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The Genesis game Columns beaten in an inconceivably short time.
  • Emulator used: Gens 11a
  • Aims for the fastest time
  • Plays at the Hardest & Easiest level (I'll explain)
  • Genre: Puzzle

About The Game

I believe this was an arcade game, and that this is a port.

About the Run

This run plays the "Flashing Columns" mode. In this mode, you have to remove a flashing gem at the bottom of the screen. There is also a timer that records the fastest time. I decided to go with the novice mode because there are less colored gems which leads to a faster time. I also believe that since there is more gems, it would take longer to destroy them, thus decreasing the entertainment value. And of course, In traditional TASvideos fashion, I set it up to the tallest height of columns.
Game Mechanics
  • The pattern for the pieces is actually fixed, Despite belief.
  • When you hold onto a direction such as left or right for more than one frame, it slows the piece down. The fastest way is to alternate between directions.
Note: This run uses Revision 00. If you have any desynchs, then check the revision.
Thanks To
  • Alden: for his short run. I used his run as a guide for this run.
  • SRB2Espyo: for proving that a short movie of Columns can be made.

TASVideoAgent
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This topic is for the purpose of discussing #2491: Sonikkustar's Genesis Columns in 00:28.32
sgrunt
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Player (116)
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WOW nice. YEs vote
[19:16] <scrimpy> silly portuguese [19:16] <scrimpy> it's like spanish, only less cool
Joined: 7/2/2007
Posts: 3960
So if I understand correctly: * You chose the mode that has the most gems at the start of the game (i.e. the game board is as full as possible) * You also chose the difficulty level that has the fewest colors of gems, which makes finding matches easier. I dunno...yes, the game is fast, but I didn't find it that interesting. I'd be more entertained by a run that sets up lengthy combos. This is basically "Dig a shaft to the gem that has to be destroyed, sidelining any triplets that you can't uses". All you need to implement that strategy is knowledge of the triplets that are coming up; tool assistance doesn't really apply beyond that. Voting meh; well-executed, but not very interesting. (Thanks for the encodes, Aktanusa and sgrunt!)
Pyrel - an open-source rewrite of the Angband roguelike game in Python.
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Derakon wrote:
(Thanks for the encodes, Aktanusa and sgrunt!)
[offtopic]My name is still Aktanusa on your screen? oO[/offtopic]
Joined: 7/2/2007
Posts: 3960
Er, whoops! Clearly at some point I stopped reading your name past the first two syllables. I figured everyone calling you "Aktan" was just using a short form, like people on IRC who call me "Der".
Pyrel - an open-source rewrite of the Angband roguelike game in Python.
Publisher
Joined: 4/23/2009
Posts: 1283
Derakon wrote:
Er, whoops! Clearly at some point I stopped reading your name past the first two syllables. I figured everyone calling you "Aktan" was just using a short form, like people on IRC who call me "Der".
[offtopic]I've never seen you on IRC, or you never say a word! I guess you don't come on often?[/offtopic]
TASVideosGrue
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om, nom, nom... sweet!
Player (120)
Joined: 2/11/2007
Posts: 1522
I did what now? Seriously, if someone asked if I'd done a columns run I would deny it. But now that I've looked it up it does look like I did so... This was OK, but I think a better goal could be found. Cancelled anyway, hope you have some better columns goodness coming up...
I make a comic with no image files and you should read it. While there is a lower class, I am in it, and while there is a criminal element I am of it, and while there is a soul in prison, I am not free. -Eugene Debs
Joined: 7/2/2007
Posts: 3960
Aktan: er, yeah, different IRC channel, on a different network. I fail at communicating today. ¬.¬
Pyrel - an open-source rewrite of the Angband roguelike game in Python.
Joined: 8/6/2006
Posts: 33
oh, i thought this might be looking like 1 column drops and there is a chain reaction and done... :( if something like this would be possible?
Skilled player (1402)
Joined: 5/31/2004
Posts: 1821
I think some extremely crazy combo's need to be made to be even remotely as interesting/entertaing as the Tetris Attack publication. It would still be a lot slower game. I personally am not quite sure if it suitable enough for TASing... the game seems very slow and not very capable of showing anything out of the ordinary that isn't possible for humans. And no offense at all, I know very well that people making TASes spend effort on them, and it's frustrating if it isn't appreciated... but I don't think 168 rerecords is enough effort to make any TAS interesting. So besides from that I don't think the game is particularly interesting if someone would use spend a lot of time and rerecords on it, spending only 168 on it (which, lets be honest, takes about 3 minutes) surely didn't help. I would much rather see an improvement to the published Tetris Attack movie I linked above, which is very possible, as there is already an improvement out there on youtube.
Twisted_Eye
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Are the blocks just not very manipulable? There were blocks dropped and matches made in areas of the screen that didn't matter. A puzzle game just isn't as interesting to watch if it isn't manipulable.
Joined: 2/26/2007
Posts: 1360
Location: Minnesota
I must admit, that was kinda anticlimactic. I had no idea what happened, the game just kind of won, or something. Going back, of course, I noted the the shiny block. I think a longer run would be more enjoyable.
adelikat wrote:
I very much agree with this post.
Bobmario511 wrote:
Forget party hats, Christmas tree hats all the way man.