Post subject: Adventures of Star Saver, The
Joined: 2/1/2007
Posts: 245
Location: Israel
This is a fun platformer for the GB. What makes it so fun is that it's so crazy! It has monsters that when killed turn into other monsters (and usually also multiply in the process), a character who can actually escape from bottom-less pits after you fall into them, and tons of warps and other hidden secrets. I have a run of the game, played at 75% speed, to hopefully show-case the game and maybe pique a proper TASer's interest. Note: The first time I get hit, it's just me being too lazy to replay that part and not get hit, but when I get hit in the last level, it appears to be forced by the game for some reason. Generally, I really don't see the point in the last level. Also, there are probably a lot more secrets and warps than those I found. Useful ones at that.
Joined: 2/26/2007
Posts: 1365
Location: Minnesota
I found that level 2 and level 4's bosses dragged on for quite a bit of time. unless there is some way to hit them more/quicker i dont know if this would be the greatest of games to run
adelikat wrote:
I very much agree with this post.
Bobmario511 wrote:
Forget party hats, Christmas tree hats all the way man.
Joined: 2/1/2007
Posts: 245
Location: Israel
The level 4 boss could be quicker, since I missed quite a few shots at the start, but it would still be slow since the fish only has an opening for 2 shots (maybe 3 with frame advance? I don't believe so) after every time it throws 4 pairs of fish. The rhino I think I beat pretty quickly, frame advance might shave off some frames, but that's as fast as it goes IMO. I do admit that the boss fights in this game are rather lack luster... Hmm, perhaps if some warps to skip those bosses could be found, that'd be nice. I'll see if there's a FAQ/walkthrough somewhere. Edit: Oh well, my search only got a walkthrough on GameFAQs that wasn't very helpful sadly.
Joined: 2/1/2007
Posts: 245
Location: Israel
I think that the problem with the game is that it has a lot of secrets, which aren't really charted. The warps seen in the game are just one that I remembered how to reach because the process to creating it was so weird, and the other was just a fluke. I seem to remember once unlocking a warp at level 2 and 4, though I'm pretty sure that the one in level 2 I've only managed to create once as a kid. Anyway, if it was possible to find all those warps it would be possible to at least avoid the more boring bosses. IIRC there was a warp in the level with the bird boss that would warp you to the later half of the next level, which meant that you couldn't reach the warp there and had to go to the boss, so taking one warp might prohibit you from taking another. Either that or my brain's memory banks are broken. If I have some free time I'll try to experiment and try and find warps in the 2nd and 4th levels at least.
Joined: 2/26/2007
Posts: 1365
Location: Minnesota
Mechuyael wrote:
I think that the problem with the game is that it has a lot of secrets, which aren't really charted. The warps seen in the game are just one that I remembered how to reach because the process to creating it was so weird, and the other was just a fluke. I seem to remember once unlocking a warp at level 2 and 4, though I'm pretty sure that the one in level 2 I've only managed to create once as a kid. Anyway, if it was possible to find all those warps it would be possible to at least avoid the more boring bosses. IIRC there was a warp in the level with the bird boss that would warp you to the later half of the next level, which meant that you couldn't reach the warp there and had to go to the boss, so taking one warp might prohibit you from taking another. Either that or my brain's memory banks are broken. If I have some free time I'll try to experiment and try and find warps in the 2nd and 4th levels at least.
If you could find and abuse all the warps, I think the run would have a relatively good chance at being accepted (if, of course, it is TAS'd well :P) I am rewatching the run again, but could you do me a favor and tell me the frames that you find warps ;) It is hard for me to tell (that, or I dont pay attention very well... a very likely event due to massive ADHD) EDIT: aHA Level 5, i believe, had you shooting a wall for no apparent reason, until suddenly a box appeared. gotcha for that warp ;) I dont know if I would want to run the game, but if you wanted to I would be more than happy to help you find warps (and help you learn to TAS, if you are a beginner [from what I could tell from your post, that is what you where innuendo-ing... sorry if you know how to do it, dont mean to offend ^_^; ] it should also be noted I am no expert at TAS-ing, but I know the basics XD) Just hit me up if you want to chat about doing a run.
adelikat wrote:
I very much agree with this post.
