Psychonauts

2005-06-21 09:49:51 pm

I'm doing some prelimiary runs of Psychonauts for the Xbox, ive got to a part in the Milkman Conspiracy where you need to obtain 800 arrowheads to get a cobweb duster. It literally takes forever to collect that many, so instead could i just use the Full Arrowheads code? Or is that illegal?

Thread title:

rock1644

2005-06-21 10:35:42 pm

yes, a man carrying a gimp

You can't use codes in your speed runs, you'll have to figure out a way to get them quickly.

SnappyCrunch

2005-06-22 05:09:10 am

Who needs sleep?

Why aren't you buying the divining rod at the store?

Chunky

2005-06-22 05:19:07 am

The point is to get arrowheads, not spend them.

And yes, I know the Diving Rod gives you more arrowheads, but it's not worth it.

thagen

Edit history:

thagen: 2005-06-22 06:03:32 am

2005-06-22 06:02:36 am

I love YaBB 1G - SP1!

Quote:

The point is to get arrowheads, not spend them.

Do you know what an investment is? Well, the rod is a great one. It earns you back the cost of the rod and enough money to buy the duster in no time.

Quote:

And yes, I know the Diving Rod gives you more arrowheads, but it's not worth it.

How is it not worth it? It certainly is a better option than using codes, don't you think?

DazzlesRazzle

2005-06-22 03:47:08 pm

Well they say you cant use beneficial codes, like god mode, or extra lives or something like that. I wasn't sure if full money and stuff was allowed or not.

Stephen Wood

2005-06-22 04:03:12 pm

If you can cheat for money, that would really help out on ff7 because i have a gameshark. it's really hard to get money when you hardly ever fight. If anyone ever finds out that you CAN... please post on my ff7 run topic. Wink

Psychochild

2005-06-22 05:01:42 pm

Quote:

Well they say you cant use beneficial codes, like god mode, or extra lives or something like that. I wasn't sure if full money and stuff was allowed or not.

Having more money benefits you. Think about it. LTTP, you need 500 rupees in order to buy the flippers. Runners have to earn that 500 rupees throughout the run before that point. If you had a code for infinate money, you would benefit from the time saved, as well as running around buying whatever power up you want.

FF7, for another example. I have full money, I'm going to buy 8 million X-Potions, all the 1337 armor at my level, every materia in the game up to that point, along with whatever else with no penalty, which in this case, would be fighting monsters to get the money, and thus affecting your time.

Such codes wouldn't be allowed.

However, codes that change an aesthetic thing, I.E. the Suitless Samus code in Metroid 1 or the Color/Xmas codes in DKC3, have no benefits to it, outside changing the palette of the characters, or adding a simple new graphic to certain areas.

The hard mode code in the DKC2 and DKC3 runs don't benefit the player at all (Well, unless you count that you get both monkeys back at the beginning of every stage regardless of performance to the prior one).

So yeah. I'm sure others can give you better examples, but no. Such code wouldn't be allowed.

[quote] Well they say you cant use beneficial codes, like god mode, or extra lives or something like that. I wasn't sure if full money and stuff was allowed or not.[/quote]

Having more money benefits you.  Think about it.  LTTP, you need 500 rupees in order to buy the flippers.  Runners have to earn that 500 rupees throughout the run before that point.  If you had a code for infinate money, you would benefit from the time saved, as well as running around buying whatever power up you want.

FF7, for another example.  I have full money, I'm going to buy 8 million X-Potions, all the 1337 armor at my level, every materia in the game up to that point, along with whatever else with no penalty, which in this case, would be fighting monsters to get the money, and thus affecting your time.

Such codes wouldn't be allowed.

However, codes that change an aesthetic thing, I.E. the Suitless Samus code in Metroid 1 or the Color/Xmas codes in DKC3, have no benefits to it, outside changing the palette of the characters, or adding a simple new graphic to certain areas.

The hard mode code in the DKC2 and DKC3 runs don't benefit the player at all (Well, unless you count that you get both monkeys back at the beginning of every stage regardless of performance to the prior one).

So yeah.  I'm sure others can give you better examples, but no.  Such code wouldn't be allowed.

Neboke

2005-07-09 10:44:27 pm

Fight, Crocogator, for everlasting peace!

