Lets racing time

I was thinking the end of the first full week of January. That way the holidays are all over and people have settled back into a routine.

I'm interested. Though this would probably be my first experience with Skype, I've loved watching you guys race and wanted to do one of these races for a long time - especially a Mario one. As a warning, I'm kinda dumb when it comes to hard technology and my internet isn't the greatest, so I'm not entirely sure how the Skyping would go, but I should be able to record the actual footage fine at least. If it's too much trouble, though, I could probably sit this one out.

This would actually seem interesting to play. Though, I've never beaten SMB 1 or 2, so I'd probably fail superhorribly.

Not to mention I don't know how to record anything. And until the 11th or 12th or so, my internet is bad.

Well I was planning to wait till about the 10th anyway, to make sure everyone is back from the holidays and whatnot.

As far as recording I use paid software (Camtasia) to record my NES footage these days, but there are a bunch of peeps that use Hypercam and can explain how that works much much better than I can. Hypercam 2 is free now I believe? And Audacity is free and great for recording your mic.

Skype isn't all that difficult to use (McDohl might disagree with me XD), so I'm sure we can get you guys set up with some stuff before the race date.

Make sure to practice the games though! ^_^

Depending on time I'm down.


However, I think we should be able to do the games in any order, like the Disney Afternoon race.

I'm all for repeating the Allstars race. I wiped the floor with everyone last time, and will do the same again!

Probably available all days, just let me know in advance. I live in Europe, so I don't want to race too late at night.

Well the reason I was thinking of locking the games in order was because of having a time limit. That way if two (certain people) are behind everyone else and one of them is in SMB1 World 8-2 and the other is in SMB2 World 1-3 then we know the SMB2 person is ahead. Otherwise if someone is say in SMB2 World 7-2 and another is in SMB1 world 8-1, and both have completed one other game... who would be in the lead? I think if we are going to have a time limit, then we are going to have to lock the games in order.

As long as it doesn't start too late that evening I should be down. My original play in the All-Stars race was a farce (well, mostly because of 8-2) so I'd love a chance at redemption here, even if no one besides probably Dadaph saw it.

I'm all for a locked order. With a numbered series, it just makes more sense. Not to sound cocky, but just practice SMB a little more, it's a short game, and it's not that difficult(just kinda easy to mess up at the end).
Now that I've said that, I know for a fact I'll be the one stuck at 8-4 forever in this race for everyone to laugh in my face.

As for recording, I've had some pretty good experience using Open Broadcaster Software lately. It's free, open source, and pretty easy to use(though setting it up with certain emulators might be tricky). It's made for streaming, but it can also record. The video files doesn't get too huge too quickly, and I even got stereomix to work(though that's not important for racing videos).

I dunno how much practice will help. I've blazed through World 8 dozens of times on my own, but for some reason whenever I'm trying to record it that's when I always screw up.

Though I might re-watch my footage, isolate the parts where I screwed up most often, and try and stratergize ways around them.

For 8-1 and 8-2, it just comes down to practice, practice, practice, even when you think you've got it down. Get a real feel for the level, try to see if you can go through the less complicated parts a bit faster, which gives you more time for the more complicated parts (with the bullet bill blasters everywhere in 8-2, you've got plenty of spots where playing the waiting game for an opening isn't a bad idea). If you can manage to squeeze through 8-2 with a fire flower, you'll probably be set for the rest of World 8. I think SMB's World 8 is easily going to be the toughest part of the entire race.

Video release date: April 23, 2014

8-2 is pure practice, but at least it's easy to grab a free guy at the start of the level.
I'm usually having a much worse time with 8-4 as that final hammer bro, the single most annoying enemy in the game, always kills me. I feel I have to clear 8-3 with a fireflower to stand a chance.

I had an almost equal tough time with the airship level of SMB3 during the race. Died a few times and cleared it on my final life, using my final leaf(saving my P-Wing for 8-1 as I hate that stage even more).
Only got to practice SMB and SMB2 though, guess I was just out of practice for SMB3.

Finally got around to watching this, and since I stuck through it all and had Brickroad talking about pirating Venture Bros. episodes, I think I'm now going to have to start asking people if they have a jolly roger on their blouse when accusing them of downloading stuff off the internet.

So, besides the new All-Stars race, I have been working up a new Pentathlon race. This one is Mega Man themed!



