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Castlevania Adventure, The (U) [!] Emulator used: VBA-rerecording-9
I think near all from you have wait for a Castlevania GameBoy run, here it is. I think its a great run and fast. I use some tricks to get faster then normal to some next screens and defeat some enemies faster then normal.
  • Aims for the fastest time
  • Take no Damage
  • Use Tricks
  • Manipulate Luck
Jump-Whip: A trick which work in many games. When you jump and use a weapon it cost not much time. So when I land I can walk again. Normaly when you use the Whip you must stand some Frames and can't move then. So its faster when you use the Whip in the air. Rope Jumping: A nice trick which help me to complete Stages faster. I found it in the first Stage. When you enter a new screen up, then jump. When the new screen load you will jump up a bit and climb higher at the rope. Now you can jump to the next platform or still climb up at a higher position.
Manipulate Luck: Most by the birds in the first Stage and this was easy. These are anoying enemies. So I sometimes jump, that they fly to high and can't reach me anymore when they came down. Manipulate the bat in the second Stage was very hard and bad. Has work only with one bat and this is the reason why he not attack me, he will hang at the wall.
I test near all Frames by near every Jump, that it looks good. I jump most as earlie as possible, that I reach the next platform with the last point. Most 1 Frame earlier you will fall down and not reach the platform. Only sometimes when enemies in my way I must jump later. Or when I jump on falling platforms I jump as late as possible.
Takes no Damage: Is good, because I get fast the strong whip which shots fireballs. This help me defeat enemies from far away and faster.
Stage 1: The first enemie is bad, because I lose a bit time when I defeat him. But there is no other way, because I can't shot yet. And this is the earliest point where I can hit him. You can't jump over these enemies, I have try it in every Frame. I get the first cross, because it protect me from the next rolling eye. And help me too in the next area a bit. In the last screen I jump to late at the higher platform and it cost some time. But the reason is, that the bird is later so low, that it can't hit me anymore. Have found no other way here.
1. BOSS: Defeat him as fast as possible. First I try to jump at him and use the whip in the air. But then he can reach me with his spear. So here I stand save, can hit him and he can't reach me with his spear and I can defeat him faster without moveing. The shots from my whip will not hit the Boss, so I can't hit him earlier then I do here.
Stage 2: Beginning screen was very hard to run, near every Frame you must push the right button. I see no other way then stand some Frames or the bats will hit me. So it looks bad here. But I try every Frame and many moves nothing else helps. Its hard to manipulate the bats. I have done it to manipulate the one bat, that it will hang on the wall. When I just move without jumping he will hit me. I must shot the shot from the plant enemies, or they will hit me. When you hit the plants at the right Frame you defeat them with only one use from your whip. I go the upper way at the end, because there is an easier enemie which is faster to defeat. The best thing is here as I jump over the hook from the guard and reach the rope at a low point. Then it can't hit me on the backway anymore.
2. BOSS: Easy to defeat. I hit every frog as fast as possible. But it takes so long till they jump out from the holes. This Boss is very bad for a good Speedrun. Not sure if this is possible to manipulate. I have try only to defeat them as fast as possible.
Stage 3: No enemie in the beginning part. So it was easy to record. I must only find the Frames where I must stand, jump or use the whip. The second screw is different to the others. I can't hit it with fireballs. Thats the reason, why I hit it so late in this run. The next part is the way up. Here I am near as fast as possible at all ropes and platforms. Later I am so fast, that I must wait some Frames, or I will fall down when I try to jump. So sometimes when I have enough time I walk on the small platforms. Third part is too with spikes, from the right. But I am to fast, so you never see them here.
3. BOSS: Hard one. I test near every move in every Frame, jump to him or not and walk left or right. This is the result. I hit him as fast as possible I think, and at the end I hit him with the last possible Frame. One Frame longer and I must wait much longer till I can hit him again.
