This is the second version of this submission. A good deal of time that could be saved was found and with the recommendation of a few people I decided to fix this. Everything from 5-3 on is new.
Used FCE Ultra 0.98.15
  • Used default settings for emulator
  • Didn't use warps
  • Abused programming errors in the game heavily
  • Take damage to save time
  • My goal was to complete the game as fast as possible and provide a fun game to watch
Super Mario Bros. 2 was origionally Doki Doki Panic in Japan. In the US version Mario has fallen asleep and he is dreaming. To wake him you must defeat wart who apparently wants Mario to sleep forever?
This movie was very very time consuming to make. I never thought that 20 minutes of game play would take so long to perfect. I tried as hard as I could. As I went through the game I took the time to figure out exactly how much time I saved for each level.
1-1: -16[-0.267s]: The strategy is the same as past runs of this level, I just did some more frame work to try and save some time.
1-2: -11[-0.183s]: Same as 1-1
1-3: -08[-0.133s]: My most disappointing time save. I tried using toad, but in the dungeon area you need luigi to make the far jumps. I was able to save in some very minor areas.
2-1: -339[-5.560s]: The strategy was pretty much the same as Guanobowl. At the beginning I didn't slow down like he did, and I overhauled on the sand area. I think most of the time I saved was from using enemies better. When I got to the Super Star I paused only one time.
2-2: -90[-1.500s]: I once again saved a lot of time in the sand area. I also tried defeating Ostro from under the platform, but seems impossible. This game is very good about keeping solid blocks solid. I optimized the super jump, Guanobowl wasted a few frames jumping too high and too far.
2-3: -221[-3.683s]: Same as 2-1 and 2-2. While digging for the key I dug up one less sanf block and on the way back up I saved time twice with one jump, I started one layer higher, and in turn was able to jump out of the sand area for the door with more speed.
3-1: -497[-8.283s]: I used Toad instead of Luigi. I was very happy when I discovered that I could do that. Almost all of the time was saved just simply because Toad is faster then Luigi.
3-2: -50[-0.830s]: Then came the disappointment. Toadstool is soooooo slow, but she is the only character that can get through the shrtcut here. I saved my time from Ostro, I got an egg instead of a fireball and used that instead to pick her off.
3-3: -618[10.300s]: This one was a huge time saver. The biggest one was using the ladder right before the door holding the key, shooting up about 3 screens instead of jumping on each platform. I also saved time on Mouser. I had a lot of trouble with this one. When I finally figured out what I was doing wrong I ended up saving 30 frames over Guanobowls' run.
4-1: -29[-0.483s]: Same as previous runs, mostly frame work to make it faster.
4-2: -187[-3.117s]: I picked up a cherry earlier in the level to avoid having to stop later on to pick one up. After reaching the whales I was able to pick up the first enemy, allowing me to travel much faster.
4-3: -165[-2.750s]: Most of my time was saved from the boss battle. I hit all four flames with one single mushroom throw, saving about 2.5 seconds.
5-1: -124[-2.067s]: The strategy was pretty much the same as uanobowls, mpostly framework to complete the level faster.
5-2: -189[-3.15s]: I picked up a Hoopstar earlier, picking up speed and on the vines I stayed on the right one, only flying around to avoid the Hoopstar there.
5-3: -1015[16.917s]: This was my biggest time saver in the game. I delayed my foreward movement for about half a second, so that when bombing the blocks to get into the door, I didn't have to go back to get another bomb and wait for that bomb. This strategy worked by only one frame. Took me so many tries to get it. I saved more time by picking up bombs. Even though they explode, it was worth picking them up. I didn't have to power jump when the two bombs come flying at you about midway up the underground area. After submitting this movie I discovered a huge time saver that I had missed. I was able to hit clawgrip with one rock all five times! Thanks 4matsy for the trick.
6-1: -133[-2.217s]: Same as previous runs.
6-2: -86[-1.433s]: Same as previous runs.
6-3: -96[-1.600s]: Same as previous runs.
7-1: -85[-1.417s]: Same as previous runs.
7-2: -310[-5.167s]: Same as previous runs. When I first viewed this run, I thought that it was pretty well optimized, when I saw that I had saved 5 seconds, I was like "huh?". With all the new optimization, I made a minute before this level.
All in all, after redoing all that I did I ended up saving 4239 frames or about 71 seconds from the previous run. I think I will go as far as saying that I am proud of that number.
Thanks go to DeHackEd for helping me try and hex edit my run from 6-1, though in a sence I am glad it didn't work. I saved an additional 2 someodd seconds on top of the 5 I saved from clawgrip.
Again thanks to 4matsy for his trick with clawgrip.

TASVideoAgent
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This topic is for the purpose of discussing #994: DonamerDragon's NES Super Mario Bros. 2 "warpless" in 20:14.20
Active player (253)
Joined: 4/24/2005
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No point in rejecting this, especially with a better (and funnier) strategy on the crab boss.
[URL=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcuV2JdaBYY]Streets of Rage 3 (2 players)[/url]
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Joined: 6/7/2005
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atro city wrote:
No point in rejecting this, especially with a better (and funnier) strategy on the crab boss.
Haha, apparently that is the new highlight of the run. Well I'm glad it's good for something. :)
Soft Blue Dragon
Tub
Joined: 6/25/2005
Posts: 1377
yes again. drugs are bad. If that crab hadn't been stoned it might still live. (ouch)
m00
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Tub wrote:
yes again. drugs are bad. If that crab hadn't been stoned it might still live. (ouch)
Thanks for voting again. Haha, I'm glad I went back and did that part. Beside the time bonus it is kinda funny to see.
