Pikmin

GameFAQs archives

These are the full, expanded threads from the preserved GameFAQs threads. I had to exercise some wicked Perl voodoo to extract the actual text, bad HTML and all, from the archives provided by RockMFR 5 (and DistantSpring54), and patch up the code so it's valid. We couldn't preserve the links to the author name or message detail because they don't seem to work anymore.

Archive: 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · [5]

Posted by Rogue7 - 4/4/2003 3:21:23 PM

I was looking at $75 to fix my cube, so I just went ahead and bought new one. I figured I was going to get Metroid Prime and another controller sooner or later so to me it was a wash and I have a new one year waranty. Plus, I'm not going lie to you guys, the fiance said it was okay. Anyway, I'm back up and running and thanks for the concern.

Rocker, way to come through on the lost volume 2!
---
R7

Posted by DistantSpring54 - 4/4/2003 7:28:59 PM

[This message was deleted at the request of the original poster]

Posted by DistantSpring54 - 4/4/2003 7:29:15 PM

DS - 421
Does anyone mind if I take the liberties of posting the Challenge Mode High Scores?
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Current Pikmin Challenge Mode High Score Total: 1588
(221/452/291/421/203)

Posted by Master Bowser782 - 4/5/2003 1:58:13 PM

I'm not sure cause I started on Volume 4
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"Well if I had a dime for every time that happened, I would be rich."~Homer Simpson

Posted by DistantSpring54 - 4/5/2003 6:44:28 PM

FT - 205
I know you have 299's but I am quite convinced I will need a GameShark to do it... which should be released by the time I'm 75 (I'm 15 now btw)
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Current Pikmin Challenge Mode High Score Total: 1590
(221/452/291/421/205)

Posted by TomatoMan - 4/6/2003 10:22:11 AM

I thought the Game Shark (or Action Replay or whatever they call it) was released already. It isn't?

I've been keeping half an eye on it to see what the Pikmin codes would be, and according to their website it's only "inifinite life" (useless and laughable, nobody dies in pikmin) and "always 2nd day" - I didn't see a "stop clock" or "days don't end" code. Anybody have more current information?

TM

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http://tomatoman.net/pikmin/

Posted by Mikepharvey - 4/6/2003 11:38:33 AM

Action replay has been released in England, but the codes are useless like you say, so im not going to bother buying one.
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Incubus rule!

Posted by Ice Man - 4/6/2003 11:52:42 AM

ive got one but with pikmin the always on day 2 is wired because on impact site at the start it has more pellets so you can get about 30 pikmin instead of 25 and there are nectar patches but the main game is boring with this code on

Posted by SuperStein - 4/6/2003 1:55:57 PM

A friend of mine has AR. So I laid my hands on it for the first time yesterday. But I didn't event bother to try it.. infinite life? That sucks! Dying is a very cool way of finishing in Challenge Mode. Just imagine: You've cleared FT with lots of time to spare, then you can to toast Olimar on the nearest fire, and still finish a perfecto!
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Beauty lies in the eyes of the beerholder...!

Posted by robluvsnic - 4/6/2003 6:12:55 PM

Congrats, Rogue, on the new cube. When you bought it, did you feel that sense of excitement that came with the first cube? I strongly feel you should break it in with a FN 482.

Congrats too, DS, for the new scores. Slowly creeping your way into the lists, I notice.

Stein, where you bin, 'ey?

Now, for the real announcement:

FN ÷ 379

I'm slowly, slowly getting there. My aim is 402, but I just realised last night that my strat gets me only 392. Don't know what I'm going to do about that, but I'll stick with it for now. It's pretty frustrating, though, 'coz I played for a total of about 5 hours over the weekend, and I'd say I only got to finish around 5 games ÷ that's how many times I had to reset for stupid reasons! That's a rate of one complete game per hour.

Honestly, if there were a AR code for ensuring that the breadbug drops the color pellets you want, I'd seriously consider buying it. Speaking of cube accessories, though, has anyone got a freeloader? Do you recommend getting one? Have you had any problems with it? I'm thinking about getting one so that I can enter the Pikmin2 challenge mode competition right from the start.
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Please don't beat me!

Posted by DistantSpring54 - 4/6/2003 6:22:50 PM

I think I zapped Souja246 off the DS lists...

Posted by Mikepharvey - 4/7/2003 5:12:39 AM

I got freeloader so i could play metroid prime early. It works fine with metroid, but you can never tell if it will work with future releases. I hope it works with pikmin 2 as i want to be their from the start as well.

