Joined: 11/17/2004
Posts: 42
Never used FCEU. What makes it better? Maybe you'll convert me, I've wanted to look at some of those other videos on the site, so I'll probably get it either way.
Former player
Joined: 4/16/2004
Posts: 1276
Location: Uppsala, Sweden
Sort of off topic but I used to like (and still do) Famtasia because it has some nice things that I can't find in FCEU. Like any speed you want (almost) and auto fire on start and select ;) Anyways, I think I'll convert to FCEU now because of the frame advance.
/Walker Boh
Emulator Coder
Joined: 10/9/2004
Posts: 453
Location: Norway
That is a good path for a speedrun. Here are my suggestions: 1: If you don't need the points for the bonus diamonds, don't take them, each taken adds some time to your run when they count them up. 2: See if you can beat those defense guys by using missiles or time bombs (that you buy between level 1 or 2). You don't use any other weapons at all. 3: Improve flight path, there were some places where you could have shaven off some frames by turning faster and basically cut corners better. Otherwise, hope to see you submit something that I could vote yes for! (I would not have voted yes for this, it is far too unoptimized yet).
Former player
Joined: 3/19/2004
Posts: 710
Location: USA
Walker Boh wrote:
Like any speed you want (almost) and auto fire on start and select ;) Anyways, I think I'll convert to FCEU now because of the frame advance.
Yep, autofire is completly useless because of frameskip and low speeds. And technically, that '(almost)' is wrong because there are far more numbers that you can't do than you can. >_> Sorry, you can ignore that last sentance.
Joined: 11/17/2004
Posts: 42
1: If you don't need the points for the bonus diamonds, don't take them, each taken adds some time to your run when they count them up.
Yeah, I talked about that earlier. It would be boring just sitting there though. I think I'll choose style, even if someone else can make a movie 4 1/2 seconds faster. Maybe I'll just run around the level just barely missing the diamonds for show? Also, I'll probably get however many crystals on the first stage as it takes to buy whatever weapons can kill the guardians fastest. "2: See if you can beat those defense guys by using missiles or time bombs (that you buy between level 1 or 2). You don't use any other weapons at all." Definately. I just bought them with the intention of trying a few, but the upgraded bullets worked pretty well alone. Times bombs would make a cool video, and missles + bullets would probably be the fastest, but I'll have to test it more to really get it down.
3: Improve flight path, there were some places where you could have shaven off some frames by turning faster and basically cut corners better.
Yep. I said it was sloppy above, notice the low rerecord count, and remember this was played almost entirely in real time. I'll do a frame by frame more perfect movie soon. I'll probably have a few versions: Finish this one, to get the route down. Next version, find better ways to cut time, kill enemies faster. Refine that to bloody perfection, then try to make a 100% version, with steady flying, perfect high speed blind turns, no missed shots, etc. Thanks for watching everyone, it turned out much better than I thought it would. The final video will probably be just above the 20 min mark, maybe even 25.
Former player
Joined: 6/27/2004
Posts: 550
Location: New York
If you write that your movie "Collects all diamonds" when you submit it, I don't think a movie can overwrite it unless it meets that criteria, unless it's much faster for some other reason.
Joined: 11/17/2004
Posts: 42
I think in the next version I'll just collect enough crystals to get the upgraded bullets and maybe missles or timebombs.
Joined: 8/10/2004
Posts: 173
Location: Bethel, VT
Hows the new video coming? A friend of mine and I are looking forward to it.
Joined: 3/17/2005
Posts: 67
Ditto!
Post subject: Solar Jetman!
Former player
Joined: 5/4/2005
Posts: 502
Location: Onett, Eagleland
I forgot all about this game, I would play it religously and could never beat it when I was younger, to this day I still cannot beat it. The controls are extremely difficult and I think a time attack would look awesome. Anyone up for it? :)
I think.....therefore I am not Barry Burton
Editor, Reviewer, Experienced player (969)
Joined: 4/17/2004
Posts: 3107
Location: Sweden
It's been discussed before. It seems a lot of people are hoping for someone else to do it. http://tasvideos.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=329 You should use the search function before creating new topics.
Former player
Joined: 5/4/2005
Posts: 502
Location: Onett, Eagleland
Will do, sorry.
I think.....therefore I am not Barry Burton
Joined: 5/7/2005
Posts: 15
Awesome video! It was very fun to watch. I'm looking forward to the final version.
Joined: 11/17/2004
Posts: 42
Well, it looks like someone saw this video, got inspired by it (or impatient) and produced a nice one theirself. So go watch it! I stopped my video right at the boring part. He does have one major improvement over mine though: beating the guardians with timebombs which I had messed around with myself. My video was made in a single night in a single sitting with very little time involved. This new video shows he put some time in, so go watch it. Its been published, and finished the game in about 25 min.
