Zelda II, improved by 1077 frames (17.95 seconds).
Uses FCEU 0.98.16
Goal nonsense
  • Aims for fastest time
    • It's fast.
  • Rarely takes damage to save time
    • Only twice in fact, both in Palace five (more below)
  • Manipulates luck
    • Frequently, For example, changing the path and positions of overworld enemies, deciding whether a Red Jar or a P Bag will drop from every sixth enemy, and etc.
  • Abuses programming errors
    • To an extent, nothing game breaking, mostly being able to attack much more frequently than the creators intended and abusing downstab's hit detection.
  • Uses a game restart sequence
    • Frequently
  • No predefined saves
    • And how!
  • Genre: Platform
    • Link jumps on shit
  • Genre: RPG
    • Link has levels and talks to townsfolk
  • Cuts down trees
    • Wears high heels, suspendies and a bra. Oh, I wish I'd been a girlie just like my dear Papa.
This run came about by Inz's incredibly silly idea of levelling magic over attack in the first half of the game. While this seems to be a laughable idea on paper, it's in practice around ten seconds faster overall up to the point where the levels are equal to the attack route, though the actual gameplay sequences are slightly slower.
...that doesn't make sense you say? Then, allow me to elaborate my unenlightened friends. At the end of every dungeon in this game, there is a crystal you place, which refills your life/magic at a rate of 32 frames per container. Having higher magic levels means cheaper spells, hence less magic to refill. This was paid careful attention to throughout the run, a couple magic refills were gotten without need of casting more spells to save time refilling on crystals. Palace three for example: Link's magic meter is full at the crystal allowing gameplay to resume much quicker.
In addition, you also get a free levelup on the crystals. In the first three palaces, this level is used towards the new levelling strategy, but as magic levels are cheaper than attack some more time is saved from waiting less for the experience to tick. Level 8 magic is flat out needed for the fastest route through the final palace, and anything below attack level six later on in the game, bosses simply take too many hits to kill quickly. As opposed to the last run, attack level 7 was declined in this run saving 148 frames from not waiting through the level-up fanfare. As a result, 16 frames were lost on Barba, and 32 frames on Thunderbird, as well as an additional 27 frames from an extra level cancel, the result is a net gain of 73 frames however.
With regards to the actual bosses, time is lost on the first three but not nearly enough to negate the gains from faster magic/experience fills from the Crystals. To those unfamiliar with earlier runs, Link can attack _extremely_ quickly with frame by frame precision in this game, so an extra 10 (horsehead), 12 (helmethead), or even 21 (blue rider) hits doesn't take long to get in. Oddly enough, the fights are more fun to watch as the bosses have time to breathe before they are killed.
As for the overworld, all random encounters gotten into are over a forced battle square. In all instances, the random encounter is quicker than the forced battle.
For time saved outside of the levelling strategy itself;
In the Death Moutain caves, less experience is needed for 2 level ups, so less large enemies were killed, saving time as Link loses momentum to kill these guys without the downstab. In the Hammercave itself, the red Dairas were manipulated into not throwing axes as Link runs away, saving a frame each from not having to slow down mid-air to dodge them. The red Daira at the bottom of the elevator was manipulated into a closer position, and killed quicker than before through the use of a momentum-unfriendly strategy, but as it's required to wait for the experience from him to start ticking before exiting the screen (or he respawns on the way back and throws an undodgeable, unmanipulateable axe) this doesn't end up mattering.
After palace three, we return to the old strategy of restarting (UP and A on controller 2) after the crystal. Upon realising that we can spawn red ironknuckles from the statues at the entrances to palaces three, four, and six, there is no need for the extra enemy in the cave on the way to the dock for the six count (every six kills of a large or small enemy drops either a point bag or a magic refill). We are 1279 frames ahead of the published run at this point, though 745 of those are artificial as 4 level ups are moved to later in the run (see paragraph below).
Palace four uses the same route. Here we spam sword levels, the result is after the restart at the boots we have the same levels as in the published run (6 attack, 7 magic).
The route through palace five was changed drastically, and saved 180 frames to the spider on the overworld. Instead of getting the flute then killing the boss, it is done in reverse with a restart at the flute. The boss here was killed 13 frames quicker than the old run by manipulating him into walking towards Link sooner, and carefully controlling Link's height to be just above the mace, and just inside the detection for downstabbing. The sword level was cancelled, and 1000 points were acquired returning to the flute for a magic refill/level, the last level-up of the run. At the spider, we are 738 frames ahead of the published run.
