Over the several months Del's hard work found a few improvements over the previous TAS, and I joined the ride to polish a bit more. Here is our third iteration with an improvement of 867 frames (14.45 s) of in-game time over the 2020 TAS. Enjoy!

Game objectives

  • Emulator used: libtas v1.4.5
  • Running the speedrun mode
  • Aims at fastest in-game time
To unlock the speedrun mode, you have to beat the game once to unlock it. Here is the movie file which beats the game.

Tricks

See the previous TAS sumbissions for the already known tricks. Here are only the new ones.

Key teleport

Used in level 6-7. When grabbing the key, rewinding to a green state and fast-forward until the green state goes off, we can warp to the position where we picked the key. By rewinding again, we can move back to the green state while keeping the key. This is the major time save of this TAS.

Better grab cancels

Although unintuitive, it is faster to grab cancel ladders from the base, instead of jumping ahead to grab ladders higher. This leads to a few frames of improvement here and there

Top ladder grab cancel

In general, it is not faster, when climbing up, to release a ladder and grab-cancel up. This is because releasing a ladder takes one frame, and although grab-cancel up is slightly faster than climbing, we don't catch enough to make it worth. However, when near the peak of a ladder, pressing forward while releasing the ladder still makes you move up. You can then grab-cancel for two frames, grab the ladder, and repeat the process once more. All of this was performed in the run whenever possible (it is more noticeable by its sound), and it saves exactly one frame each time.

Improvements

Most of the stages were improved with more precise boost speed.
Level2013 TAS2020 TASCurrent TASImprovementCumulativeComments
hub10251019101900
2-124532299229455
2-2122612171210712
2-3128112411239214
2-26156135654862A very precise platform position will trigger a big boost
2-3254245245062
2-42876283528241173
hub297297295275
3-1291286286075
3-2810698695378
3-3969858857179
3-417061644161133112The key was taken with a precise boost on the goomba
3-52683263226311113
3-637143690364446159A better bounce using the rabbit
3-795982281210169
3-8266925692333236405With strong optimization, it was possible to barely reach the lever without having to wait
hub3103103100405
4-13783733730405
4-214129329311406
4-3136973871127433A slightly different speed after the last spring load gives the perfect trajectory to the door
4-41705165616479442
4-51447116411568450
4-61369135013455455
4-71898186718625460
hub4484414410460
5-12452392390460
5-214701311129714474
5-31266122712216480
5-41604154215420480
5-532853242322319499
5-618251616154769568By using grab cancel up to stay in the air longer while gaining more fall speed, we could have high speed bounce
5-784283181318586
hub2072082071587
6-12622582580587
6-211768848840587
6-310529969960587
6-43510346534650587
6-52587255725570587
6-637613551351833620
6-7234217131484229849Key teleport method for a completely new route
hub7416986911850
1-42652652650850
1-33913903837857
1-29089019001858
1-19009895189492860
epilogue1757173717307867

fsvgm777: Replacing movie file with one that includes an additional note in the annotations. The total run time remains unchanged.

feos: Claiming for judging.
feos: Great job as always! Accepting over [4355] Linux Braid "Speedrun mode" by keylie in 19:39.58 to stars. Regarding the branch label, here are my thoughts.
Originally, Moons (and Stars by extension) didn't care which goal it is as long as it's entertaining, so it made sense to use clean save and savegame interchangeably there for branches that aren't different enough.
But with savegame being Standard and with the policy to always label it, confusion may come from lack of label. If the modes aren't different enough to co-exist, it just means new movies will keep using the speedrun mode, because regular mode makes little sense to actually TAS. If someone does decide to TAS normal mode, slight timing differences may require a discussion about whether it's still worth to separate them.
So I think the branch using the speedrun mode needs a label, but I'll let the publisher decide.

fsvgm777: I personally don't think labeling it as "Speedrun mode" is really necessary here, cause the key difference during main gameplay is that it adds an in-game timer, and the base game is essentially played with the timer present.
Anyways, processing. I am however interested in what other people have to say, though.


