Topic by JXQ

Posted: 10/27/2005 7:07 AM

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JXQ

Experienced player (750)

Joined: 5/6/2005
Posts: 3132

Some of the carrier levels are just impossible to get platinums on the first time around - the ones where you also have to push cement blocks into holes (that are impossible to rotate, now that makes about as much sense as a sliding dumptruck destroying...oh wait) or other non-building-exploding obstacles. The level I'd want to see would be the Moon. I had a blast playing that level and I was able to get almost 30 seconds under platinum time after awhile, and I'm sure a TAS could cut much more than that.

<Swordless> Go hug a tree, you vegetarian (I bet you really are one)

Posted: 10/27/2005 7:36 AM

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StrangenessDSS

Joined: 10/21/2005
Posts: 11

How accurate is the N64 emulator? The game frequently slows down a tiny bit - not enough to notice, but enough to affect the times - and the in-game timer runs in realtime even during slowdown. If the emulator isn't perfectly accurate in regards to how much the game slows down, you'll end up with different times. Many of my levels are close to perfect already, like Spacecow mentions. You won't be able to improve Simian Acres (well, unless you can get that bounce-off-the-tree-to-skid-across-the-swamp-without-slowing-down trick I thought of to actually work, or figure out the mystery trick that "saves time on all levels" which the fellow at Twin Galaxies claimed to have, or find some weird physics trick that can only be done on an emulator... you get the idea). But most levels aren't perfect, and I didn't even try very hard on a lot of the later levels. Just off the top of my head... Mars can be improved by a lot. If you can figure out the mechanics of the weird sideways flight, it may be possible to break all the spheres in a single jump. Even without that, you can get three in a jump pretty easily. I expect you to get much better times on Moon and Venus, too. I didn't use the Z-trick... Brandon did a couple levels with it, but there are more places that it could be useful on, such as the last building on Outland Farm... though it may turn out that it's never faster that just using whatever vehicle you have perfectly. I also didn't use any of the lesser-known glitches. For instance, on Outland Farm, you can clip through the underside of the bridge at the start if you hit it just right. There are others, too! Look around! On the second main level with the Ramdozer (forgot the name), if you go over the bump at the start and hit the fence just right, you'll do a super-high bounce. It may be useful to preserve momentum for destroying the second building... but even if it's not, it looks cool, and I don't think it wastes any time. Anyway. Even though I find tool-assisted runs pretty boring to watch, I am curious as to what you could do with this game. So I hope someone makes one.

Posted: 10/27/2005 7:31 PM

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Bag_of_Magic_Food

He/Him

Active player (277)

Joined: 5/29/2004
Posts: 5712

StrangenessDSS wrote:

How accurate is the N64 emulator? The game frequently slows down a tiny bit - not enough to notice, but enough to affect the times - and the in-game timer runs in realtime even during slowdown. If the emulator isn't perfectly accurate in regards to how much the game slows down, you'll end up with different times.

The slowdown in the water level in the Super Mario 64 run looked accurate to me. I haven't tried any other games with Mupen 64, but I'm pretty sure that the timer in Goldeneye 007 doesn't slow down with the action, because otherwise the "look at the floor" trick would have no merit. Blast Corps may be the same way.

put yourself in my rocketpack if that poochie is one outrageous dude

Posted: 10/27/2005 11:42 PM

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Hoe

Joined: 7/31/2004
Posts: 183
Location: USA

I've watched the VCR based speed runs, though very impressed, I do believe this game could heavly benefit from tool assistance. I'd like to see bountys for videos. I'd toss 5 bucks at Blast Corps.

Posted: 10/31/2005 6:26 AM

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Atma

Former player

Joined: 9/1/2005
Posts: 803

Unless the (E) version works in mupen, you'll likely have no such luck making any sort of TAS for this game. Since, plain and simple, it dont work (cuts out at the rare logo in both 1.0 (U)[!] and 1.1 (U)[!]).

Posted: 10/31/2005 7:28 AM

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nitsuja

Emulator Coder, Skilled player (1300)

Joined: 12/21/2004
Posts: 2687

Atma wrote:

Unless the (E) version works in mupen, you'll likely have no such luck making any sort of TAS for this game. Since, plain and simple, it dont work (cuts out at the rare logo in both 1.0 (U)[!] and 1.1 (U)[!]).

I tried the (E) version and it works just as poorly. I found a Mupen64 compatibility list: http://www.emulation64.net/?rubrique=compatibilite_mupen64 Blast Corps is not on it. Then again, neither is Mischief Makers, so it must not be a very complete compatibility list. I checked some other games that have the same RSP microcode as this (such as Duke Nukem 64), and they worked so that's not the problem. I also found in several places references to the fact that "hardware frame buffer texture support is required to emulate this game correctly", but I didn't get the impression that by "correctly" they meant "at all". I tried quite a few combinations of settings and just about everything resulted in the logos zooming by at 300fps and the game crashing/freezing. So I guess for now, no emulated runs of this game are possible.

