Oracle of Ages/Seasons [GBC] - All Categories

Probably the least popular of all the GB games, but still great games regardless.

As of right now, the only speed run between the two games is a segmented any% by Tompa.  The run is almost four years old, so we need something new.

The games are relatively unbreakable, the majority of the glitches are TAS-only.  The seasons route should suffice for now, and Tompa is currently doing the route planning for an Ages run.  I'm planning to run Ages, so hopefully this will generate a bit more interest for the games, as well as the rest of the GB Zelda games.

BTW, TAS WIPs of both games are available on the TASvideos forum.

Runs in progress:
Ages - any%

I really like this games. They aren't as good as OoT or MM, but they are quite good.

Btw peteyboo started an OoA run. He hasn't uploaded any segment for 4 month and I don't know if he is still doing the run, but it looks not bad.

Just watched the segments, they look quite well done.  He missed a couple small tricks, but he lost maybe a second combined, probably much less.

Just got the OoA cartridge.  I've already seen a couple of savewarp points, so I'm gonna go ahead and start the run without Tompa's route.  Though, to be honest, I have a volleyball tournament tomorrow and half of Saturday, so I imagine I'll start the run on Saturday afternoon.  Hopefully I'll have a finished route by then, but if I don't, it's no biggie.

Just read this and was reminded to fix up the route and stuff, I'll start working on it right away  :P.
My old and sucky Testrun shows most of how the route will look like. I still need to plan out other things like the use of seeds, mainly pegasus and ember seeds, and the use bombs.

Thanks for this again.

I need to watch that test run, but I saw the Swordless' TAS, and with my continued effort at 3 hearting this sucker,  I can tell this'll be hard.

Savewarping is so damn helpful in this game, most of the dungeons are probably going to be 4 - 5 segments long.  Savewarping is so damn broken in this game, you can even change back and forth through time if you play right (after getting the sea chart, for instance).

Segment 1 is done, I'll put the video up shortly.

Which do you guys think is the better option: getting 60 rupees from chests/ along the way through the run, or digging up a 100 rupee piece on my way to Maku Road (this could take hours due to rarity, but will likely save 30 seconds)?

I'd be getting the rupee on the first dig, no exceptions, because I can literally dig 10-15 seconds into the segment, and I can put in a save at the beginning of Maku Road.

Don't take any rupee chests at least. You should easily be able to get the 80 rupees you need from enemy drops. But if you managed to dig up a 100 rupee on your first try, sure.

I haven't worked much on the route yet, have so many other projects I want to do. But here's what I've done so far.

Segment 1
Talk to the bear last so you don't need to speak to it twice.
If you press start or select when the music is about to stop, the music will continue. Useless, but hey :).
Half the segment is cutscenes, so just spam A+B.
Save after the Shovel has been obtained.

Segment 2
Go to the Maku Road.
Push button, fall down the hole. Open the chest, fall down the hole.
After the Maku Tree has been saved, go to the right to get to the graveyard, ignore the 30 rupee chest.
Save at Spirit's Grave.

Segment 3
Grab the Power Ring L-1.
In the room with the moving platform before the miniboss, push the block instead of wait.
Grab the Power Bracelet and S&Q.

Segment 4
Go left to get the Big Key.
Do a one round kill against the boss.
Save after the dungeon is finished.

Segment 5
Head to Vasu to appraise the Power Ring L-1 and put it on you. Equip it during an item switch.
Go to the forest and play with the fairies
Navigate like this:
Right, down. First fairy.
Up, down, up, down, up. Second fairy.
Up. Third fairy.
Lift the rock to the dungeon and S&Q.

Haven't tried segment 2 (just got GCN Twilight Princess), but I'll think about it.

Also, would a save after the boss key in Spirit's Grave save any time?

Read again.... It's before the Boss Key, not after it.
Overall, I'm not good at using S&Qs to save time, as I hardly ever do that when I play the game normally. So I'm pretty sure that someone else could make that part better.

Tompa wrote

Read again.... It's before the Boss Key, not after it.

I meant using both...  I'll time it when I get there.

Oh damn.

I got the 100 rupee piece, no joke. :)

Segment 2 is now done, I think I should be able to get 3 done today as well.

Me wants videos :D.
And get your ass on IRC =P.

First 3 segments are up on youtube, 4th will be up shortly.

BTW, should I try and 3 heart this game, or take some HCs along the way?  The L-1 Power Ring makes it so I die in 4 hits at 3 hearts, and I'm currently sitting at a half heart remaining near the end of the first dungeon.

Run Playlist

EDIT: On second thought, segment 4 looks very messy to me (despite beating petey's old segment by about a second), so I'll redo that.

After around 2 and a half hours of practice, I haven't hit an SC.  I've discovered an alternate method, but the new method costs a couple of seconds over a true SC.

Instead of throwing the head away and then killing the spirit before it gets back into the head (which I can't do), I hit it once, quickly pick up and throw the head again, and deal the remaining three hits when it tries to get into the head again.

Do you guys see this as an acceptable alternative, or should I keep trying for the "true" SC?

Also, Heart Container or no?  I need this one answered ASAP.

For the boss fight: Try to use the tactic the TAS and my testrun used, it really isn't that hard to pull it off.