I was bored so I made a poster thingy too. The games are limited to the first six for the NES. The challenges I have devised come in two parts: a challenge for the stage, and a buster-only clear of the boss.

Example Stage Challenges:

• Complete the stage without using the Mega Buster.
• Complete the stage without taking damage.
• No Checkpoints! Each death is a full stage restart until you hit the boss door.
• Complete the stage and boss without using an energy tank.
• Complete the stage and boss with just one life.
• Complete the stage using Rush Coil.
• Complete the stage without firing a shot.

So who is down to test their Mega Man mettle? The basis is mainly a robot-master arm-cannon only challenge with some twists. This is going to be hard, and you are probably going to want to melt your face off before it is finished.

So I would recommend practice. The poster has clues as to who you will be facing, if you can figure it out. In case you are still bad at a particular challenge, I am including 3 mystery challenges you can undertake if you choose for forfeit one of the normal challenges.

I am so up for this.

Video release date: May 7th 2014

Assuming we're sticking to NES megamen so I don't have to worry about switching emulators I'm in.

Yes, the games are Mega Man 1-6 for the NES. The pentathlon will work very similar to the first one that Brickroad hosted in terms of how it is done and execution. (Save states and whatnot.)

I might be up for it, as I actually just learned MM5(teaching myself MM6 now).
Bet I'll do rather horribly.

So the official rules and setup for the Mega Man Pentathlon are as follows. You need to use the FCEUX Nes Emulator, version 2.2.0 or higher. You can download that here:

http://www.fceux.com/web/download.html

All you should have to set up with it is the video and input controls. So any interested peeps can go ahead and grab that to get it set up.

As for the rules, this is a Buster-Only run unless the challenge otherwise specifies. I will be providing save-states to make sure everyone starts on even ground, and because the mystery challenges are set in other areas of the games, so a save-state would be needed.

The basic premise for each challenge is that you are given a robot master from any of the first six games, and you have to clear their level with a special restriction and then kill the robot master with only the buster cannon.

Example Challenge:

Gravity Man - Mega Man V - Clear his stage without firing a shot.

If you find that too difficult, you can opt to take a Mystery Challenge instead. Which aren't that much easier, but are an entirely different type of challenge.

Example Mystery Challenge

Alien Wily - Mega Man II - Clear his challenge without taking damage.

There are 5 Main Challenges and 3 Mystery Challenges, so you must complete 2 of the main challenges to finish. Any challenges you have not completed after you finish, you can then try to complete for bonus time subtracted from your score. You can try as many extra challenges as you like until you either complete them all or all the racers finish or surrender.

Now you kind of have an idea how to practice. I am giving out more info for this pentathlon in hopes that it will go by much faster. ^_^

Race Date: It's ready, what day is good for everyone?

Victims so Far:

Ossobucco
Destil
Dadaph

Not really sure when the best time for me is. I think tonight is pretty bad at least, maybe tomorrow night as well, but not really sure yet. We might, or might not, get visitors. Other than that, I'm ok as long as it's not too late at night.
Doing a test recording using newest FCEUX and OBS now. Seems to work perfectly(though having OBS find the FCEUX window to record was somehow tricky).

Edit: update, seems tomorrow night is ok for me after all, though I might get tired early.
Also, test recording went perfectly. 5 hours of the Contra titlescreen(with gameplay demos) looping, 15gb and no desync at all. I can recommend the newest version of FCEUX/OBS for anyone who has trouble recording. It works so much better than Hypercam for me.

Well I was busy today until right now. However I am free tomorrow (Sunday). Is that a good day for everyone?

Sunday sounds great for me. Probably available from about 8(or maybe a little later, depending on when we eat) in the evening to 4 in the morning(2pm to 10pm EST) or so. Maybe a little more flexible if needed...

Awesome, I wonder if we could wrangle up one more victim for the race. Having 4 would be a nice number I think.

EDIT: Actually, scratch that, I have more to do today than I realized, first day back to work tomorrow after the holidays.

Alrighty, well so far the only one who has gotten back to me is Dadaph. We need some more peeps. ^_^

I am busy tonight, but available pretty much any day or time otherwise.

Okay! I am looking at next Tuesday (the day after tomorrow) Dadaph is open that day, how about everyone else?

What time Tuesday? I can likely make that.