Tool-assisted speedruns

[djnzx48]

Tool-assisted speedruns (also known as TAS) are quite well known on other platforms such as the NES, but there aren't so many for the Spectrum. However, in the past year people have started to submit runs to the archive at TASVideos. Here's one for Old Tower:

[media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUKC-k8v76A[/media]

And here's a really impressive Castlevania 100% run. There's a lot of clever route planning and optimisation being used to achieve a time of a little over half an hour.

[media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FR_WoitoaPQ[/media]

It seems they use an emulator called BizHawk to do these runs. Since it's designed to support many systems, it doesn't use RZX but a special format that only records which keys are being pressed for each frame. This isn't as accurate as RZX, but most games only check for input at most once a frame, so it probably doesn't make much of a difference. The advantages of using using this particular emulator are the features specifically designed for this type of speedrunning, such as frame advance and rewinding.

Here are some runs and commentary if anyone's interested:
Castlevania: Spectral Interlude
Donkey Kong
Kong
Old Tower

[djnzx48]

Thought I'd have a go at making a small TAS myself. Level 1 of Bean Brothers completed in 20.62 seconds:

Spoiler

[Ast A. Moore]

Bloody hell. One of the Old Tower levels has a completely different solution from what I came up with. And a much, much simpler one.

[djnzx48]

OK, one more.

If one would turn off the music & sound effects, use all shortcuts, no safe strats and optimal movement I think it would be possible to get pretty close to 2 minutes.

Here's 1:47.30

[media]https://youtu.be/E2KXR-nSXgc[/media]

[dfzx]

OK, one more.

If one would turn off the music & sound effects, use all shortcuts, no safe strats and optimal movement I think it would be possible to get pretty close to 2 minutes.

Here's 1:47.30

[media]https://youtu.be/E2KXR-nSXgc[/media]

That's amazing. I love it...

[Ersh]

OK, one more.

If one would turn off the music & sound effects, use all shortcuts, no safe strats and optimal movement I think it would be possible to get pretty close to 2 minutes.

Mate, that was extremely satisfying to watch! Makes me want to play it again, great game.