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Thank you. The olive collection is almost finished. Then after I deal with the boss room, I'll be able to report how much time I saved compared to Foda. I'm looking forward to playing the fun part of the game again.
Here's a sad fail. I killed three enemies with one swing of the sword... and went 0/3 on olive drops. Olive collecting is brutal.
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On the second visit to the screen that I labeled Pelo 2,
Foda collected 30 olives.
I collected 29 olives.
I did it 309 frames faster.
The harp room is more difficult than it looks.
I saved 4 frames.
3 frames are from the name difference (0 v. Link).
1 frame is from picking up the harp better.
Now for the second half of collecting olives.
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I saved 4 frames by picking up the sword at max speed, so I'm 121 frames ahead of Foda after the continue screen.
Olive farming is ongoing. It's the most difficult part. All of these things are happening simultaneously:
-Build up/maintain max speed (swinging sword delays speed increase)
-Get enemies to spawn
-Get enemies to attack
-Time jumps/attacks precisely
-Attack only while in air (on ground stops movement)
-Avoid the spider web
-Manipulate drops (only 25% chance of an olive)
-Pick up olives (have to wait until they're on the ground)
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I did it! I improved Kyman & SilentSlayers's WIP by 1 frame! I'm 117 frames faster than Foda's published movie.
WIP1: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/28285328904038760
This image is a quick guide to superspeed.
At 000, you're not moving.
Without the L+R glitch, you go from 255 to 232 max while moving left and 001 to 024 max when moving right.
L+R allows you to go beyond 024.
You can't partially build up rightward speed and switch to left.
Maximum right speed happens at 127, and maximum left speed happens at 128.
To get to max left speed, you have to go beyond 127 to 128.
It's an instant switch from max right to max left.
Link to video
On the first screen of Arcadia, I attempted to use a staircase + zip glitch combination.
Unfortunately, it takes too long to be faster than plain ol' superspeed.
Frame Wars
Arcadia 5
Foda: 1754
Kyman: 1706 (48)
Arc: 1706 (48) (0)
Arcadia Portal
Foda: 1834
Kyman: 1786 (48)
Arc: 1786 (48) (0)
Arcadia Bull
Foda: 2014
Kyman: 1966 (48)
Arc: 1966 (48) (0)
Arcadia Zeus
Foda: 2543
Kyman: 2430 (113)
Arc: 2430 (113) (0)
Kyman's technical work at Zeus was excellent.
Kyman took advantage of the glitch that allows you to maintain your speed when you use your weapon.
Kneeling to Zeus usually takes your speed down to 000, so you have to attack first.
It's not an obvious trick to pull off.
Arcadia Bull (2)
Foda: 2702
Kyman: 2589 (113)
Arc: 2589 (113) (0)
Arcadia Portal (2)
Foda: 2850
Kyman: 2737 (113)
Arc: 2737 (113) (0)
Arcadia 5 (2)
Foda: 2992
Kyman: 2879 (113)
Arc: 2879 (113) (0)
Pelo 1
Foda: 3161
Kyman: 3051 (110)
Arc: 3051 (110) (0)
Kyman and I had a different jumper spawn than Foda because of the difference in timing.
We have to attack the jumper since we have to go over the spider web, and your speed doesn't increase while attacking.
Thus we have a slight delay getting up to the 127, whereas Foda gets up to 127 as fast as possible.
Pelo Portal 1
Foda: 3244
Kyman: 3134 (110)
Arc: 3134 (110) (0)
Pelo 2
Foda: 3349
Kyman: 3237 (112)
Arc: 3237 (112) (0)
Foda initiated the attack on the jumper too early.
You get your speed up higher by waiting until the last possible moment to attack.
Pelo 3
Foda: 3469
Kyman: 3353 (116)
Arc: 3353 (116) (0)
Foda jumped too early and lost 4 frames at the exit.
Pelo Portal 2
Foda: 3629
Kyman: 3513 (116)
Arc: 3513 (116) (0)
Pelo Bush
Foda: 3964
Kyman: 3848 (116)
Arc: 3847 (117) (1)
At full speed, you crash into the second green bush.
Kyman and Foda solved this problem by maintaining max speed (8 pixels per frame) but going back to the right 16 pixels.
(Thus moving 32 extra pixels total; 4 frames lost.)
I kept moving to the left at all times, but I did not maintain 8 pixels per frame.
I went 7, 8, 8, 7, 7, 7, 8, 7, 7, 7, 8, 7, 7, 7, 8, 7, 7, 7, 8, 7, 7, 8, 7, 8, 8, 7.