Anyone still thinking about this game? From the commercials I've seen, it had a very Zim-like nature to it... Coulda sworn I heard a voice actor or two from the show, too. c.c

3nki

2005-07-10 09:36:53 am

Yeah, the voice actor for Zim does the voice for Raz (as I recall from what someone else stated on another message board).

Christian Groff

2005-07-11 04:57:54 pm

Wow, I was thinking of doing a speed-run for this game - I've got the PS2 version - but I don't know how to record it as I don't have a video camera. Huh?

Psychochild

Edit history:

Psychochild: 2005-07-11 05:22:43 pm

2005-07-11 05:17:47 pm

Quote:

Wow, I was thinking of doing a speed-run for this game - I've got the PS2 version - but I don't know how to record it as I don't have a video camera. Huh?

Video cameras are a huge no-no to begin with. In fact, any and all people who try to record as such should be smitten, flayed, and flogged to an extreme that not even I can begin to conjure with my sick and usually twisted mind.

... But I digress. VCR, buddy! VCRs! The simplest solution of all.

Christian Groff

2005-07-12 07:02:30 pm

I have a VCR, but I don't know how to connect it so that it'll record video game footage. Sad

And even then, I don't know how to transfer that onto a computer hard drive. (I'm guessing I'll need thousands of dollars of video equipment.)

Zurreco

2005-07-12 07:06:34 pm

Just call me the cynicism machine

Once you get it on tape, you can just mail the tape to Radix. There is no need to transfer it to PC if it will cost you a lot of money, although I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be 'thousands of dollars' worth.

Also, I think if you simply run your PS2 through your VCR, you can just turn on your VCR, insert a blank recordable tape, press record, and then turn on your PS2 and start playing.

Psychochild

Edit history:

Psychochild: 2005-07-12 09:39:44 pm

2005-07-12 09:38:58 pm

That's pretty much what I did.

If you do record a tape on VHS, of course, it's going to cost about 3 or 4 dollars to ship it out. Just, save yourself any potential problems, and record under SP Mode. That's all I can really say about that.

Neboke

Edit history:

Neboke: 2005-08-05 04:53:34 am

2005-08-05 04:19:10 am

Fight, Crocogator, for everlasting peace!

And yes, I know the Diving Rod gives you more arrowheads, but it's not worth it.

Oh, bull honkey. Now that I've PLAYED the game and know a bit more about it, I know that the Dowsing Rod pulls up CHUNKS of Arrowheads. It's not just single arrowheads hidden. It's larger chunks of psitanium, thus giving more. I'm pretty sure I was picking up chunks in 20-arrowhead bundles. It would be BORING, but it wouldn't take forever to get the 800 you need.

It's really no big deal. I say go for it. Just stick the arrowhead hunt in a single part before jumping into the guard's head. Maybe before you do Lungfishopolis... I'm not sure exactly when the campgrounds get run over by psychic animals. >>;

But still, at 20 arrowheads per batch, that's 40 spots. It'd PROBABLY be the longest segment of the run. But if Wind Waker can keep the hideously boring Triforce scavenger hunt part in, I see no reason at all for the Arrowhead Hunt to be worked around. >>

C'mon, I want to see someone beat the game as low-ranked as possible. What IS the lowest rank possible, anyway?

[Edit: Okay, I just found the required amount of buried arrowheads. I stayed in ONE area (Outside Nein's lab) and the Dowsing Rod kept going off over and over. I got over 700 arrowheads (I already had 100 or so) in ROUGHLY 15, 20 minutes, tops. >> So... it won't take long at ALL.]

[i]And yes, I know the Diving Rod gives you more arrowheads, but it's not worth it. [/i]

Oh, bull honkey. Now that I've PLAYED the game and know a bit more about it, I know that the Dowsing Rod pulls up CHUNKS of Arrowheads. It's not just single arrowheads hidden. It's larger chunks of psitanium, thus giving more. I'm pretty sure I was picking up chunks in 20-arrowhead bundles. It would be BORING, but it wouldn't take forever to get the 800 you need.

