4 ms·
If you put tape on cartridge pin #14 of NES Platoon (or other bad connection), the game will boot to a glitched version of the ending, thus making it a zero-sec
by Dwedit 4mo ago
If you put tape on cartridge pin #14 of NES Platoon (or other bad connection), the game will boot to a glitched version of the ending, thus making it a zero-second speedrun.
Pin #14 is the CPU R/W pin, and if it's not properly connected, the game will be unable to write to the MMC1 mapper to perform bank switching. Platoon happens to be programmed in a way that address 0x8000 of every bank is an entry point that will run a particular level from the game. So you boot up the game, and it tries to switch to the Title Screen bank, then jumps to 0x8000. But the bank switch fails, and instead it runs code from the first bank. It just so happens that the first bank contains the program for the ending.
If the cartridge connection improves and mapper writes start to succeed, the graphics will return to normal as it continues to run the ending.
- brayhite 4mo agoI love little facts like these. Thanks for sharing (and sounding convincing enough for me to trust it lol).
- nosioptar 4mo agoIf you haven't read about the Pilot Wings coprocessor differences, it's really interesting: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19883714 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19883714
- tantalor 4mo agoReally stretches the definition of speed run. If I record the game to VHS, and fast forward to the end, does that count?
- charcircuit 4mo agoYou aren't playing the game then. There is a difference in being creative in what actions you can take as a speed runner versus just playing back a video recording.
- TimorousBestie 4mo agoSpeedrunners are perfectly capable of defining categories better than that.
- jjmarr 4mo agoThis was the technique used by American Dad speedrunners. Unfortunately, speedrun.com banned it after years of controversy, since fast-forwarding videos doesn't count as a speedrun. Summoning Salt Documentary: https://youtu.be/yPvKhFXc7ck https://youtu.be/yPvKhFXc7ck
- tantalor 4mo agoThis is brilliant
- m463 4mo agobreak off the tab after you record it
- colechristensen 4mo agoIf it's funny enough they'll add it as a category, track it, and then ban it in the rest of the categories. "No major glitches" is a common sort of speedrun restriction.
- account42 4mo agoUltimately glitch-assisted speed runs are not a pre-defined category. Whatever the community agrees goes. The point is to have an interesting skill-based competition whether that skill is reaction time and precise inputs or finding exploits.
- shimman 4mo agoThis comment is how I find out there was a Platoon game based on the movie. Legit hilarious, and for a movie tie in game it doesn't look half bad! Like a mixture of Contra + those dungeon explorer RPGs around the time too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiXkbQ17frY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiXkbQ17frY
- aaron695 4mo ago[dead]