Congrats rob on your fn score.
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Incubus rule!

Posted by Ahlyis - 4/7/2003 9:55:27 AM

DS, go ahead and post the high score board. It's never been reserved for only certain people to update it. It's open for anyone who has the time and notices that it is needed.
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I'm just a pigment of your imagination.

Posted by Master Bowser782 - 4/7/2003 2:35:49 PM

me and rob are having a bit of a competition over here. Good job rob I'll catch up to you soon. ;)
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"Well if I had a dime for every time that happened, I would be rich."~Homer Simpson

Posted by Rogue7 - 4/7/2003 4:10:24 PM

Challenge Mode High Scores as of 4-7-2003

Impact Site:
1. 278 (TomatoMan, SuperStein, cocoapuffs999, Mikepharvey, Rogue7, Nathan Ian Bowers, *Ahlyis, *Dragorn)

Other Top Scores:
9. 273 (Snapdragon, JimiThingR, Ferret5317, spenser, Cork)
14. 272 (Grenade Guzzler)
15. 270 (Xel23)
16. 269 (XquietusX)
17. 264 (robluvsnic)
18. 263 (GasMan)
19. 253 (jakemrjr)
20. 246 (Lewellyn)

Forest of Hope:
1. 569 (Snapdragon, SuperStein, Nathan Ian Bowers, cocoapuffs999, Rogue7, Mikepharvey, Ahlyis, *Grenade Guzzler, *JimiThingR, TomatoMan, *Dragorn)

Other Top Scores:
12. 568 (topotheclass)
13. 557 (XquietusX)
14. 544 (spenser)
15. 532 (QYN)
16. 528 (redpichead)
17. 524 (Xel23)
18. 490 (Lewellyn)
19. 477 (Ice Man)
20. 469 (Ferret5317)

Forest Navel:
1. 482 (Mikepharvey)

Other Top Scores:
2. 470 (*Rogue7)
3. 452 (Nathan Ian Bowers,*SuperStein)
5. 451 (Dragorn)
6. 439 (Snapdragon)
7. 430 (cocoapuffs999)
8. 421 (JimiThingR)
9. 420 (XquietusX)
10. 412 (Ahlyis)
11. 400 (TomatoMan)
12. 397 (redpichead, Ferret5317)
14. 389 (Xel23)
15. 388 (Grenade Guzzler)
16. 379 (robluvsnic)
17. 377 (Nai)
18. 376 (Master Bowser782)
19. 349 (jakemrjr)
19. 349 (shyunein)

Distant Spring:
1. 620 (Mikepharvey)
2. 615 (Nathan Ian Bowers)
3. 582 (Ferret5317, *Rogue7)
5. 575 (SuperStein)
6. 554 (XquietusX)
7. 542 (GrenadeGuzzler)
8. 533 (cocoapuffs999)
9. 518 (Ahlyis)
10. 516 (Snapdragon)
11. 514 (TomatoMan)
12. 507 (redpichead)
13. 501 (JimiThingR)
14. 482 (Nai)
15. 469 (Master Bowser782)
16. 443 (topotheclass)
17. 441 (Xel23)
18. 439 (jakemrjr)
19. 437 (robluvsnic)
20. 421 (DistantSpring54)

Final Trial:
1. 299 (Snapdragon, Ahlyis, SuperStein, Rogue7, Mikepharvey, cocoapuffs999, Nathan Ian Bowers, *JimiThingR, TomatoMan, *Dragorn, Grenade Guzzler)

Other Top Scores:
12. 295 (XquietusX)
13. 286 (Master Bowser782)
14. 281 (redpichead)
15. 278 (jakemrjr)
15. 278 (robluvsnic)
17. 267 (Ferret5317)
18. 266 (Lewellyn)
19. 260 (Ice Man)
20. 253 (supersonicfan)

Top Ten Combined Totals:
1) 2248 (Mikepharvey)
2) 2213 (Nathan Ian Bowers)
3) 2198 (Rogue7)
4) 2173 (SuperStein)
5) 2109 (Cocoapuffs999)
6) 2096 (SnapDragon)
7) 2095 (XquietusX)
8) 2076 (Ahlyis)
9) 2070 (Grenade Guzzler)
10) 2063 (JimiThingR)

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R7

Posted by Rogue7 - 4/7/2003 4:25:14 PM

To echo Ahlyis, anyone is welcome to update the scoreboard.

rob, strangely enough, I was just as excited to get my second cube as the first. I guess it was mostly because Metroid was coming with it and my Zelda exploits could continue. The best offer Iâve gotten for my diseased cube was $10 from the place that was going to fix it, and Iâm pretty sure the guy is expecting to get a controller with it, so I might hang on to it as an expensive paper weight. Iâve been meaning to get some FN runs in, but every time I start in on Zelda I fall through a rift in the space time continuum and come out three hours later, desperately needing sleep. Nice work on FN, how far are you from 402?

