River City Ransom is a goofy game which deserves a goofy TAS.
Emulator used: FCEU 0.98.16
Does not aim for fastest time
Plays on Novice level
Uses time to save trashcan
We looked at previous submissions and demonstrations of this game and tried to include the most entertaining parts of what was available, and add in a few ideas of our own along the way. Hopefully you'll get a kick out of it.
Bonus: Watch this run with the option "Allow more than 8 sprites per scanline" checked to make it easier to see when there are many sprites on the screen at once. This option is located in the main menu under Config -> Video.
(Changing this option may require an emulator restart if the colors get messed up, but it will save this setting.)
Those who say that "[this movie] doesn't belong on this site" can go read WhyAndHow again.
A movie is entertaining when it is:
* Interesting (not slow, boring, or repetitive)
* Surprising (does the unexpected)
* Skillful (handles awkward situations efficiently and creatively)
and
our main goal is to create movies that are beautiful to watch.
In my opinion, this site needs more movies like this. This is the ideal.
However, such movies pose a judging problem. Movies that compete for speed
are easy to compare; just a scalar number against a scalar number.
But play-around movies like this; if you receive a couple of them, what should you
do? How can you judge them and decide which ones to keep and which ones to discard?
This is all politics, and that's where this submission is stuck at.
Does it honestly deserve the place it's aiming at?
Even the voting feedback does not make the decision all that clear.
We have to remember all the kind of bias that exists in the votes.
(Indeed, judging is not a democratic process;
the votes are there just to give an idea of audience reception.)
I am accepting this movie on the following grounds:
The votes have been positive for the most part.
The movie is consistent with the message of this site…
I see this movie does ot even attempt to be fast. It intentionally consumes time at its own pace to do theatrical stunts, such as being apparently distracted by chicks walking on streets. Movies like that are a rare sight here. I'm happy that you were bold enough to do it.
I enjoyed watching this movie (well, first 5 minutes of it anyway as I must go sleeping now), but I'm not sure what the judging decision for this movie should be though.
I considered abstaining from voting but I guess it doesn't hurt to throw in the one "yes" vote.
Not a fan of the graphics glitch.
Some good stuff in here. I very much enjoyed when you jumped over one of those large pits, happened twice I think. Also some very zzz stuff since this is RCR, after all.
Voting yes because I like the authors.
The style ever!
I didn't like all the fights, but that was to be expected. What I definitely wasn't expecting was all the stuff between the fights, and for a game like RCR, this is saying a lot. This is definitely the best run for this game so far, even though it doesn't aim for speed at all. 9 in entertainment; you guys rock.
Warp wrote:
Edit: I think I understand now: It's my avatar, isn't it? It makes me look angry.
Joined: 9/23/2006
Posts: 207
Location: Moreno Valley, California
Simon exploded!
Not sure what I'm gonna vote yet. It's not fast, but it's certainly fun to watch.
edit: Also wondering why 2P is checking out boys. ^_^;
"The way to move out of judgment is to move into gratitude." — Neale Donald Walsch
DannyLilithborne on IRC
Joined: 6/5/2006
Posts: 188
Location: Malmö, Sweden
Oh wow, that was ... different. I'm not sure if I think it should be published or not, but it sure as hell entertained.
Yes vote.
Even the best player is limited by the speed of his fingers, or his mind's ability to control them. But what happens when speed is not a factor, when theory becomes reality?
Incredible, all the stuff you were able to squeeze out of this game. Looked like you guys had a hell of a (fun) time making this run, I mean, it's just really well done.
A very cool run with a lot interesting and entertaining situations which has me leaning toward a yes vote.
Heh. This run had me in stitches the whole time. Whether it's totem pole action, Alex and Ryan playing ball with brass knuckles and a pipe, or the completely-out-of-nowhere sprite explosions and video tearing, it succeeded in making me laugh and going "WTF!?." There were also a few impressive moments in there, most notably using a thrown object as a platform to jump across the pit in Thor's room.
Voting "Yes" on this one for entertainment.
I enjoyed watching the video but it didn't seem very superhuman.. it seemed like a really well-played, fun time through the game, but also one that could have been done by two bored guys who knew the game really well without tools. But anyway, if it was just a casual playthrough with stunts and the like, why not fight all the bosses? why not stay in the sauna? why not get a smile at Merv Burger and eat a cup of tea somewhere else? why not use the GBA version, which has a greater variety of "normal" moves to show off?
The movie was fun to watch, but...
someone is out there who will like you. take off your mask so they can find you faster.
I support the new Nekketsu Kouha Kunio-kun.
Joined: 6/11/2006
Posts: 818
Location: Arboga, Sweden
Boco wrote:
why not use the GBA version, which has a greater variety of "normal" moves to show off?.
Doesn't that game support 1 player only due to technical difficulties having 2 players play on one GBA? Or has VBA had a 2 player option all along? (Actually I dunno if RCR EX even supports 2 players with link cable?)
I doubt that RCR would be boring-er with only 1 player.
Warp wrote:
omg lol this is so fake!!!1 the nes cant produce music like this!
What did you DO to that poor final boss?
Anyway, funny movie. Yes vote.
Det man inte har i begåvning får man ta ut i energi.
"I think I need to get to Snoop Dogg's level of high to be able to research this post." -Samsara
Read my fanfic, One Piece: Pure Corruption
Yay RCR! When I saw this in the workbench I thought, "Someone obsoleted my run! Yay times 100"
Then I noticed the time.
"Yay times 10! All bosses stompfest!"
Then I read the text
"Regular yay, entertainment run"
Knowing how damn frustrating it is to make a fast run, I was hoping for a speedrun rather than a funfest, but I will watch.