TASVideoAgent
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This topic is for the purpose of discussing #9074: keylie & Del's Linux Braid "Speedrun mode" in 19:24.98
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Great run and giving it a yes vote, but might want a disclaimer about the few loud noises. I had a headset on, and I think my wife from the other room heard the loud parts lol
Patashu
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I look forward to this TAS every time, it's one of my all time favourites. The new glitch in 6-7 is incredible, great find. Thank you for working so hard on this one across so many years! Braid Anniversary has (may soon be had) a glitch that lets you use Commentary doors in Speed Run mode, letting you achieve sub 1 minute times: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlQ3cqmHMpo Otherwise the game feels identical but there may be some subtle differences (for example, they patched the game so the purple key can be picked up by monsters due to one of the 5-3 alternates in Commentary World requiring it), no idea.
My Chiptune music, made in Famitracker: http://soundcloud.com/patashu My twitch. I stream mostly shmups & rhythm games http://twitch.tv/patashu My youtube, again shmups and rhythm games and misc stuff: http://youtube.com/user/patashu
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I have been unable to get the verification movie to sync in 1.4.5. It desyncs on the jigsaw puzzle in World 2 (fails to get the jigsaw piece on the top right if I have "Prevent games from warping the mouse cursor" checked)...and libTAS 1.4.0 just plain doesn't work for me in my Kubuntu 22.04 VM, even after building it myself (can't connect to socket, i.e. doesn't launch the game at all).
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keylie
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Here is the replacement file for the verification movie: User movie #638517064119699340 And the replacement file for the actual movie: User movie #638517071681257323
fsvgm777
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I have verified sync on the verification movie that was posted here, though the actual movie file for replacement (which only has the annotations edited to update sync info, I believe) desynced for me around 33k frames in (desyncs after assembling the World 4 jigsaw puzzle at around 09:05 in my dump). I'll keep trying until it eventually syncs. EDIT: I have gotten the actual movie file to sync as well, and have an AVI dump ready.
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I enjoyed the run. It's cool to see how the mechanics work for these puzzle levels. The World 4 glitch is really weird though. (That's probably what Captain_Forehead meant with the "few loud noises".)
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. ---- [5986] Linux Braid "Speedrun mode" by keylie & Del in 19:24.98
Spikestuff
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Why is the Loud Sound Warning hard subbed in the YouTube/Downloadable? For the downloadable you could've had a standard srt formatted file in the mp4 container and forced that to display where necessary. For the YouTube. Soft subtitles would've been an indicator, with the mentioning in the description indicating that they're incoming and visible in the CC's instead of being hard. Those that have this issue typically already have subtitles already displaying as well. Typically, not always. The extra thing is that the position of where it is, is something that Aegisub would complain as being part of the overscan area. So even if you have the good intentions, some displays won't be able to display your warning (for what it's worth this is a less modern problem).
WebNations/Sabih wrote:
+fsvgm777 never censoring anything.
Disables Comments and Ratings for the YouTube account. Something better for yourself and also others.
EZGames69
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I have no problem with the encodes using hard subs for volume warnings. It’s not distracting and makes it so the audience does not miss it. Some commentators on the youtube upload have even expressed appreciation for those warnings being there, I doubt having them behind the closed captioning which most users don’t have turned on would have prepared them. Edit: I also would say this game had a more unique case for loud sounds and I don’t think it needs to become a standard for every game going forward.
[14:15] <feos> WinDOES what DOSn't 12:33:44 PM <Mothrayas> "I got an oof with my game!" Mothrayas Today at 12:22: <Colin> thank you for supporting noble causes such as my feet MemoryTAS Today at 11:55 AM: you wouldn't know beauty if it slapped you in the face with a giant fish [Today at 4:51 PM] Mothrayas: although if you like your own tweets that's the online equivalent of sniffing your own farts and probably tells a lot about you as a person MemoryTAS Today at 7:01 PM: But I exert big staff energy honestly lol Samsara Today at 1:20 PM: wouldn't ACE in a real life TAS just stand for Actually Cease Existing
fsvgm777
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EZGames69 wrote:
I have no problem with the encodes using hard subs for volume warnings. It’s not distracting and makes it so the audience does not miss it. Some commentators on the youtube upload have even expressed appreciation for those warnings being there, I doubt having them behind the closed captioning which most users don’t have turned on would have prepared them.
Exactly this. Additionally, on the previous publication, some have expressed valid criticism that the warnings should not only be in the movie description, but also a more visible one in the encode.
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Spikestuff
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Not satisfied with the YouTube answer, but my option would still be to soft subtitle it so that's my stance for it. However, there's still things that could've been improved on which I did outline in regards to hard subbing it. I'm still going to question of the choice for hardsubs on the downloadable regardless, as that one has not been addressed and that's a different set of availability and usefulness, with the person's own player.
