Edit: Most of the interesting stuff is in the last posts.
So I went and downloaded it to see what I could do...
First, yes, the warp from the second level straight to the final boss (as described on GameFAQs, down+right+speed button+special button on the block above the flag) works. As a result it's possible to complete the game in less than (guesstimate) five minutes.
Second, the first "flagless" level I encountered was "Forced Entry." It's possible there *is* a flag there, at the bottom of the level but due to the (evil evil evil) Wall of Death I was unable to investigate fully. I was instead forced to use the teleporter on the top half of the level. After that level, however, I would say almost half of the levels were "flagless" (granted, once you start warping there's no telling just how much more warping you need to do to get back on the "main path")
Third, there are a number of shortcuts based on what helmet you start the level with. For example, Whispering Woods II can be completed in less than five seconds if you start with the Bezerker Helmet. Other useful helmets include the Samurai (breaking through ice platforms in the Devil's Marsh 2) and Cyclone (Just about anywhere you go up a lot)
Lastly, I estimate that a run that tried its hardest not to get hit would take almost twice as long as one that focused on speed.
Edit: Alrighty then, I've crafted a "short version" which uses the straight-to-the-end warp, as well as a "long version" which only warps when forced to.
Update: v4 of the short run is now up, two seconds faster (primarily thanks to not going to the options menu, but there are a couple other improvements).
Short version: http://nifboy.keenspace.com/images/KidChameleonv4-nifboy.zip
Long Version: http://nifboy.keenspace.com/images/KidChameleonwarpless-nifboy.zip
a run without the major warp in level 2 will be fawking long. i dont believe that anyone will watch such a long video. i finished kid chameleon in 2.02. get it from here www.speedruns.org
Ah....
Well, here's my run. I lack a method for accurately measuring its length, but according to the in-game clock it's ten seconds faster; 1 second slower on Blue Woods I, 9 seconds faster on Blue Woods 2 (just watch the vid), and 1 second faster on Plethora.
Edit: v2 now up and zipped: http://nifboy.keenspace.com/images/KidChameleon-nifboy.zip
There are quite some mistakes in that one, but perhaps it was just for later reference?
It is faster if you jump up every hill, and not walk on the rubber, and not do the flip move when it's not needed. I'll see if I can whip anything up.
Well, it's more for reference, ya, considering that was my first time screwing around with the rerecords and slowdown feature. The shortcut on the second level cuts so much time I knew it'd be shorter than the first one.
edit; Well, that and I don't think the "short versions" are very interesting.
editx2: Alright, v3 is now up and zipped: http://nifboy.keenspace.com/images/KidChameleonv3-nifboy.zip
Much much better...
It seems that jumping on enemies gives you a boost. You could try jumping on the dragon just before the rubber hole.
If it's possible, it's better to land quickly after the rubber hole, i think. You run faster than you jump.
Why do you linger so long on the bottom at the final boss? Isn't it possible to get on top of him faster? Also, is there a Maniaxe mask somewhere there? I might have an idea.
The little stunt flip you do at the bottom, I'm not sure but I think it freezes both the time and the game. So in the timer will be the same, but in real seconds it will be slower.
i dont believe that anyone will watch such a long video.
You think wrong, sir. I've never been able to get very far into the game and would love seeing all of the levels.
And yes, I know how MANY there are. I'm just saying. >>;
Why do you linger so long on the bottom at the final boss? Isn't it possible to get on top of him faster? Also, is there a Maniaxe mask somewhere there? I might have an idea.
First, the boss follows you, and he starts at the *very* top of the screen. So to get on *top* of him you need to hang around the bottom some just to get one hit in. Second, as you're bouncing on his head he goes up, and if he pins you between the ceiling and himself and keeps going up, you take damage and fall through him. Third, he stays still only once you start popping his eyes out (two thirds of the way through), so the idea is to be pinned just as that starts happening.
