The saga of Billy Mitchell's Donkey Kong high score continues to rumble along following accusations from score-verifier Jeremy Young that Mitchell - who was a key figure in the cult movie King of Kong - used MAME to record his record-breaking runs on the game, as opposed to original hardware, as Mitchell has claimed.
Mitchell was quick to respond to the claims, stating that he'd never played MAME and suggesting that the footage he had submitted had somehow been switched. Young has now responded to Mitchell's comments, pointing out the sheer implausibility of what he's claiming.
Mitchell said:
And the film footage that he has, that Jeremy has, shows MAME play. Now, I contend, that if he gets the original tape, or he gets the original room shot, he will see that what I say is true. I’m not disputing what he says. What I’m disputing is the fact that I want him to have the original tape.
According to Young, the only person who could have possibly switched the tapes is Dwayne Richard, a world-record holder in several games on Twin Galaxies:
Claiming the video footage in the evidence is not real does not make sense to me. In regards to video sources and their potential fabrication, I would label that so unlikely as to be impossible. The amount of foresight, patience, and technical knowledge required would be staggering.
Dwayne claims [the Mitchell tapes] were given to him directly by [disgraced competitive gamer Todd Rogers], by request of Billy Mitchell. Dwayne uploaded a copy of [the 1.047 million run] to YouTube a couple of years ago... All of this uploaded footage directly matches segments shown in both the theatrical release of King of Kong and a screener version that has circulated over the years.
In fact, Mitchell's entire defence rests on the idea that Richard swapped the tapes. Young explains why this is highly, highly unlikely:
By my reckoning, Dwayne would have to:
1) Know, for over a decade, this bug existed in MAME, and not tell anyone
2) Know every potential independent source that would, in the future, publish clips of Billy’s gameplay, know exactly what that footage would contain, and whether that footage would contain the MAME signature
3) Either: A) know that the press conference video is also MAME, or B) organize a conspiracy to swap the tapes being shown that day.
4) In the case of 3A…why wait this long?
5) In the case of 3B…he would have had only a few days to craft a full performance of TWO games (DK and DKJR) faithful enough to fool Billy himself AND convince someone to swap the tapes at the event.
6) Apart from 3A, he would need to craft at least 2 full-length (~2.5 hours) games to match the independent footage. These would have to match Billy’s original gameplay, pixel-for-pixel, frame-for-frame.
7) Wait, for years, for the right amount of general skepticism and technical knowledge to coalesce.
Mitchell will no doubt respond to these comments in due course, and you can sure this isn't the last we've heard of this saga. It's a sorry end for one of the most famous figures in the world of video game high score-chasing.
[source venturebeat.com]
Comments 52
You want Billy to tell the truth? YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH.
Is it just me or is this drama a Netflix documentary in the making?
King of Kong 2: The Fall of Billy Mitchell
Oh God! He's not even the current holder, so this is useless news, it's just like a you tube star going on a "Celebrity" TV show.
And in the same week that he lost his job at the funeral parlour, too!
So if Mitchell is Kong does that make Young Godzilla?
Just imagine, in these people’s world this is actually a big deal.
All people need do is watch King of Kong and they'll know what kind of a person Billy Mitchell is. It's a great documentary, I highly recommend people watch it. He's full of contradictions, a coward, narcissistic, disrespectful and plenty more besides. Doris Self said that "he's(Billy Mitchell) a very devious person" and she was a friend of his.
Edit: For those who haven't seen King of Kong before, you can watch it below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4v15X8Px34
I highly doubt this guy has enjoyed a computer game in years.
It appears that Billy Mitchell often gives tapes to other people to hand in on his behalf. He did the same thing in King of Kong. Could it be to have the possibility of someone to blame?
He looks like Pewdiepie in 10 years time.
Has he demanded a romantic meeting with Serena Williams and Martha Stuart in the Lincoln bedroom yet?
Mitchell sounds like he's auditioning for Rob Porter's former Staff Secretary job. He'd fit right in.
So he used Mame instead of the original arcade? What the hell does that even mean? Isn’t the rom the same game?
@Mr_Pepperami I know right! It’s so cringe that this is even a thing, Imagine if they actually spent that time on something useful!
Who. Freaking. Cares.
Thank god. I hope this is over. Billy's a cheater. Say your hail marys, take 2 doses of Link to the Past and wake up tomorrow on Kolohint Beach. The new Ni No Kuni footage on IGN looks amazing. Owlboy comes out next week. Bayonetta's right around the corner and DF has a new video comparing it to the WiiU version.(A list of gaming related topics that doesn't hinge on an age old DK score.)
After watching King of Kong years ago, it's good to see this cheater is finally getting his just desserts.
@AG_Awesome I read one report that stated his run scored a lot from using a hammer to smash barrels which in turn gives a randomly generated number of points. Someone claimed that on average he was getting well above the norm for those actions across the run compared to what is standard, with the implication being the ROM had been modified.
Unsure if that’s exactly it but it was one thing I heard.
@rjejr: I dunno which world is filled with more chaos, & fighting: Video games, or politics. Though politics is a bit of a circus.
@Everyone_Else: I think it's ok to have hobbies, & jobs, but not to let those become who you are as a person. I have not googled any of these names, but I get the impression these people have literally wasted huge segments of the life God gave them, on literally a score, a string of numbers; electronic, no less, & therefore easily manipulatable, or prone to error, forcing more time to get that particular score.
@Capt_N "Video games, or politics"
Why not have both?
@rjejr: I still have to maybe watch that one day, but it looks less than watchable.
@SLIGEACH_EIRE I met him a few years ago at an event, and he was entirely likeable and relatable. It's edited to make him appear to be a pompous, psychotic ass. Prior to meeting him, I felt the exact same way, and likely unless someone would do the same, they'll feel similarly. Such is all media and celebrity status, we never know who or how a person is until we have personal experiences, and even at that, it's a limited viewpoint.
