Senior Moderator
Joined: 8/4/2005
Posts: 5769
Location: Away
Looks great now!
Warp wrote:
Edit: I think I understand now: It's my avatar, isn't it? It makes me look angry.
Skilled player (1403)
Joined: 10/27/2004
Posts: 1976
Location: Making an escape
Thanks, moozoh. Levels 2 &3 ready for scrutiny. I'll check into improving the third boss later, but for now, bed. Next WIP at level 5 completion.
A hundred years from now, they will gaze upon my work and marvel at my skills but never know my name. And that will be good enough for me.
Skilled player (1403)
Joined: 10/27/2004
Posts: 1976
Location: Making an escape
I'll take the lack of responses as encouragement to keep going. Anyway, I said I'd upload an new WIP when level 5 is done. It's done now. Comment if you wish. I find it weird that the levels generally get shorter the further you go. Next step will be a submission. Edit[/b]: Freakin' Sardius...
A hundred years from now, they will gaze upon my work and marvel at my skills but never know my name. And that will be good enough for me.
Joined: 3/16/2006
Posts: 289
Nice so far. Just wondering if the bracelet is really the best weapon. Also don't forget that the bracelet can destroy enemy projectiles. The only part I saw that this would be useful was in the Ice stage when you had to shoot down a big dude with 4-5 shots because he had started to breathe. I was suprised though when you avoided the snowslides...I thought those were an auto kill like the water-waves. And how did you jump straight to the last level?
I am just a silhouette, a silhouette of a memory of a solitary night .. nothing more.
Skilled player (1403)
Joined: 10/27/2004
Posts: 1976
Location: Making an escape
Yes, remember how I said I'd probably be using the torch? Turns out I was wrong. I am very confident in my decision to use the bracelet for most of the game. The projectile destroying capability of the bracelet is only available when you're wearing the gold armor, so no go on that Woo. While you're at it, you should check out the completed movie. :P Call me if you have any other questions.
A hundred years from now, they will gaze upon my work and marvel at my skills but never know my name. And that will be good enough for me.
PJ
He/Him
Joined: 2/1/2011
Posts: 181
Location: Western NY
I've been working on an RTA for this game for a few months now, and finally decided I should consider using the TAS strat for the fight against Nebiroth at the end, since it'll cut a large chunk of time off my run. The issue is that I cannot figure out quite how the TAS manages to hit him so frequently. It looks like the goddess bracelet is hitting him at heights below his head. Could anybody shed some light on this for me? Thanks!
Joined: 5/4/2005
Posts: 502
Location: Onett, Eagleland
Here's a lua script I created for this game that displays enemy life, Arthur's hitbox, enemy hitboxes, the triggers for hidden chests, and Arthur's weapons/magic. http://pastebin.com/xysUDVpz ISSUES:
  • I'm unable to tell if a projectile (green) box is "active", for instance the 1st stage boss has a big projectile box in front of its face, but no hit detection occurs, stage 5's boss has a strange hitbox detection as well, as well as the demons in stage 4 with the tail trails (their tails have boxes but you're unable to register a hit if you hit their tails).
  • Didn't bother to find arthurs hitbox when he is transformed by the magician.
  • Also didn't bother to find his shield's hitbox either.
  • Sometimes the same object structure that previously held an enemy's life value will display a number indicating its HP value when it doesn't have one. This is because the game doesn't clear out the HP value when it reuses the object structure.
Other than that, the script works great. I have no idea what some of the red boxes in stage 1 do, the third big one triggers a ground shift, but some don't. BLUE BOX = Arthur's vulnerability RED BOX = Touch collision, if Arthur's blue box touches the red box he takes damage, or gains the item. GREEN BOX = Projectile collision box. WHITE BOX = Arthur's weapon/magic. Numbers over enemy's are their remaining HP, numbers on Arthur's weapons/magic are the damage it will deal. Enjoy! NOTE: For some reason the default LUA51.DLL that comes with the current archive on snes9x's googlecode page doesn't display RED or white when using GUI.BOX (and possibly other functions). It works fine when I use the mame-rr lua51.dll that was in this archive: http://code.google.com/p/mame-rr/downloads/
I think.....therefore I am not Barry Burton
Player (146)
Joined: 5/9/2011
Posts: 25
If you manage to skip the first raft in stage 2, you can skip the auto scroller. I'm not confident this is possible yet, though... I'm quite a few pixels away from reaching it. I made a video which shows an idea I had for reaching the second raft (not 100% optimized), as well as editing values to make arthur reach the raft and show what would happen. You'd need armor with you for magic cast I-frames, so damage boosts are out of the question... Link to video
Player (33)
Joined: 2/16/2012
Posts: 282
I tested a version of that particular skip via infinite jump cheats some time ago, but in that case the boss would not spawn. I'm curious what the major difference is for what you're doing that allows the boss to spawn. I specifically tested landing immediately on the 2nd raft, but if there's some point at which you can death warp to it instead then it might be workable.
Player (146)
Joined: 5/9/2011
Posts: 25
Huh. Haven't seen that yet! Would be unfortunate to land on the raft and then the boss isn't even there! Haven't had him despawn yet, though.
