Introduction
Emulator used: Bizhawk 2.6.2
- CGB in GBA mode is enabled for console verification.
- Also for console verification, the RTC Offset is set to -69, to match Tikevin’s Gold cart.
Game objectives
- Beat the game without using glitches.
- “Beating the game” is defined as defeating Red on Mt. Silver.
Categories
- Very heavy luck manipulation
- Forgoes <insert glitch type>
- Uses a game restart sequence
General Strategy
Go read previous submission lol.
Route
Violet Gym
Abe's Spearow hits Totodile with a minimum of 5 damage per attack. In the previous TAS, I did this for 2 of the attacks, but not all 3, as it was easier to manipulate. However, besides the minor timeloss for more HP being lost/sliding down, this will end up dropping Totodile to yellow bar after Falkner. Apparently, being in red/yellow bar entering a battle will cause 5 frames of lag, so maintaining green bar is optimal to avoid this lag.
Falkner’s Pidgeotto minimum damage roll is manipulated this time (the previous TAS has the second minimum damage roll). This keeps Toto shy of being knocked into yellow bar, saving a bit of time.
Violet Pokemon Center
Unlike the last TAS, the egg is NOT deposited immediately. Depositing is delayed for quite a bit.
Rattata
This TAS opts to switch mains right after Falkner, catching a L8 Rattata. The main benefit to this is the much shorter cry length. This Rattata is manipulated to have CBCB DVs, allowing for Hidden Power Ground with the maximum power.
For manipulating this encounter, a bot was used. The code can be found here: https://github.com/CasualPokePlayer/pokemon/blob/gold-tas-rattata/src/searches/GoldRattataTAS.cs
Mud-Slap is taught immediately to Rattata, more required just due to that move being the only way to attack Rival 2's Gastly.
Union Cave
Russell is easily the worst fight in this game, and tradeoffs were done for this fight due to not using a bot to manipulate fights. This is mainly due to Mud-Slap being used, as its accuracy drop has a 1/256 chance to not happen, which is faster due to less text. As a note, if the attack KOs, then the accuracy drop will not apply regardless of the RNG roll.
For the first Geodude, a non-crit is done first, with the accuracy drop manipulated to not happen. Then a crit is manipulated for the KO.
The tradeoff here is a 1/39 non-crit into another 1/39 non-crit would be sufficient to KO the Geodude. However, due to how close the 2 RNG rolls are (with only 1 unrelated RNG call in between) and due to requiring the same value returned for a 1/39 damage roll and 1/256 roll for no accuracy drop, it would require VERY specific RNG with VERY specific rDIV values, and possibly not even worth finding.
For the second Geodude, a crit is done first, with the accuracy drop manipulated to not happen. This is actually much more possible compared to the 1/39 roll into 1/256 roll, since the damage roll happens in between the crit and effect rolls, and the damage roll takes a variable amount of RNG calls (if an RNG call produces an impossible damage roll, RNG is called again). Another crit is done for the KO.
The tradeoff here is a 1/39 non-crit into a 1/39 crit would be sufficient to KO the Geodude. But as discussed before, it's not feasible to look for a 1/39 damage roll into a 1/256 roll for no accuracy drop.
For the third Geodude, Tail Whip is done first, then two 1/39 crits are done to KO the Geodude.
The tradeoff here is very simple. It's done right insane to get a crit 1/39 roll into a 1/256 roll for no accuracy drop. So the accuracy drop is taken anyways.
A detour is taken before Ray is fought, getting the TM for Swift. This TM is quite useful, securing many KOs for the early game and providing a large amount of PP with a short move name for the rest of the game.
Azalea Town
After the Slowpoke Well is taken care of, Hyper Fang is learned. This is a very valuable move, being able to flinch opponents while also being Rattata's strongest move. However, PP must be conserved for this move until the next free heal, so it is only used if it saves a turn or for a useful flinch.
