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1981 SILCO WEST ASTEROIDS VIDEO GAME CALIFORNIA STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Asteroid And Pacman State Championships
Southland Corporation 7/11 (Seven Eleven) Convenience Stores
(Seven-Eleven, Inc.) California & Phoenix, AZ.
Naming of Seven-Eleven the Beginning, founded in 1927 in Dallas, Texas, USA
:Open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., hours unprecedented in their length - thus
the naming of Seven-Eleven. Link
Silco West Vending & 7/11 (7-Eleven) Southland State Championships Competition
(Asteroid Video Game)
1981 Asteroids California State Championships
1973 November York Seven Co., Ltd., established
Licensing agreement and area service contract concluded with The
Southland Corporation, USA (currently Seven-Eleven, Inc.)
Silco West Vending and Southland Seven Eleven Teemed up for the California Asteroids
State Competition.
Silco Vending Machine Co. (1981)
Silco Corp
South Bagley Ave
Fresno, CA
Phone: (559) 268-4419 ext. 3655
Silco West Vending Machine Corporation
Silco West is a large vending machine sales and service
business operating throughout California, Colorado, and Arizona.
Clyde Love was its cofounder and president for many years. Russell
Love was also in a managerial capacity. By the time that Clyde Love
approached Gootkin about a sale, however, Clyde had been ousted from
positions of responsibility within the Silco organization by action
of Silco's majority shareholders.
Silco West
In 1981 Silco West had a State Wide Asteroids Championship in which all of the
7/11 (7-Eleven) convience stores in Southern California held the high score contest and
would send in their Asteroids contest high scores to headquarters for the
Asteroids State Championships in Los Angeles, Ca. Sheraton Hotel in the
Grand Ball Room at LAX. My game in Riverside, CA 7/11 Arlington Avenue convience
store lasted 12 hours and I thought I could rank quite high in the California State
Championships.
Asteroids, Atari Inc., 1979 First Release Date
Asteroids was Atari's answer to beating the Bally/Midway the 1978
Toshihiro Nishikado Eric Furrer's Space Invaders. Asteroids was designed by
Ed Logg and it utilized a monochrome vector graphics display, which was capable
of fast moving objects made of very sharp lines (compared to crude pixel graphics
of its time). Combined with great game play it became the biggest selling of game
of its time.
Asteroids utilized a vector graphics display, like the one introduced by
Cinematronics for their Space War arcade game. The display created fast moving
objects with a brightness, clarity, and contrast unmatched by any normal TV-style
raster monitor. The haunting glows and austere beauty entranced players, and the
phenomenal game play kept them coming back. By out-grossing Space Invaders and
maintaining public interest, Asteroids established video games as a lasting
entertainment medium.
Description
Your space craft is dangerously situated among fast moving asteroids in an asteroid
belt that can destroy your ship on contact. Armed with a front mounted weapon and
the ability to hyperspace, you fly through the debris, destroying each rock one piece
at a time. Alien saucers visit the playfield from time to time with an eye towards
destroying your ship!
Cabinet Information
The first Asteroids cabinets used a different coin-door. The quarters were placed
through one of two round openings (large enough for the quarter to fit through). The
quarter is placed flat against a wall just inside the opening and released. The quarter
drops down for a credit. The display showing the cost of a credit is labeled between
the two coin openings. The lettering describing the game play is also in yellow
(instead of white) on the monitor overlay. The picture of the Asteroids cabinet at
the top of this page is one of these first machines.
Cheats, Tricks and Bugs
The original version of the game had a feature that allowed the player to hide their
ship in the score field indefinitely without being hit by flying asteroids.
Game Play
The most famous play tactic for Asteroids is the "hunting" strategy. The player
destroys all asteroids except for one that almost clears the playfield and makes
it relatively safe. This allows the player to hunt for alien saucers without worrying
about being smashed by a lot of flying debris.
Asteroids Marquee
After qualifying with in the Top Elite Group of High Score Players, the
top 50 went to Anaheim, CA to see who the best player is in the State. There
were at least 25 Asteroids stand-up video games in a row and several
pacman stand-up games for contest competition.
We then were told that we had a three minute time limit and the highest
scoring player would be considered the best in the State. I wasn't as
quick on the three minute time limit so I did not win the State Championship.
My younger brother, David Dean was in the pacman championships but that was also
a three minute timed tournament and we were not made aware of this type of speed
competition until that day, so we could not practice for this type of speed
competition ahead of time. Other insiders, were able to practice new patterns
for this new speed competition and did better with the chance of knowing the
new rules ahead of time. This was a big media event.
Asteroids Stand-up game 1979
I thought the game should be played until your lives (ships) are lost
but this is not the type of contest they wanted. Who knows who the
best player really is becaue a speed TIMED event doesn't tell me anything
about longevity or skill in surviving the complexities of a long term game.
Asteroids Flyer
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TEXT of Asteroids Flyer:
Atari Space (TM) introduces another new space action blockbuster. A new concept that
challenges one or two players to compete with themselves or against an opponent for
highest scores.
Asterodis is easy to learn buy hard to master -- a replay natural! The better your
players become, the more difficult Asteroids gets. People keep playing to better their
previous scores.
Players start with either three or four ships. The object of the game is to maneuver a
spacecraft quickly enough to blast and destroy streams o asteroids and computer controlled
enemy saucers -- before they can destroy the player's ship.
A direct hit on one of these breaks it into two still smaller asteroids, a final hit on a
small asteroid destroys it completely.
When the number of asteroids is minimal, a saucer will enter. As the game progresses, more
enemy saucers will appear more frequently.
Large saucers shoot in random directions. Small spacecraft will zero in on player's craft.
When all asteroids have been destroyed, a new cluster of large asteroids will appear.
Realistic Controls.
Push-button controls are provided for rotation left or right, thrust and fire control.
Activision of the "Hyperspace" button causes the spacecraft to go off screen and reappear
at random in a different area. Hyperspace is risky however, because of a high probability
of destruction upon reentry.
Scoring.
Small Asteroids................... 100 points
Medium Asteroids.................. 50 points
Large Asterodis................... 20 points
Large Spacecraft.................. 200 points
Small Spacecraft.................. 1,000 points
Bonus Scoring.
Each time 10,000 points are achieved an additional spacecraft is awarded.
Spectacular Visual Effects.
Realistic explosions, laser blasts, fragmentation of space debris are created by the
unique Atari designed QuadraScan (TM) display system. This specially developed random
scan system allows more realistic animation and three-dimensional effects creating a
picture with finer detail, greater resolution and smoother movement.
Exciting visuals are enhanced by highly realistic sound effects.
New High Score Table.
The current ten best scores along with players initials are displayed in the attract
mode. If player's score exceeds one of the existing ten best, he or she can add that
score and initials to the list.
Exclusive Operator
Options.
Coinage: Free play, 1 coin per play, 1 coin per 2 plays, 2 coins per play
Languages: Operators may select English, French, Gemran or Spanish video message
presentations.
Spacecrafts: Asteroids can be adjusted to start game with 3 or 4 spacecrafts.
Built-in, Self-Test System.
Asteroids self-test diagnostic system offers light-speed trouble-shooting on the spot.
Telehelp (TM) Custeomer Service
Toll-Free.
Western Region:
800-538-1611
Eastern Region:
800-631-5374
Dimensions.
Height: 71.87", 182.54 cm;
Width: 25.25", 64.14 cm;
Depth: 32", 81.28 cm;
Monitor: 19" B/W
Blast Off for Higher Profits.
Get the specs on Asteroids from your Atari distributor now, or contact us for referral
at Atari Inc., 1215 Borregas Ave., Sunnyvale, CA 94086. 408-745-2500.
Asteroids (TM)
Distributed by:
C.A. Robinson And Company
2301 West Pico Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90006
(213)-380-1160
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Asteroids Operation, Maintenance and Service Manual
Complete with Illustrated Diagrams by Atari link
Asteroids Cabaret Flyer
Asteroids Cocktail Table Model
But I "Paul Dean" did get a neat leather Asteroids State Championship
Belt, for being in the top elite group. My brother, David Dean was in a timed pacman
competition sponsored by the same Silco-West 7/11 Sponsors. The Silco-West State
Championships event Finals were held at the Sheraton Hotel in the grand ball room
at LAX and sponsored by Silco West and Rick Dee's the famous FM Radio Host.
Champion Haley Fiske recollections:
"There were rows and rows of asteriod machines. On stage was one machine linked
to a big movies screen. 1st place was an asteroid deluxe machine plus to tickets
to the atari world championships in chicago. 2nd place I believe was a pugeuot
moped? And 3rd place was a high end toshiba color TV. I don't know what was
4th place. Rick Dees was the MC and playing records plus giving updates and
telling you where your next game was to be played. He was giving away Gogo's
albums lots of'em. There was a big board with all of our names on it kind of
like the boards at golf tournaments. But when I came home as the third place
winner with a TV better than my parents they weren't so negative on my video
game playing.
I went in thinking that it was going to be 3 minutes timed but when we got
there they changed it to 2 minutes. Each contestant got two tries. I think the
reason that I did well is that I realized that you could not ship hunt for the
small one until about 1:45. That is about the time when they start comming out
non-stop. If you ship hunt from the 1st rock field you'd only be able to get 17K
points in two minutes. If you blast rocks and then ship hunt the last 15 seconds
you get scores in the mid-20's." Haley Fiske (3rd place - Silco West Asteroids
Championships)
There was a TV camera and a "reporter" there doing a kids show on sunday mornings
called "Kids are People Too" this show was the replacement to wonderama. This
reporter covered the entire event.
However, with just a three minute speed time, you really cannot find out
who is the real video game champion. Billy Mitchell was the first to have
a pacman perfect game which happened many years later and got all the
way to the last split screen. In November 1982 Scott Safran set the record of
41 million points on Asteroids. His practice sessions were all done at his
neighborhood 7-Eleven where he could play forever on one quarter in his hometown
of Cherry Hill, New Jersey.
RECENT BREAKING NEWS: SCOTT SAFRAN ASTEROIDS MARATHON SCORE BEAT BY JOHN P. MCALLISTER
John P. McAllister New Asteroids World Record Score of 41,838,740 points completed on April 5, 2010
The Coin-Operated Asteroids score to beat for the last 28 years was 41,336,440, set
by the late Scott Safran on November 13, 1982. On Monday, April 5, 2010 Locksmith,
John P. McAllister of Seattle, Washington beat this long standing Scott Safran Asteroids
score setting a new world record of 41,838,740 points. This new world record Asteroids
marathon game took 57 3/4 hours for John P. McAllister to complete which is the second
longest verified coin-operated marathon score on record coming close to James Vollandt's
Joust marathon of 67 1/2 hours playing on one quarter during the 1985 Canadian Iron Man
Contest. No coin-operated video game marathon has ever beat
the James Vollandt 67 ½ hour feat.
On Saturday, November 13, 1982, Mr. Scott Safran, 16, scores 41,336,440 points
on ASTEROIDS by Atari Inc. after playing the game for 53 hours and four
minutes at All-American Billiard Company in Newton, Pennsylvania. "72-80" hours
of play on one quarter.
link
Scott Safran Time line:
"Asteroids" champion, Scott Safran lived in Cherry Hill, New Jersey and was
Born on August 19, 1967 in Trenton, New Jersey. On November 13, 1982 at the
age of 15 he became the undefeated world champion of Asteroids after getting the
world record score of 41,336,440 at the All-American Billiard arcade in Newtown, PA.
which was about two hours away from his hometown of Cherry Hill, New Jersey. After
graduating from Cherry Hill High School, Cherry Hill New Jersey He moved to Woodland
Hills, California to study business administration at Pierce Community College in
Woodland Hills, California. While in Woodland Hills, CA, he met his demise when he
fell of his apartment rooftop in March, 1989 while trying to save his cat, Samson.
His legacy is that of having the highest score ever on Asteroids, the best selling
and most profitable game that Atari ever produced. Scott Safran's score remains the
longest standing world record to be held on a major Video game title.
Marci Safran Billow, Scott Safran's younger sister witnessed in-person Scott's
record-breaking weekend in Newtown, PA. "I still have a photograph of my mother
handing Scott the official quarter that started the game," says Billow. Now living
in Redmond, Washington and working for Microsoft.
Scott Safran was buried in Pennsauken, NJ and a Scott Safran Memorial Fund was
established in care of the Jewish Community Center, 1301 Springdale Road,
Cherry Hill, NJ.
Scott Safran's Asteroids Game has been found and acquired by a man named
Steve McBlane who states the following about the original Asteroids Arcade
Game played by Scott Safran: Link
"Yes, The game is signed. His signiture is on the cardboard bezel with date,
score, and length of time he played ...53 hours and 8 min. the side of the cab
also has his score and his initials...The S.A.F. Someone had painted over that,
but you can still see it. Tried removing the paint but didn't want to risk damaging
the writing underneath."