Aran_Jaeger
He/Him
Banned User, Player (9)
Joined: 10/29/2014
Posts: 176
Location: Bavaria, Germany
Interesting that this game thread has some activity (again). Since I am in a preparation phase for making an any% TAS (the same way as the currently published TAS does it) of this on Lsnes, I guess it is time to put up some material and resources that were gathered so far: - - - Some video material that I found on youtube and twitch: Some cheated playthrough of the game (with interesting insights): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=um0JdACwHqs The current world record speedrun, and a speedrun by PJ: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrkivARKxoY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGnZbgQFLjI Using the shield for lag reduction in the graveyard: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/46690966 Some ladder climb dodge: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fzxI2rhT8A Hell world, clipping through the bottom to OoB: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqqiuVaQjOM Astaroth stuck in backwards motion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwDm0olQF40 A known TAS WIP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dl5MK0K418Y Alternate Attack button mashing allows for charging a magic attack while being able to use normal weapons while the magic attack occurs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALBBco9RJ6I The known invincibility glitch at snow avalanche: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLelkVhDH7o Invulnerability magic charge glitch at environmental spikes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rN4c0y-a2kY - - - I went ahead and checked through all stages and various damage sources for new places at which invulnerability that lasts for a stage could be obtained. And it turns out it works at blue ground spikes in the ice forest, at snow avalanches, at red spike coral's top parts (independent of the direction Arthur approaches it, or if Arthur is in running/standing pose) at the ocean, the guts area surface when it turns into spikes, and at the purple crystals in the crystal cave. Damage sources where it doesn't work: Graveyard: Zombie coffins on ground and flying, zombies, fire balls, fire demons, wolfs, falling skulls, clam pearls, clams. Jungle: Bursting fruits (large and small), bursting fruit projectiles, rolling fire skull pods, bear traps (from chest), magicians (from chest), bird knees, bird head, eggs, small birds. Ghost Ship: Ghosts, swinging axes, mimics, mimic chests. Ocean: Orange fish, plants, plant projectiles, orange spikes, green fish, green fish projectiles, boss, boss projectiles. Hell: Red small flying guys, red bears, red bear flames, falling flames, blood platforms. Towers: Red arrembers, red arrember projectiles, small red arrember guy projectiles, bats, ghouls statues, falling/walking spear goblins, boss, boss projectiles. Guts: Blue hovering axe demons. Guts Autoscroller: Purple steams, blue fruits, blue fruit explosions, fruit projectiles, small blue guys, dragon, dragon projectiles, transformed dragon. Ice World: Blue bears, blue bear flames, flowers, flower projectiles, growing ice spikes, wasps, wolfs, boss, boss claws, freezing projectiles, freeze projectile containers. Castle 1: Orange axe demons, bright orange birds, Astaroth, Astaroth's fire, Astaroth's lasers. Castle 2: Grey birds, blue small guys, blue mimics, blue mimic chests, gatekeeper birds, gatekeeper bird projectiles, Nebiroth, Nebiroth's fire, Nebiroth's blue lasers. Final boss: Boss lasers. But I doubt that much use can be gained from invulnerability glitches for an any% TAS. - - - On Wikipedia ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Ghouls_%27n_Ghosts#Regional_differences ) one can find some interesting detail on version differences: ''The PAL version also removed certain enemies in the game, like the third fiery skull on level 1. It is unclear why these changes were made as it made little overall difference to the difficulty of the game.'' Considering that the hardest difficulty will be chosen for an any% TAS using a warp (even though the term any% doesn't seem to just fit to any game, especially those without relations to percentages), PAL is out of consideration because of this and due to the 50 fps that go with it. There is also a difference between the japanese and the U.S. version that I noticed (outside of just language differences that cause a reduction from about 1:27 to about 1:04, so a cut-off of roughly 20 seconds text at the princess in the japanese version). Namely in stage 7, the 2nd and 3rd crumbling wall layers at the 2 bird head enemies after the last red arrember are non-solid in the japanese version, and are solid in the U.S. version. After talking to adelikat, and for the purpose of better comparability with the previous TAS aswell as having the text in english, I'm going to work out the TAS for the U.S. version (knowing above mentioned differences, but there could be more unknown ones, for example indirectly induced strategy changes caused by RNG that can be off due to version differences). Currently, the first frame at which I gain control over Arthur in the graveyard after the princess' speech is at 8814, while this is the case for the published TAS on frame 8860 (according to the movie), so I'm 46 frames ahead at that point. This was mainly achieved by making use of my steel armor (for a damage-boost and more importantly invulnerability frames to attack Astaroth quicker from the inside) as opposed to just keeping Arthur undamaged (even though Arthur gets his armor back afterwards anyways). Here's the corresponding lsnes movie for it: https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/218520158963105792/316831302185910272/Ghoulsn_Ghosts_Test-TAS.lsmv - - - On VGMaps, I found some maps (for a nice overview) for all stages except the 2nd: http://www.vgmaps.com/Atlas/SuperNES/SuperGhouls%27NGhosts-Stage1.png http://www.vgmaps.com/Atlas/SuperNES/SuperGhouls'NGhosts-Stage3.png (the link seems to break here, but it works with copy and paste) http://vgmaps.com/Atlas/SuperNES/SuperGhouls%27NGhosts-Stage4-Area1.png http://vgmaps.com/Atlas/SuperNES/SuperGhouls'NGhosts-Stage4-Area2.png (the link seems to break here, but it works with copy and paste) http://vgmaps.com/Atlas/SuperNES/SuperGhouls%27NGhosts-Stage5.png http://vgmaps.com/Atlas/SuperNES/SuperGhouls%27NGhosts-Stage6.png http://vgmaps.com/Atlas/SuperNES/SuperGhouls%27NGhosts-Stage7.png - - - Here is a list of snes9x 1.53 v.7 experimentation and observation movies (partially for documenting already known game aspects): Stage 1-1 (Graveyard): Movie for the known close jump onto the first large graveyard stone pillar before the ground rises, and a movie showing a method where one aligns Arthur at the left side and then just holds Right and the trick comes down to jumping at the right frames (due to initial normalized positioning): http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38946872128874126 http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38948246547408634 Apparently one cannot get back to the grounds to the left of the area that is torn away from the 1st flood: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38942856826236168 A different death of Arthur to the flood by getting hit by a projectile at the same time: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38944480140897132 A test that shows that Arthur's gold armor magic doesn't protect from floods: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38948028499502641 A white flash can occur when using Arthur's gold armor magic during a flood death: https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/218520158963105792/312392129144029194/Super_Ghoulsn_Ghosts_white_flash_when_using_magic_during_flood_death_USA.smv - - - Stage 1-2 (Jungle): Dying under the beginning of the stage 1-2 island area (using a midair jump after reaching the bottom of the solid island tiles) allows to respawn at the beginning of stage 1-2 instead of at the graveyard: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38940847517683398 Testing with a time-death induced jump if Arthur can reach further under a platform's bottom: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38944464639207111 Turning into a bee during a jump (or while midair) causes a new jump right away, and it seems one can't get onto the ceiling at the end of stage 1 before the bird boss (even with the jump that happens when time runs out and Arthur turns into a skeleton, shown in the 2nd movie; nor with a quadruple-jump consisting of 2 normal jumps, an automatic bee-jump and a time-death jump, shown in the 3rd movie): http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38942448944344405 http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38944451071451857 https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/218520158963105792/312391660354928640/Super_Ghoulsn_Ghosts_quadruple-jump_cannot_get_onto_ceiling_USA.smv