I've been trying to think of a good game that would work for a 100% kills TAS. It has to be something where it's not necessary to kill most of the enemies, so that doing so would be more entertaining.
The rules:
1. Kill any non-invulnerable enemy that appears on screen. Some games spawn enemies infinitely so it would be impossible to kill them all, so the rule is "if they appear on screen"
2. Somewhat optional, depending on how reasonable to do it: No warps or shortcuts. Meaning, never skip any opportunities to kill enemies.
I'd thought of a few mario games, but each have their own specific problems:
Super Mario Bros.: Right at the beginning is at least one goomba that's impossible to kill without greatly slowing down. Also, there are a lot of buzzy beetles throughout the game and there's only one way to kill them, which is to hit them with a shell. Killing two buzzies would require you to kick them both in opposite directions, bank them off a wall, and back into each other. Otherwise, you'd need to kill them with a koopa shell and fireball it after.
Super Mario Bros. 2: Wouldn't be particularly impressive, and you'd have to keep slowing down to throw things at enemies. They also respawn if you scroll back.
Super Mario Bros. 3: Many enemies can only be killed by the hammer suit, and that means you'd need to get the hammer suit before the first castle, in order to kill the Dry Bones. Even if that were possible, right at the beginning of World 1-1 is a Venus Fire Trap that you can't easily kill. You'd need to grab the koopa shell, run back, collide it with the plant, then run back. Too much wasted time.
Contra: Not impressive enough. Even though enemies come from all directions, when you have the spread gun, it's pretty easy to just kill anything that appears on screen. I'd imagine you could do this on a console.
Metroid: WAY too many problems here.
I'm convinced there has to be some game where this would make for a great TAS but I can't find it. If there was some way to do it for SMB3, that would be great, but because of the problems above, I don't think it's possible.
Probably something like Doom?
Autoscrollers mostly are out of the question, unless you can find something especially spectacular and rather short (or at least not boring) at the same time (Star Fox probably is one of the kind, and it also checks the percentage of the killed baddies), so are the beat 'em ups. Generally, games where you can only kill at point blank wouldn't be too cool to watch, either.
Warp wrote:
Edit: I think I understand now: It's my avatar, isn't it? It makes me look angry.
I'm thinking it should be a popular game. Something that would surprise people. I'd like for it to be a platformer just because it would be unexpected.
The SMB warpless run kills a lot of enemies and it just makes me think there has to be a way to get all of them.
(By the way, I did a test of SMB3 to see if I could find a way to dispose of that venus fire trap. It looked ugly.)
Not for a shooter. That would be too... expected. That's what first person shooters are for.
I'd like it to be something that you wouldn't expect a 100% kills run for. Also, Doom already has established TAS runs.
A 100% kill run for a platformer could be amazing if you find the right game and the right tricks.
100% kill run is probably only good for games that scroll one-way only.
If you can go back, some enemies will re-generate. Almost 99% of the shooting (plane) games are under this one-way scroll only category.
For SMB, other than using the koopas and fireballs to kill, you can also use the invincinbility star (is the official term called starman?).
Personally, for SMB, I don't think it's that fun watch for the the 100% kill.
It's probaby much more fun to watch for the MAX/MOST coins you can get in SMB.
Almost all of the existing SMB TAS runs are focused on finishing the game as quickly as possible and skipping all the fun in the levels. Other than just getting the thru levels, one of the fun part of SMB is hunting down for the coins (many are hidden).
Maybe you can change your mind to do a "Most number of coins, fastest possible TAS for SMB".
here is a list of air shooter game you could choose:
Gradius
Gradius II
Lifeforce
1942
1943
none more comming in my head :(
it sure that, there ar emore on the snes >.< :)
1942/1943 are very long games... and very repetitive.
100% kill is not a very impressive first goal for a movi imo... Like say if you had a Megaman game, and you made it a second goal to kill 100% of the enemies and succeeded without losing time, that would be better.
I suggest taking a take that would be neat to kill all enemies while being the fast as possible.
I would suggest a Ninja Gaiden game if it is possible to improve the time on either one...(doubtful for 2.)
