[Also posted on CAG forum]

Hey all,

Just wondering if anyone has yet to devise a faster, practical 9th key pattern than the "

" (~41.6 seconds) created by Don Hodges back in March of 2009? I've tried a few times over the past year to come up with a pattern that improves on Don's time but with no success.

The only example I've seen of something faster was Todd's "

" which is amazing (~38 seconds) but done via a computer-generated .INP file with something like 19 reverses (that start almost immediately) and several carefully-timed hesitations. It's fun to watch but not really feasible for a human being to pull something like that off consistently for 235 boards (at least not me).

Seems to me the "Tornado" is pretty close to the best possible time for a 9th key pattern that uses continuous forward motion until the last few seconds where a handful of reverses are employed to clean up the remaining dots. Perhaps another pattern could be devised that shaves a few tenths of a second off by starting the reverses a bit sooner but doing so would likely increase the risk factor. Creating a reliable pattern that runs in less than 41 seconds would be really impressive but I wonder if that's even possible...

-J

Originally Posted by jpittman

[Also posted on CAG forum]

Hey all,

Just wondering if anyone has yet to devise a faster, practical 9th key pattern than the "

" (~41.6 seconds) created by Don Hodges back in March of 2009? I've tried a few times over the past year to come up with a pattern that improves on Don's time but with no success.

The only example I've seen of something faster was Todd's "

" which is amazing (~38 seconds) but done via a computer-generated .INP file with something like 19 reverses (that start almost immediately) and several carefully-timed hesitations. It's fun to watch but not really feasible for a human being to pull something like that off consistently for 235 boards (at least not me).

Seems to me the "Tornado" is pretty close to the best possible time for a 9th key pattern that uses continuous forward motion until the last few seconds where a handful of reverses are employed to clean up the remaining dots. Perhaps another pattern could be devised that shaves a few tenths of a second off by starting the reverses a bit sooner but doing so would likely increase the risk factor. Creating a reliable pattern that runs in less than 41 seconds would be really impressive but I wonder if that's even possible...

-J

Jamey,

I have a couple patterns I use which I have timed faster than Don's original Tornado pattern. The first one is just a slight modification of the Tornado. I have timed it 7 seconds faster over a 10 board run (avg - .7 sec faster). The other starts off the same as the Tornado but deviates after the bottom right energizer.


I refer to it as F-2 or F-Scale 2. Here is the YouTube link:

It uses reverses and slight pauses, but I believe it can be consisitently performed. The most consecutive boards I have cleared using it is 41.

Take care and God bless,

David

Originally Posted by ProveAll

I refer to it as F-2 or F-Scale 2. Here is the YouTube link:

It uses reverses and slight pauses, but I believe it can be consisitently performed. The most consecutive boards I have cleared using it is 41.

Wow! Very impressive, David. Especially considering you have reverses from early on in the pattern. The reverses/pauses definitely up the skill requirement for being able to play a pattern like that with consistency and you are obviously up to the challenge. I mostly play on MAME these days and I wonder how much harder a pattern like F-2 would be using a keyboard vs. a joystick. So the other pattern you mentioned is ~0.7 seconds faster than Tornado with just some small changes? I'd love to see that one too if you ever make it public.

Thanks for sharing,

-J

Originally Posted by TH3 DOMINION

David, very nice pattern but it's so darn hard to pull off consistently........Inky just hates to comply, and Blinky catches me way too often after the third reversal. After several tries I was able to run it 4 times in a row. 41 is pretty sick. On average I clock in at 24 frames faster than my average tornado, which now feels like a cakewalk compared to this pattern.

Chris,

I understand what you're saying, but there are a few spots one can slightly pause at to keep things on the right track.

I have another pattern which is a little more difficult, but with enough practice I feel I could learn to execute it consistently. The fastest I have run it is at 40.6 sec. I call that one F-3.

Once again congratulations on your perfect score. :)

Take care,

David

Originally Posted by TH3 DOMINION

....Inky just hates to comply, and Blinky catches me way too often after the third reversal. After several tries I was able to run it 4 times in a row. 41 is pretty sick.

Chris did better than I -- 3 consecutive boards was the best I could in MAME. I imagine this would be somewhat easier with a joystick. In either case, 41 is VERY sick indeed! :shock:

-J

Here's a link to a 38 or 39 second pattern I found:

I think we got ourselves an F-5!

Sam Miller
ZAZ (CAG)/ZAZ1 (TG)

Originally Posted by ZAZ1

Here's a link to a 38 or 39 second pattern I found:

I think we got ourselves an F-5!
ZAZ (CAG)/ZAZ1 (TG)

Yep. That's Todd's "unpattern" I referred to in the original post and it was made by hacking an .INP file and letting the computer play it back. For a human it's nigh-impossible but very impressive to watch!

-J