Omicron (Compute's Gazette)

Omicron is a game which creates a universe full of hostile aliens. To play and win, you must survive 16 waves of 15 enemies each. This is anything but an easy task-you'll be facing some of the deadliest and fastest creatures ever to visit the screen of your computer.
The article for this game can be found on page 44 of Issue 46 (April 1987): https://archive.org/details/1987-04-computegazette/page/n45/mode/2up

Why TAS This Game?

Its my continuation of TASing games from my all-time favorite magazine, Compute's Gazette. This makes my 7th TAS from this series. Additionally, this game has some hard physics to overcome. It was one of my top favorites, as I even play this game still today! As usual, I want to see quick work of this game. In fact, I never knew that this game had an end. I think my best effort was making it to about round 12 or 13.
Previous Compute's Gazette submissions include (In order of submission):

Level Choice and Game Ending

In this TAS, I choose the hardest difficulty of "Expert". There is no time loss in selecting this, and makes for the best TAS possible.
As for the ending, this is one of the more clear endings of these "Type-End" games. Once you complete 16 rounds...that's it!

Effort In TASing

This game took me a few weeks to TAS. As usual, I try to give my best effort on the first "run-through". As with all the games I've TASed, there is always an increase of knowledge on the physics and strategies as you progress through. So, my normal practice is to re-TAS the game a 2nd time...trying to beat every level.

Human Comparison

It was hard to find anyone who has played this game. This was the only video that I could find.

feos: Claiming for judging.
feos: ACCEPTING FOR EXCELLENT PLAY !!
Another port of this game was brought up, and it looks like the speed is very different, as well as action intensity, so they would co-exist.

despoa: Processing...


TASVideoAgent
They/Them
Moderator
Joined: 8/3/2004
Posts: 15568
Location: 127.0.0.1
This topic is for the purpose of discussing #8245: nymx's C64 Omicron in 03:19.29
GJTASer2018
He/Him
Joined: 1/24/2018
Posts: 303
Location: Stafford, NY
This is very clearly inspired by the Omega Race arcade game. I wonder how this type-in game stacks up to the official Commodore 64 port of Omega Race?
c-square wrote:
Yes, standard runs are needed and very appreciated here too
Dylon Stejakoski wrote:
Me and the boys starting over our games of choice for the infinityieth time in a row because of just-found optimizations
^ Why I don't have any submissions despite being on the forums for years now...
eien86
He/Him
Judge, Skilled player (1872)
Joined: 3/21/2021
Posts: 261
Location: Switzerland
Good stuff, although I'm afraid this choice of games betrays your age ;)
Patashu
He/Him
Joined: 10/2/2005
Posts: 4043
Simple but obviously superhuman, and you gotta love a Rare You Win Screen.
My Chiptune music, made in Famitracker: http://soundcloud.com/patashu My twitch. I stream mostly shmups & rhythm games http://twitch.tv/patashu My youtube, again shmups and rhythm games and misc stuff: http://youtube.com/user/patashu
nymx
He/Him
Editor, Judge, Expert player (2231)
Joined: 11/14/2014
Posts: 929
Location: South Pole, True Land Down Under
GJTASer2018 wrote:
This is very clearly inspired by the Omega Race arcade game. I wonder how this type-in game stacks up to the official Commodore 64 port of Omega Race?
You are right! In fact, DrD2k9 and myself have been working on Omega Race for some time. So far, we have been stumped by one particular problem. Hopefully soon. :)
I recently discovered that if you haven't reached a level of frustration with TASing any game, then you haven't done your due diligence. ---- SOYZA: Are you playing a game? NYMX: I'm not playing a game, I'm TASing. SOYZA: Oh...so its not a game...Its for real? ---- Anybody got a Quantum computer I can borrow for 20 minutes? Nevermind...eien's 64 core machine will do. :) ---- BOTing will be the end of all games. --NYMX
nymx
He/Him
Editor, Judge, Expert player (2231)
Joined: 11/14/2014
Posts: 929
Location: South Pole, True Land Down Under
eien86 wrote:
Good stuff, although I'm afraid this choice of games betrays your age ;)
Uh...you just exposed me. :)
I recently discovered that if you haven't reached a level of frustration with TASing any game, then you haven't done your due diligence. ---- SOYZA: Are you playing a game? NYMX: I'm not playing a game, I'm TASing. SOYZA: Oh...so its not a game...Its for real? ---- Anybody got a Quantum computer I can borrow for 20 minutes? Nevermind...eien's 64 core machine will do. :) ---- BOTing will be the end of all games. --NYMX
Joined: 7/7/2017
Posts: 28
I had no idea such a solid Omega Race clone was published in that magazine!
Post subject: Movie published
TASVideoAgent
They/Them
Moderator
Joined: 8/3/2004
Posts: 15568
Location: 127.0.0.1
This movie has been published. The posts before this message apply to the submission, and posts after this message apply to the published movie. ---- [5317] C64 Omicron by nymx in 03:19.29