In addition we take two hits in palace five. Both are as a fairy and do not slow Link down (8 and 9 frames gained respectedly). As more magic is needed to refill at the crystal than life, these hits are taken safely without losing time. The one other place this would save time (6 frames in palace 6) the skull would drain Link's MAGIC, costing more time at the crystal refill.
Palace six is mostly the same as before, though the blue rider was killed 3 frames faster (odd since we have a lower attack level in this run) and Barba 16 frames slower. Declining the attack level on the bridge again saves 148 frames on the published run, minus 29 as this is still an extra level cancelled overall. As said earlier, the extra attack power for the last two bosses that matter doesn't save nearly that much time.
The overworld to the Great Palace went MUCH better in this run. We wound up being 989 frames ahead at the entrance to the Great Palace as a result, a gain of 116 frames over the old run in this area.
Inside the Palace itself, Inz discovered a way to save 6 frames each on the underhang elevators, by bouncing off the opposing wall with the sword. The room where reflect is cast to block fireballs was improved 27 frames by queueing the spell up at the wizard who teaches you Thunder (during the forced pause, rather than a voluntary one in this room). The room where we jump over a huge wall with the dragonhead enemies was improved 72 frames, by stunning one of the heads it was possible to manipulate his position without losing any forward momentum at all.
Thunderbird took an expected hit from the lower attack level, 32 frames lost here. Point of interest, he is killed without using the Jump spell in this run. The keygrab is slower by 27 frames- exactly the same time it would take to pause and cast Jump, so this method was used for more "wow" factor.
And finally, due to some random douchebaggery on Shadow Link's behalf, the input had to end six frames later in the fight than in the published run (though the time between each hit is completely optimized for his 56 frame invulnerability.)
Otherwise, there are some insignificant gains and losses here and there throughout the run thanks to luck manipulation being easier or harder. Also Inzult is a slow worker (so he claims anyway.)
something about audio commentary to come, closing statements blah blah

NesVideoAgent: Hi! I am a robot. I took a few screenshots of this movie and placed them here. Oh! I also corrected the ROM name.
  • You indicated Zelda II The Adventure of Link (U).nes
  • I updated it to Zelda II - The Adventure of Link (U) [!].nes

adelikat: Accepting for publication.
Bisqwit: Processing for publication.


TASVideoAgent
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Nice! I love gin! also, yes vote
Has never colored a dinosaur.
Joined: 11/16/2006
Posts: 66
Today, I was watching the SDA run of Zelda II for a second time while dozing and saying to myself, "man, I wish there was another Zelda II run to watch. What a great game." Thank you for obliging. Bombay Sapphire and Cranberry Juice -- That's my drink.
Joined: 10/3/2005
Posts: 1332
"He's a fairy boy and he's okay He jumps on knights and he... dresses gay?" Eh, whatever. It's always cool to see this game be further vivisected. Yes vote.
Joined: 4/25/2004
Posts: 498
Oh this'll be a fun watch. :D Also lol @ teh b0t not getting any action shots. :p
Editor, Expert player (2073)
Joined: 6/15/2005
Posts: 3282
I like it when Link does that falling animation. Also, the random encounters puzzled me at first, before I read the submission text. Yes vote.
Former player
Joined: 10/6/2007
Posts: 330
Location: B.C Canada
I was waiting for an improvement to this game. I didn't actually know one was in the works. I really liked it. There was something funny that was in the other movie that wasn't in this one, but that's no big deal. Nice improve. Yes vote from me. One thing I'm wondering though. I've never played to the point where I get the fairy spell, so I'd like to know if you're supposed to be able to go through locked doors with fairy, or if it's a glitch that needs precision frame work. Are you supposed to be able to go through them?
Player (168)
Joined: 4/27/2006
Posts: 304
Location: Eastern Canada
Pekopon wrote:
I was waiting for an improvement to this game. I didn't actually know one was in the works. I really liked it. There was something funny that was in the other movie that wasn't in this one, but that's no big deal. Nice improve. Yes vote from me. One thing I'm wondering though. I've never played to the point where I get the fairy spell, so I'd like to know if you're supposed to be able to go through locked doors with fairy, or if it's a glitch that needs precision frame work. Are you supposed to be able to go through them?
It's pretty tricky, you have to press and hold left or right to go towards the door for about half of a second.
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Joined: 9/27/2004
Posts: 650
Location: Canada
Pekopon wrote:
There was something funny that was in the other movie that wasn't in this one, but that's no big deal.
I'm curious, what was the funny thing?
