Submission #9074: keylie & Del's Linux Braid "Speedrun mode" in 19:24.98

Linux
Speedrun mode
(Submitted: Braid.x86 )
libTAS v1.4.5
69899
60
39268
PowerOn
keylie
(Additionally: Del)
Game: Braid, version published on 2015/06/13, drm-free version (available at https://www.humblebundle.com/store/braid).

OS: Debian Bookworm amd64, libTAS v1.4.5. Game executable is `/path/to/game/Braid.bin.x86`.

The game runs in fullscreen by default. `Video > Virtual screen resolution` must be set to `1920x1080 (16:9)`, because of mouse inputs. In `File > Executable options`, library path must be set to `/path/to/game/lib`. Command-line options should be `-no_launcher -60fps`. Finally, `Settings > Input > Prevent Mouse warping` must be checked and `Runtime > Sleep` handling must be set to Never advance time

A desync might happen around frame 18750 by not bouncing on the rabbit. It seems to be relative to non-deterministic collision order, but this bounce is very precise so I couldn't make it more stable. The movie needs to be restarted until it works. 

			
Submitted by keylie on 5/17/2024 4:07 PM
Submission Comments
Over the several months Del's hard work found a few improvements over the previous TAS, and I joined the ride to polish a bit more. Here is our third iteration with an improvement of 867 frames (14.45 s) of in-game time over the 2020 TAS. Enjoy!

Game objectives

  • Emulator used: libtas v1.4.5
  • Running the speedrun mode
  • Aims at fastest in-game time
To unlock the speedrun mode, you have to beat the game once to unlock it. Here is the movie file which beats the game.

Tricks

See the previous TAS sumbissions for the already known tricks. Here are only the new ones.

Key teleport

Used in level 6-7. When grabbing the key, rewinding to a green state and fast-forward until the green state goes off, we can warp to the position where we picked the key. By rewinding again, we can move back to the green state while keeping the key. This is the major time save of this TAS.

Better grab cancels

Although unintuitive, it is faster to grab cancel ladders from the base, instead of jumping ahead to grab ladders higher. This leads to a few frames of improvement here and there

Top ladder grab cancel

In general, it is not faster, when climbing up, to release a ladder and grab-cancel up. This is because releasing a ladder takes one frame, and although grab-cancel up is slightly faster than climbing, we don't catch enough to make it worth. However, when near the peak of a ladder, pressing forward while releasing the ladder still makes you move up. You can then grab-cancel for two frames, grab the ladder, and repeat the process once more. All of this was performed in the run whenever possible (it is more noticeable by its sound), and it saves exactly one frame each time.

Improvements

Most of the stages were improved with more precise boost speed.
Level2013 TAS2020 TASCurrent TASImprovementCumulativeComments
hub10251019101900
2-124532299229455
2-2122612171210712
2-3128112411239214
2-26156135654862A very precise platform position will trigger a big boost
2-3254245245062
2-42876283528241173
hub297297295275
3-1291286286075
3-2810698695378
3-3969858857179
3-417061644161133112The key was taken with a precise boost on the goomba
3-52683263226311113
3-637143690364446159A better bounce using the rabbit
3-795982281210169
3-8266925692333236405With strong optimization, it was possible to barely reach the lever without having to wait
hub3103103100405
4-13783733730405
4-214129329311406
4-3136973871127433A slightly different speed after the last spring load gives the perfect trajectory to the door
4-41705165616479442
4-51447116411568450
4-61369135013455455
4-71898186718625460
hub4484414410460
5-12452392390460
5-214701311129714474
5-31266122712216480
5-41604154215420480
5-532853242322319499
5-618251616154769568By using grab cancel up to stay in the air longer while gaining more fall speed, we could have high speed bounce
5-784283181318586
hub2072082071587
6-12622582580587
6-211768848840587
6-310529969960587
6-43510346534650587
6-52587255725570587
6-637613551351833620
6-7234217131484229849Key teleport method for a completely new route
hub7416986911850
1-42652652650850
1-33913903837857
1-29089019001858
1-19009895189492860
epilogue1757173717307867

fsvgm777: Replacing movie file with one that includes an additional note in the annotations. The total run time remains unchanged.

feos: Claiming for judging.
feos: Great job as always! Accepting over [4355] Linux Braid "Speedrun mode" by keylie in 19:39.58 to stars. Regarding the branch label, here are my thoughts.
Originally, Moons (and Stars by extension) didn't care which goal it is as long as it's entertaining, so it made sense to use clean save and savegame interchangeably there for branches that aren't different enough.
But with savegame being Standard and with the policy to always label it, confusion may come from lack of label. If the modes aren't different enough to co-exist, it just means new movies will keep using the speedrun mode, because regular mode makes little sense to actually TAS. If someone does decide to TAS normal mode, slight timing differences may require a discussion about whether it's still worth to separate them.
So I think the branch using the speedrun mode needs a label, but I'll let the publisher decide.

fsvgm777: I personally don't think labeling it as "Speedrun mode" is really necessary here, cause the key difference during main gameplay is that it adds an in-game timer, and the base game is essentially played with the timer present.
Anyways, processing. I am however interested in what other people have to say, though.
Last Edited by fsvgm777 on 6/2/2024 2:35 PM
Page History Latest diff List referrers