Asteroids Champion Scott Safran - Location of Asteroids
All-American Billiard Company in Newton, Pennsylvania
201 S. State St. Newtown, Pennsylvania, 18940 215-579-0050
Below Pictures Courtesy of Steve McBlane owner of Scott Safran's Asteroids Machine
Copyright 2006
"Here is his signature:"
Scott Safran Signed the Asteroids game after his 53 hour Marathon at
at All-American Billiard Company in Newton, Pennsylvania on 11-13-82, Initials
SAF, High Score 41,336,440
Scott Safran playing for the world record on November 13, 1982
Another Angle, Scott Safran playing for the world record on November 13, 1982
Scott Safran, November 13, 1982
Scott Safran Asteroids Champion signing Autographs
Scott Safran Marathoning Asteroids in 1982, near the end of his game
Sponsored by Multiple Sclerosis, with banner draped over his Asteroids Marathon
reading: Help Fight Multiple Sclerosis. Wikipedia incorrectly infers
to that the sponsor is Muscular Dystrophy when in fact it is Multiple Sclerosis.
41,336,440
Scott Safran enters his initials of SAF after getting a 41,336,440 world record
in 1982. The game rolls over every 99,999 which is why only the 36,440 are showing
The coin door still has the All-American Billards and Shuffleboard Co. decal on it.
His signiture is on the cardboard bezel with date, score, and length of time he
played ...53 hours and 8 min. the side of the cab also has his score and his
initials...The S.A.F. Link
Scoring rate comparison and speed up chips: Link
Fast Asteroids Chip:
Leo Daniels, who told me he used an ultra-fast speed-up kit
40,101,910
48 hours
approx 835k per hour
Fast Asteroids Chip?:
Scott Safran, who Walter feels used one (and the numbers would seem to prove it)
41,336,440
53 hours
approx 780k per hour
Slow Asteroids:
There's also William Carlton's 2004 marathon:
Slow Asteroids:
William Carlton
12,756,970
27 hours
approx 472k per hour
The 1979 Asteroids game by Atari has been named the "granddaddy" of all competitive
video games and Scott Safran's score helped establish a generation of video game
superstars. High Score Marathon Players were able to keep games going on a single
quarter -- quite often for days on end, which was the greatness of the 1980's Golden
Age of Arcade Games. The Golden Age saw developers experimenting with new hardware,
creating new and unique games that the world had never seen before. The Golden Age
of Video Game Arcades became obsolete do to the home video game entertainment business
being as good or better than arcade games and by a lack of vision of new types of
games in the arcades.
Scott Safran, Asteroids Champion, November 13, 1982
Scott Safran, Asteroids Champion of Cherry Hill, New Jersey died in 1989 after falling
off a roof during an attempt to save his pet cat. Link
Safran's sister Marci Billow revealed the news that Scott fell off his California
apartment's rooftop in 1989 while trying to round up his cat Samson. "Scott's surviving
relatives are very pleased to receive a certificate of merit by Walter Day, Twin Galaxies
record keeper in behalf of Scott Safran's achievement. Scott Safran held the world record
on Asteroids for 23+ years, but it seems he could only enjoy the honour for 5 years,
since he died while trying to rescue his cat.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted by: JasonKW
298 days ago - November 13, 2008
Scott Safran - Asteroids Champion - Jason Wolf - Witness Testimony
I was one of Scott's very best friends and was there for the whole thing.
Scott was an amazing gamer and frequently used to draw a crowd at the 7-11
up the street from is home in Cherry Hill, NJ. There was even a theater type
rope barrier they used to put up to keep people out of reach of the game while
he was playing. It was truly as teenage spectacle that even brought some
grown-ups and older folks in to watch him play for a while.
When we went to the game depot where Scott broke the record, it was amazing
to see. Not much in the way of fanfare or publicity but watching Scott play
Asteroids was definitely a clinic in concentration and technically understanding
every possibility that a machine could throw at a human.
Scott rarely took breaks and when he did, he was his usual light hearted and
practical joking self. He set a bunch of nuts on the kerosene heater near the
area where those of us who were supporting him would taking turns napping, of
course knowing these nuts would explode at some point… and when they did, he
was 30 feet away, still playing the game, and laughing like Curley from the
3 stooges. He was a comic and talented force to be reckoned with.
I remember once when Scott and I used to cut lawns for money and we found
this old lawn tractor with no engine that a customer was throwing away. Scott
wanted the tractor but had not way to get it to his Cousin Sammy's house almost
2 miles away where he could work on it. Scott was a big strong kid for his
age so he tied a 50ft length of garden hose to the front of it, got me to sit
in the seat to steer, and pulled me and the tractor almost 2 miles to his
cousin's home, along the shoulder of king's hwy. in Cherry Hill. Even the
cops stopped us and when Scott talked to officer, he almost had them convinced
to help us with an escort…it was classic Scott.
The main reason the record breaking Asteroids game ended when it did was that
the machine itself started to break down. They tried to revive it and hot swap
the malfunctioning part but it was to no avail. The screen had gone haywire
and the game could not be saved. Knowing Scott, he would've played until he
literally passed out and the score could've been 2 or 3 times the 41 million
points. He enjoyed being the best at something and it's a shame that his life
ended so early.
25 year's later, I still miss him and the world, on the grand scale of things,
is a less fortunate place without him in it. He was my friend and I'll never
forget him. Jason Wolf.
NOTE: TEXT ABOVE AND PHOTO: Scott Safran enters his initials of SAF after
getting a 41,336,440 world record in 1982. The game rolls over every 99,999
which is why only the 336,440 points are showing. so the game did not
reset and Scott Safran's game initials went to the Asteroids cabinet
top 10 scoreboard as well as the last five digits of his game play: 336,440.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Asteroid
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For immediate release: January 9, 1999 Link
Missing Asteroids champion continues to elude world-wide man-hunt
Fairfield, IA - A Scranton, Pennsylvania man, who, in 1982, scored the highest score
ever on the classic video game Asteroids, can’t be found--in spite of efforts by major
news services, Internet talk shows and video game promoters.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Asteroids high score champion...
03/16/02 04:14 PM Link
Missing Asteroids Champion To Receive Posthumous Award
FAIRFIELD, IOWA- March 14th, 2002 - A Cherry Hill, New Jersey man, who, in 1982,
scored the highest score ever on the classic video game Asteroids, has finally been
located after a fifteen-year search. He had died in Los Angeles in March, 1989 from
injuries received during a fall while trying to save his pet cat from a cornice of
his apartment building.
Scott Safran -- who would now be 35 years old -- scored a world record 41,336,440
points on Asteroids at the All-American Billiard Company in Newtown, Pennsylvania
on November 13, 1982. At that time, his accomplishment was recognized as the world
record by both Atari Games and Twin Galaxies. Safran's score remains the longest
standing world record to be held on a major video game title.
When both Atari and Twin Galaxies moved offices in the early 1980s, all correspondence
with Safran was lost and he could never be located again. "Neither Atari nor Twin
Galaxies could remember where Safran lived," says Walter Day, chief scorekeeper at
the Twin Galaxies Intergalactic Scoreboard -- an organization that tracks scores for
the worldwide video game and pinball industries. "Unfortunately," continues Day,
"we presumed he was a local player living in the Newtown, Pennsylvania area and could
not locate him. However, the 15-year-old Safran lived two hours away in Cherry Hill,
New Jersey and was driven to Newtown, Pennsylvania by his parents so he could play
Asteroids as part of a fundraiser."
Day tried to locate Safran in the early 1980s to award him a certificate of merit
for his Asteroids accomplishment. Day, however, was unable to find Safran, despite
numerous searches over the years. With the 1998 re-release of Asteroids by Activision,
Safran's score reentered the limelight, but, once again, the champion could not be
found.
Day says: "When we realized Safran's 20-year-old score may never be beat -- its like
Joe DiMaggio's hitting streak of 56 games -- we started looking for him again, in
order to honor him with a special award for this tremendous feat." However, Safran
remained missing in spite of a lengthy nationwide search, which included attempts
by the Scranton Tribune, an online division of ABC News, an Internet talk show, a
myriad of postings on the Internet and a news release describing the search issued
to 1,500 radio stations by the Wireless Flash News Service.
Three other Scott Safrans were found, however, but none were the missing champion.
"One radio station in Tulsa, Oklahoma," says Day, "got numerous phone calls saying
they knew where Safran was, but the calls turned out to be a hoax." And, online
searches by the Scranton Tribune found two Scott Safrans in New Jersey -- both who
proved to be the wrong person. Even though the search for Safran was extensively
reported on the Internet, it was not until January, 2002 that someone saw the news
story and sent Twin Galaxies a tip that connected Safran to his hometown of Cherry
Hill, New Jersey. Until then, Day believed that Safran had lived in the Scranton,
Pennsylvania area. "Wherever he lived, however, we were sure he had moved completely
out of the area," says Day.
In spite of Internet attention directed at Scott Safran and his accomplishment, his
parents, Mitch and Frann Safran of Cherry Hill, who died only two years ago, never
knew their son had attained eternal fame. "His Asteroids record was a thing of the
distant past that most of his surviving family members had completely forgotten
about," says Marci Billow, Scott's younger sister who witnessed in-person Scott's
record-breaking weekend in Newtown. "I still have a photograph of my mother handing
Scott the official quarter that started the game," says Billow. Now living in
Redmond, Washington and working for Microsoft, Billow says: "Scott had a huge heart
with an insatiable passion for life. He played hard and made life a fun adventure
for everyone around him." Ms. Billow also noted that by his college years, Scott
had transferred his passion for Asteroids over to guitar playing and the Grateful
Dead.
Scott Safran was born August 19, 1967 in Trenton, New Jersey. He was a 1985 graduate
of Cherry Hill High School West. Moving to California after high school graduation,
he studied business administration at Pierce Community College in Woodland Hills,
California. In March, 1989, he fell from a rooftop while attempting to save his pet
cat, Samson, named after the Grateful Dead song, Samson and Delilah. He was buried in
Pennsauken, NJ and a Scott Safran Memorial Fund was established in care of the Jewish
Community Center, 1301 Springdale Road, Cherry Hill.
"Scott's surviving relatives are very pleased that he is receiving this posthumous
honor," says Marci Billow. "We will probably take turns displaying the award
certificate that Twin Galaxies is creating to honor his achievement."
"In the history of video game playing, Asteroids will stand at the top with Pac-Man
and Space Invaders," explains John Saxon Wendell, a spokesperson for Twin Galaxies.
"Due to its greatness, Asteroids was recently re-released by Activision -- mainly
because it is the granddaddy of all competitive video games." From the moment it was
introduced in 1979, Asteroids sparked major competitions and high-score attempts and
established a generation of video game superstars. Asteroids was the original game
that launched the "high-score" craze that Scott Safran became a part of. Players
were able to keep games going on a single quarter -- quite often for days on end
-- while racking up astronomical scores.
The Twin Galaxies Intergalactic Scoreboard, based in Fairfield, Iowa, has been
keeping score for the world of video game and pinball playing since 1982 and
monitors the highest scores on all home and arcade video games, PC-based games
and pinball. Its most well known product is the Twin Galaxies' Official Video
Game & Pinball Book of World Records -- which is a 984-page book containing
12,416 scores from players in 31 countries compiled. Twin Galaxies also conducts
an Annul Video Game Festival at the Mall of America in Bloomington, MN. For more
information, contact Walter Day at (641) 472-1949 or go to
http://www.twingalaxies.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Launched in 1981, Pac Man is the best-selling coin-operated game in history.
In the game's debut year more than 100,000 Pac-Man machines were made and
sold around the world. Pac Man was created by designer Tohru Iwatani.
In July 1999, Florida resident Billy Mitchell (Bill Mitchell) achieved the first
known perfect score in Pac Man (3,333,360) after playing for six hours continuously.
Pac-Man
Pac-Man
Pacman Split Screen/Final Level
1981 Asteroids California State
Championships Buckle
Paul Dean, State Championships
My Earned 1981 Asteroids (Silco West) State Championships Buckle
Thank you,
Paul Dean (spy hunter, 1986 Guinness Book Champion)
(Asteroids, 1981 Silco West California State Champion)
My Asteroids High Score Was Beat Later By The Following:
Scott Safran of Cherry Hill, New Jersey, set the "Asteroids" record
of 41,336,440 points at a 1982 charity event, in a marathon playing
session spanning two entire days.
The Asteroids Charity Event was held at the All-American Billiard
Company in Newtown, Pennsylvania on November 13, 1982.
on Nov. 13, 1982, a 15-year-old named Scott Safran slid a quarter
into an “Asteroids” machine at the All-American Billiard arcade
in Newtown, PA., and proceeded to make history.
FOR THE NEXT 60 hours, Safran stood at the game, zapping alien
ships, pulverizing Asteroids and sparingly using his “Hyperspace”
button en route to ringing up a new world record score: 41,336,440.
The Scott Safran Asteroids high score has never been beaten since 1982.
The Paul Dean spy hunter high score has never been beaten since 1985.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Asteroids Hero Forever
Scott Safran held the world record on Asteroids for 20 years, but it seems he could
only enjoy the honour for 5 years, since he died in an accident. His family will
receive a Posthumous Award on his behalf. I think it's never too late! For more
information, read the full Twin Galaxies article. (Btw I hope he helds the record
forever.) Thanks to MW and RG for the webcopynews (but people don't write me to
tell me all these things!) CAESAR, March 31, 2002
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From CNN.COM Scott Safran Asteroids Article:
Missing 'Asteroids' champ found dead in California
World record holder for Atari's classic arcade game "Asteroids" was located by
game record keeper Walter Day of Twin Galaxies after nearly 20 years of searching.
