(Link to video)
Submission Text Full Submission Page
Description
Road Blasters is a game where you make a perilous journey across long stretches of highway in search of more fuel in order to go... somewhere. While I still haven't figured out where exactly you're ultimately trying to go, I've at least decided the game has something to do with trying to stay alive in some kind of "Mad Max" inspired aggressive driving simulator. It seems everybody on this planet is out to get you whether they're swerving between lanes, brake checking in front of you, or simply firing bullets from the side of the road. So you better have your defensive driving skills up to par or else you're going nowhere.
I started this as a pacifist run by just passing on by whoever got in my way, but I quickly found out it's simply impossible to reach the end without inflicting violence on your fellow travelers. You're essentially required to destroy a few road hogs from time to time just to refill your gas tank. Weapons include your standard front-mounted gun along with a few upgrades like a Cruise Missile, UZ Cannon, Electro Shield, and best of all, the Nitro Inject for massive NOS speed boosts.
In the end, our driver gets to where s/he needs to go in record time amazingly without even a single scratch on their beast of an automobile. But what do we make of all of those haphazard commuters whizzing by all seemingly out to get us? What ulterior motives possess their souls to take such dangerous actions in the presence of others? Are we driving across some kind of private property, a military base perhaps, or maybe a lawless third world country bent on destruction? Whatever the case may be, I think I'll be taking a different route next time.

Objectives
  • Emulator used: BizHawk 1.9.1
  • Aims for fastest time

Green Globes
These will show up from time to time on the road and will add a small amount of fuel to your main tank. I grab as many as I can along the way, but miss 1 or 2 due to a difficult driver being in the way.
Red Globes
Upon destroying certain predetermined "Orange Stingers," they will leave behind a red globe of fuel which replenishes your reserve tank.
Checkpoints
When you cross a checkpoint, your fuel is restored back to how it was upon starting the level.
Finish Line
After reaching the end of the course, your kills are added up while giving you extra reserve fuel for the next section of the race. I kill only those necessary for the additional fuel as it costs extra frames to count up your score.
Suggested Screenshots

GoddessMaria: Judging...
GoddessMaria: As has been pointed out by the audience that it is suboptimal in a bit of areas and missing some tricks that can save time. The author has acknowledged the issues and requested that the run be rejected in favor of his upcoming improvement. With that said, I am rejecting this submission due to optimization issues.