Abra
I got annoyed at how long it took to find an Abra encounter, so I just wrote a bot to find it for me: https://github.com/CasualPokePlayer/pokemon/blob/gold-tas-rattata/src/searches/GoldAbraTAS.cs
Bugsy in particularly shows how useful Hyper Fang is, done in only 5 turns due to Hyper Fang's power.
Whitney
Whitney is another example of Hyper Fang shining. Clefairy is able to be taken out in a single turn, and Miltank can be taken out in 3 turns, with the last turn even quicker due to Quick Attack.
Kimono Girls
This is a rare case where it's faster to cancel evolution for a Pokemon once. Rattata learns a move at level 20, but so does Raticate, and Rattata evolves into Raticate at level 20. This causes 2 level up moves to appear if Rattata evolves at level 20. However, delaying the evolution will skip the latter level up move, and saves time overall.
Hidden Power
Due to Morty's gym being filled with ghosts and Mud-Slap being the only move able to touch them at the moment, I decided to detour out to the Lake of Rage to collect the TM for Hidden Power. This provides a strong move for Ghost type Pokemon, along with Steel type Pokemon, and is used for the entire TAS. Unfortunately, the detour is quite long and requires fighting an optional trainer since I am unable to use Surf without Morty's badge, and eats up a very big chunk of the timesave Rat gets.
Mahogany
After Gyarados is caught, it is immediately deposited into the PC, along with the Egg. This is for preperation of a deathwarp that will be done later. This is also why the Egg was not deposited immediately, as both Gyarados and the Egg can be deposited at once.
The 3 Electrodes are handled quite differently this time. Raticate is swapped to the bottom of the party, then each remaining party member takes a Self-Destruct hit. This is also for preparation for the deathwarp, and overall only has around 5 seconds of timeloss total.
Fun fact, this Electrode deathwarp setup also works on Crystal, and much better there as there is 1 less Pokemon to deal with, so the Gyarados deposit/withdraw doesn't have to be done.
Radio Tower
Right before the Radio Tower is entered, Goldenrod Center is entered. This is to set the death respawn point.
Whirlpool and Waterfall cannot be taught to Gyarados just yet, as it is still in the PC.
A different trainer is fought getting up the Tower instead of one of the scientist.
For the last Rocket before the deathwarp, his Weezing hits Raticate with Sludge, then his last Koffing hits Raticate with Sludge, leaving Raticate at 1 HP, and poisoning Raticate. After it is KO'd, a few steps are taken for the 1 HP to be taken out, and thus the deathwarp is complete. All this setup just to skip 30 seconds of walking and to be able to fight a trainer with less Pokemon.
Gyarados is withdrawn from the PC when the Radio Tower is re-entered.
Dragon's Den
Whirlpool is taught to Totodile in front of the first whirlpool, as to use Whirlpool from the menu to save a bit of time. Waterfall is also taught to Gyarados to save a menu.
Elite 4
The Elite 4 is quite annoying for Raticate and much worse overall. Will's Slowbro can't be taken out in a single hit, Koga's Forretress takes 3 turns to KO, and Bruno's Hitmonchan will always go for Mach Punch.
Kanto
The route for Kanto isn't too different. Erika is moved to be the first gym however, as the exp from her gym helps save a crit on Sabrina and Misty.
slamo: Delaying due to upcoming improvements.
slamo: Updated movie file with an 814-frame improvement. And...judging!
slamo: Nice improvement, the use of Raticate as a main is interesting and surprising. It's not quite top percentage (look forward to many of these jokes in the Youtube comments) but a perfect one isn't necessary and manipulating for Hidden Power Ground seems to pay off. The fact that you are now using cry length as a major optimization is a testament to how many frames are getting squeezed out. The new deathwarp is also really interesting.
Feedback was great as usual. The gameplay is not vastly different from the old run, so a tier change isn't warranted, and it has the same goal as well. Accepting to Moons as an improvement to the previous movie.
Spikestuff: Publishing.