---
R7

Posted by robluvsnic - 4/7/2003 6:06:55 PM

Ah, Zelda... Rogue, you keep doing it to me. How can I concentrate on my FN runs with the thought of Zelda running through my brain? The good news, for me, is that the Zelda release date has been brought forward in Australia: May 9, now, instead of May 31.

I guess that gives me one month to crack 400 on FN, to perfect FT, to break 450 (maybe 500) on DS, and to give FoH a good run, with the aim of breaking 500 (but only if my wife has already perfected it; she's currently on 543, so she's not too far off now). So in answer to your question, Rogue, I guess I'm still a little way off. I've realised that my current strat (which is certainly workable) only nets me 392, but I'm already thinking about ways to make it 402, if not 412. I'm really getting a feel for the balancing of colours needed for this level; I've even got to the point where I can alter my run slightly if I need to make up for a less-than-perfect pellet drop. What that means, MasterBowser is that I'm taking this little competition of ours seriously ;-)

Thanks, mike, for the info. I might look into it. And, Ahlyis, it's been a while since we've seen a new score from you. I know that you're way up there on all the lists, but you are still trying to squeeze that little bit extra out of each level, aren't you?
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Please don't beat me!

Posted by Ahlyis - 4/8/2003 10:49:33 AM

How come my Impact Site score still has an asterisk? I posted a screen shot. :-)

I haven't played for a while actually. I get so frustrated at this point that I'm not sure how healthy it would be for me to play more. ;-)

Actually, I've been playing Unreal Tournament 2003 (PC), Tiger Woods 2003 (GC), Tony Hawk 4 (GC) and Zelda: Wind Waker (GC) lately along with trying to burn 150 music CDs as gifts for my wedding reception. All of that leaves little time for Pikmin.
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I'm just a pigment of your imagination.

Posted by Rogue7 - 4/8/2003 1:50:36 PM

Whoops, my bad, Ahlyis. The next update will take it off...
---
R7

Posted by DistantSpring54 - 4/11/2003 7:27:50 PM

Tomatoman's 278...

For me, 278 is still a LONG way off. 57 away, but an impossibility.
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Current Pikmin Challenge Mode High Score Total: 1590
(221/452/291/421/205)

Posted by Ahlyis - 4/14/2003 10:02:11 AM

I watched Mike's DS run again over the weekend and decided to try it myself. So I set up the DVD and the GC so I could switch between them both, then tried to follow his pattern, with a few minor changes. After much playing...

DS - 632! :-)

Well, ok, I lied. I simply couldn't pull off his pattern, so I went back and redid my own pattern instead. I didn't copy anything directly from Mike's pattern, but I did use some general concepts from it.

Still, I consider my pattern to be pretty much 100% my own. If you watched a video of my runs and Mike's, you'd see that the patterns are nothing alike from the start. Beyond picking the first 5 blues and getting the 2 pellets and dwarf, our patterns diverge significantly.

What I CAN announce is...

DS - 532

With lots of room for improvement. Both frogs near the onions were left alone and during one of my first passes I must have left only 6 Pikmin on a frog. When I got back to the onions and gathered everyone up, I only had 94 Pikmin. I also had a bunch of MDs and had to misfile several pellets.

I'd guess that a 'perfect' run with my pattern should yield about 570-580. I'm still a ways away from that, but I'm happy with my 14 point improvement. :-)
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I'm just a pigment of your imagination.

Posted by Ahlyis - 4/14/2003 10:06:26 AM

Oh yeah, I forgot to put down the combined total.

Combined total - 2090
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I'm just a pigment of your imagination.

Posted by Ahlyis - 4/14/2003 11:22:15 AM

Ok, I just added my pattern to the FAQ thread.

