(watch it in the emulator if possible, as the quality of the video is bad).

Emulator details

  • Emulator used: Snes9x 1.43v12 (Should run on all newer versions of 1.43)
  • Sync settings: Use WIP1 timing
  • Allow Left+Right Up+Down
  • Uses Reset Rerecord

Run specifics

  • Any% item collection
  • Aims for lowest realtime
  • Manipulates luck
  • Takes damage to save time
  • Abuses programming errors
  • Uses death as a shortcut
This is an improvement of 627 frames (143 frames ingame) over my last run in the same category. I got motivated to start the run due to a lot of discussion and testing breaking out about a potential upcoming 100% run, and due to some of the improvements that had been shown in recent runs. The vast majority of the improvement, over 400 frames, comes from Tourian, due to a couple of key realizations I had about the Metroid rooms during the making of the run. A lot of the rest come from better realtime optimization, in particular syncing up the screen at door transitions to minimize scrolling.

Breakdown of improvements

Ceres - 1 frame
Not much of an improvement. The fadeout lag after escaping was reduced by 1 frame for reasons unknown. I checked all the current runs to see if any of them had gotten an even better fadeout, but at best they were tied.
Crateria and Blue Brinstar - 20 frames
The first set of improvements here come courtesy of Saturn and the team making the RBO. The CWJ on the door after morphball saves 4 frames, and Saturn's method of breaking the bomb blocks before the diagonal saved an equal amount. I was also lucky to avoid having to delay any frames in order to get all missile drops in the diagonal room, which saved another few frames. The last improvement was mockballing through the door at the end of the diagonal room. This was a bit slower ingame, but got the screen in a much better position to reduce the time of the door transition.
Green and Pink Brinstar - 28 frames
I managed to open the red door leading to the Super Missile pack 1 frame faster by delaying the last missile by 1 frame, which gave it enough extra momentum to reach the door quicker. And with some careful subpixel optimization I was still able to jump through the door at the same speed as in the old run. Another frame was saved when leaving the save room by using the walljump check to gain some extra distance in my jump up the ledge. The big improvement came from jumping through the door leading to the first Pink Brinstar room to reduce the time of the door transition, and since I still needed to get two drops here, I didn't lose more than a few frames ingame from doing this. I also managed to reduce the last little bit of door scrolling in the room before the crumbling bridge by making a higher jump slightly earlier. The door CWJ leading to Red Brinstar which was used in the RBO saved another 2 frames.
Red Brinstar - 65 frames
Through better luck I was able to refill faster in the flower room. I was able to remove the last bit of door scrolling when entering the room with the PB pack. I managed to do this because I noticed the screen didn't start scrolling downwards until I had reached a certain point in my fall down to the door. So by keeping my hotbox small by aiming down, and extending at just the right moment (by moving forward), I got the screen exactly where I wanted it. In the pre X-ray room a few frames where lost by getting another drop, which later saved time on my way to Tourian. In the same room, on my way back after getting X-ray, I saved a significant amount of time by improving the bomb jumping section. I had to keep back a bit in order to do diagonal jumps all the way, because if I had been just a few pixels further ahead when placing the last bomb I would have triggered the yapping maw to try and grab me. At the end of the room I skip the last health pickup, which saves 14 frames. Back in the Red Brinstar shaft, I managed to avoid 1 more frame of lag from the PB explosion from some careful movement, and the jump through the door was slightly better in terms of reducing the time of the door transition.
Green/Pink Brinstar and Crateria again - 36 frames
On my way up in the big Green Brinstar room I saved a couple of frames by using the walljump check to grab a few ledges a frame quicker (pressing (V>) on the same frame instead of just (V). When entering the last Pink Brinstar room, I saved a very unexpected number of frames (10 or so) from not aiming down on the frame I went through the door. In almost all cases this has absolutely no affect on the game, the only other room I've seen where it does make a difference is the room with the PB pack, but the difference it makes there is only 1 frame. Anyway, I also saved a decent amount of time by not picking up a PB drop, which drop very rarely from these enemies, and would have required a long delay. I pick up a big energy ball to make up for the one I skipped in Red Brinstar, and also a missile. Picking up both these took slightly longer than the 14 frames I saved from skipping the other pickup, but having 2 extra missiles saves 10 frames later in Tourian.
Tourian (Metroid rooms) - 427 frames
The biggest improvement comes from realizing that the first PB could be placed much earlier in the 1st and 3rd room. This is due to some glitch that only functions in those two rooms, which makes every Metroid get hit as long as one of them is hit by the PB blast (if the one you do hit takes damage twice, though, the rest still only get hit once). I had noticed this glitch earlier, but thought that they still needed to be on screen to get hit. I only realized this after almost finishing the run, and had to go back and redo these rooms again. I was quite lucky in the first room to get 3 PB's to drop at once, so that I only had to use X-ray for luck manipulation once. In the 3rd room I had to skip a lot of armpumps when running past the first Metroid to reduce a lot of lag (oddly enough, later in the room it reduced lag to armpump). I got somewhat lucky here too, and got two PB's to drop at once with only a small delay. In the 4th room a lot of time was saved on reducing lag due to another weird quirk. In the 2nd and 4th room, placing a PB on the first frame possible after a previous PB explosion adds a ton of lag. Delaying for just 1 frame on the 2nd and 3rd PB saved almost 100 frames in the 4th room. In the 2nd room I had already managed to avoid this in my old run due to random chance.
And the Rest - 50 frames
In the OoB part of the Big Metroid skip, I found that I could do a few corner boosts to save a few frames. I saved a small amount of time from jumping through the red door after that reduce door scrolling, then I saved 1 frame was saved from a better jump through the Eye Door, and a few more where saved from jumping through the door to the save room to reduce more door scrolling. When leaving the save room (both in Green Brinstar and Tourian), I save 1 frame in the same manner as I did earlier when saving the first time, and 1 more frame was saved from doing a slightly better jump in the OoB part of the MB skip. During the escape I lost about 20 frames in the second room from not killing the Space Pirate on the wall with a Super. This was regained, and then some, by doing a door CWJ when leaving the 3rd room. I had to have an extra Super here to kill the Space Pirate on the wall, as it would have fired a beam at me if I didn't, which would in turn have blocked my jumping path for a long time. A small amount of time was saved from crouching while taking damage from the last Space Pirate to avoid a damage boost. This is slightly slower ingame, but keeps the screen in a better position for the door transition. Finally, I manipulated a slightly better steam pattern in the escape to save the last few frames.

