Beetlejuice (NES)

2018-05-14 10:35:26 am

I started playing this game not long ago. My current best is 0:12:52 (www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRfKZ7tHN58), but I'd like to see the time come down by half a minute or so. Some sections are extremely RNG-dependent though (especially some of the rooms in the overhead sections), so I'm not sure yet what's a realistic goal for an attempt where most things are favorable.

Because of how heavy the game is on the RNG, I'm trading a few seconds for safer routes. More attempts will show if that's necessary or not.

Thread title:

ktwo

Edit history:

ktwo: 2018-06-16 04:40:24 am

2018-06-14 02:35:09 pm

I've lowered my pb a few times since the last post and I'm now down to 0:12:12 (www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXT5EwwAg3M). There are some route changes that have saved time, but most of the improvement came from better RNG and more polished execution.

Both RNG and execution will have to be improved before I'm done though. At least I'm starting to reach a level where I'm able to identify a realistic goal time. I think around the 12 min mark would feel like a decent run.

ktwo

2018-06-18 04:29:32 am

I broke the 12 min mark with an 0:11:58 run, https://www.twitch.tv/videos/274599934 (starts at around 1h57m). The RNG was above average, but not more, in the fly fight in the bathroom and a few seconds were lost chasing the mouse in the library. The rest of the RNG ranged from good to great. The execution was what I would consider in the lower end of acceptable. There were several minor mistakes due to the bad controller my famicom is equipped with, but nothing too costly.

The last couple of days I've made a few routing changes in the sewer stage for increased consistency. This has paid off and I've had quite a few attempts reaching far into the game on good pace lately. I'm going to continue playing and hope for an even lower time.

ktwo

Edit history:

ktwo: 2020-11-08 08:26:44 am

2018-06-29 03:27:56 am

I just got an 0:11:29, https://www.twitch.tv/videos/278866975 (starts at around 1h28m), with the craziest RNG. There are a fair number of time losses, but none that compare to the time saves from the favorable RNG. I've had several good attempts lately, but without getting many completed runs. The pace of this attempt was however well above the rest and will be be difficult to keep up with. Personally, I'm done with this game and will proceed with documenting and submitting it.

Edit (081120): For documentation purposes, below is a copy-paste of the updates from my twitch channel that were posted while I made attempts:

Edit (2018-06-14): The time has gone down a couple of times and is now 12:28. There are still inexcusable mistakes and the RNG can be improved. Sub-12 looks like a tough, but good goal to try for.

Edit2 (2018-06-14): New pb in 0:12:12 (www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXT5EwwAg3M). No big time losses, but far from happy. Sub-12 looks feasible if things fall into place in one attempt.

Edit2 (2018-06-18): Finally sub-12 (0:11:58), https://www.twitch.tv/videos/274599934 (starts at around 1h57m). I've been on a pace for around 11:50 several times, so I'm going to continue trying to lower the time.

Edit:(2018-06-29 ) I'm done with this game. The pb ended up with an 11:29 after some pretty incredible RNG and somewhat decent execution.

I just got an 0:11:29, https://www.twitch.tv/videos/278866975 (starts at around 1h28m), with the craziest RNG. There are a fair number of time losses, but none that compare to the time saves from the favorable RNG. I've had several good attempts lately, but without getting many completed runs. The pace of this attempt was however well above the rest and will be be difficult to keep up with. Personally, I'm done with this game and will proceed with documenting and submitting it.

Edit (081120): For documentation purposes, below is a copy-paste of the updates from my twitch channel that were posted while I made attempts:
[hidden]Edit (2018-06-14): The time has gone down a couple of times and is now 12:28. There are still inexcusable mistakes and the RNG can be improved. Sub-12 looks like a tough, but good goal to try for.

Edit2 (2018-06-14): New pb in 0:12:12 (www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXT5EwwAg3M). No big time losses, but far from happy. Sub-12 looks feasible if things fall into place in one attempt.

