Shatterhand TAS by JXQ

Essentials:
This run satisfies the following criteria:
  • Aims for fastest time
  • Takes damage to save time
  • Manipulates luck
  • Emulator Used: FCEU 0.98.16

Overview

My first improvement of a Famtasia run. Hopefully not my last!
About the game:
Some guy who wears a green vest and has metal fists punches his way to victory. He can also purchase a snazzy brown vest. Obviously, this brown vest doubles his punching power.
The majority of the strategy in this game comes from two factors:
  1. Maximizing time saved by taking damage in the right places.
  2. Determining whether or not to upgrade to the brown vest.
The main life bar is large enough to allow plenty of damage taking opportunities; however, the brown vest will be lost if more than two hits are taken after getting it. This means it's necessary to figure out whether to use the punching power on enemies and bosses, or skip the power and cruise through the level by taking a lot of damage. Usually, the vest wins.

Run Analysis

Compared to the previous published run. Times listed are very approximate because Famtasia can bite me.
Area A
The introductory level. Time gained here was mostly from deciding to take the vest. This sped up punching through barriers and the boss, but a couple places were slowed down slightly to avoid getting hit. 13 seconds faster.
Area F
Selected next because the vest left over from Area A helps out the beginning. The helper robot is used on the boss because it allows the damage to begin earlier, although I didn't thoroughly test the fight without the bot. 8 seconds faster.
Area D
Hits to be taken were selected very carefully in this level, because Shatterhand water physics don't allow for a jump less than seven stories high. The vest speeds up the boss considerably since he spends all his time flying above. 23 seconds faster.
Area C
Who designed this level? The lag here is ridiculous and mostly unavoidable. 21 seconds faster.
Area B
The only level where the autumn shaded vest does not win over taking massive damage all over the place. The boss is actually slower than the previous run, but altogether the level is 4 seconds faster.
Area E
Chosen last because the Old Navy fleece powerup is at the very end of the level, allowing it to be carried into the final level. Extra health is also taken to allow more hits later, and there is a lot of fun with ceiling gravity. 6 seconds faster.
Final Level
Revisiting a few bosses, keeping the powerup for them, and wacky gravity make this a pretty fun level to watch. The final boss's vulnerability is pretty odd, so it sometimes looks like time is wasted not punching, when in actuality, the boss will not receive damage. 26 seconds faster.
In total, the run is 108 seconds faster. You'll notice that the individual improvements add up to 101 seconds. This is why it's good to have an accurate comparison.

Suggested Description & Screenshot:

It's time to throw on your green or brown vests and punch your way to victory!
This 108 second improvement of ShatterLag was the result of more strategic play with taking damage and using the vest powerup, as well as significant lag reduction.
Good screenshots: Frames 17140, 36789, or 46227.
Thanks to...
Adelikat for his Famtasia improvement thread in the forums. If we work together, we can clean this place up! Give a hoot! :)

adelikat: Good improvement. Accepting.


