Post subject: Bubble Bobble
Former player
Joined: 3/30/2004
Posts: 1354
Location: Heather's imagination
The current run of Bubble Bobble is well-played... well, it dispatches enemies quickly.. but that's not the point of the game. The game is all about score. However, if you're just trying to find the quickest path to HAPPY END on non-Super Bubble Bobble, you need to understand item drops. EXTEND happens when you collect all of the letters. The letters appear in levels with Tohru Iwatani gates, one letter per every enemy above two that is popped in one pop. EXTEND lets you skip one level, at the cost of watching a short animation. In many levels, the animation is shorter than the level, and EXTEND takes no longer to get (because the letters stay onscreen longer than most items). The solution: Instead of dispatching all of the enemies with the pop-immediately technique, bubble all of the enemies that can be clumped, destroying them in sync with the final enemy. No time lost, EXTEND gained. I have no idea how to influence which letters appear. The more letters of a single type you collect, the more canes and treasure chests appear (whcih make a huge diamond appear when the level clears - takes no extra time and adds to the score a lot). Candy extends the bubble range, increases the rate of fire, or both. The video leeches the most useful candy very quickly because of its extra bubble-blowing. I'm not sure which candy is which, but you get them like this: One candy arises from blowing bubbles. Another candy arided from popping bubbles. The third candy arises from jumping. Do these tasks early and often (35+ times), but remember that only one candy can appear on a level, and the candy disappears when the last enemy pops. Running shoes increases run & jump speed. The current run receives these on level 20. 20!! Get these by walking a lot (384+ tiles). Very quickly. Finally, an item that doesn't appear at all in the current run: the umbrella. Three varieties exist, and all have the same purpose: skipping levels. Umbrellas appear depending on how many Water bubbles were popped. It doesn't matter if they do anything, just pop them. If you get 15 you skip 3 levels, 20 for 5, and 25 for 7. Each time an umbrella appears, subtract its numerical value from the number of water bubbles popped. The trick is not to waste more time in the water levels than is saved by abusing their water bubbles. I have no idea how to make this look good, though it very clearly saves time if done in the right levels at the right time. With this knowledge and running a 2-player game, the game would be completed much faster.. though I'd like to see a full run of all 226 levels (Bubble Bobble, Happy End path, then Super Bubble Bobble, Happy End path).
someone is out there who will like you. take off your mask so they can find you faster. I support the new Nekketsu Kouha Kunio-kun.
Former player
Joined: 4/16/2004
Posts: 1276
Location: Uppsala, Sweden
Uhm, I might be wrong here but I think the items already are in the stage.. And that they appear as any other items in other games after a certain time. And to settle things: Green candy = Shoots faster Blue candy = Shoots longer Red candy = Both And my english sux.. argh
/Walker Boh
Joined: 4/15/2004
Posts: 81
Location: Swe- Krstd
anyone that can actually certifiate that it's the case? because if you can make things appear then you could do it much faster.
// ZtanZ
Former player
Joined: 4/13/2004
Posts: 54
Location: Sweden
Letter appear if you pop more then one monster at the same time, or if you pick up a white bracelet. When I started, I did not realize how long you actually need to wait between the levels (10.75 seconds) so I thought extend (takes around 12 until you can play again on the next level) and umbrellas weren't worth it. Though, now I agree that extend can save time, if used correctly. And about umbrellas, yes, I believe they will save time too, since you can skip that 10.75 seconds wait and the level, even though you may have to wait in the levels for some water bubble popping. I made a 2 player run, but again, no umbrellas, cause I often clear the levels fast and few water bubbles appears, but same thing here, maybe it's worth waiting. And about a complete 226 level run, well, I don't know if anyone wanna watch that much, cause that would take like an hour, and there's not very much difference between super bubble bobble and the normal one, only different colors and different monsters, but the monsters spawn in the same places. It's basically going to be the same run with some little changes due to different monsters. http://www.mcboof.com/games/bb/ There's a good site with some useful info about bubble bobble, it seems to be about the arcade version, but it seems like things are the same in the NES version.
Former player
Joined: 3/30/2004
Posts: 1354
Location: Heather's imagination
The items appear in the level after a set time, yes, and always in the same place (depending on the level), but which item appears depends on which of these conditions has been fulfilled. There are a lot more items, but they wouldn't help much.
someone is out there who will like you. take off your mask so they can find you faster. I support the new Nekketsu Kouha Kunio-kun.
Banned User
Joined: 3/10/2004
Posts: 7698
Location: Finland
I want to be honest with this timeattack: In no way I want to despise the efforts of the author of the bubble bobble timeattack, but I have to say that this is the only timeattack so far where I got bored. I watched the first about 50 levels and then started to just skip forward. I have never done this with any timeattack until now. This is not really because the timeattack itself would be boring. It's because the game itself is much more boring to watch than to play. The levels are way too similar to each other and there's nothing really new happening in the levels. They are too much alike. I could watch a 30-level run of this without losing interest, but a 100+ level run is way too much.
