Micro Machines V3 is a video game featuring toy cars, developed by Codemasters and published on the PlayStation in 1997. This movie beats the "Difficult" challenge mode as fast as possible.
Game objectives
Emulator used: PCSX-RR v0.1.2
Aims for fastest time
Comments
I started this TAS long ago, but the fourth track was very long and boring and difficult, so I left it untouched for a while. Well, not anymore. I finished it, hooray.
It only features the "Difficult" challenge mode, which was the most entertaining option, in my opinion. It doesn't make the movie too long and it features a wide variety of tracks at the same time.
It aims for fastest time, but I know there are some mistakes that I noticed too late. Also, I'm sure it could be somewhat faster with more patience and better planning; racing games require you to think very early about your future movements, so there will always be that. And... maybe lag management could be a bit better.
Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoy this movie.
Noxxa: The TAS gameplay does not seem to stand out compared to unassisted play, and it appears that the N64 version has speed options much more suited for a tool-assisted speedrun. Rejecting again.
Joined: 8/26/2006
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It's great to see that this got TASed. Some of the tracks were more interesting than others (ironically, Interesting Voyage was quite the opposite). Beware of the Dog was my favorite track and your corner-cutting was top notch throughout. Voting yes.
I've added a link to an encode in MediaFire in the submission comments. I tried uploading to YouTube several times, but for some reason it just says "Failed (unable to convert video file)" with every format I throw at it...
@Mukki: thanks for watching. I'm glad you liked it. :)
Joined: 10/28/2007
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I, for one, didn't find this overly interesting to watch. About the only point of interest was developing such a large lead over the CPU players, after which it's just watching your car finish doing circles around the track - it gets very repetitive very quickly.
I give this a Meh.
Pretty entertaining, and I didn't notice anything I could call a mistake. No reason not to like it, so it gets a Yes vote, definitely.
Also, thanks for Youtubing it, Antd.
I am against using racing games for TASes like this one - there is nothing to distinguish it from RTS's - heck, even a real person playing the game.
That said, it was a mildly entertaining run.
What the heck, I'll vote yes.
Joined: 3/2/2010
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Location: A little to the left of nowhere (Sweden)
Yes vote.
The 2 last levels were not as entertaining as the 3 first but it seemed very well executed and I loved the shortcuts, can't really see any direct improvements to the "routes".
Are you kidding me? Voted "No." This is not even CLOSE to optimized. I played this game a lot years back. Also, I would rather see an N64 run instead to avoid load times and get better graphics.
Gonna give this a Meh. Racing games are generally boring to watch unless there's something different happening, and apart from the odd shortcut this doesn't grab my attention.
This was completely boring. The most interesting part of the game was the menus. The game had no in game music. The run did not do anything interesting.
Hi, Weatherton, I'm not kidding you. I hope you are not kidding me.
Since I love screenshots, let this thread have a few more:
PSX:
N64:
PSX:
N64:
PSX:
N64:
The only time where the N64 might look better to some people is in-game, due to excessive filtering. And there are people (like me) who prefer low resolution textures to not be filtered.
:D I guess now you know that I wasn't just joking around when 90% of the people I put on this list were N64 fanboys. :P
Just kidding... One thing I could note in the N64 version is that it has much smoother controls. Maybe this is why you feel this isn't optimized. In the PSX version, you could only turn at rather big angles, and for that, you needed to hold the direction for a few frames; also, if you had lag in any of those frames, you were more or less fuc*ed.
So the PSX version has nicer pregame graphics, ingame graphics are a wash (or possibly worse for N64 depending on tastes)...but N64 also allows much tighter controls ingame. Is that accurate?
Pyrel - an open-source rewrite of the Angband roguelike game in Python.
mz, I'm sorry that I was rude. Admittedly I have not played the PSX version, but I would like to explain my post a bit:
Regarding N64 vs. PSX:
The N64 version also allows you to pick speed settings (the highest of which is MUCH faster than the PSX default) there is even a push button code to double the highest speed (which is so impossibly fast that you may well need to TAS it to do well). The N64 has more stable polygon rendering, which is a visual advantage in addition to less color banding (look at the chair in your screen shot).
Level of Optimization:
Please explain to me why you did not go around the first ramp on the first level, for example. Also, in your own run, lap 3 is .50 seconds faster than lap 2 (for no apparent reason) on the first course. This illustrates a clear lack of optimization.
