(Link to video)
Submission Text Full Submission Page

Super Metroid - Any% "GT Code" TAS in 0:18 by Saturn

Recorded on Snes9x 1.43-improvement12 (but should work fine on future versions of the Snes9x 1.43 series as well)

Sync Settings

  • WIP 1 Timing: ON
  • Left+Right/Up+Down: ON
  • Volume Envelope Height Reading: OFF
  • Fake Mute desync workaround: ON
  • Sync samples with sound CPU: OFF

Attributes of this run

  • "GT code" any% mode (without game-breaking glitches)
  • aims for fastest ingame time (due to universal recognition, regardless of emulator)
  • takes damage to save time
  • manipulates luck
  • abuses minor non game-breaking glitches
  • Genre: Platformer
  • Total Frames: 115580

About the Game

Super Metroid is a classic platformer with many advanced techniques and a very fine, subpixel-based move engine. The story is about a bounty hunter called Samus who has the goal to explore a foreign planet called Zebes to find and destroy Mother Brain, the evil leader of the galaxy who is breeding a mighty species called Metroids to abuse them for her own benefits. During the journey you will find alot of items such as new ammo, energy tanks, special upgrades that speed you up or allow to pass certain areas you would normally not be able to, and making your character strong enough to be ready for the upcoming showdown against Mother Brain.
Despite being over 16 years old by now, it is considered as one of the best games ever made, and is still played by many people on a regular basis. Due to the many different move techniques, a high variety through the new upgrades, and alot of route possibilities, this game is a very common target for many types of speedruns and playthroughs.

Moviemaking & Comments

This is a different kind of any% run for Super Metroid, recorded between December 2, 2010 and February 23, 2011, demonstrating how to considerably shorten the completion time by using the "GT Code", a trick discovered in late 2010 by JAM. It's executed by holding the A, B, X, and Y buttons during a door transition to the Golden Torizo room (regardless from which side), which immediately gives you all items except of Screw Attack, 700 Energy, 300 Reserve Energy, 100 Missiles, 20 Super Missiles, and 20 Power Bombs. This allows to introduce many not in regular runs available speed tricks and rare boss strategies with the help of Plasma/X-Ray combination I specially developed for this run, to pace through the rest of the game very quickly.

Notable features of the run

Improved Maridia Tube Entrance

Already introduced in the PAL Any% run, the new strategy ultimately saves around a second over the commonly used entrance for runs that don't get the Maridia mainstreet Missile.

Reverse Kago Elevator Tech with Screw Attack

Since the Screw Attack cancels the invincibility time after a damage boost immediately, it's impossible to pass the 2nd platform without delay and taking additional 50 HP damage from it. The tech in this run solves the problem by providing a nearly same fast alternative with the help of the early Power Bomb placement / ghost through platforms combo, while also saving 35 HP by taking spike damage instead.

Mother Brain

This was one of the more time-consuming parts of the run, as I focused to show the full potential of the "Stand Up Glitch". Compared to that introduction demo, which more or less set the standard for later TASes so far, the MB battle in this run is more than 6,5 seconds faster.
Enjoy!

DarkKobold: Claimed.
feos: Emdedded YouTube HD encode.
Saturn: No need to delete the original, specially for YouTube optimized video from the submission.