Stage 4: Not much to say in the beginning room. Just maybe that no nightstalker appear as I jump on the first platform. Maybe the reason are the 2 or 3 knights which still follow me, that the screen can't hold so much enemies at the same time. So it was luck that he is gone and I am faster at the rope. One time I jump up over a hook 2 times in one turn. Looks great and was the only way here or I must wait longer at the rope which cost much more time. Later are many spike rooms, which was hard to do. I test every Frame that it looks perfect. Another nice trick can you see near at the end from this Stage. When it goes down I have to wait in the one room with the 2 spikes. So I just flying in the air a bit longer. Work like the Rope Jumping. When you climb down one screen, just push the Jump button and you will jump at the top from the next screen. Look like flying.
4. BOSS: The first part is easy, just stand infront of him and always jump and shot. I hit him 2 times, one with whip and one with fireball. Must only see, that his shots not hit me. So I must wait the last hit a bit longer. The second form is a hard one I have try first differents things. But this is the best what I found out. So I can defeat him and he do near nothing.
Now the hard and secret work from me is finish, done without tell anyone here and I hope all like this run and happy that finally a Castlevania GameBoy game is done.

Nach: Rejected, Phil is working on one which is already faster, and this has some small noticable improvements.

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This topic is for the purpose of discussing #900: MattyXB's GB Castlevania: The Adventure in 18:07.18
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I bet Phil can do it faster! :P
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Post subject: Re: #900: MattyXB's GB The Castlevania Adventure in 18:07
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MattyXB wrote:
Aims for the fastest time
It's not true :P
MattyXB wrote:
Rope Jumping: A nice trick which help me to complete Stages faster. I found it in the first Stage. When you enter a new screen up, then jump. When the new screen load you will jump up a bit and climb higher at the rope. Now you can jump to the next platform or still climb up at a higher position. <p/>
A nice trick that unfortunately, I have already discovered. There is similar bug in NES Battletoads.
MattyXB wrote:
Takes no Damage:
Hint: You should.
MattyXB wrote:
Now the hard and secret work from me is finish, done without tell anyone here and I hope all like this run and happy that finally a Castlevania GameBoy game is done.
You should have posted it because you are slower than me and Genisto's WIP. Well, at level 1 section 5, we are 137 frames faster. Well, this video will guide us I guess.
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Food fanatic "hanzou" doesn't get why people want to see such a slow game.
put yourself in my rocketpack if that poochie is one outrageous dude
Post subject: Re: #900: MattyXB's GB The Castlevania Adventure in 18:07
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Phil wrote:
MattyXB wrote:
Takes no Damage:
Hint: You should. You should have posted it because you are slower than me and Genisto's WIP. Well, at level 1 section 5, we are 137 frames faster. Well, this video will guide us I guess.
2 No votes so far, I have think its much better and more would like it? I take no damage, so it maybe slower at some points, but its much harder to take no damage at some point. Often only 1 Frame more or less and you will be hit. So its a great run for a no Damage run, I am sure. And a Damage run is much easier then this one here.
Last TAS finished: Final Fantasy Adventure (4.0 Warp Glitch Run) WIP in the moment: Tail Gator (GB) Matty
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That's the trouble with the GB CV games, sadly. The Belmonts have all been horribly drugged so as to move at such a slow pace, it's almost like they don't even WANT to stop evil. Still, I'll be watching. >>
Post subject: Re: #900: MattyXB's GB The Castlevania Adventure in 18:07
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Yeah, I agree. I like no damage run better. But I'm not sure if there might be improvement in boss fight.
MattyXB wrote:
Phil wrote:
MattyXB wrote:
Takes no Damage:
Hint: You should. You should have posted it because you are slower than me and Genisto's WIP. Well, at level 1 section 5, we are 137 frames faster. Well, this video will guide us I guess.
2 No votes so far, I have think its much better and more would like it? I take no damage, so it maybe slower at some points, but its much harder to take no damage at some point. Often only 1 Frame more or less and you will be hit. So its a great run for a no Damage run, I am sure. And a Damage run is much easier then this one here.
Post subject: Re: #900: MattyXB's GB The Castlevania Adventure in 18:07
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ramond wrote:
But I'm not sure if there might be improvement in boss fight.
