Sorry for the late replies.
Yvnar, I know of two other clips that can be done in this game, and at least one of them is useful for TAS. You can also clip through any non-pillow moving platforms with a well-timed hammer blow.
I actually did make a very sloppy and unoptimised TAS which I posted on my channel (
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1XZNcO6-P4), but didn't mention here. I've also found out a couple things that make it obsolete. It lasts 22:48, and I think one could easily save about a minute and a half with a cleaner run, and some new things I've found out since that save a few seconds here and there.
The clip I use is around 20:30 in the video. The other clip I know is in Nightmare 1, where around 10:51 when falling you can hit the wooden platform and get propelled near the level exit, but I haven't found a way to get back into the level, nor to reproduce it consistently.
zoboner, bosses 2 and 4 are affected by RNG (maybe 1, and 4.5 too, I can't remember offhand, I don't have my notes with me right now). The floating guys that shoot lightning bolts (I call them 'Geodudes') also appear to shoot randomly. I think I'm forgetting something else, too, it'll be in my notes though.
I was able to manipulate RNG in a couple instances through trial and error in my TAS, but I don't know the underlying mechanics behind it.
Your run of the first level has a few minor issues that waste a little time.
- Running on stairs is slower than jumping above them (credit goes to Mothrayas for that one).
- Health management, of course. I don't know for sure where taking damage is the most worthwhile. This'd require a lot of trial and error to find out. There are also a couple of spots where hearts are only a second or two of wasted time, but that may be worth it in the long run.
- Did switching to English require losing a couple frames ? I'm curious. The English translation is actually not great, and I'm used to the French version, so I tend to stay in that version.
- Around 0:38, I found out very recently (by accident, when recording footage explaining the speedrun/TAS strats, haha) that you can clip through that platform. I haven't looked into it.
- When you jump over Fantasio, you should avoid the conversation entirely (just about whenever possible, and it is possible to do so for the first Fantasio), since there are a few lag frames when the speech bubble pops up.
- When you move downwards (you do so around 0:23, for instance), you should jump beforehand; you'll have some vertical velocity that will make you fall faster, instead of simply dropping down like you do.
I like the way you grab the robot though. Does it waste/save time ? It looks much better than the way I do it, anyway.
I haven't done much work on the TAS in recent months, due to lack of time and other interests. I recorded that unoptimised TAS for that reason, in fact, since I was unsure I'd be consistently working at it in the coming months.
I'm happy people are interested in the game, I'll clean up some of my notes on it (there's a lot) and upload the footage explaining some of the tricks, hopefully in a few days' time.