Soft Blue Dragon
Joined: 5/27/2005
Posts: 465
Location: Turku, Finland
Yep. Definite yes vote. Btw, I'm currently encoding this run so enyone who's willing to publish this, can get the .avi from me.
Which run should I encode next? :)
Player (104)
Joined: 6/7/2005
Posts: 290
Location: New York
Maza wrote:
Yep. Definite yes vote. Btw, I'm currently encoding this run so enyone who's willing to publish this, can get the .avi from me.
Heh, wow. No one's going to have a chance to vote...again...before it's published. :P
Soft Blue Dragon
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Joined: 4/23/2005
Posts: 435
Location: Germany
Too yes vote. Great that you redone this part. Looks much better this fight with one hit. :-)
Last TAS finished: Final Fantasy Adventure (4.0 Warp Glitch Run) WIP in the moment: Tail Gator (GB) Matty
nesrocks
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Editor, Active player (296)
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I was interested of the decision Donamer made in 4-2 to pick the star as late as possible. I wanted to see if it can be made faster by picking more cherries in the whale part of that stage. I did indeed manage to make it 1 frame faster than Donamer's movie. It could be made at least 2 frames faster, because I lost 1 frame before taking the rocket, and I'm not sure whether I played optimally in the spike pit. (And not sure whether I picked Birdo's egg as early as possible, too.) https://files.tasvideos.org/bisqwit/donasmb2-4-2.zip (seek to frame 39560) I still didn't verify the sand pit scenes, but they look to me, like they could be made faster, by better planning the timing of the horizontal acceleration, to avoid spending unnecessary time on top of the enemies, that are used to skip rows of sand. _________ Yay for Asgard-style usage of commas in English.
Post subject: Movie published
TASVideoAgent
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This movie has been published. The posts before this message apply to the submission, and posts after this message apply to the published movie. ---- [494] NES Super Mario Bros. 2 "warpless" by DonamerDragon in 20:14.20
Joined: 4/23/2004
Posts: 150
One thing I reflected over in 4-2, was whether it would be slightly faster to pick up a sprout to travel the distance to the Snifit slightly faster. It such a short bit it might not make a difference, and I've assumed it tested. Andreas
Joined: 8/3/2004
Posts: 380
Location: Finland
Seems like I'm a few minutes too late. Anyway clear yes, improvement over previous version, fast paced movie with lots of cool tricks thrown in. What more can one want from a movie? ;)
"Kids! Bringing about Armageddon can be dangerous. Do not attempt it in your home." ( Pratchett & Gaiman: Good Omens )
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A Runnelid wrote:
One thing I reflected over in 4-2, was whether it would be slightly faster to pick up a sprout to travel the distance to the Snifit slightly faster. It such a short bit it might not make a difference, and I've assumed it tested.
I don't know of sprouts, but I tested with the bottle and the difference was about 20 frames, a win for Snifit.
JXQ
Experienced player (750)
Joined: 5/6/2005
Posts: 3132
Maybe the screenshot could be replaced with the Crawgrip bouncefest? :)
<Swordless> Go hug a tree, you vegetarian (I bet you really are one)
Joined: 1/23/2006
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What was the reason for using the potion in 1-1 and some later level?
Joined: 11/15/2004
Posts: 804
Location: Canada
It looks great in motion, but you can't tell that he gets hit by it 5 times in a screenshot. Unless someone wants to make an animated .GIF. Anyone, awesome job once again. I wish I had gotten a chance to vote, but I voted in the previous version. That is one heck of a nice SMB2 run.
TASing or playing back a DOS game? Make sure your files match the archive at RGB Classic Games.
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KDR_11k wrote:
What was the reason for using the potion in 1-1 and some later level?
There was no potion in 1-1 that was used, but in 1-2, it was to execute the false item trick, which is not documented at http://tasvideos.org/SuperMarioBros2Tricks.html (would someone like to remedify this shortcoming?) Basically, it allows Toad to carry a plant while not carrying anything, and thus, take the plant through the door and kill the OstroBirdo with it.
Joined: 4/23/2004
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I meant picking up one of the vegetables when you reach them and dispose of it right before you pick up the Snifit, if that's slightly faster than not carrying anything for that short distance, but maybe vegetables don't apply for speed increase in the first place. Andreas
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Joined: 8/15/2004
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Very good movie, though I think you overused the double-jump a bit.
Player (51)
Joined: 10/6/2005
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Very good, although 2-3 could've been faster had you heeded this post. 3-1 was particularly brilliant. I guess this movie means it's not possible to kill Mouser with a star in 1-3?
Sir_VG
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I voted yes before. To this I say we need an "OMFG YES!!!!!" vote option.
Taking over the world, one game at a time. Currently TASing: Nothing
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tmont wrote:
Very good, although 2-3 could've been faster had you heeded this post. 3-1 was particularly brilliant. I guess this movie means it's not possible to kill Mouser with a star in 1-3?
I don't think it's possible because of how long it takes for a bomb to explode compared to where the super star would appear...but because of that assumption i didn't test it heavily. Maybe it is.
Soft Blue Dragon
Joined: 2/16/2005
Posts: 462
Bisqwit wrote:
I still didn't verify the sand pit scenes, but they look to me, like they could be made faster, by better planning the timing of the horizontal acceleration, to avoid spending unnecessary time on top of the enemies, that are used to skip rows of sand.
This was the one part of the run that struck me as looking kinda sluggish. The rest looks mostly fantastic.
This signature is much better than its previous version.
Joined: 2/25/2006
Posts: 70
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
only 1 word to discribe it: amazing I watched this video and literally, my jaw dropped. i love the abuse of glitches. i had a blast watching it and i laughed every time when u climb the vines/chains super fast ^_^