Williams Inferno 1,402,400 points

MAME Action Replay Page(MARP)/Twin Galaxies World Record Submission Wave 26

[@necrotick]

Awesome and congratulations! One of my favorite games. I wish they would re-release it.

[@ataris-worst-nightmare]

The inferno of William.

[@nightmaretheater_TheCount]

Very nice! What triggers an Inferno Wave?

[@jerky512dslextreme]

Following an enemy's "shadow/soul" into the mouth of the dragon head at the top center of the screen triggers an Inferno wave (by crossing the "tongue bridge" right behind them). You can jump to the Inferno wave as soon as you shoot at least one enemy an follow it's "soul" into the head. I usually try to wait until I am down to the last few enemies on a wave b4 doing so to maximize scoring (like Robotron each wave has a set number of enemies). You can skip Inferno waves by just shooting enemies until the wave is clear. On one hand you can score more points and earn extra lives via Inferno waves. But on the other hand, you can also die multiple times trying to just get to a safe spot to shoot enemies from on the later faster/harder Inferno waves esp if you screw up at the start of them. Maybe the best strategy is to access them early for more points and lives, and then skip them later in the game when it gets to hard to manage them consistently? I would have gone for the arcade WR too...but the original controls are so terrible especially that goofy easily breakable flightstick and crappy fire buttons :(

[@nightmaretheater_TheCount]

@@jerky512dslextreme Hi Jerky... Thanks for the detailed response! I used to play this game on MAME (where I first discovered it), probably about 15 years ago now. I was okay, I guess (I think my high was a little over 700K), but I have forgotten everything about playing the game. I recently pulled out my old gaming panel and that's when I spotted the game again. I tried to replay your video from the MARP site, but it didn't play, however I saw the same score listed on KZbin and watched it! I honestly can't remember if I knew how to access the Inferno waves, so I appreciate your tip. I do think you are right and that it's probably best to maximize the inferno waves early, and then avoid them later when they get crazy. Looking at the game, I believe that there is probably specific innate strategies for each different type of wave, instead of just free-forming it like on Robotron. You seemed to have a good grasp on this judging by what I saw in your KZbin video, but it makes me wonder if these strategies can be further broken down / exploited? I saw an image of the Inferno control panel, and I'm curious if the handles are designed to go diagonally like the paths on the game screen. I find it challenging to maneuver diagonally when my joystick is just designed to go up-down / left-right. But you said you've played an arcade version? So you would probably have the answer to that? Did you have the up-down / left-right for MAME? Anyway, congrats on a great score on a tough game! I can appreciate the skill that went into this challenging game 👍

[@jerky512dslextreme]

Glad you enjoyed the playback. It is a recording of my MARP/TG score (inp still on TG maybe?). I haven't played this game in ages, but yes I have a specific strategy/sort of starting pattern for each wave. They are fairly similar at least a far as where good starting "safe" spots in mazes are (only 4 maze layouts correct?). It only gets trickier later as more enemies + tanks appear along with the pteredactyl? helicopter like enemies that only appear on earlier waves when you take too long. If I recall wave 21-24 seem to repeat as far a being able to use the same methods...that I am sure could be dialed in better...so it has marathon potential. I think much higher scores are possible because you can rinse and repeat that last loop of waves...and maybe last longer if you skip later Inferno waves. I think I had to get used to my 8 way joysticks being offset from the diagonals. In other words I was translating horizontal and vertical to the games diagonals. I think the highly disappointing arcade controls have a left 4 way joystick for diagonal movement, and an 8 way garbage flight stick controller with two terrible fire buttons. I just setup a fire button right next to my right joystick so I could hit it with my thumb/side of my hand. Good fire buttons make all the difference on Inferno waves. This weird control setup led me to develop the rush to a safe spot and shoot/convert enemies to souls way of clearing waves you see in the playback. Minimal movement needed...then run to the next safe spot and so on to the Inferno Wave or kill off the enemies to advance. I also try to knock out the tank treads on the later waves early to freeze them at good spots in the maze to get by their shots and more easily finish them off. As far as Inferno waves and souls go, there are plenty of points on the table from collecting souls instead of letting them head off to the Inferno land the way I was playing. At the time it seemed the best way to score high, get to the 21-24 loop, and build up lives on the way...if I had a good run of Inferno waves and didn't lose multiple lives that is. Maybe there is a better way to do the Inferno waves, possibly with actual diagonal controls for movement, and enough points from collecting souls to skip them on later waves? Again because of my wonky control setup I would run to the closest side wall where I only had to shoot 1-2 directions instead of even trying to run around the Inferno maze more like playing Robotron or Black Widow. When I get some free time I will try to revisit this game ;) Happy Gaming!