This topic is for the purpose of discussing #1881: Shiru's NES Bram Stoker's Dracula in 14:20.17

the game was attempted long ago... it should be in gruefood. hope this one does better than it did. EDIT: http://tasvideos.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=822&highlight= http://tasvideos.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=809&highlight= well, you're already up by 30 seconds!

As I remember, on real console the game was damn impossible to survive. But it's still enjoyable and even kinda fast-paced if not for those ghost rooms and slow spikeshafts. I guess these stops were inevitable, although you could try to perform some antics during waiting periods. Okay, you sure polished this run pretty well, so it's a Yes vote. Too bad you coulnd't afford using more damageboosts, they looked like real opportunities to speed up the game.

I enjoyed it, looks like a fun platformer. I was hoping there would be 1-up mushrooms in those "?" boxes :( Is it possible to spend some extra time getting more hearts so that you can skip some of the longer waiting parts in the game?

I gave it a yes vote. Good good video, but it seems you got lazy after the first survival part.

Is it possible to spend some extra time getting more hearts so that you can skip some of the longer waiting parts in the game?

After I finished this movie, AnS gave me idea, which I overlooked. Seems that 'death as shortcut' trick can be used in this game. Restart takes not much time and after restart hero have 3 HP, which may allow to save time later (skip waiting parts or perform extra damage-boosts). Unfortunately, to check this, most of movie must be re-recorded. It requires time, so I don't think I can try this in close future.

I gave it a yes vote. Good good video, but it seems you got lazy after the first survival part.

Generally yes. I also forgot to add to description that this is my first TAS. I don't have experience with movie editing yet, and thus I was not able to copy parts with survival rooms, which I re-recorded manually instead, each time after improvements earlier on level.

Hurray for more Russian tool-assisted speedrunners! I used to play this game, and as I remember, the majority of the difficulty came from cheap enemies spawning a few pixels away from the character, leaving a very small window to perform a jump over them. Essentially, if one didn't memorize the level layout, the game was extraordinarily difficult to complete. As for the movie, it's good, especially for a first TAS. Yes vote.

I love Bram Stoker's Dracula! (not the game, but the book / movie) =P Nice run, Yes vote.

nice first, however... the mid bosses all need work. just have fun, walk between the doubles, play cat and mouse, pretend to attack, be inventive; those are some weak points, and there are a few of those battles. play with death abuse. speeding through and suddenly being constrained by a trap because you're on one life feels ill planned. this happened enough times. two of the bosses stuck out, the level 5 drac and final drac. the level 5 because you focused more on the bats as opposed to drac (if helsing isnt too far off, his power up for said battle could be useful). the last drac... cant more stones be thrown in the air? it didnt feel like a lot were used. again, this was just a brief gloss over, so they may be well tested. if so apologies. the only last thing is for the platforming sections when you need to remain still or use the platform... make it more than just standing and waiting. hop off or fight enemies or play around... minor thing, i know.

I was thinking, in... scene 3 nighttime? You land in the water after triggering a moving platform, and later on, you have to wait a lot for some spikes to show up. Wouldn't it have been faster to wait for the platform, seeing how it is almost ahead of you when you can move again after the damage, so that you'd be able to run through the spikes in the same level? Maybe I am mixing up the levels but oh well.

two of the bosses stuck out, the level 5 drac and final drac. the level 5 because you focused more on the bats as opposed to drac

Dracula can't be attacked here until all bats will be killed.

at ~ 51,000 when fighting final drac, did you miss a rock throw on dracula? i thought i saw a rock miss and fly over to the right, but I may be mistaken. with holding my vote until i confirm this.

I begin to feel myself like on an exam. I missed this shot deliberately, to get new ammo. At that time Dracula is invulnerable. If I hold that shot to attack Dracula when it will be possible, then I must be wait for some time without attacking, until I'll get new ammo.

I begin to feel myself like on an exam.

heh, sorry about that... but it is all in good nature, I assure you ^_^

I missed this shot deliberately, to get new ammo. At that time Dracula is invulnerable. If I hold that shot to attack Dracula when it will be possible, then I must be wait for some time without attacking, until I'll get new ammo.

Ah, gotcha. I think you should say that in your submission text, so as others dont make the same assumption i did. i am going to have to give this a weak yes vote. having never played the nes version (or the snes version, for that matter) i found the movement to be a tad slow, but i can see that this was run well. edit: son of a bitch! i voted meh! god damn... well, if a judge happens to read this post: one meh vote should be a yes vote

Harker gets his brain fever early in this version of the story, I see. I remember this being too hard to complete, but the movie makes it look moronically easy. That's a plus. There are a few nice techniques, which is what I like to see in these platformer TASes, but the "no memory watching" makes me suspect sub-14 is achievable. I also suspect more tricks would be dug up in a V2, but this submission is rewatchable as-is. Yes vote.

After I finished this movie, AnS gave me idea, which I overlooked. Seems that 'death as shortcut' trick can be used in this game. Restart takes not much time and after restart hero have 3 HP, which may allow to save time later (skip waiting parts or perform extra damage-boosts). Unfortunately, to check this, most of movie must be re-recorded. It requires time, so I don't think I can try this in close future.

