Before i start, sorry this is long and probebly quite boring.

Back in 86 (err i believe it was 86) I attempted the "world record" on guantlet. Now keep in mind there was very little recourses to confirm world records and the like back then. I had a game magazine (do not rember which) that listed the Guantlet "record", be it for that mag or "world" i had no idea. The local gas stop had a machine in the very back by the bathrooms and I would play it after school (collage), most of the time I would quit after 2-3 hours (ya, much better stuff to do, but ....) I had played a few times for 8+ hours. Again understand I had no concept of operator settings. I did know there where different versions (this machine was the original v1). Some things to note, I heard you mention the Elf as best character, after V4 he was, but before it ... Not so sure. V4 they upped his melee (basicly almost as strong as warrior!!!), he was a pansy (almost as weak as wiz in hand to hand in early versions). He has a very fast rate of fire, but arrows where weak (weakest ranged attack in game, but fastest, so it pretty much made up for the lack of power). Problem was, in some levels (ghost ones normaly) His melee reallly hurt him (his speed on foot "almost" made up for it). And of course his magic was good (again, this almost made up for the shortcommings (i precieved)). Hmm after reading what i just typed, he may be best character (again, after V4). I myslef liked the valkyre (after V4 pretty much considered the "weak" character, but I did all my playing on V1). She had avg Melee, could shoot at angles through cracks (very very important) had ok ranged attack power, avg magic. In group i prefered the warrior as you could 'almost" melee any monster in the game (but ghosts) and take no damage (if you could lure them to a 2 wide path). His ranged was excellent dmg, but to slow.

Well back to my attempt at video game fame. I talked with store and local news station and both agreed to my 'attempt" Store fenced off game, even put some posters up (and yes I even had a few spectators!). Local news station did a bit on me (right before I started) and left a camera to record it all and a guy to swap tapes and watch the camera (he had zero interest in the game as far as i could tell). They said they would show it on the news when i was done. Now knowing what i know, the game was on default settings for V1 (1000 health a quarter, and 1000 health a food), later versions (v4 or 7ish) lowered it to 800 and 600 ... I do believe the lowest defualt was 600 (but could be set lower by operator). So it was easier, but not "to easy". Also i had no idea on rules or whatever to make it a record, i figured a video tape and a picture of my score would be enough (maybe it would have been?). Had no idea on breaks (nature and food), etc.. This was all seat of my pants.

So i started at 8AM on a saturday, did my quick interview for the TV station (sad, as they where so clueless and had no idea waht i was doing, the reporter didnt even know the name of the game, it was just a "video game") she talked to me about 1 minute, more about what i was in school for and my hometown then anything. As I started they did a little bit in the background, but I wasnt really listening. The store had put a small table by the machine and a chair (couldnt really sit and play this game, maybe a barstool would have worked). They offered me some free pop and snacks (nice of them, but i wasnt thinking about bathroom when i was drinking free pop!). I drank to much pop to start, i was a bit excited and not thinking. Bathroom was close so that was easy, but i had to make sure i was on the correct level, one i could clear and just stand at exit and let health tick while i went to bathroom. I soon ran into my second problem. bathroom breaks, and parents with small kids in store. A fenced off area ment nothing to a small child, and mister Camera man was not paying any attention. one trip to a bathroom, i came back to a small (3?) child attempting to play the wizard (lucky he didnt grab the valk). I reliased i needed a "bouncer". buddy stopped by to see how i was doing. Instant protection when i was away (much to his excitment.. stand and watch me play, wouldnt you all want to?). Around noon i had wonderfull gas stop hotdog!, so 4 hours down, all was well, had beuil up enouhg health i could leave hte machine a couple hours if i needed (my plan was going as long as i could and possibly taking a short nap.. I dont think that would work for any "official" recordes, but i sure didnt know). The day went pretty good, had 20-40 people stop, most didnt talk to me, a few asked some questions. The Reporter stopped again about 5PM, did some stuff in background (sounded like "he is still going" and such). Ate a sub from the sub shop right next to us (machine was basicly just sitting for about 10 minutes, health ticking away on level i cleared). About this time my friend was pretty sick of sitting, so said he would get another friend to come, he was done. Other friend showed up about 2 hours later (was getting excited as need bathroom, but was leary of leaving machine again). Was about 11PM when the whole deal came to a screaching halt. bathroom break. had just entered the maze with the diagnol walls (basicly just a zig zag with a teleporter or two so you have to cover entier playfield).. Entered level , cleared threat, new i was safe to hit bathroom. When i came out of bathroom my buddy was looking like somebody shot his puppy. He has played while i was gone, moved ahead a bit and was shooting throuhg the cracks. Well anybody remeberes the original joysticks.. if they had been used a bit sometimes it was tricky to get them pointed to shoot through cracks. he had done a little of the "abuse it" method and the joystick no longer would go up. I messed around praying enouhg force, angle, anything and i could limp along for a bit, Build my score with the life i had left (several hours if no mobs hit me) but no dice. And i was on a level i couldnt let respawns keep comming and increase score while i waited out health. I had been to efficent in my clear for safety, no monster generators in view and since i couldnt go up, i couldnt move into view of any to get some points.

Strangly enough at that time i was more worried about the TV people being annoyed. I really didnt want to tell camera man it was over ( he still had no clue, he was sorta off in dreamland, to this day i dont think he actually watched me play for single second). But after about 10 minutes of wishfull thinking, and my psyic powers no able to "wish " a joystick back nto working order i gave up, told him the stick was busted, told the store girl who (surprisingly) offered to call the amusment vendor to see if he could fix it. We did try this, nobody answered, but she knew somebody wo worked for company and we called them. This was about midnight so it was sorta bad to be calling but it somewaht worked. He got ahold of guy who fixed the machines, he called us at store. No idea if it was BS or true but he said he could proebebly fix the stick (now days i understand it was just a leaf or micro switch) but was unsure if dared to. I am pretty sure he just didnt want to, and I didnt press.

So 15 hours for nothing. And to be honest after that, i had no interest in trying again. Up to that point I believe I may have played 1 time to about 8 hours before i bored, got to tired or whatever and went home. SO this was a bit of a "long" session for me, even with my love of the game. Nowdays i would gladly try again (if i could find the time, and a machine, I do have a mame machine but its just not the same), but at that time I had had enough for a bit.

I do consider Guantlet, Tempest, Disc fof Tron and I robot as my favorite games of the 80's Incedently I could also play Pacman till the screen split ( it was only game in my hometown for about a year so.. Lots of time spent playing it, and all was self taught, no walkthrouhgs back then, just lots (more then I would care to admit) quarters. I think Guantlet , Tempest, and Pacman are the only games I can basicly play for what most would consider forever. Well let me state, "could play" I do not remeber all the Pac man patterns anymore. My reactions are much to slow for tempest anymore. guantlet, yes I still play it about 2-3 times a year for a an hour or two, even with the health set at 800 i can hold on for a long time (more time then Im willing to play).

Ok back to much more exciting reading.