Hey Mike, any comments about my pattern? Any suggestions? Also, my comment in the first part of it is only referring to that first section. Obviously it changes what is still remaining, but it does seem to be faster to that point.
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I'm just a pigment of your imagination.

Posted by DistantSpring54 - 4/14/2003 6:12:48 PM

I just realized what makes FN CM so hard: the randomization factor included within Pikmin.

Okay, for those of you who don't know what that means: The randomization factor is what happens when the planted sprouts appear in slightly different places, and so do the 1-pellets lying around. (It probably occurs with higher-number pellets as well, but it's hard to tell as it's a slight difference.) In other courses, the randomization factor is not such a big deal, but in FN, the Breadbug will go to the closer of the two blue 1-pellets, which may or may not mess the thing up. It's almost impossible to follow Mike's strat exactly because of the randomization, and the fact that I have only played this game 259 times instead of the 892,401,583 times you have, and I'm not the best thrower of pikmin.

The entire rest of the game depends on the Breadbug, which is why 291 seems impossible. Plus I mess up Mike's strat a lot.
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Current Pikmin Challenge Mode High Score Total: 1590
(221/452/291/421/205)

Posted by Ahlyis - 4/14/2003 6:20:23 PM

The randomization factor is easy to notice with the yellow 5 pellet behind the blue onion on Distant Spring, Challenge Mode.

Most of the time, it will take a route to the left and past the Puffstool and Dwarf Bulborb. But fairly often, it will head right and take a much shorter, safer route to the yellow onion. On rarer occasions, it will come straight off and pass by the blue onion for the most direct trip to the yellow onion.
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I'm just a pigment of your imagination.

Posted by robluvsnic - 4/14/2003 6:43:18 PM

For me, everything in FN comes down to the start: whether the bread bug drops the right colours; whether the blue and yellow fives take the short way back to the onions; and whether a majority of pikmin flower on the two grass patches near the onions (not because that's the only way to flower them, but simply because it's easiest if those grass patches can be cleared up so that pikmin don't get distracted by them later). The only other variable factor really, aside from level of sorting and throwing skills, obviously, is whether you line up the cursor right when it comes to breaking the pearl, and thereby break the pearl in two attempts rather than, say, four. A perfect start can mean the difference between heading out with one hundred pikmin before the sun reaches the "dot" before noon, or heading out with the sun hitting noon ÷ that's a huge difference in time.

Then, of course, there's the question of strategy, which is completely eluding me. I just can't find a strategy for reaching 400 that seems to be workable. I've got strategies for 392, which I think I can complete (so far I've got a 379, but that was far from a perfect run); but any strategy aiming for 400 or over seems completely unworkable, with 356 being the highest I've managed on them so far.

All I want is to hit 400. Honestly. Can't I have that? Pleeeease?

My advice, though, DS, is not to use Mike's strategy, since most strategies depend on the final few seconds of the game, when everything is coming in. Basically, that means that if you're not as quick as the person who designed the strat ÷ in this case Mike, and who in the world is as quick as Mike?! ÷ you're immediately ruling out every pellet that comes in during that last minute or so. The best bet is to find a strategy that aims for a total that improves on your current best by 20 or 30 or so; perfect that, and then move on to a strategy with a higher target.
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Please don't beat me!

Posted by DistantSpring54 - 4/14/2003 7:38:38 PM

Let me rephrase my statement: I don't exactly follow Mike's FN strat but I do follow his start. And that was not a typo when I said "strat" btw.

However, by a working of Mike's start up to the point where the gate by the red 10-pellet (Automatic Gear main game), I have managed to achieve a score that was seemingly impossible for me to reach, my previous record having been made in late January! *tension rises*

FN: 306 That's right, I finally broke the 300 barrier! w00t!!!
Total: 1605 Broke 1600! Double-w00t!!!!!

The randomization worked in my favor and I got 2 blues from the Breadbug! Everything was going smoothly!

But everything also rode on a certain yellow 20-pellet that I didn't collect until almost 4 p.m. (I consider the day to start at 6:00 a.m. and each little circle notch on the sun bar to be one hour, in NTSC (definitely) and perhaps in PAL (I wouldn't know) there are 12 "notches," 12 notches = 12 hours. 4 p.m. is the notch right after the 3rd bell). After everything else was in, the scoreboard read 286 which would be 2nd place. Luckily, the pellet got in with 5 on the countdown, bringing my score up to 306.

