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Rambo's on the MSX, and he's in some weird RPG.

This TAS' objectives:

Comments

Motivated by Vampier's good ending run, I decided to make a bad ending run for fun. It turned out to be very difficult and not much fun at all.

Some tricks

Enemy manipulation

If Rambo doesn't kill an enemy correctly, the next screen could be swarming with enemies. If he kills it correctly, it could have none at all. This only works in a couple of rooms.

Getting enemies to move in a certain direction

When Rambo is moving to the right, enemies will try to get in his way. By turning the opposite direction for one frame, the enemy will be tricked into thinking Rambo is going that way, and will move out of Rambo's way.

Health

When Rambo collects food, he will be able to regain health. I manipulate the foods so they give me health when I most need it, (ex. after fighting the spider)

Special Thanks

Vampier for working on openMSX his run, Quibus for teaching me how to TAS with openMSX, and wouter_ for fixing my savestate problem. Good ending run coming soon.
The rerecord count may be borked, because I used Page Up to reverse more then I did savestates.

IMPORTANT!

Do not press any buttons while the run is playing back in the emulator! The run will desynch!

Other comments

I played this entirely frame by frame. It's not perfect, no TAS ever is. I'll be happy to answer any of your questions, so ask away.
sgrunt: Replaced the submission file with one which does not have the spurious extra embedded save state, and hence shouldn't trip the parser's warning flag about not starting at zero time. Went back to the original submission file in favour of fixing a parser bug.
GabCM: Replaced YouTube module.
Flygon: Shuffled the YouTube modules as according to precedent... but... I really do prefer the old duo-module system.
GabCM: Replaced HQx link by a more visible HQx button
adelikat: Replace submission file with one that contains a .omr file. The movie has not been changed in any way but now works with the new (and approved) openmsx that uses .omr as the movie file type.
DarkKobold: Since I'm taking the time to get openMSX set up, I'll claim this for judging.
DarkKobold: I was able to get it to playback. However, I'm having an issue with this movie goal - it doesn't feel like a 'bad ending' as much as a game over. For example, I consider this a game over in dragon warrior, and not a 'bad ending' -
Additionally, I don't feel that the game would need a separate 'good ending' branch. So, I'd like to know from the author and/or audience whether or not they agree, given the game.
That said, the ending isn't really different, after saving the VIP. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKqT5iBL9Vg#t=7m02s
Give your ideas and opinions please.
DarkKobold Nitrogenesis has disappeared, so I am going to go ahead and accept this, with the caveat that a longer "Save the VIP" ending will obsolete it.
Flygon: Processing...

