Goldeneye for the N64 on Hardest difficulty and under a half hour (aiming for in game time over real time, though most menus and such are optimized unless otherwise noted).
Small Note
While this TAS is extremely optimized within itself, there are 2 major improvements possible, which were unavailable at the time I started the run, and an improvement is in the works to take these into account:
- Skipping the pause to change controls on Dam, change later when pausing for the modem on Dam.
- Abusing a glitch in 2.3 control style which allows me to fire a weapon during the cinemas, thus destroying out of the way things/luring guards/opening doors etc... the possibilites are virtually endless, but only so much will be useful in a speedrun.
Both were not available at the time this run was started because the TAS input plugin was not available at the time I started the run. The Dam pause out was avoidable yes, but would have cost me several seconds of in-game time which is the movie's primary goal. The second was because of how 2.3 works, the axises of the joystick need to be set seperately for it to work, and this was not possible until TAS plugin was released.
Another thing to look forward to in the improvement is a less fucked up sky. The newest version of Mupen released by okaygo causes polygons not to drag on the sky, but it is still just blackness. Ideally, I would wait for a plugin which has the sky emulated perfectly but, well, we'll see. Also a few tiny improvements here 'n there.
That said, this movie is still publish worthy because it is incredibly optimized within itself, ridiculously well played, hilariously entertaining, and it's gonna be another half a year at least for the improvement. The only real sketchy thing about it is the sky, but that's basically out of anyone's control at this point.
Onwards!
- Use Jabo's Direct 3d8 1.6
- Use N Rage input (uncheck raw data in the input settings and make sure only one controller is active)
- Use Jabo's Direct Sound 1.6
- Use RSP Emulation plugin
- Aims for in game time over real time
- Plays on hardest difficulty
- Abuses programming errors in the game
- Manipulates a ludicrous amount of luck
- Takes damage to save time
Goldeneye is certainly the best FPS game available on a home console. The first FPS game to involve more than being nigh-invincible and blasting your way through a long corridor. It is a game of stealth, skill, and doing things called "objectives" which enhance each mission and truly make them unique. This TAS plays the game more like a convential FPS however, in that I mindlessly yet skillfully blast my way through everything without any regard to my own safety.
There are a lot of different weapons available in Goldeneye, and I made a point of using every weapon available in missions at least once. The only three weapons available in normal missions that are not used; proximity mine, automatic shotgun, tank. The Klobb is easily the worst gun in the game and for that purpose I use it as much as possible because I think it's funny.
I've been working on this since around May of 2006 and I hope the effort I put into this shows through. And to think I'm going to improve it! Wow I'm awesome!
Techniques used
- Warping: Doors and some other objects can be warped through with a well timed weapon switch. This is used in almost every level of the game.
- NPC Strafe/Lean: Some stationary NPCs (Mishkin, Valentin) can be moved to more ideal places by strafing/leaning back and forth in front of them, repetedly. Used in Statue, Archives, Streets.
- NPC Dialogue Shot: Some NPCs with dialogue lines can say their lines faster with a well timed shot to them. Used in Statue, Control.
- Luring: Noisy weapons alert guards and can lure them to more ideal places/have them open doors for you. This one is used a lot too.
- Boosting: Taking damage from behind gives you a slight boost of speed.
- NPC Warp: Looking in certain directions/standing in certain areas can cause guards/NPCs to warp through doors/run faster etc.
Luck Manipulated
This one is pretty extreme, and includes, but likely not limited to:
- Boost manipulation
- Grenade/item drop manipulation
- Doak placement on facility
- Hostages on Frigate
- Boris on Bunker
- Guard-opened doors (mainly applies to Silo but happens all over the place)
- Controlling the center of an explosion (is never fully centered around the actual exploding object)
- Flight recorder position on Statue
- Trevelyan position on Facility
- Not getting killed by the grenade on Control
- Scientists on Caverns
- etc.
Individual level notes (and the times acquired):
- Dam (1,49)
- Again, sorry for the pause out, kick my ass I deserve it. It's pretty easy to understand what's going on in this level, but the thing at the gate to the actual Dam may confuse some people. The shirt backwards strafe and emptying of the KF7 clip was to get the door to the mainframe room below open for me. Saving about four seconds compared to a loss of 30 frames. Some lookdown was used on the surface of the Dam because the sky is dreadful to look at. Possible improvements: Shooting the alarms on the Dam itself through the walls. This still won't save much, but it could help. Warping the door to the first alarm would lower the time to 1:48 for sure.
