Daily Dare 2018

[Ian Wolf-Park]

So, this is going to be a busy couple of weeks or so, with TWR wrapping up soon, the Daily Faerie Quests, and now the Daily Dare. Also, quick note: the next day will start on Friday, meaning that you will have 1.5 days to complete today's challenge.
Link to Daily Dare

Today's game and score

SPOILER: Click to show

7800 (AAA)/ 600 (Abi) for Ice Cream Machine

[Huntress]

I can't possibly be the only one any more who cringes a bit when yet another new event gets released because you can practically feel the site's code creaking under your feet like a very old suspension bridge?

But hey, I really like the aesthetic with the multiple screens on the Daily Dare frontpage: feels very Dexter's Laboratory somehow.

*eyeballs her highscore for today's game*

*it's over 9000, but let's be fair, I haven't played it in forever*

*plays it safe, challenges Abigail*

*casually racks up 8200 points on first try*

d'oh.

I like Abi's prize better anyway >3>

[Rabbit ♠]

*challenges AAA's score, even though my high score was around 4000 beforehand*

Bring it on!

*realizes it's harder than I remembered*

I regret e v e r y t h i n g.

(I got the score the second try, but that sense of dread was still there.)

[doctortomoe]

Don't even ask me how I got the avie score on that game.

Don't even ask me how that was the first flash game avie I've gotten.

I don't think I could ever do that again.

[Twillie]

Apr 25, 2018 14:21:35 GMT -5 Huntress said:

*eyeballs her highscore for today's game*

*it's over 9000, but let's be fair, I haven't played it in forever*

*plays it safe, challenges Abigail*

*casually racks up 8200 points on first try*

d'oh.

I like Abi's prize better anyway >3>

A good technique to use for the future if you're ever unsure who to challenge is to leave the challenge page open in one tab, open another, and in that new tab play the game a few times to test the waters. If you happen to beat AAA's score, you can go back to your first tab, challenge him, and then send your score after that.  

[June Scarlet]

Ah, this again. It is indeed going to be a busy couple of weeks in Neopia. Board 7 must be hoppin'.

[Allison]

I have just one thing to say. I miss Chadley's scores.

*current high score: 2,675.* Yeah, I'm guessing there will be no streak of anything but Abigale's scores...

[Dark]

My old high score was around AAA's score, so even though I haven't played Ice Cream Machine in years I thought I'd challenge AAA. My first few attempts were not great, finishing between the Neapolitan and Peach levels most of the time. Then, a few hours in, I had a crazy game that had an insane amount of heart and fish scoops in early levels and managed to eclipse my old high score... by almost 10000 points XD Now I have the avatar and should be getting a trophy too, I can't believe it! From memory, I'd never been past Double Chocolate before

[Duke Pikachu]

DAY 1: ICE CREAM MACHINE:
Took me four tries, but I beat AAA's score (two times only being a few hundred points short).

Some tips:

1. Type "Strawberryvanillachocolate" at any time for an extra life. Works once per game. Trust me, USE THIS!
2. Try staying toward the middle of the screen but don't be afraid to run back and forth, as long as you dodge those scoops. If you stay along the sides you're more likely to get entrapped.
3. Don't risk getting a power-up if you gotta dodge scoops or potentially get entrapped to get it. Might be painful to see that extra life fly away, but better for that to happen then lose a life trying to get it.
4. Tips for power-ups:
   
   
   • Apple/Fish/Ollie Scoop: More points never hurt, but definitely don't risk getting one.
   • Shield: Personally I don't think it's that useful. But if you haven't gotten any other power-up and it's coming your way doesn't hurt to grab it. Just don't bother if you gotta risk to get it or got some Decrease Speed and Shrink power-ups active. 
   • Extra Life: Obviously get it. This would be the only one I would suggest maybe being a BIT risky if you think you're up for it. But otherwise, if getting one will likely result you in losing a life, just let it go.
   • Decrease Speed: Can be helpful if used right. There's a trick here, even though you decreased the scoop's speed, it doesn't decrease the rate that they're fired. So if you collect too many you can easily get entrapped. For early levels I suggest only getting two, but I just only stick with one. Decrease Speed stacks with Shrink (and Grow). But note if you get any other power-up it'll cancel out the effects of any Decrease Speed and Shrink (and Grow) you've stacked. Increase Speed will undo one level of Decrease Speed.
   • Shrink: Very helpful. From the start Adee is just the right size to fit between two scoops. Shrink just makes that tight squeeze a bit easier and also gives leeway toward horizontal dodges. And collecting another Shrink will make Adee even smaller (obviously Grow will undo one level of Shrink). As mentioned above, Shrink stacks with Decrease Speed (and Increase Speed) and getting another power-up will undo the Shrinks and Decrease Speed (and Increase Speeds) that you stacked.
   • Strawberry Bomb: Eh, could be useful if caught in a jam but all it does is clear the screen, you don't get the points of the destroyed scoops. If coming your way, first see if there's maybe another nearby power-up you'd want to grab instead. If not, and you hadn't stacked any Speed Decrease or Shrink, sure, go for it.
   • Grow/Increase Speed: Obviously ignore at all costs. If forced to grab one or the other, get Increase Speed as it'll only makes the scoop faster instead of making it more difficult to dodge. Grow is pretty much a guarantee life loser as you'll no longer be just small enough to squeeze between the scoops. Now in later levels you could try getting Increase Speed to try and create more room for yourself, but be aware you'll have little response time if a scoop shoots from right under you.
     
