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The case for SRAM start: There are many pros to having the game start with a completed save file: First is dealing with the Lyn Mode section of the run. From a fresh save you have to follow a load of tutorial moves and prompts which slow this part down. The published TAS mitigates some of this but you still have to follow the moves set in the tutorial for the most part. If Hard Mode were to be allowed you would bypass the tutorial altogether, the enemy stats are different only slightly if at all, but it allows for some strategic difference as well as speeding up this part of the game. Second is once you complete the game once, you can hold B during the enemy and other phases and actually speed up the enemy movement. This obviously looks more impressive and stops big maps like Cog of Destiny from being too boring, and smaller maps don't outstay their welcome as well as demonstrates the strategies involved in each map. Obviously a verification file will be provided, but I think any future TASes should start with a completed save for the reasons highlighted above, and to show interest in this series as it can look more impressive and waste less of the viewers time.
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Link to video This is a huge improvement to the current TAS, but also there is room for further improvement by use of the PWASE tile in the top left corner of the map on some chapters (there are videos on Rolanmen's channel which demonstrate this). Only downside is that it doesn't start from a clear SRAM but I think that is something to consider allowing for any future TASes
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Yellow would mean you only need to reset once to get both Hitmons and fossils, so yeah this makes more sense.
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Inspired by the latest RB TAS, I tried to work out how you would get a legit GSC complete Pokedex (minus Mew and Celebi). The exclusives that I found you need the 1st generation games would be: Bulbasaur line, Squirtle line, Charmander line, Hitmonlee, Hitmonchan, Omanyte line, Kabuto line, Porygon, Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, Mewtwo. Hitmontop and Tyrogue need to be bred from the Hitmons too. So, in theory, you could add a single 1st gen game to Gold and Silver, but it would require you to reset 3 times, at least for the starters, three of the Eevees needed (probably faster than breeding since they take a long time to hatch), the Hitmons, and the fossils. I think this would differentiate it from the R/B TAS, given that you're not essentially duplicating the effor there in addition to supporting the completion of the G/S dex. Some breeding is needed anyway since the baby level Pokemon exist, and evolution stones and held items like Metal Coat are extremely limited too, so planning would be a difficult task, but I'm sure it would be possible. Just like the R/B TAS, the end point would be getting the certificate after getting all 249 Pokemon in both Gold and Silver. So, my basic thinking might be this in planning: Red or Blue version: 1st: Trade starter early on to Silver 2nd: 2nd starter, rush as fast as possible to Cinnabar Island with one fossil, grab one Hitmon, one Eevee 3rd: 3rd starter, play through to beat E4, obtain Mewtwo, second Eevee, other Hitmon, other fossil (+Aerodactyl) Gold will be used to obtain the extra starter, means Silver can do some more time consuming tasks like levelling Larvitar. Of course, this is all from a basic overview of what is possible, I'm not considering any problems from syncing the versions for trade or planning for which Pokemon to get in each version. A more detailed plan might thrash out a lot of what each specific version needs to do in each cycle, but some of that may be up to the RNG. Still, it is something I'd like to see, and I'm sure I am not the only one.
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I had a thought in rewatching this: why not gamble your way to Dratini in Red before trading over the Charmander/Eevee? You're already at Celadon, the Dratini will get the traded exp boost, it gets added to the party earlier so you can level it up earlier as the main attacking Pokemon, and might even free up some Rare Candy for levelling mons rather than having to battle with them. Sure it tacks on a few minutes longer for the reset, forcing Blue to have to do a bit more before the initial trade, but by the end Red ends up ahead before the final trades, so it might sync things up better. I'm sure there's things that I've overlooked in this line of thought, but it seems to make sense to me. EDIT: It seems I overlooked the fact that in Blue, you get Dratini at L24, but at L18 in Red. Sure, it's faster to get in Red (2800 coins vs 4600), but I'm sure the time spent levelling far outweighs the extra time gambling. In fact, it adds an extra 10k almost (17280-7290) exp compared to the L24 version (Really, 6660 exp extra given how the boosted exp works), but that extra will be paid for early on by the traded exp boost. Not sure if that makes it a faster option or not, I suspect the difference would be slim in fact.
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Grinding Florina in Eliwoot Mode is certainly faster than the 15-20 minutes you'd normally spend in Lyn Mode, so it's worth it on that basis alone. Not to mention you get x3 multipliers rather than x2 for effective weapons, which may speed up a few combats here and there. Mainly, the cursor movement on many maps is far from optimal, especially for RNG advancement, and I'm sure there's probably some tactical refinements that could be implemented too.
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Rolanmen1 wrote:
According to the video above, you can link a Japanese copy of Fire Emblem to Fire Emblem Fuuin no Tsurugi. If you do this you can skip Lyn Mode saving more than 15 minutes.
I think that's only true in the Japanese version, since Fuuin wasn't released outside of Japan. Speaking of which, if you ever decide to redo this game, I'd suggest using the Japanese version, there's a lot of optimisation improvements you could implement at the very least.
