Post by squeedle on Jun 19, 2018 21:01:28 GMT -5
I've been researching the scoring mechanism in Startropics a lot in the past few weeks and I have discovered that the famous "n" score (as in, the number of enemies that need to be defeated before the score is decremented by 30) can follow a pattern as opposed to being fixed. I've been tinkering because I would love to know the "perfect" score for the game, and my long-range hope is that perhaps Max Score will become a speed-running category at some point!
Anyway, I've been using 3 Game Genie codes to conduct this research, so that I have ultimate control over how many enemies I defeat. Those codes are:
SZNZGPAX - No Damage from Enemies
SZNZAKSE - Able to jump on Water, Lava, etc. without dying (acts like panel)
PAEUPZZA - Doors that normally require enemies to be defeated will instantly open as you enter the room
I can confirm the already established mechanisms of:
* Levels have a max score of 7650 (255*30).
* After a certain number of ANY enemy is defeated (doesn't matter, big or small, boss or not), the max score is reduced by 30 for a level.
* Remainders are rounded back down.
Some mysteries that are still out there:
* I believe levels must have a score floor of some kind. I even think I've hit it before in Magma's Tunnel, as I was using save states in an attempt to hit a specific score, and I hit a wall where it didn't matter how many enemies I killed, I couldn't lower my score any further.
* A couple of videos out there, including a speed-run at one of the Games Done Quick marathon, have indicated an issue in World 6 where defeating certain enemies can RAISE your score.
* I have heard reports that the short tunnel in World 3 may have a different maximum since it's so tiny. I'll be checking this soon.
In any case, through two worlds (and MAN did I run those first two dungeons a lot!) I can report that the Max Score for 1-1 as well as 2-1 is 7500, meaning that the best score through the first two worlds is 15000. You must kill 21 enemies in 1-1 and you must kill 18 in 2-1.
For 1-1, the n value does not change, and it's 4. Thus, killing 21 enemies causes 5 subtractions of 30, for a total loss of 150 points from the max of 7650. There's even some wiggle room in there, as one could kill up to 23 enemies and receive the same score. However, on 2-1, I found a funky pattern after a lot of test runs...the n value alternates between 3 and 4, back and forth. Thus, penalties are incurred after 3 enemies are killed, then 7 enemies, then 10 enemies, then 14 enemies, then 17 enemies, and so on. A kill count of 18 results in 5 subtractions on this level, therefore.
I will keep researching this mechanism, just for my own curiosity!
Anyway, I've been using 3 Game Genie codes to conduct this research, so that I have ultimate control over how many enemies I defeat. Those codes are:
SZNZGPAX - No Damage from Enemies
SZNZAKSE - Able to jump on Water, Lava, etc. without dying (acts like panel)
PAEUPZZA - Doors that normally require enemies to be defeated will instantly open as you enter the room
I can confirm the already established mechanisms of:
* Levels have a max score of 7650 (255*30).
* After a certain number of ANY enemy is defeated (doesn't matter, big or small, boss or not), the max score is reduced by 30 for a level.
* Remainders are rounded back down.
Some mysteries that are still out there:
* I believe levels must have a score floor of some kind. I even think I've hit it before in Magma's Tunnel, as I was using save states in an attempt to hit a specific score, and I hit a wall where it didn't matter how many enemies I killed, I couldn't lower my score any further.
* A couple of videos out there, including a speed-run at one of the Games Done Quick marathon, have indicated an issue in World 6 where defeating certain enemies can RAISE your score.
* I have heard reports that the short tunnel in World 3 may have a different maximum since it's so tiny. I'll be checking this soon.
In any case, through two worlds (and MAN did I run those first two dungeons a lot!) I can report that the Max Score for 1-1 as well as 2-1 is 7500, meaning that the best score through the first two worlds is 15000. You must kill 21 enemies in 1-1 and you must kill 18 in 2-1.
For 1-1, the n value does not change, and it's 4. Thus, killing 21 enemies causes 5 subtractions of 30, for a total loss of 150 points from the max of 7650. There's even some wiggle room in there, as one could kill up to 23 enemies and receive the same score. However, on 2-1, I found a funky pattern after a lot of test runs...the n value alternates between 3 and 4, back and forth. Thus, penalties are incurred after 3 enemies are killed, then 7 enemies, then 10 enemies, then 14 enemies, then 17 enemies, and so on. A kill count of 18 results in 5 subtractions on this level, therefore.
I will keep researching this mechanism, just for my own curiosity!