Joined: 7/28/2005
Posts: 83
Location: Montreal, Canada
Pekopon wrote:
One thing I'm wondering though. I've never played to the point where I get the fairy spell, so I'd like to know if you're supposed to be able to go through locked doors with fairy, or if it's a glitch that needs precision frame work. Are you supposed to be able to go through them?
It's something you can very easily do in the original game; if I recall correctly, it was mentioned in Nintendo Power as "you flying through the keyhole." I can't recall if there's any indication in the instruction manual or townsfolk chatter about the trick, however. Also, it only works if you have no keys (if you have any keys they'll be automatically used when you get close enough), and depending on where you use it you could end up stranded, trapped on the other side of a locked door with insufficient magic to re-cast the spell and no way to replenish the magic via suicide or whatever.
snorlax
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Joined: 5/20/2007
Posts: 174
Location: Wisconsin
Inzult wrote:
Pekopon wrote:
There was something funny that was in the other movie that wasn't in this one, but that's no big deal.
I'm curious, what was the funny thing?
My favorite part that is missing from this new movie is when the automatic level up after finishing one of the levels allowed the magic to fill up after using fairy to go through a keyhole in one of the backtracking levels. I hope that conveys how I remember it happening; I don't even know if that's accurate right now.
Dwedit
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Joined: 3/24/2006
Posts: 692
Location: Chicago
univbee wrote:
Pekopon wrote:
One thing I'm wondering though. I've never played to the point where I get the fairy spell, so I'd like to know if you're supposed to be able to go through locked doors with fairy, or if it's a glitch that needs precision frame work. Are you supposed to be able to go through them?
It's something you can very easily do in the original game; if I recall correctly, it was mentioned in Nintendo Power as "you flying through the keyhole." I can't recall if there's any indication in the instruction manual or townsfolk chatter about the trick, however. Also, it only works if you have no keys (if you have any keys they'll be automatically used when you get close enough), and depending on where you use it you could end up stranded, trapped on the other side of a locked door with insufficient magic to re-cast the spell and no way to replenish the magic via suicide or whatever.
I believe it's an unintentional side effect of how locked doors work: They set your horizontal speed to slowly backwards when you touch them. If you're not a fairy, you can't accelerate fast enough to go through the door. I think they kept it in because it's a cool feature.
Joined: 2/14/2007
Posts: 128
Wait, I thought that the keyhole "trick" was simply that only the keyhole part of the doors was solid, and that the fairy was small enough to go through the gaps above and below it? It's been a long time since I played this game....
Active player (435)
Joined: 9/27/2004
Posts: 650
Location: Canada
Nah, you can fairy through any part of the door, including the keyhole. You can stop in the door without being ejected, you can move up and down whlie inside the door. It is as if the door isn't there, you know, except the small amount of resistance pushing you back when you move.
Active player (437)
Joined: 4/21/2004
Posts: 3517
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
Stellar performance Jack and Phil. I thought for sure that the old run was flawless so I was quite surprised you guys improved your run once again. Voted yes.
Nitrogenesis wrote:
Guys I come from the DidyKnogRacist communite, and you are all wrong, tihs is the run of the mileniun and everyone who says otherwise dosnt know any bater! I found this run vary ease to masturbate too!!!! Don't fuck with me, I know this game so that mean I'm always right!StupedfackincommunityTASVideoz!!!!!!
Arc wrote:
I enjoyed this movie in which hands firmly gripping a shaft lead to balls deep in multiple holes.
natt wrote:
I don't want to get involved in this discussion, but as a point of fact C# is literally the first goddamn thing on that fucking page you linked did you even fucking read it
Cooljay wrote:
Mayor Haggar and Cody are such nice people for the community. Metro City's hospitals reached an all time new record of incoming patients due to their great efforts :P
Lord_Tom
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Posts: 399
Location: New England
Voted yes. I love how strategy in a TAS can be dictated by details of the game that have nothing to do with gameplay. The idea of levelling magic 1st to cut down on the (purely aesthetic) refill animation is a great example...well done. Oh, and you two owe us some trees after all that unnecessary deforestation with the hammer...;)
Expert player (3643)
Joined: 11/9/2007
Posts: 375
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I liked the, in general, longer battles with bosses and enemies. So it can never hurt throwing in a yes vote. Would it be possible to do an "all temple"-run while allowing the left/right - trick?
feos wrote:
Only Aglar can improve this now.
Joined: 5/17/2007
Posts: 393
Location: Sweden
Nice improvment, yes vote
"No love for the game gear"
Joined: 7/20/2004
Posts: 45
Awsome job! This is another game that's bring ripped apart at the roots with non-stop improvements in seems!
