I didn't quite understand at first what you meant about the speed, but I finally got it after doing a quick test. Yes, you should jump instead of walking in several points.
Also, I'm pretty sure this won't help, but you can duck and dodge some attacks, despite Spot only crouching like 10% in his sprites. At least, I'm pretty sure I remember dodging some projectiles when I used to play.
Also, I'm pretty sure you could save a bit more time at some points by not killing enemies and instead trying to go around them.
I'm Espyo from the SRB2 Forums.
Current project: A Pikmin fan engine, Pikifen
Just watched your WIP. Back in the day, Cool Spot was going to be my first TAS. In fact, I was thinking of making it my next run and I even fiddled with map-making a few months ago and had some success with it. After seeing your WIP, I'm now glad that I abandoned my run, since the route planning is even more technical than I imagined (I probably wouldn't have thought to suicide on the first level). The run's looking really good and I look forward to the result!
ElectroSpecter wrote:
I make maps of the level before completing them. I would eventually like to upload them in full-quality, but I'm not sure how I would do that. I have a photobucket account, but I'm sure that it's not worth it to even try uploading them to that.
Upload them here:
http://vgmaps.com/
I'm sure they'll be quite grateful. (I'm interested in how you're putting together level maps, if you're willing to share.)
Again, keep up the good work!
Edit: From the vgmaps maps of the Master System version, it appears there's a 7th bonus level in which you can earn a one-up. I have no idea if this level is in the Genesis or SNES versions, but if so, you would be wise to not do a 100% run, since it would mean either repeatedly completing or suiciding on the 7th bonus stage, neither of which is very entertaining. If there is a 7th bonus level, I won't envy you because it will add two extra layers to your already difficult route planning-- you'll have to determine which five (or six?) levels that you won't 100% on and figure out which 10 or so spots you'll skip.
My fingers are crossed for you.
Joined: 8/6/2006
Posts: 784
Location: Connecticut, USA
Bobo the King wrote:
(I'm interested in how you're putting together level maps, if you're willing to share.)
It's not as technical as you might think... I'm using print screen and MSPaint. I'm sure there are better ways though. I recall someone showing me a lua script that does it automatically, and I might be able to come up with one if I worked on it long enough.
Bobo the King wrote:
Edit: From the vgmaps maps of the Master System version, it appears there's a 7th bonus level in which you can earn a one-up. I have no idea if this level is in the Genesis or SNES versions, but if so, you would be wise to not do a 100% run, since it would mean either repeatedly completing or suiciding on the 7th bonus stage, neither of which is very entertaining. If there is a 7th bonus level, I won't envy you because it will add two extra layers to your already difficult route planning-- you'll have to determine which five (or six?) levels that you won't 100% on and figure out which 10 or so spots you'll skip.
I'm not 100% sure, but I seem to recall not having any more bonus levels after the sixth, at least in the Genesis version. But yeah, if I end up having to enter a seventh repeatedly, suiciding would probably be the way to go.
(I'm interested in how you're putting together level maps, if you're willing to share.)
It's not as technical as you might think... I'm using print screen and MSPaint. I'm sure there are better ways though. I recall someone showing me a lua script that does it automatically, and I might be able to come up with one if I worked on it long enough.
For my own experiments, I used this program. It's a little bit of a pain because it sometimes loses its frame of reference (usually when you're in the air and there's nothing to compare) and you need to create a lossless AVI first, but the results were pretty good once I spruced them up. I was able to find the RAM byte that controls rotation of the spots, so you can freeze them in place. Once you do that, if you autostitch the movie backwards the spots should show up over the level (I haven't tested it, though). From there, you'd just have to manually add the ones that are in the background.
I've also toyed with the idea of making my own autostitcher. I'd like to use the autocorrelation function and do some other fancy stuff. Alas, I just don't have time for it and I can't even accurately say it's on the back burner-- it's more like on the back burner of the stove in the locked basement of the old run-down house two towns over. But if anyone wants to try applying the autocorrelation function to screenshot stitching (which shouldn't be too hard), I just thought I'd throw that out there.
ElectroSpecter wrote:
I'm not 100% sure, but I seem to recall not having any more bonus levels after the sixth, at least in the Genesis version. But yeah, if I end up having to enter a seventh repeatedly, suiciding would probably be the way to go.
It's ultimately your choice, but I'd vote against suiciding. The only advantage that it technically has is that your route-planning is simplified. The entertainment lost by repeated suicides far outweighs the entertainment gained by a 100% run, in my opinion. I think Spot is invulnerable for at least a few seconds after taking damage, so suicides may take upwards of 10 seconds just in-level, not to mention the time spent entering and exiting the bonus level itself. I can't speak for anyone else, but I suspect popular opinion will align closely with my own.
Of course, this is all putting the cart before the horse. If there are no extra bonus levels, then it's not a problem.
Joined: 8/6/2006
Posts: 784
Location: Connecticut, USA
Awesome, I'll totally have to check that program out!
As for freezing the spots, I tried that with lua:
memory.writebyte(0xFF0813,30)
but all that seems to do is make the desirable sprite appear a tiny bit longer. Did you have a way of getting this to work?
Finally, I haven't used the program yet, but I've been forcing the sprite layer to always appear on top when I make the maps. I'm assuming this should continue working when I use the program? It would prevent me from having to go back and paste in the items that are behind things, which happens a lot.
Awesome, I'll totally have to check that program out!
As for freezing the spots, I tried that with lua:
memory.writebyte(0xFF0813,30)
but all that seems to do is make the desirable sprite appear a tiny bit longer. Did you have a way of getting this to work?
Finally, I haven't used the program yet, but I've been forcing the sprite layer to always appear on top when I make the maps. I'm assuming this should continue working when I use the program? It would prevent me from having to go back and paste in the items that are behind things, which happens a lot.
Hey, sorry for the late reply. I have cheats on both bytes 7E00D0 and 7E09D0. I don't know why I have cheats on both or if it will work for you...
Heh, oops. I just realized I'm using the SNES version.
Just frame advance until the spots rotate and do so about 20 times. For the SNES version, it's once every four frames and I expect it's similar for the Genesis version. Anyway, once the spots have rotated some 20 times (about 80 frames), search for RAM addresses that have changed between 18 and 22 times. From there, it should be straightforward with less than a page of candidate addresses... if the programming is roughly the same between the two versions (which it should be).
As for having the sprite layer always on top, I had no idea you could even do that. That's a great idea!
Joined: 8/6/2006
Posts: 784
Location: Connecticut, USA
It's cool. I've had a lot of stuff going on so I haven't really had a chance to do anything with the maps... I haven't looked in a while, but that address I was using seemed to be the correct one (I think it cycled every four frames, counting by 2s), but lua and the cheats wouldn't do much. I'll keep checking and if I can't figure out anything I can just wait until each has spun enough and paste them in after.
