Road Fighter

General discussion on MAME, MARP, or whatever else that doesn't belong in any of the other forums

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RTM
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Road Fighter

Post by RTM »

Hi:

What are the official MARP settings for this title ? I have my WolfMAME configured to TGTS and am not sure if that matches MARP.

Here's what I am using...

No Opponents - MEDIUM
Speed of Opponents - DIFFICULT
Fuel Consumption - MEDIUM

Thansk.

Robert
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Re: Road Fighter

Post by RTM »

I just deleted the CFG file and started a new game session...the three settings in question were now all "EASY". Does that imply that the MARP settings are the factory default ? Thanks.

Robert
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mahlemiut
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Re: Road Fighter

Post by mahlemiut »

Default settings (ie: with a fresh .cfg) are expected. You may use harder settings, or use TG settings. So long as it's not made easier (unless the TG settings themselves are easier) then you will be fine. MAME defaults are not necessarily factory settings, however I'd presume they default to factory settings where they are known, but that's really down to the author of the driver.

And note that for games that use NVRAM to store game settings, you remove NVRAM (.nv) to get to default settings. The driver has no control over what the defaults are, the game sets those itself.
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RTM
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Re: Road Fighter

Post by RTM »

Thanks, Barry !!

I just tried an "Easy" game...it's like night and day.

For TG, on the PS1 system there were four difficulty settings ranging from easy to hardest, but just one setting to change. On MAME there are three separate settings. I have no idea what for the PS1 each represented of the three, but I recall vividly the differences between them. Easiest was smoothe sailing, hardest was a nightmare on wheels.

TGTS for MAME will clutter the traffic moreso than default. If you are careful and do not crash, the fuel consumption at TGTS is no big deal, but in some stages it is very bad. Enemy speed at TGTS makes a 1st place finish impossible, but you don't even want that as the bonus is not worth it compared to the fuel cars you sometimes have to pass up to get that far ahead.

I'm probably going to submit to MARP at default and to TG at TGTS, unless TGTS can add a separate variation for default in which case I can submit both to them.

Thanks again !!

Robert
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Re: Road Fighter

Post by RTM »

Hi Barry:

Part of your response was whether the harder setting somehow made the game easier.

Here is what I have already informed TG of the differences between the two based on my personal experience with the title since pre-2004.

In short, "factory default" allows more opportunities to pass opponent vehicles for a higher ranking and less traffic to negotiate tough sections of each course. Coupled with lower fuel consumption and crashes become less of a problem except for the unavoidable loss of points which is the same dilemna regardless of difficulty.

At TGTS, the traffic is pretty clogged in comparison and the fuel runout is more severe. You an still pass opponents but when traffic is very clogged you cannot do so easily in certain sections of each course, and as such you replenish far less fuel at the beginning of the new section which jeapordizes your chance to successfully complete the next section.

It's a trade-off, really, a chance for more points but at a much greater risk.

I should mention that finishing in 1st place is not worth the trouble for several reasons. You can pretty much only do so by ignoring certain inconveniently located fuel cars along the way which really kills your points. I cannot remember if you received a 20K or 50K bonus for 1st but had done so years back and sent Perry Rodgers the tape as proof. It wasn't worth the effort...those 10K fuel cars are the meat and potatoes of your score in a lengthy game.

Anyway, here is what I sent to Walter and his referees earlier today. I hope it helps to answer your query on whether TGTS makes the game easier. It does just the opposite, I can safely say...

TGTS (as determined by RTM and Mark Longridge pre-2004)
No. Opponents = "MEDIUM" (out of Easy, Medium, Hard, Hardest)
Fuel Consumption = "MEDIUM" (out of Easy, Medium, Hard, Hardest)
Speed of Opponents = "DIFFICULT" (out of Easy, Difficult)
Allow Continue = "NO"

FACTORY DEFAULT
No. Opponents = "EASY"
Fuel Consumption = "EASY"
Speed of Opponents = "EASY"
Allow Continue = "NO"

I would like for TG to retain TGTS and add the new variation for "factory default".

Now from a gameplay PoV, here are the differences and what they mean as far as "factory default" versus TGTS...

No. Opponents - the more opponents on the road, the more enemies you can pass for points, right ? Not quite. The more enemy cars in the way, the harder it is to place high up in the rankings (i.e. you start in 40th place and can go as high as 1st place).
-> At "factory default" there are less enemies preventing you from passing the key vehicles which move the fastest, thereby it is easier to place high in the rankings due to less traffic. You make less points along the way, though. Additionally, at the end of a section of each level, your fuel is replenished based on how many enemy cars you passed. Obviously less opponents means more opportunity to pass cars...when the traffic is heavily clogged, you cannot pass as many due to congestion else you risk crashing in which case the fuel conumption kicks in with the crash. Lastly, different obstacles will come out mid-course depending on the difficulty, with some harder than others.
-> At TGTS it is harder to get high in the rankings as well as pass large numbers of vehicles. Therefore you cannot afford to crash due to fuel consumption issues but at the same time must try to pass as many as possible to get your fuel replenished. It's a tough trade-off.

Fuel Consumption
-> At "factory default" your fuel supply diminishes at a slower pace thru normal driving. Also, if you crash, less fuel is deducted.
-> At TGTS your fuel supply diminishes at a faster pace thru normal driving. Also, if you crash, more fuel is deducted.
From a gamer PoV, TGTS means you can ill afford a crash whereas in "factory default" one or two crashes is no big deal, especially if, in conjunction with the "factory default" of less opponents on the road it is easier to pass more cars along the way thus replenish fuel at the end of a course section. At TGTS you pass less cars so replenish less fuel, so if you crash at TGTS, you can very well start a section late into a course with 2/3 fuel tank or even less !!

Speed of Opponents
-> At "factory default" the key cars, the ones you must pass to advance in the rankings, move slower, meaning you need not always drive at near-maximum to catch them. The result is that it is possible to finish in the top ten positions, and even in 1st place, something I did years back on my Sony PS1 submissions at this difficulty setting. The points to finish in 1st place is not worth it, but the fuel you gain by passing all the other cars since the key vehicles move slower, that is important.
-> At TGTS it is just the opposite. Faster enemy vehicles means less cars passed, less of a ranking, and more importantly, less fuel replenished at the end of each section of a course.
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Re: Road Fighter

Post by mahlemiut »

In most cases, TG settings are certainly harder than the defaults. There are a few games, which I can't remember off-hand, where TG settings are easier than the defaults. Harder settings will often yield more points, that's not uncommon, and there is no issue with that. TG settings certainly would be harder in this case.

Just to be clear, you are allowed to use TG settings for MARP if TG settings are easier than the defaults, but there is no other reason allowed to use easier than default settings.
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