WebNations/Sabih wrote:
+fsvgm777 never censoring anything.
Disables Comments and Ratings for the YouTube account. Something better for yourself and also others.
EZGames69
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I’ve already explained why soft subbing it wouldn’t help.
I doubt having them behind the closed captioning which most users don’t have turned on would have prepared them.
So what would be the point of doing soft subs with this in mind?
[14:15] <feos> WinDOES what DOSn't 12:33:44 PM <Mothrayas> "I got an oof with my game!" Mothrayas Today at 12:22: <Colin> thank you for supporting noble causes such as my feet MemoryTAS Today at 11:55 AM: you wouldn't know beauty if it slapped you in the face with a giant fish [Today at 4:51 PM] Mothrayas: although if you like your own tweets that's the online equivalent of sniffing your own farts and probably tells a lot about you as a person MemoryTAS Today at 7:01 PM: But I exert big staff energy honestly lol Samsara Today at 1:20 PM: wouldn't ACE in a real life TAS just stand for Actually Cease Existing
Spikestuff
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EZGames69 wrote:
I’ve already explained why soft subbing it wouldn’t help.
You did. For YouTube. You didn't for downloadables. Emphasis added.
Spikestuff wrote:
For the downloadable you could've had a standard srt formatted file in the mp4 container and forced that to display where necessary.
I'm not answering your question when this bit was in regards to the downloadables, not the YouTube encode. YouTube I have a different mindset towards how to display information, and things like flashing/sound is a different taste to me. But downloadables could've been well "avoided" isn't the right word, but we'll use it here.
WebNations/Sabih wrote:
+fsvgm777 never censoring anything.
Disables Comments and Ratings for the YouTube account. Something better for yourself and also others.
EZGames69
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I was specifically referring to this:
Spikestuff wrote:
Not satisfied with the YouTube answer, but my option would still be to soft subtitle it so that's my stance for it.
I could care less about how downloadable are handled, that to me is moot. If you’re not satisfied with the Youtube answer then I want to know why.
[14:15] <feos> WinDOES what DOSn't 12:33:44 PM <Mothrayas> "I got an oof with my game!" Mothrayas Today at 12:22: <Colin> thank you for supporting noble causes such as my feet MemoryTAS Today at 11:55 AM: you wouldn't know beauty if it slapped you in the face with a giant fish [Today at 4:51 PM] Mothrayas: although if you like your own tweets that's the online equivalent of sniffing your own farts and probably tells a lot about you as a person MemoryTAS Today at 7:01 PM: But I exert big staff energy honestly lol Samsara Today at 1:20 PM: wouldn't ACE in a real life TAS just stand for Actually Cease Existing
Spikestuff
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EZGames69 wrote:
If you’re not satisfied with the Youtube answer then I want to know why.
Spikestuff wrote:
YouTube I have a different mindset towards how to display information, and things like flashing/sound is a different taste to me.
EZGames69 wrote:
I could care less about how downloadable are handled, that to me is moot.
Cool. Topic that I'm interested in talking about now after both you and the Senior Publisher answered is being ignored for the later by you. Even though now I want to discuss about what's up with the downloadable now and how it could've be done for future Publication works. YouTube was the second thing I gave a way to tackle it, and you both answered it in a way, which I still have gripes (positioning can be improved, like I stated). The one that I'm more interested of is something I want more information for which is the downlaodables. Can we move on/away from that YouTube train?
WebNations/Sabih wrote:
+fsvgm777 never censoring anything.
Disables Comments and Ratings for the YouTube account. Something better for yourself and also others.
fsvgm777
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Spikestuff wrote:
The one that I'm more interested of is something I want more information for which is the downlaodables.
Essentially the same deal as with the YouTube encode: Not every media player is going to have soft subs (or closed captioning) enabled by default. I am just doing the average viewer a favour by not having to mess around with closed captioning settings, and as was pointed out for the YouTube encode at least, their inclusion was appreciated.
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Spikestuff
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Then why not make an alternative non-warning downloadable to go alongside it? (Obviously not a merged tracks one cause that would be 2 gigs). Why is this something that we didn't-- like decide to do some kind of workshopping on (referring to the positioning on the final)?
WebNations/Sabih wrote:
+fsvgm777 never censoring anything.
Disables Comments and Ratings for the YouTube account. Something better for yourself and also others.
fsvgm777
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I really don't think it's needed to make an alternate encode that doesn't have the warnings at all. That'd go against what I was going for. As for the placement itself, it probably could've seen some improvement (like above ground or top bound), I'll admit as much. But it doesn't seem to bother the general audience either. By the way, there's a fair amount of content creators who put these kinds of warnings embedded into the video (i.e. as hardsubs), which is why I went this route, and I think it's more beneficial like that than having them as soft subs. Ultimately, the point of these is to inform/warn that a loud sound is going to play soon, and having them as soft subs means some viewers who don't have closed captioning enabled may completely miss the info/warning.
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