Joined: 1/13/2007
Posts: 343
I think this game would be interesting to TAS. Goal is to end game with max score in minimum number of frames. SOme info about the game to help those who would TAS it. The most points are scored by a tetris that clears the screen. Naturally, a TAS of this game should do this as often as possible. The piece sequence cannot be manipulated, except by getting a game over. The powerup blocks CAN be manipulated though. CLearing X lines scares as much as ((x-1)mod 4)+1 lines. so clearing 5 lines scores the same as clearing 1 line. (this can happen with use of flicky) The important powerups, score-wise,are sattelite and flicky. CLearing the entire field by shooting with the sattelite gives a bonus that's multiplied by your level. This increases without limit, so eventually, it will score more than a bravo. That said a TAS is unlikely to reach this limit. :) You can score bravos with flicky itself by filling each column with exactly 5. the firs tone dropped in the last column will clear a line, and if you drop the other four before the line finishes clearing you will score a tetris bravo. You may then repeat this if you have time. You can also set up the field so your next piece bravos, if it's an O, L, J or I piece. Depending on the field position, y9ou can also do this with satellite, by chipping away at the field. BLocks shot out by the sattelite do score points, but they are inconsequential. The scoring for line clears maxes out at level 10. A tetris bravo at this point gives you 1/10th of the score needed for the max-out. Lines cleared by the "4" powerup DO count towards increasing the level. Lines cleared by Flicky do NOT. Every four lines cleared raises the level. The level will also raise with time if no lines are cleared for a bit. So the 4 powerup can be useful in reaching level 10 fast. Collecting any powerup removes all others from the field. There is a priority system for selecting powerups when more than one is collected. the 4 powerup always has top priority, because it never screws anything up ever. I have not been able to work out the rest of the priority system.
Joined: 1/13/2007
Posts: 343
I have more info about the RNG for pieces and powerups, fo those who want to tas. The 1000 piece sequence is generated at game start. Every piece the rng is also called to see what powerup it would have. The powerup depends on the height of the stack, ignoring the outer six columns. every so many frames of active playtime when nut using a powerup item, the game will introduce a new powerup. So by varying how long it takes to place your pieces, and where you place them, you can manipulate what powerups you get. Flicky and Satellite are the best powerups, and to max the game out quickly you want as many of them as you can get. Under TAS conditions it's easy to clear the screen with satellite, and make tetris bravos with flicky. Here's a start. Place the first six pieces such that the red meter fills just before the third piece hits the ground, and that it fills the second time just before the 6th piece hits the ground, and there's a tetris hole on the right. This will give you a flicky powerup in the I piece. This will get you from level 0 to 1, and allows you to make at least 2 tetris bravos, and maybe three under TAS conditions. 2 is doable RTA.
Joined: 1/13/2007
Posts: 343
And now it's been fully documented. https://tetris.wiki/Bloxeed yes this means starting a second player and using their inputs to advance the item seed to get moar flicky is probably optimal. :)