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No. All decisions about inputs are made by a player. Bots will be used occasionally for repetitive tasks or to make manipulation of RNGs easier, but ultimately the decision is left to a human as to what inputs are selected. A fully automated TAS hasn't been made yet as far as I know, but it could happen sometime.
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HP Electric is a possibility for Gyarados on a starter. Unfortunately it doesn't really give much elsewhere. Grass Knot might do a decent chunk to him though.
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The real question is then: how many battles in the game even need Attack boosts? With either starter?
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Infernape does rock higher attack stats (104 Atk/104 SpA, and 108 speed base) over Empoleon (86 Atk/111 SpA). Pre-evolved forms have comparative bases too. I don't know if Chimchar's movepool is what is limiting his usefulness, but it would have been my first choice for a starter.
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This is the sort of game that deserves the 4 player treatment, a feat not exactly recommended for a first project. However, I will be interested to see what you can do for the single character version.
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Woot finally! Been waiting for this one! :) Yes voting here
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You know, there are other games besides this one.. :p Still looks good though, yes vote from me :)
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6fS2EeBLfQ Multi-game input TASes are nothing new, but didn't think it could work for Metroid games, until finding this. Would love to see a TAS of this Metroid Zero Mission + Fusion run.
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Ok, so I've left this alone for a while, but it's about time I actually went ahead and actually got this out of the way so I can move on to better and brighter things. Restarting on BizHawk, I manage to save a couple of frames in the intro sequence so that's already a positive sign. I'll give more of an update for when I get to the end of the first stage. For now, I plan to stream regular with most of my TASing progress, leaving the more intensive trial-and-error work for off-camera, the aim being to be informative without being too boring. You can find my stream at http://twitch.tv/toothache42, where I do TASing on a Tuesday from 5 pm GMT, usually for 1 1/2 hours or so.
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[20:41:04] <scrimpy> games with save games are the worst [20:41:12] <scrimpy> >start a new game [20:41:17] <scrimpy> >tas the first level [20:41:19] <scrimpy> >try to replay [20:41:27] <scrimpy> WHOOPS IT NOW DESYNCS BECAUSE THERE'S A SAVEGAME [20:41:31] <scrimpy> like what the shit, why does this happen [20:42:00] <scrimpy> and what can I do to get rid of it [20:42:51] <Toothache> I wonder if you could make an emulator option for the game to auto-delete the save file every time you load a save state [20:44:47] <Toothache> or rather than delete the save file, quarantine it from any playbacks Since games where having a save file can cause desyncs is a thing, is there any way to detach the save file from the playback, either by deletion or by quarantining the save file in some way from the playback? Would be a lot less messing around than having to remember to delete your save file every time you want to do something.
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GB version also has an egg dupe, although it's pulled off in a different way, you have to destroy the egg just as it's offscreen then scroll back in on a specific frame and it reappears. I'm pretty sure this same sort of issue is what can cause the T-Rex to disappear completely in that fight, although I only pulled it off once on a real cart and haven't managed it in a TAS yet.
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Crazy run, yes vote from me :) With all the recent attention to early FPS games, would love to see some TASes of Hexen and Heretic happen at some point
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Breakdancing Space Pirate just said it all to me. Can't wait for the finished product, it's gonna be awesome :)
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Huh, hadn't heard of this, but looks pretty different. Fast paced fun, gotta vote yes :) I have heard of Pop'n Twinbee, would be nice to see a TAS of that in future.
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So, I held off discussing this project or working on it, as I was aware of dondon151 doing his own 0% run (not ranked), which was just completed recently. The reason I wanted to wait for that was so I could use it as a basis to plan out what sort of requirements I would have to make effort for in the rankings. Main differences would be units would be exposed to a lot more combat, to fulfil the 40% win ratio, and I would not be able to buy as many boots in the Ch21 Secret Shop to meet the funds rank. Having units face a lot more combat would help with the Power rank too, although it's hard to judge how much levelling I would have to do to make this quickly enough. Another difference would be the strategies required to clear the map. The real time run just focused on clearing enough of a safe path for Roy to seize the throne, while I'll have to be doing that while doing other things. I expect because of the requirements I may end up losing a few turns because of this, especially since I won't be able to boost as many units' Move range. I don't see that hurting the entertainment value much, but I'll still be aiming for as low of a turn count as I can. Honestly, I'll be having a hard time just matching dondon's turn counts with the rank requirements, but I don't think it will be impossible in the majority of cases, especially if I end up feeding experience to units that will be obsolete for later chapters, makes it easier to push the exp/power ranks up that way, overall. And a correction: the paired Lilina ending is not considered the best ending, so I can change the funds requirement to a mere 84,000 g. Makes things a little easier on my boots spending, at least. So, a lot to think about, but I've no reason not to start work on this now.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AplG6KnOr2Q Related video describing some of how it works. I find this sort of work fascinating. It also harkens back to an earlier post about a bot working using much more simple means of playing a game by looking for increasing values in memory.
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<maxbit> I am not a fucking genious
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Glad to see this, well done :) Yes voting from me