Arno Dash - Thank You!

[johnomg]

G'day All

I've just finished playing Arno Dash 01 to 20 and wanted to say "Thank You" to Arno for taking the time to make them. I enjoyed each game and found them addictive, much to the wife's disgust

Looking back there are several Caves that stick in my mind for different reasons.

Strategically:
- I liked the Decoy routes (?) in some Caves that seemed to be the obvious solution but ended up being time wasters. The correct route was cunningly hidden within those Caves

- I disliked the Caves where Rockford moved off the visible screen and you had to guess at the route that would bring him back onto the visible screen, in each case I ended up having to look at the Cave Map

Visually:
- I liked ArnoDash02 Cave/06. I found the Diamonds had a hypnotic effect, maybe it appealed to my inner child that enjoys twinkling objects

- I disliked ArnoDash12 Cave/12. Stumbling around in the dark bumping into objects and going down deadends was too much like real life for me

There are way too many other Caves I liked to mention here, suffice to say the puzzles and correct way to solve them was entertaining.

Once again.... "Thank You" Arno for taking the time to make games that others can enjoy.

Regards
John

[Arno]

Hey John!
Thanx for playing through my complete series!! Always nice to get feedback on your creations.

Still hungry? There's also Exploding 1/2, Santa's and Future Dash to play.

[johnomg]

Hey John!
Thanx for playing through my complete series!! Always nice to get feedback on your creations.

Your welcome Arno

Still hungry? There's also Exploding 1/2, Santa's and Future Dash to play.

I began playing them right after I finished the Arno Dash series

Shhhh....the wife doesn't know yet

[Arno]

I began playing them right after I finished the Arno Dash series

Shhhh....the wife doesn't know yet

Well, good luck! Hope I'm not ruining your marriage...

[johnomg]

Well, good luck! Hope I'm not ruining your marriage...

Like any Good Hubby I'm capable of ruining it on my own....so the wife says and I have her permission to say so

[Arno]

Just wondering, John, did you actually complete every cave, or did you skip some of them? I know that part of my caves are experienced as difficult - there is even one cave that I've completed myself only once (with emulation speed on 50%... )

[johnomg]

G'day Arno

As far as I can remember I completed all 400 Caves contained within Arno Dash 01 to 20. It is possible that I may of skipped a particularly hard Intermission Cave but I don't think so???

If you let me know which Cave your speaking about I will look at it again and let you know.

Just to let you know I start all the Caves at Full Speed, then depending on the difficulty (and after a lot of attempts) I drop the speed to (usually) 75% or 50% (no lower than that so far) to complete them.

As a youth I was never what you would call a "Good Gamer", unlike Wine age has not improved me at all, just ask the wife

Some may consider dropping the Emulation Speed as cheating and I suppose it is in a way if you look at the Game in it's Pure Form.

I have a different view though, the Game (whatever Game it is) should challenge the Players own abilities and skills while still being achievable for them. Games that only the "Best Players" can complete (in it's Pure Form) have a limited target audience, (as mentioned in a previous post) people like me with a lower skill set soon bore of games that they can't progress within.

I would be the first to admit that there are Players with much better abilities and skills than mine....but my level of enjoyment would equal theirs without a doubt. I play at a difficulty level that challenges "my" abilities and skills....after all isn't that what really matters???

[RTADash]

I would be the first to admit that there are Players with much better abilities and skills than mine...

Maybe second.
http://www.boulder-dash.nl/forum/viewtopic.php?t=73

I probably wouldn't even consider myself an advanced player.

[johnomg]

Maybe second.

Bugga....I even got beat on that

[Arno]

Some may consider dropping the Emulation Speed as cheating and I suppose it is in a way if you look at the Game in it's Pure Form.

I have a different view though, the Game (whatever Game it is) should challenge the Players own abilities and skills while still being achievable for them. Games that only the "Best Players" can complete (in it's Pure Form) have a limited target audience, (as mentioned in a previous post) people like me with a lower skill set soon bore of games that they can't progress within.

Yes, for similar reasons I don't see cheating as spoiling of the game at all. Indeed, some games are so difficult that it is almost impossible to reach the end without cheating. If I do not manage to beat the harder levels, and spend most of the time in playing the same first levels again and again.... then I get bored and start looking for something different.

If you let me know which Cave your speaking about I will look at it again and let you know.

It's AD14 cave 14. In my view the most difficult cave from my series, and only cave that I have myself completed just once ever. Well, I have to say that avoiding fireflies and butterflies is not my best skill within BD.

[johnomg]

It's AD14 cave 14. In my view the most difficult cave from my series, and only cave that I have myself completed just once ever. Well, I have to say that avoiding fireflies and butterflies is not my best skill within BD.

OH MAN!!!....That Cave is a Killer!!!

I did finish it the first time around and tried again just to be sure.

Like you I'm not the best when a Cave is swarming with Fireflies and Butterflies going in all directions.

100% was a big No-Go for me as was 75%, I had to play it at 50% and after a few false starts remembered how I completed it the first time. I moved straight down then Counter Clockwise around the Cave collecting the Diamonds on the Bottom half first, then the Right Side, then the Top half of the Cave and finally the Left side before heading for the Exit.

For me it's an extremely challenging Cave (every time I play it) as it forces me to play to the very best of my abilities using all my powers of observation and anticipation.

I think I used 1 Freeze half way through just to let my heart rate return to normal

[subotai]

I agree with johnomg. I also adore your games. I've just a question about them.

Can you tell me please, in which caves you are using effects and what kind of effects. I'm converting some more games to my remake file format and would like to check the compatiblitiy. Thanks in advance

[Arno]

I agree with johnomg. I also adore your games.

Thanks, subotai!

Can you tell me please, in which caves you are using effects and what kind of effects. I'm converting some more games to my remake file format and would like to check the compatiblitiy. Thanks in advance

I've used some small effects in several caves.
- AD17:5 is an intermission using the area outside the visible part (Rockford must run out of the screen). Also in Santa's BD:20 I use this area to create sound effects (exploding fireflies).
- AD17:14 has an open border, like AD20:9 and AD20:12. Future Dash has such open borders in all caves, but this is a different engine with different behaviour.
- AD17:16 and AD19:16 use the fact that items on the upper border get glued (in the PLCK engine).
- Multiple Rockfords: AD13:2, AD15: all intermissions, AD17:7/10/16/17.
- Multiple exits: AD14:19, AD15:5, AD17:4/10/12/16/17/19/20, AD18:17.

Good luck again with your remake! Merry xmas and a happy new year!

[subotai]

Thanks Arno, that helped me much. I also wish you a happy new year