The 17 sevens evidently are worth only 3 frames lost instead of 4.
Pelo Portal 3
Foda: 4124
Kyman: 4008 (116)
Arc: 4007 (117) (1)
Pelo 4
Foda: 4329
Kyman: 4213 (116)
Arc: 4212 (117) (1)
Pelo Hydra
Foda: 4574
Kyman: 4458 (116)
Arc: 4457 (117) (1)
Because of the timing difference, I got a different Hydra spawn.
I had to jump higher over it, but I was still able to land at the exit.
The rest of the way, I'll just compare to Foda.
Olive collection is coming up, and I probably won't be able to compare screen-for-screen.
I'll compare the non-olive rooms, and I'll post WIP2 when we resynchronize after buying the ocarina.
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FODA wrote:
If you're looking for improvable runs mine are all probably very improvable since A) they are super old and B) I generally I was more worried about the run looking good and fun. http://tasvideos.org/Movies-34up-111up-RatingY.html
I'm working on a TAS to improve [590] NES The Battle of Olympus (USA) by foda in 10:40.78. I know the game pretty well from my 11-year-old non-L+R TAS ([292] NES The Battle of Olympus (USA) by Arc in 19:51.85) and my 100% completion let's play. I don't think the route will change, just some optimizations. I explained the sequence-breaking possibilities in the first post of this thread and in my LP.
I'll post screen by screen comparisons, and I'll post WIPs after I get as far as Kyman did.
Frame Wars
Character
Foda: 858
Kyman: 810 (48)
Arc: 810 (48) (0)
(I have chosen to name Helene 'y' instead of '9.')
Arcadia 1
Foda: 1019
Kyman: 971 (48)
Arc: 971 (48) (0)
Arcadia 2
Foda: 1222
Kyman: 1174 (48)
Arc: 1174 (48) (0)
Arcadia 3
Foda: 1425
Kyman: 1377 (48)
Arc: 1377 (48) (0)
Arcadia 4
Foda: 1628
Kyman: 1580 (48)
Arc: 1580 (48) (0)
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I don't want to see speedrunners against handicapped TASes. I think that the TAS Block should promote TASVideos and the creative potential of TASes.
The Dream Team Contest 5 (Metal Force) looked really fun. Why not have a Dream Team Contest for every GDQ? Give teams plenty of time (like the whole GDQ week) to craft optimal TASes. Reveal the winner by playing the four fastest submissions at GDQ.
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Pwn Adventure Z looks like Spiritual Warfare. It would be an accomplishment just to figure out how to finish the game within four hours. This gaming genre requires the most careful planning and testing, so why choose it for a four-hour speed TAS competition? And then the guide overtly discourages most people with the exploit discussion. Some programming wizard is going to figure out how to total control right to the credits, so why try? I was hoping it would be a straightforward, speedrun-friendly, Metroidvania-style game where the challenge would be in maintaining forward movement, making precise jumps, speed/damage boosting, and fighting bosses.
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The platform can take you out-of-bounds to the left because of wrapping.
If you quickly jump up to the platform that's moving right, you can get back in bounds.
If you jump off the platform before the crash, you're stuck out-of-bounds.
(You can walk to the left and right limits of the out-of-bounds area.)
When the platform tries to take you too far left, the game crashes.
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Alyosha was certainly the most prolific NES TASer of 2015. So the question is how one could, hypothetically, build a case against crowning him. The most obvious method would be to use the old 'quality over quantity' argument. Specifically, one would accuse Alyosha of conquering a bunch of 10-year-old, easily beaten TASes. One might also make the even harsher claim that a significant reason for the high TAS output is from springboarding off of the workload of other authors.
But, looking solely at what Alyosha did, we see many quality technical achievements:
-Kid Icarus: implemented many zips and optimizations
-Little Nemo: implemented wand boosting
-Jackie Chan's Action Kung Fu: discovered river jump trick
-Fist of the North Star: boss kill glitch
-Conquest of the Crystal Palace: major lag reduction
-Super Pitfall: wall glitching and routing (see below)
-Lolo 2: improved Pro B
-Kabuki Quantum Fighter: energy/boss
-Super Turrican: optimizations, especially the boss at 1-3
-Ice Climber: whole game
-Mickey Mousecapade: warp/fairy
-Snake Rattle 'n' Roll: many optimizations
-Ghosts 'n Goblins: stage 3/5 manipulations
Alyosha also did some fantastic coding research:
-Wizards & Warriors III: final boss fight
-Contra: stage-1 early exit
-Ghosts 'n Goblins: spawns/drops from power-on
If there is a downfall, it is in being overly ambitious. There may have been some haste to destroy the Old FCEU Republic in order to establish the Alyosha Empire. While brilliant at making improvements, some aspects are also a bit slapdash. My more meticulous style provides an ideal complement, allowing us to form a marvelous tag team.