Suggested Screenshots

I have a couple of suggested screenshots that I either though looked good or acted as a statement about the run. I don't think they are usable because of the compressions standards, so I'll include the frame numbers as well. They are, in order: 38170, 40177, 61252, 70378, 72469, 75409.

Thanks to

As usual, thanks to Kejardon for making this run possible to begin with. Also thanks to Hero of the Day, Kriole, Saturn and Taco for their recent runs which brough on new improvements for my run, as well as keeping development going in general. And thanks to everyone partaking in discussion in the Super Metroid thread, in particular Eye of the Beholder and 4N6.

Nach: Accepting as improvement to existing run.


TASVideoAgent
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This topic is for the purpose of discussing #3465: Cpadolf's SNES Super Metroid "glitched" in 21:25.12
BigBoct
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Looks excellent. Yes vote, and looking forward to amaurea's inevitable comparison video.
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I really like the first and last screenshots! Haven't watched yet, but excellent submission text.
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Each time I see an SM submission I go "WHAT?!" Pity I can't encode anymore due to sound desyncs.
Warning: When making decisions, I try to collect as much data as possible before actually deciding. I try to abstract away and see the principles behind real world events and people's opinions. I try to generalize them and turn into something clear and reusable. I hate depending on unpredictable and having to make lottery guesses. Any problem can be solved by systems thinking and acting.
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Another masterful run by the Super Metroid king. Great job dude. I cannot believe you managed to save 10 seconds over your last run. The new trick you used in the metroid rooms was awesome. I was wondering if regular missiles can kill the pirates during the escape sequence? You burn 2 missiles in the room after the big metroid room, and I wasn't sure if they could be put to better use. Would it have saved time to simply not bring those 2 missiles into tourian?
They're off to find the hero of the day...
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Even if it can't destroy them, can't they be used to pass unharmed through the pirates, like you do in the pirates room in Norfair, after Ridley? Also, regarding your discovery of how an action in the first frame when entering a room can affect the time, what about not having any input in the first frame (maybe in the last frame in the previous room as well), could it save any time? Edit: Yes vote.
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hero of the day wrote:
I was wondering if regular missiles can kill the pirates during the escape sequence? You burn 2 missiles in the room after the big metroid room, and I wasn't sure if they could be put to better use. Would it have saved time to simply not bring those 2 missiles into tourian?
The pirates during the escape have 500hp (and take double damage from supers), so regular missiles would not do you any good. IIRC the sacrifice for getting those two missiles was about 3 frame. If I didn't take them I would have picked up another big energy ball after X-ray and skipped the two drops on the way back in Pink Brinstar, which is slightly faster. But without those missiles you can't fall straight down and destroy all the blocks after the big metroid room, so it saves a few frames in the end.
Eye of the Beholder wrote:
Also, regarding your discovery of how an action in the first frame when entering a room can affect the time, what about not having any input in the first frame (maybe in the last frame in the previous room as well), could it save any time?
I think you misunderstood. It's not the action you do on the first frame after entering a room that makes a difference, but what you do before reaching the door of the previous room (like aiming down, which I found added lag in two of the doors in the game). This is how you can more easily manipulate luck in an ingame oriented run, but adding lag at the door by doing stuff like constantly switching on and of missiles or shooting just before entering a door. It's just that I had never found simply aiming to make a difference.
Eye of the Beholder wrote:
Even if it can't destroy them, can't they be used to pass unharmed through the pirates, like you do in the pirates room in Norfair, after Ridley?
This only works with plasma beam and power bombs for normal enemies. And the Elite Pirates are as far as I can remember the only enemies that have the special properties to make it possible with other weapons as well.
Agare Bagare Kopparslagare
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feos wrote:
Pity I can't encode anymore due to sound desyncs.
My god, that sucks! And you don't know why?
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As I said in a youtube comment earlier today, nice job Cpadolf! Needless to say, I give a yes vote.
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Cpadolf wrote:
Eye of the Beholder wrote:
Also, regarding your discovery of how an action in the first frame when entering a room can affect the time, what about not having any input in the first frame (maybe in the last frame in the previous room as well), could it save any time?
I think you misunderstood. It's not the action you do on the first frame after entering a room that makes a difference, but what you do before reaching the door of the previous room (like aiming down, which I found added lag in two of the doors in the game). This is how you can more easily manipulate luck in an ingame oriented run, but adding lag at the door by doing stuff like constantly switching on and of missiles or shooting just before entering a door. It's just that I had never found simply aiming to make a difference.
Big missunderstanding. Great run, Cpadolf! Congratulations!
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Awesome.
Post subject: Re: #3465: cpadolf's SNES Super Metroid in 21:25.12