The challenge mode completion music really meant it this time!
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Current Pikmin Challenge Mode High Score Total: 1605
(221/452/306/421/205)

Posted by DistantSpring54 - 4/14/2003 7:45:45 PM

Oh, and Ahlyis the yellow 5-pellet in the DS Challenge Mode doesn't really bother me as I defeat the Puffstool and Bulborb there before getting it. But I could see how it would be a problem if you get it beforehand. The only problem I have with the DS start is trying to throw 3 yellows onto a dwarf bulborb. Usually I have to attack it myself as well.
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Current Pikmin Challenge Mode High Score Total: 1605
(221/452/306/421/205)

Posted by robluvsnic - 4/14/2003 7:52:40 PM

DS, I think you've just made my life easier (well my descriptions of pikmin strategies, anyway). Of course, now that you say it, it seems obvious to think of the dots as hourly markers on a day starting at 6am and finishing at 6pm. From now on, I'm going to use that "terminology" as often as possible in these posts, so as to try to institute it as a common language.

So to rephrase my earlier post about the start in FN: a perfect start in FN can see you hitting the lattice gate before as easrly as 10:30am, whereas a dodgy start can mean you don't get out there until nearly 12.
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Please don't beat me!

Posted by Mikepharvey - 4/15/2003 5:44:19 AM

Dont do that again to me ahylis, i nearly had a heart attack :p

Anyway, your pattern, on paper, looks very good, and i look forward to trying it myself. I will see if i can make any adjustments which i think will boost up the score a little, and report back to you.

Also, feel free to offer any opinions on my pattern, i certainly like criticism to help me iron out problems and go for a bigger score.

Congrats on your new score as well.

Congrats to distant spring for his new fn score.

Rob, you will break 400 eventually, just keep plugging away.

About the new clock thing, cant we have it from 12pm to 12am, this 6am-6pm will confuse me.

Posted by Ahlyis - 4/15/2003 11:59:36 AM

Mike, I'll have to watch the video again. I remember watching it before and thinking, "Ooh, that's a mistake. He could do that better.", but I don't remember exactly what point that was now. Of course, it might not really even be a mistake. Maybe you did what you did for good reasons which are not obvious.

Oh wait, I remember one thing. You rain on dwarfs instead of swarming them. I know people have claimed that you can get MDs from dwarfs, but in all my time playing Pikmin, I still have yet to get an MD from a dwarf. I swarm single dwarfs when I have at least 25 Pikmin. Fewer Pikmin and I will rain on dwarfs, but it's faster to swarm them if you can.

I even swarm the 3 dwarfs past the Mamuta. On a very rare occasion, one Pikmin will get eaten. But the frequency is so low that it's worth it to save the time in my opinion. I'd say less than 1 in 20 runs will result a Pikmin getting eaten there. Probably more like 1 in 50 runs, but I've never bothered to closely track it. On your video, you rain on them and come very close to losing the first Pikmin you tossed. You got lucky he didn't get eaten. given that, I'd highly recommend you switch to swarming the dwarfs instead. It'll save some time without being a noticeable increase in risk.

What I probably should do is take my start and try to work in more of your pattern. I'll probably do that eventually, but first I want to wring out a better run with my own pattern.
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I'm just a pigment of your imagination.

Posted by DistantSpring54 - 4/15/2003 6:35:13 PM

I tend to rain on dwarfs, but I don't rain on the 3 dwarfs past the mamuta. I usually have red or blue do the raining as I am a better thrower with them.

Mike, 12pm to 12am doesn't work really well with the idea of it being daytime. If you recall, on Day 2, when the clock hits the middle dot, it says his clock is indicating that it's noon. If the middle dot were 6 pm, night would come very shortly thereafter.

It's not a time zone thing, if that's what you were thinking. Just think of the first bell as 9 am, the second as 12pm (noon), and the third as 3 pm.
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Current Pikmin Challenge Mode High Score Total: 1605
(221/452/306/421/205)

Posted by Thom Burr - 4/16/2003 12:11:37 AM

Wow. I just watched TomatoMan's DVD of you guys at work and you all are just amazing.

I mean, I am awful at this game. I can't even beat Emperor Bulblax, mainly (I think) because I can't quite get my Yellows to throw their bombs right. But I've played the Challenge Mode enough times to have a fairly good eye for Pikmin game mechanics and I have to say that the way you guys play this game floors me.

Thanks to everyone who contributed a run for the DVD! Maybe I will be able to learn enough to finally beat the game! And special thanks to TomatoMan!
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This is not a signature.

