I used external hex/text editors (including TME) most and VBA-rr's built-ins for my good old GBA runs, but I once used TASEditor and TASStudio (for testing) so I have to honestly vote for "I use them sometimes"....
TASEditor and TAStudio interfere with (or just to say, intercept) the traditional input method. That's exactly why I don't like using them, and why I added the "most traditional" movie-modifying features in VBA-rr (unfortunately the features have been very obscure and least known since 2012).
<klmz> it reminds me of that people used to keep quoting adelikat's IRC statements in the old good days
<adelikat> no doubt
<adelikat> klmz, they still do
Joined: 2/28/2006
Posts: 2275
Location: Milky Way -> Earth -> Brazil
I've been away from TASVideos for a few years so I'm not sure if I would use TAStudio for starting a run from scratch but I used it a lot in the 6th Dream Team Contest
"Genuine self-esteem, however, consists not of causeless feelings, but of certain knowledge about yourself.
It rests on the conviction that you — by your choices, effort and actions — have made yourself into the
kind of person able to deal with reality. It is the conviction — based on the evidence of your own volitional
functioning — that you are fundamentally able to succeed in life and, therefore, are deserving of that success."
- Onkar Ghate
I started out using BizHawk, so I started with TAStudio, but over time I switched to Mupen since it's the dominant emulator for SM64 (my main TAS game nowadays), so I picked up the "traditional" way later on. I'd hate to TAS the N64 with a TAStudio like thing, because displaying analog stick input like that is weird, but IMO TAStudio/TASEditor is the best way to TAS 2D games.
Joined: 4/17/2010
Posts: 11469
Location: Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg
Virtual pad works in tastudio if you enable recording mode. If you have some strong preference regarding how they work together, let me know.
Warning: When making decisions, I try to collect as much data as possible before actually deciding. I try to abstract away and see the principles behind real world events and people's opinions. I try to generalize them and turn into something clear and reusable. I hate depending on unpredictable and having to make lottery guesses. Any problem can be solved by systems thinking and acting.
I tried out recording mode when I got BizHawk 2.0.1, and I hate it. I know it makes no sense, but I somehow _prefer_ deleting after a certain point to restart from there over pressing a hotkey to enable recording. I know, it's stupid. I switched back to 1.11.6 because of that.
FCEUX has TASeditor, and I have never been exposed to TAStudio.
Even then, I find them situational. I usually use a USB controller to record inputs on my TASes, but here are times I've used TASeditor:
1. When I want to copy a level, input for input over from a previous TAS. When I did this, it took 2 hours.
2. For even more precise input control to find the earliest/latest possible moment to do something.
I just find TASeditor too slow to work on, and I can't work at the speed I can with just my trusty USB controller with 5 savestate slots.
I've used both situations in the upcoming VS SMB TAS.
(Also, someone needs to make FCEUX auto-upscale on Linux. It won't scale more than 3x, which is still too small for my laptop's screen)
If a map had all the information, it would look like this: (shows black construction paper)
"Now that's a map!'
XD
That's why you wait for TAStudio lua input, faster and more precise to set analog stick coordinates than any other method. If you're noob and don't bother ultra-optimizing your movement then you might not find any difference, my N64 WIP has 40k (sic) rr's for 10 frames and it still is suboptimal, due tastudio being a total disaster when it comes to setting analog stick, with lua it can be reduced to 20 rr's for a frame to test. TAStudio is nowhere close to support a good method for TASing platformers which use analog sticks, neither is mupen, the traditional method in BizHawk is if you know lua.
Was it your first time doing this? Routine speeds up your workflow.
That is because you don't know how to use it, every one has trouble using unfamiliar software for the first time, and so did I. The only game you worked on was VS SMB? You might not see benefits by TASing a simple game, but try out one where complicated input patterns are needed. And please read if you haven't already: http://www.fceux.com/web/help/taseditor/ If you already did you can read again, maybe you already forgot things.
Joined: 4/17/2010
Posts: 11469
Location: Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg
Bump. A lot of new TASers have arrived. How do you guys do it?
Warning: When making decisions, I try to collect as much data as possible before actually deciding. I try to abstract away and see the principles behind real world events and people's opinions. I try to generalize them and turn into something clear and reusable. I hate depending on unpredictable and having to make lottery guesses. Any problem can be solved by systems thinking and acting.
[14:15] <feos> WinDOES what DOSn't
12:33:44 PM <Mothrayas> "I got an oof with my game!"
Mothrayas Today at 12:22: <Colin> thank you for supporting noble causes such as my feet
MemoryTAS Today at 11:55 AM: you wouldn't know beauty if it slapped you in the face with a giant fish
[Today at 4:51 PM] Mothrayas: although if you like your own tweets that's the online equivalent of sniffing your own farts and probably tells a lot about you as a person
MemoryTAS Today at 7:01 PM: But I exert big staff energy honestly lol
Samsara Today at 1:20 PM: wouldn't ACE in a real life TAS just stand for Actually Cease Existing
I started TASing without it but when I discovered TAStudio it helped me so much. TASing with it for me is way more eazier now and makes it faster. I learned how to use it by testing things and I still discovering things now. I'll always using them if it's possible but if not I'll do without and it will be just longer...
I'm not exactly new, but have never responded. I do use TAStudio/TASEditor when they are available, but I also do enough DOS work (which doesn't include these tools) that I can say I do a good chunk of TASing without them.
Back in 2015 I tried to do traditional method but I had a lot of problems with keyboard ghosting to the point that I was forced to use TAStudio.
I do, however, still use traditional method if I TAS a GameCube or Wii game. Mostly because there isn't a TAStudio for it lol.
If it were not for keyboard ghosting, I don't mind doing traditional method. Dolphin has a virtual game pad thingy which gets rid of keyboard ghosting and it's not too bad I suppose.