[Sonicandpals]

I'm trying to improve my time, I got a clip, and although the 2nd half was horrible (everything kind of went wrong), can you tell me how i'm doing on the first half?  I've improved my bounce attack and think it was a pretty good first half, but any constructive criticism or tips are appreciated ^.^

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3952840424491535178

Also, i've been watching paragod's time run, why does it seem like he initiates his speed ball faster, and it sounds higher pitched?  Is it just the audio or is there a trick that i'm missing?

[Stefan]

His spindash sounds higher pitched because he doesn't have the light shoe upgrade/because it's dreamcast version. (I don't knwo if the dreamcast version has a naturally high pitched spindash, but I know that not having light shoes does.)

 It's faster because he optimizes stuff auch as forward momentum. You do mostly everything in the first half correctly, it's just Paragod had perfect all of this stuff. Something that might be helpful to you is to work on timing when you're spindashing down the hills. You should know exactly when to let go, recharge, and the second you reach the new hill after a full charge, go down it. You should also do this down the truck. You go fastest in the truck section when you charge a new spindash pretty much for each hill.

[Sonicandpals]

Ahhh, that's why (was always curious). 

Thanks, I felt good doing that first half.  And yeah, Paragod's video was intense, not sure if i could ever beat that one, right now i'm struggling to just get under 2 minutes, maybe try to get in top 10 times or something.

Do you know though, is it worth it to go full spin power (because you slow down when you build up)?  Or do you loose time doing full power, and instead should do like 1/2 or 3/4 a full spin?

Thanks for all the help :)

[X-5]

you play just like I did when I was just starting out on SA2, only difference was I didn't know about the B+A homing attack thing for quite a while :P  .

The beginning was okay, you just need to practice it and you'll be timing everything just right, same with spindashing the hills, when I first discovered it I was all over the place, but  it only takes around 10-20 minutes to master it.

Just charge general spindashes for 1/2 a second, the ones on the hills don't worry about because odd are you've charged long enough just waiting to be at the next hill. when you start the truck, just charge for like 1/4 a second and let it go, the hill will do the rest.

I noticed on the rails you kept trying to do a bounce ball+homing attack which will screw you up, (this is probably why the beginning looked weird, and you missed the last rails so many times) just use the bounce ball only when it comes to any rails,or you won't ever beat me because homing attacking them is soo much slower. :P

the second half was really weird by the loop, but don't feel bad about missing the target with the ramp, it took me FOR-EVER to master that(I think I only ever started using it when I had around 1:49 because my I could never pull it off correctly)

The truck.. well, it's probably just ever so slightly slower to spindash each hill than it would be to just let it go, but the odds of not bouncing and wasting much more time is like 1/50, so anyone that wants to risk a potential 1:38 on such odds then go ahead, maybe you'll get 1:37!

Spindashing each hill probably seems hard at first because you can't see where your going(which is why I never started doing it until 1:41) but just look for signs, what I do for the first hill is hit the B button when I see the white car on the left side (from your perspective, not sonic's), pause for about 0.5 then do another spindash and I should get to the next hill, which my sign is the red car on the left side. The third and final hill is the easiest, because the sign is the ramp,  I don't think i've ever failed that one, the one I screw up the most is the first.


my spindashes are done without the lightdash, because on my main file I have the light attacking thing and it's so distracting it makes me screw up more so I played CE on a new file which didn't have the lightdash, but I didn't care because CE doesn't need it anyway, just the good ol' bounceball :)
and I don't use the DC version, it's next to impossible to get a flawless run on it because the controls are weird, if you hold up you'll be going left and right all over the place as well. (Basically, it's near impossible to go in a straight line at high speeds) probably why SM only has 2:10 on CE because DC has a huge disadvantage.

[Sonicandpals]

Thanks a lot :-) When i get my homework done and stuff, and get back on it and try out your suggestions, maybe for now i'm trying TOO hard to do everything perfect, I need to work more on my controlling.

Also, sorry about the poor video quality, I had to compress it to get it uploaded faster.  Normally when I do gameplay, i keep it the raw format that i record on (which is near perfect) and use google uploader (i use my DXG 521 Roadster camera media center, it is a camcorder camera mp3 video player radio all in one deelio, and has a A/V input to record on, i recommend them to anyone, 150 bucks, not perfect but it's a nice all around).

Thanks again for the help, it's really nice knowing that you take the time to help out, it is very honorable and greatly appreciated :)

[X-5]

no problem :) it's really nice knowing there's new people on the site that are actually smart and cool, instead of some of the people here trying to look cool by acting stupid and mean to everyone.

The quality seemed fine to me, it looked a little yellowish/greenish but it's still more than acceptable, i've seen much much worse.

maybe for now i'm trying TOO hard to do everything perfect, I need to work more on my controlling.

atleast you realize that it's a bad thing to try to do more than you can do, just do what you can consistently, and you'll get better much quicker than had you just tried inanely hard tricks without on your first try and failing them a majority of the time. anyone who follows this tip combined with determination, can get any record that they want, regardless of play level.