EDIT: Post 900!
EDIT AGAIN: Very well done. Paradoxically, I did not enjoy the boss fights as much as the rest of the movie. It was very impressive overall, and I liked the Simon fight more than the rest. I liked how you used my suicide trick, and how he seemed to hesitate to discover that.
Emulator Coder, Site Developer, Site Owner, Expert player
(3570)
Joined: 11/3/2004
Posts: 4754
Location: Tennessee
Bisqwit wrote:
I see this movie does ot even attempt to be fast. It intentionally consumes time at its own pace to do theatrical stunts, such as being apparently distracted by chicks walking on streets. Movies like that are a rare sight here. I'm happy that you were bold enough to do it.
Not to mention stopping for a quick game of baseball and of course beating each other up for no reason.
Yeah we don't get many movies like that at the site but many movies aren't well suited for such a run. River City Ransom is very much suited to this. In has an insane amount of depth, especially for a beat em up. And a fastest possible route run doesn't get the opportunity to explore this depth.
but I'm not sure what the judging decision for this movie should be though.
I think if this movie entertains people, it should be published. If it is published it should obsolete the current movie for two reasons:
1) The published movie isn't a "aims for fastest time" movie either. It plays around on the bosses too.
2) This game isn't well suited for a fastest possible time movie. The fastest possible fights will have to employ the same strategies and between the fights will simply be running and a player glitching off the screen. The game offers much more than this.
There for there should only be one movie and that movie should be one that run should be a "many aspects" run (thanks to Samhain-Grim for this term, it is much more descriptive than "Play-around").
Joined: 6/13/2006
Posts: 3300
Location: Massachussetts, USA
Fabian wrote:
Voting yes because I like the authors.
I was under the impression this was against the site rules. Unless of course you're being sarcastic, which is entirely possible (and likely) given your nature. In which case, the orange orange flag and airhorns would be nice for next time.
I'm with Bisqwit on this one, I don't know what to make of it. (although I'm not voting.) This is the first time I've watched a RCR submission on fceu, and it was entertaining in some ways, but I just don't think these are the days of "publish a random funny NES movie that doesn't aim for fastest time". I mean it was really, really obvious you were wasting time in many places, while being speedy in others. I don't say I quite agree on the goals this movie tries to acheive, and while clearly entertainment was the main motivator due to previous RCR submissions, I just think that a 2 player fastest time obsoleting the current run aiming for more entertaining ways to complete things would have been better.
The little shenanigans were fun to watch, but eh. The graphical glitches were a pain adding to my already laggy FCEU.
I was under the impression this was against the site rules. Unless of course you're being sarcastic, which is entirely possible (and likely) given your nature. In which case, the orange orange flag and airhorns would be nice for next time.
Joined: 6/13/2006
Posts: 3300
Location: Massachussetts, USA
I never vote/rate my own movies due to obvious bias, I don't let any inward opinions/feelings/biases directly affect my vote; I judge a submission based entirely on the game itself and how well played the run is, not on who runs it or if I feel jealous or what have you.
I like to hope that this same standard is upheld by everyone else, as it IS stated in the rules. There are rules for a reason.
I think if this movie entertains people, it should be published. If it is published it should obsolete the current movie for two reasons:
1) The published movie isn't a "aims for fastest time" movie either. It plays around on the bosses too.
No it doesn't. Some things that look like playing (I.E. throwing Ryan into a wall to punch Thor from behind) deal the most damage in the fastest possible time.
Adelikat wrote:
2) This game isn't well suited for a fastest possible time movie. The fastest possible fights will have to employ the same strategies and between the fights will simply be running and a player glitching off the screen. The game offers much more than this.
The fastest possible fights rarely involve identical strategies, due to boss location, obstacles, player position, available weapons, etc.
Adelikat wrote:
There for there should only be one movie and that movie should be one that run should be a "many aspects" run (thanks to Samhain-Grim for this term, it is much more descriptive than "Play-around").
I don't think a game should have a playaround if it lacks a true speedrun.
I know some people will say I'm just bitching about my run being obsoleted, but it's not really that. I would love to have my run obsoleted, so I could see where I had gone wrong and maybe try to obsolete the new run. But a run twice the length wouldn't work to this end. There's no objective standard, no march towards perfection. I seem to recall one of the main arguments for the last RCR run being published was that it's faster and objective.
Absolutely amazing run.
I found it hilarious, although my only qualm with this run is at the end when there was the sprites flying all over. While interesting at first, I found it a bit annoying as the fight developed, although I do like the ending (self-inflicted) blow.
Good job you two, I haven't laughed this hard in a while xD
Yes vote. ^^
Entertaining. Yes vote.
What bugged me was the major glitching at the end. It's cute for a few seconds but when it lasts that long, it just becomes annoying.
EDIT: At the risk of starting a debate (please don't), I would just like to say that if you're unsure about publication of this video, understand that this is tool assisted superplay, not speedruns. This is superplay. The video aims for entertainment over speed and while entertainment is subjective and speed is not, the concensus is that this is an entertaining video. This means it achieved its goal, and is entertaining* and therefore should be published. Optimization isn't really a valid argument as much, as you can't really "optimize**" entertainment.
What I think this site needs is a speed run supertype and an entertainment supertype. It would open the flood gates for all sorts of videos that are still entertaining but not as frustrating/annoying/difficult to make.
* I realize how it looks like I'm repeating myself, but if this were a speed video, saying that would be important. I'm just trying to remove some ambiguity from my post.
** Okay, so you have to optimize the stunts/shenanigans/whatever to make them look good, but I don't think the frame-perfection of them really matters.
