (2-miss)

[LGB]

Great idea, I had wanted to do this with Vermillion ages ago, but that um... died...

Lately, I've been playing Aurail, probably for the past week if my memory is correct. I'm only up to stage 6, as I find stage 4 and 6 tough to manage (but I've only gotten to 6 once, mind you). Twiddle says there are 16 levels, with a pattern to it: overhead level, first-person level, tougher overhead level w/ boss at the end. Then there's some really tough final level. Now I may have that wrong, and there's 15, but I could have sworn TWI said 16.

I reckon this game will take a month or two, with consistent playing (a couple of runs every day).
--------
Progress:
[04/??/09‾04/06/09] Stage 6

[Gaijin Punch]

Never gave that one a fair chance, honestly.

[Gaijin Punch]

Stage 8 is bullshit.

[Gaijin Punch]

Aight, cleared this one. Didn't think I'd do it, so wasn't recording. If anyone wants to see a no miss run (not me, obviously) then check this link:

http://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm4573870
http://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm4574386

This didn't come in nearly as handy as you'd think. I figure out my own pattern on stage 8, and it's actually better than the one in the video. My end score wasn't as high though.

[JoshF]

I thought you took half damage for running into enemies. Is the MD version different?

[Gaijin Punch]

I thought you took half damage for running into enemies. Is the MD version different?

In the arcade (original and #2) it's only if they punch you. Watch the video on stage 8. There's a few places where you sit there, squatting down, behind a box, w/ someone right in front of you throwing their fist (in vein). Part of the strategy.

[Ruldra]

I'm pretty sure you don't lose a life if you touch enemies in the MD version too.

It's weird that the arcade version has no bosses. The MD version has plenty of them (one for every even-numbered stage IIRC). The robot from stage 2 pissed me off to no end.

--

Regarding the thread, unless you're playing every day, I don't think it's good to measure your progress by days. Normally I measure it by hours spent (MAME registers your play time). It took me months to beat ESP Ra.De., but I never played it consistently. When I finally beat it, MAME showed that I spent only 15 hours in it, much less than I expected.

In average it takes me around 20 hours to beat a game, but this number can vary greatly (UN Squadron took me 8 hours, Rayforce took me 50 ).

[Gaijin Punch]

How do I found my hours played? Good to know... but I just upgraded my machine, so it's only good from here on out.

Rayforce took me 50

Shit... is this really that hard?

[Ruldra]

Put the mouse over Description, click the right mouse button and choose Customize fields. Re-arrange all the fields as you see fit.

This is what mine looks like: http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/9691/mame.png

Shit... is this really that hard?

I was playing for score from the start, as I wanted to beat shnobi's score (5 millions), so it took me much more time than if I just played for survival. But Rayforce is hard indeed.

[Gaijin Punch]

Aaah... you know, I probably can't see it b/c the resolution is so low. Lemme dick around w/ it a bit.

Did you be Ben Shinobi's score?

[Ruldra]

Yeah, beat it by 200k points. During STGT we had to play again and I broke my previous record by 100k more. Then sikraiken comes in with a 6 million score and claiming to have played for only 2 days. Wtf?

Either way, after 50 hours I'm just sick of it. Dunno how the japanese can spend over 1500 hours in a game.

[Gaijin Punch]

Either way, after 50 hours I'm just sick of it.

This is my problem. Generally after I get the clear I'm pretty tired of something. Cave's games have broken this mold for the most part, but there's only a few that I've cleared about 10 times or more, going for a higher score. ESPGaluda, ESPGaluda 2, Futari BL: God Mode.

I love your Youtube channel, btw. What's next on your list?

EDIT: My playtime for Rolling Thunder 2 was 6:39. That doesn't sound right. I save state to save my scores (I know, I'm a dork). Does that have anything to do w/ it, or is the audit complete external to the game itself? Sometimes if I would have a shit run, instead of tab->reset game, I would just reload the state after a fresh boot.

In fact, I'd say I put in 2 hours alone on the last stage. There's no checkpoint, so if you don't go all the way through the boss, it's back to stage 1.

[Ruldra]

As far as I know, the clock starts when you enter the game, and stops when you hit ESC. Whatever you do in-game doesn't affect it at all.

6 hours sounds about right. Normally you have the feeling you spent much more time than you really did.

What's next on your list?

1st loop of Dogyuun I'll try to put the original soundtrack in it as well.

[LGB]

1942: Stage 7
19XX: Stage 5-2
Andro Dunos: Stage 4

[04/17/09] Andro Dunos stage 4 reached.
[04/18/09] More 19XX and Air Gallet today.
[04/21/09] 1942 Stage 7. How mortifying, it doesn't mean much until I reach stage 9.

[Gaijin Punch]

1st loop of Dogyuun I'll try to put the original soundtrack in it as well.

Cool -- good luck w/ that. It's fucking long and hard if I remember. 10 stages, no?

[Gaijin Punch]

Trying Diet Go Go now.

[Kaneda]

Good choice. It's not a hard game, but for some reason it took me forever to beat it. Definitely my favorite single-screen platformer.

[Gaijin Punch]

It's looking to me like there are 11 worlds (and not 10, like with Tumble Pop). It's a nice challenge in parts...definitely nothing like Snow Bros., which is IMHO too hard.

The only thing I don't like is the randomness of the bonuses (and therefore extends).

[JoshF]

Diet Go Go is probably the easiest of the 3 Makoto Kikuchi platform games. If you're not playing for score you can clear most of a screen before the enemies can barely move.

[Kaneda]

I know Tumble Pop, but what`s the third Kikuchi platformer?

[JoshF]

Joe & Mac Returns. The best I think.

Also: Undercover Cops. Start the clock.

[Gaijin Punch]

Joe & Mac Returns. The best I think.

This one is next on the list. Is the order of chronology Tumble Pop -> Diet Go Go -> Tatakae Genshijin 2 (or whatever the Japanese name is)? I have a book that catalogues all arcade releases... but not w/ me at the moment.

Also: Undercover Cops. Start the clock.

Sheeee---iiiiiit.

I doubt I will ever 1CC anything in that genre. Are you giving it a go?

[Kaneda]

Beat-em-ups are the one genre where I also have never cleared a game and probably never will. They get real dirty real quick. Even the easier ones like Metamorphic Force, Alien vs Predator and Ninja Baseball Batman kick my ass towards the end. I think if I could choose one to beat it would be X-Men, but that`ll have to wait for another day.

[saucykobold]

Interesting thread.

I started Sexy Parodius today. With any luck, I'll 1cc it in a few weeks.