Bobmario511 wrote:
Forget party hats, Christmas tree hats all the way man.
Joined: 2/1/2007
Posts: 245
Location: Israel
In the 5th level I think, there's a part where I sit on a platform as it enters the ground, then enter this thing, shoot something to get out, then enter a tiny warp-TV thing. On another level I just shoot the air and another tiny warp-TV thing appears. Generally, if I reach a warp-TV before I reach a boss, then it's a secret warp. Except for in that last level. Anyway, I checked the 2nd level again, and while I did find a secret, it wasn't a warp... In fact, it was a very weird thing, maybe like a small bonus mini-game. I had to shoot some blocks to death, which revealed a lion that roared and gave me about 20k points. Nothing helpful though. And yeah, I'm hoping that if I find a way to skip those boring parts that a true TASer could make a run.
Joined: 2/1/2007
Posts: 245
Location: Israel
Well, I've looked around the level and couldn't find a secret warp. I'll take another look in a few days if I have some spare time. The weird mini-game can shave off a few seconds perhaps, but it'll really confuse people who don't know the game (and I assume that many people haven't played this game), since as soon as I enter the mini-game area I'll just drop off a platform to return to the normal stage, but just before the boss. The jumping rhino needs 15 shots to die. For a moment I thought that the suitless guy might actually cause more damage, but I was wrong. This would have been a lot easier if there were more people who have played this game, and perhaps might have found some warps that I missed.
Joined: 7/12/2010
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Massive necro, but I started a test run of this game. I'm presently right before the boss of the first stage, but one thing I've noticed is that if I try to fire the upgraded gun so that I shoot the boss as soon as possible, I lose more than 10 frames before the boss appears as opposed to simply not shooting, because of the lag. The game runs at 20fps, and besides the real lag before the boss I did notice that sometimes input frames were skipped due to lag or the movement updates are delayed by a frame, but it appeared to catch up before the next input frame. So I'm going to see if I can figure out how the lag works, so I can know when to kill enemies, if ever.
Joined: 2/26/2007
Posts: 1365
Location: Minnesota
I don't have a clue what this game is about, but apparently I did at one time. As far as I am concerned, I have never heard of this game in my life :) I wish you luck, sir!
adelikat wrote:
I very much agree with this post.
Bobmario511 wrote:
Forget party hats, Christmas tree hats all the way man.
Joined: 12/16/2010
Posts: 18
I would really like to see this game being TAS'd, although I think the entertainment value might be quite low for people that have not played the game. I know that it lags quite a bit as well, especially if you have the triple gun and some boss fights are really boring (actually, most of them). If I could TAS, I would do it but I cannot and I don't have the time for it. If anyone takes it on I'll try to contribute as best as I can!
I'm not a girl, not yet a woman.
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This game and its sequel look very TASable to me. But I don't want to think about TASing those games before I know everything (hidden warps, tricks, items, strategies, glitches)... I found that under certain circumstances you can jump in midair in the first game. E: I found this TAS for the 2nd game. 7:24.35 http://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm8352716
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Doesn't look like there are any warps in levels other than 5 and 7, after all the research I did (gamefaqs, nicovideo, youtube let's plays). I might start TASing the first game soon. Maybe.
Language: lua

while true do function round(num, idp) local mult = 10^(idp or 0) return math.floor(num * mult + 0.5) / mult end reallag = (vba.framecount() / 3) - (vba.framecount() % vba.lagcount()) gui.opacity(0.65) gui.drawbox(100,16,250,48, "black", "black") gui.opacity(0.95) gui.text(106,25, "lag1 " ..vba.lagcount()) gui.text(106,18, "lag2 " ..round(reallag,1)) gui.text(106,32,"x " .. memory.readbyteunsigned(0xc126)+memory.readbyteunsigned(0xc127)*256) gui.text(106,39,"y " .. memory.readbyteunsigned(0xc12a)+memory.readbyteunsigned(0xc12b)*256) vba.frameadvance() end
Considering the game runs at 20FPS, lag2 will show the additional lag. EDIT: I found another secret lion room in Level 7 right before the warp (useless).