Posted by Mikepharvey - 4/16/2003 12:37:46 PM

Ahlyis, i managed to finish one run using your pattern and i got 546. The great news is that i had about 15+ deaths, i was extremely slow and wasted at least half a notch (or hour as we now call it), mainly because i spent ages killing the fiery blowhogs at the end, and i am out of practice. Their is also quite a lot of stuff at the end still to collect, and i misfiled at least 3 five pellets. So i expect to reach the high 500's or low 600's with a bit more practice at it, maybe higher.

I absolutely love your patern, it is very efficient, much more than mine, which is apparent when i was picking all the blues, i still had somethings going into the onion while i was doing it, whereas in my pattern the pikmin were not really doing anything.

I will report back with more news as i play more.

Posted by Master Bowser782 - 4/16/2003 2:34:06 PM

sorry rob.......

FN-380

but i beat you by a pikmin. =) 1 death from a clamclamp would've made it 381 but i was too late.
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"Well if I had a dime for every time that happened, I would be rich."~Homer Simpson

Posted by Ahlyis - 4/16/2003 5:11:18 PM

OMFG! One day with a new pattern and Mike blasts my score by 14, then basically calls it a bad run!

*feels sick*

I've been trying that pattern more and have barely managed one run of 526 since I got the 532. I knew that there was definite room for improvement. But I never expected that Mike could take the pattern mostly straight up and do such amazing things in so short of a time with it!

I know its 74 short of your record right now, but I am EXTREMELY impressed (and somewhat sickened :-) ) by your Pikmin skills Mike!
---

I can't figure out how you get so much time though. Where are you tweaking the pattern? What can/should I be doing better?

*quirks eyebrow*

Are you sure there isn't some speed/time difference between the U.S. and European versions. I know they are close, but are they exact? I just can't understand how you can reach points in the pattern so much quicker than I can.

I base that off of attempting to match your video from DS. You are finished picking and just heading out when the first bell rings. I'm in the middle of picking when it rings. I just don't get it. I can't see how I can be that much slower unless there is some difference in the versions.

Has anyone else been able to match the speed of the first 1/4th of Mike's pattern using the U.S. version? Is it just me?
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I'm just a pigment of your imagination.

Posted by Ahlyis - 4/16/2003 5:22:08 PM

On a side note, I learned something the other night about killing those fiery blowhogs with blues.

If you take 75+ blues, mostly flowered, you can kill them in one shot. toss one blue on and let the blowhog buck him off. As soon as he bucks, c-stick swarm him. It's close, but he will die just as he's about to buck them off. More Pikmin should make it easier, less might be impossible in one shot. I did it with exactly 75 Pikmin.

But just having 75 blues means some of your 14 red and 14 yellows must have died and been replaced by blues. Either that or you swapped them out. Still, it's worth knowing in case you get to that point. Killing them in one pass instead of two could be a noticeable time saver.
.
.
.

Thinking on it some more, I wonder if I'm remembering slightly wrong. I know I killed one in one pass, but I'm not so sure of the numbers. I know it was no more than 75, and I know I had 75 when I headed over there. But I usually toss about 15 to build the bridge, which would have left me with 60 for the fight.

If that's the case, you could come with just the 72 blues and just put 12 on the bridge. With the amount of time Mike seems to have available, leaving just 12 on the bridge should still complete it in time.

Oh well, it's still worth noting and possibly testing. It could be a nice time saver.
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I'm just a pigment of your imagination.

Posted by Ahlyis - 4/16/2003 5:34:34 PM

Or was I reading too much into your post Mike? Were you using my complete pattern? Or just the start?

Also, one change I've made to the pattern. When I head out the second time with the full 100, I get the blue 10 on the way past, BEFORE killing the Puffstool and frogs, instead of on the way back as I state in the FAQ thread. This allows the blues to get back to the onion sooner so I don't have to either wait on them or head out with fewer blues.

Also note, the end of the pattern is very unstable for me. I sometimes head out with only about 60 blues because things are still coming back. Other times, the things are nearly back, so I just speed them up, then head out with the full contingent. I'm not consistent enough on the earlier parts yet to be able to lock down a specific ending.
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I'm just a pigment of your imagination.

Posted by Ahlyis - 4/17/2003 10:21:46 AM

I know this is the fourth post in a row by me, but at least this one is a day later. :-)

DS - 548 (I also had a 543 run shortly before the 548 run.)
Combined Total - 2106 (woo hoo! into the elite!)

