What (or who) is TASBot?

TASBot is best described as a special R.O.B. robot outfitted with Legos to hold a custom circuit board that can exactly mimic the behavior of a video game controller. TASBot can play games on real video game consoles with superhuman abilities, usually leading to game breaking glitches in front of live audiences. TASBot has a long and storied history that starts with the initial efforts to replay Tool-Assisted Speedruns on physical hardware via a process now called console verification.
TASBot was born on 2013-12-22 and is currently hosted by his creator and keeper, dwangoAC. He is on Twitter as @MrTASBot, Instagram as @mrtasbot, and you can see all verification work at tas.bot. He has made appearances at AGDQ 2014, AGDQ 2015, SGDQ 2015, AGDQ 2016, SGDQ 2016, and AGDQ 2017 (although the earliest TAS involvement at a GDQ event was organized by DarkKobold during SGDQ 2011). TASBot has also participated in talks at TWiT's The New Screen Savers episode 60, DEF CON 24, and GeekPwn 2016.

GDQ appearances

EventGamePlatformCategoryPeopleVOD
SGDQ 2011Wizards & Warriors III: Kuros: Visions of Power (1982)NESNESBotDarkkobold, Ferret Warlord, Dacicushttps://youtu.be/KQXVgMKJEDY
AGDQ 2014Gradius (1985)NESTASBotdwangoAC, adelikathttps://youtu.be/Uep1H_NvZS0?t=30 / https://youtu.be/Uep1H_NvZS0?t=1085
AGDQ 2014Mario Kart 64 (1996)N64TASBot Special CupdwangoAC, weathertonhttps://youtu.be/Uep1H_NvZS0?t=260
AGDQ 2014Mario Kart 64 (1996)N64TASBot Mushroom CupdwangoAC, weathertonhttps://youtu.be/Uep1H_NvZS0?t=672
AGDQ 2014Super Mario 64 (1996)N64TASBot 0 StardwangoAC, snark, Kyman, sonicpacker, Mickey/VIS, ToThttps://youtu.be/Uep1H_NvZS0?t=1295
AGDQ 2014Super Mario World (1990)SNESTASBotdwangoAC, Masterjunhttps://youtu.be/Uep1H_NvZS0?t=1910
AGDQ 2014 BonusThe Legend of Zelda (1987)NESTASBotdwangoAC, Baxter, jprofit22https://youtu.be/T31xSVJFfII?t=51
AGDQ 2014 BonusZelda II: The Adventure of Link (1988)NESno zipping or unintended exitsdwangoAC, Rising Tempest, Inzulthttps://youtu.be/T31xSVJFfII?t=1571
AGDQ 2014 BonusTetris (1989)NESfastest 999999dwangoAC, Acmlmhttps://youtu.be/T31xSVJFfII?t=1665
AGDQ 2014 BonusTetris (1989)NESMode BdwangoAC, Baxterhttps://youtu.be/T31xSVJFfII?t=1718
AGDQ 2014 BonusTetris (1989)NESplayarounddwangoAC, Baxterhttps://youtu.be/T31xSVJFfII?t=1786
AGDQ 2014 BonusDr. Mario (1990)NESTASBotdwangoAC, CtrlAltDestroyhttps://youtu.be/T31xSVJFfII?t=1948
AGDQ 2015Mario Kart 64 (1996)N64TASBotmicro500, Weathertonhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6ufr_V8AwE
AGDQ 2015Super Mario World (1990)SNESTASBot Mario 1 In SMW3dwangoAC, p4plus2http://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=370&v=HvCoNSq3GEM
AGDQ 2015Pokemon Red (1996)Game BoyTASBot Pokemon Plays TwitchdwangoAC, p4plus2, Masterjun, Ilari, ais523http://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=460&v=P28kp66XMw4
AGDQ 2015Pokemon Red (1996)Game BoyTASBot Pokemon Plays Twitch: Round 2dwangoAC, p4plus2, Masterjun, Ilari, ais523http://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=815&v=tLqU8qDkOZE
SGDQ 2015Mega Man (1987)NESTASBot Any%Shinryuu, FinalFighterhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1140&v=jCEAZiJ7Pso
SGDQ 2015Sonic Advance (2001)GBATASBot Any%Mukkihttp://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=445&v=09boPxw4nlY
SGDQ 2015Ikaruga (2001)GameCubeTASBot Maximum Scorekeyliehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=180&v=Om9SphYRzR8
SGDQ 2015Streemerz (2010)NESTASBot Racekaizoman, DragonFangshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=140&v=QRxunjRvYoU
AGDQ 2016Mario Kart 64 (1996)N64TASBot Star CupWeathertonhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=597&v=dRsO69jNcrM
AGDQ 2016Pwn Adventure Z (2015)NESTASBot vs Humans RaceBismuth, dwangoAC, EmoArbiter, Tompa, psifertexhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=873&v=QXLP-L2ZgpQ
AGDQ 2016Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (1987)NESTASBot GlitchedTASEditorhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=357&v=gecOjBTIqFs
AGDQ 2016Brain Age (2005)DSTASBot x100micro500, xy2_http://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=922&v=mSFHKAvTGNk
AGDQ 2016Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988)NESTASBot Any%Lord Tom, dwangoAChttp://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=421&v=eM8Z9e-WoFs
AGDQ 2016Super Mario World (1990)SNESTASBot Super Mario MakerdwangoAC, p4plus2, Masterjun, Dram55http://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=674&v=IOsvuEA2h4w
SGDQ 2016Super Mario Land 2 (1992)Game BoyTASBot Memory Tour/GlitchfestdwangoAC, link_7777http://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=429&v=EHfw-BEuRO8
SGDQ 2016VVVVVV (2010)PCTASBot 20 Trinkets, No DeathdwangoAC, Mundunguhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1310&v=EHfw-BEuRO8
SGDQ 2016Super Mario Bros. 1, 2 + 3 (1988)NESTASBot One Controller Three GamesdwangoAC, agwawaf, MeGotsThis, ogNdrahciRhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3355&v=EHfw-BEuRO8
SGDQ 2016Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988)NESAny%dwangoAC, agwawafhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=76&v=BZPQ29NayVQ
SGDQ 2016Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988)NESHot Pocket%dwangoAC, mitchflowerpowerhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=243&v=BZPQ29NayVQ
SGDQ 2016Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988)NESRom HackdwangoAC, mitchflowerpowerhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=381&v=BZPQ29NayVQ
AGDQ 2017Galaga (1984)NESTASBot vs NES ClassicdwangoAC, micro500, MediaMagnet, Spikestuffhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1780&v=Ukq29ePnTqI
AGDQ 2017Gradius (1985)NESTASBot's Revenge: Gradius Round 2dwangoAC, Adelikat, link_7777http://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1931&v=Ukq29ePnTqI
AGDQ 2017Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988)NESTASBot plays Super Mario Bros.dwangoAC, total, Ilarihttp://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2805&v=Ukq29ePnTqI
AGDQ 2017Mega Man (1987)NESTASBot dominates Mega Man 1dwangoAC, total, Ownasaurushttp://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2957&v=Ukq29ePnTqI
AGDQ 2017The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (1991)SNESTASBot plays A Link to the PastdwangoAC, Tompa, Masterjun, Arkunhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3129&v=Ukq29ePnTqI
AGDQ 2017Super Mario 64 (1996)N64TASBot plays Super Mario 64dwangoAC, Masterjun, micro500, Ilari, p4plus2, Tyler Kehne, MKDasher, sonicpacker, Snark, SilentSlayers, Gaehne D, Eru, ToT, Plush, sm64experthttp://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3354&v=Ukq29ePnTqI
AGDQ 2017Portal (2007)PCTASBot plays the Community ChoicedwangoAC, Masterjun, micro500, Ilari, p4plus2http://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3670&v=Ukq29ePnTqI
HRDQ 2017Battletoads (1991)NESTAS 2P Warpsfeos & MESHUGGAHhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNJxoMxBaFM&t=255s
HRDQ 2017Battletoads (1991)NES(game end glitch, look at the webcam capture for this as it played alongside the main run)MESHUGGAH & feoshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNJxoMxBaFM&t=505s
HRDQ 2017Super Monkey Ball 2 (2002)GameCubeExpert through Master Extrabyrz, diddykong14, keylie, Nexta, Jcool114https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNJxoMxBaFM&t=1156s
(The above table was populated using data from the excellent GDQVods.com TAS page.)

