Vikings time!
Sorry for the holdup. I finally built up the motivation to finish a 3-player version. This is a 4:53:23 improvement over the 2-player movie. In order to play this movie, you need to set both players to 3 buttons and change the first gamepad to teamplayer.
  • Emulator used: Gens 9f
  • As fast as possible
  • Uses no passwords
  • Manipulates luck
  • Abuses programming errors in the game
  • Takes damage to save time
  • One player controls three characters simultaneously
In this action/puzzle game you control three vikings (Erik, Baelog, and Olaf), who are lost in time and space, each with their own special abilities needed to solve the levels.
Most of the techniques used are from the 2-player version, but I was able to pick up some new minor techniques here and there.
The individual level improvements are:
LevelImprovementLevelImprovement
STRT0:00:00PLNG0:04:57
GR8T0:12:18BTRY0:04:14
TLPT0:06:39JNKR0:03:05
GRND0:08:30RVTS0:10:07
LLM00:11:11CBLT0:00:15
FL0T0:15:23H0PP0:04:23
TRSS0:12:38SMRT0:02:19
PRHS0:12:18V8TR0:04:02
CVRN0:15:01NFL80:05:10
BBLS0:21:45WKYY0:02:42
TR330:17:44CMB00:04:42
VLCN0:06:528BLL0:02:38
QCKS0:06:03TRDR0:00:50
PHR00:05:02FNTM0:10:20
C1R00:06:22WRLR0:01:18
SPKS0:03:41PDDY0:01:51
JMNN0:08:49TRPD0:01:37
SNDS0:06:55TFFF0:05:44
TMPL0:07:38FRGT0:06:10
TTRS0:11:414RN40:07:26
JLLY0:08:17MSTR0:04:25
Total4:53:23
One bad thing about doing a three player run is the switching. In order to do so, you need to press A+B+C and that can cause some undesired actions, so I had to choose carefully when to switch characters (ex. cannot switch characters while ballooned up or will deflate). This would be eliminated if each character had 6 buttons to use.
Since all three characters can move at once, Erik usually has to wait or screw around for the other two to catch up. Sometimes Erik intentionally gets hurt or bangs his head on an enemy so Baelog or Olaf won't be interrupted by it.
Glitches used (excuse the copyedit):
  • Falling key glitch - This glitch is pretty simple. Using a key on a keyhole while falling will prevent one of the characters from taking damage. I use this frequently.
  • Falling multicolor key glitch - This one is almost identical to the one above, only this uses a key on a different colored keyhole while falling to avoid damage. This also doesn't use up the keyhole. I was able to use this only once in WKYY.
  • Slide in to wall - This glitch involves an elevator. When on one, standing on the very edge and sliding into a wall, then moving over and back again quickly will get a character lodged into the wall. I only was able to use this once in BTRY. This glitch is similar to the Rockman 2 wall-omission glitch (only I can't zoom through walls, which would be awesome).
  • Slide through door/wall - In TRPD, there's a spot where pinchers are use to hold a block. When in the path of the pinchers, turning the direction opposite to the wall will get the character stuck in the wall, which happens to be on top of a door. Then, switching will cause the character stuck in the wall to fall to the ground and jumping will then cause him to get zoomed down reaching a button to skip a major part of the level.
  • Fall through horizontal door - This is only usable in one place - TRDR. This is, when falling, using a key on the door in the floor and falling through it. Giving it to another character enables that character to do the same.
  • Avoid damage by switching characters - This is when you're moving (falling or jumping), switch and switch back quickly and end up taking no damage. This used on enemy projectiles and vertical lasers.
  • This is more of a trick than a glitch, but you can sometimes walk over holes if able to find the right frame.
I chose the Genesis instead of the SNES version of the game because:
  • There are 4 more levels in the Genesis version
  • There are very long pauses between the levels that would add at least two minutes to the total time
  • I'm more familiar with the Genesis version
Some personal level favorites: JMNN, H0PP, TRDR
Suggested screenshots: 3:58:15, 16:50:39, 21:25:16
Enjoy!

Truncated: Accepted for being a good improvement to an existing run.
We will also need a new category for this run: One player controls three characters.
Phil: While we're at it, One player controls 4 characters. should be added as well, since soon or later, it will happen.


Former player
Joined: 8/1/2004
Posts: 2687
Location: Seattle, WA
Maza wrote:
Would it be possible to control three players in SNES?
Depends entirely on if the SNES version was meant to utilize the multi-tap.
hi nitrodon streamline: cyn-chine
Emulator Coder, Skilled player (1310)
Joined: 12/21/2004
Posts: 2687
If the game supports the multitap, yes. Secret of Mana has 3 players and a run of that is in progress. (edit: 24 seconds late)
TorZelan
He/Him
Joined: 8/11/2006
Posts: 33
Location: Northern Sweden
Really looking forward to seeing this thing. I'd try now, except previous comments indicate it being a hassle and since I don't think I can vote yet it seems unneccessary to mess around with. Also,
nitsuja wrote:
Secret of Mana has 3 players and a run of that is in progress.
...insomnia ensues. The day this is done, oh man...
Gamer, musician, bonesword wielder.
Joined: 10/3/2005
Posts: 1332
I'm not a fan of this game. The last run was hard to sit through... this one was much easier. A pleasant surprise. Yet another yes vote onto the heap.
Former player
Joined: 8/15/2004
Posts: 422
Location: Minnesota
Thank you everyone.