DarkKobold: Alright, time to judge this.
First off, as a result of this discussion, it is pretty clear that this is an intentional debug code, and not the result of a memory glitch. Thus, it will be judged as such. Nitsuja came up with a good list of games that use passwords/input codes and the reasons why here. Note that, similar to that thread, none of the codes used power-up the character as the sole action. The closest is Biker Mice From Mars. However, it could easily be argued that a full movie of BMFM would not be acceptable, due to the length of time required to reach that power-up, and thus the code was used out of necessity. (Also note that none of those listed are actually in the Concept Demo Section. The concept demo section contains only 3 types of movies - hacked ROMs, movies that start from Savestates, and movies that start from non-blank SRAM.)
Super Metroid, however, is not like the movies listed in Nitsuja's post. In fact, collecting the power-ups is considered an interesting enough goal on its own, that a 100% collection of said power-ups movie is published. Since there is no justifiable reason with which to use this code, it goes against the type of movie we aim for here.
The reason for rules such as "Play at hardest difficulty" and "Don't use cheat codes" is that we want the TASer's character to be at the highest disadvantage, as opposed to an "Arm to the Teeth Code" which essentially removes the "difficulty" in collecting items. Thus, I am rejecting this for using a cheat code.
A final note: The only reason for which many people have given that this be published is that it is entertaining. However, Super Metroid is almost unique in its gameplay, as it is extremely non-linear, to the point that there are nearly infinite variations in the routes available to complete the game. In fact, this is so prevalent, that the SM community has created names for various routes that add challenge. (See RBO, suitless, 14% Ice Beam Route, 14% Speed Booster Route, this "GT code route," and more that I'm sure I'm not even aware of.) My point being, is that a highly optimized version of nearly any route through Super Metroid being called a new 'category' would garner a large amount of people saying "this run is very entertaining." SM makes for entertaining TASes. That much can't be argued. That doesn't mean that every route through the game should be published here.
We have 3 published movies of Super Metroid here, that cover the scope of rational TASes. One TAS breaks the game down, through SRAM corruption. Another TAS finds the fastest route through the game, without fundamentally breaking the game. A final TAS demonstrates the entire game by collecting all items, and defeating all bosses. I think it would take a pretty good reason beyond "it is entertaining" to have a different category published, or else we will be inundated with Super Metroid categories.

