---------- ING-X ----------

hey smokey ^^

first of all, I'd like to say, nice job on your past runs in super metroid (especially that 14% run, I haven't even been able to complete a 15% yet lol). even though a lot of your runs have been obsoleted, they're still fun to watch (and your 0:36 is still the segmented WR if I understand correctly ^^).

second off, are you still suspicious of hotarubi's stuff at all? I know you expressed your reasons for being sceptical of his stuff in that topic about his 0:31, and looking at what you said I would say I'm also a bit suspicious. I find it hard to believe that he could have achieved such perfection in a single segment run. I'd believe it if it were segmented, but considering that you were only able to get a 0:31 with that route using savestates (as well as the strange patterns in movement you mentioned), I think that it may have also been done using savestates using a keyboard.

I'm no expert in super metroid (my best any% time is only 0:56, and that was my first serious speedrun attempt in this game), but I've had a lot of experience with fakers in other games I've played competitively, and this situation just seems a bit... off. The thing that makes it really difficult is the fact that super metroid is emulated so well - making it nearly impossible to tell for sure whether it's legitimate or not.

I know you're probably busy (especially since school is starting soon (well at least in america it is)), but just give me a response whenever you can. This has been a rather controversial subject since 2006, and I'd just like to know your *up-to-date* opinion on it ;).

Thanks,
ING-X

---------- Smokey ----------

Well at this moment, I really don't know what to think about this.

After I made all those posts I forced myself to try a real run, (no messing around, no jokes) and even incorporated a few new things I did in my :29 TAS (shinesparking Draygon, some better room-strats) and I got :32 with LOTs of mistakes.

But, this was all done segmented (I did about 3 saves in all). I can tell you now that I feel confident that a :33 - :32 is VERY achievable on console. Still, I have some doubts. This is due to his playing behavior... and extreme consistency throughout all of his runs. One thing that really made me Shocked was that he kept up with me when I played my TAS :31 with his :31 run on his youtube page. And a consistency like that (keeping up with a savestate-only-TAS) is achieved like in... I don't how many years of intense play.

I've been playing with the keyboard since 2003 and there are some things that bugs me while his' speed dashing+charging beam+arm-pupping. Even with a good keyboard set-up you can't do those three things so you'll have to leave ONE shoulder button and use the other. This is VERY noticiable when he uses the speedbooster, the charge beam, and arm-pumps with only ONE shoulder button.

Though, he does this like 99% of the time and I only saw like two times that he indeed pressed both shoulder buttons. And those 'two times' makes me doubt again and makes me believe he doesn't use a keyboard. Then one thinks; if he uses a slightly modified control setting on the SNES and still has full maneuver with his shoulder-buttons, why is it that 99% of the time he does it like one WOULD DO on a keyboard?

Then, the other types of run come into mind; mainly his 14% & RBO. AMAZING times without a doubt and *SS*. Then I wonder: damn, how old is this guy? Doesn't he has responsibilities? I saw that you were a speedrunner once and I bet that you can agree with me that it takes A LOT of time to master a different type of run of the same game. A RBO or a 14% run... these are runs that have completely different structures from the usual any% or 100%, and it takes a great deal of time to master them, and thereof achieving amazing times in their respective categories. I came with the same conclusion some of the guys here had and simply hota most have a lot of time on him to do this.

All in all, a great part of me doesn't believe now that he cheats, but there's still a very very little part that makes me think otherwise and just won't go away. Take care.

---------- ING-X ----------

thanks for the quick response smokey :)

yeah i realized that when i was watching his run today - he arm pumps with only one shoulder button while charging. I use the same control configuration red scarlet uses (which is hotarubi's with run on X instead of A), and the way I see it, there is no reason why he should be arm pumping with just one button when he charges. I just recently got the hang of this game, and even I can arm pump with both shoulder buttons consistently.

But yeah like you said, it's possible that hotarubi just has absolutely no life whatsoever and really has put hours into the game to end up with that one run where everything goes right. I used to *attempt* to speedrun this game back in the day (although I sucked back then), and I've been playing star fox 64 competitively for scores for almost 2 years, and I can say without a doubt that you would have to be completely out of your mind to actually try SS's that many times, especially considering that every time you restart a SS after Ceres, you have to delete your file and watch the entire opening sequence again.

Overall, I'd have to agree with you; there's no solid proof that he cheated, but there are a few things that make me wonder about how he achieved those times.