Posted: 11/16/2005 10:19 PM

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hopper

Joined: 11/15/2004
Posts: 804
Location: Canada

The game is mostly playable in Project64, but there are definitely times when it plays way too fast, and there are graphical errors such as a lack of reflection or correct texturing on objects that are supposed to be shiny. Nevertheless, I wholeheartedly agree that a run of this game would kick ass. This is one of my all-time favorite games, and I played it until I got platinum on every single level (nothing great happens at the end). Destroying things is very relaxing. Sideswiping with the dump truck is frustrating, so frame advance would allow some spectacular runs with that vehicle. If you can get the speed and angle just right, you can send it flying through a whole block of buildings. The goal, as previously noted, would be to try to already have platinum times on as many levels as possible. Mini levels don't have a 100% completion medal, so only major levels would have to be revisited after clearing the carrier path. The path used by the experts is probably as good as any human could ever play it, but a re-recording emulator with frame advance opens the door for superhuman feats of accuracy and glitch exploitation. The size of this game and variety of vehicles and strategies would make this a great cooperative project, if it ever gets emulated well enough to try.

TASing or playing back a DOS game? Make sure your files match the archive at RGB Classic Games.

Posted: 11/16/2005 10:34 PM

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JXQ

Experienced player (750)

Joined: 5/6/2005
Posts: 3132

Some of the times would be incredible. The physics are so seemingly random that manipulating them would destroy the game, especially in the lower-gravity levels. Hell, I got 1:45 on the moon (platinum is 2:20) on the console, so who knows how low the times on a TAS could go? Another thing to be considered is that you don't start with the racing vehicles, and so if certain levels are best played with a certain vehicle that you don't have yet, then adjustments would have to be made.

<Swordless> Go hug a tree, you vegetarian (I bet you really are one)

Posted: 11/16/2005 10:47 PM

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hopper

Joined: 11/15/2004
Posts: 804
Location: Canada

Exactly. In low-gravity levels, sometimes you can spin around and hit multiple marbles on the same pass. I've played those levels and come far short of platinum times, then gotten extremely lucky and beaten them by like 50%. Since you have to earn the faster vehicles, you have to plan your strategy to get them as quickly as possible. It may be worth playing levels minimally first, then use better vehicles in your 100% or platinum attempts later. I think this would be a great collaborative effort.

TASing or playing back a DOS game? Make sure your files match the archive at RGB Classic Games.

Posted: 11/9/2006 12:22 AM

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JXQ

Experienced player (750)

Joined: 5/6/2005
Posts: 3132

Is there any progress on any of the following? A) This game emulating correctly in Mupen. B) This game emulating correctly in a different emulator with re-recording. I still really want to TAS this game, but I don't want to do it before the emulation is top notch. No white pause screens here. Anyway, any info would be appreciated. I'm not really sure where to look when it comes to emulator progress, other than here.

<Swordless> Go hug a tree, you vegetarian (I bet you really are one)

Posted: 11/9/2006 2:16 AM

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nitsuja

Emulator Coder, Skilled player (1300)

Joined: 12/21/2004
Posts: 2687

I haven't heard anything from Hacktarux lately, but supposedly he's been working on Mupen64 on and off, and I already let him know that compatibility with this game is one of the most desired improvements for the next version. If there is any news about it, it's likely to show up here first.

Posted: 11/9/2006 7:03 PM

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Wouter_Jansen

Joined: 10/31/2005
Posts: 329
Location: The Netherlands

may I ask if the same will be done for Donkey Kong 64 eventually?

Posted: 11/10/2006 8:49 AM

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Mahrla

Joined: 6/7/2006
Posts: 8
Location: Germany

2 month ago I made a Blast Corps speedrun and send it to SDA. However, it's still in the "runs needing verification" list, so I don't know when it will be up. It's an any percent run till the credits, so I don't go for platinums. In some levels you have to rescue a scientist, and while you go for him, the nuclear transporter reaches the end of the level and the mission ends. Afaik it's not possible to clear these levels, rescue the scientist and finish the level by yourself. So these levels can't be done faster or slower (maybe read more about it in my comments: http://www.superplayers.de/stefanmahrla/comments/ ). But in a 100% TAS run you could already try to destroy as many buildings as possible, before you rescue the scientist. So definitely go for a 100% TAS, not just an any % run. My time is ~47 minutes on PAL. So NTSC would be much faster and because I couldn't use the Z-trick, I had to play Oyster Harbour and Ebony Coast twice. NTSC users could do both levels in one go. I think I loose 5-7 minutes because of this. So a NTSC or TAS run (any%) might be possible to do in 30-35 minutes. Don't really know about 100%, because you have to find all RDUs, destroy all buildings, etc. And as StrangenessDSS already mentioned, there are some lesser known glitches in the game like the Outland Farm bridge glitch or the lap skip trick in one of these driving bonus levels (I think it was Bison Ridge). The high jump at the start of Blackridge Works might be helpful for destroying the first big building.

