Blast Corps

[Shuda51]

Thanks to mike reminding me what this game was, i picked up playing this game again, and may be doing a speedrun on it. One thing that i know will speed up the game is the use of the Z-Trick. (Getting next to a building in such a way that when you hold Z, You can't exit, and the building explodes). If i did do a run, would the use of the Z-Trick lead to the run being put into a different category than a run without Z-Trick?

[MatrixTN]

I've never played the game, so I can't really answer that but I think Z and no Z are not separate.  While you're practicing, you might consider watching the current runs.

[mocliamtoh]

I'm not too familiar with the separate categories for other speedruns with regards to glitches, for example, I don't know if there are games that have specific no glitch runs.  If someone knows of a game with this kind of run distinction on SDA, I'd say it would classify as a glitch (vs. no glitch) run.

That said, I'd be hesitant to create a new run category just for the inclusion of this glitch.  It really depends on how much time it actually saves.  Just as a gut "this is what I think without too much thinking about it" I'd say it isn't a separate category.

On an unrelated note I wasn't good enough on Oyster Harbour or Diamond Sands (i think...Its the one with the train tracks in the middle of the long buildings) and to beat the game I sortof flailed my way through and used the Z glitch to beat them.

[Shuda51]

That is sort of what I am thinking. I can use the Z-trick on Oyster Harbor to destroy the final building, bypassing that stupid moment of going to grab the tnt.

Another map where this would be a major help would be Ebony Coast. (I think) If you bomb the block on the tracks (like in the current run) then go to the J-Bomb statue, the Z-Trick can let you get the J-Bomb, allow you to net the scientist and protect the carrier in one go.

Due to the amount of time that could theoretically be saved, it is possible that the run would be in a different category than one without Z-trick. So, what should a z-trick run be classified as?

[MatrixTN]

I'm not too familiar with the separate categories for other speedruns with regards to glitches, for example, I don't know if there are games that have specific no glitch runs.  If someone knows of a game with this kind of run distinction on SDA, I'd say it would classify as a glitch (vs. no glitch) run.

Mega Man 2 and I believe Zelda OoT are the only ones that I know of so far.

[moooh]

Mega Man 2 has the no zip glitches version only due to the high popularity of the game. Even that version is not glitch free. OOT does not have a no glitch category (only a no major skips category, in which glitches are still heavily used). The Z-trick is too small of a timesaver to warrant it's own category.

You don't really have to worry about anything when making this run with the Z-trick though, as your run will be faster than the current one and thus either replace it, or go up as it's own category. Both cases means you'll have your run posted.

[Ghoti]

isn't tomb raider 3 another glitch vs no glitch run?

[DateHell]

Hey! I'm a big Blast Corpse (and speedrun) fan and want to wish you good luck on your attempts

just in case you didn't know, there are individual level and a full game speedrun on SDA available already... which imo show very high quality performance, if you manage to beat them it will be impressive

http://speeddemosarchive.com/BlastCorps.html

[mikwuyma]

How many levels does the Z-trick work in?

[SkratMan]

It will work against any destructable building...  so just about every standard stage.

How many stages where it will be faster using the Z-trick, though, is much less.  Generally it's faster to destroy things in a normal manner if you do things right.  It's really only the buildings/walls that require TNT where it would be most useful, and sometimes even then the TNT is right there to use.  It's been a long while since I've played the game, but it's a pretty small handful of stages where the Z-trick is faster, iirc.

[Shuda51]

Off the top of my head (in response to mike): Oyster Harbor, Beeton Tracks, Ebony Coast, Diamond Sands, maybe a few others. I'm pretty sure there are a few more, but i'm going through testing right now, so....

[Croc-Doc]

The past couple of weeks I've been trying to beat the individual-level runs.  I got faster times on a few of them, including Oyster Harbor and Ebony Coast, but w/o using the Z-trick.  I didn't want to use it because StrangenessDSS didn't, so I thought it would be kinda weak/cheap to beat her records in this way.  It took a lot more effort and was therefore more satisfying to beat her time w/o using glitches.

I assume you guys are talking about the full-game speedrun, but, for the individual-level runs, would you (Mike, particularly) recommend I do the Z-trick where applicable?  I'd really prefer not to, but I wouldn't want my improvement on Oyster Harbor posted to the site and taken down shortly after because someone else used the Z-trick.

[Mahrla]

The past couple of weeks I've been trying to beat the individual-level runs.  I got faster times on a few of them, including Oyster Harbor and Ebony Coast, but w/o using the Z-trick.  I didn't want to use it because StrangenessDSS didn't, so I thought it would be kinda weak/cheap to beat her records in this way.  It took a lot more effort and was therefore more satisfying to beat her time w/o using glitches.

I assume you guys are talking about the full-game speedrun, but, for the individual-level runs, would you (Mike, particularly) recommend I do the Z-trick where applicable?  I'd really prefer not to, but I wouldn't want my improvement on Oyster Harbor posted to the site and taken down shortly after because someone else used the Z-trick.

I'm the runner of the last BC speedrun and a few notes by me:
I think it's better to make the Z-button-glitch/trick a different category (for individual levels and speedrun), because the Z-trick doesn't work in the PAL version. So if it's the same category, PAL players could never beat the run anymore (and they already have a disadvantage because of the 1.2 factor).
The Z-trick probably really helps in 3-5 levels (out of 27), I think.
Oyster Harbour & Beeton Tracks have TNT buildings. On Glory Coast you can get the J-Bomb early. And maybe you can use the trick do rescue some scientists faster/earlier. Diamond Sands is probably faster the normal way if done right (but has to be tested, as I don't have the NTSC version).

[ZaibirQuild]

PAL is a different category anyway, so that really wouldn't be a big problem.
As far as I know about the Z-trick I personally don't think it's big enough to warrant a different category, but I haven't played the game in ages so I might be mistaken.

From what I remember it's only useful in a few stages.
My 2 cents.

That being said, I loved this game as a kid
Played it to death ^^
I applaud any kind of improvement. (which means improved gameplay, not just the Z-trick cause that isn't really improvement then in my eyes.)

[Shuda51]

Hmm....I think what I'm going to do is try two runs, Z-Trick and no Z-Trick.

Obviously, since both would be NTSC, I'm not going to even bother trying to make an argument to replace mahrla's run.

I will do it exactly like that run, however. (as in, i will continue until the moon)

Only thing preventing me for the moment is that A) Every single time i think i have my stuff ready, something decides to brick on me. And B) I hate the backlash.

BTW, I was thinking diamond sands because it may be faster to Z-Trick, rather than having to carefully hit the tnt blocks at the right angle to get it to the building before it's timer goes up. always got screwed there cause not 2 moments before the block hits the building, the block blows up. So, at least z-trick on the parts that would require the manuevering of the blocks.