MASTER OF DARKNESS

Game objectives:

  • -Take damages to save time
  • -Play on music
  • -Beat the game as fast as possible
Hi,
I don't will explain all tricks on this run, but if you are curious, you can watch Jungon's old submission text who greatest summarize all of this (Master of Darkness). I go just to correct 1 or 2 little things:
When you take damages, you must take it in opposite direction to save time, and that do lose 2 frames for return the character and not 4 frames like had said the author.
Take damages on the stairs done lose time, but if you haven't other choice, then it's the only possibility use to save time and sometimes it's more short to go to stairs after doing a jump to spare damages, all of this depends to the moment where you take damages on the stairs. You must so check all possibility to be sure you save time.
Numerous enemies have a different pattern, some patterns are predefined then other are linked to your moves (bat, falcon...), you can easily manipulate those comportments (change direction at a precise frame or use weapon), when you use weapon, it change very little the enemy's comportment and it's clearly more difficult but more quickly!
If you jump then you must use your weapon to don't to be stopped when you landing.
Your hit box is very big when you use weapon.
In this run, I take the strictly minimum of secondary weapons, because it's entertaining and more fastest.
I found than it was easy to make this TAS, then I choose to complicated it in playing with the music at some moments in the levels and for bosses fight in particular (but gameplay is poor!).
For conclude, I will said, game musics are amazing and level design are very well founded. I less love the first levels, because they are very easy to TASing, but the other levels are so well than it force me to forgot this.

Music address :

  • 01AB
  • 01A3
  • 014B
  • 014D
Thank to :
  • Creaothceann for this beautiful video encode.
  • Jungon for his run.
  • Challenger, for the infos and entertainment.
  • And you for watch this.

Noxxa: Judging.
Noxxa: Replaced movie file with a 420-frame improvement.
Noxxa: Pretty interesting run, with a good amount of nice classic Castlevania-style action. It looks pretty well executed. Accepting to Moons.
Fog: Processing.