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There is a glitch in level 9 with the two pressure plates smashing into each other. I don't really know how it's triggered but most often it happens when I get hit at the previous pressure plates and use my hookshot to go to the top of the screen and approach the two plates (mentioned above) from above. When done right, the lower plate will not descend and the game will crash in 15 seconds (white screen). I have gotten the game to not crash with some interesting results. The game essentially turned from 20 FPS to 40 FPS (which made my lag counter decrease and go negative which confused me for a second lol). The screen flickers a lot and the music screws up a lot. Sometimes the switches for the upcoming walls don't work, sometimes they do. Upon completing the glitched level the ending plays normally. Dying also gets rid of the glitch. (Better explanation: The lower plate will start to move slower and safer when you aren't in your machine (i.e. you have been hit once). And if you arrive at the lower plate very early, then it will glitch.)
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Nice to see that someone took this up after I did practically nothing! For a first project, having to deal with the lag just sort of killed my motivation. I don't know how that mid-air jump works, but I remember during the vertical segment of the first level there was a point where I was falling for a large distance and stopped for something like a frame. It seemed really weird to me, but I never figured out what the deal was. I really don't remember that level 5 skip! And I don't think I knew about that level 7 skip either, though I do remember there being a secret alternate way to beat the level that doesn't involve beating the boss. Apparently the guide on GameFAQs still thinks that boss is unbeatable :)
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The midair trick is possible because you randomly stand on air sometimes. It's a random occurrence that can be exploited. And about the final level glitch, I don't think I mentioned this info but: The game does not crash if you have not shot anything, I think. If you shoot prior to doing the glitch, it crashes.
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Back when I made the TAS, I didn't know this game too well. Now that I take another look here is some stuff I found: It seems that pretty much every level has a "Wing" upgrade that allows your mech to fly above the level for about 10 seconds or so, although at the cost of some X-speed. This might come in handy in some places to overcome walls, or to get a good shot at a boss etc. Or in level 5 to reach the secret exit faster. It seems you can carry over Wing items across levels. In level 4, at the first wall, you can actually use an arrow to skip it. There is only one tile (the one I aim at in the pic) that can be arrowed, so it's something the devs put in deliberately. Not sure if faster to shoot the wall or to arrow across it. It might also be possible to arrow at other seemingly un-arrow-able places. Maybe more to come later. Oh also, if I didn't document it here yet: There are some cave entrances or castle entrances in this game. It seems they are only for aesthetic effect, but I had edited level camera position(I think?) and it allowed me to see a room that was filled with enemies that didn't appear anywhere in the normal level. So maybe at some point in development you were able to enter such entrances and it was later cut from the game. Needs more looking into if you want to put that on TCRF. EDIT: Oh, actually turns out the entrance in level 6 that you can shoot open (at a castle) and the caves in level 3, you can press Down to use those entrances as a shortcut. But from the looks of it, it's slower than moving on normally. Maybe I was wrong about stuff being cut from the game then. EDIT: Looks like the level 9 bug emulates differently in Bizhawk-Gambatte. It's kind of the same, but much more prone to crashing and there is more variety in the glitch effects that can occur. Too bad the bug is in the last level, otherwise there would have been ACE potential. EDIT:
$C5F5 - Current level
        00~08 represent levels 1 to 9
        09 is ending sequence 
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Editor, Expert player (2328)
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So by memory editing, I found there is a secret room for Stage 7 I didn't know. $C5F5 is the current Stage number. $C5F6 is some sort of mode: 0x01 = Win the stage 0x02 = Death 0x03~0xFF = Go to secret passage, dependent on value in $C5F5. If $C5F5 is at least 0x05 (= you are in Stage 6 or higher), you will go to the secret room in Stage 7. I'm not sure how to go there normally. EDIT: Nvm, it's explained in 2:50 in this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9VuSI6Da5c And it's slower than what the TAS does.
