Moon Patrol

Moon Patrol is a 1982 arcade video game developed and released by Irem. It was licensed to Williams for distribution in North America. The player controls a Moon buggy which can jump over and shoot obstacles on a horizontally scrolling landscape as well as shoot aerial attackers. -wikipedia

TASing

This was one of my favorite arcade classics. After I figured out the the ROM situations for a number of arcade games (for use with bizhawk), I finally decided to give this a try. I actually was surprised how easy it was TASing this game. In fact, most of this game was a simple exercise in RNG manipulation and applying my 8 years of TAS experience. The only trouble was figuring out a route around one set of mines...which I eventually gave up and slowed down. This slowness was the only one that occurs in the entire run.

Tools

  • BizHawk 2.9.0

Ending

Moon Patrol has two courses...the regular course and the "Champion Stage". I don't know why the game has "Champion Stage 2", since it is a repeat of "Champion Stage 1". If there is any question about this, I can take the inputs and re-sync to get that extra course....as the only difference is RNG.
Here is a TAS of this game, which did "Champion Course 2"...which you can play side-by-side to see that "Champion Course 1" are the same.

Thanks

  • darkman425 for his understanding on arcade ROM construction.
  • LogansGamingRoom For reminding me of this game, after your Atari submission.

nymx: Updating moving file with technique that cuts 403 frames.

nymx: Updated with newer encode to reflect the recent cuts made.

Darkman425: Claiming for judging.
Darkman425: The patrolling looks good to me. Accepting to Standard.
fsvgm777: Processing.


TASVideoAgent
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This topic is for the purpose of discussing #8280: nymx's Arcade Moon Patrol in 13:33.78
nymx
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I feel super dumb right now. I didn't experiment enough. Sometimes I am able to see details, after I submit. I don't know why. I will be uploading an improvement within 24 hours.
I recently discovered that if you haven't reached a level of frustration with TASing any game, then you haven't done your due diligence. ---- SOYZA: Are you playing a game? NYMX: I'm not playing a game, I'm TASing. SOYZA: Oh...so its not a game...Its for real? ---- Anybody got a Quantum computer I can borrow for 20 minutes? Nevermind...eien's 64 core machine will do. :) ---- BOTing will be the end of all games. --NYMX
nymx
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Editor, Judge, Expert player (2246)
Joined: 11/14/2014
Posts: 933
Location: South Pole, True Land Down Under
I've updated this movie with a version that cuts 403 frames off, due to a jumping technique that I missed. I will get a new encode later.
I recently discovered that if you haven't reached a level of frustration with TASing any game, then you haven't done your due diligence. ---- SOYZA: Are you playing a game? NYMX: I'm not playing a game, I'm TASing. SOYZA: Oh...so its not a game...Its for real? ---- Anybody got a Quantum computer I can borrow for 20 minutes? Nevermind...eien's 64 core machine will do. :) ---- BOTing will be the end of all games. --NYMX
PLANET
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Another one of childhood's memories... this is great. A beautiful TAS.. Obviously, Yes vote.
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. ---- [5298] Arcade Moon Patrol by nymx in 13:33.78