The Marathon Vidmaster Challenge

The Marathon Vidmaster Challenge was posed by Jason Jones (Bungie Software) on comp.sys.mac.games and alt.games.marathon in January 1995. In a post with the subject line "the marathon vidmaster challenge..." Jason wrote:

"I challenge anyone who thinks they rule at Marathon to complete all of the game's levels on Total Carnage starting with only the pistol and x1 health (via Command-Option Begin Game). Upload your replays!"

Prior to July 1996 Michio Hashimoto (aka Miha) came the closest to completing all 27 Marathon solo levels Vidmaster style. However six Marathon levels remained unvidmastered. These were:

There may be good reasons for this.

Both Cool Fusion and Ingue Ferroque require that you start out with a weapon that can activate unreachable switches. Because of this drawback Tim Seufert created the Marathon Vidmaster Challenge Physics Model. Tim wrote on comp.sys.mac.games in early February '95:

"The Marathon Vidmaster Challenge is cool. But there are some levels you can't play, because you need to use a grenade or fusion blast to flip switches. To get around this problem, I just created a physics model that implements only one change: pistol bullets are given the ability to toggle switches. This should not affect game balance in any way, shape, or form, so all Vidmasters out there will now be able to test their skills on any level at all."

Sadly there is little film evidence to indicate that anybody ever used the Marathon Vidmaster Challenge Physics Model. Even with Tim's Physics Model Cool Fusion and Ingue Ferroque are no pushovers.

Who in their right mind would want to Vid Colony Ship For Sale, Cheap? While not exactly the most difficult of levels it can be the most frustrating from the point of view of raising the seven pillars correctly. Most people will have bad memories of this level - why relive them?

Two things make Habe Quiddam and Unpfhorgiven very difficult to Vid - narrow passage ways and Wasps. A combination that is potential lethal. Eupfhoria just adds to this by including Hunters at the start. Now see if you can get to the rocket launcher Vid Boi!

On October 24th,1996 Jim Mitchell (aka young gun) completed the Marathon Vidmaster Challenge.

Who else will complete the Marathon Vidmaster Challenge?

But wait that's not all... there is also Marathon 2: Durandal and Marathon Infinity with levels such as Sorry Don't Make It So and Acme Station that will have you Begging for Mercy. Go on:

Complete the Marathon 2 Vidmaster Challenge!
Complete the Marathon Infinity Vidmaster Challenge!


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