Unfortunately, the "Asteroids" champion, Scott Safran of Cherry Hill, New Jersey,
died in 1989 after falling off a roof during an attempt to save his pet cat.
Scott Safran set the "Asteroids" record of 41,336,440 points at a 1982 charity
event, in a marathon playing session spanning nearly an entire day. Twin Galaxies,
which has been keeping track of feats of video-game mastery since 1981, had been
trying to find him ever since, in order to send him a certificate of merit. Twin
Galaxies head Walter Day's quest ended in disappointment last week, however, as
Safran's sister Marci Billow revealed that Scott fell off his California apartment's
rooftop in 1989 while trying to round up his cat Samson. The fate of his cat is
unknown.
In lieu of presenting the Twin Galaxies reward to Safran, Day will instead give
the certificate to his surviving sisters. "Scott's surviving relatives are very
pleased that he is receiving this posthumous honor," Bellow was quoted as saying.
"We'll probably take turns displaying the award certificate that Twin Galaxies is
creating to honor his achievement." And so the heroes of arcades past fade away.
Newsweek Article: Scott Safran Asterodis Champion:
The Disappearing Asteroids Ace
Apr 22 '02 by: by Gersh Kuntzman
Almost twenty years ago, on Nov. 13, 1982, a 15-year-old named Scott Safran slid
a quarter into an "Asteroids" machine at the All-American Billiard arcade in
Newtown, PA., and proceeded to make history.
For the next 60 hours, Safran stood at the game, zapping alien ships, pulverizing
Asteroids and sparingly using his "Hyperspace" button en route to ringing
up a new world record score: 41,336,440.
NOTE: There is a photo of the bezel signed by Scott Safran of 53 hours 8 minutes
play time.
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SCOT SAFRAN EULOGY
(February 3, 1967 - March 27, 1989)
by Brian Hickey
Sixteen grown men--well, at least physically grown--huddle around four kids who
are doing battle on an old-school Intellivision game. They hoot; they holler.
Just feet away others shun the limelight as they bounce Q-Bert-style, vicariously
flee ghosts through Pac-Man or defend the universe in Galaga mode.
Across the room, through a bevy of mullets, a fellow with long black hair streaked
with gold probably thinks he's standing light years beyond the rest. Sporting his
"PSYCHIATRIC WARD" T-shirt, he proudly tests the new Slik Stik video-game controller
that promises "gaming will never be the same" because of it.
Slik Stik's guarantee notwithstanding, Walter Day thinks this scene is a harbinger of
pop culture's next Hula Hoop.
Events like this past weekend's PhillyClassic3 "gamers'" convention in Valley Forge,
he says, will usher retro arcade games back into the pop-cultural consciousness in
the same way disco, bell-bottoms and the Volkswagen bug have all returned. And should
predictions of a glorious resurgence be realized, this unassuming Iowan who wears a
referee's outfit will be a virtual Pied Piper.
Day took his place near the top of this subculture by compiling video-game records
while traveling the country hawking what-happened-the-day-you-were-born newspapers
door-to-door in the early 1980s. By 1983--about a year after Time magazine's "GRONK!
FLASH! ZAP! VIDEOGAMES ARE BLITZING THE WORLD" cover--he taped a television pilot for
Video Game News Update.
Though the show never made it past the pilot phase, Day later parlayed his pastime
into the 994-page Twin Galaxies' Official Video Game and Pinball Book of World Records.
So today, as de-facto spokesman for the industry, Day can't contain his excitement
when he talks about the attention he's seen paid to video games lately.
"It's the next big thing. It's going to take over the world!" Day says, his arms
flailing. "The emails I get, the calls I get. Businesses with an interest in retro
gaming are already bringing Frogger and Asteroids back. It's a phenomenon!"
It's difficult to take anything too seriously with Donkey Kong addicts hard at play
nearby, but there might be something to Day's observations.
PhillyClassic1 drew 50 people two years ago, and the follow-up attracted about 300.
Last weekend's event drew 800 people over two days. And just last week Comcast
launched video-game network G4 that will air 13 weekly series about video games
to three million homes, more than 400,000 of them local.
"It's like this wherever he goes," says classic-video-game webcaster Mike Stulir
of Day while his friend basks in the lights of a VH-1 interview.
But while there are clear signs that something is afoot, Saturday offered something
closer to the finale of an almost-hip-at-the-time '80s movie than evidence of the
next big trend.
Marci Billow remembers bits and pieces of the whole thing, but since she was only
12 at the time, some details escape her.
In November 1982 her family traveled from their Cherry Hill home to Newtown, Pa.,
to see her older brother, Scott Safran, try to beat the Asteroids record. Safran
was a prodigy when it came to playing the Asteroids machine at their neighborhood
7-Eleven.
He was so good that he thought he could break the 40,101,910-point record some
guy set in North Carolina earlier that year.
In honor of an uncle who had died of muscular dystrophy, Safran concocted a
fundraiser and solicited sponsors. He wanted to set his record-breaking event
at the 7-Eleven, but the store's proprietor balked at the idea. When people at
the All-American Billiard arcade in Newtown got wind of Safran's plan they opened
their doors and ushered in video-game history.
"We're not talking about one day here. He kept playing and playing and playing,"
says Billow, now a technical writer at Microsoft's Washington headquarters. "The
thing is, after a couple days, he still didn't lose. My parents were like, 'Okay,
he's 15, he has school tomorrow and he hasn't slept. This has to stop.'"
When Safran walked away the score read 41,336,440. It hasn't been topped since.
When Day heard about it a couple years later he wanted Safran in his book, but nobody
knew what had become of the Asteroids kid who "set a record that will never be broken."
He searched newspapers and phone books; he queried radio stations and arcade owners.
Finally, this past January, Day got the call. Safran, as it turns out, died in 1989.
After moving to California, where he played guitar in a band and attended community
college, he fell three stories from a balcony trying to rescue his cat after it got
trapped on a ledge. He was 21.
After learning of Safran's fate, an old obituary led Day to Billow.
"We'd always been looking for something of Scott's to cling onto. I still have
his old guitars and his Grateful Dead bootlegs," says Billow. "But then I get
this call after 13 years. It was an amazing moment of 'Oh yeah!' He did this
amazing thing that we'd all forgotten about."
An accordion player grins through a polka rendition of "Roll out the Barrel." The
folks sucked into Spy Hunter and Dragon's Lair don't budge--some of them are armed
with video cameras just in case they break a record--but about 50 people make their
way around the stage where Day stands.
He tells everyone from the guy in the yellow bandana to three goth chicks in Final
Fantasy shirts that he's fulfilling a 20-year search to "honor one of the most amazing
feats in video-game history."
"This, by the way, has become an international story," he proclaims. "It's the longest
standing world record, and it's going to generate a lot of interest in video gaming ...
But this is also a story that needed a happy ending."
After Day presents a certificate to Safran's aunt Hana Kramer and cousin Marcia
Blumenthal, the accordion player kicks back into gear. Mission accomplished.
"He didn't live long, but he lived hard. He got the most out of life, had a zest for
living that was so contagious," says Kramer, adding that she'll take the award to
Safran's resting place in New Jersey. "I don't understand the whole video-game thing
one bit, but he left his mark."
Who knows whether Safran would've dug the scene in which his posthumous honor was
delivered. Maybe he'd be one of those guys who heads to New Hampshire each May from
across the country to battle with gamers from Finland, Israel and Asia in the retro
games. Perhaps he'd wonder what's drawing all these people to similar events in
Milwaukee, Cincinnati and Omaha.
He might even be as revered as the current-day game world's Elvis figure, Billy
Mitchell, who beat a Pac-Man machine so badly that it just shut down. But for Billow,
just the fact that someone would take the time to track down her brother is honor
enough.
"A lot of people say somebody was special after they die, but Scott had this unique
ability to just suck the marrow out of life," she says. "The world record brings him
closer to all these gamers out there. He was really into the public, so it suits him."
*
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Paul Dean, 1986 Guinness Book spy hunter Video Game Champion
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Undefeated spy hunter champion, Paul Dean makes himself known after 20 years
of being annonymous.
spy hunter champion (3rd Annual Guinness Book Masters Tournament: June 28, 1985)
Thank you for visiting my site: www.spyhunter007.com
I have a lot of video game history within this web site as well as high scores
and my fight to be re-recognized as a world champion in year 2004. This site
came about because I had to do research on my past in order to get recognized for
those video game accomplishments that were done over two decades ago.
I had to get back into contact with all the greatest players of the world who had
watched me play and had set my game for the correct settings during the 3rd
Annual Masters Tournament on June 28, 1985. This site documents all of that
research.
Thank you.
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Walter Day Twin Galaxies Referee, Scott Safran Newsweeek Asteroids
Article Champion Revisited:
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"The Disappearing Asteroids Ace"
Our columnist revisits the story of Scott Safran, a video game master who went missing
NEWSWEEK WEB EXCLUSIVE
April 22 — Almost twenty years ago, on Nov. 13, 1982, a 15-year-old named
Scott Safran slid a quarter into an “Asteroids” machine at the All-American
Billiard arcade in Newtown, PA., and proceeded to make history.
FOR THE NEXT 60 hours, Safran stood at the game, zapping alien ships, pulverizing
Asteroids and sparingly using his “Hyperspace” button en route to ringing up a
new world record score: 41,336,440.
To put that score in perspective, imagine Barry Bonds hitting 90 home runs
this season, breaking his own record by 17. Imagine Takeru Kobayashi eating
75 hot dogs and buns in 12 minutes on July 4 in the Nathan’s contest in Coney
Island, besting his prior mark by 25. Imagine Stephen King publishing 10
books this year, instead of just the usual five.
“Everyone always talks about records that will never be broken, well this is the one
that really won’t,” said Walter Day, official scorekeeper of the video and arcade
game world and the founder of http://www.twingalaxies.com.
From almost the very moment that Safran’s historic Asteroids game ended more than two
days after it began, Day searched for Safran in hopes of honoring him and his achievement.
Safran, however, disappeared into the ether after his phenomenal feat and was
essentially never heard from again. Over the years, Day would get leads about
Safran’s whereabouts, but they’d never pan out. The trail of the pinball wizard with
the supple wrist had gone cold. Sixteen years later, when Asteroids was re-released
in 1998, Day made yet another effort to track down Safran. Even with the help of the
Web, he still could not find him. Newspapers ran stories. Radio stations tried to
locate Safran. Arcade fanatics cranked out e-mails. “Wanted” posters were hung in
video game parlors nationwide, offering a $1,000 reward. But there was no sign of
the champion.
Finally, earlier this year, Day got a call that officially ended the search: Scott
Safran, the greatest Asteroids player the world has ever known, has been dead since
March, 1989, when he fell from his roof trying to save his cat, Samson.
“I must say, I was crushed,” Day said. “Here I was thinking that we’d be able to have
a great ceremony with him smiling and accepting all the accolades that he so richly
deserved. And then I find out that he’s no longer with us.”
Day found out more bad news: Safran’s parents, Mitch and Frann, had also died two
years ago and never understood the magnitude of their son’s achievement.
“His Asteroids record was a thing of the distant past that most of his
surviving family members
had completely forgotten about,” said Marci Billow, Scott’s younger sister,
who was there that day in 1982 and still cherishes a picture of Frann Safran
handing her son the quarter that allowed him to make history (a different photo
of Safran is at http://www.twingalaxies.com/cgi-perl/breaking_news.pl).
History—at least video game history—is Walter Day’s life. For two decades, Day
has chronicled, verified and recognized top scores on arcade machines all over the
world. (Day also administers drug tests; nothing stronger than caffeine is allowed,
even though top players must stay awake for days.)
Day’s mission requires more than just reading through e-mails from excited players
who are convinced their 15-hour run on Joust will earn them a place in the history
books. “Every day I get an e-mail from someone who thinks he has a top score,” said
Day, based in Fairfield, Iowa, a town that is to video games what Indianapolis is
to driving. “They send me e-mails and I write back, ‘Oh, yeah? Send me the tape,’” Day
said. Tape? I guess I don’t get out much anymore, but apparently top arcade players
now actually videotape themselves playing so they’ll have documentation in the event
that history comes a-callin’.
“There was a guy who kept telling us that he was going to break the Wizard of Wor
record and we kept telling him to tape himself,” Day said. “Sure enough, he put his
camcorder on a tripod and taped every game. Finally, he breaks the record and sends
us the tape. It all checked out.” Any skepticism of Day’s commitment to video game
veracity should sit and watch tapes with this man.
Watching paint dry is a Hollywood blockbuster compared to that.
But not for Day. “I actually enjoy it,” he said. “You’re watching the best players in
the world do what they do best. It’s terribly exciting. But it’s a lot of work. And I
do it without pay because it’s so much fun. Plus, I get to wear a referee uniform.”