Jumping back onto the hill before the bird boss with a bee (which works unless music changes, which indicates the boss load seemingly together with an invisible wall spawning at the hill to block it off), and in the 2nd movie while dying: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38946925811857300 http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38947295272663601 Strange bee graphics can occur when approaching the bird boss (probably caused by new sprites being loaded or used and overwriting/taking the place of parts of previously used sprites for objects in the earlier areas in the same stage): https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/218520158963105792/312392102568919042/Super_Ghoulsn_Ghosts_weird_bee_graphics_probably_from_bird_USA.smv And apparently one also cannot jump over the bird boss: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38940750735063149 Killing the bird boss stops the in-game timer roughly 2 seconds later and kills egg that the boss generated: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38947282054263868 - - - Stage 2-1 (Ghost Ship): At the beginning of ship level, one can hear the sound that Arthur makes when he lands on ground (so that might correspond to a pose change or 1 frame action occuring at the beginning there): http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38942383009377364 The invulnerability glitch technically might be doable while drowning, but one still dies to the water surface anyways: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38945043834995635 The left-most solid ghost ship part allows to check at what deepness inside his bodybox Arthur can jump through solid objects from below: https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/218520158963105792/312391858225414145/Super_Ghoulsn_Ghosts_sinking_solid_ship_part_allows_to_check_when_Arthur_can_jump_through_USA.smv Jumping under the left bottom side of the 1st ghost ship: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38947257250776755 The first spot (for the camera or Arthur) on the ghost ship which triggers the ghost activity: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38944662365213096 A damage-boost test (using an unfortunately slowly spawning ghost) to get onto the first higher platform of the 1st ghost ship part: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38944413704247582 A bee-jump test to get onto the first higher platform on the 1st ghost ship (where one seemingly needs to wait a while until the bee form wears off before one can continue by climbing a ladder) part using the very first chest far to the left and a magician's spell starting from there: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38942726733388462 The trigger for the sinking of the 1st ghost ship part isn't Arthur landing on it, but instead seems to be some fixed (maybe rectangular) area: https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/218520158963105792/312391987942653953/Super_Ghoulsn_Ghosts_trigger_for_the_sinking_of_the_ship_is_not_the_landing_but_some_fixed_area_USA.smv A (rather slow) damage-boost from the 1st higher platform on the left ghost ship part onto the 2nd higher platform using a ghost: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38944701235200712 A far damage-boost using a ghost to get from the 1st ghost ship part to the 2nd, but it isn't good enough: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38944636617223229 An attempt to quickly climb up towards the rolling raft using a magician's spell (manipulated with a jump to move at a proper angle) for a bee-jump to reach the highest platform on the 1st ghost ship part, but apparently one cannot stay on the rolling raft in bee form and instead an automatic bee-jump triggers as soon as one lands on it (and waiting until Arthur is transformed back seems to take to long to make the strategy viable): http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38942623022223228 Jumping onto the 1st ocean raft as bee (and over it in the next movie): http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38947136289845801 http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38947217792563426 The limit position (roughly) at which the rolling raft between the 1st and 2nd ghost ship part stops going back up to the left and instead continues rolling: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38947513795834584 Walking off the rolling raft keeps it from continuing to roll (even past the limit at which jumping off of it keeps it rolling): https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/218520158963105792/312392088274599936/Super_Ghoulsn_Ghosts_walking_off_the_rolling_ship_platform_keeps_it_from_going_down_USA.smv Apparently one cannot initiate climbing a ghost ship ladder if Arthur is standing on the rolling raft that connects the first 2 ghost ship parts: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38942842074100010 The stopping of the rolling raft cancels Arthur's magic attack sound: https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/218520158963105792/312391943831289856/Super_Ghoulsn_Ghosts_stopping_with_the_rolling_platform_cancels_magic_attack_sound_USA.smv A failed attempt to skip the 1st ghost ship climb using a bee-jump (and knockback from the water surface which seemed to always kill Arthur in this case) via a magician's spell: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38942709919363148 A the end of the ghost ship section, when transitioning to the ocena area, the background can blink up (in some red colour) at some frame depending on the situation: https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/218520158963105792/312391709491200021/Super_Ghoulsn_Ghosts_red_blinking_background_at_end_of_ghost_ships_USA.smv The sprites of ghosts can get messed up when the ocean section loads (probably because new sprites take the place of old ones, again) and the first raft was almost skipped: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38944713566276078 Taking a look at the right end of the ghost ship: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38947996843712679 - - - Stage 2-2 (Ocean): A close ocean raft skip attempt (with a double-jump and damage boost off a mimic): http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38948259221376997 By buffering sideways input when landing at any time on an ocean raft, Arthur can enter the running animation as opposed to stand still and just shift his body on the raft (and the raft with him): http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38944984674169516 When the end of the screen (during the screen shift on the ocean) is near ocean whirls and Arthur stands close to it, then it can shift Arthur's face sprite sideways: https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/218520158963105792/312391783487242243/Super_Ghoulsn_Ghosts_screen_shift_ripping_off_Arthurs_face_sprite_USA.smv Arthur's shield and helmet can also be pushed to the side at the ocean: https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/218520158963105792/312391843075719188/Super_Ghoulsn_Ghosts_shield_and_helmet_pushed_to_the_side_at_ocean_USA.smv When moving towards/colliding with the left side of a chest on the ocean, the game can push Arthur on top of it: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38942746312685969 Executing the spike-induced invulnerability glitch at the ocean using the end of red spike coral (which seemingly consists of a different object, indicated by a large bright red spike sprite, than the rest of the coral), and in the second movie, the glitch is executed while approaching the coral from below (and in the 3rd movie from the right side): http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38945011829978657 https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/218520158963105792/312391726264352769/Super_Ghoulsn_Ghosts_red_coral_star_invulnerability_from_below_USA.smv http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38945027950532901 Clipping through an ocean chest from below allows to enter a spike wall unharmed in different poses (as long as one doesn't actively move further into it): http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38944325065281939 Some jump test through a small gap within corals at the ocean: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38946911357363638 Arthur apparently can't move sideways past the ocean boss: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38942870829794800 - - - Stage 3-1 (Hell): Jumping back up a specific ladder (which only works if Arthur is properly centered, it seems): http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38946953046510956 A safe spot to stand on near lava (at the left edge of a platform near the initial ladders): https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/218520158963105792/312391770526711808/Super_Ghoulsn_Ghosts_safe_spot_near_lava_USA.smv A