I think that Super Pitfall is a perfect microcosm of how our two styles work together:
-Alyosha's initial Super Pitfall submission (6:10) saved only 10 seconds because of one wall clip that avoided death.
-Realizing the new potential of wall clipping, I suggested multiple locations where we could save more time, such as in the dark world.
-Alyosha's brute-force wall-clip script worked in a few places and cut off more time.
-Realizing the potential of Alyosha's script, I suggested major routing changes like skipping the spade.
-Alyosha suggested immediately wall-clipping to the key (after also suggesting a clever waterfall clip).
-I discovered the disappearing elevator glitch.
-Alyosha suggested wall clipping via the other warp bird (which I didn't even think was possible).
-I experimented with other clips and out-of-bounds ideas.
-Alyosha wall-clipped while in mid-air.
-I suggested a few more route tweaks that turned out to be faster.
Final time cut down all the way to 4:42.
One way you could put it is that Alyosha uncloaks the invisible aspects, and I refine the visible aspects. A colorful analogy is that Alyosha can miraculously see infrared, but he tends to call any shade of red 'red.' That's when I ask, "Did you consider auburn, crimson, ruby, and scarlet?"
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Thank you.
I don't think that the Astaroth fight is improvable.
You can't shoot its legs. It has to be a jump attack to cause damage.
It takes 12 shots to kill him.
Unfortunately, the attack sequence is 3-4-4-1.
The first move has to be a forward jump. Because of the initial distance, there's time for only three shots.
The worst part is waiting for the first fireball. If you take a step back and then jump attack, the second fireball just barely hits you. There's no better way other than waiting for the first fireball to pass and then getting four point-blank shots.
Taking damage at any point would lose way too much time.
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I'm through stage 6 and have only Astaroth left. There probably won't be an improvement there.
Overall, 243 frames faster.
If that number holds, it should be 29945 frames.
8:19.08.
Need to cut 6 frames to get 8:18.XX.
Stage 1: 21 frames faster.
Stage 2: 33 frames faster.
Stage 3: 6 frames faster.
Stage 4: 6 frames faster.
Stage 5: 174 frames faster (168 from platform, 6 on boss).
Stage 6: 3 frames faster.
On stage 6, I gained 6 frames during the zig-zag (3 on the crouch jump, 3 from one less jump).
I had to intentionally lose 3 frames to get the right movement pattern in the boss fight.
In the bad pattern, the first Satan flies up a little higher and then you can't kill him with the 5 point-blank shots at the end. (It takes 8 shots per Satan.)
The boss fight is exactly the same as before. I've tried other ways and this way is best.
Edit: Success. I found a way to cut 69 15 frames off of the stage 6 boss. 8:18.XX!
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Things are going fine with the last part of the run.
I think that I saved 6 frames on the stage 5 boss.
Stage 6 is quite difficult as well, but I already solved the problems in v9.
There's some manipulation to get the unicorn to shoot the fireball for the damage boost, but the casual viewer doesn't even notice it.
Getting three shots in the air per jump against the dragon (so you have to jump only twice) requires a frame-perfect method.
The toughest part is the first encounter during the ladder zig-zag:
If you perform a crouching attack on the first skeleton monkey on the exact right frame, the skeleton monkey on the floor above doesn't activate.
If it does activate, it ends up standing on top of the ladder when you climb it (so you have to take damage or wait).
Taking damage there isn't an option because of the damage boost earlier.
I'm going to try to finish it this weekend.
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No. It's the same game. It was common for early-1980s games, being short in length, to use loops in an attempt to increase the replay value for the player who spent $50 per game (which is $100-$150 today via inflation). A TAS is for entertainment. "Repetitive" and "boring" are synonyms. The only game in which it makes sense to TAS a second loop is The Legend of Zelda, because the game changes significantly.
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Interesting script there.
http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/27226196688764481
I don't know how long I'll spend on the boss, and so I'll upload WIP5a now.
I spawned the platform as early as possible and still made it in time. So it is optimal.
The casual viewer of this movie won't even think about how perfect this timing is.
But for me it's satisfying to finally see this platform perfected after first TASing this game 12 years ago.