There's no Maniaxe mask, sorry, just a Cyclone mask on the other side of the Micromax helmet. You can pick up a Red Stealth (samurai) mask on level two but that's about it, offensively.
I started planning a way "the long way" through.. Right now the plan starts as follows: Go through normally, take the teleporter on Highwater Pass 2, and pick up the Cyclone helmet in "Elsewhere," it's a big help afterwards. Under Skull Mountain II, take the teleporter right under you, fly up to the teleporter, and skip straight to the next level.
On Hills of the Warrior 2, pick up a Bezerker helmet and complete the level normally. Cyclone isn't too much use on the next few, and you need Bezerker later anyway, so it's not worth going through the teleporter side-dungeon. Complete levels normally through the next boss: Keep the Bezerker helmet if the others don't save too much time, you'll want it for the Whispering Woods 2. Afterwards, you'll reach Devil's Marsh, where it can go three different ways...
(edit) After screwing around a bit, here's the two paths to be taken:
Path A: Devil's Marsh, Caged Beasts, Crab Cove, Elsewhere, Hoverboard Beach.
Path B: Devil's Marsh, Elsewhere, Devil's Marsh II, Knight's Isle, Whale Grotto, Hoverboard Beach.
I think Path B is faster, as the teleporter is closer, and Devil's Marsh II takes seconds with the Red Stealth mask. I'm not sure if the Iron Knight or Micromax is faster on Knight's Isle; With Micromax you have to revert back to the Kid in order to get Bezerker, as Micromax is too short to get it.
(edit again) On Hoverboard beach there's a teleporter that, after a long level and a short one, takes you past well over a dozen levels, including a boss. I suppose it's up to the runner whether to take it (faster) or not (more stylish).
(edit a third time) If you're doing it warpless it's worth your time to keep Cyclone through the Boomerang Bosses, as you can very quickly work your way through the Woods of Despair I with it.
I screwed up. There *is* a flag on Forced Entry, but you can't be Juggernaut to get at it (it requires going into the sewers at the end). If you're Juggernaut going into the level you need to kill yourself (or just take enough damage to drop the mask) if you're doing it warpless (which actually seems possible now).
Oh, and Juggernaut automatically ducks under shots that would normally hit him. How cool is that?
Haha, version 3 is now done, and according to the in-game clock it's four seconds faster. According to the file sizes it's over 11 seconds faster (1:45), because I stop the movie way before I touch the flag.
http://nifboy.keenspace.com/images/KidChameleonv3-nifboy.zip
A 700 byte zip. Incredible. But I'm pretty sure I didn't do it in only 32 rerecords (I did a lot of going back to earlier saves for the final boss). Ah well.
I probably save ~4 seconds if I don't turn auto-run on but I don't particularly feel like holding down the A button throughout the run (I did enough of that for Quackshot).
And eventually, a warpless version.
Well, it was fast, I'll give ya that, but yeah... I'd still love seeing a run that went through all the levels. Some fancy footwork and such.
That was a pretty laughable final boss design, I might add. X.x;
Okay, I've got the first few levels (Through Skull Mountain III) done... I pick up one helmet that isn't completely necessary (Red Stealth) to avoid three hits I'd take if I stayed as the Iron Knight.
Hills of the Warrior should be fun: If I do it right you should never even see the Wall of Death.
Edit: Whew. Up through Crystal Crags, having picked up Beserker in the Hills of the Warrior II. Rough estimate says 8 minutes. Thing is, there's 10 seconds of score-accumulating at the end of every level, plus ~3 more if there's an extra life for every 50k points... And since I get a 10k speed bonus, 5k for no hits, 5k for no prize, plus a ~2.5k clock bonus, well, extra lives seem to accumulate almost every other level.
At least these aren't Bubble Bobble sized levels.