damage-boost shortcut to the left past a lava pool near the ladders: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38944427371721150 The trigger distance for the first rock in the lava to appear and rise up: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38947306327157002 Lava rocks apparently have wide collision box for Arthur's weapons, since those can collide when attacking while standing close to such rock but facing away from it: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38947320154732317 Lava rocks (as opposed to what their animation might imply) as solid objects seem to vanish completely and instantly when they disappear: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38947432091792666 Going forth down and back up at the lava bleeding skeleton platforms (to see where the left limit is placed past which the screen cannot shift): http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38944727225481186 Some funny safe spot in lava beneath the bleeding skeleton platforms to which one can get by positioning Arthur beneath the lowest such platform when it descends, so it pushes Arthur from above into the ground a bit (which probably is deep enough to avoid the lava's hitbox): http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38944687714252100 The known clip through the ground (to get somewhat out of bounds and fall into an abyss) beneath the lava and the bleeding skeleton platforms, except that there is a frame at which Arthur can jump right when the falling platform reaches into the ground (which seems to just allow to fall into the abyss at different spots): http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38944895749281351 The sprites of lava rocks can get messed up when the tower section is loaded (and maybe in general, such sprite changes could be used as criterion to determine at which points sections are loaded): http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38947420959006785 - - - Stage 3-2 (Towers): Some bat spawning at the bottom of tower when falling into the abyss (which might mean that their spawn position probably is based on Arthur's position): http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38942423651799917 http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38948013618474816 Triggering the tower spawn point at the bottom of the first tower: https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/218520158963105792/312392001377271809/Super_Ghoulsn_Ghosts_triggering_tower_spawn_point_at_bottom_USA.smv Apparently, Arthur can jump over ghoul statues (and move past a row of those without destroying them in the 2nd movie, which seemed to not have much of an influence later on): http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38947154908744329 http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38948195022569086 The higher tower stairs aren't solid but just part of the background, apparently: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38944915372624034 The background at the sides of a tower can get into vertical misalignment (with respect to the tower's interior) for short time periods (especially when the screen moves quickly vertically): https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/218520158963105792/312392074164961282/Super_Ghoulsn_Ghosts_vertically_misaligned_tower_side_background_USA.smv Arthur apparently cannot fall from a horizontally moving tower platform (and will instead rapidly switch between starting to fall and landing on the platform) when trying to walk past its right edge, as long as it moves. And for a shaking platform, one can fall that way, but it can also catch Arthur, depending on the timing (shown in the 2nd movie): http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38942287167986463 http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38942191414056772 Apparently, the screen moves upwards when passing from far below in the tower area (where the vertical extension of the possible screen positions is large) to the boss platforms area (where the screen height slowly seems to get fixed to a certain height), so that those platforms appear from above: https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/218520158963105792/312391798632742913/Super_Ghoulsn_Ghosts_screen_shifting_upwards_under_final_tower_platforms_USA.smv Arthur's face sprite is placed in front of the whirl worm boss sprite, and the boss' actual hitboxes seem to be small: https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/218520158963105792/312391959379705867/Super_Ghoulsn_Ghosts_swag_worm_cant_touch_me_yo_USA.smv It seems that the whirl worm boss doesn't or cannot spawn rocks if it is positioned to the far left of the screen boundary (such that its face would spit the rocks off-screen): https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/218520158963105792/312392115500089345/Super_Ghoulsn_Ghosts_whirl_worm_boss_not_spawning_rocks_USA.smv - - - Stage 4-1 (Guts): The first chest constitutes a safe spot in the 1st guts area after spikes grow out of the surface, and it seems some solid off-screen object at the higher part of the left open boundary can cause a collision with projectiles while the lower boundary doesn't: https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/218520158963105792/312391754974363648/Super_Ghoulsn_Ghosts_safe_spot_in_guts_level_and_off-screen_wall_collision_USA.smv Surface spike induced invulnerability glitch (by releasing Arthur's magic at the same time as getting hit by it). And it also works with the yellow environmental spikes on the surface, shown in the 2nd movie (but it seems to never work using enemies or their projectiles): http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38944870395752560 http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38945058420005980 Approaching the position of Arthur on a rotator platform at which a guts rotation is triggered. And the rotation apparently cannot be triggered by reaching the place as dead Arthur (shown in the 2nd movie): http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38944843432916496 http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38942829376632854 Arthur's magic can still be used during rotation: https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/218520158963105792/312392045182582784/Super_Ghoulsn_Ghosts_using_magic_during_rotation_USA.smv Buffering Arthur's magic at a rotator such that one immediately lands in the spot that triggers the rotation (which seems to have priority over the start of Arthur's magic) and can still use weapons (since apparently landing on ground already cancels the charged state visible in the HUD) until the end of the rotation where Arthur's magic is released. And in the 2nd movie, the same thing is tested with something that I call a forced (Arthur) magic, and in this case (as opposed to the previous one), the sound effect for the magic occurs already when landing on the rotator platform (without the attack), and re-occurs when the magic is released: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38942798396552690 http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38942775273602714 A jump test in the guts area near the end (trying to get onto a higher platform, but the knockback direction was off): http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38944826812545314 Some exploration movies in the guts area (using precise jumps to avoid spikes, or getting proper knockback towards a wall to get onto it) where one can also see some remaining older, inactive rotator platforms: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38944804399163344 http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38944765199309031 Skipping a green fire demon in the guts level area with precise jumps: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38944738501125141 Arthur can move past the guts area door trigger (since it doesn't trigger the transition during Arthur's invulnerability frames). And in the invulnerability glitch case, this effect doesn't wear off (so one cannot trigger the transition anymore in this case): http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38944790372717058 Reaching the guts area door transition spot early (without success, since the transition cannot be triggered this way, apparently): http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38944622401764240 - - - Stage 4-2 (Guts Autoscroller): almost falling from guts level autoscroller platform: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38942274069326885 Movies for some (black) boundaries of the huge shaking background sprite in the guts autoscroller section, showing the bottom of it, the left side, the top, and a corner: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38942761049286476 http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38947479201509193 http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38947490712539450 http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38944883537062573 