After a bit of struggling, NxCy and I completed the first 4 levels! Enjoy the wip:
http://dehacked.2y.net/microstorage.php/info/104416616/yi100%25-nxcy%2CbaxterWIP1-4%20complete.smv
(If someone were to make an avi, please mention both TASVideos and the authors, and please don't put it on youtube.)
New techniques used:
- Using the tongue against a wall to instantly lose all speed when making a turn.
- Carrying more than 6 eggs by juggling/shooting/aiming.
- Facing backwards without losing any time.
- Making the key jump in a favorable direction.
- Jumping when entering a pipe, to make the screen turn black sooner.
Looking at Spezzafer's wip was very useful, and a great way to compare. Here is a list of changes we made in the route/strategy. (Note that yoshi's speed and general movements were optimized throughout the levels, and aren't mentioned here. The additional optional eggs that were juggled or fired also aren't mentioned.):
1-1
To get up to the high platform at the start, we used the red shyguy, instead of the yellow one later on. Note that we must wait a bit before yoshi jumps on it, as the shyguy walks a bit up the rock, giving yoshi just enough height to reach the platform.
At the top of this platform we collect 5 stars instead of 3. This is equally fast, and we need those 2 extra stars for a change in the star route later in the level.
We don’t pick up the yellow shyguy right before entering the pipe.
Instead of jumping on the last shyguy in the cave for a big flutter, we swallow it and use a normal flutter to get on the high ledge right before exiting the cave.
Right after leaving the cave, we pick up the two stars that come out of the egg that hit the flower. This obviously costs a bit of time, but it’s needed for this new star route. Note that the tongue is used to get to an instant standstill and turn around really quickly.
The big timesaver in this star route is that we don’t need the ?-cloud at the bottom for extra stars, and use a shyguy right at the start to get on top of the high rocks. Note that yoshi must slow down completely to not overshoot the shyguy and make it land in a convenient spot. The shots at the end are also changed, as more stars were needed.
Time saved in 1-1: 292 frames
Total time saved: 292 frames
1-2
We got more eggs in the first room of the level, and one more star is obtained.
More stars from shooting the flower in the second room, and later in this room, another extra egg is obtained.
At the end of this room, the pipe glitch is used for the first time. This is done by pressing down and jump at the same time, which turns the screen black nearly half a second sooner than it would have if yoshi has entered the pipe normally. This trick wasn’t done at the pipe in 1-1 as this would have warped yoshi to some place above 1-1 (this happens at some of the pipes, and these will be entered normally, as we won’t use warps of any kind, which includes this 1-1 warp).
One extra egg is used to shoot the flower in the very beginning of the third room. Having more stars, two from the piranha plant are enough to get 30, and the cloud doesn’t need to be shot. This enabled us to get another extra egg.
Time saved in 1-2: 112 frames
Total time saved: 404 frames
1-3
Pipe glitch again.
By spitting out an enemy, we have enough time to make an extra egg.
The descent is a bit faster, and we shoot two eggs down this time. This enables us to move up again a lot sooner. Note that yoshi needs to move all the way down to make the flower appear. It only appears if it’s on screen, and the screen can’t be far away when it’s hit (red coins are a bit more lenient in this aspect). The early ascent prevented us from obtaining a second enemy.
The yellow shyguy is shot for 2 extra stars.
Once again we have to move a lot in the direction of the flower to make it appear. In the process, an extra egg is obtained.
This time, only two stars were obtained from the crate, where Spezzafer got 4. These two extra stars were already obtained at the yellow shyguy. Getting an extra egg somewhere was faster than getting these 2 extra stars here.
We use an egg to shoot the spore, which is quite a bit faster than eating it. The tongue trick to slow down instantly for turning around is used twice here.
The two stars from the flower are obtained without eating one, which slows yoshi down a tiny bit.
Time saved in 1-3: 232 frames
Total time saved: 636 frames
1-4
Six eggs are obtained in the first corridor. Having already one egg at the start means that for a short period 7 eggs are transported at the same time. Yoshi can normally only hold 6 eggs, but at least one egg is juggled until we shoot an egg at the flower.
The red coins in this first room are shot for more running on the moving platforms. Pipe glitch again.
Since we got so many eggs before, we only have to take 1 egg from the green block, instead of 2.
We shoot the first 2 red coins in the lava pit, which allows us a big jump over the pit, which is virtually done with only one flutter. Note that after the pit, yoshi looks up to make the screen scroll up for the flower at the top to appear. This looking upwards might not very noticeable as a shot is aiming at the time, but the slowdown is needed for the flower at the top to appear.
The red coins at the rotating platform are shot.
The key jumps in the direction yoshi is facing, which makes the key jump in yoshi’s direction. We also only pick up 2 eggs from the green block here, where spezzafer picked up 5.
One less egg is used in the room where 4 piranhas have to be defeated to get the flower.
Time saved in 1-4: 284 frames
Total time saved: 920 frames
