Here is an improvement of 231 frames to the previous submission.
Emulator used: FCEU 0.98.16

Track times

TrackPrevious LapNew LapPrevious TimeNew Time
024.0323.5637.5036.54
125.0524.5739.2138.24
223.8423.2140.4338.86
326.0926.0842.0041.98
426.7326.7241.0441.02
519.8519.8431.7631.74

Details

The first three levels each have a ramp that can be hit with less slowdown that the boost it will give. Speed is able to be tuned pretty finely, and so many speeds can be tested by delaying the throttle in different ways before hitting the previous ramp.
In addition to this fine-tuning, you can also lower your jump height by moving upwards after hitting the lower part of the ramp. The character does not actually move higher, but will not have to fall as far to hit the next ramp.
In level 0 and 1, I was able to get a speed of 5.252, compared to the previous submission's 5.140. In level 2, I improved the speed to 4.200 over the previous 4.123. Since this speed boost can be retained throughout the level, the savings add up.
Here are the memory addresses I used:
  • 0094 speed
  • 0090 speed sub-pixel
  • 0050 x-position
  • 0394 x-position sub-pixel
  • 008c y-position
  • 0026 slant timer
  • 004c speed timer
  • 0384 y-velocity?
  • 0380 y-velocity? sub-pixel
I tried to make the submission as different as possible since this is a minor improvement, but Luke did a great job with the style of the previous run, so there wasn't much new stuff to show. I tried to hit as many bikes as possible :)
I intended to write a program to try and simulate the game for me to find optimum achievable speeds, but I wasn't able to figure out all the details of how vertical speed is calculated. Though I tried a lot of possibilities, these times may be further improvable, and I encourage others to try if they are interested.