This Saturday in Philadelphia, Day will don the black-and-white stripes again to
officiate at Philly Classic 3, the East Coast’s biggest video game event. Also on the
program, Day will finally present Safran’s achievement award to the late, great
Asteroid whiz’s cousin and aunt. For people in the video game world, it’s going to be
Peter Finch’s posthumous Oscar, John Kennedy Toole’s post-death Pulitzer and Aaliyah’s
post-crash R&B Grammy all rolled into one.
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Gersh Kuntzman is also a columnist for The New York Post. His Web site is at
http://www.gersh.tv
© 2002 Newsweek, Inc.
For Above Article
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GAMERS MARK www.gamersmark.com
"Missing Asteroids Champion To Receive Posthumous Award"
FAIRFIELD, IOWA- March 14th, 2002 - A Cherry Hill, New Jersey man, who, in 1982,
scored the highest score ever on the classic video game Asteroids, has finally been
located after a fifteen-year search. He had died in Los Angeles in March, 1989 from
injuries received during a fall while trying to save his pet cat from a cornice of
his apartment building.
Scott Safran -- who would now be 35 years old -- scored a world record 41,336,440
points on Asteroids at the All-American Billiard Company in Newtown, Pennsylvania
on November 13, 1982. At that time, his accomplishment was recognized as the world
record by both Atari Games and Twin Galaxies. Safran’s score remains the longest
standing world record to be held on a major video game title.
When both Atari and Twin Galaxies moved offices in the early 1980s, all correspondence
with Safran was lost and he could never be located again. "Neither Atari nor Twin
Galaxies could remember where Safran lived," says Walter Day, chief scorekeeper at
the Twin Galaxies Intergalactic Scoreboard -- an organization that tracks scores for
the worldwide video game and pinball industries. "Unfortunately," continues Day,
"we presumed he was a local player living in the Newtown, Pennsylvania area and
could not locate him. However, the 15-year-old Safran lived two hours away in Cherry
Hill, New Jersey and was driven to Newtown, Pennsylvania by his parents so he could
play Asteroids as part of a fundraiser."
Day tried to locate Safran in the early 1980s to award him a certificate of merit
for his Asteroids accomplishment. Day, however, was unable to find Safran, despite
numerous searches over the years. With the 1998 re-release of Asteroids by Activision,
Safran’s score reentered the limelight, but, once again, the champion could not be
found.
Day says: "When we realized Safran’s 20-year-old score may never be beat -- its like
Joe DiMaggio’s hitting streak of 56 games -- we started looking for him again, in
order to honor him with a special award for this tremendous feat." However, Safran
remained missing in spite of a lengthy nationwide search, which included attempts
by the Scranton Tribune, an online division of ABC News, an Internet talk show, a
myriad of postings on the Internet and a news release describing the search issued
to 1,500 radio stations by the Wireless Flash News Service.
Three other Scott Safrans were found, however, but none were the missing champion.
"One radio station in Tulsa, Oklahoma," says Day, "got numerous phone calls saying
they knew where Safran was, but the calls turned out to be a hoax." And, online
searches by the Scranton Tribune found two Scott Safrans in New Jersey -- both who
proved to be the wrong person. Even though the search for Safran was extensively
reported on the Internet, it was not until January, 2002 that someone saw the news
story and sent Twin Galaxies a tip that connected Safran to his hometown of Cherry
Hill, New Jersey. Until then, Day believed that Safran had lived in the Scranton,
Pennsylvania area. "Wherever he lived, however, we were sure he had moved completely
out of the area," says Day.
In spite of Internet attention directed at Scott Safran and his accomplishment,
his parents, Mitch and Frann Safran of Cherry Hill, who died only two years ago,
never knew their son had attained eternal fame. "His Asteroids record was a
thing of the distant past that most of his surviving family members had completely
forgotten about," says Marci Billow, Scott’s younger sister who witnessed in-person
Scott’s record-breaking weekend in Newtown. "I still have a photograph of my mother
handing Scott the official quarter that started the game," says Billow. Now living
in Redmond, Washington and working for Microsoft, Billow says: "Scott had a huge
heart with an insatiable passion for life. He played hard and made life a fun
adventure for everyone around him." Ms. Billow also noted that by his college years,
Scott had transferred his passion for Asteroids over to guitar playing and
the Grateful Dead.
Scott Safran was born August 19, 1967 in Trenton, New Jersey. He was a 1985 graduate
of Cherry Hill High School West. Moving to California after high school graduation,
in March, 1989, he fell from a rooftop while attempting to save his pet cat, Samson,
named after the Grateful Dead song, Samson and Delilah. He was buried in Pennsauken,
NJ and a Scott Safran Memorial Fund was established in care of the Jewish Community
Center, 1301 Springdale Road, Cherry Hill.
"Scott’s surviving relatives are very pleased that he is receiving this posthumous
honor," says Marci Billow. "We will probably take turns displaying the award
certificate that Tin Galaxies is creating to honor his achievement."
"In the history of video game playing, Asteroids will stand at the top
with Pac-Man and Space Invaders," explains John Saxon Wendell, a spokesperson for
Twin Galaxies. "Due to its greatness, Asteroids was recently re-released by
Activision -- mainly because it is the granddaddy of all competitive video games."
From the moment it was introduced in 1979, Asteroids sparked major
competitions and high-score attempts and established a generation of video game
superstars. Asteroids was the original game that launched the "high-score"
craze that Scott Safran became a part of. Players were able to keep games going on
a single quarter -- quite often for days on end -- while racking up astronomical
scores.
The Twin Galaxies Intergalactic Scoreboard, based in Fairfield, Iowa, has been
keeping score for the world of video game and pinball playing since 1982 and
monitors the highest scores on all home and arcade video games, PC-based games
and pinball. Its most well known product is the Twin Galaxies’ Official Video
Game & Pinball Book of World Records -- which is a 984-page book containing
12,416 scores from players in 31 countries compiled. Twin Galaxies also conducts
an Annul Video Game Festival at the Mall of America in Bloomington, MN. For
more information, contact Walter Day at (641) 472-1949 or go to
http://www.twingalaxies.com
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Scott Safran (February 3, 1967 - March 27, 1989) was a Cherry Hill, New Jersey
resident most famous for setting the world record score on the arcade game
Asteroids at the age of fifteen.
He was born to Frann Safran in Cherry Hill, New Jersey in 1967. As a teenager,
he became interested in baseball, guitars, the Grateful Dead, and eventually
arcade games. He was determined to break a world record on an arcade game, finally
settling on Asteroids. He practiced throughout 1981 and 1982, eventually being able
to carry a single game for nearly twenty hours at his local 7-Eleven convenience
store.
World Record:
After hearing of a charity event to raise money towards research on muscular
dystrophy in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Safran became interested in helping
out, and agreed to a "marathon" game of Asteroids. The event was held at the
All-American Billiard Arcade on November 13, 1982. Leo Daniels, a North Carolina
actor, held the world record at the time, with 40,901,010 points. Safran managed
to continue his game for an astonishing 53 hours 8 minutes, occasionally stopping
for food or bathroom breaks. He stopped the game voluntarily after this extended
period of time and went home with his parents. His score was 41,336,440 points, a
record that still stands to this day, making it the longest-standing world record
in arcade history.
Death:
Safran graduated from Cherry Hill High School West in 1985 and moved into an
apartment in Los Angeles, California. On March 27, 1989, Safran was killed after
falling six stories from his apartment balcony while trying to retrieve his cat,
Samson.
Search for Safran:
Unaware of Safran's death, Walter Day, an arcade referee who headed Twin Galaxies
(the official arcade scoreboard of the world, operating in Fairfield, Iowa) attempted
to track down Safran in 1998 following the re-release of Asteroids. Day could not
locate Safran, and asked newspapers and radios to ask people to help find him. Day
personally offered a thousand dollars to whoever could locate Safran. Eventually,
in April 2002, Day made contact with Safran's family and learned of Scott's death.
In May 2002, a posthumous award ceremony was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to
honor him.
References:
1.^ "Missing 'Asteroids' champ found dead in California." CNN, posted 2002-03-19.
"… Safran's sister Marci Billow revealed that Scott fell off his California
apartment's rooftop in 1989 while trying to round up his cat Samson."
http://edition.cnn.com/2002/TECH/fun.games/03/19/asteroids.champion.idg/index.html
Twin Galaxies in the News:
4/28/2002 After 20 years, master gamester finally honored
Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
After 20 years, master gamester finally honored
By Chris Gray
Inquirer Staff Writer
After 20 years, master gamester finally honored
By Chris Gray
Inquirer Staff Writer
Way back in 1982, when Pac-Man Fever hit the airwaves and teenage boys knew
little of carpal tunnel syndrome, the challenging video game Asteroids ruled
the arcades - and Scott Safran was king.
The 15-year-old from Cherry Hill spent hours smashing boulders and racking up
spaceships on a console at the local 7-Eleven store. That November, he set his
sights on the world Asteroids record, choosing the All-American Billiard Arcade
in Bucks County as his venue.
His mother lent him a quarter, Safran dropped it in the slot, and an endurance
match between man and machine began. Safran played for 60 hours that weekend,
entrusting the joystick to others for short restroom and food breaks. He quit
when his score reached a stratospheric 41,336,440 - with several ships in reserve.
Almost 20 years later, Safran's Asteroids record still stands. That's partly because
the game is considered too difficult for even the most die-hard players. And it's
partly because Safran died in 1989 when he fell off a balcony of his Los Angeles
apartment while trying to rescue his cat, Samson.
Yesterday, Safran and members of his family received a posthumous award for his
achievement - one that stands akin to honors given to Babe Ruth or Willie Mays,
scorekeeper Walter Day said.
"It's a very significant score that's not easy to match," said Day, who edits
the Official Video Game & Pinball Book of World Records and acts as referee at
gaming tournaments around the country. "No one is going after it."
The ceremony took place at the PhillyClassic conference at the Valley Forge
Convention Center in King of Prussia, a don't-miss meeting for classic video-gaming
fans.
Safran's aunt, Hana Safran Kramer, 74, and 58-year-old cousin, Marcia Blumenthal,
seemed at home around the conference attendees.
"He would be jumping out of his shoes if he was here," Kramer said. "This was such
a family gift when we found out."
They almost didn't. Day spent years trying to track down Safran, whose accomplishment
had been recorded by Atari, the maker of Asteroids. When the game was rereleased in
1998, Day sponsored a manhunt to find the elusive champion.
Plans for a "wanted poster" along with a $1,000 reward were under way early this
year, when Day received an e-mail from one of Safran's old friends telling him
that Safran had died.
Day contacted Marci Billow, Safran's younger sister.
Billow, a 32-year-old Microsoft employee in Redmond, Wash., has only faint memories
of that day in the arcade.
After setting the record, her brother turned his attention toward other interests,
such as baseball, guitar and the Grateful Dead, she said.
Upon graduating from Cherry Hill High School West, Safran moved to California to
attend Pierce Community College. There he adopted Samson, who was named for the
Grateful Dead recording "Samson and Delilah."
Kramer and Blumenthal, who live in the Philadelphia area, planned to take Safran's
award certificate out to a Cherry Hill cemetery where he is buried near his parents.
They will then send it to Marci Billow, Safran's younger sister.
"It's like all of a sudden, Scott is alive again," Kramer said.
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The Invention of Asteroids and Scott Safran - World Champion of Asteroids
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"Asteroids, A space fantasy game at your fingertips"
Asteroids was inspired by Lyle Rains, he had suggested to Ed Logg that players
might enjoy shooting big rocks into smaller pieces.
The game was conceived by Lyle Rains and programmed by Ed Logg. Asteroids was a hit
in the United States and became one of Atari's best selling games of all time.
The idea was put on the drawing board at Atari in 1978. Working on this project was
intense. Both Rains and Logg found themselves so deeply involved in the development
of this game that they found themselves playing the games over and over in their heads
day and night. Logg, played the game in his mind a long time before ever writing them
down. He had all the interactions down pat before he started programming. He knew
just how it would look and interact. Rains had commented "I guess the way I describe
it is that I'm the father of Asteroids, and Ed Logg, is the mother of Asteroids,
because he had to live with it for nine months and deliver finished product. All I
had to do was to provide a seed." This was the game to complete any ones fantasy of
being in outer space.
Asteroids also featured more complicated controls than most games of the time, with
five buttons in total (two to rotate controls than most games of the time, with five
buttons in total (two to rotate your spacecraft and three for firing, thrust, and
Hyperspace). Finally, although it was not the first game to do so, Asteroids uses
a vector graphics monitor to produce sharp, black-and-white linear graphics. The
vector graphics fit the futuristic outer space theme very well.
Howard Delman, was the creator of the sound for Asteroids. The boom-boom-boom background
sound was sort of meant to be like a heartbeat, and the idea was that as the game
progressed, the sound sped up, and the player's heart would speed up, too.
