Maze Master (Compute's Gazette)

Gobble goodies on the run in this fast-action arcade-style game. So...do you feel like racing? Well...get ready, because you'll have to do it inside of a mze. Don't dawdle--your computer-controlled opponent will prove to be a tough challenger. As you dash though the mazes of this game...you competition will be hot on your heels.
The article for this game can be found on page 54 of Compute's Gazette Issue 64 (October 1988)

Why TAS This Game?

The continuation of TASing games from my all-time favorite magazine, Compute's Gazette. This makes my 50th TAS from this series.
Boy! I was super excited when I got this magazine. In fact, I never type-ed in the other games...as this was my kind of game. I love the fact that it was written in machine language, which means it was going to be a smooth and fast running game. Not to mention, a really good game of competition with the inclusion of maze navigation. I wasn't disappointed back then, and I certainly am not today...as I never would have thought to see this game beaten so fast. It is the perfect game for TASing.
Previous Compute's Gazette submissions include (In order of submission):
1Astro-Panic!2Royal Rescue
3Miami Ice4Chopper 1
5Spike6Heat Seeker
7Omicron8Alien Armada
9Star Dragon10White Water
11Space Gallery12Bagdad
13Race Ace14Quolerus
15Trap16Maze-Mania
17Balloon Blitz18Bowling Champ
19Circuits20Going Up?
21Space Dock22Saloon Shootout
23Sno-Cat24Queens' Quarrel
25Stronghold26Lincoln Green
27Disc Blitz28SuperSprite
29Dunk30Basketball Sam & Ed
31Bee Zone32Q-Bird
33Space Worms34Powerball
35Castle Dungeon36Pool
37Snake Pit38RADs
39Spy Defense40The Forbidden Crypt
41Cosmic Combat42Canyon Cruiser
43Cell Runner44Sky Diver
45Snake Escape46The Viper
47Root Race48Cypher
49Revenge of Cyon

Game Difficulty and Ending

There isn't a direct difficulty, but a "on-demand" speed change of the game. As the game starts, you can select one of 4 speeds. I choose the fastest, obviously. As for the ending, it is very clear. The game will announce the winner when someone gets 176 dots.

Effort In TASing

Experience with other games certainly has made things easier. In this one, there is one more tactic that I have to think about, that I normally wouldn't have to do much of in my games..."Manage Back Tracking". In this game, you want to keep moving where dots exists. The constant eating of these will certainly assure you a win, the only problem is...I had to go back and forward to figure out which routes I could give up so that the longest ones can be my main point streaks. As you will see in this run, I eat the very last dot of the stretch...even though it doesn't disappear.
In this game, AI is more of the enemy. No RNG exists.

Human Comparison

Couldn't fine one. :(

Darkman425: Claiming for judging.
Darkman425: This looks good. There was a brief pause in movement but that might just be the game processing the AI's movement to grab dots near the player before letting the player move again.
Accepting to Standard.

despoa: Processing...


TASVideoAgent
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This topic is for the purpose of discussing #8773: nymx's C64 Maze Master in 00:20.26
Post subject: Movie published
TASVideoAgent
They/Them
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Joined: 8/3/2004
Posts: 15601
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. ---- [5726] C64 Maze Master by nymx in 00:20.26