Can anyone give me Pacman tips?

[JimT]

Since recently rediscovering Pacman online, I've become addicted to it. But a strange thing has happened: the more I play it, the worse I get. I was building up lives, going to higher levels, now I rarely even get to the oranges and lose all my lives in no time. What's happened? What can I do?

[Mattk]

i am the same. i think its to do with overconfidence i.e. trying to achieve too much. i always clear as many pills as i can leaving the corners but because i push it too far i die. also i try to wait until all the ghosts are close together but this does for me too. i recommend diving for the power pills at the first sign of any danger but do not stray from the path i.e. use the time to keep eating pills and not chasin ghosts.

[JimT]

Hmmm, interesting, Matt. My usual policy also is to eat as many pills to leave clear paths so I can move more quickly. This has definitely allowed me more 1600-pointers. But I think I lack concentration - I should be able to remember more of the ghosts' usual moves as they do tend to keep to patterns. I wonder if I'd be better off trying to remember as many of their moves as possible. I keep blundering into blind corners and hitting the ghosts too many times.

[Daisho]

May I direct you to the Pac-Man dossier where all your questions will be answered.

http://home.comcast.n...an/pacmandossier.html

Never has there been a more complete breakdown of the machine.

[JimT]

Thanks Daisho -it's comprehensive, but I'm not sure it helps. I'm wondering the version I play online at http://www.thepcmanwe...m/media/pacman_flash/ isn't configured in the way described in that dossier. e.g. I tried the 'ghost-house trick' and it just didn't work. Come to that, I don't see how even the example they give works - the dot count way exceeds 32 before Clyde exits, whereas the description says to not exceed 32 before he exits. Unless I'm getting mixed up. Plus the energisers listed don't match the ones on this version. Anyone know of an online version that matches the one decsribed in the dossier?

[Daisho]

Hmmm, I see what you mean.
The only way I can think of to get this one is via emulation, MAME to be exact.
I've actually got an original board and just assumed all the 'online' versions were using the source code from the original.