I get to the boss at 24418.
In v9, I get to the boss at 24652.
So it is now 234 frames (3.9 seconds) faster overall than v9.
The platform improvement saved 168 frames (2.8 seconds).
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I think it's solved now.
It's simply a matter of not making a jump before jumping across the 'bat gap.'
It's a lost of only 6 frames to kill the bat from the ground.
Otherwise, it should look almost perfectly ideal.
So this part should be the biggest improvement of the run (3-4 seconds).
I just need to play through it optimally now.
Alyosha, your version spawned the 093 platform with Arthur at X-position 185 on frame 21578. For comparison, I'm at 21545.
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I see how you got it. It's 05BC. I was watching only 05B1-7 before. Thanks.
It always spawns at X-position 093, which is almost the left edge. It moves left to the edge (088) and turns around toward the right edge (010).
While making your way to it:
0. Mini-right to left (093-088)
1. Left to right 1 (088-010)
2. Right to left 1 (010-088)
3. Left to right 2 (088-010)
4. Right to left 2 (010-088)
5. Left to right 3 (088-010)
6. Right to left 3 (010-088)
So we want the third full right-to-left cycle to sync perfectly with when Arthur reaches the edge of the cliff.
Optimally, I can get there around 22825.
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Here's what's happening to me in the run:
It's very complicated.
Fortunately it's the last super-difficult thing to do in the game.
I'm almost ready to move on from this part.
It should be a few frames faster than v9.
But it's disappointing because a perfect spawn could save about 3 seconds.
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The difficult part of stage 5 is the timing of this moving platform:
When I took the right ladder earlier in the level (which is faster in theory)...
Memory address 05B7
At the left turnaround point, the platform reaches X-position 088.
It moves 2.5 pixels per 3 frames.
So its X-position goes like 088-091-093-096-098... when it moves rightward.
The right turnaround point of its journey is 010 after going beyond 255.
So the rightward pattern finishes as ...253-000-002-005-007-010.
Moving leftward is just the reverse order. 010-007-005... until 088.
So 178 pixels from one side to the other at 2.5 pixels per 3 frames.
The whole one-way journey takes 213 frames.
So if the platform is traveling away from you when you reach the cliff, you'll have to wait almost double that amount (426 frames = 7.1 seconds).
So you have to manipulate the position of the platform with sub-optimal play earlier in the level.
It first appears at the memory address when you reach this point:
When I tried the left ladder instead, the platform didn't show up at 05B7. I don't know its memory address. But on either path, going through optimally is going to lead to a wait of about 6 seconds for the platform. It has to be manipulated by wasting some frames, like the big man on stage 2. It's trial and error.
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WIP4: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/26891031245842673
Overall, 66 frames faster.
Stage 1: 21 frames faster.
Stage 2: 33 frames faster.
Stage 3: 6 frames faster.
Stage 4: 6 frames faster.
Stage 4 notes
I showed off the levitation glitch on the moving platforms, but I didn't find any practical use for it.
There are three required jumps on the bridge (blue demons, flame/frog, devil).
This dragon is really easy, no manipulation needed.
I improved 3 frames on the dragon and 3 frames on the key grab.
The key grab improvement is much more impressive.
Originally, Arthur grabs the key at X-position 089. At 092, he's too far ahead to grab it.
I take damage from the devil at the end of the stage because it causes a fall.
When you're falling, you alternate between moving 1 and 2 pixels per 3 frames, rather than the standard 3 pixels per 3 frames.
Thus I was able to manipulate Arthur's X-position to 091.
At X-position 091 he can grab the key, and he gets to the exit 3 frames faster.
(I couldn't use this method on stage 3 because I didn't have armor.)
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WIP3: http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/26869697574822179
Overall, 60 frames faster, 15485 v 15545.
Stage 1: 21 frames faster.
Stage 2: 33 frames faster.
Stage 3: 6 frames faster.
I forgot to compare the Aggro Crag times in the previous post.
I was 3 frames ahead after the yellow caves. [-3]
v9 took 2 extra jumps at the first devil, v10 takes 1. [-6]
Both jump twice at the second devil.
Both jump once at the third devil.
v9 took an extra jump at the fourth devil. [-9]
Both need a 3-frame delay at the fifth devil.
v10 wastes 6 frames for the good dragon spawn. [-3]
I improved the boss fight by another 3 frames.
So I completed the stage 6 frames faster than v9.
Thus, my first boss attempt must have been equal to v9, and now it's 3 frames better.