- Facility (0,52)
- The level which took me second longest to do, because of some very key luck manipulation and then optimizing it. Doak's placement is determined the frame I leave the vent. Thus, an unnoticeable amount of time was spent watching the 2nd cinema, to wait the frames here instead of the vent, saving in game time at a loss of no overall time. Reason I don't leave the level right away is that I need to wait for the Objective involving meeting Trevelyan to complete. Note the ass-shot on the scientist. Possible improvements: Better Obj A door. This would lower to 51 and get me a reasonable shot at an even 50 seconds. I may have to lose time warping the door before this one though, we'll see.
- Runway (0,35)
- Using grenades is faster than taking a detour and commandeering the tank. While a faster line through the 3rd drone gun is possible, Bond will be torn to bits. Possible Improvements: Not bloody likely.
- Surface (1,48)
- I manage to save two or three seconds by luring the guard carring the large key out of his hut. About half of this time is lost later on from having to shoot the locks off the vent tower instead of firing a grenade launcher from afar. While manipulating a grenade drop would save this shooting time, a thrown grenade is easily outrun by Bond meaning I will kill myself before I can get into the vent. Still, an extremely high 1:47 may be possible with, hell I don't know. Note the ass-shot on the guard in the satellite tower.
- Bunker (0,59)
- The first level where I'm not a hit away from death by the end of it, and indeed take no damage at all! Impressive, but 3 boosts should be possible to get on this level, more if I manipulate a grenade drop. Getting Boris to run into the mainframe room was tricky, but it saves a lot of time. Possible Improvements: More boosts, and a few things possible only in 2.3.
- Silo (1,14)
- I run and shoot a lot of things and it's pretty cool. All missed shots from my KF7 were deliberate and get guards to open doors for me. Still, might be improved with a better warp on the guard on the first set of stairs, but 1:14 is definately a maxed in-game time.
- Frigate (1,08)
- The level which took the longest to do. 5 Hostages must escape for Objective A to complete. I won't bother explaining how they work, I could write a fucking novel on that. Suffice to say, that everything wierd I do after getting to the bridge of the ship is done to make sure my hostages escape in the time I "set" for them. A time as low as 56 seconds is possible on the level, but all 5 hostages certainly can't escape that quickly. I'm not sure if this one can be improved, I think I've found the fastest escape time for each hostage.
- Surface 2 (1,16)
- Those of you unfamiliar with the game probably have no idea what the hell's going on here so I'll explain. I have to destroy 4 security cameras and 2 computers for two of my objectives. None of these items are actually visible on screen for more than 2 frames, if even at all. This might explain the seemingly roundabout way I take to finish the level. Possible improvement: 3rd camera can be shot through the trees, but not grenaded through the trees. Should be able to improve to 1:13 or lower.
- Bunker 2 (0,48)
- Another WTF level. 6 cameras to shoot this time, and you can actually see some of them for once! The other objectives all involve picking up items scattered around the level. While it looks like I run too far at the start of the level, the bullets I shoot here lure the guard holding the clipboard right into my path later on in the level. Possible improvements: The cell door can be warped through while closed. This also does not activate the Jailer, meaning I can one-slap kill him this way. 46 seconds may be a possibility.
- Statue (2,17)
- A long, somewhat boring level filled with text. The wierd movements I make during the Valentin text allows me to lure him forward in the level, saving time. I shoot "Janus" the frame he appears in the chest for him to start his dialogue 6 seconds sooner. Some slight wierd movement at the end of the level was done to make the flight recorder appear in the best position. Possible Improvements: Most of the guys at The Elite hate this one and think 2:16 or 2:15 should be possible. I don't know about that, but a few frames can be saved for sure.
- Archives (0,54)
- This one took a real long time to get just right. Another midly yawn level but at least this one's shorter. I escape the level quickly enough so that Natalya getting exploded didn't fail me the mission.
