I did a direct copy of Stage 4. Curiously, the 32-frame rule lined up perfectly, so Team 4's run synced without issue.
I'll be explaining each segment as I see them. Hopefully my suggestions will spark some new optimization.
s4 - Segment 0 Opener
Team 1 is reported fastest, except they took the sub. Sure, it ends the segment early, but then we're stuck in an auto-scroller. Obviously, we'll want to break the auto-scroller to save a few thousand frames, instead of ending this segment a few dozen frames early.
Teams 6 and 4 are otherwise reported fastest, but it might be better to find a different measuring point somewhere in the next segment, where it's clear dashing along the ground at that moment is fastest in all "universes".
s4 - Segment 1 "Auto-scroller" segment 1
A complex segment. Point in case: Team 4 used the charge glitch to double up on flame charges at times, and Team 3 didn't. Yet, despite the apparent advantage of double flame charge, Team 3 is still snapping close to Team 4's time. I'm impressed.
A reminder on the charge glitch: We need some sort of control lock, and the situation needs to allow us to shoot (
shot cooldown prevents chaining the charge glitch off a flame charge). Still, a second flame charge without 60 frames of charging in between might be worth being slow for 16 frames plus one frame of going the wrong way, as each flame charge is around 64 frames long. Then again, if we could dash for most of those 60 frames of charge, then charge glitch isn't helpful. It's mostly when we're stuck in the air, mostly. But this segment is a lot of air- er, water.
In any case, Team 3 clearly did something right even with the advantage of this glitch that Team 4 used frequently. Comparing these two teams closely might help further optimize this segment.
s4 - Segment 2 Miniboss
Team 4 is fastest here. This is mostly because they took damage just before the miniboss, allowing them to charge a laser without the 16 frames of delay from damage. This delay is shuffled into the prior segment, where it takes up dash time instead, but since the slow damage boost is used for forward progress, instead of flatly wasted on the miniboss, this is a few frames saved.
I also recall tweaking with the miniboss timing a bit under Team 4, concluding that the lag depends on the 4-frame animation rule. Any improvements probably should use Team 4 to compare against, I can't think of much else to really add.
s4 - Segment 3 Short right, after miniboss
Teams 7 and 6 are fastest here. Except that Teams 4 and 3 set up Ghost Fall, and the results can be seen in the following segment. So the teams we should compare are just the two leaders. I've already taken a look.
Team 4 lands after save platform, but must scroll the camera dashing back and forth. Headbonked at ladder.
Team 3 lands on save platform, and did not need to dedicate dashing for camera scroll. Did not headbonk at ladder.
s4 - Segment 4 Down segment
Our two leaders did their Ghost Fall here. Ignoring terrain might be nice and all, but it doesn't guarantee identical times, as Team 3 avoids damage by shooting stuff, which Team 4 loses time on ouch frames.
I did experiment a bit here after seeing Team 3's run. They do reach the next segment sooner, but with a worse camera than Team 4. A bad camera doesn't guarantee lost frames, as we still need to go all the way to the right for the ladder at the up segment near the end.
s4 - Segment 5 Short right
Team 4 is reported fastest here, but this is an illusion caused by the camera. As for player position, the two leaders should be pretty close together. Probably a better measurement point is somewhere in the next segment, probably on that ground down there, and comparing player position rather than camera position.
The next segment is really complicated. In fact, that complexity begins staring from this segment, with Team 3 choosing the platform to dash on and Team 4 instead flame charges past it to land on the slope below sooner. So this is more of an extension of the next segment, and again, it's probably best to pick a moment in all "universes" where dashing is the fastest option.
s4 - Segment 6 "Auto-scroller" segment 2
Once again, the two leaders are really close together, almost matching each other's reported time in this segment. Curiously, Team 5 spends the fewest frames in this segment, beating Teams 3 and 4. It's hard to tell if this is an illusion caused by setting up the fastest possible Segment 6 which loses time on the surrounding segments, but then again, this shows just how many "good" ways there are in rushing through this complicated segment.
There just isn't enough information reported in the single number by my segment counter script. Finding good measurement points to tell how good you're doing is going to be real tricky in and of itself, so I expect difficulties in comparing every team on this. Still, we're going to want to crawl through them carefully for any inspirations.
s4 - Segment 7 Short right, auto-scroller aftermath
This is a new segment in and of itself. Like with Segment 3, it's supposed to catch the player as they exit an auto-scroller, but since we broke those, it just looks like an extension of the previous segment. And it definitely feels like one, right up until we get to that ladder.
Times are all over the place, with Team 7 winning here. Could be as simple as the camera being in a good spot relative to terrain, and this says nothing about their position to the ladder. Once again, we have difficult comparisons to make.
s4 - Segment 8 Up segment
Up the ladder, basically. This is where camera positions come back and skew the reported values, as no matter what we do, we need to reach that ladder on the far right. Naturally, teams that didn't Ghost Fall are more to the left relative to camera, and therefore the reported values claim they are slower than the two leaders by a significant margin, which is basically an illusion as they merely loaded the segment sooner.
As for Team 3's lead over Team 4, I sure thought I had a clever idea during the DTC, but 12 frames? Hard to say, but I don't think the camera differences alone between these two teams can explain that.
s4 - Segment 9 Door segment
A short dash left, a jump, walljump, and another dash to the right as we rush the door.
Team 4's route probably should be taken. I can't think of a lot to say. Then again, they do take some damage I couldn't avoid during the DTC. Ideas would be nice.
s4 - Segment 10 Boss
Use optimal boss strat. Which is always hit boss on first frame we can, and with enough damage dealt to count every hit point. There's a reason the two leading teams have identical times.