Other presentations by dwangoAC

DateEventDescriptionVOD
2016-07-02TWiT The New Screen Savers episode 60https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3YDO5YJje4&t=30m47s
2016-08-05DEF CON 24Robot Hacks Video Games talkhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kj5ZmoTckI
2016-10-24GeekPwn 2016How a Game Robot Plays Games Fasterhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tA9nlUtepR4
2016-11-16Bay Area ACMHow TASBot Exploits Glitches and Plays Games Perfectlyhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-gxBbVOLTY
2016-12-13NBLUGTASBot remote development environmenthttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jn8rpP3Xc9I
2017-03-19Californithon 2017TASBot console verifies MK64 and SM64https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pv1Do7K07e8

Timeline

TODO: Add more details to the timeline including SVLUG / DEF CON 24 / NBLUG / GeekPwn 2016 and other appearances.

TASBot as a person (from the perspective of dwangoAC)

When true released his board he called it true's NES / SNES Replay Device. I subsequently hacked together a Lego case and put it on ROB and dubbed it ROBBerry Pi. Then, due to being frazzled because of last-minute issues and being in front of 60,000 people I proceeded to do an absolutely horrible job of introducing who TASVideos was, who I was, and what the name of the bot was. Later, GDQMonitor and Masterjun's SMW executes arbitrary code submission both referred to the combination of true's replay board, the Pi, and ROB as "TASBot". (As an aside, there was previously an unrelated project named TASBOT but no new development appears to have happened on it since 2013)
TASBot as a "person" has become something far larger than I ever imagined. There's fanfic out there about @GDQMonitor (apparently a girl) and @MrTASBot having an ongoing relationship. The SDA community seems to refer to TASBot about the same way the Nico Nico Douga community references TAS-san (TASさん, known as "Mr. TAS"). I know true has never particularly felt comfortable with calling his board "TASBot" and at this point I think the name transcends any particular replay device. I've come to think of TASBot as the combination of ROB holding a controller or board and participating in his favorite pastime, playing games perfectly in front of a TV and a loving audience. What could be better?

TASBot last edited by dwangoAC on 8/25/2023 4:25 AM
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