A short run of a Sonic game that hasn't had any obsoleted movies? I haven't been too interested in doing TASes lately but I couldn't help myself from improving it. The old run was well-optimized (with solid routes) and broke the game pretty thoroughly, so this ended up being less than 40 seconds faster, but I think it's still a significant improvement considering the game.
I used Gens 10a with the Sonic CD Camhack/Speedometer/SolidityViewer/HitboxDisplay enabled to make this. Thanks to Upthorn for making and releasing such good tools for TASing this game, and also for making the first version of this run (which I used a lot of ideas from).

Goals

These are the same goals as Upthorn used. In order of highest to lowest priority:
  • No time travelling or level restarting
  • Fastest in-game time
  • Fastest real time

Categories

  • Aims for fastest (primarily in-game) time
  • Takes damage to save time
  • Abuses programming errors
  • Ignores semi-important goals in the game

Level breakdown

LevelTimeOld TimeSeconds SavedNotes
Palmtree Panic 10'20"750'21"010.26Better angle on the high jump after getting the speed shoes
Palmtree Panic 20'16"600'16"800.20Took a slightly lower route
Palmtree Panic 30'17"710'17"880.17Hit the spring faster, manipulated boss to spawn earlier
Collision Chaos 10'15"830'15"830.00Very minor changes (no improvements found)
Collision Chaos 20'22"060'24"312.25Faster speedshoe route, skipped peelout at end
Collision Chaos 30'03"350'03"350.00Very minor changes (no improvements found)
Tidal Tempest 10'21"380'22"651.27Jumped to avoid walking down a slope underwater, early peelout speed trick at end
Tidal Tempest 20'31"650'40"618.96Went through wall to skip part of the route
Tidal Tempest 30'23"900'30"136.23Zipped in a different place to reach the boss sooner
Quartz Quadrant 10'18"650'19"550.90Rolled for faster speed off the first ramp
Quartz Quadrant 20'17"910'18"860.95Zip-launched into a lower route at the end
Quartz Quadrant 30'50"860'52"061.20Saved time by not skidding on the treadmill
Wacky Workbench 10'22"030'25"383.35Similar but crazier route
Wacky Workbench 20'27"250'29"482.23Didn't let the time posts slow me down, actually they helped a little
Wacky Workbench 31'03"051'04"901.85Zipped differently to reach the boss sooner
Starlight Speedway 10'14"750'15"080.33Would have been faster but the camera got too far behind for further optimizations to make any difference
Starlight Speedway 20'17"630'18"661.03Went enough faster to skip another loop
Starlight Speedway 31'05"011'05"800.79Saved time by making the game think the race was a close call at the end (Robotnik speeds up... and gets green jets?)
Metallic Madness 10'18"710'20"581.87Got enough speed to jump through the last wall
Metallic Madness 20'23"610'26"582.97Handled the circular conveyor belts faster, zipped for a speed boost at the end
Metallic Madness 31'07"561'09"401.84Faster zip, manipulated the bug things to be closer together
Total Time 29'40"2510'18"9038.65In summary... went faster?

Emulator Settings

  • Emulator: Gens 10a
  • Bios used: v1.10 (U)
  • Sound: 44100 KhZ
  • Options: Sega CD SRAM Size = 64 KB
This movie happens to stay synchronized regardless of whether "Perfect SegaCD Synchro" is on, so if SegaCD emulation is chuggy on your computer, it might help to turn that option off for this movie. It would also help to use BIN+CUE instead of ISO+MP3, because it takes more processing power to decode MP3s than to not decode them.

