I don't know, Twin Galaxies doesn't have the rules against how you earn points. Of coarse those are their rules, this is our contest, so its not like we can't do something different with them. But getting points by repeated shell ricochet, or hopping without touching the ground, or whacking shells up in the air, not really any different than revisiting rooms over and over again, afterall, you can only do it so long before times runs out, and being you only get 1 life, like with everything, there is that chance you could mess up and get killed or run out of time. But then, also progress would be very slow, those that are pros at those techniques could resort to doing just that stuff at every chance they get, kinda throwing the balance and fairness of the contest from others. I know how to do all of those tricks, but rarely use them. Personally I'm more for how far I can get into the game, I tend not to use any of those tricks all that often, don't see me using them for this contest either, I'm actually more curious of how far I can get on just one life, for a game like this, for me score is an afterthought.

I really wish we'd known about all those things in Snake Rattle 'n Roll which ended up being point abusion, kinda upset the contest for me, didn't even want to play anymore once I looped the score. Upset me that the score could be looped and also that it was too easily done. We gotta make sure we know and set down every rule possible if this SMB3 contest is to go smoothly and fun for everyone.

Rule set 1 choice:

*1 life, once you die, game over.
*No stage skipping at all, must enter and beat every stage in the game. Obviously this bans the use of the warp whistle and music box.
*No milking special techniques involving shells, and stomping on enemies continuously without touching the ground using the power of raccoon/tanuki/P-wing. Anything else?
*No revisiting of screens or stages (can you reenter stages, I forget?) for the purpose of recollecting coins and such.
*No wall jumping (don't believe I've ever done that), no passing through walls.
*Single player game only.

Rule set 2 choice:

*1 life, once you die, game over.
*No stage skipping at all, must enter and beat every stage in the game. Obviously this bans the use of the warp whistle and music box.
*Milk every technique you know, if you can do it in the game, go for it.
*No wall jumping (don't believe I've ever done that), no passing through walls.
*Single player game only.

Rule set 3 choice:

*1 life, once you die, game over.
*Warp and skip stages all you want, afterall, its all about the points, not who actually finishes the game first.
*Single player game only.

Regardless of what everyone else chooses to do with the game, I'll be playing a very basic game, no skipping stages or warping, using all power-ups and suits for what they're worth minus the p-wing, won't be milking points, and trying to get as far in the game as I can on my single life.

I agree that these rules need to be set early on. Looks like I'm more favoring Rule set 2. I think we should be able to do whatever point gaining technique we can, because, with the one life rule, you're gonna be chancing a lot if you cut it close - which is where the competition comes in. I think most people here can beat this game forwards and backwards with their eyes closed.

these rules are far too copmlicated and there is no way we will know if someones score is genuine!!!!

i would say if you do a 1 life rule you should be able to do whatever you want at least this was we dont have to worry too much about cheating. but then again whats to stop someone from using 2 lives? im not sure this is right for the contest here..

just my $.02, i will abide by whatever rules are established, but we had better do it today so we still have all week to play.

i do like choice 2 or 3 by miss clawful.

guys im thinking about just saying screw it to this game and choosing it another one, it seems like its just wayy to much problems
Jeremy

^ I don't think that is necessary. People could cheat on any one of these competitions. I think we just need to pick what the majority of people want and go with that. This competetion has always been on an honor system and I don't think this one would be any different.

Don't call of the contest. Sometimes we just need a day to work out rules that are fair for everyone, no biggie. I'm probably going to be playing this in a little bit, it'd suck if after I finished and came back to this topic and found that we're not going with it.

I'm most in favor of this one...

Rule set 3 choice:

*1 life, once you die, game over.
*Warp and skip stages all you want, afterall, its all about the points, not who actually finishes the game first.
*Single player game only.

