From: gleeson@mundil.cs.mu.OZ.AU (Red Mountain)
Subject: Re: The Getaway (Was: Re: What about Star Trek???)
Organization: Computer Science, University of Melbourne, Australia
Date: Sun, 27 Sep 1992 15:00:40 GMT

In <1992Sep27.084319.20098@colorado.edu> drew@juliet.cs.colorado.edu (Drew Eckhardt) writes:

>Only four minor things are wrong with HSII : 
>1.  Video mode is worth a disproportionate number of points.

I'm still undecided about this one. As you say, it is disproportionate, in that
it scores more than a Jackpot, but on the other hand, if you look at in the
context of the gear awards, in fits in nicely.

>2.  Of the half dozen or so machines I've played, I haven't seen 
>    the auto plunger working consistiently and properly (ie, 
>    getting the ball up to the top flipper so you can shoot speed loops
>    or lock a ball).

This is a gripe I have also. The problem is that the plunger is not powerful
enough to be consistent. If you play a series of games starting with a
cold machine (i.e. left off for a few hours), the plunger is usually strong
enough to do what it's supposed to for the first half-hour or so, but as
it gets warmer, it gets worse :-(

>3.  Some times when you nail two or three balls into the super 
>    charger at one time they colide and one shoots back out,
>    straight down the drain.

Yeah, a bummer, but it's a matter of timing, and I'm willing to live with
such a great feature (the Supercharger) that has only the smallest of
bugs. I think Williams did a pretty good engineering job on this one, and
I certainly can't think of a way of letting more than one ball in without
this happening every once in a while.

>4.  The right flippers are not controlled by a two possition switch.  This
>    means you can't trap a ball on the lower right flipper during multi-ball, 
>    and still use the top right flipper.

Yep, this sucks big time, and is a big deviation from most Wms/Bally games
with more than one flipper/button.

>I still love HSII.  

So do I :-)

>1.  The scoring is good.
>Everything is progressive, ie you build up RPMs, getting better 
>awards as you get more RPMs,  until you hit Red Line mania which 
>awards 10M + light extra ball + light jackpot + multiball etc.  
>The freeway awards additional points, until you light multiball.

Yep, see my comments above on how Video Mode fits in. Note also that for
the higher awards, the higher points are not guaranteed unless you can play
reasonably well. I wish I had a free game for every time I've seen someone
get next to nothing for Video Mode, Supercharger or Redline Mania...

>Although there is one main objective (multi-ball, with multiple 
>super jackpots), the other targets are still significant enough 
>(ie, I've gotten ~15M helicopter bonuses, ~27M video modes, 
>freeway millions, 10M for the super charger shot, 5M per loop 
>from 4th gear redline except for the super charger, which is 
>5-10-15, etc.

>2.  The sound is good.

>ZZtop.  No fake Jamacian accent or anoying Scotty telling you to 
>"Shoot the transporter".  Some humor, ie "Anything you say will
>be used against you in a court of law."

Not to mention the rumbling while you 'idle' at the start of a ball, the
skid when you lose a ball (& the crash when you lose the last ball), and
the great integration of graphics & great sound for Jackpot, Super Jackpot
and Redline Mania.

>4.  I like the playfield layout.  

>There are targets to hit off of each of the three flippers.  You have to 
>play the six targets at the bottom of the playfield so you can relight
>kickback (which, if set up right, generally kicks the ball right up 
>to the tunnel, which will get you extra ball / burn rubber / tunnel
>shots).  You have to play the targets at the top off of the top flipper 
>so  

Steve Ritchie seems to do this every time. You not only get a wide open
playfield with those great looping shots, but also a variety of choices
for each shot, something really lacking in most DE games I've played.

>5.  Wms. did a good job at integrating the graphics into the game.

>Ie, when you run the red light on the play field, you run the 
>red light on the screen.  Getting RPM's increases a tach. on both
>the playfield and on the screen.  

The integration of graphics & sound into the game is just as good as TAF, IMO.

>See how this compares to something like LWIII, where the movie "stunts"
>look like they're just there so DE can say "Wow! look at what we can do"

Yeah, blechh.

>The donut shop and hitchiker scenes aren't bad either. 

>7.  I like the theme. 

>"Run the red light" to get multi ball.  "Getaway" from the police. 
>Drive through the tunnel with a police chopper in hot pursuit 
>and watch it crash... 

And keep on crankin' that baby up 'till it goes Redline!

	"Watch ouuuuttt!"       Crash!

Marty.
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Martin J. Gleeson  | Computer Science, Melbourne Uni, Oz |    ...  __o    Outta
gleeson@mundil.cs.mu.oz.au |     E Pluribus Unix         |  ...   -\<,       my
"We gladly feast on those who would subdue us." - Addams |  ....(_)/(_)..  way!
 "I can't give you brains, but I can give you a diploma." - The Wizard of Oz
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