So, saved a fair number of frames in earlier stages. Stage 2 is in limbo for the moment, I've got frames in early stages I need to carry forward. Got a delay between Stages 4 & 5, a total of 8 frames there. Turns out I saved enough frames to clear one 32-frame cycle, and a bit more to spare besides. I sort of was hoping to have it be exactly on the 32-frame cycle.
I would like to attach a working Boss Skip to the movie file as well. Not yet successful, but the effort I used is close to non-existent. Worry about clean up later, get the technique in place.
Although, may as well pool some thoughts about the bosses in the end stages. We have four working skips. We have four bosses we still need to bust (
one skip is on the last one, so Frozen Laser won't save us ammo). That's 220 HP across 44 hits we need to do.
Let's take stock of our weaponry:
Flame - 5 damage on 2 ammo, or 3 damage on 1. Tends to get used and refilled in stage portions.
Whirlwind - 4 damage with 2 hits on 2 ammo. 40 damage available.
Dirt - 4 damage on 2 ammo. 20 damage available. I am not considering the meteors, due to heavy lag.
Bubble - 3 damage with 2 hits on 1 ammo. 66 potential, but low damage per hit.
Missile - 4 damage on 2 ammo, or 6 damage on 3. 22 damage available. The 6 damage hits helps to keep up.
Star - -8 ammo for skips. Leave a single 3-damage hit and a single 6-damage hit.
Spikeball - 8 damage with 2 hits on 4 ammo. The uncharged shot can hit several times, too, with 4 damage per hit. Hard analyzing this thing, but we need the up-front damage.
Laser - Needed to break the lock on doors. 4 damage on 2 ammo, or 10 damage on 4, if we somehow have the ammo.
Since we're not doing anything else with Whirlwind, Dirt, Missile, or 3 ammo of our Star, we've got 91/220 damage across 21/44 hits. We're probably opening every combat we don't skip with charged Spikeball, 16 ammo needed, which accounts for another 64 damage across 8 hits. Assuming we don't need to pause after (
Charge Swap needs pause to work at all), we can drop to negative ammo with the Spikeball with Charge Storage and leave it there for another 16 damage across 2 hits on the last boss we fight.
Hey, all for the sake of avoiding the pause screen for Ammo Tanks!