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Amagon... what a game. I played it a lot when I was a kid and it was always one of my favorites. In this game you play Amagon, a well-decorated marine. Here's the story of the came (from (ext) http://www.everyvideogame.com/manual-nes-Amagon_(U).htm):
"Amagon, the most decorated Marine, was assigned a mission by his commander to investigate a strange, moster-infested South Pacific island, from which no man has ever returned alive.
With a machine gun as his only weapon, he took off by plane and crash-landed on the island's beachhead.
Amagon, with his unique ability to transform into the huge Megagon, there begins his mission to become first to conquer the island.
See and experience the amazing adventures of our hero, Amagon!! His rescue ship is waiting at the other side of the island."
Many people find this game pretty difficult but I found it easy. It's your basic platformer: run, jump, shoot, repeat. There are 6 zones with 2 levels each (total of 12 levels) and all are filled with enemies that want to stop you from reaching the other side of the island.
Played with Nitsuja's FCEU.exe
Goals: 1. Fastest possible time
        2. No deaths
        3. Takes no hits (Amagon)
        4. Takes damage to save time (Megagon)
        5. Uses no warps/passwords (there are none)
Notes: I tried to play through the game as Amagon for the most part because it's more challenging and entertaining. I try to wait until the boss to transform into Megagon.
About Megagon: Amagon can transform into Megagon when he gets the Mega Key. The Mega Key is dropped by enemies you kill. Once you have the Mega Key you can transform at any time by pressing 'Select'. Megagon has health and can take hits as long as he doesn't run out of health. His health is determined by how many points you have when you transform. 5,000 points gives you one notch on the health bar, so if you have 25,000 points when you transform you will have 5 notches on the health bar. Megagon has two attacks: a close range punch and a ranged energy blast. The energy blasts costs health to use (1 notch) but is very powerful. I take out most bosses with it.
Well, that's all I have to say, enjoy the movie!
P.S. I uploaded the wrong file again, sorry!


TASVideoAgent
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This topic is for the purpose of discussing #955: Tailz's NES Amagon in 19:06.20
Former player
Joined: 7/2/2005
Posts: 309
Location: Baltimore, MD
I figured out why I uploaded the wrong file. When I made the movie I made backups, like everyone does. The thing is when I made the backup I put it in the folder with the emulator so it would be separate from the original one and other .fcs files. When I would load the movie to continue work I thought I was loading the original file but was actually loading the backup file! So, since I was working from the backup and not the original, the work was saved to the backup and not the original. Then when I would upload the file, I would upload the original thinking it was what I was working on the whole time, when I was actually working on the backup file. Sorry for the confusion, I'll be more careful from now on lol.
Guybrush: "I'm selling these fine leather jackets." Wally: "Really?" Guybrush: "No. I 'm lying." Wally: "In that case, I don't want one!" Currently working on: Nothing at the moment.
Skilled player (1409)
Joined: 5/31/2004
Posts: 1821
I've never played the game, so my knowlegge about it is zero... but I noticed immediately that you get a good speed boost when you walk of an edge (keep walking)... and you seem to not have used this at all in your speedrun... If I'm right about this, than I would vote 'no'.
Joined: 10/2/2005
Posts: 79
*sigh* Tailz, you owe me 16 minutes and 46 seconds. And I am off to see the full version of the run.
Former player
Joined: 11/13/2005
Posts: 1587
Wow, going to take a look at this later.
Skilled player (1826)
Joined: 4/20/2005
Posts: 2161
Location: Norrköping, Sweden
Baxter wrote:
I've never played the game, so my knowlegge about it is zero... but I noticed immediately that you get a good speed boost when you walk of an edge (keep walking)... and you seem to not have used this at all in your speedrun...
Actually, he uses this trick quite a lot of times in the movie. Maybe it could be used a little more at a few places, but generally, I believe that this trick has been exploited enough to save a reasonable amount of time... On another note, it's good to see that you're back here, Tailz. And it's good to see that you managed to submit this even though you had a lot of troubles with your computer. You know I've followed the process of this movie, so there wasn't that much new to me in this submission. But I think you handled the last few stages nicely, so I'm voting Yes on this.
Skilled player (1409)
Joined: 5/31/2004
Posts: 1821
Randil wrote:
Actually, he uses this trick quite a lot of times in the movie.
I don't agree. in a very rough estimate of the first level, he uses it twice, out of a possible 13 times... 2/13!!! And I think I measured in his favor, since it could have been done more than 13 times I think.
Joined: 10/2/2005
Posts: 79
I seem to be cursed. It played fine untill level 6-1. There it played for about 20 seconds, the hero died, and the movie ended. Must be a problem on my end. Cannot vote because of not seeing it to the end. EDIT I agree with baxter. It could have been used more in the part that I saw.
Skilled player (1826)
Joined: 4/20/2005
Posts: 2161
Location: Norrköping, Sweden
Allright, I did some testings for the first stage and here's what I found out: The best way to use the edge-boost trick isn't actually to jump at the edge, the best way is to simply walk down the edge. This way you both get the boost, and you won't loose 1 frame by jumping. Here's the movie This movie plays level one 60 frames faster than Tailz, so it's no huge difference... 6 of these frames were saved on the menu, 3 frames on the boss, so 51 frames in terms of level gameplay. If we suppose that the rest of the levels can be improved exactly as much, this movie could be about 22 seconds faster. This is just guessing though, I think he used the edgeboost trick a little more on the later levels...
