The creation of this TAS of Rayman 3 GBA 100% started on 22 May 2022 using the latest version released of the emulator BizHawk which was 2.8.
I used the default setup of the GBA emulation from the downloaded file BizHawk-2.8.
The ROM of the game I used is entitled 0985 - Rayman 3 - Hoodlum Havoc (U)(RDG).gba
I created the movie "Rayman 3 (USA) (En,Fr,Es)_100_percent_TAS.bk2" using the tool TAStudio.
About this 100% run:
English is the fastest language. The run starts at frame 867 (selecting an empty save file) and ends at frame 272633 (last hit on the final Boss).
So this run has a length of 272633 - 867 = 271767 frames.
The frame rate is about 59.7275 fps, so the final time is 1:15:50.12.
However, the last input that triggers the credits is on frame 272969. The movie's been truncated here.
In the 100% category, the player has to collect all 1000 lums and all 50 cages before defeating the final Boss. The main differences compared to Any% are:
- New levels
- No skips possible nor big glitches
- Backtracking
I've optimized this TAS the best way I could do based on the current knowledge of the game, including new tricks recently discovered except for 1 trick in Shining Glade screen 2. I was aware of this trick just after I uploaded the video. I updated the tasproj file. This trick saved 28 frames and has positively modified the RNG of the final Boss, an additional 49 frames were saved.
So right after this submission, 77 frames were cut for a final time of 1:15:48.82.
These are the improvements & new tricks over the strats used in my previous Any% TAS:
- A better understanding of the frame rule system at the end of most levels that is 4 frames long. Several times, I saved 1 to 3 frames inside a screen. But then I either lose them after the last transitioning load of the level, or saved extra frames to sum up to a multiple of 4 frames saved. A frame rule is applied when living a blue curtain. Because of the frame rules, I elaborated my backtracking routes in order to synchronize the length of each segment with its corresponding frame rule and thus avoiding wasting 1 to 3 frames. If a segment from a backtrack has no impact on the frame rule after being interchanged with another segment, then I routed the backtrack in a way to set the best RNG seed for the final Boss. The perfect example is the route of Prickly Passage and its backtrack.
- A new fast trick I named Slippery Slope Fast Jump. Rayman gets a huge speed boost when he does a normal 1 to 6 frames jump at the end of a long slippery slope while not pressing a direction. That trick is used 7 times in Razor Slide and once in Lum Challenge.
- A new fast helicopter landing trick used when Rayman lands on moving platforms from under. The trick saves 2 frames per use. It is mainly used in Boulder Brink, Mega Havoc 3 and Void of Bones.
- A new fast damage boost + fist charging trick on plums in River of Fire resulting in 3 better optimizations. This trick is also used in Mega Havoc 3.
- A faster way to fully charge a fist right after Rayman has landed on any surface, it saves 3 frames per full charge. It is mainly used in Lum Challenge, The Mettleworks and River of Fire.
- 1 frame rule is saved from a faster swing on a purple lum in Razor Slide screen 2. Another frame rule can be save on the last purple lum but I deliberately deoptimized that swing to manipulate my best RNG seed for the final Boss.
- Better optimized movements between the levels in Pirate Stronghold that saved 3 frames.
- A faster Magma Mayhem 2, 6 frames saved at the end of Lap 1 thanks to a better movement with the kart.
What is left to be optimized:
- Find a better seed for the RNG in the final level, I estimate a potential time save of 2 to 4 seconds.
- Both Magma Mayhem aren't the fastest because I don't know how to perfectly optimize them. The remaining time at the end of each lap depends on the route used to collect all the lums. The actual route is what I've empirically tested and I couldn't save many more frames. Besides, a tiny change of direction and I have to redo the entire remaining laps. Moreover, because of the frame rule, at least 4 frames have to be cut at once to save more time. I estimate a potential 12 to 20 frames improvement possible for both Magma Mayhem levels.
I hope you'll enjoy this TAS.
Regards,
NinjaCocktail
slamo: Claiming for judging.
slamo: Replaced movie file with an 84 frame improvement.
slamo: Overall the run looks pretty good. I don't see any serious movement mistakes, and it looks like you minimized backtracking as much as possible.
I had to think about this branch for a bit. For a full completion branch, we try to use some kind of in-game percentage counter, and if that's not available, then we have to handle it on a game-by-game basis. It must complete enough of the game, but not be too much of a burden either - for example, we don't require all permanent flags to be set. I think it makes sense here to just go by what the save select screen displays, which is just lums and cages. I mentioned in the thread there are some bonus levels that unlock multiplayer maps, but there is no way to tell if these are completed other than hooking up another GBA and trying to set up a multiplayer game. Also, this is a global unlock for the entire cart rather than being specific to one save file. Maxing out a save file should be all that's required.
Accepting as a Full Completion branch.
