Mario 64 1-Star TAS

[MajorLag]

The bar has been raised: http://tasvideos.org/938M.html

New Backwards Long Jump entry method into Dire Dire Docks allows 1-Star run.

My take: Holy ---smurfing--- ---steaming pile of meadow muffin---!

[sosuke]

holy *******  **** that was the most amazing run ever!

[stephenp1983]

I couldn't ever watch the video as I'm missing a ITU H.26n codec according to gspot   I couldn't find anywhere to download it either

[ahofle]

http://www.codecs.com/

[Tahnok]

Or use this link:



Pretty amazing.

[sosuke]

http://www.cccp-project.net/

You can play just about anything after you install that. And it won't f your computer up like installing random codecs tends to do.

[shardian]

Nah, they didn't cheat or anything... I'd like to know how much trial and error, and possibly how many save point reloads they went thru to get this video.

Also, what in the world is that cheat where Mario sits on his butt and then slides backwards thru doors and walls??

[MajorLag]

h264 is also known as MPEG4-AVC. Its a fairly statndard codec nowadays and pretty much everything short of WMP and DirectShow only players support it out of the box. My personal preference is VLC.

You can view the extra details of this TAS run here. (Re-record count:    8681)

This is a tool assisted run. There are no cheats. Read: http://tasvideos.org/CheatFAQ.html

The technique used to fly through the walls is the Backwards Long Jump. When Mario long jumps backwards there seems to be no limit to his top speed, this allows him to build up a huge velocity capable of glitching him through some walls. Its is the key technique to beating the game with 16 stars too, which can and has been done by non-TAS human players.

[SavannahLion]

This was a TAS, how does it raise the bar for anything? Using an emulator, clocking down and abusing the emulators save state does not make one a skilled player. To me, that lowers the bar.

Interesting to watch and it shows some pretty cool techniques, but in the end, not really all that impressive. Show me the same run on video with someone doing the exact same thing within the limitations of the physical N64 hardware. Then we can have something to cheer about.

I'm really not trying to be negative about it. I suppose things like this have their place and I'm sure a lot of effort went into researching the bugs. Just not the kind of thing we all should be shooting for.

[MajorLag]

TASs are not speedruns, they are a whole different thing altogether and the two should not be compared. But that is not to say that TASs are easy, or that breaking a TAS record is any easier than breaking a real one. TASs often take months, and breaking a record on a high profile game like this one takes a whole lot of effort. In the case of the latest Mega Man 2 run it took sub-frame precision. This run raised the bar for TASs because it did something few expected was possible.

[SavannahLion]

TASs are not speedruns, they are a whole different thing altogether and the two should not be compared. But that is not to say that TASs are easy, or that breaking a TAS record is any easier than breaking a real one. TASs often take months, and breaking a record on a high profile game like this one takes a whole lot of effort. In the case of the latest Mega Man 2 run it took sub-frame precision. This run raised the bar for TASs because it did something few expected was possible.

Oh... right... TAS does not stand for Tool Assisted Speedrun. Apparently, I'm missing your point.  To me, using a tool to accomplish a feat in a game really shouldn't amount to a lot of kudos. In my mind, it's the same as a fly-by-stick jet doing a dual counter-rotating barrel roll near tree top level and a computer-assisted jet doing the same maneuver. It's really awesome seeing it happen regardless of the jets capabilities, but the pilot who is doing it without any computer assistance receives more kudos in my book.

TAS allows people to play the game outside the original intended boundaries of the developers. TBH, that, in and of itself, is not very impressive. Sure it can be argued that someone with the reflexes of Flash and the patience of Jobe can accomplish the same thing. But that person is doing it within the limitations of the original hardware, not through an emulator or some other tool that gives specific advantages. It's also argued that many of the bugs and game techniques are already there, a part of the game. Again, if it can be done without the tools, kudos from me. Otherwise... well... I'm not impressed.

I'm really trying not to be negative about it. The video taught me a couple of things I didn't know about Mario 64. I just think that, regardless of the amount of time involved here, using a tool and recording it just doesn't get as big a  from me.

fixed spelling

[MajorLag]

Ok I get it, you aren't impressed by TASs. If you don't mean to be negative, then why come into this thread, which clearly is about a TAS, and complain that its not impressive because its a TAS?

TASs are not easy. If you believe that, then I invite you to try and beat any current TAS record. TASs make it much easier to perform tasks that are really hard for a human, sure. Thats why they aren't in the same category as human speed runs. Human speed runs are about completing the game quickly, TASs are about pushing the game to its absolute limits and entertaining the viewer in the process.

[SavannahLion]

Ok I get it, you aren't impressed by TASs. If you don't mean to be negative, then why come into this thread, which clearly is about a TAS, and complain that its not impressive because its a TAS?

Because I don't think any particular TAS raises the bar per se. That's what I'm calling you on. They're interesting to watch and you can learn some interesting stuff, but they're not really something I would say raises the bar.

TASs are not easy. If you believe that, then I invite you to try and beat any current TAS record.

I decided to edit out my "easy" comment because I decided it wasn't coming across clear enough. I timed it badly and didn't catch this post in time. Sorry about that.

I used to play with TASes way back in the early days, before anyone really coined the phrase TAS. Had some fun doing it and even posted a few shorties here and there. I eventually quit when I realized the whole process wasn't something I really wanted to do. Do I want to spend my time staring at a monitor watching registers and frame counts and timing jumps or do I want to spend the time playing games?

Anyhow, you are correct. TAS does have its place. I'll bow out of this.

[stephenp1983]

I tried running it on vlc player, but it just crashed it lol.  I'll take a look on youtube, thanks for the link.

[MajorLag]

If anybody else just wants to see the YouTube version, it can be found here:

[DarkKobold]

This was a TAS, how does it raise the bar for anything? Using an emulator, clocking down and abusing the emulators save state does not make one a skilled player. To me, that lowers the bar.

Actually, a lot of speedruners use TAS's as the lowest possible rung they can achieve, and enjoy using a TAS for this. Then, they get super happy when they beat a TAS (this is possible, and has happened. Of course, then the TAS gets updated.)

But, no one claims that a TAS is human ability, it's not in competition with speedruns, it's just.... different.