[Sonicandpals]

Hey, also, are you the type that goes through the entire level, even if you make a couple big mistakes, or are you like me and restarts a LOT when u screw up?  I am starting to think maybe it's better to do the entire level regardless so i learn on everything instead of just the beginning first...

oh, and phew -.-, improved a second lol, but majorly screwed up in an area.  Your "signs" on the hill really helps :)  Thanks man.

[X-5]

if i'm just starting a level i'll allow for some mistakes sure, from there when I play it again I just keep allowing less and less room for error, and somehow i'm able to judge how much I can screw up without having to restart to beat my current best time(sounds weird I know, but basically when I play I look at the timer every 2 seconds),

Often times i'll have target times, like let's say a  run up to point X would be 45 seconds, if I get there later than 45 seconds I know I should restart because i'm doing worse than my last play.  Eventually, I get to the point where 1 TINY mistake will make me have to restart, but the only levels that are like that at the moment are CE, green hill and maybe one or two metal harbor missions.

I wouldn't say that's the best way to go about it, but for me it is, it's not a good idea to perfect the beginning of the level and fail the end, just play through the whole thing fixing a single mistake at a time, and eventually you won't screw up there as often/if ever and it makes the level a whole lot easier.


I hope all that made sense.. if not I guess I could think of a better way to word it later or something.

[Sonicandpals]

It does.  Also, the area i keep getting hung up on is the stupid Gigantic drop.

I used to be able to jump the fence nad do that so easily, but now I can't seem to do it at all (i am not even trying ur corner of ramp bit lol, not that good yet).

Is there a secret or hint on how to do this easily?

yay 2:10 ^.^

Edit: I'm starting to improve on the first area, at the point where I crossed the gate that leads to the green hilly area, my time was only 5 seconds shy of Paragods ^.^

Edit2: Omg...i was on the truck chase and I accidently light speed dashed and I went through the wall and fell to my death O.o... and i got it on tape XD

[Stefan]

Yep, I've had that glitch happen to me plenty of times as well.

[yse]

When I play I have my own checkpoints which aren't necessarily (and generally are not) those that the game gives to you. It tends to be a time where there's little pressure being applied in the level which gives you a bit of time to quickly glance up at the timer. One of my targets in City Escape is 1'03 (which I can guarantee Paragod reaches in about 55 :P), so most runs that reach that point are around 1'03. Occasionally I'll get a 1'04 and throw it out, or a 1'01 and screw it up because I know I'm doing better than usual. I have about three or four of these checks in just about every level.

An insight into the mind of a speedrunner. :o

[Bilan]

^^I do that heh, and very rarely are my mental checkpoints near the real checkpoints <_<

[Waxwings]

Same.

I have checkpoints abound in Final Chase:

Right before I make the large jump, I try for 31. I don't always get that.
First actual checkpoint, 42, although I can squeeze a 41 out every so often.
Top of the barrel ascent I aim for 1:24.
By the slope with the light dashable rings, 1:53.
And the end checkpoint is roughly 2:25.

Yeah. I play that level too much. >_>
And I could still improve if I could get the latter parts down pat.
That's a good way to slowly work on a level.
I don't play CE too much, though I'm working on it. 2:19's my current time.
And sorry for just randomly rambling... I'll stop now.

[Sonicandpals]

2:08:82 ^.^  I improved my time by 5 seconds today, and my speed run i was alreayd running behind some lol due to mistakes, and I still didn't get a good jump into the giant drop, if i can get htat I know i can get under 2

Edit:  2:07!  I'll upload this new one, I sitll didn't make the ledge right >.> and had a small screw up in a copule spots, i'll show u the video when it's uploaded.  :)

Edit 2:  here it is :)  i kept it raw so the video should be good.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5715084794540169579

[Sonicandpals]

I finally actually did the ramp -> wall -> over fence and bounce thingy finally, although i'm still working on it.  If I can do that with my other ones, i know i can get under 2 minutes, and hopefully soon get in the top 10.

[X-5]

looking pretty good, once you clean up the errors like bouncing on that one hill and master the ramp I wouldn't be suprised if you start getting under 1:50 soon.

on the building descent, an alternative to the ramp strategy and spindash strategy is to run up the loop, then jump off when you touch the side of the building, and as long as you don't do a homing attack until your about to hit the ground you'll fall pretty quick, and it's easy to do so it should work well until you get the ramp down.

[Sonicandpals]

I'll give it a shot :-)  It will help get my average time down, so far on a good run i pass the fence into the green field at about 1:03, even got a 1:00 one time.  I also got permission to upload, once i get my top 10 spot i'll upload the video.  Thanks again Paragod

[Sonicandpals]

Man oh man!  I beat my record on a mission I BOTCHED.  I screwed up quiet a few things int he beginning, but i pulled a PERFECT truck run, MAN that helps with time.  So far I have done each area near perfect, just not in the same run lol >.> If only I could put it all togehter I know i could get in the top 15, if not top 10....

Current record: 2:06 (sadly). 

[Conker T. Squirrel]

My advice, at the ramp berfore you run down the building control your a button so you to go too far or too low. Also in the truck area don't press b after every spindash. Also control you b+a move. I also tried to sub 2:00 but I mearly got 2:24.