This topic is for the purpose of discussing #4838: Gay's NES Donkey Kong 3 in 00:49.07

Anyone wants to try to improve and get side-author? I agree strongly that there is likely room for improvement here. I do not try to optimize it fully, because I knew I could not get it fastest alone. And this game is short, it is good for the war. :D

I have two questions about this run, that also apply to the earlier (published) run. First, why does it use easy difficulty (Game A) as opposed to hard difficulty (Game B)? According to the FAQ, this has a bigger impact than just changing boss HP. Second, why does it end after four levels? According to the FAQ, the first seventeen levels are all different, and levels 18 and up are repeats.

First, why does it use easy difficulty (Game A) as opposed to hard difficulty (Game B)? According to the FAQ, this has a bigger impact than just changing boss HP.

From a viewpoint of TAS, it is useless. All you would be doing is hitting Donkey Kong for longer. The other differences are negligible, and make no difference in TAS. Only enemies that are ignored in any mode. I don't object to completing later leves, though, even though they would mostly be the same. I just end where Meshuggah did.

I had to grab Mesh's one just to see if he used Game B, he does not. First one, Game Loop: The only two TASes that actually go through all the loops is the two Mario Bros. Tases all other Mario/DK and heck Galaga arcade ports only do the first loop, so I don't have much to comment on there. Single loop would be fine, but for all loops I'd wait for the arcade version just in-case they have any specific traits to them. Secondly difficulty: All the other Donkey Kong TASes, except Mesh's (which is this one) is done on Game B, why is this still not on Game B? I don't know, preferably don't want to know. DK does have to take more hits in the two different Game Modes. Personally, I think using Game A is just scraping fine. I didn't find this entertaining like the last one, so I'll be voting Meh.

This is my improvment. http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/25500042330572150 This run is 128 frames faster. Don't add me to the co-author, and I don't plan to submit it, too. Try your best and beat me, then I will vote yes. Round1. 11 frames saved. Because this game has the 11 frames rule. 11 frames rule address: 0x0020. Don't fire the 2nd smoke too close to the 1st at the begining, because when these two shots hit the DK together, DK only be hit once. Watch the DK Y axis address: 0x0368 & 0x0371. Gay's and MESHUGGAH's has the same mistake. If you want to improve, find 11 frames imrpovment. I have found 6 frames, but nothing changed. Round2. 110 frames saved total. Manipulate luck the bee, find a better death way. If you try to improve this round, you should find more than 8 frames. Round3. 112 frames saved total. Not the 11 frames rule? When beat DK, I'm 127 frames faster. But when countdown the time, this is 10-frame-rule, so it changed to 120. But when countdowm the flower, it's 16 frames rule, oh dammit! Only 112 frames left! I guess if it can be found 3 more frames saved when beating DK, it could be saved 16 frames. Round4. 128 total. Gay is slower than MESHUGGAH. I improved MESHUGGAH's 3 frames, the better jump.

Well, for a 50 second run, i'd always go with hard even if it makes the game 10 seconds longer. Longer boss battle, more chances for the butterflies to hit you. Sure you don't get hit anyway in a tas, but it is just more impressive from a human point of view.

Thank you so much, mtvf1. I will try at your movie.

Gay, I went ahead and updated the movie file with mtvf1's improvements. Are you still trying to find more improvements?

Gay, I went ahead and updated the movie file with mtvf1's improvements. Are you still trying to find more improvements?

This is my improvment. http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/25500042330572150 This run is 128 frames faster. Don't add me to the co-author, and I don't plan to submit it, too. Try your best and beat me, then I will vote yes.

......

Gay, I went ahead and updated the movie file with mtvf1's improvements. Are you still trying to find more improvements?

This is my improvment. http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/info/25500042330572150 This run is 128 frames faster. Don't add me to the co-author, and I don't plan to submit it, too. Try your best and beat me, then I will vote yes.

......

mtvf1, I didn't add you as a co-author, but I assumed that you wanted to provide the file as an improvement to Gay's submission, since it beat his time. Did I misunderstand here? If so, I apologize.

Please delay for now.

Got your submission set to delayed. I apologize again, mtvf1. I misunderstood your original post.

12 frames improved. I saved 16 frames in round3, and I can touch the 11 frames rule line in round1, too. But I have no time to take die. Even if I might saved 11 frames in round1, I'm not sure it can break the 16 frames rule in round3, too. I lost 4 frames in round4. Because I found another 32 frames rule. DK will fall down 1 pixel in every 32 frames. The DK's first falling dowm comes too late. My 3rd shot hit him a little slower. If I want to shot DK at the said(when X pixel address 0x029B is 139), the Y pixel 0x0298 must be 158. So I have to wait 2 frames before jump, let my 5th fire at Ypixle 158. As the same reason, some shot hit DK slower, let me lost another 2 frames. If want to save this 4 frames, it should be found the 16 frames saved.

Gay, just checking in on you. Do you have any new progress on this submission?

Sorry, I have to vote NO. For a 1minutes tas, we have waited for you more than 3 weeks. Even ars4326 ask you, you still choose the silence. Though you improved the published run, why not try to do the best? In round4, you still slower(13 frames) than the published run. I don't think this game is too hard for you to waste 3 weeks.

Sorry, I have to vote NO. For a 1minutes tas, we have waited for you more than 3 weeks. Even ars4326 ask you, you still choose the silence. Though you improved the published run, why not try to do the best? In round4, you still slower(13 frames) than the published run. I don't think this game is too hard for you to waste 3 weeks.

I agree that 3 weeks is a long time to take improving a 50 second movie but that's no reason to vote no. Vote based on the entertainment value of a movie rather than personal reasons. We have no idea what's taking him so long but perhaps something has happened in his personal life? Maybe to avoid future situations like this a run can be rejected after being 3 weeks delayed?

I have no time lately. Not that I ignored, I have not even checked the website. In addition, you are better at this game than me. I would not want this done published by a mediocre player, when you can do it yourself and be better. I will end the life of this presentation : '(

om, nom, nom... *burp*!

So sad : '(

You're not mediocre. :) Life happens, don't worry about that, you'll get back to it in the future. :)

Hey man, don't worry about it! Sometimes real life gets in the way. At the end of the day, we're all here to have fun and contribute to this common hobby of ours. I look forward to seeing another run from you, whether it's a month from now, or further down the road :)