Here it is, my optimized Rad Gravity run. It's on FCEU.
- Takes Damage to Save Time
- Abuses Programming Errors
Rad Gravity was sent by the people of Quark to stop the Wizard Agathos, who deactivated the Unification Computers across the galaxy. Rad was given Kakos, the last Unification Computer, and he embarks on his adventure to reactivate the others, and find Agathos on planet Telos and stop him.
This is a rather fun, and innovative, platform game. Though it suffers in the music department (there's really only four tracks in the game, five if you count the mechanical twinging while on Rad's spaceship) the game has some unique level design. Sadly I do not visit ALL of the levels, since two are totally unnecessary. Out of Cyberia, Effluvia, Turvia, Sauria, Vernia, The Asteroid Belt, Odar, Utopia, Volcania and Telos I skip going to Sauria and Odar. The items on those planets aren't needed to finish the game, and you recieve no coordinates on them either.
This is a minimal item run, so I only collect the items I NEED to finish the game, save for one extra which was the first Pistol (that I later leared was unnecessary). The other items that ARE necessary are The Vertigun, Power Crystals, The Teleport Beacon, The Energy Disc, and three Energy Bars.
Description of Areas:
I collect my first Energy bar on planet Cyberia, since this one was directly in my path. I collect the Pistol here, since I orignally thought it was needed while in 'cyberspace' to deactivate the energy barriers. I also recieve the coordinates for Volcania, Turvia, Sauria, and a Stargate at the end of the level. Also early on in this planet I make use of a quirky little bug which allows me to walk through a robot as it is firing and recieve no damage. Sadly it's really the only place it can be used to my advantage.
In Effluvia I collect another Energy Bar, which is also in my path. It's a short world otherwise. A few times I pause for a moment, either to let one of the flying green enemies out of my way, or to wait for a bubble to be in the right position.
Then I go to Turvia. The most important thing to note about this planet is the fact that I do not collect the Vertigun right away. I use a little pausing glitch to make it past the flying Sky Shark without being knocked in the water. Though I do have to collect the Vertigun anyway (it's necessary to navigate the Asteroid Belt and the final battle, not to mention it's twice as powerful as the normal pistol) so I have to return to the planet a second time to do it, as the Mayor doesn't give it to you on the return trip with the Gravity Engine. However this is STILL faster than going getting it on the first trip and backtracking. While I could have done that the first time instead of going through the Sky Shark (not having to pause might have saved a split second) I think it looks more impressive to technically go to an area I'm not supposed to without the item, and it's worth sacrificing a moment. If the Vertigun weren't necessary I'd have skipped it altogether.
From there I go straight to Vernia. Since I am lacking the Saurian Crystals, having not gone to Sauria, there are a few moments I have to pause to defeat the rock-slinging enemies with my pistol, but even these delays are faster than making the trip through Sauria. Picking up the Power Crystals in this level would have overwrited the Saurian Crystals since it's a more powerful version of the same item, thus going to Sauria is completely unnecessary. The battle with the first 'boss' is interesting as well, instead of keeping back away from the robots I keep as close to them as possible. Unfortunately I haven't yet figured out what makes them break down when they do, as the robot on the left broke down in a different position than in my trial attempt, pausing for a moment before entering the door doesn't have any noticible effect, so I can only guess it has to do with the number of items I have, or my overall score (which is only a result of collecting items). Either way I beat them and move on as fast as I can with what I had to work with.
After this, there's the Asteroid Belt. I navigate through the first part of this level a bit better than my first attempt, mostly due to a bug I found that allows me to fire in the same direction I'm moving without stopping. This allows me to get rid of two satelittes that are in my way without having to stop. I originally intended to not bother with the second key later in the wrecked ship, since I thought it only turned the lights on. Unfortunately it also activated the elevators, so I had to use it afterall. Right before I throw the second key in it's keyhole I run into the computer which gives me the coordinates for Odar and Utopia. After I throw the key the computer gives them to me a second time, this couldn't have been avoided. If I turn around too soon the key won't make it into the keyhole. It makes sense when you see it. After all that I get the Teleport Beacon, and make use of its little glitch which I'll explain below. I don't bother with defeating the mini-boss, I just grab the part and run.