Desync Issues

If you're getting desyncs, first make sure you're using the correct ROM and BIOS and emulator version and settings as described above. And don't try to load a mounted disc with "Boot CD", just use Open ROM on the file like normal.
Also make sure you have the right number of audio tracks on the CD... if you're using a cue file that means your cue file needs to have the right number of correctly indexed audio track sections, if you're using MP3s that means you need exactly 34 MP3s named properly and in the same directory as your ISO (if the ISO is "Sonic CD (U).iso" then the MP3s should be "Sonic CD (U) 02.mp3" through "Sonic CD (U) 35.mp3"). The actual contents of the audio tracks can be almost anything, but the number of audio tracks has to be correct otherwise the emulated loading times will be different enough to cause a desync.

Music

This was made with the US version of the game, but if you prefer the music from the Japanese version, you can tell Gens to run the US game but use the music from the Japanese game. The way of doing this depends on whether you are using ISO+MP3 or BIN+CUE. If you are using MP3s, simply replace the MP3 files with the ones from the Japanese version. If you are using BIN+CUE, you can edit the CUE file of the (J) version to use the (U) version for track 01 (data) and use the (J) version starting at track 02 (audio). It should look like this, except with the filenames matching the ones you have:
FILE "Sonic CD (U).iso" BINARY
  TRACK 01 MODE1/2352
    INDEX 01 00:00:00
FILE "Sonic CD (J).iso" BINARY
  TRACK 02 AUDIO
    PREGAP 00:02:00
    INDEX 01 12:14:49
  TRACK 03 AUDIO
    INDEX 00 12:18:63
    INDEX 01 12:20:63
  TRACK 04 AUDIO
...and so on...
One thing those won't work for, though, is the ending music. For that, you'll have to use the actual Japanese version of the game, not only the Japanese audio tracks. You'll also have to use a different version of the movie file for it to sync and version 1.00 of the Japanese MegaCD BIOS. Be warned that Quartz Quadrant has slightly slower in-game times than in the US version (differences during lag frames) even though the movie is about 10 seconds shorter (mostly due to shorter level end music).

NesVideoAgent: Hi! I am a robot. I took a few screenshots of this movie and placed them here. I'm not sure I got the right ROM though. (I tried Sonic The Hedgehog (MP).gen, which was the closest match to what you wrote.) Well, here goes! Feel free to clean up the list.
BoltR I choose to clean them all, as that is very much the wrong ROM.

mmbossman: Impressive work. Nice to see you back nitsuja. Accepting as an improvement to the published movie.

Raiscan: Processing.


