0x03000332 - Camera lock flag
0x03000328 - Kills left to unlock scene
0x0300031A - Enemy spawn timer
Seeing as I'm familiar with the winning run, there's the breakdown of 1-1:
1-1
2508 -> 2675 S 1 Input begin to unlock
2766 -> 2885 S 2 (22)
2944 -> 3040 S 3 (30)
3206 -> 3248 S 4 Van
3306 -> 3654 S 5 3471: boss dead
3719 -> 3816 S 6 ( 0)
4077 -> 4846 S 7 4460( 3) Kill counter appears
5044 -> 5304 S 8 heavy guy
5368 -> 5528 S 9 (25) 5 frames away, is it possible?
5581 -> 5707 S10 Can't avoid losing a spawn...
6187 -> 6487 S11 Boss kill
7193 Clear score screen
Definition of "scene" in this case are all the locations the camera locks.
The first number is when the camera locks, or in the case of the first scene, when the first frame of input is allowed. The second number is when the camera unlocks. The S## is scene number, for our convenience. The (##) for some of them represents what the spawn timer was at when the kill counter starts.
The spawn timer is the frame rule of this game. It ticks down every frame. After it hits 0, it resets to some upper value and spawns an enemy. Since it goes through every number from 30 down to 0, there's a 31-frame rule in place. In 3-4, it resets to 10 instead.
If the number is at 30 when the camera locks, you've hit exactly the moment, down to the frame, where the game can produce a new enemy. 29 is one frame too late, sorry. This is important as the game usually has an upper limit of 2 enemies on the screen at once. Time a kill right at the perfect moment, then when the enemy finally disappears entirely, it's right at the exact moment where the screen locks. The kill counter already has 1 kill marked off, and a new enemy has spawned because you're now under the limit. The best possible case.
1-1 Scene 1
We've decided on picking up the purple auto-firing weapon. It produces a very short death animation, compared to other weapons. We waste no time picking up the weapon gift, as the enemy spawning won't begin until it's picked up.
We wait until tossing grenades
after the weapon pick-up. There is, after all, a building ripe for dropping what we want: More grenades! We're stuck waiting for agents anyway, so why not?
The kill counter is set at 1 in this scene. We kill the first agent as early as we think possible -- The moment his hitbox accepts an in-flight bullet.
1-1 Scene 2
On the way to this scene, a grenade pack is dropped. The timing these two agents were killed were such that they were counted when the screen finally locks. Not a lot to say except that the last kill needed to end the scene was done with a bullet killing that agent at the moment he spawns.
1-1 Scene 3
... And this is why we needed that exact moment. When this scene locks, the spawn timer is at 30. A single frame of wait, and that delays clearing this scene by 31 frames. Thanks to this, we also have a one-frame window to kill an agent to coincide with the screen lock. We hit that window.
We made sure to keep using the auto-firing weapon right up until we picked up the spread gun. The short death animation is certainly nice, and we get to keep all the spread shots for later enemies.
This is also the first instance where we begin charging up and keeping our charge while still shooting enemies. Maybe a tad late, since we reached 9 damage charge, not quite 10.
1-1 Scene 4
The FBI van. We used the car so that we can fire while still moving at a decent speed. A short delay was taken here so that our shots have a longer travel time, and thus can shoot earlier. We still lock the camera at the same frame anyway.
Poor FBI van barely even had a chance to get any screen time. We jumped out a frame or two early (
I forget now) so that we have a slightly better height against the following mini-boss.
1-1 Scene 5
The robot. If we kept the car, it would promptly explode when this boss lands. Then we're launched upwards for a position that is no good for grenades.
However, I'm pretty sure the flame or ice weapons would be more effective against this boss. Far worse start-up compared to the spread, so maybe manipulate an agent on the scene to drop a flame weapon. Whatever the case, any new strategy here must be good enough to beat this scene at least by 30 frames to beat the frame rule.
1-1 Scene 6
The spawn timer was 0 when we reached this scene. Not bad, any improvements means that at least 30 frame must be saved to have any hope of getting through this scene earlier. I really should experiment with the flame/ice weapon sometime. Probably flame, for a reason involving death animation length.
In any case, the spread gun's death animation is far too long. Knife, grenades, anything that has a death animation shorter than roughly 60 frames. Else, we lose a spawn. We saw a grenade drop, but I said something to the effect of "forget it and move on." The building was used for a weapon change to the purple auto-fire weapon.
1-1 Scene 7
Off camera, I was manipulating two grenade packs.
On camera, it's very obvious I'm shooting numerous times while still charging. When you roll or backflip, releasing B does not dissipate your charge. On the frame you finish rolling or backflipping, you can press (
and hold) B to shoot your gun without losing your charge. Not shown here, you can also jump to keep your charge -- On the frame you press A, release B. Hold B again on the following frames and you shoot. This also works on the frame you land.
I left the scene with maximum charge of 10 damage. Not bad.
1-1 Scene 8
Somehow, this guy takes double damage from grenades. Sure, 6 damage per grenade? I'll take! 50 HP disappears from 10-damage charge, 36-damage from a 6-pack of grenades, and the remaining 4 from our gun.
You can dig down and bury him to skip his death animation, but this involves killing you and all the lost weaponry this implies. While you can reach the next scene earlier, you most certainly have sub-optimal weaponry that will eat up any time this would save.
1-1 Scene 9
The spawn timer was at 25 when entering this scene. Now, where can I save 5 frames to beat the frame rule? Gah. It's also why we're technically behind Team 1 for this scene -- We've been frame-ruled.
Not much else comes to mind about this scene, though. Never saw the agents come from anywhere except by rope from above.
1-1 Scene 10
Another unremarkable scene. That first agent also insists on coming by rope. Only when the scene locks does it allow agents coming from either left or right sides, by my tests.
1-1 Scene 11
For those curious, the flower seen while rolling to the boss scene is an extra life -- Dig under it, and you can have it! Not that it'll help, but still... Anyone knew of this little secret? There are more flowers like it in later stages.
I suppose the only scene of 1-1 not commanded by the frame rule would be this one. As for weaponry, I'm pretty certain the spread gun is the best choice. We can try flame/ice, but that tiny hitbox coupled with the fact this boss only allows one hit per frame makes it less effective. Spread is likely the way to go.
Also, that stray enemy bullet could have been manipulated away, I believe. Eh...
Anyone want to see if there's any way to improve what we got for 1-1?