@Capt_N It was pretty horribly bad, yeah, but I've seen worse, and I was expecting worse, so I enjoyed how bad it was, but also wasn't.
When you've literally built your whole life around a lie, and the only way you'll get away with it is if no one EVER calls you on it for the rest of your life.
The sad thing is, there are maybe two dozen people left in the entire world who honestly still care who has the top scores in Donkey Kong. If you held the World DK Championship in Madison Square Gardens tomorrow, you wouldn't get enough of an audience to fill the men's bathrooms. The world moved on a long time ago, Billy. At this point the entire world is just shaking its head at how sad this is.
If he was cheating, wouldn't he still have the high score? Also, how did it take this long for anyone to notice?
isn't this the guy that sued regular show for "copying"?
My Comment from Nintendo Lif (3yrs ago.)
i still stand on my option on him.
Ace Attorney 7
Chapter 2: Turnabout Kong.
@rjejr: Thanks for letting me know. I've heard opinions all over the place, for that.
@Winklebottom Not accurate. Digimon was developed as a male centeic version of Tomagachi. It started off as a V-pet before going into being a game series that focused on V-pet styled gameplay, and then the anime.
@Winklebottom Yu-Gi-Oh! was caught for copying Magic the Gathering & had to pay a considerable amount of money over the years (as well as change the name of "magic cards" to "spell cards"). However, Yu-Gi-Oh originally started off as a parody of Magic in the manga & wasn't meant to be a game in itself, hence Yugi plays very little of the card game in the first few chapters of the manga. -ex UK National YGO player
@Bunkerneath It's significant because he was supposedly the first one to break 1 million points in Donkey Kong.
@DanteSolablood @Tarvaax ah, i take it back than.
For anyone who is even remotely interested in the donkey kong record back story you can read it here: http://donkeykongblog.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/donkey-kong-world-record-history.html?m=1 ....even if you have seen the king of kong i would recommend that you read that article even more so...
@Mr_Pepperami What would you do if just as your beating an impossible BOSS and getting a near impossible trophy, I pulled the plug of your game console? Thus turning it off.
In how many ways would you murder me while I went "It's only a game, breh! Calm down, BREH!"
@GC-161 I’d be fine about it. A) Because I have kids and have lost count the amount of times my son has erased or messed up a game file so I’m used to it and B) Because I have a life and know what things are important in this world
@Mr_Pepperami But that's your FLESH AND BLOOD, son. Not the same thing at all.
So let me change the scenario a bit... what would you do if you AND your son were playing a game. Bonding by beating a near impossible boss. Achieving a near impossible trophy together. Something that would stay in your son's memory banks well after you're gone.... and then just as you both are going to win... I, a complete stranger, pull the plug.
"ITS JUST A GAME, BREHS!"
@GC-161 again who cares??? What point are you trying to make?? Also what’s with the Brehs garbage?
@Mr_Pepperami LOL I knew it!... you are quick to lose your temper. Look at you get vapors over a few letters spelling "BREH"
The point is that if I did that to you, you would certainly get all bent out of shape about it.
So you trying to shame gamers that think achieving records as something irrelevant and insignificant sure sounds hypocritical.
What say YOU now, breh?
@GC-161 who’s losing their temper?? Not me. I can see you are a troll now. Just carry on and do your thing breh
@Mr_Pepperami Gooooooood.
I can feel your anger. I am defenseless. Use the IGNORE button! Strike me down with it with all your hatred. And your journey towards the irrelevant side of the Website will be complete!
(Why you HATE me so much?) 😉
The video footage of him getting the high score is not real (according to Billy). I’m fine with that, but it means there is no video of his score at all, so whatever he claimed is now null and void. Great, let’s move on.
Billy, if you get a high score in Skramble, let me know...
@Bunkerneath I know this is like the #7 highest score now or something and is years old.
@SLIGEACH_EIRE agreed. All those who have not bothered to to understand the story behind these recent articles would do well to give it a watch. Even if the subject matter (high score chasing) isn't for you it's a great doco!
As for Billy like my previous posts on the recent articles he is a cheat who is now finally being exposed.
I'm not gonna rant anymore I'm just going to laugh and enjoy this now. I have been waiting for this.
@GC-161 Why you hate so much BREH! Lol 😂
@GC-161 Nah you're just being stupid
Billy Mitchell is a sad, sad man
I never could quite understand it when people click on an article, read it, and then log in to post a comment saying "no one cares"...
@Filth_Element BREH!!!!
@NYCallday I know what you are... but what am I, BREH?
@AG_Awesome He could cheat if he used MAME. And there is an analysis that suggests that he cheated.
@Pizzapasta This community seems to get increasingly weird with regards to this seemingly compulsive tendency to make strong/blunt comments on things that don't interest them.
The pure ignorance of 'this doesn't interest me so who cares, do something else with your time' etc type comments shouldn't surprise me but seriously, it's way too frequent.
I'm not particularly interested on the topic on the whole but the article made for an interesting read. However, scroll down to the comments and it's a load of people moaning about the topic rather than giving an opinion on the contents of the article or the actual subject matter.
hate him or not still the first pefect score in PacMan, Donkey Kong high scores can change often, first ever to do something is forever
There’s been so much rediculousness in the American higscore scene going on. Todd Rogers ‘Dragster’ WR was also formally busted some weeks ago.
Why can’t they just be fair and square and accept loss, or attempt a new record? This happens in the Japanese scene all the time.
This is soooooooooooooo dull. I love, adore arcade games, i have my own home arcade. If he has a tape, where is it. lets move on.
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