TASVideoAgent
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This topic is for the purpose of discussing #2067: nitsuja's SegaCD Sonic the Hedgehog CD in 17:27.65
Joined: 11/21/2006
Posts: 94
Wow... And only 25 days after the last run? I enjoy the Genesis games more, but you made this amazingly entertaining. Definite yes-if-I-could-vote vote. :)
upthorn
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Man, I leave the internet for one hour to eat dinner, and when I get back I find my Sonic CD TAS obsoleted. I'd have commented sooner but I had a task to complete before I could watch. Anyway, very good work. I'm especially fond of the new Wacky Workbench routes.
How fleeting are all human passions compared with the massive continuity of ducks.
Post subject: Re: #2067: nitsuja's Genesis Sonic the Hedgehog CD in 17:27.65
Joined: 12/1/2006
Posts: 26
NesVideoAgent wrote:
I like the (J) version more because at least it's trying to be music. He's saying "work that sucker to death" by the way.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXSucRO3Iyw
Joined: 7/1/2008
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so soon? no matter. it's a beautiful improvement.
Joined: 5/17/2007
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Location: Sweden
Improvement deserves yes vote.
"No love for the game gear"
Joined: 1/23/2006
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Location: Germany
What does that future and past stuff do, BTW?
N._Harmonik
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Posts: 502
Location: Canada
Oh Nitsuja and/or Upthorn, God(desse)s of the Sonic TASes, PLEASE do a run that has a Good Ending! I'm down on bended knees here! ...or a full run for any other Sonic game for that matter.
Why, oh, why do I even <i>try</i> to understand my own species?
Joined: 2/26/2007
Posts: 1365
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Voted Yes. Beautiful.
KDR_11k wrote:
What does that future and past stuff do, BTW?
There are some machines that need to be destroyed in the future/past. Only one appears in a zone (usually zone 2 iirc, but it can be seen in zone one too. NEVER in zone 3). They are needed, along with the emeralds, for the 100% "good ending"
N. Harmonik wrote:
...or a full run for any other Sonic game for that matter.
LINKED![/url]
adelikat wrote:
I very much agree with this post.
Bobmario511 wrote:
Forget party hats, Christmas tree hats all the way man.
Joined: 3/7/2006
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Location: UK
I like the (J) version more because at least it's trying to be music
ugh what
Voted NO for NO reason
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stickyman05 wrote:
N. Harmonik wrote:
...or a full run for any other Sonic game for that matter.
LINKED!
Also, this.
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
Joined: 5/9/2005
Posts: 752
stickyman05 wrote:
KDR_11k wrote:
What does that future and past stuff do, BTW?
There are some machines that need to be destroyed in the future/past. Only one appears in a zone (usually zone 2 iirc, but it can be seen in zone one too. NEVER in zone 3). They are needed, along with the emeralds, for the 100% "good ending"
I believe that is only half right. The machines only appear in the past. They need to be destroyed to get a good future in that level. They appear in both act 1 and 2 for all zones. You need to destroy the machine in an act 1 to get a good future in act 1, and destroy the machine in act2 to get a good future in act 2. For act 3, the Boss act, which starts in the future (and can not be changed into a different time zone.) you need to have destroyed the machine in both acts 1 and 2. You need to get 100% good Futures to get the 'good' ending. i.e. destroy all the Machines. As an added complication collecting all 6 (7?) time stones (this games Chaos Emeralds) all machines are considered destroyed and even if you go to a place were a machine would be, it is absent. Thus upon collecting all Times Stones, you can no longer see the Zones bad Futures... only good.) This is also the case for Zones you have previously cleared. So to get the Good ending you need either to complete all Special stages, or destroy all the machines. (There is also a Metal Sonic Hologram in each 'Past' which can be destroyed to make animals hop about the level. This is not needed for good futures.) ...I believe thats the case anyway. On something of a side note if a 100% run were done, (Yes Please!) I would like to see both all Machines (Holograms too really, destroyed and all Time stones collected. (Course this would force the last stone to be picked up in Metallic Madness 2.) Anyway good to see you back nitsuja, for however long it is, and can not wait to watch this.
N._Harmonik
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...I meant full runs that haven't been done yet (hint, hint). And from Wikipedia: Collecting the seven time stones, only possible in the special stage, automatically guarantees that the player will reach the good ending even if one of the previously completed zones did not have a Good Future, and that all futures of upcoming zones will be good as well.
Why, oh, why do I even <i>try</i> to understand my own species?
upthorn
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Emulator Coder, Active player (391)
Joined: 3/24/2006
Posts: 1802
Paused has it basically correct, there are two ways to get the good ending in Sonic CD. The first is to get 50 rings in at least 7 stages, and collect all the time stones in the special stages. The second is to go into the past in every non-boss stage and destroy robotnik's time projector. Both of these possibilities would provide very different routes from the main TAS, and very different routes from each other. The question is whether all three are side-by-side publishable and, if not, whether the "destroy the machines" or the "collect the time stones" version would be most entertaining.