http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38942301457139431 A vertical trigger line in the guts autoscroller section for the spawn of the next platform: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38944778210464221 Early guts autoscroller platform trigger (with jumps from the moving platform): http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38944530835504603 Getting the 1st moving higher guts autoscroller platform on screen early (with high jumps and knockback): https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/218520158963105792/312391829305688064/Super_Ghoulsn_Ghosts_seeing_the_higher_guts_autoscroller_platform_USA.smv Triggering a platform spawn without hitting a platform despawn trigger in the guts autoscroller section: https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/218520158963105792/312391625890332683/Super_Ghoulsn_Ghosts_platform_spawn_trigger_without_despawn_trigger_USA.smv Despawning a higher platform early and causing the death pit to rise (due to higher boundary for the position of the bottom of the screen): http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38944550759991405 Climbing the first platforms fast enough (probably such that some event is initiated when the upper platform starts moving, without some timer for the climb section running out; or such that the screen shake instruction for the higher platform happens earlier and is then cancelled by an on-going instruction that still runs for the previous climb section where the screen doesn't shake) is the reason (and a visual indicator) for the deletion of the screen shake later on (after some seemingly fixed short initial screen shake). This is shown for the 3rd moving platform in the 2nd movie: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38944273660361931 https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/218520158963105792/312391815099711488/Super_Ghoulsn_Ghosts_second_screen_shake_trigger_cancel_in_guts_autoscroller_USA.smv Missing a platform spawn trigger in the guts autoscroller (by simply having Arthur positioned somewhat off-centered on the moving platform): http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38948182743354006 A jump over the exit of the guts autoscroller area: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38944750410027895 The guts autoscroller area seems to have solid screen boundaries at the far right (and left, shown in the 2nd movie): https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/218520158963105792/312391908599267337/Super_Ghoulsn_Ghosts_solid_wall_at_guts_level_autoscroller_USA.smv http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38947501880850702 It is possible to jump past the dragon during its attack preparation phase (while it doesn't shoot projectiles) in which it moves its heads around. And the 2nd movie shows how Arthur is horizontally teleported back in front of the dragon as soon as it starts shooting: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38947231873087909 http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38942897978801666 A movie showing the dragon's transformation/splitting (into 1, 2 or 3 small jumping dragons, to switch from 1 side to the other when they merge again): http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38944492626514565 - - - Stage 5 (Ice World): A bee-jump into the abyss of the ice world (to explore the area a bit): http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38942466621385485 A climb strategy using bee-jumps and a damage-boost in the ice world: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38942608754227273 The ice cave's floor is visible from below (with jumps): http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38944958387317729 Jumping over a bear to dodge it, and despawning a flower (when it moves too far off-screen after spawning on screen): http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38946889186714311 Apparently, the hitboxes of segments of growing ice cave spikes appear somewhat delayed after the segments appear: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38944973688302827 A movie showing some forms and positions that the growing ice cave spikes can take: https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/218520158963105792/312391928131878914/Super_Ghoulsn_Ghosts_some_iceplant_rng_and_positioning_USA.smv There seems to be a vertical line at which the layer of falling snow is cancelled/disappears if Arthur reaches it: https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/218520158963105792/312391893554036736/Super_Ghoulsn_Ghosts_snow_cancel_trigger_USA.smv A jump back from the crystal area to the ice cave: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38946679097636459 The crystal ceiling in the ice world doesn't harm Arthur in bee form: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38944401457752460 http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38942434634355935 Invulnerability glitch executed at the purple environmental crystals: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38944998110072980 Jumping from inside a snow avalanche: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38946970380944558 Snow avalanche cancelling Arthur's magic charge: https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/218520158963105792/312391874260238336/Super_Ghoulsn_Ghosts_snow_avalanche_cancels_magic_charge_USA.smv The white screen (Arthur) magic attack snow avalanche glitch: https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/218520158963105792/312392144855891969/Super_Ghoulsn_Ghosts_white_screen_magic_attack_snow_avalanche_glitch_USA.smv A movie showing the frozen state of Arthur: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38944673964871601 - - - Stage 6 (1st Castle): The usual 1st castle damage-boost: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38942175440276770 A failed attempt at doing the known 1st castle damage-boost onto the right wall with a bee-jump instead of knockback: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38941247404589657 Red arrember moving around and walking in the floor and castle grounds: https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/218520158963105792/312391677308567553/Super_Ghoulsn_Ghosts_red_arrember_in_castle_grounds_USA.smv https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/218520158963105792/312391692311592962/Super_Ghoulsn_Ghosts_Red_Arrember_walking_inside_floor_USA.smv - - - Stage 7 (2nd Castle): A damage-boost up a ladder in the 2nd castle: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38944438920024630 Jumping through the 2nd and 3rd layer of the crumbling wall doesn't work in U.S. version (but does work in the J. version, where they are simply non-solid from the beginning): http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38947244769388772 Nebiroth shooting his wide blue claw beam in the wrong direction (while Arthur is switching from 1 side to the other through Nebiroth's body): http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38948220256738082 The final key doesn't have the ''nice catch'' message trigger: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38944649406709754 Collecting the final key with Arthur's magic attack sound happening at the same time: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38944340759092567 - - - Stage 8 (Final Boss): - - - Miscellanous: Arthur's magic can be charged a bit (before it can be automatically reset) at the beginning of some stages without delay (as opposed to movement during the initial stage message) and Arthur's magic charge isn't carried over to the next stage: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38948044054680528 Arthur's magic charging sound has priority over the sound happening when collecting a money bag: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38943196904950784 Mashing the 2 attack buttons alternatively allows to charge Arthur's magic while attacking: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38948112390360643 Initiating Arthur's magic on a falling platform drags him with it during his pose (as opposed to when a platform Arthur is standing on simply vanishes, in which case he keeps his position midair, shown in the 2nd movie).And releasing Arthur's magic while sliding off a platform positions him midair, away from the platform (shown in the 3rd movie): http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38942912399543004 http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38942927766655228 https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/218520158963105792/312391740801941505/Super_Ghoulsn_Ghosts_releasing_magic_attack_while_sliding_off_a_platform_USA.smv Another platform slide during the initiation of Arthur's magic (such that Arthur is re-positioned to the side of the higher platform to which he drifted on a slightly lower platform, in this