On your version 3 movie, the guy wasn't in the right spot when you stopped the movie, so he just bounced up and down even though the flag was there. You should probably fix it so that he is actually on the flag :)
On your version 3 movie, the guy wasn't in the right spot when you stopped the movie, so he just bounced up and down even though the flag was there. You should probably fix it so that he is actually on the flag :)
That's weird, it works just fine on mine... Hm. Oh well. Not gonna worry about it. Gonna worry about the warpless run instead.
On your version 3 movie, the guy wasn't in the right spot when you stopped the movie, so he just bounced up and down even though the flag was there. You should probably fix it so that he is actually on the flag :)
I might have the answer. There is a bug where all game buttons are pressed after the last movie frame. Strangely, it doesn't happens everytime and with every movie. This bug should be corrected with version TEST9.
Whew. Up through Devil's Marsh II, a real pain to perfect. Then there's Shishkaboss, who I get a speed bonus on despite not having Maniaxe nor Red Stealth; I have Beserker so I can do The Whispering Woods II in a single second.
I actually do use a warp in Devil's Marsh I, which leads to a different part of the level. If there's a way to *not* use a warp to get to the flag there I'm open to suggestions.
What I forgot to tell you about my Maniaxe idea...
I seem to remember that having maniaxe, standing in a passage exactly two blocks high, and using megafire on both B and C, I was able to excede the normal throw rate for the axes by silly amounts.
Trying this in Gens, I cannot get it to work. You could experiment a bit though. If you get it to work one or more of the bosses could be improved in interesting ways.
Sounds like an abuse of the attack animation stopping when you hit the ground. I can't guarantee it'll be used (nor can I guarantee I'll be using Maniaxe at all) but I'll keep it in mind.
...Hm....
Up through Woods of Despair 2. Boomerang Bosses went well. Currently using Cyclone helmet.
Quick list of helmets I haven't used yet:
Eyeclops (uncovering hidden items not very useful)
Maniaxe (Offensive powers aren't much use speedwise)
Juggernaut (See Maniaxe)
Skycutter (I shortcutted through Hoverboard Beach.)
Commentary on the rest of the helmets:
Iron Knight (slow climb, only used on parts of three levels.)
Red Stealth (Has an Awesome Shortcut (tm) on Devil's Marsh II, used through much of the early game because there isn't any real reason to switch back)
Berzerker (Has an Awesome Shortcut (tm) on Whispering Woods II, plows through enemies, used through much of the early game because he's needed.)
Micromax (Has an Awesome Shortcut (tm) on Hoverboard Beach, climbs fast, but runs slow)
Cyclone (Has a regular old shortcut on Woods of Despair II. Flies, also used as a glide at times. Looks female because of the pink)
Oh, and I won't be submitting the short version because I consider the warp straight to the final boss a cheat. There's no hints of its existence anywhere in the game or the manual.
Onward, to the hell that is Forced Entry....
Update: Bah, I take a hit in the Cliffs of Illusion. It was either that or wait ~10 seconds for an alien robot to get to the bottom of the pit...
Well, there's no hint anywhere of the glitch in Wizards and Warriors where you can warp back to level 1, but that movie is still here. I think you should still submit it, at least as a suppliment.
Aw nooo....
You guys remember how I said I thought Forced Entry was flagless? Well, Diamond Edge, the level immediately after the Bagel Brothers boss, looks to be completely flagless.
However, there are five different paths I can take:
Path A: Scorpions Isle
Path B: Elsewhere L (according to GameFAQs guide)
Path C: The Hills Have Eyes
Path D: Towers of Blood
Path E: Elsewhere N
According to the GameFAQs guide, Elsewhere L leads to Towers of Blood, so that one's not worth doing. N leads to O leads to Scorpion's Isle, so neither of the elsewheres are worth doing.
So it comes down to Scorpion's Isle, The Hills have Eyes, or Towers of Blood. Decisions, decisions...
Well, it seems both teleporters in Scorpions Isle lead to The Hills Have Eyes, so now its down to Towers of Blood and the Hills.