Joined: 11/17/2004
Posts: 42
Also, he mentioned me briefly in his author comments :)
Player (67)
Joined: 3/11/2004
Posts: 1058
Location: Reykjaví­k, Ísland
The current run can be improved. Here's level 1, done 9.35 seconds faster (561 frames): http://fast.filespace.org/blublu/SolarJetman_U_level1.fcm More later if I have time / am motivated enough. I'm not sure if I want to keep going to level 2 or re-do level 1 again (it can most likely be improved a little bit further).
Joined: 1/13/2006
Posts: 109
Hey, even though there are old posts, I just wanted to make sure a few things were clear. First, I don't know of any warp in Level 1 that leads to Level 7, though it doesn't mean it doesn't exist. I never hacked it, so I don't know. There is the moving warp in the upper left that leads to a bonus stage. Another warp that I haven't seen mentioned is the one on planet 6. It leads to 9 or 10, but for a time-run, it is not recommended bothering with.
Life is like a box of chocolates-when you want peanut butter, all you get is coconut.
Player (67)
Joined: 3/11/2004
Posts: 1058
Location: Reykjaví­k, Ísland
Here's a map (copied from GameFAQs without permission):
                     .-----------.---.
                     |           |   |
                     |           v   v
 1-->2-->3-->4-->5-->6-->7-->8-->9-->10-->11-->12-->Boss
         |       ^   ^   ^   |                 ^
         |       |   |   |   |                 |
         .-------.---.---.   .------>13--------.
The possible paths are: 01 -> 02 -> 03 w> 07 -> 08 w> 13 -> 12 -> end 01 -> 02 -> 03 w> 06 w> 10 -> 11 -> 12 -> end The former one looks to be faster because level 11 has so many detours. The others (except 13) can be run almost straight through without deviating much. Of course, the only way to know for sure is to make two runs... Edit: I finished up the first level, 10 seconds faster total. http://fast.filespace.org/blublu/SolarJetman_U_level1_finished.fcm Edit: Level 2 done, now the total improvement is 22.95 seconds. :D fast.filespace.org/blublu/SolarJetman_U_level2_finished.fcm (obsolete) Edit: Re-did part of level 2, improving the time by 1.38 seconds. http://fast.filespace.org/blublu/SolarJetman_U_level2_finished_again.fcm
Editor, Active player (296)
Joined: 3/8/2004
Posts: 7469
Location: Arzareth
Blublu wrote:
http://fast.filespace.org/blublu/SolarJetman_U_level2_finished_again.fcm
[img_right]http://bisqwit.iki.fi/kala/snap/solarjetred.png[/img_right] Looking good so far. The first stage was a bittle lacking in excitement, but the second stage was very interesting. I was particularly surprised about the way you approached the red-hole -guarded teleport from this direction, through this narrow hole: I also liked the way you played the second cyberzone.
Player (67)
Joined: 3/11/2004
Posts: 1058
Location: Reykjaví­k, Ísland
Thanks. :) Yeah, I noticed that getting the crystals doesn't actually affect time at all. It just kinda looks like it does. So I decided to get ALL the crystals in the first cyberzone and then try to do the others in interesting ways, even if it means I can't get all the crystals. I'm thinking I will do the next one same as #2, only diagonally...
Player (98)
Joined: 7/16/2005
Posts: 34
Nice work. I'm not at all surprised you've found substantial improvement in levels 1 and 2, they're very clearly the weakest parts of my run. I don't think there's quite as much to be gained later, but I might well be wrong. Good luck with it.
Player (98)
Joined: 7/16/2005
Posts: 34
Oh, one thing on watching this WIP: I didn't learn this until after I did my first run, but try to make sure your pod is facing downwards when you finish the bonus stage. It puts you back above your ship facing the same direction, so by doing so you can save the time it takes to turn around.
Player (67)
Joined: 3/11/2004
Posts: 1058
Location: Reykjaví­k, Ísland
Slotermeyer wrote:
Oh, one thing on watching this WIP: I didn't learn this until after I did my first run, but try to make sure your pod is facing downwards when you finish the bonus stage. It puts you back above your ship facing the same direction, so by doing so you can save the time it takes to turn around.
Thanks, this helps. There's no way I'm doing level 2 again for 12 frames, though.
Active player (278)
Joined: 5/29/2004
Posts: 5712
What if someone bribed you with cookies?
put yourself in my rocketpack if that poochie is one outrageous dude
Joined: 1/13/2006
Posts: 109
Nicely done. As for improving those, you could just use copy-pasting after the Planet 1 improvement, so you wouldn't have to redo Planet 2 all over again.
Life is like a box of chocolates-when you want peanut butter, all you get is coconut.