SMB: how do you jump to the top of the flag pole?

[Gray_Area]

This is VS. SMB.

I've looked online and in game faqs, and nowhere have I found it. I remember that you're supposed to get all the way to the left on the top step, then run and jump. I do this, I run and jump - and I land at the bottom of the pole?  I can get more jumping from the pole ground level!!

So what am I missing?

[CoryBee]

Haha, what.

First level? Let me give it a go, but I remember getting to the top of the pole all the time.

[CoryBee]

Yea, just got to the top of the pole first try..... "5000" points 

[Nephasth]

Short answer: you suck.

[Gray_Area]

Mm-mm-mm. It don't work over here. I notice that pushing up on the stick when jumping gets no extra height.


**This is the most I've ever played the game - hated it when it came out, and have mostly avoided it in nine years of MAME - so to even ask about this is heralding.

[dgame]

If you hit the ground you are jumping too early or not picking up enough speed.

You have to start the run at the very left edge and jump just before Mario falls off of the top step.

[Louis Tully]

.

[Well Fed Games]

You should really be asking how you get over the flagpole.

Mind. Blown. 

[Gray_Area]

Are you holding down the button that makes Mario run?

Yes. I tried holding it, letting it go, tapping it like in Track and Field.

You should really be asking how you get over the flagpole.

Mind. Blown. 

I saw that today in a vid. Didn't show anything after it. Looks like it puts the game in an endless loop.

[M.Lanza]

Are you trying this on an LCD?

[lordnacho]

Maybe Mario is getting too old for this sort of thing 

[ChadTower]

Emulator timing is off.  Try Vs Punch Out if you really want to see how bad it gets.

[Malenko]

Emulator timing is off.  Try Vs Punch Out if you really want to see how bad it gets.

No, just no. The timing being off might make him land near the top without getting the 5k he said hes landing out the bottom. He is just jumping too soon.

You (OP) might not grabs the concept of pixels hanging over the edge with a sprite. Watch the demo of Bad Dudes when they are in the sewer to see how bad it gets.  Maybe watch a youtube vid of someone getting 5k on the flagpole jump?

[ChadTower]

No, just no. The timing being off might make him land near the top without getting the 5k he said hes landing out the bottom. He is just jumping too soon.

Jumping too soon now.  Before he posted he was probably jumping too late.  And sometimes he's jumping just right but the switch read delay in his software stack is taking too long.  Everybody's machine is a little different.  Different versions of MAME, different OS version, different hardware.  Different encoder.  That's the real issue here.  Expecting that any given possibility of configuration stack here will perform in a specific repeatable way is not realistic.  That's not how closed system design works. 

[Gray_Area]

Jumping too soon now.  Before he posted he was probably jumping too late.  And sometimes he's jumping just right but the switch read delay in his software stack is taking too long.  Everybody's machine is a little different.  Different versions of MAME, different OS version, different hardware.  Different encoder.  That's the real issue here.  Expecting that any given possibility of configuration stack here will perform in a specific repeatable way is not realistic.  That's not how closed system design works. 

That about blew my brain. Not the concept or anything. But that those words, in that fashion, were coming out of Chad's mouth. What have you done with our Chad?!

Emulator timing is off.  Try Vs Punch Out if you really want to see how bad it gets.

Now that you mention it, I didn't think I was that bad at Punchout. In fact, I remember the side to side movement being really 'greasy-like' - and hasn't ever been in MAME.

[Malenko]

Jumping too soon now.  Before he posted he was probably jumping too late.

jump too late and you dont jump at all, you fall to the bottom of the stack of blocks. While I know NES emulation still isnt 100% perfect, I can hit the top of the flagpole playing NESter on my Dreamcast. Dodging a Mike Tyson punch isnt the same as the flagpole jump, the timing isnt that precise.

How many points do you get Grey?

[Gray_Area]

@Malenko: using the method, I hit bottom and get 100 points.  So I just fall off and then jump at, and I get 400.

[dgame]

Gray_Area, The running jump is an essential SMB skill that you have to practice. You can practice anywhere not just at the flag. Practice  running to the edge of things and jumping. The length of the run-up does matter as much as where you jump off at. Once you press the run button you hold it and don't let it go when you press jump. Even when ruining and jumping on the ground you should notice how Mario's jumping arc changes.

[ChadTower]

jump too late and you dont jump at all, you fall to the bottom of the stack of blocks. While I know NES emulation still isnt 100% perfect, I can hit the top of the flagpole playing NESter on my Dreamcast. Dodging a Mike Tyson punch isnt the same as the flagpole jump, the timing isnt that precise.

NESter has a shorter stack from the controller to the cpu.  It doesn't have an encoder in the path and the hardware is optimized for reading that switch closure.  A MAME cab isn't going to perform quite as well if the software is equal.  It's not as optimized a path from his button to the cpu.  Add in any inefficiency in the emulation of the Vs board, or in MAME itself, or in his configuration of MAME, or even in the button plunger's alignment in his CP, and it can lead to this in certain situations.

[yotsuya]

Are you playing with a gamepad or with a joystick?

[BadMouth]

Might try disabling triple buffer and disabling vsync.
Not sure how much of a delay it would take to throw you off.

