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PrismaticBlack

MMBN1 FAQ

PrismaticBlack
Jan 5th, 2015
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  1. ***Want to learn this route? - visit https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1vB58Auzzobsmxj6NK0W7AoqZCZoeRtE45OxmyiqjWPs/pubhtml# ***
  2. ------------------
  3. General MMBN Questions:
  4. ------------------
  5. Q: What is the FPS for this game?
  6.  
  7. A: The Battle Network games run at 60 frames per second, and each frame that progresses has certain values attributed to it (encounters, item drops, etc.). Technically setups and tricks in the games are frame perfect (must be performed on one specific frame), but we have methods that assist us with accuracy.
  8. -----
  9.  
  10. Q: What system are you playing on? What do you use for control?
  11.  
  12. A: MMBN is a series of Gameboy Advance titles, but more specifically I use a GBA player for Nintendo GameCube to capture game feed. I prefer the GCN controller, because I grew up playing all of my GBA games on the console with this controller. More runners tend to prefer GBA SP as a controller, and Nintendo DS with capture capabilities is another popular console used by BN runners.
  13. -----
  14.  
  15. Q: Is emulator allowed?
  16.  
  17. A: Currently, we allow emulators for all of the BN games. However, if certain discrepancies were to be found, that may be subject to change depending on the advantages/disadvantages. I haven't personally tested emulator accuracy/inaccuracies, and I don't intend to at this point in time.
  18. -----
  19.  
  20. Q: Why not use the in-game timer?
  21.  
  22. A: One primary example of why IGT isn't used in MMBN1 Any%:
  23.  
  24. -Run A - saves the game before the Elecman fight with a 1:00 game time, the player deletes ElecMan in 1 minute, but dies to ProtoMan immediately after. This means that Run A would have to reload the save and deletes Elecman again. So, let's say that the runner once again deletes Elecman in 1 minute, and then deletes ProtoMan in 1 minute. Run A now has a game time of 1:02, and has lost 1 minute in real time from reloading the save.
  25.  
  26. -Run B - also saves the game before Elecman's fight with a 1:00 game time. The runner deletes Elecman in 1 minute, and deletes ProtoMan in 1 minute. The runner does not have to reload a save. Run A now has a game time of 1:02, and is ahead of Run A by 1 minute because they didn't revert to the beginning of the Elecman fight.
  27.  
  28. TL;DR - You can have one run with 3:00 Real Time and one run with 2:00 Real Time, but share the same game time.
  29.  
  30. -Another reason for this is because of the heavy usage of Save-Reset-Continue throughout the run. The IGT doesn't account for its usage. Single Segment may go by IGT, as it doesn't allow reloading saves. Not sure though, as it's not a popular category.
  31. -----
  32. -------------------
  33. Detailed MMBN1 Questions:
  34. -------------------
  35. Q: Why are you playing Japanese version? Why are you playing US version?
  36.  
  37. A: Aside from the usual fewer textboxes in JP compared to US, there are some substantial differences in speed between saving and continuing. In the US version, the game asks "Save progress up to this point?" and once I select "Yes", it says "A file exists. OK to overwrite?", in which I must press "Yes" again to actually save the game. In JP version, there is only one textbox, which cuts saving time in half. As for loading a continue, for whatever reason, the US version doesn't immediately take inputs from the title screen. I have to mash Start for a while to actually continue a game. In JP version, the loading time is significantly faster--almost instantly. Overall, the difference adds up to be approximately 1 second of time saved per S-R-C by playing Japanese version over US. I save and reset a lot in the run (over 50 times), so it adds up over the course of the run.
  38.  
  39. If you ever see me play US, it is generally for routing or no-reset practice runs. I also want to hold decent times in both versions, So I may pick up US version again just to do that.
  40.  
  41. TL;DR - Japanese has faster loading and saving times, as well as faster text in general.
  42. -----
  43. Q: Why do you keep saving and resetting?
  44.  