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TASVideoAgent wrote:
<h4>Suggested Screenshots</h4><div class="deeper"> I have a couple of suggested screenshots that I either though looked good or acted as a statement about the run. I don't think they are usable because of the compressions standards, so I'll include the frame numbers as well. They are, in order: 38170, 40177, 61252, 70378, 72469, 75409.
Definitely this last one. Something's just hilarious about goosestepping space pirates.
First a movie gets submitted, and ends up accepted despite breaking rules other runs have been rejected for. And when I vote less than spectacularly on this movie, I become the victim of harassment and threats. Yay, favoritism.
Post subject: Re: #3465: cpadolf's SNES Super Metroid in 21:25.12
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Saethori wrote:
TASVideoAgent wrote:
<h4>Suggested Screenshots</h4><div class="deeper"> I have a couple of suggested screenshots that I either though looked good or acted as a statement about the run. I don't think they are usable because of the compressions standards, so I'll include the frame numbers as well. They are, in order: 38170, 40177, 61252, 70378, 72469, 75409.
Definitely this last one. Something's just hilarious about goosestepping space pirates.
I vote Yes for 75409 :) Mr. Kelly R. Flewin
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That room just after you got the X-Ray Scope was hilarious. (I'm currently writing this during the reasonably boring period while you're doing the X-Ray Scope glitch; at least it's clear when it ends from the sound. It's a pity that can't go faster…)
Post subject: Re: #3465: cpadolf's SNES Super Metroid in 21:25.12
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Mr. Kelly R. Flewin wrote:
Saethori wrote:
TASVideoAgent wrote:
<h4>Suggested Screenshots</h4><div class="deeper"> I have a couple of suggested screenshots that I either though looked good or acted as a statement about the run. I don't think they are usable because of the compressions standards, so I'll include the frame numbers as well. They are, in order: 38170, 40177, 61252, 70378, 72469, 75409.
Definitely this last one. Something's just hilarious about goosestepping space pirates.
I vote Yes for 75409 :)
I third the motion! (And Yes vote as well)
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Sorry for the long delay. The script did not handle the resets correctly, and had to be fixed, which I've done now. Anyway, here is a comparison video comparing this video with its two predecessors. Link to video Note that like the other comparison videos, this one also uses in-game frames instead of real-time frames. Since most of the gains in the TAS are optimized room transitions, which are invisible when non-in-game frames are skipped, and thus can't be seen in this video. Still, there are about 2.5 seconds worth of in-game frame gain in the video too, so it still looks impressive. I guess I could make a real-time oriented encode too, but it's boring to see all those room transitions. Another possibility would be to use a hybrid approach, with real-time synchronization but only displaying in-game frames. But that looks a bit strange too. A third possibility would be to display the offsets at the top of the screen both in in-game frames and in real-time frames.
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I think it's fine as it is, and it looks pretty awesome :P BTW, I noticed a small mistake I made close to the end that cost me 2 frames (4th room of the escape, nut using one of the ledges to gain extra height during the second walljumping part). I went on to fix it but the entirety of the gain was lost to manipulate steam in the last two rooms, and therefore it didn't end up saving any time in the end.
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Awesome TAS as always :D YES vote for sure!!!
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Obvious yes vote. Thanks for another great run cpadolf :-)
Post subject: Re: #3465: cpadolf's SNES Super Metroid in 21:25.12
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Cpadolf wrote:
I have a couple of suggested screenshots that I either though looked good or acted as a statement about the run. I don't think they are usable because of the compressions standards, so I'll include the frame numbers as well. They are, in order: 38170, 40177, 61252, 70378, 72469, 75409.
Your images were fine, but they could be recompressed a lot better (which I believe is part of standard publication process on tasvideos). For instance, your Sm9G3.png which was 18401 bytes, becomes 6568 bytes when I optimize it using [1], without need to recapture it from an emulator. Link here.
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Awesome improvements with a great amount of style and flair throughout the run. I'm really glad you started TASing this game again. Also thanks for the shout out I really appreciate it even though I wish I could have contributed more to the thread. Anyway Easy Yes Vote!!! I'll let everyone else choose the screen shot because I can't decide which one I like best.
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The youtube encode was annoying to watch because of the lack of a flicker-fixing filter. Nevertheless, yes vote. A good improvement on the existing run. (The x-scope glitch is still boring, but well, there's nothing that can be done to it.)
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Yeah I can't encode for shit, so I just let Youtube have it's way with the relatively loss-less video I got from recording directly from the emulator. They should really up the frame cap to 60 at some point...
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Doesn't matter if it's relatively lossless when it's only 240p, YT will use very low quality settings for that. I've encoded a 400MB 960x720 version that uses various frame reduction algorithms, depending on the scene (and fixes the flickering lines by replacing them with black lines). I'll try to upload it to an old YT testing account, though I don't know if it'll accept videos of that length (if not it'll go to MediaFire).
Language: Avisynth

