Note, this movie requires you bind the .iso with the recommended Win98 .hdd to make a multi-disk bundle. Trying to install using just plain DOSBOS-X in BizHawk leads to failures. The .iso used is the original retail game copy released in 1994, renamed to sshock3.iso. This run is played using CDSHOCK for enhanced audio and graphics instead of the SSHOCK floppy release.
SYSTEM SHOCK - DOS 1994
any% goals
Any% is by far the simplest way to run this classic, as the rules are simply to trigger the ending as quickly as possible on any difficulty. Thankfully for our speedrun purposes, this means that we can set all difficulties to '0', which allows us to bypass every single story beat/enemy/objective and race to defeat SHODAN. We must simply dart across every floor and make it to the final 'cyberspace terminal' to beat the SHODAN core.
Notes
This game is true innovator and ancient, with some seriously esoteric controls. The most obvious effect of this for our speedrun, is that we are limited in our turn speed and cannot simply whip the mouse around to get through corners and turn around quicker. Thankfully however, we can speed up the turnspeed slightly by holding the sprint key. Sprinting also does not function as it does in modern games, as viewers will notice that the Hacker will take what looks like 2 big steps forward, slow down for a split-second, then take another 2 large steps. During these 2 large steps, the Hacker is also lifted very slightly off the ground, which can result in the Hacker flying for a few feet when trying to take a turn that has a slightly lower or higher floor ahead of it.
The player hitbox is a floating square (literally the camera) with extremely light and floaty physics, with an effect of forced shunting around when you bump into any wall/door/object/enemy. Throughout the TAS, the most important key is maintaining our corner cutting and making sure we avoid as much geometry as possible. Viewers will notice at times the player camera bouncing about after tapping something; this is used to the TAS advantage as much as possible to boost or maintain momentum while rounding tight corners or dodging enemies.
Our stamina is extremely limited, with our ability to sprint being only for a few seconds before our poor Hacker runs out of breath. Thankfully, we have quick access to a staminup patch, which we get a good seed for letting us max out it's possible time (50-93 seconds) for infinite stamina as we race to SHODAN. The typical route usually takes 2 patches, one in the first room of the game and another that we get in this TAS; thanks to superior TAS movement, we can bypass the first patch and stick to using only the 2nd.
this movie requires you bind the .iso with the recommended Win98 .hdd to make a multi-disk bundle. Trying to install using just plain DOSBOS-X in BizHawk leads to failures.
I also get this "NULL load error" even when trying to load the good ISO. Seems BizHawk can't detect it as a DOS-compatible ISO. You can work around it by going to Config>File Extensions>ISO and setting it to DOS, but most users wouldn't know to do that. Probably this bug should be reported?
I don't know this game, but I was able to save 420 frames (5.992 seconds) just by mashing Right Mouse in the final boss fight. I also updated that bk2 to mount a blank 20MB HDD so the Win98 HDD is no longer needed (just open the disc mentioned above in DOSBox-x core). This syncs just fine.
However, I also saved 75 more frames from the pregame menus, and painstakingly carried over the wild mouse movements to keep that synced to the final position at frame 309, but it still desyncs visibly around frame 600 (where the bump into the corner occurs). It could be possible to carry over only the DOS prompt savings before the game starts running; needs more testing. This run does appear to handily beat the Classic tab RTA runs already, going by times alone.
this movie requires you bind the .iso with the recommended Win98 .hdd to make a multi-disk bundle. Trying to install using just plain DOSBOS-X in BizHawk leads to failures.
Sync verified. I also get this "NULL load error" even when trying to load the good ISO. Seems BizHawk can't detect it as a DOS-compatible ISO. You can work around it by going to Config>File Extensions>ISO and setting it to DOS, but most users wouldn't know to do that. Probably should be reported?
I don't know this game, but I was able to save 420 frames (5.992 seconds) just by mashing Right Mouse in the final boss fight.