This sounds like it has a lot of potential to save time, and make for a more interesting movie. Also, I highly doubt you optimized damage boosting to its full potential. The game physics remind me a lot of kabuki quantum fighter. Which is a plus. Still, I think this movie could be improved a good bit more. And I highly recommend learning the basics of memory watch. It would help a good bit in a game like this.

Yes vote. Those survival rooms are annoying, but the falling animation where the character faces the audience and flails his arms makes it all worth it. Ha! Also receiving high marks is the little stutter-step celebration after bosses. I second the idea of using death abuse to speed things up...if you could knock out those times you have to wait for spikes to move that would be cool. Also, in the sections where you have to wait for the floor to collapse below you several times in a row, did you try a small jump each time you land, to speed your arrival at the next level down? Overall, seemed pretty accurate and well played. Nice!

I watched this, and have some comments. First of all, if death could be used as a shortcut to save some time, I think it would be a good thing to go back and redo the game. I don't say this just because it could save time (hopefully some of the spikes that you're forced to wait for could be skipped), but because I think you lost a lot of opportunities for additional entertainment throughout this run. There were a lot of times with the ghosts (the mid level bosses you couldn't hit) where you just stood in one place and jumped. A lot could have been done with those to keep the audience entertained. The same scenario pops up with some of the platform and elevator rides; you don't have to just stand still during those times. Along similar lines, the quivering or stuttering you did was ok once or twice, but it seemed to be your only method of filling dead time. Since you're new to TASing I know it seems like a good idea to spam different buttons every other frame, but a lot of the time some more planned out and slower movements can make a better impression. The dead times are your chance to be creative and fun, don't just do the same thing over and over again, because the audience will get bored. I hope this makes sense to you Shiru. It is by no means a bad run, I just think that it could be made a lot better. I would suggest making a second version and try to implement some new and different things, and then I wouldn't have a problem voting yes. As for now, I have to give it a meh.

That looks like sort of trade ('do better and I will vote'). Actually, I'm absolutely don't care, if this movie will be published here, or not, and will it be my movie or somebody's else. I'm already got from this project all that I can get from it (fun, new expirience, etc). Now it's only problem of this site (or community), not me - is new content is needed here or not. If community wants new content and decide that this run (as best of currently available alternatives) is acceptable to local quality standarts - OK, if not - OK too. I don't plan to be slave of this run. I finished this project. Of course it's not perfect, but many other runs on this site is not perfect too. There is always room for improvements. I'm don't sure if I'll try to make TAS of this game again, because I have really many other interesting things and projects to do. In TAS field, I have one another unfinished project, and I only hope that I'll find time to finish it first. I don't know if I will make any other TAS after that. So, if anybody know how to make better run of this game - there is no need to wait for me. Just do better run, I will glad to see it. In any case, I think, existance of my run is makes sense because it at least shows ways how to make better, more close-to-perfect, run. Without it it's wouldn't be known how much this game is (un)suitable for TAS. If I'd vote for this run, I'd took in account those thoughts: it's surely not perfect run, but significaly better than two old attempts (so it's at least not bad); if there will be three rejected attemps of this game, there will be less chances that somebody will try this game in future (published run has more chances to improvements). So, for me it's more question of TAS potential of this game, and seems we already know that it has such potential. And people, there is no need to repeat about flaws of this run each time. I clearly understand all flaws. I think it will be more constructive if you'll only suggest possible improvements, because it can be useful for making of better run of this game (does not matter who will make such run). I already got some ideas from your posts and I'll try to take all of that into account when (if) I will make other TASes.

That looks like sort of trade ('do better and I will vote').

Actually, this was like sort of encouragement. Who could expect that you was too tired by the game to continue tasing it.

I don't plan to be slave of this run. I finished this project. Of course it's not perfect, but many other runs on this site is not perfect too. There is always room for improvements. I'm don't sure if I'll try to make TAS of this game again, because I have really many other interesting things and projects to do. In TAS field, I have one another unfinished project, and I only hope that I'll find time to finish it first. I don't know if I will make any other TAS after that. So, if anybody know how to make better run of this game - there is no need to wait for me. Just do better run, I will glad to see it.

Uh... you could just say that currently you don't have enough motivation/patience to rewrite the movie from the very beginning. It would be perfectly understandable.

If I'd vote for this run, I'd took in account those thoughts: it's surely not perfect run, but significaly better than two old attempts (so it's at least not bad); if there will be three rejected attemps of this game, there will be less chances that somebody will try this game in future (published run has more chances to improvements). So, for me it's more question of TAS potential of this game, and seems we already know that it has such potential.

Wow, it's been a while since someone created completely new entry for moozooh's List. ;) Puns aside, maybe you're right. Not while saying that three rejected attemps would prevent anyone from TASing the game (it's obvious that this game has good TASing potential), but you're right that published movie is gonna be improved much sooner, because clearly_subpar_run_in_archive is an itch for any finished TASer, even those who weren't interested by the game. :)

As you can see, this movie has been returned from the grue for another shot at publication. Please post what you think about the movie, and why it should be published, or why it should remain rejected. Poll votes will not be considered, only responses in the thread. This submission will remain on the workbench for one month to gather further opinions, then a second judging decision will be made.

om, nom, nom... juicy!