0.. 349: SelectEven # title screen: "Nintendo" 350.. 387: TASBlend # title screen: monitors 388.. 2157: SelectEven # intro 2158.. 2791: Mother_Brain # intro: Mother Brain 2792.. 7521: SelectEven # intro 7522.. 8239: TASBlend # approaching Space Colony 8240..13370: Deblink # Space Colony gameplay 13371..15343: TASBlend # exploding Space Colony and approaching Zebes 15344..29753: Deblink # gameplay 29754..30101: SelectEven # title screen: "Nintendo" 30102..30139: TASBlend # title screen: monitors 30140..30707: SelectEven # copy & load savegame 30708..68225: Deblink # gameplay up to Tourian save station 68226..68573: SelectEven # title screen: "Nintendo" 68574..68613: TASBlend # title screen: monitors 68614..69027: SelectEven # load savegame 69028..70007: Deblink # gameplay up to death 70008..70495: SelectEven # death and try again 70496..70545: TASBlend # title screen: monitors 70546..70931: SelectEven # load savegame 70932..77761: Deblink # gameplay up to last input 77762.. 0: SelectEven # extro
function sources: TASBlend, Deblink & Mother_Brain EDIT1: Video will be at http://youtu.be/18KYBpPI3m8 when it's done processing. EDIT2: Forgot to remove the black lines when Samus dies. :( EDIT3: Samus' ship also needs TASBlend, imo
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Keep pumping those arms cpadolf.