1979 Asteroids Video Game Control Panel
In the game play, players control a triangle spaceship that starts off in the center
of the screen. A number of big Asteroids drift across the screen. The player must
destroy the rocks while staying out of their paths. Players can freely rotate the
ship and apply engine thrust to move it. The ship moves realistically, taking a moment
to reach full speed and continuing to move in the same direction even after thrust
ceases. When you shoot an asteroid, it breaks into two small pieces that fly off
with a random direction and speed. Destroy those, and they break into two even smaller
pieces. Be careless with your firing, and you'll end up with a whole mess of deadly
rocks floating around. To make things more difficult, two varieties of flying saucers
fly through the asteroid field at regular intervals, breaking apart the big rocks
while trying to destroy you. All this action is set to a thumping bass line.
1979 Asteroids Video Game screen
Asteroids was the first game to track players initials to keep track of the top ten
high scores attained on the machine. This kept the players lined up to play to try
to get their initials in the top ten for a chance of video game fame.
High score screen
Scott Safran from Newton Pennsylvania scored the world record 41,336,440 points on
Asteroids at the All-American Billiard Company in Newton, Pennsylvania on November
13, 1982. His accomplishment was recognized as the world record by both Atari Games
and Twin Galaxies. Despite numerous searches over the years he was unable to be found.
He was to be awarded certificate of merit for his Asteroids accomplishment. Sadly to
say in March of 1998 Scott died from complications due to a fall from a roof trying
to save his pet cat Sampson. His remaining family members take turns displaying his
awards certificate in honor of his achievement.
The Atari 2600 version was released in 1981 and became one of the most successful home
games ever. This was the first 8K Atari 2600 title. This was another arcade game that
the home video gamer was proud to add to their collection.
Asteroids inspired a follow-up in the form of Asteroids Deluxe, an indirect
sequel called Space Duel, and an updated game titled Blasteroids, which included bosses
and power-ups. Recently, Activision published a 3D version of Asteroids for the PC,
Playstation, and Game Boy Color.
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Third Annual Phillyclassic 2002 - The Modern Show for Classic Games Link
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The first thing you notice when you entered the Third Annual Phillyclassic
was the sheer size of the room. With over 15,000 square feet, there was more than
enough room to accommodate the large crowd.
It was in a huge convention hall and had over 1,000 attendees! It also featured
a guest of honor, Bob Polaro, who made Defender, Road Runner, Sprintmaster and
other games for the Atari 2600. What a difference 5 years make.
A nice moment at the show was the award ceremony for the family of the late
Scott Safran, who was the Asteroids world champion and only recently found.
It was a touching moment at the show and the dignity and class that was shown
by Walter Day and the rest of the people involved should be applauded. It was
good to see Scott get the recognition he so justly deserved.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Philadelphia Weekly - Scott Safran Asteroids Champion (Eulogy)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EULOGY
Straight to Video - Scott Safran Asteroids Eulogy
by Brian Hickey
Sixteen grown men--well, at least physically grown--huddle around four kids who are
doing battle on an old-school Intellivision game. They hoot; they holler.
Just feet away others shun the limelight as they bounce Q-Bert-style, vicariously
flee ghosts through Pac-Man or defend the universe in Galaga mode.
Across the room, through a bevy of mullets, a fellow with long black hair streaked
with gold probably thinks he's standing light years beyond the rest. Sporting his
"PSYCHIATRIC WARD" T-shirt, he proudly tests the new Slik Stik video-game controller
that promises "gaming will never be the same" because of it.
Slik Stik's guarantee notwithstanding, Walter Day thinks this scene is a harbinger
of pop culture's next Hula Hoop.
Events like this past weekend's PhillyClassic 3 "gamers'" convention in Valley Forge,
he says, will usher retro arcade games back into the pop-cultural consciousness in
the same way disco, bell-bottoms and the Volkswagen bug have all returned. And
should predictions of a glorious resurgence be realized, this unassuming Iowan
who wears a referee's outfit will be a virtual Pied Piper.
Day took his place near the top of this subculture by compiling video-game records
while traveling the country hawking what-happened-the-day-you-were-born newspapers
door-to-door in the early 1980s. By 1983--about a year after Time magazine's
"GRONK! FLASH! ZAP! VIDEOGAMES ARE BLITZING THE WORLD" cover--he taped a television
pilot for Video Game News Update.
Though the show never made it past the pilot phase, Day later parlayed his pastime
into the 994-page Twin Galaxies' Official Video Game and Pinball Book of World
Records. So today, as de-facto spokesman for the industry, Day can't contain his
excitement when he talks about the attention he's seen paid to video games lately.
"It's the next big thing. It's going to take over the world!" Day says, his arms
flailing. "The emails I get, the calls I get. Businesses with an interest in
retro gaming are already bringing Frogger and Asteroids back. It's a phenomenon!"
It's difficult to take anything too seriously with Donkey Kong addicts hard at
play nearby, but there might be something to Day's observations.
PhillyClassic1 drew 50 people two years ago, and the follow-up attracted about 300.
Last weekend's event drew 800 people over two days. And just last week Comcast
launched video-game network G4 that will air 13 weekly series about video games
to three million homes, more than 400,000 of them local.
"It's like this wherever he goes," says classic-video-game webcaster Mike Stulir
of Day while his friend basks in the lights of a VH-1 interview.
But while there are clear signs that something is afoot, Saturday offered
something closer to the finale of an almost-hip-at-the-time '80s movie than
evidence of the next big trend.
Marci Billow remembers bits and pieces of the whole thing, but since she was
only 12 at the time, some details escape her.
In November 1982 her family traveled from their Cherry Hill home to Newtown, Pa.,
to see her older brother, Scott Safran, try to beat the Asteroids record. Safran
was a prodigy when it came to playing the Asteroids machine at their neighborhood
7-Eleven.
He was so good that he thought he could break the 40,101,910-point record some
guy set in North Carolina earlier that year.
In honor of an uncle who had died of muscular dystrophy, Safran concocted a
fundraiser and solicited sponsors. He wanted to set his record-breaking event
at the 7-Eleven, but the store's proprietor balked at the idea. When people at
the All-American Billiard arcade in Newtown got wind of Safran's plan they opened
their doors and ushered in video-game history.
"We're not talking about one day here. He kept playing and playing and playing,"
says Billow, now a technical writer at Microsoft's Washington headquarters. "The
thing is, after a couple days, he still didn't lose. My parents were like, 'Okay,
he's 15, he has school tomorrow and he hasn't slept. This has to stop.'"
When Safran walked away the score read 41,336,440. It hasn't been topped since.
When Day heard about it a couple years later he wanted Safran in his book, but
nobody knew what had become of the Asteroids kid who "set a record that will
never be broken."
He searched newspapers and phone books; he queried radio stations and arcade
owners. Finally, this past January, Day got the call. Safran, as it turns out,
died in 1989. Link
After moving to California, where he played guitar in a band and attended
community college, he fell three stories from a balcony trying to rescue his
cat after it got trapped on a ledge. He was 21. Link
After learning of Safran's fate, an old obituary led Day to Billow.
"We'd always been looking for something of Scott's to cling onto. I still have
his old guitars and his Grateful Dead bootlegs," says Billow. "But then I get
this call after 13 years. It was an amazing moment of 'Oh yeah!' He did this
amazing thing that we'd all forgotten about."
An accordion player grins through a polka rendition of "Roll out the Barrel." The
folks sucked into spy hunter and Dragon's Lair don't budge--some of them are
armed with video cameras just in case they break a record--but about 50 people
make their way around the stage where Day stands.
He tells everyone from the guy in the yellow bandana to three goth chicks in Final
Fantasy shirts that he's fulfilling a 20-year search to "honor one of the most
amazing feats in video-game history."
"This, by the way, has become an international story," he proclaims. "It's the
longest standing world record, and it's going to generate a lot of interest in
video gaming ... But this is also a story that needed a happy ending."
After Day presents a certificate to Safran's aunt Hana Kramer and cousin Marcia
Blumenthal, the accordion player kicks back into gear. Mission accomplished.
"He didn't live long, but he lived hard. He got the most out of life, had a zest
for living that was so contagious," says Kramer, adding that she'll take the award
to Safran's resting place in New Jersey. "I don't understand the whole video-game
thing one bit, but he left his mark."
Who knows whether Safran would've dug the scene in which his posthumous honor was
delivered. Maybe he'd be one of those guys who heads to New Hampshire each May
from across the country to battle with gamers from Finland, Israel and Asia in
the retro games. Perhaps he'd wonder what's drawing all these people to similar
events in Milwaukee, Cincinnati and Omaha.
He might even be as revered as the current-day game world's Elvis figure, Billy
Mitchell, who beat a Pac-Man machine so badly that it just shut down. But for
Billow, just the fact that someone would take the time to track down her brother
is honor enough.
"A lot of people say somebody was special after they die, but Scott had this unique
ability to just suck the marrow out of life," she says. "The world record brings him
closer to all these gamers out there. He was really into the public, so it suits him."
Brian Hickey (bhickey@philadelphiaweekly.com) also wrote this week's cover story. Link
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Can Scott Safran's Asteroids High Score be beat?
Bill Carlton gets ready to play Asteroids Marathon
Bill Carlton plays Asteroids Marathon
Bill Carlton, Above to shoot for new Asteroids High Score
Portland Man Bill Carlton Plays Asteroids for 27 Hours News:
Asteroids Competition: Starting on: Asteroids World Record Set
At Ground Kontrol. Wednesday, March 31st 2004
Ground Kontrol is an arcade joint that only contains first generation video games.
Pacman, Spy Hunter, Asteroids, you name it. And the games still only cost a quarter
to play.
ENTERPRISE
Captivated by retro games
NEW LOCATION
Ground Kontrol
511 NW Couch Street OLD ADDRESS: Ground Kontrol, 610 SW 12th
Portland, OR 97205-2206
Phone: (503) 796-9364
Ground Kontrol opened in August of 1999 and a second store is already planned,
thanks to the downtown workers, music enthusiasts and skateboarders who have
discovered the business. The second retrocade will open next month at 3509 S.E.
Hawthorne Blvd. Cohn and co-owner Betty Farrier also want to eventually open a site
in Hollywood, Calif.
A noontime glimpse inside Ground Kontrol's 610 Southwest 12th Ave. locus suggests that
Cohn, 32, and Farrier, 30, are hitting their business targets. The split between men
wearing ties and those who aren't is about half and half.
NEW ADDRESS:
After five successful years on SW 12th Avenue, Ground Kontrol is moving to 511 NW Couch
Street in Old Town on the bus mall and one block north of Burnside, behind the Roseland
Theater and close to Asian culture hotspot Just Be and network gaming gallery Backspace.
We'll kick things off with a Grand Re-Opening Party on First Thursday, October 7th, 2004
featuring local bands, DJs, and prize drawings for classic Atari 2600, NES, and Super
Nintendo home game systems. An modern day retro arcade, open to the public, in downtown
Portland, OR. Old brick building with high ceilings and massive wood beams.
Black lights, color spots, disco ball help add to the 80's arcade feel. Occasional
live music performances.
They also sell vintage console games.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bill Carlton is great at Asteroids, but can he do just as good in missile
command? Link
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ending his run for glory at the Ground Kontrol Arcade * a Portland video game
center specializing in classic arcade games from the early 80s.
After several marathon training sessions, Ground Kontrol regular William (Bill) Carlton
logged over 12.7 million points in a single game of Asteroids, qualifying for a
spot in the top five world record scores.
Ground Kontrol hosted this record-breaking game and videotaped the entire session
for submission to videogame record keepers Twin Galaxies. They've reviewed all 27
hours of footage and confirmed his performance as the #5 worldwide top score, noting
that Bill's performance is the first marathon Asteroids game recorded in over 20 years.
Bill's game-in-progress was covered by local TV stations KOIN 6 and Fox 12, and was
featured on the cover of The Oregonian's Living section.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Twin Galaxies Breaking News: www.twingalaxies.com Link
Breaking News Archive - March 27, 2004 by Robert
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3/27/2004 Portland Gamer Takes Asteroids for 27-hr Marathon
William Carlton of Portland, Oregon had his sights set on the Asteroids world record.
27 hours later, his loyal Asteroids steed broke down, ending his chances at winning
an Asteroids Gold Medal. Yet, at more than 12 million points, he has won 5th place
in the all-time Asteroids rankings. Still, his feat has drawn lots of media attention
and Carlton will get feature attention in the forthcoming edition of Twin Galaxies'
Official Video Game & Pinball Book of World Records.
"No one has performed a major marathon in nearly 20 years," reveals Walter Day, editor
of the record book. "Though the marathon was the centerpiece of competetive playing
in the early 80s, no one has aspired in two decades to tackle any of the legendary
marathon records of the past - and Asteroids is the most highly-regarded marathon title
of all. In fact, the long-standing world record has stood nearly 22 years and is recognized
as the longest standing world record in the record book." To see a comprehensive report
on Carlton's performance, see Robert Mruczek's detailed analysis at Asteroids Record in
Portland.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Details of Asteroids Latest High Score Performance Link
Robert Mruczek
TG Board of Directors
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2004 9:50 am
Post subject: Asteroids - New 5th Place Arcade World Record !!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BREAKING NEWS - OREGON MAN SETS ALL-TIME 5TH PLACE 'ASTEROIDS' ARCADE RECORD
WITH 12.7M !!
As reported March 17th, 2004 (Asteroids - New 5th Place Arcade World Record !!)