TASVideoAgent
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This topic is for the purpose of discussing #3023: Saturn's SNES Super Metroid "any%, "GT Code"" in 32:06.33
Skilled player (1703)
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Would a run that uses this "code" and also uses "game-breaking glitches" be of a seperate category?
Player (147)
Joined: 11/27/2004
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Location: WA State, USA
I voted yes because Super Metroid always needs more categories.
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Player (36)
Joined: 9/11/2004
Posts: 2623
Saturn, why did you submit this video, which probably will not get accepted, and not the Super Metroid Redesign video, which probably would?
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Player (183)
Joined: 12/24/2010
Posts: 144
Location: Brazil
Hmm... this one is hard to vote... I dont know about this GT code... also I didnt plaied SM that much but know enough to analize... this should bring a bright side of a new category of the game but... dat code... I just dont know if its right or wrong!... my head... it hurts!
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Joined: 9/1/2005
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This run combined the speed of the any% with the variety of the 100%, I was certainly entertained by variety of things seen in the run. Now all you need to do is submit your redesign tas aswell saturn :)
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OMG, I'll make HD encode!
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Player (245)
Joined: 7/30/2006
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I vote yes - very entertaining. Thought process: "Oh.. going into lower Norfair... is this a reverse-boss-order? No.. he already killed Kraid. Wait a minute, he didn't even get Speed Booster or Charge Beam yet.. I guess he's going to get Screw Attack. Makes sense, I guess. Hmm, why fight Golden Torizo? .... Wait, what?" . Anyway, if there isn't enough room to add more SM categories, I think this "glitch" (debug code, whatever) is much more entertaining than the other SM glitch movie with 15 minutes of X-Ray scoping through walls, game resets, and skipping Mother Brain. If it comes down to it, I would be in favor of this glitch run replacing the X-ray glitch run, even though the other run has a lower in-game time.
Player (36)
Joined: 9/11/2004
Posts: 2623
Dumb question, at 7:11 in the Youtube run, Saturn uses a single bomb on the wall, instead of two that I customarily see in newer Super Metroid runs. Is this faster or slower or equal?
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Noxxa
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Wow, I never saw that coming. However, the trick seems much like one of those intentionally put in codes (like the Konami Code in other games) and usually runs with such codes aren't accepted. I'll abstain from voting for now.
http://www.youtube.com/Noxxa <dwangoAC> This is a TAS (...). Not suitable for all audiences. May cause undesirable side-effects. May contain emulator abuse. Emulator may be abusive. This product contains glitches known to the state of California to cause egg defects. <Masterjun> I'm just a guy arranging bits in a sequence which could potentially amuse other people looking at these bits <adelikat> In Oregon Trail, I sacrificed my own family to save time. In Star trek, I killed helpless comrades in escape pods to save time. Here, I kill my allies to save time. I think I need help.
Synahel
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I don't think it's an intended code. But how to know? Anyway, great use of a new trick, and entertaining run. Voted yes.
Joined: 8/7/2006
Posts: 344
Seems more like a debugging/testing code than an intended cheat code to me. I'm not sure whether it'd be classed as a cheat but it's certainly entertaining to see, at least as a once-off. Yes vote.
Joined: 5/12/2009
Posts: 748
Location: Brazil
To me this run is more entertaining than the glitched any% and it beats all bosses instead of skipping them with X-Ray and go through all areas of the game (Crateria, Brinstar, Norfair, Lower Norfair, Torian, Wrecked Ship). Also, the different tricks and strategies are cool. Congrats Saturn! Voted Yes.
Player (70)
Joined: 8/24/2004
Posts: 2562
Location: Sweden
I was entertained from start to end. Very entertaining run. I also think that we could use this in a separate category somehow. Maybe to be placed in hacks/demos/other category in worst case? Cheers to a great TAS!
Joined: 7/2/2007
Posts: 3960
I'm inclined to agree that the GT code is a debugging code. It gives you very even amounts of equipment (exactly 100 missiles, instead of 45 or 80 or 140 etc; not to mention the same number of super missiles as power bombs), and otherwise seems to be set up to give you approximately the gear that a new player who hasn't taken that much time for exploration would have at the time that GT is fought. I haven't watched the video yet, but given the rules against using cheat codes, I can't see it being accepted outside maybe of the hacks and demos section.
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Skilled player (1430)
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OmnipotentEntity wrote:
Dumb question, at 7:11 in the Youtube run, Saturn uses a single bomb on the wall, instead of two that I customarily see in newer Super Metroid runs. Is this faster or slower or equal?
Apparently it's slightly faster, which shocked me a bit. Anyway, this is a fantastic, fantastic run. It feels very fresh, as it is quite different from any other run and lets you see places traversed with equipment you are not used seeing at that point. It is incredibly optimized, more so than any other Super Metroid run on the site, with plenty of deviously clever tricks and some real "wait, you can do that?" moments. A++ all around. Should it be published? I really, really want it to. But I suspect it will inevitably come down to choosing between it and one of the other two any% runs, and I have a hard time justifying it over either of those for reasons that should be obvious. But, if it can be published as a concept demo, or something of the sorts, I'll be quite happy and rate it somewhere along the lines of 10/9.5.