Post subject: Re: Bubble Bobble
Former player
Joined: 3/19/2004
Posts: 710
Location: USA
I'm trying to beat his record. Here are some things that I've found out
Boco wrote:
The current run of Bubble Bobble is well-played... well, it dispatches enemies quickly.. but that's not the point of the game. The game is all about score.
I'm not saying that his movie is bad, but I've beaten most of his times in the first few levels. The seconds point is debatable. Many games that are already up are like that too.
Boco wrote:
However, if you're just trying to find the quickest path to HAPPY END on non-Super Bubble Bobble, you need to understand item drops.
True. How long do items last? Until you die?
Boco wrote:
EXTEND happens when you collect all of the letters. The letters appear in levels with Tohru Iwatani gates, one letter per every enemy above two that is popped in one pop. EXTEND lets you skip one level, at the cost of watching a short animation. In many levels, the animation is shorter than the level, and EXTEND takes no longer to get (because the letters stay onscreen longer than most items). The solution: Instead of dispatching all of the enemies with the pop-immediately technique, bubble all of the enemies that can be clumped, destroying them in sync with the final enemy. No time lost, EXTEND gained. I have no idea how to influence which letters appear. The more letters of a single type you collect, the more canes and treasure chests appear (whcih make a huge diamond appear when the level clears - takes no extra time and adds to the score a lot).
I don't think that getting the letters extend is easy. It is probaly not faster to get all of them in one level. I would only get them if they are in your way. Only if you are missing one letter in a room that takes a bit should you go out of your way to get it.
Boco wrote:
Candy extends the bubble range, increases the rate of fire, or both. The video leeches the most useful candy very quickly because of its extra bubble-blowing. I'm not sure which candy is which, but you get them like this: One candy arises from blowing bubbles. Another candy arided from popping bubbles. The third candy arises from jumping. Do these tasks early and often (35+ times), but remember that only one candy can appear on a level, and the candy disappears when the last enemy pops. Running shoes increases run & jump speed. The current run receives these on level 20. 20!! Get these by walking a lot (384+ tiles). Very quickly.
So should I just randomly blow and pop bubbles like he does in the movie?
Boco wrote:
Finally, an item that doesn't appear at all in the current run: the umbrella. Three varieties exist, and all have the same purpose: skipping levels. Umbrellas appear depending on how many Water bubbles were popped. It doesn't matter if they do anything, just pop them. If you get 15 you skip 3 levels, 20 for 5, and 25 for 7. Each time an umbrella appears, subtract its numerical value from the number of water bubbles popped. The trick is not to waste more time in the water levels than is saved by abusing their water bubbles. I have no idea how to make this look good, though it very clearly saves time if done in the right levels at the right time.
Definatly. The movie is long enough as it is. Don't know why he didn't use any.
Boco wrote:
With this knowledge and running a 2-player game, the game would be completed much faster.. though I'd like to see a full run of all 226 levels (Bubble Bobble, Happy End path, then Super Bubble Bobble, Happy End path).
Hes already doing a two player one. Should I still do a one player one or not? Edit: Didn't realize he had replied. Oops.
Former player
Joined: 4/13/2004
Posts: 54
Location: Sweden
Warp, I can understand that. Bisqwit also said that when I first sent it in, the game is the same all the time, through all the 113 levels it's just the same bubble monsters. And around 20 minutes of the movie is waiting between levels, 13 minutes of playing, 20 minutes of waiting. Yeah, I agree it kinda sucks :/ I sent bisqwit my new improved version, with 2 players, In finish it in 27:20, around 7 minutes of playing, and 20 waiting. Still the same, but oh well, not much we can do about it, since that's how the game is. Even if using umbrellas it would be boring in the long run. I guess you gotta like to watch this game to enjoy the time attack.
Former player
Joined: 3/19/2004
Posts: 710
Location: USA
After level 20, I'm about 35 seconds ahead. No warps used yet. Running shoes gotten on level 14. Red candy on level 4. 14 water bubbles popped. If an umbrella, appears, should I skip it to get a better one later on?
Editor, Active player (297)
Joined: 3/8/2004
Posts: 7469
Location: Arzareth
Bob Whoops wrote:
After level 20, I'm over 30 seconds ahead.
I'm releasing Matthias's two-player Bubble Bobble timeattack today or tomorrow. It's 27:20 long, so unless you do a single-player movie faster than that, you'll movie won't hit the page...
Former player
Joined: 4/13/2004
Posts: 54
Location: Sweden
Bob Whoops wrote:
If an umbrella, appears, should I skip it to get a better one later on?
Well, the best umbrella "costs" 3.5 bubbles per level, while the "worse" umbrella costs 5 (and middle 4). So, if possible, it's best to get the best umbrella cause it would cost less bubbles per level. However, do you know if the amount of bubbles are "saved" if you skip and umbrella? Anothing good thing is if you can time the umbrellas so you can use them to skip some of the most time consuming levels. I think this is actually the most effective way. Hard to say what's best, would probably be a nightmare to make the perfect umbrella plan...
