This topic is for the purpose of discussing #2789: some_pickles's NES Super Mario Bros. "no coins" in 05:11.52

I like this run. I think the author got really near of coins to impress the viewers! I liked when he used Goombas to climb up a pit! Yes vote from me + claiming encode (not in HD yet, I'm experimenting that kind of encode).

This is an interesting first effort, and I hope you continue making TASes regardless of the outcome of this. With that in mind, this is a run that I just can't get into - it's too similar to the glut of other SMB runs we have on the site to be any more interesting (things like the 8-1 Goomba stomp and the fact that it's faster than the site's first published SMB run notwithstanding). As has been said by others elsewhere, coinless runs just don't make for very interesting TASes. I will have to vote No here.

Here's the encode, for the moment. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5bxPLn9hO4 (Unlisted)

This run is much too similar to a normal run of this game. The only differences that really stand out are getting to the vine in 4-2 and the goomba stomp in 8-1(and not taking the shortcut in 1-1 I guess). While I do think that the concept of not getting any coins might be interesting, there really aren't enough coins in the way to make this run interesting. Maybe a warpless run that avoids all the coins would be more interesting, if that's even possible. Interesting idea, but I would have to vote No.

While I thought the goombas in 8-1 was cool, couldn't you wall jump?

I like the idea of the run, but the end result just isn't very interesting compared to other SMB runs. Had there been more situations where you really needed some tricks to avoid getting coins, it might've been better. You only named three that you had to do (plus one to avoid fireworks).

While I thought the goombas in 8-1 was cool, couldn't you wall jump?

I could have wall jumped, but I would have grabbed one of the coins doing it.

While I thought the goombas in 8-1 was cool, couldn't you wall jump?

I could have wall jumped, but I would have grabbed one of the coins doing it.

Not enough speed? Okay... And in 1-1, why not go into the coin room, and go under the coins? You know, through the wall/floor?

I think this was quite well-done! Nice work. Though I agree that it's not very different from the existing warps TAS, it's a frickin' five-minute-long movie, there's not a lot of room for any TAS to be different in that timespan. The "interesting stuff" quotient was good enough for me. Voting yes.

My console 4-2 speedrun method is coinless. I don't use the vine. So this can definitely be improved, but this is a good effort. There are other/faster ways to do 4-2 coinless too, but whatever, this was an interesting run. I did this challenge on console once (I think in 2006) and I ended with 1 coin. I just couldn't NOT get a coin in level 8-1. *shakes fist* Voting meh. Also, what's interesting is that the method used in 4-2 is the EXACT method I used when I did this on console.

Here's the encode, for the moment. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5bxPLn9hO4 (Unlisted)

Encoding feedback, your audio began desyncing towards the end of the run, the sound was slightly ahead of the video. This tells me that you probably accidentally encoded the video at 60fps instead of 60.1 fps. Also, your logo is a bit distracting (and that's coming from me,) you should probably run it by adelikat on IRC.

No

your audio began desyncing towards the end of the run, the sound was slightly ahead of the video. This tells me that you probably accidentally encoded the video at 60fps instead of 60.1 fps.

Damn! It's mistake after mistake! That's the result of seeing "Skipping frame!" while I combine the logo, the recording and the subtitles... There wasn't any desyncing in my latest encode. What's wrong with this batch script?

start /wait mencoder.exe -oac copy -mc 0 -font subfont.ttf -nofontconfig -ovc lavc -lavcopts vcodec=ffv1:format=bgr32 -oac pcm -sub subtitle2.sub -subfont-text-scale 4 -subfont-outline 4 -o mixed2.avi logo2.avi recorded2.avi -subpos 0 -subalign 0

Voting no because zero coins is an arbitrary condition, and it's slower then present records.

There's no caps or cannons in this run either!

I like the art in 1–1. The art in 1–2 left wishing for more interesting antics. Nice job with the vine in 4–2 warp zone; not so nice in getting to the vine. Cool goomba jump in 8–1, but it can be done faster without involving the goombas, as explained by andrewg earlier. After that, watched enough.

While the run was well made technically, it is too similar to the published run. The only noteworthy trick is the vine glitch in 4-2, and that one is shown in the warpless run instead. While it's a notable effort, I'm going to have to vote no due to bad goal choice. (Don't let this deter you though, there are plenty of games that just need to be run that no one's working on!)

I will admit that the ability behind the run itself shows a lot of promise and many tricks pulled off in it are rather hard for newer TASers to pull off as consistently as you do. It shows that you've put time and effort into this run. You also make an effort for a bit of entertainment too which is always welcome in a TAS. That said, the goal is pretty arbitrary, and there's tons of improvements that could be made, many of which already said. But hey, you got a good foothold on what it takes, don't let this No vote slow you down; keep trying with newer, better things and eventually you'll earn your place.

No of course. And you don't need anything in 8-1 to evade coins except a simple wall jump. This mission is even more boring than getting the lowest score(500).

You need to specify your fps using -ofps, check out the mencoder man pages for more details.

Good. I'll remember that. But I won't reencode that Mario run since I think it won't pass.

Voting no because zero coins is an arbitrary condition, and it's slower then present records.

I'm not sure I agree with that. A goal/restriction in TASing a specific game is ok if: 1) it's completely well-defined and unambiguous (ie. not up to interpretation). 2) Introduces a significant level of challenge and/or entertainment to the run (well, the former is usually sensible only if it also implies the latter). For example the "maximum kills" goal in the Gradius 3 TAS is sensible because it's both challenging (even with tool-assistance) and introduces a level of entertainment (because it's cool to see everything destroyed in such a hard game). Additionally, a TAS which uses a special goal or restriction does certainly not need to be as fast as the default "anything goes" run, so using that as an argument for rejection is completely invalid. That said, the problem with this particular run is that while the goal/restriction is quite well-defined and potentially introduces a significant challenge, unfortunately the game levels have been designed so that there are only two places where the restriction really necessitates special maneuvering. That might not be enough to justify publishing the run under a new category...

Most of the SMB runs are pretty similar after you've watched a few (and I've watched almost every one on this site). A coin-less run is a well defined goal. I think this one should be published. Sure, if there's a better way to do it, then let the newer one obsolete this one. This is a well-done TAS and I am voting yes.

It doesn't have a big enough impact on the gameplay, it's a meh.