Active player (435)
Joined: 9/27/2004
Posts: 650
Location: Canada
Thanks for the positive feedback so far, guys.
Aglar wrote:
Would it be possible to do an "all temple"-run while allowing the left/right - trick?
I was thinking a 100%/all items run would be the best way to do something like that. I'm far too lazy to actually make it, though.
Lord_Tom
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Expert player (3143)
Joined: 5/25/2007
Posts: 399
Location: New England
Here's an idea for an improvement, I have never TAS'd this game so I apologize if it's already been considered and rejected. Or if it just sucks. ;) There are 3, maybe 4 places in this run which seemingly could be shortened by using conventional death abuse to avoid backtracking. http://tom.seufert.googlepages.com/zelda2glovedeathabuse.fcm This example saves a little over 2s by letting the red iron knuckle kill Link after he grabs the glove. Other exploitable scenes I've found are the hammer and raft (about 3s saved apiece) and possibly the kid (might save half a second or so if optimized). It is also possible that the technique could make it shorter to backtrack in some places where the game reset sequence is currently used, ie in cases (if any exist) where the gain from using the reset sequence was <2 or 3s. As I see it, another advantage might include a free magic refill; dying doesn't seem to result in losing any experience gained, though I don't know if it affects enemy counts toward potions or P-bags. Even if this is legit I absolutely think the current submission should be published due to the seemingly ridiculous amount of work that went into constructing it in all its awesomeness.
Player (168)
Joined: 4/27/2006
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Location: Eastern Canada
Death as a shortcut was considered at one point, but it takes awhile for the dying animation to go through + the lives screen... it could theoretically save time at the hammer, but there's no way to actually die while Link holds it over his head, and needed to be hit twice to die there, it's slower in practice. The other items are all gotten as a fairy so no time moving is lost, and dying is still slower than leaving the room. Hope that answers your question. EDIT: After going back to check, it looks like this could save 123 frames on both the glove and raft. Hammer is still no go for reasons stated, and the child won't work because of where Link starts in the room. So I guess this could be improved a tad over four seconds with a couple ugly looking deaths.
Active player (435)
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Location: Canada
Lord Tom wrote:
death to save time (plus several examples)
We actually had discussed using death to save time. Dying to refill your magic meter is slower than just getting bag drops or keys or whatever along the way, unless there was a different route/leveling strategy that I can't think of that takes it into account. A free refill would be an advantage if it coincides with not having to backtrack, though. The rooms you mention where it would save time backtracking (maybe not the kid; you'd need an extra life to do all 4) are probably all true. Er, I think you don't get your lives back when you continue. Save and quit would probably work to refill your lives at the cost of extra frames. Could be tight. If you manage to take a hit that would kill you and be scrolled off the screen before you actually die, you get to run around with no life. That glitch could possibly be used if there is a 'uses death' run made. You know, for fun. If two hits are needed to die somewhere and if it's no slower than anything else. I actually can't remember why we decided not to use death to skip the backtracking on those rooms. Besides being a stylistic choice, I mean, I guess it sort of stops mattering once you take damage to save time. Maybe we erroniously thought it was slower. Or maybe I forgot to bring it up or decribed it poorly or something when we were deciding strategy. Or maybe I think we talked about it but really we didn't and I just thought about talking about it at some point because my memory is a bag of cocks. (or maybe it somehow IS slower and I'm not remembering something) That said, I'm not particularly interested in working on this again right now, and probably not for quite a while. tl;dr: It's a good idea, should be explored. By someone who isn't me. Ah, jacked by Jack.
Dwedit
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Location: Chicago
Any time where dying would skip a "Get item" animation?
Active player (435)
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Posts: 650
Location: Canada
Dwedit wrote:
Any time where dying would skip a "Get item" animation?
Off the top of my head, the only places in the run where you can actually get hit while getting an item is palace 3, 4, and 5. The kid is a maybe, if the lizard man can catch up. Since we were already using fairy to get through key doors for the items and using the lizard man for the 6 count anyway it never really came up to test it out. So, I'm not even sure what would happen if you were killed while in the 'you got the item' pose. Or even what would happen if you were killed and your corpse pushed into the item by knockback (which may work for the hammer, maybe, if you can get an enemy to throw an axe just so). edit: Hypothetically speaking, I mean. For the kid, casting fairy is free since we're forced to look at our subscreen after getting reflect and we pick up a magic container shortly after. I don't expect it to be faster to not use fairy there.