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From: knudsen@ihnss.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.games.video
Subject: Re: The Force; Levels of difficulty
Message-ID: <1877@ihnss.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 16-Jan-84 18:53:26 EST
Article-I.D.: ihnss.1877
Posted: Mon Jan 16 18:53:26 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 18-Jan-84 06:24:05 EST
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL
Lines: 19

Geez, I can remember when pinball machines had plug strips next to the
stepper switch (score counter) to control how many replays you got for
how many points.  Also to disconnect the damn bells if neighbors complained.
Good to see that vidgames still have such concepts.
I suspect my local arcade, where the Star Wars has had the same graphics
bug for over a month, couldn't get it fixed in the near future so instead
tried to compensate us by giving us two more shields at the start.
BTW, they have never charged over one quarter for it--lotsa places want
two (hopefully not that pizzeria that gives NO new shields).
	I too have wondered why Star Wars Game gives bonuses for levels
3 and 5 that are way beyond anything anyone could make by working his way
up from level 1.  If I want fun, I start at Level 3, but to leave my initials
I start at 5.  I think Atari is trying to discourage expert players from
starting easy and hogging time on the machine, period.
But Tempest's levels do that, and they seem to be fairly apportioned
(about what you'd get if you worked up from bottom).  I'm no expert but
I start Tempest at the 2nd or 3rd level just to avoid wasting time.
Wish you could start Missile Command at higher levels, so as not to
mis-train your reflexes with those slow initial screens.  mike k