I'm using Bizhawk 2.9.1 and since the game was only released in Europe, it's automatically set to be PAL (50hz). But then when I looked at the current WR, it seems faster.

So when I compare the score screen for the end of the jeep part ("stage clear"), I'm frame counting 8.317 s on my side and I'm counting 6.933 s on the WR video.

We can assume the runs should be done on NTSC (60hz)? If we are ok with that, we should update the rules so it's clear for everyone

Not sure if someone found that before: if you pause before getting hit and use the medical kit, after unpausing you get damage but your keep your full life.

Here is an example of doing it to damage through the 2nd tornado in round 1. I don't know why the quality is bad but you get the idea

Asking around, apparently it was already known and it's consider as a "debug code". Might be a separate category then if the mods agree with it

on that note, I'm down to try Fightcade with anyone who is interested! looks like they only have secret commands but it runs at 60hz so should be fine. don't hesitate to message me directly, either on SRC or Discords

that's amazing! I don't think that would count as an "in game cheat", either it was intended or this is some sort of testing left over they forgot to turn off. I would vote to allow in in the Any% category

This game is not easy casually but it has a big perk: it's 2 players! and it's one of the few for the SMS library with a co-op mode.

@RadManFromMars and I had a chance to try some 2 players run during the Sega Crew Live (May 27, 2023). unfortunately one of us die at stage 3, we haven't figure out a strat yet

We can always create the category a simple set of rules. Probably we can agree that both players needs to go through the final gate at the end of level 6, or simply no game over for both player.

Same as the 1 player category, both console and emulator are accepted. Not sure if it has been done before but probably we can allow some plateform to allow 2 players online? for example fightcade, Netplay, Parsec, ....

Found a good setup to get it constantly: After jump over the 2 tornados, jump over the edge and come back on the edge, the next tornados will keep falling down. from the edge you just need to slowly go left until the tornado bounce and bring you to the other side. I think ducking is better but looks like it work without it anyway.

Here is the video to illustrate that

yes I know this option, but for some level I kind of need to see the character so I don't fall or die ahah. also kind of lazy to turn it on & off between screenshots.

if I can figure out ignoring the horizontal colision then it would help to walk through everything like a ghost

There are already some maps in SMS power but just 3: https://www.smspower.org/Maps/Asterix-SMS?gallerypage=Round+1-1+%28Asterix%29

I've decided to continue the work and focus on levels that might have potential improvements. there are 3 maps ready here https://www.figma.com/file/C50QalEF62MMz7DQRE8Zcd/SMS---Asterix?type=design&node-id=14%3A39&t=lY2Gv8CujO9iVM5o-1

it's a bit time consuming, I'm taking many screen shot and assemble them in figma. If I want to remove asterix/obelix I need to crop a part of the map and align on top of the character (longest part)

I've already post in SMS Power, but it seems slow to have them uploading on the website plus I need to make sure it looks good. https://www.smspower.org/forums/14917-AsterixMapRipping#126450

personally I prefere to have a space between levels, it helps to see potentional skip from the top (like in 4-3) and I really don't mind having multiple asterix/obelix in the map. for example this one:

4-3 level

I think it's better to add the map we currently have here, better than not having it. I can export them in a zip

What's next? I'm thinking to look at hacking the game to disabled colision and allow double jumps, this way I can explore the all map. Also I will try this Screenshot Autostitcher software to generate a map

few days ago I found out obelix can jump above the tornado at the beginning of the stage. At the edge of the pit, there is a way to jump in the the tornado and bounce the other side to grab the key

for now the safest way is stay at the edge, way for the right moment and do a very long jump. While recording I've also found another setup where the tornado bounce at the very edge of the pit and reach the otherside

In some levels, the game shuffle the key in 2 jars. It happens in level 3-2, 4-2, 6-1, 6-2, 7-2 and 7-3.

From @The8bitbeast 's TAS (LINK), we learned that this RNG depends on the score and indeed it does! I've tried to look at the assembly code but it was simpler to tried out while playing.

The game keep the score in 0x00C2, for instance killing one enemy increase this score to 1, killing a boss increase to 48 and at the end of the level, the score increase on the time countdown (add 1 every 10)

When the 3rd digit of the score (from the right) is odd, the key will be on the right jar, and when it's even, it will be on the left.

the flag is set when the room is loaded, so either when scrolling up/down to the room or entering a door. exception for 7-3 where the room is loaded before entering the door.

for example here the score is "33400", the 3rd digit (4) is even so the key will be on the left.

Chatting with The8bitbeast on discord, he found a way to wrap around the screen using a TAS. it works but Tom would die, not sure if there is another way. Maybe if jerry is at the edge of the screen the game would count this as a catch?

That's the short video made by The8bitbeast:

We are considering changing the timing rule:

• From: "timer stops on first frame of scene transition after final boss kill."
• To: "timer stops in the first frame of the end games screen (after stage 13 screen)"

Why? because the score screen for the "Step 13" would have different time depending on the score. Runner who optimized the last level to have a minimal score would be rewarded by an early end game screen. Also it's common to stop the timer on the last screen.

@SanchoPanda and I agreed it would be better to update this rules, but we need approvals from other runners. it's more likely to be the same rank for every run, I'm willing to update the time for each runs submitted

I'm guessing most runners are not active anymore, I might reach them individually. for the others, please answer this thread :)

Nice run! taking the shuriken power up at the horses level was intended?

I think it's already known glitch, but here are some explaination. the last glitch mentioned is about getting to the phantom's castle earlier, apparently it's only for Game Gear:

nice run! correct me if I'm wrong, while driving you can hold the UP key to go faster until you hit something

I found good example of category rules made by @RadManFromMars https://www.speedrun.com/montezumas_revenge#Levels_1_-_11_SMS

some runner would not have the input displayed or there might have some input lags too. but yeah just need any reference. for some games it's done when the screen fully turns black or something.

as long as it's clear and precise for everyone, probably it's doesn't matter when to start. Personally I like on a screen transition, it's visually precise. I agree it would be better when first stage screen loads but we would need to retime all the runs ahah

The "orb break" means the first explosion frame? we can always add screenshots or a video to explain where to frame cout. (e.g. https://www.speedrun.com/tom_and_jerry_the_movie_the_game)

Youtube has 60FPS option, my runs on youtube are 720P60

Agree! We should also update the category rules for more precise start and end time.

I'm proposing this:

• Timer starts on the first frame when donald's airplane starts moving when selecting a stage
• Timer ends on the first frame when the orb starts breaking OR when the boss starts moving down

@petaQ, looks like your last run is 15:24.933, not sure if you stop the time a bit late or if it's because of the youtube video quality. I've used https://somewes.com/frame-count/

btw @MasterWelch, by : "i think i will be doing some uploads off original hardware" do you mean submitting a run? that would great :)