- Streets (1,54)
- Val is lured forward again (this time, I have to defend myself too). You need to kill 13 civilians to fail the "Minimize Civilian Casualities" Objective: for that reason I kill them indiscriminately throughout the level. Note the civilian I explode with the rocket launcher near the end.
- Depot (0,48)
- Lotta luck manipulation for such a short level. Here I have to destroy a LOT of stuff, get a key and open a safe. I make it so the guards damage some of the things I need to explode, saving me the time and effort of doing it myself. The movement while I am getting pinballed around by the drone gun looks odd, but it prevents me from getting backboosted (loses more time than the small stuck on the table). Next warehouse, I have to destroy a bunch of boxes. Luck manipulation happens, and the explosion from one box creates a massive chain reaction. This objectives completes about half a second before the end of the level. Lastly, there is an error in hit detection on the back of the train itself allowing me to shoot through and hit a guard; they open two doors for me saving about 3-4 seconds. This level can be improved a further 3-4 seconds by abusing control style 2.3.
- Train (1,44)
- The long wait at the end of the level (longer than the actual playtime itself) is for waiting for Natalya to hack into Boris' computer- the second of these objectives completes at the last frame of the level fadeout. Because of a glitch in how this event is programmed, if you can destroy the locks fast enough, you can leave the Train early and have Natalya not follow you outside.
- Jungle (0,51)
- I have to destroy seven drone guns as an objective. I am pointing this out specifically as it is extremely unclear what the remote mines are used for. I manipulate Xenia to roll into my path, saving time picking up her weapons needed later when I destroy the last two drones and the ammo boxes. Because of how the doors on the end elevator are set up, I don't need to open the door to warp it.
- Control (3,57)
- Extremely complicated level so I'll go into greater detail. The warp on the elevator door at the beginning took a lot of time to get right. To proceed in this level, I have to kill everything in the first room and the guards' bodies must fade away. I manipulate the faster/fastest death animations here. The wierd movement while Natalya runs to the first computer is done to force her to take a diagonal line to it instead of making an unnecessarily wide 90 degree turn later on, saving time. This computer runs on an invisible timer then the first door opens; but if Natalya is doing one of her animations as the timer ends, it continues to wait for the animation to finish for the door to open. I shoot her so that when her getting shot animation ends, it is the earliest possible frame for the door to open. Fast forward a bit, When fetching Natalya for the long protection sequence, looking away causes her to warp a door saving around 2 seconds. Boris can be killed at this point safely without failing the mission. The wait at the very end of the level is for Objective A to complete (happens when Natalya gets back to the elevator).
- Caverns (1,22)
- I was able to get the consoles for Obj A done without breaking my line at all. Because the walkway lowers the damage from the timed mine I need two for the first set of consoles. The second I put an AR bullet into each while alerting the scientists so there is no need for another mine (and thus to stop moving). In the Obj B consoles room, I manipulate the key drop to be in optimal position. The guards blow up the Obj C console for me. Lastly in the escape, the timed mine thrown after the grenade boost was to manipulate the far drone gun to miss me.
- Cradle (0,34)
- Trevelyan is invincible until the control console is activated; for this reason the time he spends running there is waited out during the cutscene rather than in mission, losing no real time but saving on in game time. In addition, he can only be damaged one time after each time he stops. For this reason I purposefully waste some ZMG ammo to have both guns firing at the same frame, scoring a double headshot. He is killed later with the grenade I get from the first guard.
And there you have it.
Now, just like to ask the community what they would like to see in the improved run. Aztec/Egypt, play these? And if so, would you still like the movie to end at the credits? (this would be done by using button codes to unlock the bonus levels after playing the caverns, then beating those and returning to Cradle for the finale). Any other suggestions are of course welcome.
I know many of you suck at playing back m64s. For that reason, most levels are currently available on my youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=R151NGT3MP357 , that which is not there will be uploaded within the next couple days.
I'd also like to thank the following people for their advice and encouragement throughout this run:
- Wouter Jansen
- Henrik Norgren
- Ryan White
- Graham Maddocks
- Brandon Sanford
- Glen Stevens
- Inzult
- Ludwig Van Beethoven
Enjoy the run.
(EDIT: Some formatting. Also if I didn't explain something well or left something out lemme know)
adelikat: Accepting for publication.
DeHackEd: Encoding at my earliest convenience.