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Posted: 11/5/2010 2:42 PM
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adelikat
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Rerecords are calculated differently on openMSX since it uses the concept of replay files & "rewinding". MSX rerecord counts are going to be significantly lower than on other emulators.
It's hard to look this good. My TAS projects
Posted: 11/5/2010 4:31 PM
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NitroGenesis
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Baxter wrote:
I noticed the submission says 56 rerecords were used. Is this number accurate? If not, how many rerecords would you estimate have been used for making this TAS?
I explained this in the submission text:
The rerecord count may be borked, because I used Page Up to reverse more then I did savestates.
Another thing is, openMSX only calculates the amount of savestates you loaded on the replay file you saved to, which means openMSX only counted the amount of times I loaded from slot5. The rerecord count would be somethin like 1000.
YoungJ1997lol wrote:
Normally i would say Yes, but thennI thought "its not the same hack" so ill stick with meh.
Posted: 11/5/2010 4:58 PM
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Baxter
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TAS of 2013 SNES TAS of 2013 Speedy TAS of 2007 Innovative TAS of 2007
NitroGenesis wrote:
I explained this in the submission text
Oh, sorry... I missed that (I didn't expect it to be in the "Special thanks" section to be honest). Anyway, thanks for clearing that up.
http://tasvideos.org/Baxter.html
Posted: 11/5/2010 5:01 PM
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NitroGenesis
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Baxter wrote:
NitroGenesis wrote:
I explained this in the submission text
Oh, sorry... I missed that (I didn't expect it to be in the "Special thanks" section to be honest). Anyway, thanks for clearing that up.
I'm trying to move it but my work computer keeps logging me out every time I go on my submission's page. Oh well.
YoungJ1997lol wrote:
Normally i would say Yes, but thennI thought "its not the same hack" so ill stick with meh.
Posted: 11/5/2010 5:32 PM
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DarkKobold
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adelikat wrote:
Rerecords are calculated differently on openMSX since it uses the concept of replay files & "rewinding". MSX rerecord counts are going to be significantly lower than on other emulators.
Are we going to exclude MSX games from the statistics tables then?
Sage advice from a friend of Jim: So put your tinfoil hat back in the closet, open your eyes to the truth, and realize that the government is in fact causing austismal cancer with it's 9/11 fluoride vaccinations of your water supply.
Posted: 11/5/2010 5:32 PM
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Quibus
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Some background info on rerecordcount in openMSX... openMSX saves the replay count per slot indeeed, but it will accurately count when you change history (so, going back in time (e.g. with PgUp) and change your input compared to the original input). However, if you change slots, you will mess up the rerecord count, because the other slot has a replay with a different count saved. For openMSX, the slots are just another replay file. And there is no difference between loading a replay just to take a look, loading a replay to continue your TAS or loading a replay because you messed up your game and want to restart from the end of last saved replay. In other words, if you don't load any replay during your TAS session and use any other way to go back in time and change your input, you will get an accurate rerecordcount. We discussed this in detail with adelikat and we concluded that this is never going to work perfectly, so the current state of affairs is how it is and he found it acceptable. After all, rerecordcount is just a gimmick-thing, which can easily be tampered with in any case.
Posted: 11/5/2010 5:34 PM
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NitroGenesis
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DarkKobold wrote:
adelikat wrote:
Rerecords are calculated differently on openMSX since it uses the concept of replay files & "rewinding". MSX rerecord counts are going to be significantly lower than on other emulators.
Are we going to exclude MSX games from the statistics tables then?
If we don't, if this get's published it will hold the record for the lowest rerecord count (which it is not, see above)
YoungJ1997lol wrote:
Normally i would say Yes, but thennI thought "its not the same hack" so ill stick with meh.
Posted: 11/6/2010 9:49 PM
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NitroGenesis
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Hmm. I could easily turn this into a good ending run. Anybody agree (that I should)?
YoungJ1997lol wrote:
Normally i would say Yes, but thennI thought "its not the same hack" so ill stick with meh.
Posted: 11/6/2010 9:50 PM
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sgrunt
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How much longer would it be, time-wise? If the two are going to be substantially the same run (which seems likely), I'd favour publishing only a "good ending" run (without the branch name).
Posted: 11/6/2010 9:53 PM
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NitroGenesis
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About 30 more seconds. ( I have to stall so the VIP can catch up, but it's only 2 screens )
YoungJ1997lol wrote:
Normally i would say Yes, but thennI thought "its not the same hack" so ill stick with meh.
Posted: 11/6/2010 10:00 PM
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DarkKobold
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My vote in this matter is obvious - go for the good/real ending.
Sage advice from a friend of Jim: So put your tinfoil hat back in the closet, open your eyes to the truth, and realize that the government is in fact causing austismal cancer with it's 9/11 fluoride vaccinations of your water supply.
Posted: 11/7/2010 5:09 AM
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skater43
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2 minutes instead of 1:30? I'd say go for the good ending, unless there's a particularly compelling reason not to.
