27 replies to this topic

[Matt]

We all know that Rock Raiders is about exploring, building huge bases and collecting as many resources as possible, but I did wonder how fast you could actually complete the levels if you focussed solely on the objective.

The following is the results of a SpeedRun of every level in the orginal Rock Raiders game. This means that there was no debugging or modifications used at all; just the plain, unmodded, original game. However, I will admit that I did use maxed Raiders (i.e. max tool capacity and trained in everything) for every level.

Spoiler

1. Driller Night

Spoiler

Time: 2min, 07sec

2. The Path to Power

Spoiler

Time: 5min, 28sec
(Note: Chief is still dark because I forgot to take a screenie and this was the last frame of my video.)

3. Rubble Trouble!

Spoiler

Time: 2min, 14sec
(Note: Chief is still dark because I took the Screenie too early and exited the level before I realised)

4. A Breath of Fresh Air

Spoiler

Time: 7min, 03sec

5. It's A Hold Up

Spoiler

Time: 3min, 54sec

6. Explosive Action

Spoiler

Time: 5min, 11sec

7. Search 'n' Rescue

Spoiler

Time: 7min, 43sec

8. Breathless

Spoiler

Time: 2min, 06sec

9. Frozen Frenzy

Spoiler

Time: 10min, 47sec

10. Erode Works

Spoiler

Time: 12min, 20sec

11. Water Lot of Fun

Spoiler

Time: 5min, 31sec

12. Water Works

Spoiler

Time: 6min, 51sec

13. Rock Hard

Spoiler

Time: 14min, 24sec

14. Don't Panic!

Spoiler

Time: 6min, 20sec

15. Ice Spy

Spoiler

Time: 18min, 41sec

16. Split Down the Middle

Spoiler

Time: 6min, 56sec

17. Lava Laughter

Spoiler

Time: 10min, 10sec

18. Oresome!

Spoiler

Time: 10min, 09sec

19. Fire 'n' Water

Spoiler

Time: 26min, 12sec

20. Run the Gauntlet

Spoiler

Time: 4min, 04sec

21. Air Raiders

Spoiler

Time: 20min, 11sec

22. Lake of Fire

Spoiler

Time: 17min, 03sec

23. Back to Basics

Spoiler

Time: 13min 05sec

24. Hot Stuff

Spoiler

Time: 19min, 01sec

25. Rocky Horror

Spoiler

Time: 27min, 02sec

Total Time: 4hr, 24min, 33sec
However, some may consider a SpeedRun to be just from Driller Night to Rocky Horror, so you can shorten the time if you just count the times of only the levels on the left (i.e. only the levels neccessary to progress further down the level tree).

Left-Hand Levels Time: 2hr, 15min, 30sec

I also recorded every speedrun that I completed, and so have created the following compilation videos out of them: http://www.youtube.c...9A489277373242F

By all means view this as a challenge, and see if you can beat any of my times. My Runs were nowhere near perfect, and I'm sure there's a few minutes in some levels that can be gained by being more efficient. Just be warned that it can be frustrating in some levels, with Rock Raiders choosing their moments to be unresponsive/not follow orders. Same goes for bats, which are the epitome of making your time slower.

NOTE: By increasing the game speed, you aren't being more efficient. The game timer speeds up to correspond to the game speed, and so you can achieve these SpeedRun times (and probably beat them) at normal/lowest game speed. I did all the levels at or almost at max speed, as I was trying to get through all of them in a day.

Also be aware that if you want to restart a level (and the timer) don't do it through the Esc menu ingame. If you restart the level from there, the timer won't reset, and when you eventually finish the level, the timer will display the time from when you first entered the level on the first attempt. I have yet to work out if when you bring up the Esc menu, whether it pauses the timer, but I'm doubting it. If you want to reset the timer, you have to quit the level properly, and re-enter it from the level tree.

---

So yea, that's another thread for me. If people like this sort of thing and want to get competitive, I guess I could arrange some sort of scoreboard, but for now, it's just discussion.

~Matt

[Lair of Rockwhales]

This also applies as proof for him to win the all levels done whatever award.

Nice run... but how the heck did you do Back to evil Basics in 13 minutes?

[Matt]

Lair of Rockwhales, on 23 January 2011 - 10:54 PM, said:

This also applies as proof for him to win the all levels done whatever award.