case): http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38942356778599375 Using Arthur's magic from inside enemies: https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/218520158963105792/312392029566926849/Super_Ghoulsn_Ghosts_using_dragon_magic_from_inside_enemies_USA.smv Using Arthur's temporary, magic induced invulnerability to move through spikes: https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/218520158963105792/312392060294660097/Super_Ghoulsn_Ghosts_using_temporary_magic_attack_invulnerability_to_move_through_spikesUSA.smv Grabbing a key cancels the start of Arthur's magic attack: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38947271333261891 Cancelling Arthur's charged magic state in the HUD with an instant jump as soon as Arthur lands, in order to be able to use attacks midair right before a forced magic attack (which is triggered when landing again on ground): http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38942816607837143 A case in which the magician thinks Arthur is positioned far below him such that he shoots his spell downwards, even though Arthur was partially above the screen (which might mean that the space as usual loops vertically and y coordinates past the top of the screen count as being far down in the room): http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38948090724541558 The magician's spell cannot hit Arthur during Arthur's invulnerability: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38948101394961565 Arthur's transformation when getting hit by a magician's spell depends on Arthur's current state (as opposed to his state at magician chest opening, or when the magician's spell is fired): http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38948079163285019 A magician can still be killed after he casts a spell: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38940867670512644 A movie showing the automatic bee-jump when falling into a magician's spell: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38942408113109091 When Arthur turns into a bee on a ladder, a bee-jump initiates (towards the last direction Arthur faced before climbing the ladder or always to the right, probably): https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/218520158963105792/312392015297904643/Super_Ghoulsn_Ghosts_turning_into_bee_on_stairs_USA.smv As bee, Arthur falls through spikes instead of getting hit by them: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38942373133893306 The behavior of chests when approaching them with Arthur from the right and left side: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38943219104851335 An ocean chest dropping nothing (while a green fish approaches): http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38943231126364805 Arthur's weapon projectiles despawn when Arthur gets hit, apparently: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38942396079738672 Arthur cannot grab a key while he's dead: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38942885243824840 Tapping the other direction button when Arthur is standing on ground doesn't turn Arthur around: https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/218520158963105792/312391973187223562/Super_Ghoulsn_Ghosts_tapping_the_other_direction_at_standing_on_ground_doesnt_turn_Arthur_around_USA.smv Hitting bears with Arthur's projectiles prevents them from generating projectiles for few frames: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38944928099503561 Hitting an enemy with Arthur's projectile while Arthur is facing away from it: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38944938746129738 Arthur dying while killing a boss (and having the time run out afterwards, shown in the 2nd movie): http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38944505596050918 http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38944517183743762 Triggering the ''nice catch'' message (by collecting a key while Up is held): http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/38948234241468896 - - - Here is some timestamps that I made for the currently published TAS that might help for proper comparisons later on: ----- (434) Bridge cutscene cancel: 434 (97) Switch to Option Mode after bridge cutscene via Up input (and Start right afterwards): 531 (132) Switch from Normal to Expert (with special menu trigger right afterwards): 663 (65) First (Left) input at special menu: 728 (4) Start input at special menu: 732 (64) First (Right) input at Option Mode after special menu (with Start right afterwards): 796 (98) Game Start confirmation: 894 (115) Castle attack cutscene cancel: 1009 (64) - - - World map cutscene cancel: 1073 (279) First inputs in stage 7: 1352 (232) First frame of visible Astaroth: 1584 (782) First frame of Astaroth explosion sprite: 2366 (118) First frame of visible Nebiroth: 2484 (1050) First frame of Nebiroth being invisible (first explosion sprite right afterwards): 3534 (102) First frame of "take a key for coming in!" message (with key appearing right afterwards): 3636 (65) First frame of key and message disappearing: 3701 (15) First frame of HUD disappearing: 3716 (293) First frame of princess text appearing: 4009 (1487) First frame of 1st text disappearing: 5496 (71) First frame of 2nd princess text appearing: 5567 (1543) First frame of 2nd princess text disappearing: 7110 (71) First frame of 3rd princess text appearing: 7181 (1679) - - - First frame of button input at stage 1: 8860 (405) Frame of first Jump input for "graveyard CWJ" (2nd Jump input is at 9291): 9265 (2041) First frame of flood background turning black for 1st flood: 11306 (65) First frame of bright foreground water appearing for 1st flood: 11371 (82) First frame of flood background appearing after 1st flood: 11453 (222) First frame of flood background turning black for 2nd flood: 11675 (65) First frame of bright foreground water appearing for 2nd flood: 11740 (82) First frame of flood background appearing after 2nd flood: 11822 (87) First frame of flood background turning black for 3rd flood: 11909 (65) First frame of bright foreground water appearing for 3rd flood: 11974 (82) First frame of flood background appearing after 3rd flood: 12056 (1907) [First Attack button frame at 1st boss: 13963] (39) First frame of bird head disappearing (with first explosion sprite right afterwards): 14002 (121) First frame of "take a key for coming in!" message (with key appearing right afterwards): 14123 (65) First frame of "clear bonus!" message: 14188 (254) - - - World map cutscene cancel: 14442 (294) First frame of button input at stage 2: 14736 (816) Frame of first Jump input for ship doublejump onto first higher platform (and 2nd Jump input is at 15573): 15552 (58) Frame of first Up input for first ladder climb: 15610 (116) Frame of last Up input for first ladder climb: 15726 (165) [Frame of Jump input for jump to rolling platform: 15891] (43) First frame of Arthur appearing in standing pose on rolling platform: 15934 (183) [Frame of first Jump input on rolling platform (and 2nd Jump input at 16138): 16117] (1073) First frame of Arthur appearing in standing pose on ocean platform: 17190 (102) First frame of water splash animation when ocean platform lands: 17292 (12363) [First Attack button frame at 2nd boss: 29655] (145) First frame of 2nd boss explosion sprite appearing: 29800 (231) First frame of "take a key for coming in!" message (with key appearing same frame): 30031 (109) First frame of "clear bonus!" message: 30140 (340) - - - World map cutscene cancel: 30480 (278) First frame of button input at stage 3: 30758 (361) Last frame of Down input at 1st ladder: 31119 (358) [First Down input at 2nd ladder: 31477] (113) Last Down input at 2nd ladder: 31590 (203) First Down input at 3rd ladder: 31793 (81) Last Down input at 3rd ladder: 31874 (235) First Down input at 4th ladder: 32109 (104) Last Down input at 4th ladder: 32213 (2130) First frame of Arthur appearing in standing pose on 1st tower platform: 34343 (657) First frame of Arthur appearing in standing pose on 2nd tower platform: 35000 (1131) First frame of Arthur appearing in standing pose on 3rd tower platform: 36131 (812) First frame of Arthur appearing in standing pose on 4th tower platform: 36943 (1752) [First Attack button frame at 3rd boss: 38695] (383) First frame of 3rd boss disappearing (with first explosion sprite appearing right afterwards): 39078 (127) First frame of "take a key for coming in!" message (with key appearing right afterwards): 39205 (65) First frame of "clear bonus!" message: 39270 (174) - - - World map cutscene cancel: 39444 (200) First frame of button input at stage 4: 39644 (414) First frame of 1st rotator platform expanding around Arthur: 40058 (367) First frame of 2nd rotator platform expanding around Arthur: 40425 (1278) First frame of 3rd rotator platform expanding around Arthur: 41703 (924) First frame of 4th rotator platform expanding around Arthur: 42627 (586) First frame of autoscroller background appearing: 43213 (1476) First frame of Arthur appearing in standing pose on 2nd autoscroller platform: 44689 (1239) First frame of Arthur appearing in standing pose on 3rd autoscroller platform: 45928 (1198) First frame of dragon boss area appearing: 47126 (215) [First Attack button frame at 4th boss: 47341] (300) First frame of 4th boss completely disappearing: 47641 (100) First frame of "take a key for coming in!" message (with key appearing same frame): 47741 (65) First frame of "clear bonus!" message: 47806 (245) - - - World map cutscene cancel: 48051 (269) First frame of button input at stage 5: 48320 (5230) [First Attack button frame at 5th boss: 53550] (168) First frame of boss explosion sprite appearing: 53718 (128) First frame of "take a key for coming in!" message (with key appearing same frame): 53846 (65) First frame of "clear bonus!" message: 53911 (201) - - - World map cutscene cancel: 54112 (283) First frame of button input at stage 6: 54395 (1154) First frame of Astaroth appearing: 55549 (113) [First Attack button frame at 6th boss: 55662] (164) First frame of boss explosion sprite appearing: 55826 (82) First frame of "take a key for coming in!" message (with key appearing right afterwards): 55908 (65) First frame of "clear bonus!" message: 55973 (201) - - - World map cutscene cancel: 56174 (279) First frame of button input at stage 7: 56453 (330) Last frame of Up input at 1st ladder climb: 56783 (775) First frame of Up input at 2nd ladder climb: 57558 (194) Last frame of Up input at 2nd ladder climb: 57752 (313) First frame of left wall crumbling: 58065 (165) First frame of Up input at 3rd ladder climb: 58230 (194) Last frame of Up input at 3rd ladder climb: 58424 (899) First frame of Astaroth appearing: 59323 (113) [First Attack button frame at Astaroth boss: 59436] (214) First frame of Astaroth explosion sprite appearing: 59650 (178) First frame of Nebiroth appearing: 59828 (106) [First Attack button frame at Nebiroth boss: 59934] (229) First frame of Nebiroth explosion sprite appearing: 60163 (82) First frame of "take a key for coming in!" message (with key appearing right afterwards): 60245 (65) First frame of "clear bonus!" message: 60310 (202) - - - World map cutscene cancel: 60512 (639) [First Attack button frame at 8th boss: 61151] (229) Frame of last input: 61380 ----- Edit: I made a video that shows the content of the movie files: Link to video
collect, analyse, categorise. "Mathematics - When tool-assisted skills are just not enough" ;) Don't want to be taking up so much space adding to posts, but might be worth mentioning and letting others know for what games 1) already some TAS work has been done (ordered in decreasing amount, relative to a game completion) by me and 2) I am (in decreasing order) planning/considering to TAS them. Those would majorly be SNES games (if not, it will be indicated in the list) I'm focusing on. 1) Spanky's Quest; On the Ball/Cameltry; Musya; Super R-Type; Plok; Sutte Hakkun; The Wizard of Oz; Battletoads Doubledragon; Super Ghouls'n Ghosts; Firepower 2000; Brain Lord; Warios Woods; Super Turrican; The Humans. 2) Secret Command (SEGA); Star Force (NES); Hyperzone; Aladdin; R-Type 3; Power Blade 2 (NES); Super Turrican 2; First Samurai. (last updated: 18.03.2018)
Player (146)
Joined: 5/9/2011
Posts: 25
I personally don't like that the TAS only plays one half of the game, but each to their own. I don't know how it goes for professional, but on normal the second loop becomes more difficult... though perhaps not so for a TAS I will admit. Still, if someone is only interested in one loop, they can choose to not watch the entire video.
PJ
He/Him
Joined: 2/1/2011
Posts: 181
Location: Western NY
Just finding the new updates on this thread now! I admit I didn't read the giant wall of text above, so some of this might be repeat info. I'll just chime in on a few things that might be relevant to the TAS. 1. Autoscroller skip. As Omnigamer mentioned, we tested this awhile ago, and not only did we find that it wasn't really possible, but if you did managed to land cleanly on the bottom raft, the boss wouldn't spawn. I was trying to approach it with a damage boost (lure a mimic ghost into a really shallow downward angle, then maximize your double jump and damage boost afterwards) but was unsuccessful. Omnigamer made an infinite double jump code to test after the fact. I really doubt it is possible to land on there through any means, unfortunately. 2. The bee transformation is really special because Arthur has no hitbox on the ground. He also gets a pretty substantial boost if transforming in mid-air, which might be useful in reaching platforms that are normally out of reach. It is possible to land on the first platform of 2a with a bee transformation boost off the first chest magician, but I remember it not being faster because bees can't climb ladders. You can also take advantage of the bee special effect to skip the 2nd row of lava in stage 3 without damage boosting (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3q5lilJO4M). This is slower in real time, so it is almost definitely useless for a TAS. 3. Awhile ago, I tried skipping rotation cycles in stage 4 by damage boosting to the end of 4a. While it is possible to reach the "end" of the screen early, there is no loading zone present. 4. I've been considering redoing this TAS for about 4 years, but there are a lot of things stopping me. This game has a TON of lag and there are some really, really rare occurrences that have the potential to save a lot of time on that front, but I have no idea what controls them. For example, I despawned the background music in stage 2 a few times (example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcFHu5u_sd4), but have been unable to consistently replicate it. Sometimes no bats ever spawn in stage 3b, and sometimes no shield guys ever spawn in the ice cave of stage 5. There are so many small things like these that would save appreciable time in a TAS but are so wildly random that I can't reproduce them. I found one way to eventually despawn the bats in 3b by the 2nd tower, and one way to force the shield guys to never spawn in stage 5 with the axe magic, but I can't trigger them in any other way with any kind of consistency. 5. I believe a TAS of this should be two loops, and should use as many different weapons as possible. I think the end result would be an absolutely incredible TAS, but the amount of upfront work I'd have to put in to testing all the different speeds of the weapons is really daunting. I know for the fact that the dagger is not the fastest in all situations, but has really good lag reduction properties. Optimal torch play (like in a TAS) should be faster on every boss except stage 4, and that boss is fastest with upgraded axe. The bosses are relatively simple though; the tricky part is minimizing lag in the stages themselves and figuring out those 1 in a million situations where enemies never spawn or the music goes away. I know I'm forgetting a lot of stuff, but I can't remember what else I wanted to mention. I post here again if I can think of it.
Player (146)
Joined: 5/9/2011
Posts: 25
PJ wrote:
For example, I despawned the background music in stage 2 a few times (example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcFHu5u_sd4), but have been unable to consistently replicate it.
Interesting. I though the silenced music was tied to the mimic damage boost, as can be seen here - https://clips.twitch.tv/SillyAffluentHawkDxCat. Guess it wasn't, haha.
Senior Moderator
Joined: 8/4/2005
Posts: 5769
Location: Away
I agree re: two loops and more weapons.
Warp wrote:
Edit: I think I understand now: It's my avatar, isn't it? It makes me look angry.
PJ
He/Him
Joined: 2/1/2011
Posts: 181
Location: Western NY
Fred wrote:
PJ wrote:
For example, I despawned the background music in stage 2 a few times (example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcFHu5u_sd4), but have been unable to consistently replicate it.
Interesting. I though the silenced music was tied to the mimic damage boost, as can be seen here - https://clips.twitch.tv/SillyAffluentHawkDxCat. Guess it wasn't, haha.
Like many things in this game, I have no idea what causes it. I had the music change in stage 1 on opening a chest (that VOD was lost...), and was never able to reproduce it. I don't even have any idea of how to begin looking for it besides playing this game a LOT again, exclusively on emulator, and recording everything in hopes that some freak accident happens and we can investigate.
Player (33)
Joined: 2/16/2012
Posts: 282
While on the topic of "crazy things that haven't been explained," I'm curious if anybody might know technical details related to this bug: Link to video As far as I know, this is SNES-hardware dependent for specific 1CHIP full-size models. I have a model of SNES that shows the same effects. In this case it's just graphical anomalies, but I'm wondering if it could have any subtle effects in this or other games as well.
