Here is a TAS of Journey To Silius (NES). It is an improvement of 2395 frames (~40 seconds) over the current published run by jlun2 & klmz.
Game objectives
- Emulator used: FCEUX 2.2.2
- Aims for fastest time
- Takes damage to save time
- Luck manipulation
- Glitch abuse
Level 1
A big time save in this run is due to a glitch that I found in the level 1 boss fight. If you kill the boss in a specific frame you trigger health and ammo replenishing 256 frames faster than normally and finish the level that much faster. I was quite lucky since this specific frame is only 35 frames away from the most optimal battle I could find thus providing a 221 frames time save. Another significant time save is
achieved by using shotgun in levels 1 and 2 instead of handgun saving about 160 frames. (Due to equipping it in level 1 with the cost of 57 frames, the time that shotgun actually saves obviously reflects much more in level 2). (Time saved in level 1 = 239 f)
Level 2
While getting more lag frames with shotgun than handgun, it saves big chunk of time most notably in the mid-level "mini boss" and the end of the level mini boss fights. Switching weapon to homing missile in the boss fight is better, because its slightly faster and its by far the best weapon to use in level 3. (Time saved in level 2 = 156 f)
Level 3
Slightly different strats ends up being mostly just as fast or only tiny bit faster. (Time saved in level 3 = 2 f)
Level 4
A better screen scrolling strategy in one segment saves 20 frames. Better mini boss fight strategy saves 6 frames. (Also 1 frame saved elsewhere, but 2 frames lost by having worse "replenish cycle".) (Time saved in level 4 = 25 f)
Level 5
About 75% of the time save in this run comes from being able to skip most of the very long ship battle due to a glitch called ship glitch. Ship glitch is triggered by delivering the finishing blow to the left side of the ship at the last frame possible and it saves 1823 frames (~30 seconds). Also lots of ammo is saved using the glitch and luckily the amount is just enough to kill the final boss with homing missiles saving 150 frames (Time saved in level 5 = 1973 f bringing the total amount of time saved in this run to 2395 frames.)
Useful memory addresses
- 0506 - X Position (Cam) ; Unsigned 1 bit
- 0500 - X Position
- 0501 - X Position (Sub) ; Unsigned 1 bit
- 0507 - Y Position (Cam) ; Unsigned 1 bit
- 0504 - X-Speed
; Signed 1 bit
- 001F - Boss HP
; Unsigned 1 bit
- 00B0 - Player HP
- 00B1 - Player Ammo
--; Unsigned 1 bit
Thanks
To previous TASers. Without your effort in the currently published movie, which I greatly used for reference and from which I gained lots of valuable information about some very nice tricks and strats, this run would have certainly turned up to be far away from what it is.
Also to HonorableJay for letting me know about the ship glitch, which I had failed to find out about.