Post subject: (added video)
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Ok, found a new glitch that has similar effects like the Stage 9 bug. In the stage 7 passage, you can use arrow to wall clip and zip out of bounds. If you have zipped really far upwards, the game will glitch (either crash by zipping too high, or glitch-crash by shooting/arrowing when too high). Might be possible to zip out of bounds in other places in the game. Note: Glitch effect can vary if you hold different keys while the game glitches. Link to video
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Here are some interesting tricks for arrow usage I found. Link to video
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Are there any map images? I can't find any, but it would be useful for item planning.
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Here are all the items I could find. https://i.imgur.com/Rt5vnYJ.png Notes: - Obtaining arrow items will be carefully planned with the aim to use them for arrow glitching. Most other items are useless. - One arrow item gives you 2 arrows. - One wing item gives you jet power. You can use jet power once to fly over the stage. It can also be used while inside a wall to enhance wall zipping (allows you to stay inside a little longer in some cases).
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New TAS plan: Stage 1 - Get arrows (image 1) - Use arrow bug at vertical shaft, saves 15 frames - Get arrows (image 4) - Proceed like before, get gun & wing upgrade (image 6) Should have 3 arrows + wing. Stage 2 - Use arrow bug, use flying power to emerge right after the 3 walls and continue like normal, saves 80 frames - Pick up arrows (image 3) - Pick up wing power (image 4) - Use arrow bug, saves 50 frames - Pick up arrows (image 6) - Use arrow bug, saves ~45 frames - Use arrow bug, saves 50 frames Have 3 arrows + wing Stage 3 - Proceed like before. Have 3 arrows + wing Stage 4 - Arrow trick, like before. - Arrow trick, like before. - Proceed like before. Have 1 arrow + wing Stage 5 - Pick up arrows, costs ~10 frames (image 3) - Use arrow bug, costs 2 arrows and wing, saves 70 frames - At the warp box, use 1 arrow up to reach the goal 10 frames faster. Have 0 arrows Stage 6 - Pick up arrows (image 1) - Pick up wing power (image 3) - Use arrow bug, saves ~50 frames (The last two solid platforms can't be arrow bugged.) Have 1 arrow + wing Stage 7 - Pick up arrows (image 5) - Use arrow bug to enter section with warp, saves 50 frames Have 2 arrows + wing Stage 8 - Pick up arrows (image 4) Proceed like before. Have 4 arrow + wing Stage 9 - Use arrow bug, saves 50 frames - Pick up arrows (image 2) - Use arrow bug, saves ~40 frames (I can leave this open ended as I will have enough arrows. You can do arrow bug before the stompers but you will not be able to go on fast. Might be better to take damage like before and air jump to the top.)
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I'm at level 2 boss now. In level 1, the arrow bug at the vertical shaft ended up being slower and the last arrow bug in level 2 is skipped due to the warp. Therefore I have two spare arrows. I'm planning on not getting the level 5 arrow item to break even. Edit: In level 1, when descending to the boss, it is possible to narrowly fly offscreen and keep flying until you are at the coordinates where the goal would be. Unfortunately, the goal tile is not loaded and the boss cannot be skipped. Edit: Turns out there was an arrow bug possible in level 3 which saved ~30-40 frames. So I'm gonna end up needing to get that arrow item I wanted to skip. I'm at level 4 now. Edit: Turns out the arrow item in level 4 can be gotten without wasting time, so right now I'd come out with 3 spare arrows. I will skip the 10 frame-costing arrow item and use an up-arrow to reach the level 5 exit sooner to break even.