Posted: 11/10/2006 2:00 PM

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Wouter_Jansen

Joined: 10/31/2005
Posts: 329
Location: The Netherlands

looks like your DKR any% is in the queue too?

Posted: 11/12/2006 1:07 PM

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Burning_Death

Former player

Joined: 7/16/2004
Posts: 108
Location: Germany, Bremen

Hey Mahrla, you finally registered here ;) . Yes, it's his DKR run which is in the queue at SDA. Well, I would really like to do a speedrun of Blast Corps myself, or maybe just individual level runs with all the glitches and hard tricks and so. This game would make a very entertaining TAS, so I hope that Hacktarux can fix the emulation problem in the near future.

.:| www.superplayers.de |:.

Posted: 11/13/2006 4:23 AM

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hopper

Joined: 11/15/2004
Posts: 804
Location: Canada

Holy cow this is an old topic! I've been playing Blast Corps in Project 64 1.6 lately and it pretty much plays perfectly. The cars used to spin way too fast in the vehicle select screen, which they no longer do, and the Rare screen is shiny now. The only thing that's obviously not right is the little television screens, which are just black instead of having some well-meaning idiot asking you "Is this such a good idea?" If they would open the source to PJ64 1.6, this would be an ideal emulator for TASes.

TASing or playing back a DOS game? Make sure your files match the archive at RGB Classic Games.

Posted: 11/13/2006 4:30 AM

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Zurreco

Former player

Joined: 8/1/2004
Posts: 2687
Location: Seattle, WA

hopper wrote:

The only thing that's obviously not right is the little television screens, which are just black instead of having some well-meaning idiot asking you "Is this such a good idea?"

I'm sorry, but getting rid of those annoying little animations is probably the most right thing you could do with that game.

hi nitrodon streamline: cyn-chine

Posted: 11/13/2006 4:39 AM

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JXQ

Experienced player (750)

Joined: 5/6/2005
Posts: 3132

"You're just trying to undress me."

<Swordless> Go hug a tree, you vegetarian (I bet you really are one)

Posted: 11/13/2006 7:05 AM

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hopper

Joined: 11/15/2004
Posts: 804
Location: Canada

JXQ wrote:

"You're just trying to undress me."

That made me laugh. Is that what it sounded like to you when you started playing?

TASing or playing back a DOS game? Make sure your files match the archive at RGB Classic Games.

Posted: 11/21/2006 9:14 PM

Post subject: Skip the boring stuff

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Draak13

Joined: 11/21/2006
Posts: 4

I'm not really a forum person, but I really think that this game was meant for a speedrun, so I'll throw in a post. In a handful of the submissions I've seen on this site, warp codes were allowed to get to the last level, particularly because everything before it didn't add anything worth seeing, and wasn't entertaining. I got the impression that using such a warp code was granted special permission by the admin before any work was done. In the same spirit of making an interesting and entertaining time attack, why not simply allow the use of a save file which warps you ahead to the point where you try to get platinum times? It would be a different kind of time attack, in which you try for the fastest times on each particular level, much like the time attacks for punch out and super punch out. Of course, the idea is still meaningless without the proper emulator for the job.

Posted: 11/21/2006 10:29 PM

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Zurreco

Former player

Joined: 8/1/2004
Posts: 2687
Location: Seattle, WA

I would rather see a straight forward playthrough, and THEN have a platinum setting run. Two different runs, crammed in to one movie, I guess. We could have two movies: all golds and then all platinums. The only problem with this is that every non-carrier level will probably already have a platinum time. In conclusion, we either have a run where the gold standard is met, but no platinums have been earned, or we have someone play the game to the 'end', which is either beating the shuttle level or earning all platinums from scratch. I prefer the latter latter, since it's the most entertaining option without having to skip a lot of stuff.

hi nitrodon streamline: cyn-chine

Posted: 12/31/2006 10:32 PM

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Kitsune

Joined: 4/29/2005
Posts: 1212

I think any TAS for this game should be for maximum destruction. The lights I could care less about. The game is rather short from what I've seen on SDA with the new Single Segment. Max Damage with High Damage Cost. That's the way to go.

Posted: 12/31/2006 10:36 PM

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Zurreco

Former player

Joined: 8/1/2004
Posts: 2687
Location: Seattle, WA

Kitsune wrote:

I think any TAS for this game should be for maximum destruction. The lights I could care less about. The game is rather short from what I've seen on SDA with the new Single Segment.

The SS at SDA is a good concept run, but it isn't as amusing as the game allows. The platinum videos by Matt Piper are ten times more amusing than the SS, especially since the SS isn't as optimal as it can be.

hi nitrodon streamline: cyn-chine

Posted: 12/31/2006 11:30 PM

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