The goal of this movie is to win a game of Tecmo Super Bowl as fast as possible in real time. It is not competing with the published playaround branch. There is a “win a single game” category for Tecmo Super Bowl on speedrun.com, and with RTA timing the record is 7:29, but with TAS timing (from power-on) it would be about 7:34. And so this TAS is about 24 seconds faster. There is also a TAS on YouTube that takes about 7:16 with TAS timing, with most of the 6-second difference coming in the third quarter.
———
The complete play-by-play for this game:
First Quarter
D.Biasucci kicks 30 yards from IND 35 to BUF 35. D.Smith ran ob at IND 49 for 16 yards.
Second Quarter
1-10-IND 49 (5:00) Q.Bills pass short left to T.Thomas ran ob at IND 47 for 2 yards.
Third Quarter
S.Norwood kicks 50 yards from BUF 35 to IND 15. C.Verdin to IND 31 for 16 yards. FUMBLES, RECOVERED by BUF-R.Bentley at IND 31. R.Bentley ran ob at IND 9 for 22 yards.
Fourth Quarter
1-10-IND 10 (5:00) T.Thomas left end to IND 3 for 7 yards.
2-3-IND 3 (0:03) S.Norwood 20 yard field goal is GOOD. BUF 3 IND 0
———
Obviously the plan is to keep the clock running as much as possible. It’s important to avoid getting a first down on the two offensive plays from scrimmage, because the first down message takes time. And if the ball carrier gets close to a first down, the refs will bring out the chains for a measurement, and so that also has to be avoided.
The 3rd quarter is by far the most difficult to do. I need to manipulate a fumble AND my team needs to recover it AND the player needs enough space to not get immediately tackled. That is not easy. Furthermore, fumble recovery returns are much more challenging than regular kick returns, and it is difficult to evade all the tackles even with rerecording. It’s five minutes of just trying to survive.
I cannot use the “safety glitch” in the 4th quarter to reduce the number of plays from five to four because the glitch is time-limited (can’t run out the whole five minutes). I also cannot score a touchdown in the 4th quarter to reduce the number of plays from five to four because I would still have to kick the PAT afterward.
nymx: Claiming for judging.
nymx Excellent job! This TAS uses playing field time to the very last drop, without any menu interruptions. Alternate endings, suggested in the thread, could end the inputs earlier, but the feeling of a victory would have been lost. Arc's stylistic choice, for his ending, brings up the final scoreboard faster, yet makes the TAS time a bit longer...which is OK with me. Excitement to the very end!
Movie meets the the requirement for "Fastest Completion"...so, accepting as a new branch for publication.
EZGames69: Processing...