Submission #8017: DrD2k9's INTV PBA Bowling "Pick-Up Spares" in 02:17.57

PBA Bowling - Game 2: Pick-Up Spares (Any %)

Game Notes

• This run completes the challenge mode which tasks the player with knocking down 10 frames worth of spares to earn points.
  • As each frame can be any of 32 different pin layouts, the game cannot be completed by simply repeating the identical inputs for each frame
    • Even when two bowling frames have the same pin layout, RNG can prevent identical input from working in both frames.
  • The player is given 2 attempts on each frame to pick-up the spare. A higher score is given for accomplishing this in 1 throw as opposed to 2 throws.
    • Obviously doing so on the first attempt is also faster.
• This is an Any % submission of this mode as a distinct Max Score run is also possible.
  • If accepted, this is the run that would obsolete the current publication.

TAS Notes

• Optimization
  • Game settings
    • Uses a (supposedly) easier setting of low lane slickness to allow for more responsive curves to the rolls.
      • This may be moot given controller glitches that are used to affect the ball movement anyway (more on this later)
    • Bowler hand dominance explained under 'Targeting'.
    • Ball Weieght - Heavier balls result in greater post-impact pin action.
  • Targeting
    • Bowler's throwing hand determines direction of curve (left handed bowlers curve right, and right handed bowlers curve left)
    • The targeting portion of the approach occurs before the bowler starts moving toward the lane, and the targeting (white) ball always starts at the top (left) of the lane sweeping downward (right).
    • Uses a left handed bowler, because using a right handed bowler would require waiting longer on each frame for targeting purposes before throwing the ball.
  • Curves and loft allow for both earlier and more controled throws.
    • Curve and loft application occur while the bowler is in the swing phase of the approach animation. Thus the degree of curve and ball control can be altered without delaying the throw itself.
    • The last ball of the 10th frame takes slightly more time in targeting which delays the throw itself; but this allows for foregoing loft, yielding earlier end to input.
  • Uses RNG manipulation
    • The pin layout of each frame is RNG dependent.
    • Input timing affects the RNG of the game and is manipulated to yield a series of pin layouts for the 10 frames that resulted in the shortest overall input time I could achieve.
• A Max-Score run could be completed using different RNG manipulation to yield pin layouts that offer higher scores than ones demonstrated in this submission (see manual)

Controller Glitches

• Pressing both 1 and 9 on P2 controller pauses the game. Pressing any number button then resumes the game.
  • While not used in this run, this effect does allow for RNG manipulation.
• Pressing both 1 and 6 moves the bowler up (left) along the lane during the targeting portion of the approach.
  • While moving up the lane is normally possible before throwing a ball, it is normally required to do so separate from the (white) ball targeting. This glitch allows for simultaneous (white) ball targeting and bowler positioning.
  • Using this technique (in combination with the following two) allowed for earlier throws, significantly minimizing the time that targeting takes over just using P1 controller.
• Pressing either 0 and 1 together, or 1 and 2 together produces a stronger curve than is otherwise possible using only P1 controller.
  • 1 & 2 is a stronger curve than 0 & 1
  • This is used extensively to allow for earlier throws by making the ball curve harder and avoid falling into the left gutter on throws that would land there using otherwise identical targeting.
  • These glitched curve controlls don't seem to be drastically impacted by the lane slickness setting with the slight differences noted possibly being attributable to RNG changes. I don't even know how to go about testing which is actually the case. But as the difference in viewing is essentially negligible, I chose the less slick lanes in the game settings as mentioned above.

Potential Improvements

• As I don't completely understand exactly how the P2 controller imputs are affecting the various variables, it's possible that someone could find more efficient use of the input glitches to yield an even faster run.
• In theory, it may also be possible to better manipulate RNG to yield more effective pin tumbling on earlier throws that would knock down all the pins. I did not extensively use this aspect of manipulation for this run as each pin's tumble seems to be individually RNG controlled (based on my testing of this method of RNG manipulation).
  • I'm not even sure this method of manipulation is worth investgating for an Any % run, as the difference for a given bowling frame would likely only be roughly 3 video frames. This change would then affect the next pin layout as well which may then in-turn negate the time gained by individual pin manipulation.
• It's possible that someone could find a better sequence of pin layouts via RNG manipulation that may save time.