TASVideoAgent
They/Them
Moderator
Joined: 8/3/2004
Posts: 14852
Location: 127.0.0.1
This topic is for the purpose of discussing #4615: NESAtlas's Genesis RoadBlasters in 20:32.99
Spikestuff
They/Them
Editor, Publisher, Expert player (2283)
Joined: 10/12/2011
Posts: 6335
Location: The land down under.
Eh... Okay. Only watched the first few races so I cannot give input on my vote. Isn't it better to be within the curve when turning and not the outside?
WebNations/Sabih wrote:
+fsvgm777 never censoring anything.
Disables Comments and Ratings for the YouTube account. Something better for yourself and also others.
Joined: 5/29/2004
Posts: 757
Sweet sweet memories of the Arcade... with Level 49 looking as absolutely freaking BS as I remember it. Genesis had a seriously solid port of the Arcade version and you definitely did this one justice! Yes Vote! Mr. Kelly R. Flewin
Mr. Kelly R. Flewin Just another random gamer ---- <OmnipotentEntity> How do you people get bored in the span of 10 seconds? Worst ADD ever.
Editor, Expert player (2001)
Joined: 8/25/2013
Posts: 1199
The game looks fun, but the TAS is a bit on the boring side. Giving this one a Meh.
effort on the first draft means less effort on any draft thereafter - some loser
Dimon12321
He/Him
Active player (479)
Joined: 4/5/2014
Posts: 1124
Location: Ukraine
Well, I used to TAS a Nintendo NES version of Road Blasters using only slow motion and savestates. Who wants to watch, the link is below. Link to video Watching the movie, I think it would be entertaining a little if you kill the objects which are difficult to shoot while zigzaging left-right on the road (mechanics doesn't change from NES version, so you can zigzag without losing any time). But, by the end of each race, you should waste some rockets to decrease your multiplier :-) Nevertheless, I found it boring. Meh vote, sorry!
TASing is like making a film: only the best takes are shown in the final movie.
Editor, Expert player (2459)
Joined: 4/8/2005
Posts: 1573
Location: Gone for a year, just for varietyyyyyyyyy!!
I believe you can end a level quicker by decelerating before the goal line. This way the car stops faster and the screen fades earlier.
Spikestuff
They/Them
Editor, Publisher, Expert player (2283)
Joined: 10/12/2011
Posts: 6335
Location: The land down under.
Because it's .bk2 and I didn't want to open up TAStudio for some reason and decided to do text editing instead. I give you a light fix: User movie #21438870879002866 179 frames saved.
<Spikestuff> and now I think it's unoptimal
<Spikestuff> DAMN YOU AQFAQ!
So yea, now I want to see a complete revision on the final rally for this TAS.
WebNations/Sabih wrote:
+fsvgm777 never censoring anything.
Disables Comments and Ratings for the YouTube account. Something better for yourself and also others.
Editor, Expert player (2459)
Joined: 4/8/2005
Posts: 1573
Location: Gone for a year, just for varietyyyyyyyyy!!
Looks like I have an old test movie from 2011: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/21439943898923895 I don't remember what the file contains. Maybe the first level. Edit:
<Spikestuff> DAMN YOU AQFAQ!
Damn TASing in general. Damn every game in existence. Because... WHY THE HELL IS SLOWING DOWN FASTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Joined: 7/2/2007
Posts: 3960
Re: slowing down, wouldn't it be better to space out your nitro boosts? Your speed gradually decreases after each boost (assuming the speed indicator is accurate), so you should get a higher average speed if you use a boost, let it return you to normal speed, then use the next boost. Instead you seem to be chaining boosts to stay at max speed continuously, which means you only get one deceleration period.
Pyrel - an open-source rewrite of the Angband roguelike game in Python.
Dimon12321
He/Him
Active player (479)
Joined: 4/5/2014
Posts: 1124
Location: Ukraine
Derakon wrote:
Re: slowing down, wouldn't it be better to space out your nitro boosts? Your speed gradually decreases after each boost (assuming the speed indicator is accurate), so you should get a higher average speed if you use a boost, let it return you to normal speed, then use the next boost. Instead you seem to be chaining boosts to stay at max speed continuously, which means you only get one deceleration period.
Wanted to write the same! +1
TASing is like making a film: only the best takes are shown in the final movie.
NESAtlas
He/Him
Player (55)
Joined: 7/4/2010
Posts: 114
Location: Gales Ferry, CT
Damn, the nitro boosts all in a row seems painfully obvious to me now *facepalm*, but I don't feel so bad about not figuring out to slow down before the finish line. Nevertheless, thanks for the tips everybody! I'll see if I can salvage the run after adding in these improvements though I'm not sure if destroying additional enemies is such a good idea as that would increase the amount of frames as my reserve tank is filled back up. Hopefully it won't take me too long to fix this, otherwise feel free to reject my submission as I don't want to clog up the forum with my crappy TAS's ;)
Joined: 3/30/2013
Posts: 6
Loved this game in the arcade and was great to see done on the console like this. Jw does destroying a car slow you/the game down? The extra time at the end for score and fuel is a given, but could a all car destroyed run be possible and close to this time?
GoddessMaria
She/Her
Reviewer, Experienced player (849)
Joined: 5/29/2009
Posts: 514
Location: Hell...
Is the author still working on an update of this?
Current projects: failing at life
Joined: 7/2/2007
Posts: 3960
Dude, AndyDick posted that he'd start working on the improved version 5 days ago, give him some time. :)
Pyrel - an open-source rewrite of the Angband roguelike game in Python.
GoddessMaria
She/Her
Reviewer, Experienced player (849)
Joined: 5/29/2009
Posts: 514
Location: Hell...
Derakon... I wasn't trying to rush him at all. I was merely checking in as there's no telling what could have been going on. No harm intended.
Current projects: failing at life
Joined: 3/9/2009
Posts: 530
Shouldn't it be rejected so he can make a new one with a new description, new screen shots, etc? There's a very nontrivial number of changes listed in the thread so far. Better to have a fresh start if he's redoing most of the run.
Active player (405)
Joined: 3/22/2006
Posts: 708
How did you go right through that tree?
NESAtlas
He/Him
Player (55)
Joined: 7/4/2010
Posts: 114
Location: Gales Ferry, CT
I'm guessing this will take me a few weeks, so feel free to reject for now!
Heisanevilgenius wrote:
How did you go right through that tree?
I'm guessing it's just an illusion as I don't press a single button on that stage until way after the tree passes on by.
TASVideosGrue
They/Them
Joined: 10/1/2008
Posts: 2738
Location: The dark corners of the TASVideos server
om, nom, nom... *burp*!