I am out of ideas for ways to improve level 3 any more.
I don't know how to get the good spawn without wasting more than 6 frames.
I tried to get the dragon to move straight ahead, which I know is possible. But I think you need the long-ranged javelin (which is ineffective on the dragon) to do it.
I think that I could save 3 frames with better pixel position on the key grab, but there's no way to improve pixel position. (I tried using the step at the end.)
The dragon requires 6 hits to the head with the torch.
I jump attack (2 hits) as early as possible to get the dragon moving as early as possible.
I get only 1 hit in on the second jump attack because the dragon's head is rising.
I then move left while he's moving right in order to get it to turn left as soon as possible.
I jump straight up as early and as close as I can. I can get only 2 hits in.
Jump attack as early as possible for the final hit.
Moving on to stage 4 where I expect to improve 0-6 frames.
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While working on the spawn earlier, I concluded that it's essential to avoid grabbing the money bag when you jump off of the Aggro Crag.
Avoiding the money bag and using the left-right move on the correct frame makes the spawn work.
Using left-right costs 6 frames, though.
I didn't have to use left-right in version 9. So I wonder what else could work.
I made a first attempt at the boss fight.
I was 54 frames ahead at the start of level 3, and I ended up 57 frames ahead at the end (15488 vs 15545).
There should have been -3 frames in the yellow caves, and then +6 from left-right, so I must have done the boss fight 6 frames faster.
So, at worst, I'll have an improvement over the previous version. No more worries there.
I'm not convinced it's perfect, though. I want those 6 frames somehow.
Still working on it.
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This info should help me out big time. Very much appreciated, thank you.
Yes, there's sometimes an 'invisible death pixel' right before the dragon.
The game thinks the dragon's head is at that spot.
You can attack it and it takes damage.
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I'm still working on how to get the good dragon spawn.
The good news is that I've made some progress.
I've been able to get the good spawn in a sub-optimal attempt.
It appears that changing the way that I descend from the Aggro Crag makes a difference.
I still haven't isolated the exact variable that activates the good spawn. It's a lot easier to get the bad spawn.
I've had a few theories but they all turned out to be incorrect.
I was worried that it would be similar to level 2 and I'd have to add extra frames to the yellow caves, but that seems to be unnecessary.
It should be just a matter of time until I crack it.
After level 3, level 4 is pretty simple. It also has a dragon spawn manipulation, but it's not as difficult as this one.
Level 5 has some big men to manipulate, but it's not too bad.
Level 6 is fairly easy to TAS until the boss fight.
This image is a quick guide to superspeed.
At 000, you're not moving.
Without the L+R glitch, you go from 255 to 232 max while moving left and 001 to 024 max when moving right.
L+R allows you to go beyond 024.
You can't partially build up rightward speed and switch to left.
Maximum right speed happens at 127, and maximum left speed happens at 128.
To get to max left speed, you have to go beyond 127 to 128.
It's an instant switch from max right to max left.
Link to video
On the first screen of Arcadia, I attempted to use a staircase + zip glitch combination.
Unfortunately, it takes too long to be faster than plain ol' superspeed.
Frame Wars
Arcadia 5
Foda: 1754
Kyman: 1706 (48)
Arc: 1706 (48) (0)
Arcadia Portal
Foda: 1834
Kyman: 1786 (48)
Arc: 1786 (48) (0)
Arcadia Bull
Foda: 2014
Kyman: 1966 (48)
Arc: 1966 (48) (0)
Arcadia Zeus
Foda: 2543
Kyman: 2430 (113)
Arc: 2430 (113) (0)
Kyman's technical work at Zeus was excellent.
Kyman took advantage of the glitch that allows you to maintain your speed when you use your weapon.
Kneeling to Zeus usually takes your speed down to 000, so you have to attack first.
It's not an obvious trick to pull off.
Arcadia Bull (2)
Foda: 2702
Kyman: 2589 (113)
Arc: 2589 (113) (0)
Arcadia Portal (2)
Foda: 2850
Kyman: 2737 (113)
Arc: 2737 (113) (0)
Arcadia 5 (2)
Foda: 2992
Kyman: 2879 (113)
Arc: 2879 (113) (0)
Pelo 1
Foda: 3161
Kyman: 3051 (110)
Arc: 3051 (110) (0)
Kyman and I had a different jumper spawn than Foda because of the difference in timing.
We have to attack the jumper since we have to go over the spider web, and your speed doesn't increase while attacking.