Hello fellow gamers:
In the history of recorded video game world records, no other record is as unique
as that on the classic Atari game 'Asteroids' according to the Twin Galaxies Intergalactic
Scoreboard. And the reason for that is simple. It is the oldest, unbeaten world record
in our database, after more than 22 years of compiling and tracking world records on
classic arcade, home console, pinball, hand-held and PC-based titles.
In fact, the prospect of attempting this particular record is so daunting that Twin
Galaxies wasn't sure any gamer would even think about it. Scott Safran, the recognized
world record holder, set his mark of more than 40 million points more than 20 years
ago. Twin Galaxies estimates that Scott's game lasted approximately 72-80 hours in
duration, as some aspects of his achievement are no longer recoverable due to a loss
of Twin Galaxies records nearly as many years ago.
And now, more than 20 years later, another intrepid gamer set out to make his mark
in the game of 'Asteroids', and in the annals of video game history. William
Carlton, who hails from Oregon in the USA, set forth on the day of November 29th,
2003, at 12:15pm Oregon-time, to boldly attempt this marathon task within the
confines of 'Ground Kontrol' located in Portland, Oregon in the USA, which boasts
such classic arcade titles such as 'Asteroids', 'Space Invaders', 'Missile Command',
'Ms Pacman', 'Joust', 'Star Wars', 'Donkey Kong Junior' and others, from what I
can tell from the background noises as William played his marathon.
Marathon...that is the term that Twin Galaxies assigns to such attempts, as it
appropriately describes what gamers that play the same video game credit for 12
or more hours are engaged in.
For starters, let me state that I actually received William's tapes (all four of
them) more than three months ago. Due to the quality of the images, it was virtually
impossible for me to accurately determine what his final score was. This was
compounded by the fact that the displayed score 'Asteroids' will turn-over or
roll-over, as the arcade expression goes, at 100,000 points, meaning William was
intent on doing this nearly 400 times during an estimated 3 day period. And consider
if you will, that the average player has problems passing even the first 100K mark.
Like I said, quite a daunting prospect.
I eventually discussed the situation with William, who luckily sent me a copy of
the entire performance, which (as it turned out) lasted until 3:34.26pm on November
30th, or in other words, was 27 hours, 19 minutes and 26 seconds in duration. The
second set was received, and I only just recently completed annotating the entire
run, re-watching it all over again. As chief referee for Twin Galaxies, it was my
responsibility to do so, plus after what William went through, that was the least I
could do !!
After completing the viewing and logging of his performance, I was able to determine
his incontrovertible, final score as being 12,756,970 points, bringing him to 5th
place on the Twin Galaxies all-time high score list for this title. But William's
game did not come to an end due to fatigue. It ended when the game itself let him
down. Somehow, for reasons not yet clear to us, the game physically came to an end.
The graphics disappeared off the screen, the sound ended, and his world record
attempt came to an unexpected conclusion. It is a little known fact that in this
particular title, if you reach 257 ships in storage that your game will 'crash',
yet few players have ever been able to reach that seemingly unattainable reserve
goal. But being that he was past the previous extra ship mark (12.750M), that was
clearly not the cause.
William is fully intend on attempting this yet again at some point. But for now,
with the 2nd Edition of the Twin Galaxies Book of Records being prepared, he at
least has made his mark.
***********************************************
THE INTERVIEW
I had an opportunity to speak with William concerning his attempt, from his
initial inquiry as to the proper settings and how to go about submitting a marathon
performance to Twin Galaxies, and through the conclusion. Along the way, he provided
some interesting historical information.
TG - Why did you do this ?
WC - I was informed about the Twin Galaxies website in early 2003. This was my
incentive. Later, I pictured starting a gamer movement to break all records no
matter how old and to do it on tape !! I've always known I could do this, but
thanks to the game room 'Ground Kontrol' they helped make it possible.
TG - In what way ?
WC - 'Ground Kontrol' takes gaming seriously, and will go out of their way to
help an interested gamer set a record. Plus the staff genuinely appreciates
video games.
TG - Why this game ?
WC - Well, I can't do the marathon thing on every game. Of the few games that
I can play forever, 'Asteroids' has the biggest name. There is another big-name
Atari game from the 80's that I may attempt in the future.
TG - You've achieved a 5th place ranking on the all-time list. What do you
ultimately hope to accomplish ? WC - If I can make it to at least 3rd place on
my next attempt, I may put out a DVD showing different sections of the game with
some extra footage.
TG - Sounds cool. As the man of the hour, anything else you wish to say ?
Wc - I would like to thank the owners of 'Ground Kontrol' for this opportunity,
especially Anthony Ramos for maintaining the 'Asteroids' machine during the
weeks leading up to the attempt. It would not have lasted as long or been
possible without his help. Thank you, Twin Galaxies, for keeping all the records
for all these years, and to the TG staff for providing advice over the phone on
how to record and submit my marathon attempt before I began. Also, I'd like to
thank a sponsor of mine who wrote the book 'Billiards on Broadway' available
at www.1stbooks.com
I would also like to thanks Brian & Bill for teaching me to play 'Asteroids'
marathon-style. Allan for acting as my chauffer, as I was in no condition to
drive home !! Orlando, Doug, Jim, Chris, Jayson, Radcliff, Melissa & Scott for
keeping me playing games for all these years. And of course, my Mom & Dad.
And finally, fellow gamers, here now is his performance recap, from the very
beginning !!
Distinctive Game play in order to achieve this score:
William loses his 2nd life at approx 25K, and leaves the 1st stage after 52K.
He employs a strategy known as 'hunting', which for this particular title is
a technique allowed under Twin Galaxies rules governing 'Asteroids' for many
years now. In short, the gamer saves one or more rocks and drifts about waiting
for the appearance of the 'command ship', which is worth either 200 points for
the slow large ship, or 1,000 points for the smaller, faster ship. When the last
rock of a given stage is destroyed, another wave appears, this time with more
rocks than before up to a certain point.
To read the rest of this interview Link
William Carlton Reply: Asteroids - New 5th Place Arcade World Record !!
When I did my first practice session it took me 21.5 hours to make 10 Million.
On my second practice session it took only 19 hours to make 10 Million. As I
was doing the marathon attempt I figured to beat Scott's score I would need
about 83 to 88 hours. I am much older than Scott was - Two and a half times
his age! Also, I play to a point and take long breaks. I can keep track through
the window, while I smoke, of how many cities I lose on break. Then, before I
take another break, I will get back the amount I lose. After the first 59 extra
ships are showing across the screen the rest are hidden. My worry is not to go
over 255 extra ships as this is a bad thing.
I'm sure during my next Asteroids attempt I WILL slow down the pace as
the days go by. - Due 2005 - SK8-GOD, William Carlton
Link
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground Kontrol Arcade
At the Ground Kontrol Classic Arcade in Portland, Oregon, the Aftershock RetroGames
Arcade in Madison, Wisconsin and the Houston Area Arcade Group Expo in Houston,
Texas, high score champions will spend three days celebrating the legacy of Pac-Man,
Centipede, Donkey Kong and Frogger in the form of an interstate high-score championship
titled Classic Video Game Championships Across America. "Players at the three different
locations will be going head-to-head for listings in the book of records," explains
Walter Day, editor of the record book and coordinator of the event. "During the
three-day event, the management of each of the three locations will monitor high
scores and submit them to the Book of Records for consideration in the forthcoming
edition, due out in the fall."
At Ground Kontrol in Portland, William Carlton, who has already achieved the 5th highest
score on Asteroids, will try to capture a world title on Astro Fighter, a highly
contested game created by Sega in 1980. "Though our Asteroids champ is our biggest
draw,quot; explains Anthony Ramos, Ground Kontrol proprietor, "we also have Ryan Coulter,
Age: 32, a world-class Spy Hunter contender who may eclipse the current world record on
that game." Additional stars at Ground Kontrol will be tackling games
like Galaga, Missile Command, Space Invaders and 720.
Name Game High Score World Ranking
Ryan Coulter Spy Hunter 378,335 #5
Bill Carlton Astro Fighter 18,840 #2
Alan Johnson Missile Command 369,110 #2
Ground Kontrol
(Downtown SW 12th Ave)
Portland, Oregon, USA
Ground Kontrol Final Scores
Bill Carlton Astro Fighter 15,470
Perry Rogers Galaxian 389,770
Perry Rogers Mario Bros. 3,481,550
Chris Magee Q*Bert 1,895,565
Though our Asteroids champ is our biggest draw," explains Anthony Ramos, Ground
Kontrol proprietor, "we also have Ryan Coulter, a world-class Spy Hunter player.
Some Game Facts:
Asteroids is a popular vector-based video arcade game released in 1979 by Atari.
The object of the game is for the player to shoot and destroy asteroids without
being hit by the fragments.
The game was conceived by Lyle Rains and programmed by Ed Logg. Asteroids was a
hit in the United States and became one of Atari's best selling games of all time.
It was so popular that video arcade owners usually had to install new larger coin
boxes to hold all the tokens this machine raked in.
One of the innovative features of the game was the ability for players to record
their initials with their high scores, an innovation which is standard feature for
arcade games to this day.
In March 2004, Portland, Oregon resident Bill Carlton attempted to break the world
record for playing an arcade version of Asteroids, playing over 27 hours before his
machine malfuntioned, ending his record run. He scored 12.7 million points, putting
him in 5th place in the all-time Asteroids rankings. In November 1982 Scott Safran
set the still unbroken record of 41 million-points.
Finally an American gamer's attempt at the Asteroids world record came to an
end when - 27 hours into his game - the machine conked out. Bill Carlton of
Portland, Oregon fancied a pop at Scott Safran's 1982 Asteroids world record
but the aging machine malfunctioned after 12.7 million points. Experts reckon
that to get to the 41 million point record Carlton would have had to play for
another two days.
A comprehensive report on the significance of Carlton’s feat has been prepared
by Robert Mruczek, Twin Galaxies’ Chief referee and can be found at
http://www.twingalaxies.com
"Long-range, high scoring marathons like Carlton’s were the meat and potatoes
of the video gaming world back in the early 80s," says Day, who personally
organized many such marathons for Twin Galaxies back in the classic age of gaming.
"You were deemed a star if you could take a game for days on a single quarter.
It brought tremendous prestige and everybody tried to master their favorite game
and marathon it."
During the heyday of the marathon age, Twin Galaxies found itself monitoring as
many as a dozen marathons every weekend – with the biggest crop being held the
weekend of April 2-4, 1982, when Twin Galaxies organized the 1982 Defender National
Championship, which saw Defender marathons going on simultaneously in 23 different
cities around North America. "It was a weekend affair," remembers Day. "The kids
took off Friday from school and started in the morning, playing straight through
until Monday."
Though Rick Smith of Mission Viejo, California won the National Championship that
weekend with 33,013,200 million points, he held the title for barely 1 month before
Marvin Norton of Thatcher, AZ snatched Smith’s crown away with a 49 million-point
marathon.
The most unique marathon conducted during the golden age of gaming, was the 1st
Annual Twin Galaxies Iron Man Contest, which offered eight competitors a chance
at winning $10,000 in cash if they could keep their game going on one quarter for
100 hours. James Vollandt of California, playing on Joust, lasted the longest with
67-1/2 hours. "You were deemed a star if you could take a game for days on a
single quarter. It brought tremendous prestige, and everybody tried to master
their favourite game and marathon it."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Twin Galaxies Scoreboard
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Asteroids
Variation: Factory Settings
Platform: Arcade
Rules: Start Units : 3 The TG board of directors has agreed that the technique of
shooting down back-to-back command ships at the end of each stage has been deemed
legally permissible and is not considered 'point scrabbing', after much consideration.
This confirmation of TG's stance on this decision is dated 7/19/02.
Rank % Score Score Player
1 100.00 % 41,336,440 Scott Safran 06/11/2004
2 97.01 % 40,101,910 Leo Daniels
06/11/2004
3 72.82 % 30,100,100 Dennis Hernandez 06/11/2004
4 49.13 % 20,307,890 Mike Titus 06/11/2004
5 30.86 % 12,756,970 William Carlton 03/15/2004
6 30.67 % 12,677,810 Bobby Melillo 06/11/2004
7 17.42 % 7,200,620 Duncan Brown 06/11/2004
8 17.20 % 7,111,000 Salvador Cordova 06/11/2004
9 2.75 % 1,137,050 Ron Corcoran 05/13/2001
10 0.76 % 313,780
Donald Hayes 06/06/2001
New Updated Asteroids Twin Galaxies Data Base World Records Statistics:
Rank % Score Score Player
1 100.00 % 41,336,440 Scott Safran 11/13/1982 Referee
2 97.01 % 40,101,910 Leo P Daniels 02/06/1982 Referee
3 72.82 % 30,100,100 Dennis Hernandez 06/11/2004 Referee
4 72.58 % 30,000,000 Lonnie J Cancienne 11/20/1981 Referee
5 62.74 % 25,932,800 Jay Howell 11/05/1981 Referee
6 62.73 % 25,930,690 Wayne MacLemore 07/05/1981 Referee
7 56.31 % 23,274,970 Richard V Scott 05/14/1982 Referee
8 49.13 % 20,307,890 Mike Titus 03/12/1982 Referee
9 48.98 % 20,245,470 John Paul Jones 11/01/1981 Referee
10 44.88 % 18,552,590 Mark Bersabe 07/08/1985 Referee
11-13-1982: Scott Safran, World Record Asteroids, All-American Billiard Co.