Without Damage I am not sure 1. Boss = as fast as possible, I hit him at the first possible Frame and use whip as fast as possible. Fireball will not harm him. 2. Boss = as fast as possible. Only when its maybe possible to manipulate luck and the frogs, that they appear faster. 3. Boss = not sure. I have try many different moves. At the beginning I hit him 3 times, this is as fast as possible. Then he fly up and I can't reach him anymore. Maybe when you move to some other place you can hit him later faster, but I try many things and you can maybe not hit him so often at the beginning. 4. Boss, 1 form = as fast as possible. You can hit him earlier, but only with fireball. Then he will not lose so much HP. So I hit him at the firet Frame where he lose much more HP and this is faster I think. Bad that I must wait by the last hit, or his shot will hit me. So maybe when you stand in another place you can defeat him faster, but I thik then another shot can maybe hit you. 4. Boss, 2 form = not sure. I try many different moves. But here its hard to get not hit from him. So this was the best what I found out for a no damage run. At all I am not sure if there are faster ways to defeat the Bosses. Its a slow game at all, and I try my best, too in Boss figths. I test all Frames and try always to find the first best Frame to attack.
Last TAS finished: Final Fantasy Adventure (4.0 Warp Glitch Run) WIP in the moment: Tail Gator (GB) Matty
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I prefer slow games to be played with no damage because there are few impressive things to say about it, you should at least be able to say "finished the game without taking damage". Dunno. I think i'd have enjoyed the NES castlevania run better if it was no damage.
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FODA wrote:
I prefer slow games to be played with no damage because there are few impressive things to say about it, you should at least be able to say "finished the game without taking damage". Dunno. I think i'd have enjoyed the NES castlevania run better if it was no damage.
I like it too much more. But the NES runs are too great, because they have great shortcuts with the damage. But here in this GameBoy game are not so big shortcuts like in the first NES game where you save a complete screen.
Last TAS finished: Final Fantasy Adventure (4.0 Warp Glitch Run) WIP in the moment: Tail Gator (GB) Matty
Post subject: Re: #900: MattyXB's GB The Castlevania Adventure in 18:07
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MattyXB wrote:
And a Damage run is much easier then this one here.
Au contraire. Effectively using damage is far more difficult than avoiding damage. In order to figure out where taking damage can save time, you have to think up all kinds of crazy ways to take damage and try it at hundreds of locations. Emulation removes the need for reflexes, making it possible to avoid damage. Learning how to use damage properly is an art.
TASing or playing back a DOS game? Make sure your files match the archive at RGB Classic Games.
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But it feels robotic, i think for slow games at least, you could still have the character bashing through a castle killing everything and getting away with it unharmed. He wouldn't let a stupid bat hit him just to move 1 pixel faster. I know, thats what "as fast as possible" is about, but having the character go unharmed is more entertaining, to me. Even if taking damage is faster, it feels imperfect.
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I don't necessarily disagree, but I did want to point out to MattyXB that it takes a lot of skill to do a proper "takes damage to save time" run.
TASing or playing back a DOS game? Make sure your files match the archive at RGB Classic Games.
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This game is slow because there's a terrible lag. MattyXB doesn't get rid of that lag as soon as possible. One of the reason it is imperfect.
Post subject: Re: #900: MattyXB's GB The Castlevania Adventure in 18:07
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MattyXB wrote:
And a Damage run is much easier then this one here.
Au contraire. Effectively using damage is far more difficult than avoiding damage. In order to figure out where taking damage can save time, you have to think up all kinds of crazy ways to take damage and try it at hundreds of locations. Emulation removes the need for reflexes, making it possible to avoid damage. Learning how to use damage properly is an art.
TASing or playing back a DOS game? Make sure your files match the archive at RGB Classic Games.
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I didn't think double posts could be that far apart.
put yourself in my rocketpack if that poochie is one outrageous dude
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Bag of Magic Food wrote:
I didn't think double posts could be that far apart.