How fleeting are all human passions compared with the massive continuity of ducks.
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upthorn wrote:
Both of these possibilities would provide very different routes from the main TAS, and very different routes from each other. The question is whether all three are side-by-side publishable and, if not, whether the "destroy the machines" or the "collect the time stones" version would be most entertaining.
Neither sounds that compelling on its own, so I agree with Paused that doing both in the same run would be most entertaining (and it would be more different from this run than either on its own), even though the game has no particular reward for doing it.
LagDotCom wrote:
I like the (J) version more because at least it's trying to be music
ugh what
Don't get me wrong, I think both of them are among the worst boss music I've heard in a game, but I'll take weird disco over repeated evil laughter and burping noises and mashing notes any day, especially with a boss like Robotnik who it doesn't seem is meant to be taken completely seriously.
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Nitsuja? TASing again??? I'm gonna wait for the AVI on this one (with Japanese music), but I expect no less than greatness from God/nitsuja.
My current project: Something mysterious (oooooh!) My username is all lower-case letters. Please get it right :(
upthorn
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nitsuja wrote:
LagDotCom wrote:
I like the (J) version more because at least it's trying to be music
ugh what
Don't get me wrong, I think both of them are among the worst boss music I've heard in a game, but I'll take weird disco over repeated evil laughter and burping noises and mashing notes any day, especially with a boss like Robotnik who it doesn't seem is meant to be taken completely seriously.
Personally, I preferr the U version boss theme (because it's more sinister), and the J version final boss (because it's properly dramatic).
How fleeting are all human passions compared with the massive continuity of ducks.
Joined: 4/17/2004
Posts: 275
nitsuja wrote:
upthorn wrote:
Both of these possibilities would provide very different routes from the main TAS, and very different routes from each other. The question is whether all three are side-by-side publishable and, if not, whether the "destroy the machines" or the "collect the time stones" version would be most entertaining.
Neither sounds that compelling on its own, so I agree with Paused that doing both in the same run would be most entertaining (and it would be more different from this run than either on its own), even though the game has no particular reward for doing it.
You can't do both in the same run. Obtaining all the Time Stones automatically destroys the machines in the past, and you can't enter a Special Stage after Stardust Speedway Zone 2, if I remember correctly.
Joined: 7/25/2007
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Tidal Tempest Bad Future: The (J) version is quite annoying and out of place but the (U) version fits great and is one of the best tracks on the CD. BLASPHEMY!!! "You fucked up, now look what happened to the level" audioified is much better than just a bunch of "Ooos" and "Aahs". And I do mean that description in the literal sense.
Joined: 11/21/2006
Posts: 94
Anon wrote:
nitsuja wrote:
upthorn wrote:
Both of these possibilities would provide very different routes from the main TAS, and very different routes from each other. The question is whether all three are side-by-side publishable and, if not, whether the "destroy the machines" or the "collect the time stones" version would be most entertaining.
Neither sounds that compelling on its own, so I agree with Paused that doing both in the same run would be most entertaining (and it would be more different from this run than either on its own), even though the game has no particular reward for doing it.
You can't do both in the same run. Obtaining all the Time Stones automatically destroys the machines in the past, and you can't enter a Special Stage after Stardust Speedway Zone 2, if I remember correctly.
I just checked; you're able to enter them in Metallic Madness.
Joined: 5/15/2006
Posts: 102
Err...what can I say? Yes vote.
Joined: 4/17/2004
Posts: 275
Miles wrote:
I just checked; you're able to enter them in Metallic Madness.
Thanks. Must have been Sonic 1 that I was thinking about. I do know that I'm correct about Eggman's machine being automatically destroyed when you obtain all the Time Stones, though. Between the time I last posted and now, I saw the TAS. Very awesome indeed, especially the Metal Sonic race. Definite yes on publication here.
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Anon wrote:
I do know that I'm correct about Eggman's machine being automatically destroyed when you obtain all the Time Stones, though.
Figure it about by actually reading my post?
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Posts: 275
Paused wrote:
Anon wrote:
I do know that I'm correct about Eggman's machine being automatically destroyed when you obtain all the Time Stones, though.
Figure it about by actually reading my post?
Memory from playing through the game years ago. I never bothered to read your post until now; I was responding to nitsuja stating that he was agreeing with you "that doing both in the same run would be most entertaining (and it would be more different from this run than either on its own)."
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I'm waiting for an AVI to split and upload =P