/ Newton, PA, referee / TG
(start units: 3; bonus ship: 10K points).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Asteroids World New World Record Attempt Tried Yet Defeated - STORY BELOW
FROM TWIN GALAXIES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2004 9:50 am Post subject: Asteroids - New 5th Place Arcade
World Record !!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BREAKING NEWS - OREGON MAN SETS ALL-TIME 5TH PLACE 'ASTEROIDS' ARCADE RECORD
WITH 12.7M !!
As reported March 17th, 2004
Hello fellow gamers:
In the history of recorded video game world records, no other record is as
unique as that on the classic Atari game 'Asteroids' according to the Twin Galaxies
Intergalactic Scoreboard. And the reason for that is simple. It is the oldest,
unbeaten world record in our database, after more than 22 years of compiling and
tracking world records on classic arcade, home console, pinball, hand-held and
PC-based titles.
In fact, the prospect of attempting this particular record is so daunting that Twin
Galaxies wasn't sure any gamer would even think about it. Scott Safran, the
recognized world record holder, set his mark of more than 40 million points more
than 20 years ago. Twin Galaxies estimates that Scott's game lasted approximately
72-80 hours in duration, as some aspects of his achievement are no longer recoverable
due to a loss of Twin Galaxies records nearly as many years ago.
And now, more than 20 years later, another intrepid gamer set out to make his mark
in the game of 'Asteroids', and in the annals of video game history. William Carlton
, who hails from Oregon in the USA, set forth on the day of November 29th, 2003,
at 12:15pm Oregon-time,
to boldly attempt this marathon task within the confines of 'Ground Kontrol' located
in Portland, Oregon in the USA, which boasts such classic arcade titles such as
'Asteroids', 'Space Invaders', 'Missile Command', 'Ms Pacman', 'Joust', 'Star Wars',
'Donkey Kong Junior' and others, from what I can tell from the background noises
as William played his marathon.
Marathon...that is the term that Twin Galaxies assigns to such attempts, as it
appropriately describes what gamers that play the same video game credit for 12
or more hours are engaged in.
For starters, let me state that I actually received William's tapes (all four of
them) more than three months ago. Due to the quality of the images, it was virtually
impossible for me to accurately determine what his final score was. This was
compounded by the fact that the displayed score 'Asteroids' will turn-over or roll-over,
goes, at 100,000 points, meaning William was intent on doing this nearly 400 times
during an estimated 3 day period. And consider if you will, that the average player
has problems passing even the first 100K mark. Like I said, quite a daunting prospect.
I eventually discussed the situation with William, who luckily sent me a copy of
the entire performance, which (as it turned out) lasted until 3:34.26pm on November
30th, or in other words, was 27 hours, 19 minutes and 26 seconds in duration. The
second set was received, and
I only just recently completed annotating the entire run, re-watching it all over
again. As chief referee for Twin Galaxies, it was my responsibility to do so, plus
after what William went through, that was the least I could do !!
After completing the viewing and logging of his performance, I was able to determine
his incontrovertible, final score as being 12,756,970 points, bringing him to 5th
place on the Twin Galaxies all-time high score list for this title. But William's
game did not come to an end due to fatigue. It ended when the game itself let him
down. Somehow, for reasons not yet clear to us, the game physically came to an end.
The graphics disappeared off the screen, the sound ended, and his world record
attempt came to an unexpected conclusion. It is a little known fact that in this
particular title, if you reach 257 ships in storage that your game will 'crash',
yet few players have ever been able to reach that seemingly unattainable reserve
goal. But being that he was past the previous extra ship mark (12.750M), that was
clearly not the cause.
William is fully intend on attempting this yet again at some point. But for now,
with the 2nd Edition of the Twin Galaxies Book of Records being prepared, he at
least has made his mark.
***********************************************
THE INTERVIEW
I had an opportunity to speak with William concerning his attempt, from his initial
inquiry as to the proper settings and how to go about submitting a marathon performance
to Twin Galaxies, and through the conclusion. Along the way, he provided some interesting
historical information.
TG - Why did you do this ?
WC - I was informed about the Twin Galaxies website in early 2003. This was my
incentive. Later, I pictured starting a gamer movement to break all records no matter
how old and to do it on tape !! I've always known I could do this, but thanks to the
game room 'Ground Kontrol' they helped make it possible.
TG - In what way ?
WC - 'Ground Kontrol' takes gaming seriously, and will go out of their way to help
an interested gamer set a record. Plus the staff genuinely appreciates video games.
TG - Why this game ?
WC - Well, I can't do the marathon thing on every game. Of the few games that I can
play forever, 'Asteroids' has the biggest name. There is another big-name Atari game
from the 80's that I may attempt in the future.
TG - You've achieved a 5th place ranking on the all-time list. What do you ultimately
hope to accomplish ? WC - If I can make it to at least 3rd place on my next attempt,
I may put out a DVD showing different sections of the game with some extra footage.
TG - Sounds cool. As the man of the hour, anything else you wish to say ?
Wc - I would like to thank the owners of 'Ground Kontrol' for this opportunity,
especially Anthony Ramos for maintaining the 'Asteroids' machine during the weeks
leading up to the attempt. It would not have lasted as long or been possible without
his help. Thank you, Twin Galaxies, for keeping all the records for all these years,
and to the TG staff for providing advice over the phone on how to record and submit
my marathon attempt before I began. Also, I'd like to thank a sponsor of mine who
wrote the book 'Billiards on Broadway' available at www.1stbooks.com
I would also like to thanks Brian & Bill for teaching me to play 'Asteroids'
marathon-style. Allan for acting as my chauffer, as I was in no condition to drive
home !! Orlando, Doug, Jim, Chris, Jayson, Radcliff, Melissa & Scott for keeping me
playing games for all these years. And of course, my Mom & Dad.
And finally, fellow gamers, here now is his performance recap, from the very beginning !!
*************************************************
THE PATH TO VICTORY
12:14pm (Nov 29th, 2003) - William's buddies ready his video camera and ensure that
it is properly fixed on the game screen. When they give him the green light, he holds
up 'The Coin', the quarter that will hopefully enshrine him into video game history.
It is inserted into the game, and the
timer is 12:14.54, and his friends count down 5...4...3...2...1 and the start button
is pushed at exactly 12:15.00pm on the video camera timer display. His performance begins.
12:15.15pm - Amazingly, William loses a life almost immediately. He exclaims 'Not
even 1,000 points !!'.
William loses his 2nd life at approx 25K, and leaves the 1st stage after 52K. He
employs a strategy known as 'hunting', which for this particular title is a technique
allowed under Twin Galaxies rules governing 'Asteroids' for many years now. In short,
the gamer saves one or more rocks and drifts about waiting for the appearance of the
'command ship', which is worth either 200 points for the slow large ship, or 1,000
points for the smaller, faster ship. When the last rock of a given stage is destroyed,
another wave appears, this time with more rocks than before up to a certain point.
Then, the gamer has approximately 30 seconds to clear off as many rocks as they can
before the next 'command ship' appears. And unlike the 'command ship' in the classic
title 'Space Invaders', these ships shoot back !!
12:25.38pm - the 100K barrier is broken, and the score turns-over for the first time
this game. Before his game would come to an abrupt end, William would roll-over the
score an additional 126 more times.
Before I continue with the next barriers broken, William's 3rd, 4th and 5th loss of
ships came at 107K, 108K and 109K respectively. Twin Galaxies so often tracks some
titles based on the first 5 lives that I felt it necessary to include this information
in my report.
12:37.30pm - the 2nd roll-over at 200K occurs.
01:08.11pm - the half-million barrier is broken
01:31.30pm - William passes the 700K mark. Several minutes later at approx 740K,
his row of reserve ships occupies half the distance from one end of the screen to
the other.
02:04.18pm - the 1M barrier is passed !! William's score becomes one that is 7-digits
Through this point in his performance, he is averaging about 100K every 11 minutes,
a pace that, if sustained, would mean he would have to play close to 78 more hours
to reach Scott's mark. But if there's one thing I have learned from my own personal
experience with video game marathons, including knowing other players who have done
this before, it is that when a player is 'resolved' to perform a marathon, little
can stand in their way other than what they have no control over.
In the past, marathons have come to premature conclusions for a number of reasons...
power-outages, game-failure (either the controls, buttons or the machine itself),
gamers succumbing to exhaustion,
and in a few rare (and distasteful) cases, someone pulling the plug on the gamer.
'Asteroids' is a title that is very conducive to marathoning. The player has the
capacity to earn up to 256 extra ships in storage (a 257th would be disastrous, as
I mentioned earlier), and with some clever strategy, it is possible to minimize the
number of ships lost during a 'rest period'. Under strict Twin Galaxies guidelines
governing marathons as they now stand, a player is on meets or exceeds 12 hours
in length. Considering William's rate of point-acquisition, and rate of ship-loss
during the few breaks that I carefully monitored for ship loss statistics, he averages
approx 7-10 ships lost per minute, and gains approx 1 ship per minute. Based on how
many ships he might be able
to accumulate during his performance, he is hardly in danger of running out of ships
once he reaches a certain point...providing fatigue does not set in.
03:22.22pm - score just passed the 1.7M mark, and for the first time this game,
William has achieved a full row of reserve ships. For gamers who have never seen
an 'Asteroids' master at work, this is truly an impressive sight. I don't know the
exact number myself, but somewhere between 50-60 ships are all in a row from
left-to-right. Extra reserves beyond the displayed amount are kept in memory. Years
back, when we used to gather after school to play the game, we took one look at the
screen and the number of extra ships present. Anything more than 6 and we knew we
had a wait, but if we saw a half-completed row across the top, we didn't even bother
putting our quarters down to wait for our turn. We just picked another game. One kid
in high school did this on almost a daily basis. Why, we never knew, as he always
had to go back to school when lunch hour ended. But at least it freed up the other
games !!
03:57.00pm (even) - the 2M barrier is broken. Still a long way to go, but William
is on pace at approx 1M points every 2 hours.
04:57.51pm - reaches 2.5M points
06:00.02pm - the 3M barrier is passed. The pace slowed due to a one or two bathroom
breaks along the way.
07:43.46pm - passed the 3.9M mark. William is currently being interviewed while he
is playing and provides such responses as what he's been eating during his
performance (his secret is 'Peanut butter and jelly
and fruit, nothing too heavy'...though I'm not sure if he ate them at the same time
or not), and also where he was in the game ('I don't know what my score is right
now, and I also don't know how many
ships I have').
He is about to explain to the interviewer what the objective(s) of 'Asteroids'
is, but it is time for his buddy to stop tape 1 and insert tape 2. I missed what
he said by the time the second tape was inserted.
07:55.56pm - the 4M mark is reached. 'Welcome to tape 2', William says a few minutes
later. He's a very conscientious gamer and whenever possible points to the screen
with each roll-over of the score, and periodically 'talks' to the camera for the
benefit of the historical recording of his attempt.
09:57.46pm - reaches the 5M mark. Not many other players have, mind you. And
reaching 10 hours into his attempt.
12:03.03am - officially November 30th, 2003, he reached the 6M mark
12:14.47am - just about 12 hours into his now-definite marathon attempt, his
score is 6.1M
02:13.33am - the 7M mark is passed...still on-par with a 1/2 M per hour pace
03:18.26am - reaches 7.5M...and a few minutes later at 3:29.23am announces that
it's time to switch to tape number 3 in the series.
04:23.15am - asks his friends to put on some 'Stone Temple Pilots' music to help
keep him awake and I guess entertained as well...not that playing the same game
of 'Asteroids' for 16+ hours wasn't enough !!
A few seconds later, at 04:24.30am, he passes the 8M mark.
06:22.18am - the 9M mark is reached, though SLIGHTLY behind pace of 1M per two
hours by about 7 minutes.
06:50.50am - for the benefit of the statisticians out there, at this precise
moment, an even 9,200,000 is reached...the only time this entire game that
this happens, where the score rolls-over to '00', which looks oddly out of place
when seen next to an entire row of reserve ships.
08:43.19am - not sure what you were doing at this time back then, but William's
score just passed the impressive 10M barrier, a feat even fewer gamers have
achieved. After all, playing the same game credit for 20 hours is no small feat
in and of itself !! His rate of point acquisition for the past million points has
slowed, from 100K in approx 11 minutes to approx 14 minutes, largely due to a
few much needed (and allowable) breaks under Twin Galaxies rules governing
marathon gameplay.
11:09.57am - reaches the 11M mark. He's now talking to someone about how on the
internet he found a bundle of web pages dedicated to the arcade game 'Asteroids'
and how now, he's 'gonna be on ALL of them !!' once his mission is accomplished.
11:14.47am - tape (3) comes to an end, resuming at 11:15.19am, 23 hours after
his marathon began.
