Hello Phil, it's NesVideoAgent here.
I created this pseudo-submission from movie #3.
I hope you don't mind ;)
(Don't reply to this message - it is automatically generated.)

TASVideoAgent
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This topic is for the purpose of discussing #133: Phil, Genisto's NES Castlevania in 11:43.13
Post subject: Movie published
TASVideoAgent
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This movie has been published. The posts before this message apply to the submission, and posts after this message apply to the published movie. ---- [3] NES Castlevania by Phil, Genisto in 11:43.13
Post subject: Castlevania 1 movie.
Joined: 1/1/2022
Posts: 1716
I've just discovered this site a few days ago, and I think i've watched about 2/3 of the videos already...these videos are all impossibly cool =) However this particular video impressed me more than anything. An ordinarily boring game to watch. The creativity in getting hit by enemies to save time to reach platforms is just amazing. This video is what this site is all about. Kudos for this one...and kudos to the creators of this site.
Post subject: Main character critical hit abuse
Joined: 1/1/2022
Posts: 1716
Hello, In this video, they abuse the main character as a critical hit for the boss. How exactly is this accomplished? What's going on here? Thanks!
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I don't know, I haven't seen this in a while... I assume the game gets confused about who's taking what amount of damage somehow.
put yourself in my rocketpack if that poochie is one outrageous dude
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this question was asked a year ago and phil gave the following response:
phil wrote:
Hmm that's not the way to do this.Very difficult to explain.All I could say to you is the Boss must be behind you and hit him at the good frame.otherwise it fail. P.S. I found this glitch by pure coincidence playing at full speed ;).I am very lucky I must admit.
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Joined: 8/1/2004
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To follow Bag's example: I don't know, but I am going to assume that Simon has the ability to go Super Saiyan, which obliterates anything on screen. However, this only works if you can get a strong enemy to overlap the pixel that covers up his bald spot, which only happens with this boss. Or, as a serious guess, it probably has to do with an infinite damage loop caused by placing the whip's anchor (Simon) in the boss' vulnerable zone.
hi nitrodon streamline: cyn-chine
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Infinite damage loop? You mean you bypass the normal invulnerability period? Or is it that the whip normally becomes nonlethal after a short time? I'd better watch again.
put yourself in my rocketpack if that poochie is one outrageous dude
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Location: Seattle, WA
Maybe the boss has a check where it can begin to take damage again if it is physically hitting Simon. However, Simon has an invulnerability phase that can't be undone, so you essentially become the weapon. Therefore, the whip, which is nonlethal to an enemy for a certain amount of frames (say, the amount it takes for a full swing i guess), is tricked into hitting every few frames, as long as the check for the boss clears.
hi nitrodon streamline: cyn-chine
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Joined: 5/22/2004
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As far as I know, the whip has nothing to do with it. I've actually been able to hurt Dracula's first form on occasion by jumping into him. You just need to be super lucky and hit him at the right frame, or something like that. I might research this more later, but I doubt it because I'm lazy.
Post subject: Dragon skeletons
Joined: 1/14/2006
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Great vid! Does anyone know what "randomly" causes the dragon skeletons to lower as you approach Frankenstein rather than go up and hit you? I've always wondered. Thanks Joe
I drank what?
Post subject: Re: Dragon skeletons
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mrsirjojo wrote:
GDoes anyone know what "randomly" causes the dragon skeletons to lower as you approach Frankenstein rather than go up and hit you? I've always wondered.
They individual components of the dragon skeleton each move randomly. There's no greater logic in them. Unless you can see to the future (like savestate users can do), you can't really predict them, because there's no direct correspondence between your actions and their behavior. It's just a complex mathematical formula that is intentionally made meaningless.
Post subject: Re: Dragon skeletons
Joined: 1/14/2006
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Bisqwit wrote:
mrsirjojo wrote:
GDoes anyone know what "randomly" causes the dragon skeletons to lower as you approach Frankenstein rather than go up and hit you? I've always wondered.
They individual components of the dragon skeleton each move randomly. There's no greater logic in them. Unless you can see to the future (like savestate users can do), you can't really predict them, because there's no direct correspondence between your actions and their behavior. It's just a complex mathematical formula that is intentionally made meaningless.
But still, if the creators created a save state point shortly before the dragon, and the dragon went the wrong way, their actions getting back to the dragon on their next attempt would still be identical, frame by frame when trying again right? And since the dragon's randomness is only pseudorandom, wouldn't it behave exactly the same way each time they tried again? Or would the walkthrough makers have to delay a split second in order to changeup the dragon's actions? Thanks
I drank what?
Post subject: Re: Dragon skeletons
Joined: 4/4/2004
Posts: 66
mrsirjojo wrote:
But still, if the creators created a save state point shortly before the dragon, and the dragon went the wrong way, their actions getting back to the dragon on their next attempt would still be identical, frame by frame when trying again right? And since the dragon's randomness is only pseudorandom, wouldn't it behave exactly the same way each time they tried again? Or would the walkthrough makers have to delay a split second in order to changeup the dragon's actions? Thanks
You are right that identical, frame-by-frame actions will always result in the same pseudorandom behavior. However, delay is not the only way to produce a different outcome. Pressing different buttons also works in many games. I'm not sure exactly how the pseudorandomness works in Castlevania, though (it differs from game to game).
Joined: 2/25/2006
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thanks for shedding some light on this game, I still can't beat it ^_^