Afterall, only 1 life, sure while the game is not all that hard to beat or collect points in, still not everyone is a pro at it, and with only 1 life to work with, we're all bound to do worst than we normally do, each of us has our own gaming skill levels, with the rules being more open everyone has a chance of giving it their best without too many complex restrictions. I think everyone should be allowed to play it in their own way, so long as they aren't cheating (game genie, save states, taking advantage of glitches).

But then maybe we should try for distance instead of score, no warps, play every stage, see how far you can get on a single life. Die, pause the game, take pic. Any thoughts?

sounds good to me, ppl agree?
Jeremy

Rule set three is going to be the easiest to go with, even though turtle shell abusing is kinda lame. If it isn't a rule don't have to worry about anyone cheating though. =P

I kind of like 2 better, because then you can't skip the hard levels and are required to beat each and every one of them. But, I'd be find with 3 as well.

ok rules are set...

the only rule is one life!

here is my first score. in this run i died foolishly on the main boss on world 3.

does anyone know what you do to recieve the 'n' spade cards, because in this run i recieved more of them then i have ever seen. it gave me 4 or them off 1-1. lol

I think you just had to get 80,000 points and beat the level that you passed that point threshold in.

^ ok that makes sence.

How did you get 240,000 points off the first level though lol? I also thought the most you could get per level was 1.

the modusco method, i had aomost 400,000 from 1-1 and it gave me 4 of them they were all sitting right on top of each other. then on 1-2 i think i got 2 more of them at once.

wow, this is getting complex. I like rule set 2

I don't know, but the more I think about it, the more I think we should go for a farthest stage contest. Points would count if two players make the complete run with one life, the highest pointer would win. No Warp, must complete all stages.
It would make the contest less time consuming. Trying to do maximum points in every stage would make the run really long. What you guys and gals think?

i can beat the game in one life, every level, with probably one try. I think many others can too. don't see how that would be a contest.

Many others on the forum?
Anyway, if it's such a piece of cake for you, we'll stick to the point contest.

I could also beat the game on a single life going straight through.

Not me, shit, I've only played the game once in the last decade, and that was 2003. Farthest I can go so far without dying is world 3. But I've also been even stricter on myself for just coming back into the game after all those years, only getting power-ups within stages, no mushroom house or anything like that, must be out of my mind. I haven't been playing for score either though, just seeing how far I can make it on one life, which apparently isn't too far. I hate water and swimming in this game, feels like I'm swimming in mud Mario is so sluggish in it. Going to have a very difficult time with world 3.

Rule set 3 is it.

One life, do what ever you want. Highest score wins, or first to max it out. It's the easiest way to to do this and to ensure no one is getting an unfair advantage, whether its intentional or not.

^^ ok then my score stands in first place for now...

Been playing  the 1 life only game, trying to go for distance (personal quest to see how how quickly I can improve and how far I can get), playing all levels, not entering any of the bonus games or mushroom houses, using only those power-ups which I can find within the levels. Okay, all my scores so far:

SMB3-score at 1st death 303730 World 3-2
Died by Cheep-Cheep, talk about a lame death:


SMB3-score at 1st death 208600 World 2 desert
Burned to death by the Angry Sun:


SMB3-score at 1st death 416500 World 3 fortress2
Killed by Roto-Disc (damn slow ass swimming):


SMB3-score at 1st death 169340 World 2-2
Lost my footing, fell into that there pit, really bad way to go out, not even anything dangerous around:


SMB3-score at 1st death 330440 World 3-3
Friggin' Cheep-Cheep, such pest they are:


SMB3-score at 1st death 393340 World 3-6
Slipped off the edge going for the 1up which I didn't need being this is a 1 life only game:


SMB3-score at 1st death 607880 World 4 airship
Airship flies too slow, I got impatient, it was my undoing, burned to crisp by the flamejet on the right:

Well... died on 3-6 stupidly because of unforeseen (non-NES related) circumstances

Oh well, got a score to post. 676k

I have been waiting to enter a tourny. These look like a ton of fun. To many rules made this one way to confusing (not that I stood a chance anyway)
Maybe next week