Edit2 (2018-06-18): Finally sub-12 (0:11:58), https://www.twitch.tv/videos/274599934 (starts at around 1h57m). I've been on a pace for around 11:50 several times, so I'm going to continue trying to lower the time.

Edit:(2018-06-29 ) I'm done with this game. The pb ended up with an 11:29 after some pretty incredible RNG and somewhat decent execution.[/hidden]

Svenne

2018-06-29 02:26:04 pm

Smörgåsbord

Great work ktwo!

ktwo

Edit history:

ktwo: 2023-05-12 02:21:01 am

ktwo: 2023-05-08 02:08:05 am

2023-03-19 04:53:53 pm

I've picked up this game again. There have been a few new findings since my 11:29, especially in level 2 (Storm drains) saving a few seconds in total. On top of implementing the new findings, I've decided to use the opportunity to take a closer look at the game myself. This has resulted in a few additional time saves, as well as some advances in how to deal with some of the game's RNG.

My pb has dropped to 11:27 (unrecorded), 11:25 (locally recorded, but not uploaded since it was rubbish) and today 11:07 (~~https://vimeo.com/809572062~~). I'm actually very happy with the time of the latter run, but there are a few unprovoked execution mistakes (especially in the last two levels) that itch a bit. Up until the graveyard, it's mainly RNG driving the time and it was clearly very good in this attempt (second best pace ever for me going into the graveyard), but the execution from the graveyard until the end could have been smoother.

Lowering the pb from here will demand good RNG throughout and keeping the execution together until the end. Perfect execution and average RNG will not be even close to enough. Right now, I'm not completely sure if I can beat my pb within a reasonable effort, but I will definitely try a bit more. If I can't get close, I think the 11:07 is submittable, so I will save the recording just in case. I will slow down with attempts for a short while though and focus on documenting the game and speedrun instead, https://kb.speeddemosarchive.com/Beetlejuice_(NES). Most sections of the guide are empty when posting this, but I will work on filling the holes over the coming days.

Edit (2023-05-12): I'm done with this game (for now). My pb (a 10:52) has been submitted. For reference, here are links here to the three previous pbs:
11:07 - https://archive.org/details/beetlejuice-nes-speedrun-1107
11:05 - https://archive.org/details/beetlejuice-nes-speedrun-1105
10:53 - https://archive.org/details/beetlejuice-nes-speedrun-1053

I've picked up this game again. There have been a few new findings since my 11:29, especially in level 2 (Storm drains) saving a few seconds in total. On top of implementing the new findings, I've decided to use the opportunity to take a closer look at the game myself. This has resulted in a few additional time saves, as well as some advances in how to deal with some of the game's RNG.

My pb has dropped to 11:27 (unrecorded), 11:25 (locally recorded, but not uploaded since it was rubbish) and today 11:07 ([s]https://vimeo.com/809572062[/s]). I'm actually very happy with the time of the latter run, but there are a few unprovoked execution mistakes (especially in the last two levels) that itch a bit. Up until the graveyard, it's mainly RNG driving the time and it was clearly very good in this attempt (second best pace ever for me going into the graveyard), but the execution from the graveyard until the end could have been smoother.

Lowering the pb from here will demand good RNG throughout and keeping the execution together until the end. Perfect execution and average RNG will not be even close to enough. Right now, I'm not completely sure if I can beat my pb within a reasonable effort, but I will definitely try a bit more. If I can't get close, I think the 11:07 is submittable, so I will save the recording just in case. I will slow down with attempts for a short while though and focus on documenting the game and speedrun instead, https://kb.speeddemosarchive.com/Beetlejuice_(NES). Most sections of the guide are empty when posting this, but I will work on filling the holes over the coming days.

Edit (2023-05-12): I'm done with this game (for now). My pb (a 10:52) has been submitted. For reference, here are links here to the three previous pbs:
11:07 - https://archive.org/details/beetlejuice-nes-speedrun-1107
11:05 - https://archive.org/details/beetlejuice-nes-speedrun-1105
10:53 - https://archive.org/details/beetlejuice-nes-speedrun-1053