Sword Master - November 29, 2013

Edit history:

UraniumAnchor: 2013-11-29 02:07:52 pm

2013-11-14 02:59:31 pm

Game Page: Doesn't exist yet

Sword Master (Any %) (Single Segment) (pal) (nes)

Decision: Accept

Congratulations to 'MrWalrus'!

Thread title:

SDAVerification

2013-11-14 02:59:36 pm

Run Information

Sword Master (Any %) (Single Segment) (pal) (nes)

Verification Files

http://v.speeddemosarchive.com/swordmaster/

Please refer to the Verification Guidelines before posting. Verifications are due by Nov. 28, 2013.

Please post your opinions about the run and be certain to conclude your post with a verdict (Accept/Reject). This is not a contest where the majority wins - I will judge each verification on its content. Please keep your verification brief unless you have a good reason otherwise.

After 2 weeks I will read all of the verifications and move this thread to the main verification board and post my verdict.

ktwo

2013-11-15 03:02:07 am

I dabbled around with the game on emu for 5 minutes (so basically playing through the first level and to get a feeling for the double-jump).

A/V: Looks good.
Legit: Looks good.

Gameplay: There is lots to speedrunning this game.
- Boss rng.
- Double jumps are not part of the "normal" game mechanics, but are incredibly precise to execute. They're definitely doable in real-time, but getting them at will in a speedrun requires precision (not to speak of triple jumps).
- Skips.
- There is some consideration that needs to be taken with regards to the experience and level up.
- The platforming is not always easy to do quickly. Knockbacks are pretty costly and getting low on health can be a real concern in a speedrun.
All of this combined means that it looks like a game that's hard to fully optimize, despite being fairly short. It's evident when watching this run that an effort has been made to get the time down as low as possible, while having a "risk-reward" mindset (more double-jumps in risky places could drop the time further etc). It's also evident that the run is quite improvable in theory and there are a few mistakes costing several seconds. However, considering the difficulty as a whole, I have to say it looked like a good run. With the skips and various strats, it was also entertaining to watch (even though that obviously is not a factor in how good the speedrun is).

ACCEPT

Time: Movement starts roughly at 0:00:18,2 and I believe it ends at 0:09:32,0. So I get a final time of 0:09:13.

I dabbled around with the game on emu for 5 minutes (so basically playing through the first level and to get a feeling for the double-jump).

A/V: Looks good.
Legit: Looks good.

Gameplay: There is lots to speedrunning this game. 
- Boss rng. 
- Double jumps are not part of the "normal" game mechanics, but are incredibly precise to execute. They're definitely doable in real-time, but getting them at will in a speedrun requires precision (not to speak of triple jumps). 
- Skips. 
- There is some consideration that needs to be taken with regards to the experience and level up. 
- The platforming is not always easy to do quickly. Knockbacks are pretty costly and getting low on health can be a real concern in a speedrun. 
All of this combined means that it looks like a game that's hard to fully optimize, despite being fairly short. It's evident when watching this run that an effort has been made to get the time down as low as possible, while having a "risk-reward" mindset (more double-jumps in risky places could drop the time further etc). It's also evident that the run is quite improvable in theory and there are a few mistakes costing several seconds. However, considering the difficulty as a whole, I have to say it looked like a good run. With the skips and various strats, it was also entertaining to watch (even though that obviously is not a factor in how good the speedrun is).

ACCEPT

Time: Movement starts roughly at 0:00:18,2 and I believe it ends at 0:09:32,0. So I get a final time of 0:09:13.

presjpolk

2013-11-15 10:17:28 am

HELLO!

I like the runner's reason for it. Best reason to run a game in my view: revenge on games you liked that thwarted you. Smiley

I'm glad ktwo pointed out the double jump isn't actually an intended game mechanic. Seems to be put to good use in this run though.

Doesn't look perfect but good RNG is good RNG, along with good execution when the RNG cooperated.

Is the blinking background in the credits is in the original then?

Accept

bangerra

2013-11-15 10:55:34 am

A/V good, no cheating

I was a bit concerned halfway through the final stage with all the damage he was taking,
but killing yourself right before the final boss seems to be the fastest way to take him down.
Overall an entertaining run of a game that looks really hard.

Accept

J.Y

2013-11-18 05:22:53 am

A/V is good, no cheating detected.

Was that a flying sperm I just saw in the third level?
Overall good execution, the runner has some problems here and there which he also mentions in the comments, but for the most part this is a nice run.
With a better RNG this run could be a bit faster, but it's still SDA worthy imo.

Accept

MrWalrus

Edit history:

MrWalrus: 2013-11-22 11:23:11 am

MrWalrus: 2013-11-22 11:22:04 am

MrWalrus: 2013-11-22 11:21:05 am

2013-11-22 05:54:54 am

I am a walrus

Thank you all for the comments :).
To do the triple jumps I hold my controller in a specific way and tap the button with my index finger. Triple jumps are even harder to do in the NTSC version.

And yes, the developers say in the end: "Thanks for playing our game, your reward is epilepsy."

AlecK47

2013-11-22 03:47:56 pm

A/V is good, no cheating detected.