Former player
Joined: 7/2/2005
Posts: 309
Location: Baltimore, MD
Yeah, I used the edge boost more in the later levels. I could've used it more in the beginning levels but I chose not to because I didn't think it would be that much of a difference. Now I see that it does save some time there. The beginning levels are quite easy but after Zone 3 they start to get really tricky. Cmuxmt: Did you get the right file? I uploaded the wrong file the first time (the 16:46) one. Make sure the file you have is from the 19:06 run. Zone 6 was insane. So many guys that take lots of hits to kill. Frame advance was a big help there.
Guybrush: "I'm selling these fine leather jackets." Wally: "Really?" Guybrush: "No. I 'm lying." Wally: "In that case, I don't want one!" Currently working on: Nothing at the moment.
Skilled player (1409)
Joined: 5/31/2004
Posts: 1821
Voting 'no' for this submission. Randils test version showed, that not only the edge thingy is improvable, but the general accuracy is aswell, if frames are saved also at the menu screen and at the boss... And Randils version is likely not to be perfect aswell, since it was only a test, so a few frames might be shaved of here too... I think 60 frames a alot for only 1-1. Especially if you look at what type of game this is... ============================================== Don't mean to be unfriendly to the author or anything... sure he spend some time on it... but I'm kind of puzzled when I read
I played it a lot when I was a kid and it was always one of my favorites.
and someone makes a tas of the game, that's 19 minutes long, which is almost 70.000 frames... you would think someone spend a great deal of time on the game... I think it's very strange that the edge thingy wasn't noted then...
Joined: 10/2/2005
Posts: 79
Tailz wrote:
. Cmuxmt: Did you get the right file? I uploaded the wrong file the first time (the 16:46) one. Make sure the file you have is from the 19:06 run.
Yeah, I got the updated one. First I got the 16 one, then saw that it ends at the start of 6-1, so I thought I got the files mixed up. I went here again, and got the 19:06 version. My problem occured in the 17th minute. I think it might have been a write error, this drive has a history of them... I will redownload and watch later. Thanks for trying to help. :)
Former player
Joined: 11/13/2005
Posts: 1587
Well, I liked this run. Therefor, I'm going to vote YES even if it can be improved. Good job Tailz! But think about improving it sometime.
KennyMan666
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Joined: 8/24/2005
Posts: 375
Location: Göteboj
Alright, let me get this straight: a dude with all pink clothes and pink hair, who apparently uses steroids (and walks around in ONLY tight pink underpants after doing so), is the most decorated marine? Also, flying turtles with jet flames from their rear? O__o This was just to friggin' weird. I won't even vote on this one.
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Former player
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Posts: 309
Location: Baltimore, MD
I will improve this run at some point, but IMHO I thought it was good enough to submit.
Guybrush: "I'm selling these fine leather jackets." Wally: "Really?" Guybrush: "No. I 'm lying." Wally: "In that case, I don't want one!" Currently working on: Nothing at the moment.
Former player
Joined: 11/13/2005
Posts: 1587
It is good enough for submitting or at least I think so.
adelikat
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Joined: 11/3/2004
Posts: 4754
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I have to note NO This is a great game that I have fond childhood memories of and im suprised that there is not already a run made of this game. This run is a good start but has been proven that it is improvable. Come back with a run that is 20+ seconds faster and I will happily vote yes :) Good luck on your improved version!
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Former player
Joined: 7/2/2005
Posts: 309
Location: Baltimore, MD
Ok, I shall begin work on an improvement. The parts that need improving are the beginning right? I'd like to avoid redoing the last 2 levels (6-1 and 6-2) because of their insane difficulty but if it is necessary then I will redo them. Is there a way I can combine 2 fcm files into one so I can keep the last 2 levels and add them to the improved part?
Guybrush: "I'm selling these fine leather jackets." Wally: "Really?" Guybrush: "No. I 'm lying." Wally: "In that case, I don't want one!" Currently working on: Nothing at the moment.
Former player
Joined: 11/13/2005
Posts: 1587
Tailz wrote:
Ok, I shall begin work on an improvement. The parts that need improving are the beginning right?
I think there are more spots in the later levels where the "edge push" should be abused. And of course faster killing of some enemies who are on the way.
Is there a way I can combine 2 fcm files into one so I can keep the last 2 levels and add them to the improved part?
Yes, you (or someone else) can hex-edit two FCMs together. Good luck Tailz ;) P.S: If you are improving your run shouldn't you cancel this?
Former player
Joined: 7/2/2005
Posts: 309
Location: Baltimore, MD
Yes. It has been cancelled.
Guybrush: "I'm selling these fine leather jackets." Wally: "Really?" Guybrush: "No. I 'm lying." Wally: "In that case, I don't want one!" Currently working on: Nothing at the moment.