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Two questions.

First, how do you access the secret levels?

Second, can the beginner mode be split off from these romsets? Are they already?

roncli wrote:Two questions.

First, how do you access the secret levels?

Second, can the beginner mode be split off from these romsets? Are they already?

The beginner mode used to be split off, but they aren't now.

What happened?

It was determined the game play was exact or very similar and didn't warrant a split. Splits will not occur based on skill level differences alone.

***PL*** wrote:It was determined the game play was exact or very similar and didn't warrant a split. Splits will not occur based on skill level differences alone.

The gameplay wasn't any easier or different, it was just 10 levels, instead of however many is in the normal Tour Mode (40?). However, I have no idea if those levels were duplicated in the normal game or not.

It's 50 levels, seymour.

And the training levels were NOT duplicated - they were ten completly different levels... and that's why I'm p.o.ed about it.

gameboy9 wrote:It's 50 levels, seymour.

And the training levels were NOT duplicated - they were ten completly different levels... and that's why I'm p.o.ed about it.

Ah, 50. I haven't gotten very good at Pang 3 yet, so I had no idea

Maybe we should have a poll to re-split them. Considering the 10 levels in the "beginner" mode are completely different, it sounds good to me. It's not "beginner" because it's easier, just because there are only 10 levels and then the game is over...

Did anyone actually consider that, or did they just see the word "beginner" and assume it was the same, only easier? I was pretty annoyed about that myself, since it was fun trying to tweak out extra points in that mode.

To hell with a poll - I think that the beginner mode should be split like it was before: pang3-10 (I think? - or maybe pang3-bm), pang3-tm, pang3-pm, and pang3-sl (how the hell do you get the secret levels, anyway?).

And pang3j-* as well, of course.

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a ... _id=006Fif

I disagree with the logic used to unsplit Pang 3 beginner mode, as the levels are different... there's just less of them.

No poll is needed. This should be split.

And someone tell us how to get to the secret levels!!!

roncli wrote:http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a ... _id=006Fif

I disagree with the logic used to unsplit Pang 3 beginner mode, as the levels are different... there's just less of them.

No poll is needed. This should be split.

And someone tell us how to get to the secret levels!!!

I disagree as well. That makes 3 of us, at least.

Oh yeah, you could have searched the old message board archive on these forums
viewtopic.php?t=7503&highlight=pang

Well the Puzzle Bobble beginner modes have not been split - even though the levels are different, on the grounds that more points can (in theory) be obtained on the Normal difficulty levels to compensate.

But in reality, it is far easier to get a high score in Beginner mode (and some of the highest scores are of beginner mode plays).

I agree that beginner modes should be split, but thought I'd post this to try and shed some light on why pang3 beginner mode was not split.

Kranser.

I'd like to thank Seymour for pointing out that old thread.

The reason the "original" modes in Namco Classics have endings is because that's how the soft DIPs in those games are set.

For example:

Hit F2 and go to Game Options. You'll see a total of ten items; the bottom seven are:

• Old Galaga Options
• New Galaga Options
• Old Xevious Options
• Super Xevious Options
• New Xevious Options
• Old Mappy Options
• New Mappy Options

The "new" options refer to the Arrangement modes.

As far as the "old" options go:

Old Galaga: the Final Stage option can be 31, 63, 95, or Endless. Endless would duplicate the original machine's behavior, with the possible exception of the game's problems at the end of stage 255 on anything other than the highest difficulty (haven't tested it).

Old/Super Xevious: I'm not sure if the original machine has an ending to the game; if so, you'd have to change Final Lap to Endless (rather than 1, 2, 3, or 4 Laps).

Old Mappy: Final Stage options are 15, 23, 31, 39, and Endless.

Anyone else think we should consider splitting these so that the original modes are available (basically as time-trial versions of the original games)?

kranser wrote:Well the Puzzle Bobble beginner modes have not been split - even though the levels are different, on the grounds that more points can (in theory) be obtained on the Normal difficulty levels to compensate.

But in reality, it is far easier to get a high score in Beginner mode (and some of the highest scores are of beginner mode plays).

I agree that beginner modes should be split, but thought I'd post this to try and shed some light on why pang3 beginner mode was not split.

Kranser.

From what you've said, after the Puzzle Bobble beginner modes, you go on to the Normal modes? Or did I miss something there... if so, that isn't like Pang 3 at all. For most games, I'd probably agree that beginner modes shouldn't be split, because they just start out slower, or an earlier level, or something like that.

In pang3, once you finish the 10 (unique) levels in the beginner mode, that's it. Game over. No more. It's completely seperate from the regular Tour Mode. And the Panic Mode. And I still have no idea about those Secret Levels...

No, Puzzle Bobble is like Pang, the beginner mode has less levels (different designs than the normal mode version), and it's game over once those have been completed.

I'd also like to know about those Pang3 Secret levels - anyone?

Kranser.

MDenham wrote: Anyone else think we should consider splitting these so that the original modes are available (basically as time-trial versions of the original games)?

Yes, there is no reason NOT to split them. They are just like another clone added to MAME, in a sense. And both Japanese version's pictures need to be changed (they are all Galaga Arrangement).