TASVideoAgent
They/Them
Moderator
Joined: 8/3/2004
Posts: 15585
Location: 127.0.0.1
This topic is for the purpose of discussing #5697: zoboner's SMS Master of Darkness in 17:52.31
Spikestuff
They/Them
Editor, Publisher, Expert player (2643)
Joined: 10/12/2011
Posts: 6441
Location: The land down under.
More like master of small screens encodes for ants. Jesus. I'll vote when I grab a magnifying glass (or just watching it out on emu).
WebNations/Sabih wrote:
+fsvgm777 never censoring anything.
Disables Comments and Ratings for the YouTube account. Something better for yourself and also others.
Skilled player (1004)
Joined: 10/13/2014
Posts: 409
Location: nowhereatthemiddleofnoone
Spikestuff wrote:
More like master of small screens encodes for ants. Jesus. I'll vote when I grab a magnifying glass (or just watching it out on emu).
Lol! Ho! I'm sorry, habitually I do better! I don't know why, but I don't make a good video encode for SMS correctly!! Ah yeah I know... I'm not a good video encoder. But you are right, it's not amazing for watching! I have not a time to remake an encode, sorry!
GAW sms... Totally destroyed
Editor, Skilled player (1439)
Joined: 3/31/2010
Posts: 2108
Sweet, Master of Darkness. I was considering making a TAS of this some time back, but you did a much better job than I could have anyway. Man, the game really swarms you with enemies later on. Yes vote, natch.
creaothceann
He/Him
Editor
Joined: 4/7/2005
Posts: 1874
Location: Germany
I'll upload an encode. EDIT: Is this to be played back as a PAL game or an NTSC game? The movie file says "(E)" but the time "17:59.32" is probably for NTSC. The movie file says 59.923 fps.
fsvgm777
She/Her
Senior Publisher, Player (226)
Joined: 5/28/2009
Posts: 1214
Location: Luxembourg
For what it's worth, the game was released in Brazil (and thus in a PAL region). However, Brazil's PAL-M standard actually is much closer to NTSC in terms of lines displayed and framerate (not to be confused with PAL-60!). It's literally the oddball of the PAL standard. So....seeing it was released in Brazil, having it played back as an NTSC game, ironically enough, is fair game.
Steam Community page - Bluesky profile Oh, I'm just a concerned observer.
creaothceann
He/Him
Editor
Joined: 4/7/2005
Posts: 1874
Location: Germany
Right, PAL/NTSC is just the color encoding... Anyway, here's the encode: http://www.mediafire.com/file/rc47mq6irhsqcmy/M_of_Darkness_%28E%29Z1.5.mkv
Editor, Reviewer, Skilled player (1359)
Joined: 9/12/2016
Posts: 1646
Location: Italy
Oh look it's Castlevania! And looks well executed. Yes vote.
my personal page - my YouTube channel - my GitHub - my Discord: thunderaxe31 <Masterjun> if you look at the "NES" in a weird angle, it actually clearly says "GBA"
Challenger
He/Him
Skilled player (1689)
Joined: 2/23/2016
Posts: 1062
Thanks for the encode, creaothceann! This run looks well executed. Nice to see another SMS game on TASVideos (and this game is interessing). Yes vote. I'm not familiar with this game, but the last boss can be manipulated differently?
My homepage --Currently not much motived for TASing as before...-- But I'm still working.
creaothceann
He/Him
Editor
Joined: 4/7/2005
Posts: 1874
Location: Germany
If I'd known that you'd upload it to Youtube I'd have encoded it at 720p...
Skilled player (1004)
Joined: 10/13/2014
Posts: 409
Location: nowhereatthemiddleofnoone
scrimpeh wrote:
Sweet, Master of Darkness. I was considering making a TAS of this some time back, but you did a much better job than I could have anyway. Man, the game really swarms you with enemies later on. Yes vote, natch.
Thank you... I think remake this in pacifist mode, because it's a better challenge and the game play force to hit for don't to be stopped give max difficulty for don't kill enemy! After have make 1 or 2 levels, I'll know if it's entertaining or not and if I've a doubt, I'll post a wip and thread to have advices.
creaothceann wrote:
Right, PAL/NTSC is just the color encoding... Anyway, here's the encode: http://www.mediafire.com/file/rc47mq6irhsqcmy/M_of_Darkness_%28E%29Z1.5.mkv. If I'd known that you'd upload it to Youtube I'd have encoded it at 720p...
Big thanks for your encode ;) I upload all of my job on youtube, I'm sorry if it wasted your work!
Challenger wrote:
Thanks for the encode, creaothceann! This run looks well executed. Nice to see another SMS game on TASVideos (and this game is interessing). Yes vote. I'm not familiar with this game, but the last boss can be manipulated differently?
Thank you, I love SMS games and it's my favorite consol! Last boss is very easy because you must just manipulate luck to found where he is and after it, he is always at the same place ( 5 sprites) and it's not possible to manipulate this. After, if your question is for the first phase, then you can't manipulate plateformes placement, it depends to the moment where you start the fight (frame), the only methode is to loose frames before enter and after have tried numerous solutions, I have to be lucker because I have a very good placement and lose time was less favorable.
GAW sms... Totally destroyed
mklip2001
He/Him
Editor
Joined: 6/23/2009
Posts: 2227
Location: Georgia, USA
Neat, thanks for the encode! This is a pretty interesting SMS game. I like how you're trying to catch a killer, but you're the one in a business suit who keeps swinging an axe at everyone ;-) The platforming is pretty tight too. Yes vote.
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.
Skilled player (1004)
Joined: 10/13/2014
Posts: 409
Location: nowhereatthemiddleofnoone
mklip2001 wrote:
Neat, thanks for the encode! This is a pretty interesting SMS game. I like how you're trying to catch a killer, but you're the one in a business suit who keeps swinging an axe at everyone ;-) The platforming is pretty tight too. Yes vote.
Ah! I was waiting Mklip's commentary... ... I have always one, and for me it's like a ritual ! No joke ! You have always a good things at said, an good analysis and an cool vision ! Thank you. I had think at an same things ! He goes to fight against the killers for the peace but he kill all of animals and humans with axe or bombs! Then maybe in this history he is the serial killer ?! Reverse of medal "save the world and become bad !". Just an theory for laughing ;)
GAW sms... Totally destroyed
Jungon
He/Him
Player (50)
Joined: 4/2/2009
Posts: 376
Location: Porto Alegre - Brazil
Voted Yes too, great work there =) Seeing this run, I'm sure it is faster than mine in all aspects, and the subweapon is much more optimized too, .... I didn't even know there was a stake item inside a wall on level 4-1 .... O.o I was going to revise all my run but waited back there in 2011 because there was another guy with a WIP, which is klmz, ... I wonder if he saw this.. =D Hm..... I'll see if this final boss fight is really faster than mine when I have time, anyway ... XD
