Hello, everyone. Lately there’s been a lot of antagonism on these boards—why can’t the casuals try harder, why can’t the superplayers leave us the heck alone—some real house divided stuff. I don't know what the answer is; maybe there could be some positive change on both sides. But what I'm here to say is that doesn't really matter now. All this infighting between users, that's gotta end. Because the game has changed; because the earth is under attack by hostile alien forces. As you well know, lunarorbital bombardment began one week ago today. Since then, death tolls have risen to an estimated 500,000 human lives. The direct effects of bombardment were devastating enough, but the indirect effects—tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanic activity, and a slight rise in temperature of the world's oceans—threaten to wipe out all life on earth unless immediate measures are taken.
I propose a challenge to everyone on these boards: To put forth your best effort to combat the Purple Erosion, to upload your best high score no matter if you top out at area 5 in time attack or if you can 1-ALL original hardest, and to fight for the future of our flawed planet. To that end I'd like to award a small prize to the overall highest score in the game's Original Hard, Advanced Normal, and Time Attack modes. In addition, I'd like to award the same small prize to three randomly chosen users who post their best scores in this topic. I think there's a lot to be said for just being a community, and taking part in friendly competition whether or not you can achieve a world-record score. I encourage you to take part, not because STGs have to be played for score or for survival, or for whatever, but because it might be a lot of fun for you and everyone else.
-The Rules-
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1. To participate, take a picture of your score (like, the computer screen) and yourself (just your hand is fine) holding a piece of paper that has your username and the words "M-Kai is Qute" written on it by 10/18/15.
2. To be eligible, you need to post evidence of a *new* high score from either the Steam or 360 version of Eschatos. What I mean is that you can't just default to the Eschatos score you set in 2012 or whatever. I will accept any score set in the Steam version, but only ones with clear evidence of "newness" in the 360 version. I think that means you have to have a replay saved to your HD or uploaded to Xbox Live to get the timestamp, but maybe there's another way as well.
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3. Three prizes will be awarded to the top scorer in 1) Original Hard mode 2) Advanced Normal mode and 3) Time Attack mode; however, I will not award two prizes to the same person.
4. Three additional prizes will be awarded to three random participants (I'll use a number generator unless somebody has a better solution)
5. My prizes have a right to suck. Do not expect a golden statue of M-Kai and Mach high-fiving while the moon explodes in the background. I am a poor student and you should adjust your expectations to "I might get a paper thing in the mail and online recognition that I am a cool Eschatos person oh and also I did a thing that was meaningful to me."
6. Don't be an asshole. I don't care if somebody sets a score that doesn't meet your expectations. They don't have to meet your expectations. I think you're smart enough to know what an asshole is, so just don't be one.
7. I have the right to adjust the rules as I go along, however I will expressly try *not* to alter the spirit of things. This is mostly just saying "I don't really know the ins and outs of this, so if I need to clarify or adjust something then I will do that as fairly as I can."
8. Special World and Blackbird are not eligible for any prizes.
9. Have fun and don't drive yourself crazy.
