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Joined: 6/27/2004
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Random fun find I don't think the tas currently does - in the last stage 4 block puzzle, goofy can "wind up" a kick on the exploding block before it explodes, then as the solid block falls into place that same kick lands on it instead.
Experienced Forum User, Published Author, Former player
Joined: 6/27/2004
Posts: 550
Location: New York
Why hello there! Randil and I have been talking over the past week and I'm really excited to see a new TAS of this. As he mentioned cyghfer and I have been doing runs on console, and having a blast doing so. We've been at it on and off since June of last year or so.
Here's our best overall run, which was ruined at the end by bad final boss luck:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7EPuWeef5g
I'm definitely all for damage & death abuse, I think the deaths especially look funny, and save a lot of time. Damage "boosting" in this game is different from most games in that it doesn't shift your character or open up any new route possibilities, it just allows you to charge through stuff instead of avoid them. I think that was Randil's concern, but I'm still all for it. We haven't timed out how much the damage/death abuse saves, but I'd say probably in the realm of 10-15 seconds.
There are a few rooms in the existing TAS where cyghfer picked out that luck can be manipulated a bit better, and definitely bosses besides stage 4 can be as well. That is definitely the pain in taking up this game, be it TAS or real-time, but hoo doggy is the final result worth it.
Experienced Forum User, Published Author, Former player
Joined: 6/27/2004
Posts: 550
Location: New York
Hiya, long time no post. I originally created the maps which are hosted on this site, but never finished them and also no longer have the domain they were hosted at. I'm sure this game hasn't seen much attention in forever, but I wanted to post the maps I did do way back when, in case anyone wanted to re-host or continue them. I hope mediafire links are ok. Enjoy!
Edit: Thanks for mirroring in next post Highness.
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http://www.vimeo.com/1109226?pg=embed&sec=1109226
The first 60 seconds is iffy, but from then on it's amazing. Check it out. Very very cool stuff.
On that note, anyone know of any band/site that focuses on music that sounds similar? Incorporates old timey sound effects to make a great piece of music like that. Doesn't have to be video game mixes. I've made the rounds at ocremix and vgmix, minibosses and all that, looking for more of the kind of stuff Chromelodeon's done(http://www.myspace.com/chromelodeon).
Experienced Forum User, Published Author, Former player
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Finally a highly polished run of the game. Looks great.
For those who haven't played it, please do. It's my personal favorite NES game, and oh ho have I played a lot of them. I could seriously just look at the overall layout forever (http://www.rpgclassics.com/shrines/nes/lotw/maps/dungeonfull.shtml), it's so marvellously constructed. Great video.
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This site made this game probably my favorite NES game overall, was great to see an improvement. My answer to the question "what game would you like to see played perfectly" has always been this, just because the amount of control a human has in item drops is so wildly unpredictable that I feel this can go well into the the teens.
I also remember having a brief discussion on IRC regarding "how many characters does the game require?" I think we didn't spend much time thinking of a workaround to Pochi's invulnerable chest, and didn't consider that the magic elixir deal could be used for Xemn's level, so the amount of monsters that would need to be killed to constantly refill magic wouldn't be worth it. But here's this video!
While I can't help but agree with CAD's sentiment that the first is more representative of the game, this is a well played improvement of a great game, and I'm glad it was published. I'm sure most would agree that the greatest future improvements will come from luck manipulation, but I do think there are still improvements to be made even in this video. For example, a lot of monsters were killed at the top of the screen(rather than the bottom), which resulted in money/keys, forcing you to wait for their stinky carcass to fly all the way to drop to the bottom of the screen so you could take their sweet sweet treasure. Good video, and eager to see future ones.
Experienced Forum User, Published Author, Former player
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Can't wait to see the next version :D Insane to see what you guys have been doing with the game.
And flag, please contact me on instant messenger(below) if you'd like help on how I made the first several field maps.
Experienced Forum User, Published Author, Former player
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Wow, I'm unable to download it right now but 6 seconds? Insane. Looking forward to watching it, and great job beating the time by so much, absolutely nuts. After the last time when this game was driving me nuts, I don't think I'll be trying to beat it. :D Once again, great work, and can't wait to see it.
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Just watched this last night.
I think these videos started to get somewhat stale for me several months ago, but the amount of originality and creativity which comes from this run is just incredible. In my top 3 movies list, no question about it. Congratulations on making something so incredibly innovative and amazing.
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www.anvilstudio.com It's free, and pretty easy to pick up. Though I wanted to include what's called a trill, and it couldn't do this for me. But it can easily handle all the basic stuff.
Edit: Huzzah! New version which can do this.
Experienced Forum User, Published Author, Former player
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I have a theme song, and yes it rocks! Although I like the forest music slightly better. But Forest Music would be a bad handle, I think.
haha
This topic makes me want to keep up with you guys more. Such a great community.
With the college firewall recently forbidding world of warcraft, I made a new midi. Not to hijack, but let's see if anyone can guess- it's closest to the original version than any other I've created.
http://www.thezorz.com/agile/midi4.mid
Don't play it through browser.
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World of Warcraft has taken over my life.
I haven't watched your movie, but the commentary and ideas sounds great. I'll watch it for sure when the movie comes out, and may give improving it a shot. X2 was my first *real* shot at perfection, so what dehacked said about me improving as the movie went on is completely true(and mentioned in the run description, especially concerning Wheel Gator). Looking forward to it!
Experienced Forum User, Published Author, Former player
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I think it was either I found it really hard to do
True that. Very difficult game to speedrun, not because of luck manipulation or anything like that, but because of how sensitive the grappling hook is.
I think if you do it the way the other two have done it, but then shoot diagonally up right from where the ground slopes near the first fish, and swing up and around... possibley twice... it MIGHT be faster but I haven't REALLY tried.
http://tasvideos.org/UmiharaKawaseField00.html
I took this into consideration. For those unclear, he means to skip the last ladder completely, instead using the momentum from the conveyor belt to swing yourself clockwise around the Utah-shaped block. Firstly, I don't think you could get enough momentum vertically to be able to do this without hitting the platform to the left of Utah and still clearing the top of Utah. And if you could, I still don't think it'd be faster. But, welcome to try.
I encourage more speedruns of this game. I'm probably done with it, but it really is such an incredible game, and I'm glad it was ever brought up on these forums.
Edit: Should you attempt this undertaking, I suggest creating landmarks within each level, not just between. The easiest landmarks for me were the easily detected animations, such as reaching the top of an edge or ladder. However, I also used things such as the frame in which the hook attached to something, or landing on a certain platform.
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I've often asked myself this same question. With current whatnots, Legacy of the Wizard, Ultima: Quest of the Avatar, Super Metroid lowest %, or Umihara Kawase(just so we could know EXACTLY how fast it can go).
With not yet implemented whatnots, SM64 120 star, or Zelda 64. But if I could see any "perfect" video ever, a SSBM video against 3 computers not taking any damage, with no time goal, could potentially be the most awesome video ever.
Experienced Forum User, Published Author, Former player
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While Contra 3 is a great movie, all that having a second player ends up doing is shooting twice as many bullets at the same target(except the overhead levels), which in my mind doesn't really make it stand apart from the other 2 player movies. Goof Troop, I think, was the movie that strayed from this the most, playing both characters independently to clear each level fastest. However, not an option.
After a quick watchthrough, I'm going to go with Battletoads. Tossing enemies between each other, having one open a door while the other blazes past it, etc. is the kind of teamwork that happens between both players which makes me enjoy it.
And I wouldn't consider Chip & Dale to be 2-player either.