Post subject: Moon Crystal (J)
JXQ
Experienced player (761)
Joined: 5/6/2005
Posts: 3132
Alright. I have nothing to do today, and I mean nothing. Quite a change from the last couple months. Here's my WIP up to the end of Level 4. I discovered that you can die after the boss's explosion disappears to enter the cinema a few seconds earlier, so I have to redo things from Level 2's boss (a boss that also has a cliff). I'm going to attempt to hex in Level 3 and 4...we'll see how that works. You'll notice "missed" hits on some bosses. It's very strange, but sometimes bosses require an extra hit that doesn't affect their energy before they are vulnerable again. I haven't fully figured this out yet, but I'm trying to manipulate it to my advantage. I think I can do Level 2's boss faster, but the other three bosses are pretty well optimized. On Level 3, I was trying to use the jump boots to avoid all the boss's attacks, but only half the hits would register, so it was much slower. It is faster in every level so far to grab the jump boots (although just barely in Level 2). Comments?
<Swordless> Go hug a tree, you vegetarian (I bet you really are one)
Senior Moderator
Joined: 8/4/2005
Posts: 5777
Location: Away
I've tried to play the game a bit first, and I think your WIP looks optimal. The only thing I'm uncertain about is the Pirate Ship level — is it possible to make it faster by not going to the upper floors (in the case if the transitions and/or jums slow you down)? Also, somehow this game reminds me of Prince of Persia (maybe due to animation of the player character). /me renames the ROM to "Soon Crystal (J)" for consistency reasons.
Warp wrote:
Edit: I think I understand now: It's my avatar, isn't it? It makes me look angry.
ventuz
He/Him
Player (125)
Joined: 10/4/2004
Posts: 940
I like it, looks good game choice.
Player (224)
Joined: 10/17/2005
Posts: 399
But Moon Crystal doesn't start with an S. :(
<adelikat> I've been quoted with worse
Joined: 6/14/2004
Posts: 646
If you get the sword powerup, you can do 3 damage per hit on bosses with jump attacks when you're at 1 health. Probably worth considering for those bosses with larger health bars, if the time saved counters the hitstun and the sword collection.
I like my "thank you"s in monetary form.
JXQ
Experienced player (761)
Joined: 5/6/2005
Posts: 3132
Good to know Nrg, thanks. Although I don't think the first four levels could benefit from it. Redone up through level 4. The memory position 061F is the key to the strange boss vulnerability. After hitting a boss, it turns from 00 to 01. Usually it immediately reverts back to 00, but sometimes it stays 01, meaning the next hit is useless. I'm going to try to figure this out, or at least use it as an aid in the boss fights, because the boss fights are not as lucky as the previous WIP.
		          old	  new	  diff
level 3 start	8285	 8052	 233
level 3 boss	 12526	12275	251
level 4 start	13464	13261	203
level 4 boss	 16420	16206	214
level 5 start	17142	16984	158
Edit: @ moozooh, you can't go through the masts on the ship, you have to go over them instead. Edit squared: I have figured out the reason for the missed hits. The counter will reset to zero upon the completion of the sword-stabbing animation. Certain things can cancel this animation early - double jumping during a jump-strike, or swiping very low to the ground during a jump - and skip the reseting of this variable. Attacking again completed the animation and reset the variable. (The attack doesn't even have to "hit" the boss) This unfortunately will make boss battles a little less strategic, but a lot less frustrating. I also found a lag-flag (I think) in memory: 01EF. So I'll be starting over now. Hopefully I can still finish this tonight...but I'm not sure now.
<Swordless> Go hug a tree, you vegetarian (I bet you really are one)
JXQ
Experienced player (761)
Joined: 5/6/2005
Posts: 3132
Alright, this is more like it. First four levels. Regarding the sword 3X damage strike: Each hit costs ~44 frames, regardless if taking the hit forwards or backwards. So to make up for the time of 2 hits + getting a sword, it will need to be at least 88 frames, plus the cost of getting a sword, which varies by level. The first bosses' life meter is not large enough to make this idea work even if there was no need to pause for a sword powerup. The second (barely) and third boss could help from the sword, but there is no sword close enough to the main path to be worth it. The fourth boss ended up saving 44 frames due to a fast sword and the nature of the second half of the fight. I'm 267 frames ahead of myself when I was 158 frames ahead of my original self. Equals 425. Woot. NrgSpoon, thank you for letting me know about this strategy.
<Swordless> Go hug a tree, you vegetarian (I bet you really are one)
JXQ
Experienced player (761)
Joined: 5/6/2005
Posts: 3132
Well, that was fun! http://tasvideos.org/1122S.html
<Swordless> Go hug a tree, you vegetarian (I bet you really are one)
Emulator Coder, Skilled player (1310)
Joined: 12/21/2004
Posts: 2687
Since you're improving it, here is a really small optimization you might not know about: You can save 1 frame at the beginning of each area by pressing left for 1 frame, then holding right+jump. (EDIT: Oh well, too late, he finished that movie really fast. It hadn't been submitted yet when I posted, though.)
JXQ
Experienced player (761)
Joined: 5/6/2005
Posts: 3132
Hm, I didn't know about it. Unfortunately I already completed the improved run before you posted this. Oh well, thanks anyway!
<Swordless> Go hug a tree, you vegetarian (I bet you really are one)
Active player (452)
Joined: 6/9/2010
Posts: 12
Location: Japan
I started TASing for this game and have completed stage 1. http://dehacked.2y.net/microstorage.php/info/1673655233/MoonCrystal_Lv1.fm2 I have 2 major improvements. It's known in Japan several years earlier.
Active player (452)
Joined: 6/9/2010
Posts: 12
Location: Japan
Now I finished first 4 levels. WIP New strategies will be necessary to improve level 4.