Player (121)
Joined: 2/11/2007
Posts: 1522
The Flash seems like a great candidate for a speed run. This particular version was only made for SMS, but it was done in 1993 and seems to have only been released in Europe. It has relatively good graphics and so far no lag. There is practically no info on it on the interwebs, aside from a cheat code ^>v<v>^ which grants a level select and invincibility. This cheat was useful as this game is pretty confusing and somewhat mazelike. Here's a WIP of the first level. It unfortunately suffers from strange problems in dega. For example, there are item boxes that can be opened. But, if you save a state, open a box, then load the state from before the box was opened, the box will remain open (even though it's graphics sometimes look like it's closed). Nothing insurmountable, but it is annoying. I think this would be a great run for anyone who wants to do an SMS game that looks nice and is really fast.
I make a comic with no image files and you should read it. While there is a lower class, I am in it, and while there is a criminal element I am of it, and while there is a soul in prison, I am not free. -Eugene Debs
Experienced player (829)
Joined: 11/18/2006
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I've picked this as one of my next projects, and it is easily the fastest SMS game Ive ever seen. I've done a sloppy walkthrough of the first three levels, but decided that the bosses just weren't worth working through, so I've started over to make an actual run. After playing around with the mechanics, my first level is almost a full second faster than alden's WIP. I expect this to run somewhere between 10-12 minutes, and should make for a pretty good watch. However, due to dega being one-half step above famtasia, I won't be doing any sort of mem. watch on this (yes, I know about MHS, but or has issues with my secondary computer), but I will do plentyof testing, as always. I probably won't be posting WIPs, but anyone interested can feel free to PM me.
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Player (121)
Joined: 2/11/2007
Posts: 1522
Nice to see this being picked up! A couple of things: Do the newer versions of dega still exhibit the problem with box status not reverting upon loading a state? When I ran this it defaulted to NTSC and I did not notice until afterwards, so I guess double check that your movie is using PAL if you haven't already (probably have :D ) You may already know this, but there's a memory watch tool that gets enabled if you install Python. Still not great but easier than MHS in my opinion. Good luck and I look forward to seeing this on the workbench!
I make a comic with no image files and you should read it. While there is a lower class, I am in it, and while there is a criminal element I am of it, and while there is a soul in prison, I am not free. -Eugene Debs
Experienced player (829)
Joined: 11/18/2006
Posts: 2426
Location: Back where I belong
1.15 continues to have problems with RAM stability, especially with loading objects properly. It is hilarious to open the emulator, play the movie, and load a state, only to find that the game hasn't loaded the floor. Flash falls into the abyss, dies, but loading a savestate after the level restarts fixes it every time. I have not tried 1.16 with the game yet, and won't have a chance to for a day or so, but I'm not expecting things to change. RE: PAL timing - D'oh! I didn't have that checked either, thanks for the reminder. RE: Python - I have not used it before, and if it requires installation, and not just placement of some files in the dega folder, I won't be able to utilize it because I don't have admin rights to the PC on which I'm doing most of the work for this run. If it does just involve a drag/drop and some config, please point me in the right direction.
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Player (121)
Joined: 2/11/2007
Posts: 1522
Yeah, you have to install something. RAM watch probably isn't terribly important in this game though, so no big deal.
I make a comic with no image files and you should read it. While there is a lower class, I am in it, and while there is a criminal element I am of it, and while there is a soul in prison, I am not free. -Eugene Debs
Experienced player (829)
Joined: 11/18/2006
Posts: 2426
Location: Back where I belong
The speed variability is something that, with a competant emulator, I would want to watch, but at least the boss fights won't *need* it (although it would probably make hits easier to keep track of). Thanks for the help and info alden.