     
5. Level 9 (Chocolate Vanilla Swirl) is the level you'll most likely reach AAA's score. If you beat it you'll definitely have enough points.

Good luck!

Opinion On Prizes: I think Abigail got the better prize here, I see more scenarios where simple gloves can be used than an ice cream garland. If anything, Abigail's prize should of been the fish ice cream.

[charming thievery]

...I'm debating whether I should even try for AAA's score (according to my high score, I can beat it, but we'll see, lol), because...I'm not crazy about his prize. I like Abi's prize more, but like...there's a pride in being able to beat AAA, lol.

But I've always chosen my challenger based on prize anyway and I'm not aiming for gold (too much pressure for that!), and I don't want to spend so much time playing (Ice Cream Machine takes too long, haha), so I guess I'm decided!

Apr 25, 2018 14:21:35 GMT -5 Huntress said:

But hey, I really like the aesthetic with the multiple screens on the Daily Dare frontpage: feels very Dexter's Laboratory somehow.

I wouldn't have even noticed that those were screens if you hadn't pointed it out!

[Liou]

Oh, I rushed to complete this one last night in case they didn't respect the 1.5 starting day rule, but it seems okay, no new game today.

Yay, that ice cream will fit right into my gallery! (If I ever re-make it.)
I don't like Abbie's prize that much more than AAA's and like to have an all-AAA streak if possible, it's just satisfying.

My high score used to be around 12k, but I'm currently adapting to a new trackpad that's much too smooth and doesn't have enough friction for me to control my moves right. (Darn fashionable new electronics that all have to look as sleek and glossy as your attractive lifeguard slowly climbing out of the pool.)

On my first try, I got exactly 5 points over AAA's score. Can't complain.

[Ryanruff13]

I'm glad that I'm not the only one who suddenly finds themself struggling to reach AAA's score. Then again, I did wake up only about an hour ago and medication is causing me to feel off lately, which may explain how I previously got my score of 10,860 but now am struggling to get past the 5,000s range this morning even with the "strawberryvanillachocolate" cheat and extra lives.

Also, I could be wrong, but it was probably only this morning where I realized that, if I'm not mistaken, the silhouette on the size powerups is of Adee's sprite from the first Ice Cream Factory game. If that's true, then that's actually a nice Mythology Gag to the previous game.

[Huntress]

Apr 25, 2018 15:08:06 GMT -5 Twillie said:

Apr 25, 2018 14:21:35 GMT -5 Huntress said:

*eyeballs her highscore for today's game*

*it's over 9000, but let's be fair, I haven't played it in forever*

*plays it safe, challenges Abigail*

*casually racks up 8200 points on first try*

d'oh.

I like Abi's prize better anyway >3>

A good technique to use for the future if you're ever unsure who to challenge is to leave the challenge page open in one tab, open another, and in that new tab play the game a few times to test the waters. If you happen to beat AAA's score, you can go back to your first tab, challenge him, and then send your score after that.  

I used to do that, but it stopped working at some point over one of the past Daily Dare Master Challenges (still can't keep 'em straight). I'd play the game, set the challenge, send the score, and then the challenge wouldn't get registered and I had to play the game again anyway. Not sure if that was a glitch or an arguable loophole getting fixed.

Either way I'll give that system a shot again, it's just that last night I was hammering out some urgent work when DD was released so I thought I'd take a quick break to fire off a game and get the first day out of the way, and opted to play it safe xD

[Deleted]

For all of my art friends, I find Ice Cream Machine easier when using my graphics tablet to control it instead of the mouse. Definitely give it a try if you haven't.

[Duke Pikachu]

All of this year's the games have been discovered. Spoilers, obviously:

SPOILER: Click to show

Day 2: Word Pyramid

Day 3: Kass Basher

Day 4: Meerca Chase II

Day 5: Lost City Lanes

Day 6: Piper Panic

Day 7: Super Hasee Bounce

Day 8: Zurroball

Day 9: Kou-Jong

Day 10: Moon Rock Rampage

Day 11: Pterattack

Day 12: Dungeon Dash

Day 13: Nova Defender

Day 14: Snowmuncher

Day 15: Hubrid's Hero Heist

Day 16: Goparokko

Day 17: Fly Catcher

Day 18: Castle of Eliv Thade

Day 19: Caves and Corridors

Day 20: Volcano Run II

For those who don't mind the spoilers, you may want to play through all of these games at least once, take note of the ones you had problems with, and try to work on them when you can. Good luck!