Tried last level. Saved 108 frames on a 22-second segment.
I did a sloppy test on this 11-second segment (TASing in JPC-RR for the first time). You seem to be losing at least 72 frames there just to jumping and turning. Should I have avoided collecting any score items?
As far as the game detecting Sound Blaster, I've had this problem before. For whatever reason with some games, having the game detect it can be very finnicky in JPC-rr. I've had cases where starting the exe on the earliest possible frame results in the game not detecting it, but after waiting a frame or two and then executing the game will see it just fine. Once the game detects it, I've never had any issues with the game continuing to detect it throughout the whole run. It kind of sucks, but losing a couple frames during booting is much more desirable than not having good sound.
Were you trying to get the upper right area by the Snake and Eyehopper while under the effects of the Gravity power-up? It looks like it *might* be possible, but the timing would be really really tight.
I’m not sure I understand why you’d have to wait for the platform to come back up. If you’re at the red door level, isn't it possible to jump down to the green door level without the elevator?
Nice. I really liked how you just got ahead of the green monster after the time stop. For the last level in your latest video, could you save time by hitting the red switch, going all the way to the end, collecting as much as you can from the end going back to the green door, but then leaving some behind and catching the elevator going up? You can then clear out all the gems behind the red door, then fall down to get the rest behind the green door. It would save you having to wait for the elevator to go all the way up and come back down.
See that platform midway up the screen on the far left? The blue one with the yellow crystal on it?
I ran the game in DOSBox and had a little difficulty jumping onto it from the green hill, but got it on the 3rd try or so. The weird part is that now I'm trying to do it in JPC-RR, I... can't do it. At all.
There's a Let's Play I found that shows about how tricky this jump is; I've linked it here with a relevant timestamp. (Some cursing, if that's a concern for any reason)
Link to video
Generally, when Mylo is walking, I hit F 4 times before he advances a frame (probably not the right term, because the fade-in animation when entering a level does advance incrementally with a single F press, but I don't know the term to distinguish between a frame and and increment of movement). To find the optimal spot to jump from (most of the time) I'll advance 4 F-taps and try a jump, load the save state and try again 4 frames later.
But I've tested every single frame that can jump there. If it jumps too early, Mylo hits his head on the block with the hidden crystal, loses his momentum, and falls back onto the platform below. There are a few frames where he hits the next block, but falls before finding footing on the other platform. Normally, at this point, one increment of progress forward would be enough to get footing, but I hit a really strange point where now he hits right before the platform, but then falls straight down as if he goes one frame down before he goes one frame left.
I tried testing in-between frames by sending the jump command during each of the 4 frames before the animation changes, all the way from way too early to falling off the ledge, and none of the jumps succeed. I'm wondering if it also requires some kind of serendipitous alignment of animation frames? Could it be a problem with the emulation? Is there any way for me to do finer frame advancement?
I'm gonna sleep on it and see if I come up with any ideas, but for now, I'm stumped.
EDIT: Also, in your second level, is it possible to do the right side first, and then head back over to the left with the anti-grav time remaining?
In your third level, wouldn't it be faster to walk through one of the enemies in the end (since you've got a spare hit point) instead of shooting it?