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Experienced player (829)
Joined: 11/18/2006
Posts: 2426
Location: Back where I belong
I promise this project isn't dead yet, just slowly moving along. Currently I'm battling desyncs with the level 3 boss with just over 5 minutes of gameplay done. With this pattern, a full run should be somewhere around 11-12 minutes. WIP in case any are interested: http://dehacked.2y.net/microstorage.php/info/969914886/level3boss.mmv
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Jungon
He/Him
Player (51)
Joined: 4/2/2009
Posts: 376
Location: Porto Alegre - Brazil
May the lurker here say something? I've found a shortcut on stage 3-1, which leads to finish without pressing the switch, reaching the exit from the left =P I don't know how to add a file to my post here yet, but I will XD and I've learned before submitting: http://dehacked.2y.net/microstorage.php/info/850265334/Flash3-1shortcut.mmv I didn't play from the start, just used dega 1.15 ... if I was to record from the start I would be losing 4 lives and 1 continue during the process of beating stage 2 =P
*Jungon*/*Johnnyz* smilie weirdo =P ^^ o.o @__@ +D
Experienced player (829)
Joined: 11/18/2006
Posts: 2426
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Wow, that's an awesome find Jungon! I've been working on this off and on, and have gotten up to 4-2, but I'll need to go back and implement this! Are you looking for other shortcuts too? Also, have you had difficulty with the emulation as much as I have? (specifically with loading savestates and having objects not reset like they should?) Oh, and are you working on a run of this yourself?
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Jungon
He/Him
Player (51)
Joined: 4/2/2009
Posts: 376
Location: Porto Alegre - Brazil
Well, let me see =P I'm not a TASer, but I've played so much, so many Master System games, maybe I know some more unique shortcuts ... I always wanted to enshorten Flash's 4-2 stage, but seems like the switch is really needed there +_+ I didn't have any problem with loading and saving, because I just played the game until I've reached your run-point on 3-2, and fought the boss just to remember what else is added to the car in each stage ... the next fights with him will probably be as easy as that because with some luck manipulation, I believe the boss can throw much less shots that you need to jump to avoid =P (I'm used to fight him starting on taking out that wheel because it's much more difficult when the main shots and the wheel alternate fire, I believe)
*Jungon*/*Johnnyz* smilie weirdo =P ^^ o.o @__@ +D
Experienced player (829)
Joined: 11/18/2006
Posts: 2426
Location: Back where I belong
The bosses shots can be manipulated with as little as a one frame change in direction. Because of this, I'm not excited about reworking this, because hex editing is unlikely to work for at least the bosses, and possibly the levels as well, and my WIP goes up to 4-2. Speaking of which, in 4-2, I found a slight shortcut, but it doesn't stop you from having to hit the switch, which is unfortunate. In case you're wondering, I take the top route again after hitting the switch, then jump up onto the final moving platform with a well timed leap.
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Jungon
He/Him
Player (51)
Joined: 4/2/2009
Posts: 376
Location: Porto Alegre - Brazil
What can I say, I'm looking forward to see the TAS done =D EDIT: One year later ..... a WIP, at least? .-.
*Jungon*/*Johnnyz* smilie weirdo =P ^^ o.o @__@ +D
NitroGenesis
He/Him
Editor, Experienced player (556)
Joined: 12/24/2009
Posts: 1873
I heard this game has some emulation issues with Dega. Maybe we could see a run made with BizHawk? It is a shame we don't have a published run of this.
YoungJ1997lol wrote:
Normally i would say Yes, but thennI thought "its not the same hack" so ill stick with meh.
Experienced player (829)
Joined: 11/18/2006
Posts: 2426
Location: Back where I belong
I stilll have a pretty high quality WIP up to level 4 I believe. If the emulation is better on BizHawk I'd be interested in finishing it up.
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adelikat
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Emulator Coder, Site Developer, Site Owner, Expert player (3576)
Joined: 11/3/2004
Posts: 4754
Location: Tennessee
Bizhawk emulation should be significantly better. Not to mention a much better set of tools and UI :)
It's hard to look this good. My TAS projects
Jungon
He/Him
Player (51)
Joined: 4/2/2009
Posts: 376
Location: Porto Alegre - Brazil
If I can still be of some help, I'll be around =)
*Jungon*/*Johnnyz* smilie weirdo =P ^^ o.o @__@ +D