Regarding the Goal:
It should be noted that "Difficult" is not a setting but rather a set of levels which, after having received first, opens up "Advanced" then "Masters" and then "Rock Hard." So the goal to beat "Difficult" is a bit arbitrary, in my opinion.
I think that's accurate. I haven't tested the N64 controls frame by frame, but by playing in real time I could notice they were smoother. That's to be expected, since the PSX didn't have analog controllers yet when this game was released.
Also, the N64 graphics in those screenshots are a bit better than the real console. In reality, they should be only 320x240. PCSX can run inaccurate video plugins like that too (which blow up the resolution, add anti-aliasing, filtered textures, etc.) but I pretty much don't support them, since I think we should have graphics that look as close to real console as possible.
Because when you're going that fast you can't turn around on time after landing from the bread bridge. Even if I would have overlooked a shortcut, I wouldn't call that "lack of optimization".
You might notice that in most tracks. That's because of the controls and also because of the nature of the game: to fix a turning (so you can have the best position, the best speed and the best lag) you have to redo most of the track again a lot of times, until you get it perfect on that curve, and good luck if that leaves you bad for the next turning. No one would ever put that insane amount of effort for this game; so, in my opinion, a run with small time differences in laps is better than a run that never would anyone make.
Yes, that's what I said on the submission comments. I think this would be the most entertaining set of levels.
I can turn around the glass in realtime (go to the top side and adjust while on the bread), and I think .50 seconds is a big discrepancy on a 19 second lap.
In any case, I'm actually glad you did the run as it is getting me interested again in this game. However, I think it would have been better to post it in the discussion thread. I'm sorry if my tone has come across as mean or angry, I am actually excited to see the game and I appreciate your efforts.
Joined: 6/23/2009
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Location: Georgia, USA
Like many other posters in this thread, I'm not entirely sure whether racing games are well-suited for TASes. They usually have to have some kind of hook that makes the TAS special. (For instance, Biker Mice From Mars with the speed exploits, and Mario Kart with the unusual lap skips) This game seems pretty standard as far as racing games go, especially since you don't actually get to use anything like the hammer to really help.
Pros of the game: cool-looking worlds, nice toy theme, big load of WTF with the burning and then the microscope (so I guess the Micro Machines really become micromachines!). Cons of the game: silly character types, lack of BG music, annoying controls of PSX version.
It's clear you definitely put effort into this run. This all amounts to a weak Yes from me. I'd probably be more in favor of an N64 run if the controls make a big difference. (Thanks also for posting comparison shots of the two versions!)
Used to be a frequent submissions commenter. My new computer has had some issues running emulators, so I've been here more sporadically.
Still haven't gotten around to actually TASing yet... I was going to improve Kid Dracula for GB. It seems I was beaten to it, though, with a recent awesome run by Hetfield90 and StarvinStruthers. (http://tasvideos.org/2928M.html.)
Thanks to goofydylan8 for running Gargoyle's Quest 2 because I mentioned the game! (http://tasvideos.org/2001M.html)
Thanks to feos and MESHUGGAH for taking up runs of Duck Tales 2 because of my old signature!
Thanks also to Samsara for finishing a Treasure Master run. From the submission comments:
Joined: 4/21/2004
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Location: Stockholm, Sweden
Meh vote. Nice effort but unfortunately, I didn't find it entertaining enough to vote yes. However, if you can find a few shortcuts and glitches, then it should have a bigger chance of getting accepted.
I made a video to demonstrate what I was referring to in prior posts:
Micro Machines 64 Turbo TAS; Baguette Balance Demo 20.74 - Standard Speed
btw, it turns out that little corner cutting trick at the end is not worth it, I just did it without that and got 19.88 ... I will give it a go with the fastest setting and see what happens. I think the head-to-head mode will be more interesting though, and I will try that next (little chance of going much more than one lap, and this is the classic Micro Machines mode, plus it allows for some really odd victories, I'm looking forward to it).
@NitroGenesis: thanks for the encode. :)
Yes, I tried what you said in your last post and it worked on the PSX version too.
I never liked framewhoring at all, so don't expect an improved version of my movie, never. If you think a few frames or seconds or whatever can make some tracks more entertaining, feel free to make a new movie (just a suggestion: don't use the head-to-head mode, it couldn't be any more boring.) I won't cancel my movie, I still think it's good enough to entertain most people who could enjoy a TAS of this game, and that's what really matters to me.
By the way, I also think you should post your findings in the discussion thread.