TASVideoAgent
They/Them
Moderator
Joined: 8/3/2004
Posts: 15558
Location: 127.0.0.1
This topic is for the purpose of discussing #1143: JXQ's NES Shatterhand in 18:07.58
Joined: 5/3/2004
Posts: 1203
Dunno, kinda yawn. There are a few places where there are interesting antics, but for the most part I felt I was watching a normal speedrun. I'm not sure if I should vote. I probably never would have even watched the movie if you hadn't made it.
adelikat
He/Him
Emulator Coder, Site Developer, Site Owner, Expert player (3571)
Joined: 11/3/2004
Posts: 4754
Location: Tennessee
Big improvement, good job. Yes vote.
It's hard to look this good. My TAS projects
Twisted_Eye
He/Him
Active player (398)
Joined: 10/17/2005
Posts: 632
Location: Seattle, WA
I thought it was alright, a good little TAS. The boss fights were great and the rest of it was a little bit slow but had good moments here or there to keep attention, I give a yes.
Former player
Joined: 6/4/2006
Posts: 267
Location: CO
I really enjoyed this run. The switching gravity was cool. Voting yes. Another comparison anyone? (If you dont know what I mean by "another", see Little Sampson)
Joined: 8/13/2005
Posts: 356
Location: Canada
It's really cool that you've been pumping these things out like this... the quality of this run sure doesn't suffer for it. It's a good improvement and this isn't a completely trivial platformer (especially with the lag). I've voted yes.
Senior Moderator
Joined: 8/4/2005
Posts: 5777
Location: Away
The game get +100 points for best walking animation ever. The run is OK, nothing outstanding, though (yeah, I kinda second xebra's point here). Still, it's a yes!
Warp wrote:
Edit: I think I understand now: It's my avatar, isn't it? It makes me look angry.
Active player (437)
Joined: 4/21/2004
Posts: 3517
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
I love the characters posture :) Good job, voting yes.
Nitrogenesis wrote:
Guys I come from the DidyKnogRacist communite, and you are all wrong, tihs is the run of the mileniun and everyone who says otherwise dosnt know any bater! I found this run vary ease to masturbate too!!!! Don't fuck with me, I know this game so that mean I'm always right!StupedfackincommunityTASVideoz!!!!!!
Arc wrote:
I enjoyed this movie in which hands firmly gripping a shaft lead to balls deep in multiple holes.
natt wrote:
I don't want to get involved in this discussion, but as a point of fact C# is literally the first goddamn thing on that fucking page you linked did you even fucking read it
Cooljay wrote:
Mayor Haggar and Cody are such nice people for the community. Metro City's hospitals reached an all time new record of incoming patients due to their great efforts :P
Joined: 8/3/2004
Posts: 380
Location: Finland
Excellence. One of my favorite platformers on NES and now it's demolished even faster than before. And the music sticks to head. An easy yes.
"Kids! Bringing about Armageddon can be dangerous. Do not attempt it in your home." ( Pratchett & Gaiman: Good Omens )
Player (81)
Joined: 3/11/2005
Posts: 352
Location: Oregon
For the earlier levels, did you test whether it'd be possible to save a few frames by taking some damage as you dealt the bosses their last hit? It looked like you might be able to skip some of the time from your remaining hp being added to your score. Other than that, I enjoyed the tas and the game. It has enough variety not to get too monotonous, and you clearly put a good effort into it.
ideamagnate| .seen aqfaq <nothing happens> DK64_MASTER| .seen nesvideoagent * DK64_MASTER slaps forehead
Sir_VG
He/Him
Player (40)
Joined: 10/9/2004
Posts: 1913
Location: Floating Tower
Idea had the same idea I had, and I'm also wondering about avoiding coin collecting in the earlier levels. One level you ended with 1100, while in the later ones you had 0. Avoidable? Great run though. Especially Stage B.
Taking over the world, one game at a time. Currently TASing: Nothing
JXQ
Experienced player (761)
Joined: 5/6/2005
Posts: 3132
Hey everyone, thanks for the comments. Small coins take five frames to tally and large coins take 20. If it takes longer than this to avoid the coin, then I take it. This is especially apparent in Area D, due to physics that won't allow for a small jump to avoid coins. Some coins are taken to reduce lag, as that means one less sprite on the screen. This is mostly done in Area C, where although the lag is bad, it can be much worse (see the previous run as an example). I also need to make sure that I have enough money at the beginning to get the vest powerup in most levels. I wasn't able to take damage as I delivered the last hit on bosses, but some allowed for damage after the final hit. Area B allowed death which saved a few seconds. Area D had those spinning turbines I could have hit three times after the boss started dying, but the vest in the next level sped up enough parts to outweigh that gain. Area E allowed for death after the boss died on the fire to gain a very small amount of time (not nearly as much as Area B's death for unknown reasons), but the vest at the beginning of the final level also outweighted this. FreshFeeling: I have to give you massive props for watching and commenting on so many movies.
<Swordless> Go hug a tree, you vegetarian (I bet you really are one)
Experienced player (614)
Joined: 4/24/2005
Posts: 612
I liked it, good run with a great improvement. Now I know why you call it Shatterlag or least why I think you do. Consider this a Yes Vote.
Joined: 8/13/2005
Posts: 356
Location: Canada
Thanks JXQ, but I owe you much bigger props for making so many of them.
Joined: 1/23/2006
Posts: 352
Location: Germany
It's strange, sometimes you take more than two hits before turning green again...
JXQ
Experienced player (761)
Joined: 5/6/2005
Posts: 3132
If I get the vest powerup again while I have it, the 2 hits are reset. So that may be what you're seeing (on the last level, I believe).
<Swordless> Go hug a tree, you vegetarian (I bet you really are one)
Post subject: Movie published
TASVideoAgent
They/Them
Moderator
Joined: 8/3/2004
Posts: 15558
Location: 127.0.0.1
This movie has been published. The posts before this message apply to the submission, and posts after this message apply to the published movie. ---- [585] NES Shatterhand by JXQ in 18:07.58