Submission #1199: FractalFusion's NES Monopoly "4 cpus" in 01:07.67

(Link to video)
Nintendo Entertainment System
4 cpus
FCEU 0.98.12
4060
60
586
Unknown
Monopoly (U).nes
Submitted by FractalFusion on 9/15/2006 6:32:32 AM
Submission Comments
  • Is a demonstration
  • Bankrupts four (4) CPU players after end of input
  • Manipulates luck
  • Does not aim for fastest time.
Recorded in FCEU 0.98.16, but works in any version.
Although I initially didn't care, I now intend this submission to obsolete the published run.
Monopoly source (outdated, but gives general idea): http://www.savefile.com/files/36316. It's the same as in my cancelled submissions.
See HomePages/FractalFusion/Source/Monopoly for source.

Gone were the days where one would say "Manipulating three rolls after end of input is impossible". This run manipulates eight rolls after end of input, all of which result in bankruptcy of four CPUs.
Note that BasicBot and the delay search program monopolysolve.cc would not work. Pure randomness assumption says that a solution would occur with probability 1/98537472. Moreover, these programs work over input randomness, not RNG randomness.
However, I found a solution.
The program used was monopolysolve2.cc. Given a starting point for RndVal1 (9000 iterations from the beginning seed 3E2AD2) and using a search distance of 100000 (later shortened to 20000), the program takes a RndVal1 seed and tests, for all 256 possible RndVal2 values, whether it produces the eight rolls necessary to bankrupt the four CPUs. Each CPU must roll a double, followed by 2, 3, 4, or 6, with the restriction that only one CPU is permitted to roll 4 or 6. This relaxed condition relative to the last submissions is a result of an improved strategy, putting 12 houses on the orange properties in two turns without using the "back 3 space" card. The downside is the more restrictive card manipulation. Both hurry timing and relax timing can be tested.
The program did output the following:
(for hurry timing)
Done delay 5000
Done delay 10000
13 33 63 14 00 296305 DE 10237
Done delay 15000
63 63 42 66 00 E5203C 65 15568
Done delay 20000
done
(for relax timing)
23 44 23 33 00 D66FCD 5 4669
Done delay 5000
Done delay 10000
43 23 42 36 00 9ACFC6 1E 13280
Done delay 15000
36 13 12 22 00 9D5BAA F0 18078
52 33 53 52 00 ED528 D2 19135
Done delay 20000
done
I initially took the strategy 13 33 63 14 00 296305 DE 10237 (hurry), but discovered that the RndVal1 delay was too low, so I took 43 23 42 36 00 9ACFC6 1E 13280 (relax), with a RndVal1 delay of 13280.
After testing that the strategy worked (by using cheats to set up the CPUs, then poking the random seed values in), I constructed the run.
I wait at the name screen (RndVal1 delay of over 5000) to manipulate three cards (using the card search program monopoly.cc). Rolling the dice in hand (on my last move) is the fastest way to iterate RndVal1, but it also affects RndVal2, so I carefully set up RndVal2=1E (by entering and exiting the menu just before CPU rolls), then spend enough time to get RndVal1=9ACFC6. These values appear three frames after the movie ends, just before RAM(27) increments to 1.
Here is how the run goes:
H: 1+1 to comm chest (grand opera). Gain $200. $1700
H: 4+4 to just visiting.
H: 4+2 to St. James (buy). $1520
C1: 3+5 to Vermont (buy).
C2: 3+3 to Oriental (buy).
C2: 4+2 to Electric Company (buy).
C3: 3+5 to Vermont (rent).
C4: 6+4 to just visiting.
H: 1+1 to Tennessee (buy). $1340
H: 2+2 to chance (advance to St. Charles) (buy). $1400
H: 3+5 to New York (buy). $1200
H: Buy 12 houses.
C1: 4+4 to St. James, $750 rent.
C1: 1+2 to New York, bankrupt.
C2: 2+2 to St. James, $750 rent.
C2: 2+1 to New York, bankrupt.
C3: 4+4 to St. James, $750 rent.
C3: 1+1 to Tennessee, bankrupt.
C4: 3+3 to St. James, $750 rent.
C4: 4+2 to chance (back 3 to New York), bankrupt.
I may consider cancelling my other submission (#1166, not the ones I already cancelled), but I will wait and see.
Should I go for 5 CPUs bankrupt? Not without a really good find, or unless you can stand 2 or more minutes of rolling the dice in hand.
Thanks to the Monopoly competitors for the strategy, thanks to adelikat for telling me about the "hurry" option, and thanks to everyone else who contributed ideas.

Bisqwit: Accepted as a demonstration movie.
Last Edited by adelikat on 9/10/2023 3:58 AM
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