Nice run... but how the heck did you do Back to evil Basics in 13 minutes?

You'll see once I get the videos up, but my strategy was fairly simple:

• Build support station and collect a few crystals around base.
  
• Build Tunnel Scout
  
• Open main cavern and then quickly drill the two walls to the crystal island cavern
  
• Try to ignore any monsters (I did reinforce the hard rock walls around my base to prevent them from emerging there), but have laser beams if needed
  
• Fly Tunnel Scout to island
  
• Clear rubble and build power path + tool store
  
• Teleport up all buildings in base (apart from Tool store) to get crystals from there (and prevent slugs from draining)
  
• Use a few Raiders to collect crystals there and then teleport up all other raiders
  
• Start collecting on island and teleport down all raiders there once base's crystals are collected and tool store is teleported
  
• Collect 45 crystals
  
• Win level in 13 minutes

This strategy could be refined to be even faster. I realise I didn't actually need to teleport up my buildings, just turn the power off, as I had more than enough crystals on the island. A few things like that could make it to even a sub-10 minute time. I did most of the levels in only a few attempts, and watching back over them, I can see room for improvement in all of them.

EDIT: I have now created 5 compilation videos with all of the speedruns in them: http://www.youtube.c...9A489277373242F
Watch part 5 for the speedrun of Back to Basics.

[ftgsarge]

This makes you think just how much does time play a role in the final level score.

[Matt]

Indeed... did anyone find out how the score actually worked?

I remember a thread a long time ago (probably on old forums) about how it was impossible on a couple of levels (Run the Gauntlet?) to get over 50% due to some error in the cfg, so I'm wondering if people made any further discoveries down that track...

If no one knows, I guess it could be a question for Karl...

[Lair of Rockwhales]

Matt, on 28 January 2011 - 11:44 PM, said:

Indeed... did anyone find out how the score actually worked?

I remember a thread a long time ago (probably on old forums) about how it was impossible on a couple of levels (Run the Gauntlet?) to get over 50% due to some error in the cfg, so I'm wondering if people made any further discoveries down that track...

If no one knows, I guess it could be a question for Karl...

I need to write a guide on that. It's tricky because it's divided up into various sections. The score bases of different things per level (like maybe 40% crystals, 20% ore, 20% air left, 20% Time taken). The time taken is the hardest part as i the units are a bit strange.

Question for Karl: what screwed on RtG so that it said you needed to collect crystals to get 100% when there are NO CRYSTALS

[Cyrem]

That is quite impressive Matt. I used to spend hours doing some of those levels (when I was young and inexperienced) and you've done most in under 20 minutes. Really shows how short the game really is and how some certain tricks allow you to complete the levels with ease.

[Matt]

Cyrem, on 29 January 2011 - 12:59 PM, said:

That is quite impressive Matt. I used to spend hours doing some of those levels (when I was young and inexperienced) and you've done most in under 20 minutes. Really shows how short the game really is and how some certain tricks allow you to complete the levels with ease.

Yea well, if it's any consolation, I was the same when I was young and inexperienced. Come to think of it, it's probably because of all the time I spent playing Rock Raiders back then, that I am as fluent and competent with the game.

I know that Lair is now attempting to beat my SpeedRun, but is anyone else? Either way, I am contemplating creating a scoreboard of sorts... anyone's thoughts on that? (I.e. should I be creating a separate thread or sticking with this one?)

[Amauros]

I think a separate thread with a score sheet would be better. You could use the bbcode table to show the name of the level and the time to beat.

[Lair of Rockwhales]

Level Name, Time to beat, who set the record. THat's how it should go.

[Amauros]

Oh yeah, I forgot you should also include the record holder lol.

