(Link to video)
This submission is for Ice Hockey, one of the best sports games on the console. Fast paced, frantic, fun... and we do none of those things.
In my obsession to end inputs as early as possible, I bring to you the latest and greatest, "most" "exciting" tech. Yes, this is all vs the CPU and not the 2nd player.
Hockey is far from boring (usually.) There's a lot of "play" time compared to some other sports who have constant replays and generally get stopped pretty often. Hockey can go a long time without a stoppage.
So I threw all that out the window. I discovered a way to lock down the AI during the faceoff to where they literally can't do anything. 25 (this number varies based on what body types are in the actual faceoff) frames after the puck drops, two one frame A taps will freeze everyone in place until you "win" the faceoff.
There's about 3 seconds of gameplay in the 2nd period. We do have to score a goal after all, so we score the goal at the best possible frame (right after the clock hits 0:00) which skips the resulting faceoff and goes to intermission with the zambonis.
At the start of the 3rd, we're up 1-0 and we do the lockdown again which ends up being the final input for the TAS. We more or less skip the entire 3rd period.
And thus, we win a game of stickpuck in inhuman time.
Enjoy the shenanigans!

feos: Claiming for judging.
feos: Thanks to ViGadeomes for the review!
The file doesn't have to be replaced, because the fact that the NES core involved cycle timings for a bit was just a bug and it was fixed after release 2.8. Actual timing of the movie is unaffected either way, because NES frames have equal duration.
The game doesn't have an obvious ending screen, but it has a cutscene after the 3 period where the losing team goes away and the winner team celebrates, and then the game goes back to the main screen. I think that counts as a legitimate game end. You can continue playing to beat all teams, and that could be a separate branch, alongside a potential "maximum goals" one.
Accepting.

despoa: Processing...

TASVideoAgent
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This topic is for the purpose of discussing #7964: ShesChardcore's NES Ice Hockey in 05:37.13
Sand
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Joined: 6/26/2018
Posts: 154
I appreciate what you're doing, good work ShesChardcore. Nice observation about scoring at 0:00 to avoid a faceoff. Do I understand correctly, that the first two periods could be treated as a playaround, as long as you don't do anything that stops the clock or causes lag frames? That is, for the purposes of ending input early, the faceoff lockdown trick is only strictly necessary in the third period?
ShesChardcore
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Joined: 2/23/2022
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Location: MN
Sand wrote:
I appreciate what you're doing, good work ShesChardcore. Nice observation about scoring at 0:00 to avoid a faceoff. Do I understand correctly, that the first two periods could be treated as a playaround, as long as you don't do anything that stops the clock or causes lag frames? That is, for the purposes of ending input early, the faceoff lockdown trick is only strictly necessary in the third period?
That's correct. There could be playaround potential for the first two periods but I chose to go the other direction. Let's call it artistic choice. I personally find it more entertaining that the AI is exploitable in such a way.
ViGadeomes
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Judge, Active player (303)
Joined: 10/16/2017
Posts: 457
Location: France
I like how the AI is locked ! Nothing to say about the mode used here, the movie syncs, the game is completed with the win of the match. In term of optimization, the only goal is effectively done at the right moment to save time. The only flaws on the surface is a waitting of 6 frames on the lineup screen before the match starts but it messes up everything else later on if changed and I have no clue if it could save time and even if it could, it wouldn't justify a rejection. To me everything fits !
Editor, Player (67)
Joined: 6/22/2005
Posts: 1041
Nice find with the glitch, but I find the implementation in the current movie boring due to the lack of action. No vote.
Current Projects: TAS: Wizards & Warriors III.
Post subject: Movie published
TASVideoAgent
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This movie has been published. The posts before this message apply to the submission, and posts after this message apply to the published movie. ---- [5082] NES Ice Hockey by ShesChardcore in 05:37.13