  45. A: I am performing what I constantly will refer to as a "Setup" when I Save-Reset-Continue. Setups are utilized quite frequently in this route, and essentially will allow me to either walk long distances without an encounter, or will allow me to manipulate a very specific encounter. The resulting encounter--or lack thereof--from a setup is determined by the frame value (in terms of time from loading the last save), and step values I've accumulated for the current setup. The game checks for encounters on certain frames, so I aim to activate those encounters with the right step and RNG values.
  46.  
  47. In MMBN1, RNG values are reset to 0 upon continuing a saved game from the title screen. Steps accumulate and do not reset even if I reset and load a save. Steps are reset when entering new net areas, coming out of an encounter event, and activating certain cutscenes/objects in the game. The important thing to know is that performing a particular setup in one segment of the game will result in the same encounter rate and/or value of that segment, assuming I perform that particular setup identically each time.
  48.  
  49. TL;DR - I'm manipulating RNG.
  50. -----
  51.  
  52. Q: Why not manipulate for no encounters? Why fight certain enemies?
  53.  
  54. A: Unfortunately, the story cannot progress unless I meet the criteria of having 60 different chips in my library (Yuri Memo). Fortunately, this does make the game a bit more interesting. Some of the chips are found in fixed mystery datas. Others can actually be manipulated from random mystery datas. Most of them are obtained through battle though. Also, avoiding encounters can get really tricky as the encounter rate will increase drastically every few steps I take, which means at a certain point it becomes almost impossible to consistently avoid fights in some cases. It would require a series of frame-perfect inputs with no reliable cues. Not collecting chips on the net would mean I would have to either buy a lot, which would waste time because Zennys are scarce, or use chip traders, which are not reliably manipulable.
  55.  
  56. TL;DR - I need 60 chips to beat the game.
  57. -----
  58.  
  59. Q: Why use your buster when you can delete that enemy with that chip?
  60.  
  61. A: In addition to manipulating the viruses I encounter, and the chips that are available during battle, I can also manipulate the reward that I receive at the end of a battle. The most common (and generally the fastest) way to manipulate battle results is to shoot the buster at an enemy. Sometimes deleting an enemy outright with only chips will result in Zennys. Shooting a buster shot (or multiple shots) at an enemy and deleting the enemy afterward can change the drop to a chip--even if the busting rank stays the same. At times, I manipulate what code the chip is as well. Buster shots can also change enemy behavior and movement (i.e. FireMan fight). Enemy movement, damage taken, and other variables also affect battle results.
  62.  
  63. TL;DR - Enemy behavior and battle results can be directly affected by shooting at enemies.
  64. -----
  65.  
  66. Q: Is your movement optimized? You take wide turns and don't hug walls like runners of other MMBN games.
  67.  
  68. A: Optimal movement is always preferred, and in most cases (generally in the real world), my movement will look cleaner than when I'm on the net. However, touching walls on the net make it to where my step counter is consistent each time I play through the game. Simple setups may have me move in one direction until I reach an encounter or wall. For more advanced setups I may change directions when entering certain corridors or pathways to kill a frame in order to enter an encounter at the right time.
  69.  
  70. TL;DR - Movement may not look optimal at times, but that is generally because it makes some setups work.
  71. -----
  72.  
  73. Q: Did you just skip a boss fight? How?
  74.  
  75. A: Yes. There are two boss fights that would normally be mandatory, but can actually be skipped. The skips end up saving a substantial amount of time (4-5 minutes). The creator of the TAS, BagOfMagicFood, found this anomaly when he paused on the same frame as the encounter event to make his folder edits for those upcoming fights. Surprisingly, and to our delight, he found an incredible glitch.
  76.  
  77. When you pause while MegaMan is in the process of stepping into one of these fixed encounters, he will have one foot off the ground moving to the next pixel. Opening any of the menus (usually the folder, because it is first), and then exiting the menu will progress MegaMan into a standing position onto the threshold of the encounter area. If I exit the pause menu now, then it will start the fight. However, if I enter and then exit the folder menu once again, the game gets confused and fails to load the next event (the fight itself) and instead skips to the next available event (the cutscene that would normally follow the battle victory).
  78.  
  79. TL;DR - Yes. I skip two boss fights by loading a series of menus on the same pixel as a fixed encounter.
  80. -----
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