Player (32)
Joined: 10/9/2016
Posts: 40
Omnigamer wrote:
As far as I know, this is SNES-hardware dependent for specific 1CHIP full-size models. I have a model of SNES that shows the same effects. In this case it's just graphical anomalies, but I'm wondering if it could have any subtle effects in this or other games as well.
In the game called Secret of Evermore there is a possible skip called Verminator skip which lets you skip the boss Verminator which is known to only work on specific SNES models such as the Super Famicom, SNES Mini or a 1-Chip SNES. It is being assumed that it is related to the sound chip that makes this skip either crash or not. And even for Emulators it's known to only work on specific ones and even for them it's random if it will work or not. So I can't really help out with your issues this game has but I can in fact confirm that such strange things happen in other games as well.
Player (33)
Joined: 2/16/2012
Posts: 282
I'm not really looking for help so much as just a better understanding of what hardware differences actually cause this. The behavior is awfully specific (incorrect sprite ordering for just 1 stage?), and as far as I know there aren't a whole lot of implementation details for the various SNES hardware revisions. It could be something like Genesis Model 3 where some instructions were fixed when they re-made the CPU, but ironically some games relied on the broken behavior of those instructions. Most of what I've seen for different SNES revisions are just changes to encoders and board layout. The above behavior isn't specific to 1CHIP models either, as I have a mini-SNES that doesn't show this same error. It's confusing, but something I'd really like to understand for TAS purposes.
Player (146)
Joined: 5/9/2011
Posts: 25
Perhaps not useful for the TAS, but here's another strange situation I've only seen once: Nebiroth only walking to the right. Sure would be handy for runs if he'd do that more often! https://www.twitch.tv/videos/150857258?t=17m01s
Player (146)
Joined: 5/9/2011
Posts: 25
For the flying armor despawns in stage 5, my guess is that the object limit is reached. I made a clip that has a lua script counter for how many slots are available (-1 = full) and the flying armors only appearing after it clears up some. It's not a complete despawn like PJ mentioned but it might be related, who knows (flying armor spawner never activating due to no available slots? no idea). Link to video
Joka
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Player (5)
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Location: Sweden
@Omnigamer, I don't know if it helps but I get the same graphical glitches if I try to play in through my gave saver. It goes away if I password to stage 2 and then reset.
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Player (146)
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Here's something matamadae showed me the other day: https://clips.twitch.tv/JollyHedonisticCrowArgieB8 You can get crossbow speed in stage 1 by casting the magic while exiting a cage. With this, you can somehow bypass cockatrice's i-frames with the dagger. I was able to get crossbow speed myself, but I didn't get the glitchy boss part to work. Not sure if this is faster or not as you'd have to get gold armor and all that.
Player (146)
Joined: 5/9/2011
Posts: 25
We have a new WR time for the game: 21 seconds by Malcome! Link to video Jokes aside, I'm guessing this is "only" a crash & music switch rather than the game failing to play the credits proper. I'm thinking it's caused by the coffin and fire pillar overlapping... but not sure. There's definitely been cases before where the games tries to spawn an enemy and loads faulty data - for example, here's a misplaced wolf. https://www.twitch.tv/videos/164646884?t=04s
Aran_Jaeger
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I'm interested in this and after some testing, I think the reason for it probably is related to some enemy and or enemy projectile limit, or related to an enemy projectile existing while the enemy that fired said projectile doesn't exist anymore. In particular I think this might be related to the Red Skull Flames enemy to the left, since after Arthur passes some x position (roughly at the right side where the rock pillar is, as soon as Arthur would walk past its edge and fall down, but maybe already a slight bit further to the left), this left Red Skull Flames enemy will be despawned, and in the video the timing might just be right such that it barely manages to fire another projectile before or while it despawns, and on top of this, the game already started spawning the right Red Skull Flames enemy aswell as the leftwards walking zombie (at the same spot), which might be too many objects for the game to handle. Or it could be that the left Red Skull Flames enemy fires its projectile (which one unfortunately doesn't see if there is one), then despawns, then the right Red Skull Flames enemy spawns and starts initiating the process to fire an own projectile of the same type, and maybe tries to take over or possess the previous Red Skull Flame's projectile and some code collides, but I can only make guesses/theories on what caused this. Edit: If we're unlucky, then Arthur's position or enemy positions or the game timer's value or the score value might also be relevant and play a role in this. Another potential reason for this occurrence might be that the left Red Skull Flames enemy just finished firing its projectile and starts another projectile initiation phase at the same time as when the newly appearing Red Skull Flames enemy tries to do the same (or maybe the number of fireball projectiles is meant to be limited to at most 2 existing or being produced at the same time). Maybe one can get interesting results if one manipulates the left Red Skull Flames enemy (aswell as the right one) to both fire their projectiles horizontally to the right and then keep the screen going to the right with Arthur and reach the next pair of these enemies to try to have as many of their projectiles active or being produced at the same time. Considering that their fireball projectiles seem to add a great deal to the amount of lag occuring, this might be an indicator for them doing some strange things in the game's code, so I'd focus on these. Actually, the rising up of a Red Skull Flames enemy aswell as when it starts it's long animation until a fireball projectile is generated seem to cause more lag than the sole existence of their projectiles once they have been generated. Based on this observation, I think the cause of this strange occurrence is likely correlated to the right Red Skull Flames enemy starting with it's head wiggling animation combined with something else happening or having happened shortly beforehand. Also no, it turns out 3 4 of their fireballs can exist at the same time without problems: It might also help to kill enemies (to initiate their death routines and explosion animations) around the moment of greatest lag (in order to create a glitch). And I assume one would also want to keep Arthur from blinking/having i-frames (since this probably reduces lag when it doesn't draw Arthur every other frame, makes it easier for the game to keep going). Apparently, the footage is from this twitch stream: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/267709696
collect, analyse, categorise. "Mathematics - When tool-assisted skills are just not enough" ;) Don't want to be taking up so much space adding to posts, but might be worth mentioning and letting others know for what games 1) already some TAS work has been done (ordered in decreasing amount, relative to a game completion) by me and 2) I am (in decreasing order) planning/considering to TAS them. Those would majorly be SNES games (if not, it will be indicated in the list) I'm focusing on. 1) Spanky's Quest; On the Ball/Cameltry; Musya; Super R-Type; Plok; Sutte Hakkun; The Wizard of Oz; Battletoads Doubledragon; Super Ghouls'n Ghosts; Firepower 2000; Brain Lord; Warios Woods; Super Turrican; The Humans. 2) Secret Command (SEGA); Star Force (NES); Hyperzone; Aladdin; R-Type 3; Power Blade 2 (NES); Super Turrican 2; First Samurai. (last updated: 18.03.2018)