11:25.11am - 11.1M - I thought this was amusing...all those 'one's'. Now if he
did this about 14 minutes earlier, that would have been really scary, I think !!
12:15.00pm even - William's score after 24 hours of gameplay is 11,431,900 points
(rounded)...a little less than a 1M per two hour pace, but close enough. After all,
if it takes him an extra half-hour per day to makeup for lost points after
potentially 3 days of gameplay, so be it. William won't lose any sleep over it.
Pun intended !!
02:59.37pm - reached the 12.5M mark.
03:12.44pm - 12.6M points
03:27.45pm - 12.7M points
03:33.33pm (yes, exactly that !!) - 12,750,000 is passed. All those threes.
Last time I saw so many was in a 'Star Trek' Next Generation' episode concerning
a causality loop. I also noticed that if you treat this as a number '333333',
split in half into two '333's' then add them up...whoa !! But all that just goes
to show you that I must have too much time on my hands to be thinking about that.
03:34.26pm - Ironic that I should have said that, as William had no way to know
how little time he had left in his game. You see, fellow gamers, the game betrayed
him...it let him down. Somehow, at a final score of 12,756,970 points, in the
beginning few seconds of a new wave, the display just 'disappeared'. Kaput, punto
finale. 'Game over, man...game over !!', as Bill Paxton said in 'Aliens' in perhaps
my favourite line from that movie.
William stared at the screen for a few seconds while his friends were still
talking in the background, and no one seemed to know what to make out of it. The
red light was still on the console, yet no picture of sound was detectable. He
shook the game a few times, and then, after accepting what apparently had just
happened, said (and I quote) 'And THAT'S how you get fifth place. FIFTH place !!
Number five of ALL TIME !!'
He left his place at the game where he had just spent the last 27+ hours, and his
friends checked it out. 'Sounds like it crashed', one of them said.
And so, fellow gamers, we see before us a rare example of where man outlasted machine.
*****************************************
AFTERTHOUGHTS
I called William on Monday, March 15th, nearly four months after his marathon
gameplay attempt, to let him know that his final score was under 13M after very
close scrutiny. My findings were meticulously documented, and other than maybe
the last 10's-digits of his score, his final outcome was definitely 12,756,9x0
points. I am 99% sure it's a '7', but more importantly I am positive it's 12.756M points.
William is deadset on trying this again at some point, and I wish him well when
he does, and will be there for another verification when that happens.
In the history of Twin Galaxies, many marathons have taken place on a variety
of titles. Yet amazingly, in all of years 2002 through 2003 combined, only a
few verified marathons on arcade machines were accomplished. That is because
the premise, and daunting outlook for attempting such a performance, is enough
to turn away all but the most tenacious and hard-core of gamers. Just like the
road-race that bears the name 'marathon', a video game marathon involves a lot
of preparation, a few smaller-duration 'trial runs', and a little luck never hurts
at all. In William's case, he had 2 out of the 3 going for him in the closing moments.
Twin Galaxies would like to congratulate William on his outstanding achievement
and his time-honoured attempt at setting his own video game marathon world
record. Can William reach Scott's mark ? Only time will tell, but we are confident
that when he is ready, he will give it another go. And we will be there to proudly
track his outcome.
Those interested may contact William at 'asteroidsmaster@yahoo.com'.
Robert
_________________
Robert T Mruczek
Twin Galaxies - Editor and Chief referee
Star Wars classic arcade marathon champion
rmruczek(at)doremus. (work E-MAIL)
******************************
High Score Player List Asteroids Link
Name
Asteroids
Variation: Factory Settings
Platform: Arcade
Rules: Start Units : 3 The TG board of directors has agreed that the technique of
shooting down back-to-back command ships at the end of each stage has been deemed
legally permissible and is not considered 'point scrabbing', after much consideration.
This confirmation of TG's stance on this decision is dated 7/19/02. This Update: 1/17/05.
Ranking Score Name Verification Method
1 100.00 % 41,336,440 Scott Safran 06/11/2004 Referee 11/13/82
2 97.01 % 40,101,910 Leo P Daniels Referee 06/11/2004 2/06/1982
3 72.82 % 30,100,100 Dennis Hernandez 06/11/2004 Referee
4 56.31 % 23,274,970 Richard V Scott 05/14/1982 Referee
5 49.13 % 20,307,890 Mike Titus 06/11/2004 Referee
6 44.88 % 18,552,590 Mark Bersabe 07/08/1985 Referee
7 44.39 % 18,348,000 Mike Cole Weeg 12/28/1981 Referee
8 30.86 % 12,756,970 William Carlton 03/15/2004 Video
9 30.67 % 12,677,810 Bobby Melillo 06/11/2004 Video
10 19.48 % 8,053,000 Mike Hildebrand 07/31/1983 Referee
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Leo Danials Flashback Link
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground Kontrol Photos of First Building Before They Moved. Portland, Oregon
Ground Kontrol is a Retro Arcade with 1980's video games and memorbilla
Interview
Here is the 5th Place Asteroids Ground Kontrol Champion Interview
Ground Kontrol: 610 SW 12th Avenue Portland, Oregon 97205-2206 Phone:
503.796.9364 Website: www.groundkontrol.com.
Besides Funspot at New Hampshire, Ground Kontrol Arcade is the next place for
Retro High Scores:
FUNSPOT (Retro) Video Game Arcade Ground Kontrol (Retro) Video Game Arcade
U.S. Route 3 610 SW 12th Ave.
Mailing Address: PO Box 5428 Portland, Oregon 97205
Weirs, NH 03247-5428 (503)-796-9365
(603)-366-4377
Fax: 603/366-2077
Funspot (Retro) Arcade: And Web Page link.
Ground Kontrol (Retro) Arcade Pictures below: And Web Page link.
Ground Kontrol Photo: New Location October 1, 2004
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fun Facts Trivia:
QUESTION:
Which gaming console currently holds the Guinness World Record for the
best-selling computer games console in the world? Link
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ANSWER: September 13, 1999 Sony's new PlayStation 2 model (1999) Guinness Book
Of World Records, Most Consoles sold in one hour. The Playstation 2 (with the
best-selling game of all time, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City). The most powerful system?
The Microsoft X-Box
9/11/99 "Sony's planning to sell 1 million consoles in the first two days of the launch
and then at least another 500,000 in the next few weeks," Universal Securities
analyst Motoharu Sone told Reuters.
1/21/2002 Sony (SNE, news, msgs), of course, has its year-old PlayStation II, which went
ballistic this season, selling 2.5 million units in the United States, about 1.7
million in Europe, and 1.1 million in Japan, for a total of 5.3 million-plus between
Thanksgiving and New Year’s. At prices between $225 and $250, this would feed about
$1.25 billion to the channel, plus perhaps an additional $530 million in games.
Sony is on track to make its annual projection of 20 million shipped in this fiscal
year ending March, which would bring the total for PSII to 30.6 million units. Worth
noting: Sony now claims 4,200 game titles for PSI and II in Japan, and 1,400 in the
United States.
Fastest-Selling Videogame Console
When it comes to home game consoles, Sony has it sussed! Around six years ago they
launched their legendary Playstation. In January 2001, they had sold approximately 79.61
million units of the game worldwide. But then on March 4, 2000 Playstation's little
brother – Playstation 2 – hit the shelves, selling 98,000 units in four hours.
WANT TO KNOW MORE?
Playstation 2 not only plays amazing games with cool graphics, but it has the
facility to play DVD movies and audio CDs too.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY -- COMPUTERS -- FAST CONSOLE SALES
CHECK THIS OUT… Guinness Book Consoles Link
Playstation currently holds the Guinness World Record for the best-selling computer
games console in the world.
Who: Sony's PlayStation 2
When: March 4–6, 2000
Where: Japan
What: 98,000 units sold in 4 hours
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
QUESTION 1:
Which game has been played more than any other online? Link
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ANSWER 1: Halo 2
28 Million Hours of Halo 2
Journalists love statistics, and there's lots to love in this morning's update from
Microsoft about the commercial success of Halo 2, which has now sold 5 million
copies.
Halo 2 has also been a huge boost to Xbox Live, Microsoft's online gaming network.
The number crunchers in Redmond say Halo 2 has been played by more than 900,000 unique
users on Xbox live, who average 91 minutes per session ("approximately the same length
as a major motion picture"). All told, Xbox live users have logged a record-setting 28
million hours playing Halo 2, more than any other game in the history of service.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
QUESTION 2:
What is the most prize money ever won for winning at a video game competition?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ANSWER 2: Video Game Competition, ACON Fatal1ty Shootout
Chinese Gamer Wins $125,000 for FPS Skills:
Chinese gamer Meng Yang won a $125,000 prize last month while defeating competitive
gaming superstar Johnathan "Fatal1ty" Wendel during the ACON Fatal1ty Shootout at the
Great Wall of China.
The $125,000 prize is believed to be a record for competitive gaming. "Though there
will be one further round of verification, we believe that this is history's largest
first-place prize," said Walter Day, editor of Twin Galaxies, which tracks gaming
records. "This huge prize is a quantum leap for professional gaming, especially when
viewed in contrast to history's first verified major cash prize: the $25,000 first
place prize awarded by Intellivision during the 1982 Astrosmash World Championship."
Yang, 21, whose handle is "Rocket Boy," was ecstatic about winning the $125,000.
"I practiced hard to play in this exhibition because I wanted to play my idol,"
said Yang. "I've studied (Wendel) for five years and dreamed of playing the number
one gamer in the world."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
QUESTION 3:
What is the Best-Selling Video Game in the World? Link
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ANSWER 3:
The Nintendo game Super Mario Brothers has sold a total of 40.23 million copies
worldwide. The 26 games featuring Mario, the character who first appeared in the
arcade game Donkey Kong in 1982, have sold more than 152 million copies in total
since 1983. More than 40% of US households own a Nintendo game system.
Who: Nintendo
When: 1999
Where: Worldwide
What: 40.23 million copies
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
QUESTION 4:
What is the most popular video game hand held system in the World? Link
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ANSWER 4:
The world's most popular video game hand held system is the Nintendo Game Boy,
which sold more than 100 million units between 1989 and 2000. Since its launch,
Game Boy has sold continuously throughout the world at an average rate of more
than 1,000 systems per hour for the last 11 years.
Who: Nintendo
When: June 2000
Where: Japan
What: 100 million units sold
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
QUESTION 5:
How many extra ships does Asteroids show on the screen before putting the rest
of ships in memory?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ANSWER 5:
The first 59 extra ships are displayed and the rest go into memory.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Asteroids Speed Up Mod (Asteroids Board Modification)
Asteroids speed up mod will increase the overall speed of your
asteroids game.
You will need some 30 gauge wire and a switch.
1. Clip and lift pin 4 of C5 (74LS161)
2. Wire switch as follows:
* Common to lifted pin 4
* Normally closed to pad where pin 4 used to be connected
* normally open to pull up resistor next to C5
NOTE:
1. Be sure you wire the end of the pull-up resistor *not* tied to +5V.
2. Clipping any other pins besides pin 4 may have adverse effects on
Audio, Video, and/or coin discrimination.
The "SpeedMod" daughtercard was made to increase difficulty and as a
result eat up more quarters. It was not produced by Atari
Atari did make some. On the top of the board it has written:
RATE MULTIPLIER BD
A035885
ATARI (c) 80
made in USA
On the bottom it has:
035886
1 (in a box, denoting revision #)
http://www.ionpool.net/arcade/asteroidtech/---
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rate Multiplier Board Atari Asteroids Vector Monitor XY games
Asteroids (and other games) had several different speed-up kits (or method) made
for them. Atari made its own version called a Rate Multiplier Board (a schematic
of it was published in a Star Tech issue.) (There were other aftermarket speed up
boards.)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1979 Asteroids Revision - UPDATED REVISIONS:
Asteroids – Revision 1
Rev 1a
Rev 1b
Asteroids – Revision 2
Rev 2a
Rev 2b
The Rev.1 version had an invulnerability glitch, which allowed players to hide
in the upper corners of the screen (in the score) and be invulnerable to collisions.
Also, players could make their ship fly backwards by thrusting in one direction until
reaching full speed, and then quickly turn around 180 degrees and continue thrusting.
The original software version of Rev. 1 (says “Asteroids by Atari” at bottom of
screen.)
The Rev.2 version says '1979 Atari' at the bottom of the title screen, instead of
the 'Asteroids by Atari' that was displayed in Rev.1. Also, the invulnerability
glitch of Rev.1 is corrected.
Should Asteroids Fast and Asteroids slow Chip be compared to one another.
Take a look at the following lively and educational Twin Galaxies forum topic
on this subject. (Conversions and Kits) link
Thank you,
Paul Dean, Spy Hunter Champion, June 28, 1985
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[Coin-Op World Records]
End of Page =========
Click At Desired Graphic Text For Each Introduction
Biography Commentary Questions
Click On Below Graphic Text For Spy Hunter Introduction
Tournament and Guinness Book Results From 1983-2004
Click On Below Graphic Text For All Video High Scores thru 2004
The Golden Era
Click On Below Graphic Text For Material On The Golden Years Of Video Games 1980's
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