*Jungon*/*Johnnyz* smilie weirdo =P ^^ o.o @__@ +D
Skilled player (1004)
Joined: 10/13/2014
Posts: 409
Location: nowhereatthemiddleofnoone
Jungon wrote:
Voted Yes too, great work there =) Seeing this run, I'm sure it is faster than mine in all aspects, and the subweapon is much more optimized too, .... I didn't even know there was a stake item inside a wall on level 4-1 .... O.o I was going to revise all my run but waited back there in 2011 because there was another guy with a WIP, which is klmz, ... I wonder if he saw this.. =D Hm..... I'll see if this final boss fight is really faster than mine when I have time, anyway ... XD
Thank you. Challenger gave me this Klmz's wip, but I had found all tricks before than I watch this. Oh, you know for have a good comparison of the last boss fight, it's difficult, because DEGA don't emulate correctly and RNG can be a little different, but real problem is for the first phase because RNG is predefined by the frame before enter in the boss room, when you start this fight with 20" or 30" delayed... It's dead, you have maybe a good RNG but time delay that cannot be made up! I congratulate your effort to make a comparison, but I think it's time lost, because DEGA isn't BIZHAWK! If you are interesting to make this in pacifist mode with me, I guest you and you are welcome! ;)
GAW sms... Totally destroyed
Jungon
He/Him
Player (50)
Joined: 4/2/2009
Posts: 376
Location: Porto Alegre - Brazil
zoboner wrote:
Jungon wrote:
Voted Yes too, great work there =) Seeing this run, I'm sure it is faster than mine in all aspects, and the subweapon is much more optimized too, .... I didn't even know there was a stake item inside a wall on level 4-1 .... O.o I was going to revise all my run but waited back there in 2011 because there was another guy with a WIP, which is klmz, ... I wonder if he saw this.. =D Hm..... I'll see if this final boss fight is really faster than mine when I have time, anyway ... XD
Thank you. Challenger gave me this Klmz's wip, but I had found all tricks before than I watch this. Oh, you know for have a good comparison of the last boss fight, it's difficult, because DEGA don't emulate correctly and RNG can be a little different, but real problem is for the first phase because RNG is predefined by the frame before enter in the boss room, when you start this fight with 20" or 30" delayed... It's dead, you have maybe a good RNG but time delay that cannot be made up! I congratulate your effort to make a comparison, but I think it's time lost, because DEGA isn't BIZHAWK! If you are interesting to make this in pacifist mode with me, I guest you and you are welcome! ;)
Hmm.... never thought of playing this game in a pacifist way, let me think about it, .. maybe I should see these WIPs to get the grip of it, which version of BizHawk is being used? I probably have to install it =P EDIT: actually, I didn't see it before that there are youtube videos already =O The idea of a video where we attack to land and not to hit enemies is indeed very funny... XD
*Jungon*/*Johnnyz* smilie weirdo =P ^^ o.o @__@ +D
Skilled player (1004)
Joined: 10/13/2014
Posts: 409
Location: nowhereatthemiddleofnoone
Jungon wrote:
zoboner wrote:
Jungon wrote:
Voted Yes too, great work there =) Seeing this run, I'm sure it is faster than mine in all aspects, and the subweapon is much more optimized too, .... I didn't even know there was a stake item inside a wall on level 4-1 .... O.o I was going to revise all my run but waited back there in 2011 because there was another guy with a WIP, which is klmz, ... I wonder if he saw this.. =D Hm..... I'll see if this final boss fight is really faster than mine when I have time, anyway ... XD
Thank you. Challenger gave me this Klmz's wip, but I had found all tricks before than I watch this. Oh, you know for have a good comparison of the last boss fight, it's difficult, because DEGA don't emulate correctly and RNG can be a little different, but real problem is for the first phase because RNG is predefined by the frame before enter in the boss room, when you start this fight with 20" or 30" delayed... It's dead, you have maybe a good RNG but time delay that cannot be made up! I congratulate your effort to make a comparison, but I think it's time lost, because DEGA isn't BIZHAWK! If you are interesting to make this in pacifist mode with me, I guest you and you are welcome! ;)
Hmm.... never thought of playing this game in a pacifist way, let me think about it, .. maybe I should see these WIPs to get the grip of it, which version of BizHawk is being used? I probably have to install it =P EDIT: actually, I didn't see it before that there are youtube videos already =O The idea of a video where we attack to land and not to hit enemies is indeed very funny... XD
Give me 2 days to persuade you to join me... Because I have 2 suggestions to make this on pacifist solutions : 2 wip on youtube concerning "ultra pacifist", don't break objects, walls and don't wound or kill. Or then the 2nd solution is just "pacifist", just don't kill ! Wound is acceptable because you can save time due to enemies invulnerability frame and force to have a best weapon choice management to save time, take axe to bosses fight and take knife to won time in levels. When I'll finished 3 first levels in that 2 solutions, I think it will be possible to choose the most entertaining solution and know if you are interest ! I use Bizhawk 2.0.1 but I think it's possible on 2.2.1, I verifying it and said you if it's good! And for don't affected this submission, I'll do that on your old thread.
GAW sms... Totally destroyed
creaothceann
He/Him
Editor
Joined: 4/7/2005
Posts: 1874
Location: Germany
Always start a new TAS with the newest emulator version.
Skilled player (1004)
Joined: 10/13/2014
Posts: 409
Location: nowhereatthemiddleofnoone
I don't know who judging this but I have an request concerning this run... I'll wanted a short delay because I found some optimisations, I have remake this and I think finish tomorrow. Hope that is possible!
GAW sms... Totally destroyed
Skilled player (1004)
Joined: 10/13/2014
Posts: 409
Location: nowhereatthemiddleofnoone
This is a .bk2 file with new improvements. If it's possible to replace it. thanks in advance input file : http://tasvideos.org/userfiles/download/43048399525067034
GAW sms... Totally destroyed
Post subject: Movie published
TASVideoAgent
They/Them
Moderator
Joined: 8/3/2004
Posts: 15585
Location: 127.0.0.1
This movie has been published. The posts before this message apply to the submission, and posts after this message apply to the published movie. ---- [3563] SMS Master of Darkness by zoboner in 17:52.31