Former player
Joined: 3/19/2004
Posts: 710
Location: USA
[quote="Tarzan However, do you know if the amount of bubbles are "saved" if you skip and umbrella?[/quote] Thats what I am wondering
Former player
Joined: 4/13/2004
Posts: 54
Location: Sweden
Bob Whoops wrote:
Thats what I am wondering
ah, ok, well, I guess you gotta make some tests then.
Former player
Joined: 3/19/2004
Posts: 710
Location: USA
I'm pretty sure it does. Otherwise, I don't see how it would work.
Former player
Joined: 3/19/2004
Posts: 710
Location: USA
Bisqwit: Do I have to get the best ending? If not, I can skip the last 12 levels not including the boss.
Editor, Active player (297)
Joined: 3/8/2004
Posts: 7469
Location: Arzareth
Bob Whoops wrote:
Bisqwit: Do I have to get the best ending? If not, I can skip the last 12 levels not including the boss.
Considerable.
Former player
Joined: 3/30/2004
Posts: 1354
Location: Heather's imagination
When the umbrella appears, you lose credit for the water bubbles. Finish a level with an umbrella without getting it and watch how it doesn't show up on the next level. What that means is you have to get all the bubbles needed for a better unbrella in the same stage.. so you play through and get all the bubbles but one or two, then you farm bubbles, then you skip a bunch of stages. I think Happy End should be a requirement... (you know, in the arcade, Happy End can only be achieved in 2-player Super Bubble Bobble mode..)
someone is out there who will like you. take off your mask so they can find you faster. I support the new Nekketsu Kouha Kunio-kun.
Former player
Joined: 3/19/2004
Posts: 710
Location: USA
Alright. At level 40, I get the rest of the water bubbles to get the umbrella(no water bubbles appear between 20 and 40 o_O). However, it doesn't appear until level 42(its because i got a lot of lightning bubbles so it gets delayed a level) When I get it, it only warps me to level 47, not 49. I did it again and got a lot over 25, but still the same. Is this a result of it being delayed a level, or something else?
Joined: 4/25/2004
Posts: 498
I think the NES version may only have the 3 and 5-level umbrellas, and not the 7-level one...I can't remember ever getting a 7-level umbrella myself, despite having the game for about 12? years now...
Post subject: Bubble Bobble - Really screwed up
Active player (328)
Joined: 2/23/2005
Posts: 786
For fun, I wanted to see how many lives I could get in Bubble Bobble using luck manipulation. Only 3 (4?) lives can be obtained by score, the rest come from EXTEND bubbles. After beating half the game and getting tons of lives along the way, things started to get really screwy... http://www.samus.co.uk/cad/blue.fcm Weird graphical glitch. I turned blue after I picked up the cherry. http://www.samus.co.uk/cad/EXTE_D.fcb This looks like it's the end for me. Try dropping down and picking up the N. The game freezes. If I let the N pass and I wait for a different level to pick up another one, the game still freezes. Apparently I can't get any more than K lives. Also, On a previous playthrough where I achieved K lives shortly before the final boss battle, I found that the game would crash if I died on the final battle. (It wouldn't lock up FCEU, though, like the N bubble does) I wonder what causes all this? I was hoping to get Z lives. Now I'll probably have to start over again, this time recording a movie file in case I have to backtrack.
Experienced player (583)
Joined: 2/23/2008
Posts: 266
Location: CA, USA
Posts after 4 years of silence. Anyway, I'm slowly working on a new bubble bobble run that that is currently faster than the published run due to route changes and a new trick. So far this run will aim for the same goals as the previous run. I'll post a WIP sometime. If people thing different goals might prove to be more entertaining, I can easily go back since I'm not far into the run.
Skilled player (1409)
Joined: 5/31/2004
Posts: 1821
Bobmario511 wrote:
I'll post a WIP sometime.
Why not post it now?
Player (25)
Joined: 4/23/2005
Posts: 435
Location: Germany
Bobmario511 wrote:
If people thing different goals might prove to be more entertaining, I can easily go back since I'm not far into the run.
I think the goals are great. Show all Stages with 2-Players as fast as possible. No umbrella (Warp)
Last TAS finished: Final Fantasy Adventure (4.0 Warp Glitch Run) WIP in the moment: Tail Gator (GB) Matty
Joined: 4/3/2005
Posts: 575
Location: Spain
I think no-warps on the previous run was a mistake, so I vote for using the umbrella and letters wherever it is faster.
No.
Experienced player (583)
Joined: 2/23/2008
Posts: 266
Location: CA, USA
Here is the fcm file of the run (I hope the setting and all are correct). Also, heres the run on youtube I was able to obtain the shoe item for player 2 on level 10 (at the cost of about 98 frames) which help speed up later stages. Also, I am trying to find a way to manipulate a shoe to appear in stage 16 like in Tarzan's run, but I have yet to have any success. I believe this is because the shoe actually appeared on stage 15, but since thats since a quick stage, it wasnt worth getting the shoe. So I'm currently trying to find a good way to manipulate items. So far only amounts of bubbles blown and whether they are popped are not has worked for previous items.