[Matt]

Thanks for the feedback. This is my attempt to create a BBCode table: (I used a BBCode Table Generator to help me)

Spoiler

Level	Current Record	Record Holder
1. Driller Night	2min, 7sec	Matt
2. The Path to Power	5min, 28sec	Matt
3. Rubble Trouble!	2min, 14sec	Matt
4. A Breath of Fresh Air	7min, 03sec	Matt
5. It's A Hold Up	3min, 54sec	Matt
6. Explosive Action	5min, 11sec	Matt
7. Search 'n' Rescue	7min, 43sec	Matt
8. Breathless	2min, 06sec	Matt
9. Frozen Frenzy	10min, 47sec	Matt
10. Erode Works	12min, 20sec	Matt
11. Water Lot of Fun	5min, 31sec	Matt
12. Water Works	6min, 51sec	Matt
13. Rock Hard	14min, 24sec	Matt
14. Don't Panic!	6min, 20sec	Matt
15. Ice Spy	18min, 41sec	Matt
16. Split Down the Middle	6min, 56sec	Matt
17. Lava Laughter	10min, 10sec	Matt
18. Oresome!	10min, 09sec	Matt
19. Fire 'n' Water	26min, 12sec	Matt
20. Run the Gauntlet	4min, 04sec	Matt
21. Air Raiders	20min, 11sec	Matt
22. Lake of Fire	17min, 03sec	Matt
23. Back to Basics	13min, 05sec	Matt
24. Hot Stuff	19min, 01sec	Matt
25. Rocky Horror	27min, 02sec	Matt

A few questions regarding it though, that I'm hoping people will be able to help with:

• If you look at my code, you'll see that it's all squashed into one line, as before when there were spaces and new lines, I ended up with a huge space at the top. Is there anyway to make the code more organised without having a huge space at the top?
  
• Is there a way to change the title/header of the title? (I.e. where it says "&#91")?
  
• Is there an easy way to change the column widths to make them more evenly spread? (I.e. the middle time column is all squashed when the other two have loads of space.)

As a final note to Moderators/Cyrem, where would be the most appropriate place for a 'scoreboard' type thread to go? If no one told me otherwise, I think I would post it in this 'game guides' forum, basically because it doesn't belong anywhere else.

[Tracker]

I'll do a speedrun for my custom levels when they're sorted out and uploaded. I'll TRY not to use mining lasers, but no promises. I'll have to reupload The Logical Step so you'll have the same Granite Grinders and Chrome Crushers.

[Lair of Rockwhales]

Tracked Mbl Lsr Cttr, on 31 January 2011 - 02:50 AM, said:

I'll do a speedrun for my custom levels when they're sorted out and uploaded. I'll TRY not to use mining lasers, but no promises. I'll have to reupload The Logical Step so you'll have the same Granite Grinders and Chrome Crushers.

This topic is for ORIGINAL level speedruns, sir.

[Pyro]

Tracked Mbl Lsr Cttr, on 31 January 2011 - 02:50 AM, said:

I'll do a speedrun for my custom levels when they're sorted out and uploaded. I'll TRY not to use mining lasers, but no promises. I'll have to reupload The Logical Step so you'll have the same Granite Grinders and Chrome Crushers.

Why is not using mining lasers needed? And what do you mean by the same GGs and CCs?

[Tracker]

Well, they're now more powerful than a Chrome Crusher's drill because the drill time as second and not cycles as it appears now to be.

[Lair of Rockwhales]

Tracked Mbl Lsr Cttr, on 31 January 2011 - 09:31 PM, said:

Well, they're now more powerful than a Chrome Crusher's drill because the drill time as second and not cycles as it appears now to be.

And again, what does this have to do with speed runs of the original game?

[Matt]

Thanks for the spam/off-topicness...

Now back to On-Topic

Is anyone able to help me with the BBCode table? It would be useful to correct/improve it before I start making a proper scoreboard.

BTW Lair: I see you're steadily beating most of my SpeedRuns. I'm assuming you have screenshots and/or video of each of them? I'll make it a rule to have preferably both for it to count on my scoreboard. (Maybe you could start posting them as well to give me/other people a new target to aim for.) I also look forward to you reaching the later levels where it did take me awhile, as you actually have to build a base to get an air supply, as you can't just collect before it runs out. Did slow me down a lot... will be interesting to see how you cope.

[Lair of Rockwhales]

Matt, on 01 February 2011 - 03:22 AM, said:

I'm assuming you have screenshots and/or video of each of them? I'll make it a rule to have preferably both for it to count on my scoreboard.

Ah, alright. I'll take screenshots of the levels when I'm at the reward screen. I need to redo the videos anyways, they're lag-filled.

[CTXXTC]

Dang it! You beat me by 3 seconds on driller night