This is a blunder on my part as I was actually unaware M2 could be used to fire in Cyberspace despite years of playing lol. I can update to movie file to be a bit quicker at the end fight if need be.
Enter the Matrix is a piece of garbage but I'm gonna finish it if it kills me.
I also get this "NULL load error" even when trying to load the good ISO. Seems BizHawk can't detect it as a DOS-compatible ISO. You can work around it by going to Config>File Extensions>ISO and setting it to DOS, but most users wouldn't know to do that. Probably this bug should be reported?
What about latest dev build?
Warning: When making decisions, I try to collect as much data as possible before actually deciding. I try to abstract away and see the principles behind real world events and people's opinions. I try to generalize them and turn into something clear and reusable. I hate depending on unpredictable and having to make lottery guesses. Any problem can be solved by systems thinking and acting.
Good idea, but I still get the error message on latest. I didn't see anything for it in open or closed issues either.
Worth reporting then.
Warning: When making decisions, I try to collect as much data as possible before actually deciding. I try to abstract away and see the principles behind real world events and people's opinions. I try to generalize them and turn into something clear and reusable. I hate depending on unpredictable and having to make lottery guesses. Any problem can be solved by systems thinking and acting.
Really glad to see the epic original being TAS'd!! : )
It's great that such masterpieces eventually get the attention they deserve and can be optimized beyond the usual possibilities.
However, this TAS needs further work, as it's actually quite unoptimized...
1) Cursor positioning can be pretty much instant in TAS, and that will improve not only the initial menu'ing (even if the name entry could be skipped as well, simply playing as the Hacker/2-4601), but also maaany interactions in the game when instant cursor movement would speed up - elevators and their door frames (to close)&panel and its buttons, for the best example (but not only).
2) With the above in mind, the initial cache on the left could be instantly opened (skill 0 = no button needed) to get the Staminup patch faster than getting it from the mini-lab close to the elevator area. It's also not needed to use it immediately; only after high fatigue kicks in.
3) The movement is unoptimized - this is one of these games where diagonal (not always 45 degree, but surely diagnoal) movement improves the speed of the Hacker. This is basically not used at all.
4) Remember that the Hacker has his infamous 'snake arms'! - that means he can interact with objects/items/etc. at a much larger distance than one think he could. This hurts to watch as practically all doors throughout all the run are being bumped into, while they could be easily "swam" through, almost like not existing - the only thing that's needed is an earlier opening of them.
5) Player view positions in elevators are suboptimal given the need to turn after, resulting in a slightly slower passage after exiting.
6) The path through the Mutants on Lvl 2 is unoptimized, it's possible to run more directly to the exit of that area. A little RNG is needed there, but overall likely no biggie.
7) It's possible to manuever both the player's view and the cursor while the ETU/teleport is in use (red noise) on Lvl 6 - thus allowing to exit the teleport/enter Diego's area a tad bit faster.
8) While the corner bump increasing Hacker's height below the Lvl 8's repulsor lift is a nice tidbit, the ascending can be faster - by using the jump button.
9) That normally really tricky jump to Lvl 8's tower access shaft can be done (even on the original DOS version) starting already from the repulsor lift.
10) Quite possibly the entry to the irradiated 'Throne Room' can be done more efficient in a TAS.
11) S.H.O.D.A.N.'s "private" C-Space movement is unoptimized, but in a different way. While diagonal movement doesn't help that much there - the corners can be cut better, making the travel faster.
12) Indeed the Avatar of S.H.O.D.A.N. can be attacked faster, combining left and right mouse keys (and if I'm not mistaken the original manual mentioned some more controls to help the goal, but I could definitely be wrong on that).
Likely missed a lot of smaller intricacies that could especially be used in TAS, the days of knowing SS as daily bread and butter are gone, but the above points surely will influence it and improve it and could be a good start of a hopefully nice brainstorming what can be done further : ) Good luck! : )