adelikat
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The author already has too many of the highest rated movies. I don't think he can handle the ginormous swelling of pride. Therfore, I must vote no. This is for your own good JXQ.
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Since it barely matters now, statistically, I would vote no, too, if not for my mind believing I'd basically be going to Hell. And for the fact of not having watched it. (Yet. Need avi.)
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Post subject: Movie published
TASVideoAgent
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This movie has been published. The posts before this message apply to the submission, and posts after this message apply to the published movie. ---- [1070] NES Excitebike by JXQ in 05:31.37
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This may be a stupid question, but about the RAM address for vertical speed, what happened when you poked these addresses (0384 and 0380) to a different value? Did your vertical speed change? Did you use memory file dump in the memory viewer to find the correct addresses? (I've started using this lately, and it's really convenient when you're looking for an address that is hard to find)
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Well deserving of the star in my opinion. How much more can you possibly torture such a game?!
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Twelvepack wrote:
awesome! I liked the end of the 4th (I think) where you manage to wreck after the race is won.
Me too. I've always tried to do that but I don't remember ever succeeding. On another note, I think the AVI should have been encoded with slightly better quality (about 40% higher). The track in track 5 is all a blur, and there's also blur at the beginning of track 1.
nesrocks
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Twelvepack wrote:
awesome! I liked the end of the 4th (I think) where you manage to wreck after the race is won.
I haven't watch it, but didn't the previous movies do that? I know mine did
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No, the obsoleted version made by luke never wrecked after the finish line. Not that it makes a huge difference, but little touches like that can really spice up a run.
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Totally fun TAS wrecking your bike at the finish line, especially when you can still jump off the screen in the process. Ouch! XD
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I totally like how this version is unanimously superior both technically and stylistically, yet receives lower rating on each scale. :P
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Edit: I think I understand now: It's my avatar, isn't it? It makes me look angry.
adelikat
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moozooh wrote:
I totally like how this version is unanimously superior both technically and stylistically, yet receives lower rating on each scale. :P
That has been the case for nearly every improved movie published in the last 6 months.
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moozooh wrote:
I totally like how this version is unanimously superior both technically and stylistically, yet receives lower rating on each scale. :P
Standards have changed since the last time, plus you must remember how awesome the other run was when it was first watched, espeacially compared to the rather boring movie it obseleted.
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Right, except it feels as if the current movie is both less awesome than the previous, and technicaly inferior in regards to the current standards (it's not).
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Edit: I think I understand now: It's my avatar, isn't it? It makes me look angry.
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Moozooh, there is many movies which have ratings which have gradually declined as each time its been improved, SM64 being a prime example. The other run while awesome was way overated and probally would have a very simalar rating to the current published run. Now the issue has been brought up, I try to revaluate my ratings every month or so, questioning if the run was really that fun to watch or maybe even if it was that bad. Much the same with technical aspect as well.
adelikat
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By current standards, this is still one of the premium movies on this site. In addition, it is one of the best examples of the dramatic metamorphisis a game can undergo under tool assistance. I think the ratings are more an example of "This is not N64 and I have never heard of it, I'll give a 6/8" phenomena. It is just a few people (you know who you are), but enough to make a noticeable difference on the ratings. EDIT: Oh, and we have the guy who misinterprets his misunderstanding of the game physics as its technical inferiority. He didn't do the run, so clearly it is improvable and subXXXX is possible.
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AKA wrote:
Moozooh, there is many movies which have ratings which have gradually declined as each time its been improved, SM64 being a prime example. The other run while awesome was way overated and probally would have a very simalar rating to the current published run. Now the issue has been brought up, I try to revaluate my ratings every month or so, questioning if the run was really that fun to watch or maybe even if it was that bad. Much the same with technical aspect as well.
Heh, I've been doing that from the start. I re-evaluate a lot of entries on my rating list over time, each two months or so. Still, the continual decline in both kinds of ratings of subsequent improvements amuses me a lot. And I'm not even talking about improvements that were questionable from stylistic or plain entertainment-wise point of view like SM64, which had different route changes and camera shots that were questionable at times, and weren't universally loved by the vocal majority. Ratings would make more sense if they weren't so heavily influenced by immediate enjoyment and novelty value.
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Edit: I think I understand now: It's my avatar, isn't it? It makes me look angry.
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adelikat wrote:
Oh, and we have the guy who misinterprets his misunderstanding of the game physics as its technical inferiority. He didn't do the run, so clearly it is improvable and subXXXX is possible.
Says the guy who claims countless movies are perfect and cannot possibly be improved even by 1 frame. Names such as SMB1, SMB3, Circus Charlie, Donkey Kong and Marble Madness. I want to believe movies look perfect; you want to believe movies are perfect. There is a big difference. Also its kind of hard to tell you improvements when you instantly dismiss them and say "you'll lose that gain at some point later in the game".
adelikat
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Also its kind of hard to tell you improvements when you instantly dismiss them and say "you'll lose that gain at some point later in the game".
More accurately it is "you lose those frames later because they were delayed on purpose". This is the kind of misunderstanding I am talking about.
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adelikat wrote:
I think the ratings are more an example of "This is not N64 and I have never heard of it, I'll give a 6/8" phenomena. It is just a few people (you know who you are), but enough to make a noticeable difference on the ratings.
What exactly does this have to do with anything? No one I know of, not even myself rates movies this way. The "I have never heard of, but will rate anyway" happens sometimes, but the N64 negative bias part was just thrown in randomly for no reason. I'm confuzzled. You also must remember that back in the day, runs were published with lower standards and because everything was pretty new, people were pretty excited about even the lamest of submissions. If you go looking through very old topics and submissions (like I have), you'll see a lot of "my pants are on fire this is awesome!" comments from newbie users who are no longer active, who also didn't fully appreciate the rating system the way we do now.
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adelikat
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Comicalflop wrote:
What exactly does this have to do with anything? No one I know of, not even myself rates movies this way.
I ain't talking bout you foo
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What about the people with a major bias towards SNES games?
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Major bias = always bad.
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Edit: I think I understand now: It's my avatar, isn't it? It makes me look angry.
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What if it's a major bias towards good?
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Do you use your major bias for good, or for awesome?
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P.JBoy wrote:
What if it's a major bias towards good?
In most cases, "good" means a form of benefit. There will always be some minority that won't get the benefit. What said minority will consist of can depend on anything. Major bias will therefore derive them of this benefit further. This will lead to conflicts.
Warp wrote:
Edit: I think I understand now: It's my avatar, isn't it? It makes me look angry.