It's really no big deal. I say go for it. Just stick the arrowhead hunt in a single part before jumping into the guard's head. Maybe before you do Lungfishopolis... I'm not sure exactly when the campgrounds get run over by psychic animals. >>;

But still, at 20 arrowheads per batch, that's 40 spots. It'd PROBABLY be the longest segment of the run. But if Wind Waker can keep the hideously boring Triforce scavenger hunt part in, I see no reason at all for the Arrowhead Hunt to be worked around. >>

C'mon, I want to see someone beat the game as low-ranked as possible. What IS the lowest rank possible, anyway?

[Edit: Okay, I just found the required amount of buried arrowheads. I stayed in ONE area (Outside Nein's lab) and the Dowsing Rod kept going off over and over. I got over 700 arrowheads (I already had 100 or so) in ROUGHLY 15, 20 minutes, tops. >> So... it won't take long at ALL.]

Pengin002

2005-12-06 09:59:40 pm

I love YaBB 1G - SP1!

I read that someone dosent know how to record the speed run. It'll cost around $100 minimum (for a good one). A TV tuner card for the PC will dp the job. Internal or external. Install it, plug any game system in it, open the program given, press record and play. It also costs a lot of hard drive space. So also get another HD if you want. Best place to buy everything is at newegg http://www.newegg.com/

ReverendTed

2005-12-07 01:38:08 am

Just to clarify: the Diving Rod is almost required if you're playing the game the normal way. You really should olny grab arrowheads one by one until you can afford it. It doesn't pull up chunks of arrowheads, but what are called "Deep Arrowheads"- worth far more than the normal single arrowheads, though the end result is the same, anyway.

3nki

2006-04-09 10:00:18 pm

I guess I'll start a run since no one's posted on this game since December (assuming anyone who was running this game stopped). I'm in the process of finding the optimal route for collecting necessary items for rank 20 (20 is needed). I'm also in the process of finding a route for arrowheads. My run should be recorded by the end of the month, barring a college student mind collapse...

Spacecow

2006-04-15 03:20:23 pm

Quote:

I guess I'll start a run since no one's posted on this game since December (assuming anyone who was running this game stopped). I'm in the process of finding the optimal route for collecting necessary items for rank 20 (20 is needed). I'm also in the process of finding a route for arrowheads. My run should be recorded by the end of the month, barring a college student mind collapse...

Good to hear! It always seemed like this game would make an entertaining speedrun and I'm glad to see someone is working on it. Smiley

ReverendTed

2006-04-15 08:41:32 pm

I am also highly anticipating this run. I thought Psychonauts was a woefully underrated adventure platformer. It's just so much fun to look at that I could see this being a very entertaining run.

3nki

2006-04-16 09:27:30 am

Okay. I got all my preliminary stuff taken care of. I'm just wondering where my final time should be. It autosaves once before you fight the first version of The Butcher but that's all (about 10 or so minutes before the credits). I can also save whenever I want before the ending cutscenes begin. So I'm wondering: Should I use the autosave as my end time or should I save at the beginning of or before the last blow of the final boss? All help will be appreciated. Especially anyone with the final word on these things *cough* Radix *cough*. Smiley

Oh, before I forget. The final time will be somewhere around 1hr 40mins, kinda close in time to my (plug) Fable run (end).

ReverendTed

2006-04-16 04:08:53 pm

If I'm not mistaken, games which don't display your final time are usually manually timed anyway. Ye olde stopwatche menthode.
Also - are you certain you can save anywhere? In the PC version of the game, when you reload a "save" it starts you at the beginning of the current area. I found that to be particularly frustrating.

3nki

Edit history:

3nki: 2006-04-17 05:19:31 am

2006-04-17 05:18:47 am

I think both ports are the same. On the Xbox version you can save wherever you want, but when you reload the save, it will start you out in the same predetermined area every time.

On the timing: Do you know where they usually start and stop timing runs? I'm wondering because I need to get a sense of what I should do to keep my time sub 2hrs. Also: Do they stop the timer if I pause the game? I say this because the in game timer stops if you press pause. This was a major factor for cutting down on memorization and it's something I'd hate to see eliminated in my run. Thanks in advance.

StrangenessDSS

Edit history:

StrangenessDSS: 2006-04-17 02:25:27 pm

2006-04-17 02:25:17 pm

Sleeping Terror

First, see the FAQ. If you can't see the game time after you beat the game, it'll be manually timed, in which case everything between the beginning and ending will be counted.