From there it's on to Utopia. Making use of the Beacon Glitch I breeze through this planet much faster than playing through it normally. I pick up another Energy Bar here which was also right in my path, and when I reach the Boss I'm able to skip fighting him entirely by using the Beacon Glitch once more. I also pass up on getting the Maxigun, it's not needed.
Then it's Volcania. While you have the coordinates for this world right after beating Cyberia, you cannot enter the second part of the area without the Teleport Beacon. While I could have returned here immediately after getting the Beacon on the Asteroid Belt, it wouldn't have been worth it. There's no place on Utopia where having the Energy Disc would have been an advantage, and I would have wasted a lot of time on space travel, especially since the Stargate to Telos is on the same map screen that Volcania is on. Anyway, I use the Beacon Glitch upon entering the first crater to immediately enter the caves portion of the level. I have to note, that while having only the Red Armor and four or five energy bars means that most everything in Volcania (and Telos for that matter) is a one-hit kill. So I do have to pause from time to time to avoid being hit. In the final part of the area I use the Power Crystals to destroy these pillars in my way, there's no way to use the Beacon Glitch to bypass them, unfortuantely. Luckily the enemies they spew don't deliver damage if I touch them, only their 'bullets' damage me. When I reach the Boss, again I use the Beacon Glitch to bypass him after luring him away enough to jump over him. Then I grab the Energy Disc, Telos's coordinates, and leave.
The final planet, Telos, is a fun area. Especially when you only have the Red Armor and five Energy Bars. Again, like Volcania I have to avoid taking any damage, but this time for two reasons. A) I'd die only after a couple of hits, and B) I need my energy to be FULL in order to use the Energy Disc. The Energy Disc uses up two bars of life each time it is used, and it has to be used twice within Telos to bet through it. The Energy Disc won't work if you only have two bars of life left exactly, which is why I needed five bars total, and had to pick up four along the way. I make more use of the Beacon Glitch to shave off a lot of time in the door puzzle.
Probably the most difficult part of this run was the final battles. The first one wasn't so bad, it was simply a matter of dodging the boss's shots, which was easy, and hitting him whenever he became vunerable. As far as I could see, there's no way to manipulate the first boss to reveal his brain any faster than he does, so it's simply a matter of waiting. As for the final boss, he is probably one of the most difficult final battles I've ever come across. You have to manipulate his own missles into him, and that is no easy task with how sporadic they move, and how difficult it is to maneuver Rad. Though I do manage to make every missle hit, even if I have to cause them to delay by hitting them into a wall (especially the last one). I probably spent more time trying to get the final battle as fast as possible than any other part of the run.
List of Glitches:
The most significant glitch I use, as I mentioned before, is the Beacon Glitch. This is used by kneeling next to a wall and using the Beacon, causing it to go through the wall (hopefully!) and then using the Beacon to warp through it. It can also be used to travel vertically up through a wall as well, which I use in Utopia. Unfortunately it cannot be used everywhere, and is also appears to only work when warping through a wall from the left, it doesn't seem to work when doing it from the right. Using this glitch I'm able to bypass most of Utopia, and much of Volcania.
In Cyberia I use a small glitch to pass through a robot.
In Turvia I use a pausing glitch to take damage without being knocked back. It's the only place I can see it's beneficial as the other times I take damage either drive me forward, or push me back against a wall so I don't lose any time that could be saved by pausing.
In the Asteroid Belt I use a glitch to fire in the direction I'm moving without stopping.
In the end, I feel Rad Gravity is a fun, yet little-know, game that's enjoyable to watch. Since this is a minimal item run, it should be even more entertaining, anyone who has played the game would know it would be suicide to go to Volcania or Telos with just the Red Armor and four or five energy bars. And despite its rather simplistic story, it does have a neat little twist in the end that you wouldn't see coming.
So that's about it. I'd like to also thank Blublu for reminding me of the Beacon Glitch. I used to know about it when I played the game years ago, but it had totally slipped my mind until he brought it up, which allowed me to shave off a lot of time by abusing it. Blublu and Highness also provided some comments and critiques which helped shape the final run.
This run can be improved, largely due to skipping getting the first pistol, and there will be another version coming along eventually either by myself or someone else.