The first 80% of this run was nearly flawless. I misfiled only one 5 pellet and had only 3 or 4 deaths. The run was moving along quickly and I had a decent amount of time left as I got ready to head over for the last pearl.

Then I got a bit sloppy. I only had about 55 Pikmin with me, so I tossed about 30 of them to build the bridge and just went after the pearl, ignoring the blowhogs. I broke the pearl and put 6 Pikmin on it, then headed back to the bridge. It was only about halfway done. So I tossed some more Pikmin on and took 14 over to get the blue 10. Then I went back to wait for the bridge.

Like a newbie fool, I grabbed a lone red nearby and tossed him across the gap to help, as if one Pikmin would make much difference. Then I stood around waiting for the bridge to finish. When it did, I grabbed all the Pikmin, then had to waste even more time fishing out the lone red. Then I finally went and got the dead frog and 5 pellet next to the bridge. What a waste of time. If I'd just put 15 Pikmin on the bridge to begin with, then ignored it, it would have finished in plenty of time and I wouldn't have had to stand around with my thumb up my butt!

After that, I ran back to the onions and gathered up the Pikmin there. I used them to kill the frog near the red onion. It took longer than usual because I only had about 30 Pikmin with me right then.

Once I killed him, I made my last mistake. I was getting short on time now. I should have gone after the frog next to the yellow onion. I could have grabbed some more loose Pikmin, killed him and got him back in time. Instead, I foolishly headed down the beach towards the red 10 and the dwarfs. I lost two Pikmin to drowning and I don't think any of the dwarfs actually made it back in time, though one might have.

Oh well. I'm still pretty happy with that run. I already knew my ending was the shaky part of my pattern. I'll just have to use this as a learning experience so that next time, I don't make the same mistakes. :-)
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I'm just a pigment of your imagination.

Posted by DistantSpring54 - 4/17/2003 6:04:58 PM

Distant Spring has so many places (in the strat I use) where it can be messed up:

1. The dwarf bulborb by the pathway to where the Repair-type Bolt would be. I get that with yellows, and they can be unwieldy for throwing.

2. I have to be against the Puffstool by 8:00, with 48 Pikmin with me. If not, *reset*

3. I have to be through picking the blue Pikmin from the puffstool by about 9:15.

4. I can't afford too many deaths from the Wollywog in the small pool by the bulborb triplet.

5. I can't afford any deaths from the Puffstool or Bulborbs in that area.

6. The Pearl must be on its way back before noon, preferably around 11:30.

7. I can't afford any deaths from the Pearly Clamclamps.

8. I MUST defeat the big Spotty Bulborb by the fiery blowhog, otherwise this creates problems.

9. I must go out into the main lake by the onions by 4:00.

10. I can't afford too many deaths from the Wollywogs in the lake.

11. All pellets must get going before 5:30, including the blue and red 10-pellets in the middle of the lake.

12. All pellets must be in by 6:00 (duh)
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Current Pikmin Challenge Mode High Score Total: 1605
(221/452/306/421/205)
Current Pikmin Challenge Mode Reset Total: 224
(32/61/26/83/22)

Posted by TomatoMan - 4/19/2003 12:17:41 AM

FYI, I've updated my pikmin site with RockMFR 5's Challenge Mode archives, which are complete (unlike mine). I also made a browseable version. It was hard, so be kind to be and my server. If I get bazillions of hits, I'll have to rate-limit it or take it down, so please go easy.

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http://tomatoman.net/pikmin/

Posted by DistantSpring54 - 4/19/2003 8:21:13 AM

Urrgh!

Forest of Hope: Reset at 4:30pm

I had a great run going, reached 400 by about 4pm. Unfortunately when going back to the Nova Blaster area, the Pikmin ran into the big bulborb. *sighs*
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Current Pikmin Challenge Mode High Score Total: 1605
(221/452/306/421/205)

Posted by Master Bowser782 - 4/19/2003 8:44:16 AM

nothing new for me at FN. After I get 400+ I'll go to FoH.
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"Well if I had a dime for every time that happened, I would be rich."~Homer Simpson

Posted by TomatoMan - 4/19/2003 8:51:17 AM

Reading through the old CM archives is a blast. :)

I see that the idea of the DVD was first mentioned on May 1, 2002. It only took a year! :/