Editor, Expert player (2477)
Joined: 4/8/2005
Posts: 1573
Location: Gone for a year, just for varietyyyyyyyyy!!
Thank you for making this movie. :)
Former player
Joined: 4/6/2006
Posts: 462
No Ouzo, thank YOU.
Former player
Joined: 4/6/2006
Posts: 462
What are the chances of seeing a The Lost Vikings 2 run?
Former player
Joined: 11/13/2005
Posts: 1587
erokky wrote:
What are the chances of seeing a The Lost Vikings 2 run?
I was just about to ask the same. And what are the differences between SNES and Genesis versions?
Former player
Joined: 8/15/2004
Posts: 422
Location: Minnesota
erokky wrote: What are the chances of seeing a The Lost Vikings 2 run? I was just about to ask the same. And what are the differences between SNES and Genesis versions?
There is no genesis version AFAIK. I've played LV2 a little and it definitely looks promising. So, maybe...
Former player
Joined: 11/13/2005
Posts: 1587
Ouzo wrote:
erokky wrote: What are the chances of seeing a The Lost Vikings 2 run? I was just about to ask the same. And what are the differences between SNES and Genesis versions?
There is no genesis version AFAIK. I've played LV2 a little and it definitely looks promising. So, maybe...
I actually meant the difference of the first games different versions, sorry for confusion.
Former player
Joined: 8/15/2004
Posts: 422
Location: Minnesota
NesVideoAgent wrote:
I chose the Genesis instead of the SNES version of the game because:
  • There are 4 more levels in the Genesis version
  • There are very long pauses between the levels that would add at least two minutes to the total time
  • I'm more familiar with the Genesis version
I've only played the first few levels of the SNES version and it seems pretty much the same.
Post subject: Movie published
TASVideoAgent
They/Them
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Posts: 15536
Location: 127.0.0.1
This movie has been published. The posts before this message apply to the submission, and posts after this message apply to the published movie. ---- [703] Genesis The Lost Vikings "3 players" by Ouzo in 35:44.60
Player (201)
Joined: 7/6/2004
Posts: 511
Excellent. Before watching it I was concerned that having the ability to control all three at once might make it too easy for you and thus dimish entertainment. But this was not the case, I enjoyed it throughly.
g,o,p,i=1e4,a[10001];main(x){for(;p?g=g/x*p+a[p]*i+2*!o: 53^(printf("%.4d",o+g/i),p=i,o=g%i);a[p--]=g%x)x=p*2-1;}
Former player
Joined: 8/15/2004
Posts: 422
Location: Minnesota
flagitious wrote:
Excellent. Before watching it I was concerned that having the ability to control all three at once might make it too easy for you and thus dimish entertainment.
When I started, I was worried about the same thing. Glad to know you enjoyed it :)
Active player (434)
Joined: 9/27/2004
Posts: 650
Location: Canada
Haha, fantastic. Very enjoyable. Thanks for this one ;)
Joined: 10/23/2006
Posts: 10
Just insane. I love this game - have since I was young. Nice work on juggling all three.
Banned User
Joined: 3/10/2004
Posts: 7698
Location: Finland
Definitely one of the most interesting and entertaining TASes. Star material?
Joined: 2/25/2006
Posts: 407
this TAS was brilliant :P never knew it could be done so fast... can 3 players be done on the SNES or is that only a sega feature? also i solved my movie problem with movies being jerky... i got the gui windows version of mplayer 1.0rc1 :)
Ryzen 3700X, ASUS Crosshair VIII Hero (WiFi) Motherboard, 32GB 3600MHz RAM, MSI Geforce 1070Ti 8GB, Windows 10 Pro x64 http://tasvideos.org/Nach/FranpaAlert.html
Former player
Joined: 8/15/2004
Posts: 422
Location: Minnesota
franpa wrote:
can 3 players be done on the SNES or is that only a sega feature
I believe it's Sega only. I turned on "Multitap 5" and enabled them all, but it still only allows one or two players.
Emulator Coder
Joined: 10/9/2004
Posts: 453
Location: Norway
It was really entertaining watching this, and it almost makes me wish more games like this were made. However, I guess this run would lose its uniqueness if they were common ;)
Joined: 2/25/2006
Posts: 407
um in the snes inactive dudes have there portrate greyed or something... but in your run there all always chosen even when only one appears... is this right? if yes then that just makes it that much better!
Ryzen 3700X, ASUS Crosshair VIII Hero (WiFi) Motherboard, 32GB 3600MHz RAM, MSI Geforce 1070Ti 8GB, Windows 10 Pro x64 http://tasvideos.org/Nach/FranpaAlert.html
Former player
Joined: 8/15/2004
Posts: 422
Location: Minnesota
That's how it is in the Genesis version when in 2-player mode, but when in 3-player all characters are active even if they're offscreen.
Editor, Reviewer, Experienced player (978)
Joined: 4/17/2004
Posts: 3109
Location: Sweden
>... in 3-player all characters are active even if they're offscreen. Hm, really? So is this part of the description I wrote wrong? "Keep in mind that only vikings that are on screen can be controlled." If so I will change it to something appropriate.
Former player
Joined: 8/15/2004
Posts: 422
Location: Minnesota
Truncated wrote:
Hm, really? So is this part of the description I wrote wrong? "Keep in mind that only vikings that are on screen can be controlled."
No, that's correct. Sorry, I meant that once they come onto the screen they can immediately be controlled.