Posted: 11/7/2010 8:56 AM
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wimbledonswirl
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OK but I suppose the ending could of been a bit better.
Posted: 11/7/2010 11:49 AM
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NitroGenesis
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Now some stupid thoughts... Since the movie was well recieved as it is, maybethis could be published and have a good ending run obsolete it later? Or if the runs are gonna be identical basically, maybe I could replace the submission file? :/
YoungJ1997lol wrote:
Normally i would say Yes, but thennI thought "its not the same hack" so ill stick with meh.
Posted: 11/7/2010 2:07 PM
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GabCM
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NitroGenesis, I have a question for you. Since there are new rules for publications, we can include only one YouTube link. Unfortunately, we have two of them; one containing a point-resized encode and the other containing an HQx filtered encode. So make a choice. Point or HQx?
Posted: 11/7/2010 2:32 PM
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NitroGenesis
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HQx looks like a friggin animation (in a good way), but Point looks more realistic. I'd say Point but maybe include a link to the HQx in the description?
YoungJ1997lol wrote:
Normally i would say Yes, but thennI thought "its not the same hack" so ill stick with meh.
Posted: 11/7/2010 2:48 PM
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DarkKobold
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NitroGenesis wrote:
Now some stupid thoughts... Since the movie was well recieved as it is, maybethis could be published and have a good ending run obsolete it later? Or if the runs are gonna be identical basically, maybe I could replace the submission file? :/
Are you worried about it not getting published? My suggestion, submit the new movie, and leave this one on the WB. If people go "WHARRRGARRBL this is horrible" to the new movie, I'll accept this one instead. Does that sound like a plan?
Sage advice from a friend of Jim: So put your tinfoil hat back in the closet, open your eyes to the truth, and realize that the government is in fact causing austismal cancer with it's 9/11 fluoride vaccinations of your water supply.
Posted: 11/7/2010 3:59 PM
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GabCM
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NitroGenesis wrote:
HQx looks like a friggin animation (in a good way), but Point looks more realistic. I'd say Point but maybe include a link to the HQx in the description?
We already linked both videos using video responses and we are thinking about including an annotation to both videos. And ok for the Point-resized encode!
Posted: 11/7/2010 4:07 PM
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sgrunt
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If/when the "good ending" version is ready, make a separate submission. The "more info" this run needs now is basically, in my view, the "good ending" run as a basis for comparison.
Posted: 11/8/2010 3:18 AM
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mklip2001
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I would prefer to see a good ending run to this one. The game is already quite short where the extra length makes fairly little difference. But yeah, let's leave this up for now so we can have both runs on the queue (sort of like what happened with Kaze Kiri's two runs). As another comparison, the bad-ending run of Metal Max was rejected for not having enough interesting content to warrant separate publication. I would say that's not the case for this run, which does have significant content. I'd still prefer to see a best-ending run though.
Used to be a frequent submissions commenter. My new computer has had some issues running emulators, so I've been here more sporadically. Still haven't gotten around to actually TASing yet... I was going to improve Kid Dracula for GB. It seems I was beaten to it, though, with a recent awesome run by Hetfield90 and StarvinStruthers. (http://tasvideos.org/2928M.html.) Thanks to goofydylan8 for running Gargoyle's Quest 2 because I mentioned the game! (http://tasvideos.org/2001M.html) Thanks to feos and MESHUGGAH for taking up runs of Duck Tales 2 because of my old signature! Thanks also to Samsara for finishing a Treasure Master run. From the submission comments:
Shoutouts and thanks to mklip2001 for arguably being the nicest and most supportive person on the forums.
Posted: 11/11/2010 10:29 PM
Post subject: Movie published
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TASVideoAgent
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This movie has been published. The posts before this message apply to the submission, and posts after this message apply to the published movie. ---- [1674] MSX Rambo by NitroGenesis in 01:39.64
Posted: 11/13/2010 3:30 AM
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GabCM
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Huh... Flygon, I see NitroGenesis chose your point-resized encode for the YouTube stream, but have you seen my SD encode?
Posted: 11/17/2010 11:51 PM
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Ferret_Warlord
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Is it just me, or does this game sound like it was made on a Colecovision?
A hundred years from now, they will gaze upon my work and marvel at my skills but never know my name. And that will be good enough for me.
Posted: 11/18/2010 4:37 AM
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Dwedit
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The MSX, Sega SG1000, and ColecoVision are pretty much the same thing, just with memory and IO moved into different places. Some people even hex edited games from one system to run on the other.
Posted: 11/18/2010 10:13 AM
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Quibus
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Correct for first generation MSX indeed. But don't forget that after MSX came MSX2, MSX2+ and MSXturboR. And there you get quite an update in graphics and FM extensions became much more popular since MSX2+ (1988).
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