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http://tomatoman.net/pikmin/

Posted by DistantSpring54 - 4/19/2003 9:07:15 AM

Forest of Hope: 464
Total: 1617
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Current Pikmin Challenge Mode High Score Total: 1617
(221/464/306/421/205)

Posted by Mikepharvey - 4/19/2003 10:03:27 AM

Ahlyis, it was only bad at the end of the run, which is where i lost most my pikmin and time. Although it was the only run i completed, i had plenty of runs beforehand where i had got up to quarter day or half day and stopped for being to slow. The one run i completed was really good until the last quarter, then it started going wrong, but i could not see the point of restarting it, so close to the end. What i did instead is just made sure everything up to the blowhogs got back by putting more pikmin than necessary on them, the pearl and the wollywog and pellet near the bridge and didnt even bother trying for the blue 10, red 10 or any of the wollywogs/dwarf bulbears that i might have gone for if time permitted. If i had gone for them, the other stuff would not have got in in time, and i probably would have got a score in the 400's, which is not so impressive.

Your pattern, like i said before, is really impressive and it is a testament to your explanation of it that i picked it up so easily. Remember i have extensive knowledge of the fastest and safest ways of killing enemies like mamuta and puffstool (plus you tip to swarm the 3 dwarfs near mamuta worked fine) so it was just the order of collection i had to change.

TM thanks for putting the other archives up, i enjoyed reading the second topic. (dvd not here yet, it now wont be here until tuesday at the earliest)

Posted by DistantSpring54 - 4/19/2003 10:53:08 AM

Impact Site - 238
Total - 1634
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Current Pikmin Challenge Mode High Score Total: 1634
(238/464/306/421/205)

Posted by DistantSpring54 - 4/19/2003 3:50:15 PM

DS - 447
Total 1650
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Current Pikmin Challenge Mode High Score Total: 1650
(238/464/306/447/205)

Posted by DistantSpring54 - 4/20/2003 4:42:10 PM

I have taken the liberty of compiling all Distant Spring CM scores since the beginning of the first topic. This meant going through almost 2200 posts· So without further ado·

Distant Spring Complete List as of 4/20/03 -
1. 620 (Mikepharvey)
2. 615 (Nathan Ian Bowers)
3. 582 (Ferret5317, *Rogue7)
5. 575 (SuperStein)
6. 554 (XquietusX)
7. 548 (Ahlyis)
8. 542 (Grenade Guzzler)
9. 533 (cocoapuffs999)
10. 516 (SnapDragon)
11. 514 (TomatoMan)
12. 507 (redpichead)
13. 501 (JimiThingR)
14. 482 (Nai)
15. 469 (MasterBowser782)
16. 447 (DistantSpring54)
17. 443 (topotheclass)
18. 441 (Xel23)
19. 439 (jakemrjr)
20. 437 (robluvsnic)
21. 399 (Souja246)
22. 397 (yoshifan18)
23. 358 (Ice Man)
24. 345 (Bio Hazard)
25. 344 (Destiny)
26. 332 (smoky progg)
27. 325 (Emmit310)
28. 307 (Lewellyn)
29. 303 (AdvanceGamer, Kalizam)
31. 298 (ShadowNinjaGuy, ProkopTheGreat)
33. 292 (Kingfisher)
34. 276 (Trent Easton)
35. 273 (BLAH38)
36. 272 (HCGamer)
37. 259 (Sotek252)
38. 257 (Agent Wesker)
39. 228 (pixel2)
40. 204 (cubehead100)
41. 201 (PokeTrainerAlex)
42. 200 (spenser)
43. 188 (Otorock)
44. 177 (tarot)
45. 126 (ekjl)
46. 106 (northshark)
47. 019 (GBfanatic)

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Current Pikmin Challenge Mode High Score Total: 1650
(238/464/306/447/205)

Posted by SnapDragon - 4/22/2003 2:07:51 PM

Ahlyis, I've wondered about the possible PAL/NTSC difference idly a few times myself. It's quite possible that the clock runs at a different speed on the PAL version, like it does in so many games. If so, it will make American and European scores somewhat incomparable. :/

Would you mind doing a simple experiment? Take a watch and, without doing anything in the game, time Distant Spring from the instant you can first move to the instant the day ends and you lose control. (ie, the exact period of time that you control Olimar) Ahlyis, Mike, could you both do this? I'd like to make sure the times end up the same.

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