Video Mode Scoring

[relaxation]

I didn't see any in-depth description on how the video mode points work, so I made this table from footage I recorded and what I'm seeing is...

#The point tally is either generous or accurate

#Last Wave Bonus = sum of waves + (value of bonus collected), excluded from playfield multiplier.
second data set, wave 4 x3.5: 41.75 + (1+1+1+3.5), 48.25 was the total the DMD displayed

#Point progression is from the added wave to each set, the point values do not change without the playfield multiplier.

#maximum obstacles per wave is unknown at this time

#maximum waves is unknown at this time

 

[EldarOfSuburbia]

Some notes:
- From the start of each wave, jumping an obstacle scores 50k x multiplier x #obstacles jumped, to a max. of 2M per obstacle jumped (so, after 10 obstacles you keep scoring 500k-2M per obstacle). This score accumulates and is the Obstacles score. If you fail the wave, this cumulative score is the score you're awarded. I don't believe this is counted toward the final wave bonus. But possibly it may be lucrative to always fail the longest wave on the last obstacle, to keep collecting those points over and over. With Doctor 1, lighting ESCAPE is not difficult.
- Jumping into the TARDIS at the end of the wave scores the 1M x multiplier bonus. This is the Bonus score.
- There are 15 distinct waves in total. 4 (#1-#4) in the first set, 5 in the second set (#5-#9) and 6 in the third set (#10-#15). Subsequent sets repeat the same obstacles, but still get higher numbers (#16+). Note that the EB is only available in Wave #3, it is not available in Wave #18, #33, etc. In other words: only one EB from Video Mode, ever.
- Not counted the pattern or number of obstacles in all the waves, either. Bowen's guide here does cover the first few. Wave #3 (the EB wave) is SSSLLLSSS.

 

[Slam23]

Nice to see a thread about this, especially since going for video mode over the long run may be a viable scoring strategy (which Tarek already indicated in another thread)
Some thoughts/observations:
- Deliberately failing the last wave in a wave set also prevents you getting the total wave bonus (all of the seperate wave scores combined) which can go near 100M if played at max multiplier. My best one was around 95M I believe. Is this a good offset towards failing that last wave? Then again, if you eventually do end the last wave, you'll still get those points offcourse.
- My best 3.8B game was also the game in which I reached wave 10 (IIRC). I was pleasantly surprised that new things happened. Aside from some new obstacle graphics, also the gaps between obstacles started to vary, which can seriously mess with your rhythm if you are not careful.

 

[Tarek Oberdieck]

The video mode is the key for great scores. I believe there's a ROM bug in longer games. After wave 36 every wave score 250M and every end of wave bonus is more than 2.8 Billion in case you have played all with a playfield x4 multiplicator. It's a video game, not a pinball...

 

[Slam23]

So you just create a bit of an EB cushion with the first two W-H-O EB's and the video mode one, and then solely aim at video mode and playfield multiplier?

 

[Tarek Oberdieck]

So you just create a bit of an EB cushion with the first two W-H-O EB's and the video mode one, and then solely aim at video mode and playfield multiplier?

Yep. I always try to stack 4 EBs and after that I go for the video mode and playfield x4 only. Was in wave 130 or so in my best game so far...

 

[Slam23]

Wow....130! And do you activate video mode by just repeatedly shooting the left orbit, or do you hit the "escape" targets? I have been playing around with hitting the W-ramp late, so I just graze the top target. It doesn't seem to matter which one you hit to light them all. But mostly I'll just go for the bumper area via the left orbit shot and take the two lamps with Doctor #1 active.

 

[Tarek Oberdieck]

Wow....130! And do you activate video mode by just repeatedly shooting the left orbit, or do you hit the "escape" targets? I have been playing around with hitting the W-ramp late, so I just graze the top target. It doesn't seem to matter which one you hit to light them all. But mostly I'll just go for the bumper area via the left orbit shot and take the two lamps with Doctor #1 active.