Thus we have a slight delay getting up to the 127, whereas Foda gets up to 127 as fast as possible.
Pelo Portal 1
Foda: 3244
Kyman: 3134 (110)
Arc: 3134 (110) (0)
Pelo 2
Foda: 3349
Kyman: 3237 (112)
Arc: 3237 (112) (0)
Foda initiated the attack on the jumper too early.
You get your speed up higher by waiting until the last possible moment to attack.
Pelo 3
Foda: 3469
Kyman: 3353 (116)
Arc: 3353 (116) (0)
Foda jumped too early and lost 4 frames at the exit.
Pelo Portal 2
Foda: 3629
Kyman: 3513 (116)
Arc: 3513 (116) (0)
Pelo Bush
Foda: 3964
Kyman: 3848 (116)
Arc: 3847 (117) (1)
At full speed, you crash into the second green bush.
Kyman and Foda solved this problem by maintaining max speed (8 pixels per frame) but going back to the right 16 pixels.
(Thus moving 32 extra pixels total; 4 frames lost.)
I kept moving to the left at all times, but I did not maintain 8 pixels per frame.
I went 7, 8, 8, 7, 7, 7, 8, 7, 7, 7, 8, 7, 7, 7, 8, 7, 7, 7, 8, 7, 7, 8, 7, 8, 8, 7.
The 17 sevens evidently are worth only 3 frames lost instead of 4.
Pelo Portal 3
Foda: 4124
Kyman: 4008 (116)
Arc: 4007 (117) (1)
Pelo 4
Foda: 4329
Kyman: 4213 (116)
Arc: 4212 (117) (1)
Pelo Hydra
Foda: 4574
Kyman: 4458 (116)
Arc: 4457 (117) (1)
Because of the timing difference, I got a different Hydra spawn.
I had to jump higher over it, but I was still able to land at the exit.
The rest of the way, I'll just compare to Foda.
Olive collection is coming up, and I probably won't be able to compare screen-for-screen.
I'll compare the non-olive rooms, and I'll post WIP2 when we resynchronize after buying the ocarina.
If you perform a crouching attack on the first skeleton monkey on the exact right frame, the skeleton monkey on the floor above doesn't activate.
If it does activate, it ends up standing on top of the ladder when you climb it (so you have to take damage or wait).
Taking damage there isn't an option because of the damage boost earlier.
I'm going to try to finish it this weekend.
The casual viewer of this movie won't even think about how perfect this timing is.
But for me it's satisfying to finally see this platform perfected after first TASing this game 12 years ago.
I get to the boss at 24418.
In v9, I get to the boss at 24652.
So it is now 234 frames (3.9 seconds) faster overall than v9.
The platform improvement saved 168 frames (2.8 seconds).
It always spawns at X-position 093, which is almost the left edge. It moves left to the edge (088) and turns around toward the right edge (010).
While making your way to it:
0. Mini-right to left (093-088)
1. Left to right 1 (088-010)
2. Right to left 1 (010-088)
3. Left to right 2 (088-010)
4. Right to left 2 (010-088)
5. Left to right 3 (088-010)
6. Right to left 3 (010-088)
So we want the third full right-to-left cycle to sync perfectly with when Arthur reaches the edge of the cliff.
Optimally, I can get there around 22825.
It's very complicated.
Fortunately it's the last super-difficult thing to do in the game.
I'm almost ready to move on from this part.
It should be a few frames faster than v9.
But it's disappointing because a perfect spawn could save about 3 seconds.
When I took the right ladder earlier in the level (which is faster in theory)...
Memory address 05B7
At the left turnaround point, the platform reaches X-position 088.
It moves 2.5 pixels per 3 frames.
So its X-position goes like 088-091-093-096-098... when it moves rightward.
The right turnaround point of its journey is 010 after going beyond 255.
So the rightward pattern finishes as ...253-000-002-005-007-010.
Moving leftward is just the reverse order. 010-007-005... until 088.
So 178 pixels from one side to the other at 2.5 pixels per 3 frames.
The whole one-way journey takes 213 frames.
So if the platform is traveling away from you when you reach the cliff, you'll have to wait almost double that amount (426 frames = 7.1 seconds).
So you have to manipulate the position of the platform with sub-optimal play earlier in the level.
It first appears at the memory address when you reach this point:
When I tried the left ladder instead, the platform didn't show up at 05B7. I don't know its memory address. But on either path, going through optimally is going to lead to a wait of about 6 seconds for the platform. It has to be manipulated by wasting some frames, like the big man on stage 2. It's trial and error.