Live: Breaking the Asteroids World Record Score

Recommended Videos

Andy Chalk

One Flag, One Fleet, One Cat
Nov 12, 2002
45,698
1
0
Live: Breaking the Asteroids World Record Score


John McAllister is at this very moment working toward setting a new all-time high score in Asteroids [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroids_%28video_game%29] and thanks to the technological marvel we call the internet, you can watch him do it.

This one is kind of time-sensitive so we're not going to waste too much time on a prelude. Long story short: John McAllister, a locksmith from Washington state, is playing the classic 1979 arcade title Asteroids as we speak, striving to break the world-record high score of 41,336,440, which was set all the way back in 1982. And with more than 45 hours of play on the clock so far and 33 million points, he's well on his way to doing it.

His quest has some interesting limitations. The old arcade stand-up can't register scores greater than five digits, so whenever McAllister breaks 100,000 points, which he's done many, many times, it resets to zero and starts over again. A counter has been set up to keep track of the running total, but what the counter can't help with is the machine's lack of a pause function. When our intrepid gamer needs to take a break, he has to park his little vector-drawn ship somewhere and hope for the best. It's risky, but with more free lives than can be properly displayed on the game screen, it's a strategy he's been able to get away with so far.

The whole thing is being broadcast live, complete with random background chit-chat from McAllister and company, on Justin.tv [http://www.justin.tv/johnmcallister#r=null~] and it's actually a lot of fun to watch. Will the record fall? Tune in and find out!

via: Kotaku [http://kotaku.com/5509823/man-versus-machine-breaking-the-unbreakable-high-score]


Permalink
 

Jack and Calumon

Digimon are cool.
Dec 29, 2008
4,190
0
41
Asteroids... How I long to play it.

Calumon: Play me at Starcraft! My Reapers will get you this time!
 

Icecoldcynic

New member
Oct 5, 2009
1,268
0
0
Ahh now this is ridiculous... 45 hours? I hope to god he beats the record or he might be setting a new record on world's biggest hissy-fit.
 

Nincompoop

New member
May 24, 2009
1,035
0
0
Can you read how many points he has on the game somehow? Or are they displayed on the webpage?

I don't get it, but I'd like to hope we don't just have to take their word for it.
 

child of lileth

The Norway Italian
Jun 10, 2009
2,248
0
0
I'm going to try to watch this as much as I can, but I have no idea how long I'll watch before I go do something else.
 

ultimateownage

This name was cool in 2008.
Feb 11, 2009
5,346
0
41
Catkid906 said:
Asteroids... How I long to play it.

Calumon: Play me at Starcraft! My Reapers will get you this time!
play away!
O.T. Pretty impressive, with that many free lives I am betting he will make it.
 

SaintWaldo

Interzone Vagabond
Jun 10, 2008
923
0
0
Wow. I would not have thought I could still zone out and watch this be played like I used to, but, yep, it's still a tunnel-vision inducer.

Hope he chugs it well over the line.
 

Jared

The British Paladin
Jul 14, 2009
5,630
0
0
Wow...some people with FAR too much spare time. But, I will prolly watch him a little just to say I have.

All best of luck to him
 

brabz

New member
Jan 3, 2008
358
0
0
I think they'd be better suited if they had a clicker or counter somewhere so you could have a more accurate idea of how close or far away he is from the high score. Watched for a little, hoping he breaks the record because he's never getting this time back.
 

ZeLunarian

New member
Mar 1, 2010
385
0
0
He's nearing the end it seems :O Reportedly somewhere between 35/36 million.
How much farther to go for the 41.3million? Lets just see... But as MIND NUMBING it is... Im keeping my eye on this.
 

Andronicus

Terror Australis
Mar 25, 2009
1,846
0
0
Hehe, he'll be needing to go to the toilet soon. Damn bodily functions, always getting in the way of super-high scores...
 

videocrazy

New member
Dec 17, 2009
77
0
0
Sorry if this is a double post, but I feel my next statement is worth it.

HE'S DONE IT, FOLKS! A ROUND FOR JOHN CALLISTER! HIP HIP, HOORAY!