You could take some Heart Containers I guess. The one in Wing Dungeon is the fastest one to take. I doubt that you'll need all of them.

And don't really expect anyone else except me to help you out with the run, as I don't think that most people have enough interest of experience with the game.

I haven't got much time to work on the route and such now, lots of stuff to do including homework, but I'll try to get it done eventually.

Phew, finally got it.  Took the HC to recover health.

I'll have it up soon, along with a reupload of all my other segments to fix the minor cropping issue (ie the top being cut off)

I tried to do some sequence breaks with the warp glitch, but there are a few pixels away from being possible. That would be if you manage to pitwalk for about 4 frames while the rest before it is frame perfect as well, but I doubt it :P.

Anyway, I've started a testrun and played up to Moonlit Grotto. Can be seen here. I'm going to write down stuff as well, but now you'll have something to work with.
There should have been a save before the Wing Dungeon, but I just forgot.
And I'm unsure if the puzzle at the end of Wing Dungeon is optimal, I just did what I usually do there. So feel free to try different strategies.

Can't watch the Testrun atm because microstorage is down...

I was trying to bomb boost over holes, but the only times I got completely over were on deaths...  I'm pretty sure it's impossible or ridiculously hard/frame-perfect.

Oh, added the playlist link to the first post.

I'm loving the run so far, keep up the good work!

Finally, a decent segment 9.
Will upload ASAP.

Thanks Tompa and Blizz. 8)

Oh, btw, time after segment 9 is 22:22.337...

Looked good. Enjoy the Wing Dungeon, the reason why I quit my run awhile ago.

I'm going to continue on my testrun as well.

Tompa wrote

Looked good. Enjoy the Wing Dungeon, the reason why I quit my run awhile ago.

I'm going to continue on my testrun as well.

It's the fourth that's gonna suck.  This should be nothing. :)

I spent an hour and a half failing to get a sub-minute segment...  God I hate using the shovel.

Also, I've looked at the boss fights, and I've made a shortlist of the best and worst HCs to get.

In order, from best to worst:
Head Thwomp (Wing Dungeon/2)
TIED: Pumpkin Head (Spirit's Grave/1) and Eyesoar (Skull Dungeon/4)
Smog (Crown Dungeon/5)
Shadow Hag (Moonlit Grotto/3)
Plasmarine (Jabu Jabu's Belly/7)
Ramrock (Ancient Ruins/8)
Octogon (Mermaid's Cave/6)

The one in Wing Dungeon is extremely close to the ladder down, therefore a must take (as we are using HCs due to the overwhelming number of damage source, as well as your frail health due to the L-1 Power Ring).  Spirit's Grave and Skull Dungeon's HCs have the door located at the top of the screen, which is a shorter distance than the side.  Smog's door to the essence is located on the upper wall, but there is a block in the way.

The remainder of the bosses all have their doors located to either the right or the left.  Shadow Hag wins out because you are walking as opposed to swimming (swimming's slow acceleration makes it slower than walking over such a short distance, as I am an awful button masher).  Plasmarine's is also a straight shot, but uses swimming.  Ramrock's is located to the left and down from the HC spawn location, making the distance slightly more than the other two.  Octogon takes last because you should win the fight underwater, skipping the death scene and therefore (hopefully) putting you close to the door upon his death.  If said fight finishes on the left side of the screen, the HC becomes a very good choice.

I sound like a fucking TASer, I dont think the difference between the fastest and the shortest is any more than a couple seconds.

EDIT: I just bought Seasons and LA off Ebay, so if you guys are open to it, I wouldn't mind tackling both Ages and one of the others, and both desperately need new runs.

Tompa: I will make you a guarantee: if I beat your Seasons run, you don't have to worry about paying me that $20 bounty you posted on SDA. :)

Don't forget that you can use the Pegasus seeds for the later HCs :P. Not that is that worthy to use one there though. I don't think you should take more than two HCs, it should be plenty enough.

Would be awesome if you did any of those two as well. Makikng a sub 2 hours OoS run is simple, I'm just putting up the bounty so that I could easier get rid of the run from SDA.

Good luck with WD.

I'm in a bit of a predicament here.  I got a segment 10 with a time of 50 seconds, due to only OK luck manipulation with the last room.  The spikes could have gone maybe a quarter second faster, I'm not stressed over that.

The major problem is I'm down to half a heart health.  Do I let you guys see it and manipulate some health in the next segment (which should be a great deal easier than this one), or try again until I emerge with a bit more health?

Any and all input would be appreciated.  Just pointing out that a hit from anything will kill me right now.

It should be that hard to get hearts in the next segment, as there are several of ropes and keese to kill and it is easy to not take damage. And it's a very short segment as well.
However, if you think it looked bad that you took that much damage in the previous segment, and that you think you can improve it further, why not try it? If you aren't able to do it, then just keep on going.

SD2 wrote

Improved 'er by a second.

EDIT: Seg 11 is done and on youtube.  I'm too lazy to post the link, so find it yourself.

I'm usually finding them on Youtube first anyway, and if I have something worthy to say I'll write it here or else just make a stupid comment like I did this time :P.
Only minor things would be to pick up the bomb earlier and to not delay at the moving block.