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Quite frankly, I really am not sure what to make of this run. It was entertaining enough and appeared technically well done, and well, there never can be enough Super Metroid on this site. However, the fact of the matter still is that it's based on what is likely nothing more than a debug code. At least I can't think of any other explanation for why this is there. I do not want this movie to sink into obscurity, again, because I'm a sucker for them Metroids, but I'm not quite sure this should be publicated along with the other categories. So, I'll be refraining from voting.
JXQ
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Joined: 5/6/2005
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I feel the exact opposite of cp. The run has an illegitimate feel to it that's tough to describe. The new techniques, which mostly consist of plasma+xray on bosses, are different but not entertaining to watch (similar to boss battles from GBA Castlevania games - they're over before they get started). The techniques in many rooms seem less "clever" than a legitimate run, even if they aren't in an existing run. Switching from "I just got bombs" straight to "Armed to the teeth" removes a lot of the interim states that have different and interesting techniques for maneuvering about. And I think it's obvious that this code was intentionally added as a debug code.
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Voting Yes to this entertaining and very optimized run, with the hope that it will obsolete either the glitched any% or the any% published movie.
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I found this page, which is the discovery. http://m2k2.taigaforum.com/post/glitch_topic_716.html#glitch_topic_716 It looks like a debug code that was left in. I guess it comes down to the question of: Is this like Earthbound, which allows accessing debug features? Or is this simply a cheat code that was unknown till now? My perspective is that Earthbound used a glitch to access the debug feature - This, on the other hand, uses a code that was left in by developers who assumed no one would find it. And finally, which any% would this obsolete? The XRay movie is faster, by a large margin. This uses a glitch/code, which sorta goes against the other any% movie. I'm open to suggestions and conversation on these ideas.
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I got a question. If this run gets acccepted, do future runs require "game-breaking glitches" to be unused?
Joined: 11/26/2010
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Very optimized and entertaining run. Well done Saturn!!! I would vote yes if I could but, I can't vote. I don't believe should replace an of the current runs. Though I do believe it could be categorized as Any% "Glitched" All Bosses Beaten or something along those lines.
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I'm voting no. If this is a cheat code, it should be allowed only if it significantly changes the gameplay (like alternate character runs in Castlevania games), but should be disallowed if it only serves to power up the character (like the Konami code). In my mind, there's little doubt that this isn't a glitch. It seems too intentional. So the question ultimately becomes if this is a game-altering code or if it's simply a powerup. I'm leaning towards the latter. This run mostly feels like an unhappy medium between the any% run and the 100% run. Sure, a couple boss strategies are a little different, but most of the game is virtually unchanged.
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I don't think this can obsolete any of the currently published movies. I'm of the opinion it has to be a new category. I think this submission needs to address two main points. 1: When is a debug code okay? 2: How many categories is too many categories? I think the point at which the debug code was discovered is largely irrelevant. If this had been known about in 2005 vs 2010, I think it should be viewed the same. (This seems to be a debug code; the author has addressed it as a code. Whether or not it is actually a debug code may still be up for debate.) I think utilizing what seems in this case to be a debug code would typically force a new category. The next question is, does the debug code actually provide suitably different and entertaining gameplay? In this case, the answer seems to be mostly yes according to user feedback. In the Earthbound submission, it was decided that accessing a debug code through abnormal means was acceptable in a new category. I think the general site rule against debug codes may be interpreted as "don't use easy to access debug codes to make the gameplay stupid" or something. In Zelda 2, we said that using 2nd controller Up+A to teleport to the beginning instead of system reset is okay. It would be stupid two have two runs separated by such a trivial detail. In Crystalis we changed our minds once and decided that using 1P A+B + 2P A to teleport to the next town was too broken. (I am now of the opinion that both Crystalis categories may be valid, though I wasn't at the time, but I guess it depends how different the run actually becomes. I do think it was stupid at the time to have the debug code run not allow the legitimate run.) I think the function of the debug code and the effect on the run are the largest deciding factors. The site's goal to provide entertainment. Why not feature an amount of material as is reasonable for each game? I think more categories may be better than less. I also am under the impression that maybe the site has moved in a new direction since the 14% run was rejected, but that is another discussion. Should any well defined, well played, suitably different, entertaining run be published on the site? I don't know. Why not? If someone likes it, he can watch it. If someone else thinks using debug codes is stupid, he can watch the other run. I haven't watched the submission yet. This is just open discussion on what I see as the main issues regarding this submission and some relation to previous site decisions.
Joined: 6/4/2009
Posts: 893
i'll take this "code" like the one in metroid where killing kraid give you 75 Missiles... i'll give a yes vote because it's entertaining and realy fast paced... if this run is accepted, i think it should obselete the standard any % run since the standart run use some Left+right input to do some wall jumping (and therefore also use a key input combinaison unintended by the game designers to advance in the game)