I remember not being able to hit the top of the flagpole either, but didn't think too much of it at the time.

[MacGyver]

Like this:
       o
       |\                                  o
___/\                                   |
      |                                    | 
      |                                    |
      |                                    |


   Jump while holding down run from right there, one pixel before you're not touching it anymore.

[Malenko]

jump too late and you dont jump at all, you fall to the bottom of the stack of blocks. While I know NES emulation still isnt 100% perfect, I can hit the top of the flagpole playing NESter on my Dreamcast. Dodging a Mike Tyson punch isnt the same as the flagpole jump, the timing isnt that precise.

NESter has a shorter stack from the controller to the cpu.  It doesn't have an encoder in the path and the hardware is optimized for reading that switch closure.  A MAME cab isn't going to perform quite as well if the software is equal.  It's not as optimized a path from his button to the cpu.  Add in any inefficiency in the emulation of the Vs board, or in MAME itself, or in his configuration of MAME, or even in the button plunger's alignment in his CP, and it can lead to this in certain situations.

with all that ---That which is odiferous and causeth plants to grow--- being said, there's no way that there is enough delay to hit the bottom of the flag pole.


EDIT: Good news is the score doesnt mean ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- in SMB

[Le Chuck]

Rather than chase the rabbit down relays and switches and processors shouldn't we apply occam's razor to this problem? 

Problem:  OP can't hit the flag

Ability to recreate the problem:  Zero, everybody else seems to be doing fine

Additional info:  OP admittedly never played the game much

Simplest solution:  OP stinks at SMB

Recommended action:  Practice or give up.  I can't play defender worth a crap, don't really care, also don't assume defender is somehow broken. 

[CoryBee]

Simplest solution:  OP stinks at SMB

 

[Nephasth]

Long answer:

Rather than chase the rabbit down relays and switches and processors shouldn't we apply occam's razor to this problem? 

Problem:  OP can't hit the flag

Ability to recreate the problem:  Zero, everybody else seems to be doing fine

Additional info:  OP admittedly never played the game much

Simplest solution:  OP stinks at SMB

Recommended action:  Practice or give up.  I can't play defender worth a crap, don't really care, also don't assume defender is somehow broken. 

[ahofle]

I just tried vs SMB with my extra laggy keyboard encoder, inefficient MAME emulation, misshapen button plungers, and lag inducing video card and hit 5000 on my first attempt. 

[ChadTower]

I agree with everybody that is the most likely solution.

It is bad science, however, to assume a solution based on preconceived notions.   All reasonable possibilities should be examined.   


Of course, when I suggested the possibility that Gray_Area doesn't suck, he repaid me with this:

That about blew my brain. Not the concept or anything. But that those words, in that fashion, were coming out of Chad's mouth. What have you done with our Chad?!

I have been convinced by the OP.  Gray_Area sucks at SMB, PunchOut, and I am going to presuppose that he also sucks at Duck Hunt.      

[Gray_Area]

Arcade Duck Hunt required some accuracy. The first time I played NES Duck Hunt, the first time I saw an NES actually, and it was my first game of it, I stopped at +100k because the credit check had gone through and my dad had a VCR in his hands.

Yeah, I'll just give up. I hate work. I'll still play the game, I've actually gotten to kind of like it, but only because I have no agenda to do well in it. Ah, freedom.

[DeLuSioNal29]

Easy peasy:

On the top of the stairs, move to the left edge.

1) hold B button (don't let go until after you score 5,000)
2) run to the right by holding right on the controller (don't let go until after you score 5,000)
3) at the right edge of the top stair, press and hold the A button to jump high. The longer you press it the higher you will jump. (don't let go until after you score 5,000)

Note: when you are done you should be left holding both A and B buttons down. Along with the joystick/game pad held to the right.

Voila!

D

[ahofle]

Good steps there...I'm betting that the OP is not holding down the jump button.

[mamenewb100]

It's hard not to laugh at this post but I remember having troubles timing the run and jump when I first played SMB.

[Gray_Area]

It's hard not to laugh at this post but I remember having troubles timing the run and jump when I first played SMB.

I'm betting my timing is fine. Sounds like it has solely to do with using both buttons. Of course I have the jump button held down, but if the other one (the 'fire' button) is required, that might explain it. Now that I've gotten more into and have studied the game a little, I have the buttons set up Black Tiger-style: jump button under thumb, fire button under middle finger. (I'm playing on a control panel, with six-button layout.) Of course, if I don't have Red Mario, then I've had to train myself to remember jump is thumb.

That's one reason I *love* MAME: I'm not stuck with the lame duck controls configurations and such on many original cabs.

[Gray_Area]

Okay, that didn't work. Gay.

[ChrisK]

Are you sure your controller is working right?  I mean, this isn't that hard.  You should at LEAST be getting 1000+ every time.

If you run and jump in other parts of the stage, does your horizontal movement slow down when you jump?

[Malenko]

[Nephasth]

 

[Sparkolicious]

  

[eds1275]

Are you holding down the button that makes Mario run?

You can let go of that button? I play Mario like it was Sonic.

[Louis Tully]

.