Escape targets by accident only, they are way to risky. I always start with Dr. 1 and try to get all 7 doctors fast with the video mode before I start with W-H-O for EBs.

 

[Dizzer2012]

Lots of offtopic since there allready is a strategy thread where i explained how to play long time ago.

 

[EldarOfSuburbia]

Lots of offtopic since there allready is a strategy thread where i explained how to play long time ago.

This topic is about video mode; every post before yours mentioned video mode. So really, I don't see where the off-topic posts are? I'd suggest you and Tarek get a room or a parking lot and sort it out, but I suspect you'd be the only one there.

 

[relaxation]

Discussion on how to start the video mode is fine too.

I attempted to shimmy pass from tardis and backhand from the left.. but the pops rejected me 4 times in a row. In my salty opinion it's really dumb(or dumb luck) the pops barely work in multiball when shooing that lane directly from the tardis, but the backhand odds are so low in single ball play.

I'd rather shoot from the upper flipper, or rebound from REPAIR and the time expander walls, that have likely no chance of rejection.

 

[EldarOfSuburbia]

The Time Expander targets are perhaps the most reliable way of getting the ball into the Video Mode lane without touching the pops. It's a pretty large sweet spot. Of course you don't get too many goes at that before the Time Expander goes away.

Any method you choose is a crap-shoot, really, so go with what you're most comfortable with and accept that however you go with it, there will be a number of rejections. Ultimate the reward is far greater than the risk. Power drains from the bumpers happen, but not too often to make it dangerous; this isn't Dracula. Now, that's speaking from my perspective; from the highly-risk-averse perspective of the really top players, it's maybe still too much risk.

 

[Dizzer2012]

Do as u like. How easy some are offended. Just think it's better if all strategies are in the same topic and that it's more logical. And that's only my opinion.

 

[Zaphod77]

The risk of the video mode strategy depends on the following things.

1) if the bumpers are disabled. in this case there is zero risk, as every bumper shot will just fall through.
2) if balls sneak back under the gate and bounce back down the drain. if so, the video mode strategy is more risky.
3) how often the ball exits the bumper side.

this is all highly machine dependent in real life.

the last wave trumps intentional deaths in the video modes. EXCEPT if your multiplier is not at 4x. so intentional failure at the video makes sense if the multiplier has dropped.

 

[Tarek Oberdieck]

The risk of the video mode strategy depends on the following things.

1) if the bumpers are disabled. in this case there is zero risk, as every bumper shot will just fall through.
2) if balls sneak back under the gate and bounce back down the drain. if so, the video mode strategy is more risky.
3) how often the ball exits the bumper side.

this is all highly machine dependent in real life.

the last wave trumps intentional deaths in the video modes. EXCEPT if your multiplier is not at 4x. so intentional failure at the video makes sense if the multiplier has dropped.

That's true, but there's no other really playable strategy for this table in TPA. Going for W-H-O and loops are more dangerous as shots in the bumper and result in poor points compared to the end of wave bonus. The multiball isn't an alternative goal with the bad physics.

 

[Slam23]

I'm having a much easier time with MB now that physics are adjusted a bit. Locking has become somewhat too easy maybe, but those pesky Dalek holes are spot on now IMO, not too easy, not too hard. This beckons the question if playing MB has become a viable scoring strategy. I had a hard time climbing the Davros ladder so to speak, filling up those lights to levels 2 and 3 is still quite hard. Then again, I evaded MB up until now, so maybe with some more practice it's a good point generator. "Parking" balls up the left orbit and getting control again with a flipper pass right to left when they return from the Tardis is a good strategy it seems and keeps the number of balls on the central playfield manageable.

 

[Zaphod77]

locking is easy in real life. VERY easy. the entrances to those holes are wider than pinbots.

so locking balls being easier is not a problem.

 

[Slam23]

I'll play a Dr. Who sometime soon, will check that out! But I'll take your word for it. Then again, now they seem to be "sucked in" a bit when they come near the lock holes. We have seen that behaviour before, and that feels slightly off physics-wise.