Not much to say that hasn't been said already. Run looks good. And yeah, pretty sure that is a flying sperm, and it looks way too obvious to be anything but intentional. Accept

Emptyeye

2013-11-22 04:23:22 pm

Talk to the Hand

Okay, I have a bit of experience with this game (NTSC version), having streamed it and done it semi-casually for an online marathon or two in the past:
A/V: I note that the runner is playing the PAL version. This is important, because something immediately sounded off to me. To confirm what I thought I was hearing, I fired up my copy of Sword Master and, syncing it up as best I could, compared it to this video. The level 1 music in this video, while at the correct pitch, is playing MUCH faster than on my copy--by the end of the first loop of the music, it was 2 seconds ahead of my copy, and about 4-5 seconds ahead after the second loop. It seems to "correct" itself as of the first boss and the rest of the music sounds fine to me. Interestingly, from what I can tell, this seems to be close to NTSC speed, so I'll chalk up the faster music to a crappy regionalization job. The rest looks good.

-Level 3: On the first Lizardman, is there a reason you don't use chopping swings? I noticed the same thing against the Evil Knight that's the boss of Level 2. The overhead chop will always do at least as much damage as a straight thrust, I'm pretty sure. Also, a quick note, according to Nintendo Power, "Axeman" is actually the Grim Reaper.

-Level 4: C'mon guys, the sperm is clearly in Level 4, not Level 3! Unfortunate mishap with the Gargoyle.

-Level 5: As the runner notes, The Grim Axeman doesn't really cooperate here. Despite this, they probably still save time over a "normal" fight--Reapy-poo tries to keep his distance from you, backing up (Unless he's actually attacking) if you move toward him.
-GARGOYLE. PLEASE.

-Level 6: It's pretty clear that most of the enemies were REALLY not designed with the ability for you to get behind them in mind. Here's another great example. Also, similar to the Reaper, The Barbarian plays a bit of a zoning game with you, trying to keep a specific distance when not attacking.

-Level 7: I believe the Thunder is a little faster than the Fireball, but does the same damage. This explains why he picked it up in Level 5.
-The death on the Fire Mage is unfortunate even if intentional, but it's probably fastest given most of the rest of the strategy. Without magic, you're going to get wrecked by Vishok, so you really do need as much life as possible. The fact that he uses this to glitch-kill the boss is just a nice bonus.

In short, a high-quality run.

On a general note: The double-jump is do-able on NTSC, but I've never been able to get a triple (I haven't really tried that hard, honestly). I'm best described as "somewhat consistent" at the double jump, and the run comments are right--it's a very delicate operation, so to speak.

ACCEPT.

Okay, I have a bit of experience with this game (NTSC version), having streamed it and done it semi-casually for an online marathon or two in the past:
A/V: I note that the runner is playing the PAL version. This is important, because something immediately sounded off to me. To confirm what I thought I was hearing, I fired up my copy of Sword Master and, syncing it up as best I could, compared it to this video. The level 1 music in this video, while at the correct pitch, is playing MUCH faster than on my copy--by the end of the first loop of the music, it was 2 seconds ahead of my copy, and about 4-5 seconds ahead after the second loop. It seems to "correct" itself as of the first boss and the rest of the music sounds fine to me. Interestingly, from what I can tell, this seems to be close to NTSC speed, so I'll chalk up the faster music to a crappy regionalization job. The rest looks good.

-Level 3: On the first Lizardman, is there a reason you don't use chopping swings? I noticed the same thing against the Evil Knight that's the boss of Level 2. The overhead chop will always do at least as much damage as a straight thrust, I'm pretty sure. Also, a quick note, according to Nintendo Power, "Axeman" is actually the Grim Reaper.

-Level 4: C'mon guys, the sperm is clearly in Level 4, not Level 3! Unfortunate mishap with the Gargoyle.

-Level 5: As the runner notes, The Grim Axeman doesn't really cooperate here. Despite this, they probably still save time over a "normal" fight--Reapy-poo tries to keep his distance from you, backing up (Unless he's actually attacking) if you move toward him.
-GARGOYLE. PLEASE.

-Level 6: It's pretty clear that most of the enemies were REALLY not designed with the ability for you to get behind them in mind. Here's another great example. Also, similar to the Reaper, The Barbarian plays a bit of a zoning game with you, trying to keep a specific distance when not attacking.

-Level 7: I believe the Thunder is a little faster than the Fireball, but does the same damage. This explains why he picked it up in Level 5.
-The death on the Fire Mage is unfortunate even if intentional, but it's probably fastest given most of the rest of the strategy. Without magic, you're going to get wrecked by Vishok, so you really do need as much life as possible. The fact that he uses this to glitch-kill the boss is just a nice bonus.

In short, a high-quality run.

On a general note: The double-jump is do-able on NTSC, but I've never been able to get a triple (I haven't really tried that hard, honestly). I'm best described as "somewhat consistent" at the double jump, and the run comments are right--it's a very delicate operation, so to speak.

ACCEPT.

UraniumAnchor

2013-11-29 02:07:49 pm

Not a walrus

Decision posted.