Holy crap! What happened there? The two posts are exactly 1h30m00s apart. Not even a change in time zones can explain that!
TASing or playing back a DOS game? Make sure your files match the archive at RGB Classic Games.
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Some time zones are actually half hours apart. But anyway. The most likely explanation is obviously that your click muscle twiched really slow.
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But by the second click, the browser would have already loaded a new page...
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Post subject: Re: #900: MattyXB's GB The Castlevania Adventure in 18:07
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hopper wrote:
MattyXB wrote:
And a Damage run is much easier then this one here.
Au contraire. Effectively using damage is far more difficult than avoiding damage. In order to figure out where taking damage can save time, you have to think up all kinds of crazy ways to take damage and try it at hundreds of locations. Emulation removes the need for reflexes, making it possible to avoid damage. Learning how to use damage properly is an art.
Ok, I understand. But as I record this run I have see, that it is very hard and most only 1 Frame is missing and I will take damage. So I know too, that it was hard here to take no damage at all. But I understand that its hard too, to find the right place to take damage which save many time. But in this slow game it can't be so much I think. Now I wait and will see how much faster the Damage run will be. :-) But I like mine better, too when its slower. ;-)
Phil wrote:
This game is slow because there's a terrible lag. MattyXB doesn't get rid of that lag as soon as possible. One of the reason it is imperfect.
Defeat enemies as fast as possible? I try it most without lose much time. As the guards follow me it will cost maybe more time, when I turn back and defeat them, then the short lags there, or not?
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Ah, one of the gameBoy classics which I'm really surprised hasn't been done yet. I agree that damage should be taken, but having at least one powerup for each boss is a must. That means taking no hits between the last powerup orb and the boss or otherwise working things out to be powered up on the boss. So quite a bit of the run needs to be no-hit. Also, attacking really slows you down, I wouldn't be surprised if it's often faster to ignore lag and keep moving. I actually messed around with this game some myself, and noticed that taking hits is even faster than walking. By turning at the last frame so the enemy hits your back, you'll fly in the direction you want to go. Jumping slows you down by a few frames though.
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TheAxeMan wrote:
By turning at the last frame so the enemy hits your back, you'll fly in the direction you want to go.
A la Samus Aran. Super Metroid is a great example of the art of taking damage. I look forward to the next run of this game.
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The play seems pretty good, but it can obviously be improved somewhat (by Phil's suggestions, etc.). And no matter how good the play is, this game is rediculously slow. While watching at 150%, I carried on a detailed conversation with a friend about how poor this game was and how little action we were missing by talking during it. Voting meh. Maybe that future run with reduced lag will be a little more impressive?
Post subject: Re: #900: MattyXB's GB The Castlevania Adventure in 18:07
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Phil wrote:
You should have posted it because you are slower than me and Genisto's WIP. Well, at level 1 section 5, we are 137 frames faster. Well, this video will guide us I guess.
Only a small question, how long will this WIP movie takes till it is finish? Because I think I have need maybe 4-8 days (not sure anymore, but it was not long to make). Its a short game and it contain not much randomness. Now are near 2 month over (not sure when you start this project) and I wait myself to see this faster movie. Or will it be so perfect like the Super Castlevania (SNES), that you are calculate every hit which can taken till you have only 1 hp point? I think there exist no big shortcuts in this GameBoy game as in Super Castlevania. So why it takes so long and we hear nothing how far you both are? Is this project dead? Or is somebody still working on it?
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FODA wrote:
But it feels robotic, i think for slow games at least, you could still have the character bashing through a castle killing everything and getting away with it unharmed. He wouldn't let a stupid bat hit him just to move 1 pixel faster. I know, thats what "as fast as possible" is about, but having the character go unharmed is more entertaining, to me. Even if taking damage is faster, it feels imperfect.
There are some really good movies that abuse damage, like the Castlevania CotM run, but a lot of times damage-taking isn't terribly interesting; it's mostly good if you have very limited HP, and things give lots of damage, so it requires a lot of planning to take.
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