100% kill is not a very impressive first goal for a movi imo... Like say if you had a Megaman game, and you made it a second goal to kill 100% of the enemies and succeeded without losing time, that would be better.
I suggest taking a take that would be neat to kill all enemies while being the fast as possible.
That's more or less my point. If the game requires you to slow down in order to kill every enemy, it's not going to be very fun to watch. Megaman X for instance might be doable for a 100% kills run. Only problem there is that enemies respawn and sometimes an enemy you already killed will come back if you so much as scroll a few pixels backwards (which you need to do for some of the vertical areas.)
And I think,in Ninga gaiden, enemy can come from behind and always come.
For me, i'm never bored of scroll shooter :), it's my style of game so I can't tell if others will find it boring but the current run here of gradius wich is (i think) 100% speed up and only kill to get speed ups upgrade is really nice.
Same things with 100% kill would be awsome. ^-^
and I would suggest you Gradius II as the game to pick up
IMHO a game where enemys respawn has an unlimited amount of enemys and can't be done with 100% kills. You'd end up in situations where the fastest way for 100% kills is by choosing a route which spawns less enemys (or manipulating luck for the same result) - thus actually getting less kills.
unfortunately, I can't think of a game where 100% kills really works.
The Turrican-series (jump&run) had non-respawning enemys, but going for 100% kills will take quite some detours.
paperboy sounds nice btw.
Paperboy is a nice choice but I think you must also obtain the highest score as possible by throwing gazette at people, window, tombstones etc... Well what makes you the highest score.
My recommendation is Paperboy 2 on Snes.
Joined: 4/20/2005
Posts: 2161
Location: Norrköping, Sweden
Phil wrote:
Paperboy is a nice choice but I think you must also obtain the highest score as possible by throwing gazette at people, window, tombstones etc... Well what makes you the highest score.
If I remember correctly, on Paperboy for NES, you'll get the highest score by throwing all of your papers into mailboxes, so throwing papers on other stuff isn't necessary in a highest-score aspect.
Although a run would probably look a little more interesting if you would throw papers on other things as well.
I think it will require quite some planning on a Paperboy run to keep it interesting, but on the other hand, it will be a short.
Joined: 10/17/2005
Posts: 636
Location: Seattle, WA
Actually, for highest possible points, the original Paperboy is trickier than you'd think. There are paper refills, so you'd have to throw all 10 papers between each refill. Papers in mailboxes score the highest, BUT you can also throw a paper on the doorstep for extra points for each good house, don't'cha know! Breaking objects and bad house windows are all worth 200 points, so theoretically the most points you can make on a stage is:
(number of good houses x (points for mailbox + points for doorstep)) + ((number of refills x 10) + 10[amount you start with] - (good houses x 2 [papers are used there for most points]) x 200)
Another trick is that after every perfect run, you're given a new good house; however, one variety of house doesn't HAVE a mailbox, so you'd have to manipulate it so that that type of house is never turned friendly.
oh and for points you gotta throw in the bonus stages. Every O is worth 200 to hit, every ramp refills. When completed, you get, what, 100 points for every second left? It's been years since I've played.
So max score, remembering that the number of good houses is increased by one each day, is (the first equation plus 3 good houses) times 7 (since it grows one every time we can start in the middle and cheat) plus the max bonus stage score times 7.
100% score for this game would probably get too redundant by that point, but, y'know, it would be an interesting thing to figure out. I doubt that the end run would be very interesting, but some good dodging and throwing might make it acceptable. Can't throw any papers at anything that won't give points, remember that.
If people think this run might be publishable, I can make it :D When I think about it, a 100% score is the only reasonable paperboy TAS one can make, since it's effectively an autoscroller anyway.--Note that I have no idea how Paperboy 2 is, if it's very very similar to this, then the updated sound/music/graphics would be worth it?
Isn't it nice how a thread originally intended for 100% KILLS ALL DEATH ALL VIOLENCE got turned into a nice pleasant Paperboy hijack? aaahhhhh....
Paperboy 2 is nicer. You should really try it. But on Snes.
I think it will be more entertaining since there's more bonuses. And you can make a funnier video.
