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Super Mario 64 – Watch for Rolling Rocks – 0.5x a Presses [video]

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Re: Super Mario 64 – Watch for Rolling Rocks – 0.5x a Presses [video]

#31

Post by hn92726819 »

Waterluvian wrote: post #5
tialaramex wrote: post #3

This video also explains what a 0.5 A press ("Half A-press") is and why they care. Because Mario64 doesn't care about releases, the runners don't distinguish releases, you can always choose not to release A and so if you're doing this run (fewest A presses) you would only ever release in order to press A again. In a live setting commentators might briefly explain what a 0.5 A "means" but without this explanation to h…

keydown + keyup = keypress On the surface, yeah, it’s immediately like, “what the heck is 0.5?” But it’s just semantics.

Did you watch the intro? It's more than semantics. It doesn't come from (key down+key up)/2, it comes from the fact it counts as 0 in a full game run, and 1 in isolation. He even specifically says "as for the release, there are no cases where that's useful or important" (paraphrased).

Re: Super Mario 64 – Watch for Rolling Rocks – 0.5x a Presses [video]

#32

Post by fullshark »

macromaniac wrote: post #28

Can anyone recommend other rabbit hole videos like the parents? It can be in any topic. I love these types of videos that show just how deep things are. https://youtu.be/_hjRvZYkAgA is my current favorite.

Karl Jobst speed running videos

Re: Super Mario 64 – Watch for Rolling Rocks – 0.5x a Presses [video]

#36

Post by OatmealDome »

NotYourLawyer wrote: post #16

I remember seeing one of his videos years ago about half-A presses. Did it ever catch on as something other people in the speedrunning (or whatever this is) community care about? I kinda assume not…

A press notation is really only something used within the A Button Challenge, since the point of the challenge is to optimize for lowest A press count. Other categories don't do this, so they have no use for it.

That being said, like other lines from this video, it's definitely become a bit of a meme in the community.

Re: Super Mario 64 – Watch for Rolling Rocks – 0.5x a Presses [video]

#37

Post by hoherd »

tialaramex wrote: post #3

This video also explains what a 0.5 A press ("Half A-press") is and why they care. Because Mario64 doesn't care about releases, the runners don't distinguish releases, you can always choose not to release A and so if you're doing this run (fewest A presses) you would only ever release in order to press A again. In a live setting commentators might briefly explain what a 0.5 A "means" but without this explanation to h…

> Because Mario64 doesn't care about releases

Is that really true though? If it cares about holding, such as in gliding in the air, then it necessarily cares about not holding, such as being in the air but not gliding, and the way to transition from being in the air gliding to being in the air not gliding is to release.

Is that wrong? I've only ever played M64 for like 5 minutes, but it's been on my list and I keep urging my children to get into it as a way for me to find the time to get into it too.

Re: Super Mario 64 – Watch for Rolling Rocks – 0.5x a Presses [video]

#38

Post by VoodooJuJu »

Going to go on a semi-related rant.

The youtuber does a bit of complaining about how people keep asking something he's ostensibly answered. Even does that "well, akshyually, I said that right here in the man page (comments section) if only you would RTFM".

This is important: if the user (customer, patron, etc.) is repeatedly doing something "wrong", then it's not they who are wrong, it's you, your design, your inadequate explanation, etc.

On top of that, the whining and blame directed at the user for not conforming to your own internal model is just so unwarranted and does nothing to help your case here. It's pure self-cope for not doing a better job at explaining, designing, etc.

Empathize!

I know it's hard for nerds to do this, especially when they so often feel the opposite, that they not only don't lack empathy, they feel they have more than the average person. How wrong they are! Consider that maybe you're wrong and the customer is right. Adapt to their world view rather than trying to get them to conform to yours. You might be so deeply immersed in your domain that what you consider common wisdom is a foreign language to others. Again, empathize! And you use that empathy to improve your communication, design, etc.

I think engineers and designers really need to hear this stuff because there's just so much user-blame, whining, bad interfaces, and bad communication out there that doesn't have to be bad, if only the nerd-engineer would cultivate some empathy and humility.

Re: Super Mario 64 – Watch for Rolling Rocks – 0.5x a Presses [video]

#39

Post by rvnx »

sgarman wrote: post #25

Is this the perfect youtube video? Amazing Mario soundtrack in the background and gameplay visuals. Home made charts that VISUALLY show what's going on. AUDIO voice commentary explaining what you see. References to other youtube videos and commenters. Detailed, insanely knowledgeable, not selling me anything, created for love not for viewers. IDK this is peak youtube for me.

"Starting the level while holding the A button and not pressing the A button again" could be easier to understand
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