So I've started a TAS for Harvest Moon (SNES). I've also done a bit of research, checked some of the previous submissions and Forum Posts regarding this game.
Notably These Two:
http://tasvideos.org/5825S.html - "#5825: ViGadeomes's SNES Harvest Moon "Marriage" in 29:31.77 (Rejected)"
http://tasvideos.org/3516S.html - "#3516: samurai goroh's SNES Harvest Moon "any%" in 02:18.78 (Rejected)"
Bot of these were rejected for following the RTA game categories over on Speedrun.com. (
https://www.speedrun.com/hm1)
Namely, the use of a password and specific ending game cutscene achievements as a benchmark of achievement.
So I need a viability concept check for my work in progress (allready 135k frames in) before I go much further so I can make appropriate corrections.
After doing some reading I understand I'm putting together a "vault" style movie here:
If I were to simplify the categories is qualifies for:
Category: 100% Married, Glychless, All Days, Ranch Master.
I'm making a disctinction between 100% runs and Ranch Master (Max Score 999). 100% runs (For Married or Unmarried) revolve around aquireing all the collectables and unlocking the top tier ending cenematics for each category of your ranch.
The differences between a Married run and an Unmarried Run involve the deadlines of when to buy both house upgrades (as well as the deadline to get married by) and farming affection for the other girls.
In a Married run, you only have to worry about one girl, but you have to schedule in your house and your marriage over the course of the game. In an Unmarried game you have to reach +/- 500 affection with all 5 girls (a considerable time sink), but the deadline requirements on the houses are lifted.
Technicly, every Ranch Master (Max Score 999) is a Married Run. But it technically isn't required to be a 100% run. A 100% Married run does not require you complete all affection scores for the other girls. You are only required to reach max affection with 1 cow rather than all 12. The final crop requirements are much lower / less quirky, only needing 200+ rather than Farming in exact Lots of 500 +/- pieces. Plus in ranch master you can "Technically" miss one or two collectables (The Milker specifically) and still achieve a final score of 999.
Note that these three (Ranch Master, 100% Married, 100% UnMarried) is different from the "Best Ending" category the RTA runners use. The "Best Ending" Category in this case is actually the "Happy Family" ending as described in The Admiril's guide over on gamespot. (
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/snes/562623-harvest-moon/faqs/52336).
RTA runners use this, as it gives a basic ending. The run to achieve the necessary benchmarks and then use a password to trigger the end cutscene. Their other categories also revolve around this password. This cuts down a game that can takes somewher from 3-8 hours to complete, and cuts it down into a manageable 2 minute, 30-45 minute, or 2 hour run.
RTA Categories:
Any%: [2 minutes] - Complete Day 1, Use password. - Involves the micro pathing of day 1 to achive the lowest possibel time.
Marriage: [40 minutes] - Earn 6,000 gold, Upgrade your house, get date and marry as quick as possible. Activate Password.
All Days: [43 minutes] - Activate the daily journal 330 times. (Very boring video).
Best Ending***: [2 Hours +] - Do the minimum activities required achive the "Happy Ending" as described in Admiral's game guide*. Activate Password.
I bring all this up - because as I said the last two videos were rejected baised primarily on their concept - trying to directly translate the RTA game standards over to TAS. So I'm trying to put together this TAS to meet the concept requirements implied by previous rejection notes.
The hope, is that if I can get it finished, it might spark interest and expand category concepts for more TAS'ers to attempt this game (and allow for a template to canibalize for other TAS'ers to use in attempting other categories). Harvest Moon (SNES), has a lot going for it in the optimization department and requires multiple layers of routing, Cash, Stamina and time management, and it's a farily simple game to manage frame inputs on (some exceptions aside, gosh darn fishing RNG took a while to deconstruct).
So, If I were to finish this tas - here is specifically what I am aiming to do in as few possible frames:
Category: 100% Married, Glychless, All Days, Ranch Master.
* All Days (No Password)
* Glychless (No Major Glychyes?) - No Power Berry Duping, Maricle Potion, or Overflow shenanigans.
* Married with 2 Children
* Aquire Every Collectable Item
* Play the "Top Tier" End Game Cinematics - For Each Category
* Hit the Maximum Ranch Master Score of 999
* Trigger Every In Game Cutscene at least once (Girl Events, Beanstalk, Etc.)
* Minimize all cash earning activities (Only 3 days of fishing needed, minimum crops harvested in appropriate lots - Rain RNG manipulation, so minimum watering needed, etc.)
* Minimize the number of frames needed, and maximize stamina efficiency, good routing, calendar management choices - etc.
Am I on the right track here for a viable TAS submission?
I'm NOT asking "If I make a video like this - will it be approved?"
So I'll post it one last time:
Category: 100% Married, Glychless, All Days, Ranch Master.
What I am asking - if I finish this video, is it reasonable to assume that this can be a viable concept? Would a video meeting these criteria recieve appropriate consideration baised on the TAS's merrit, rather than being rejected based on it's concept?
Does it make it to the "Starting Line?" Or do I need to adjust the overall goals here?
I would say I'm somewhere between 1/4 to 1/3 of the way throught this and I'm pretty excited with where it's going. I just want to make sure I can make any appropriate conceptual adjustments needed to make it to the starting line.
Thanks for reading. ^.^
- Pat
