Drew Weatherton | Mario Kart 64 - Luigi Raceway New Japan-Only Shortcut WR Progression @weatherton | Uploaded 3 years ago | Updated 6 hours ago
For the last several months, I've been collaborating with Forest64 on better understanding how wall collisions in Mario Kart 64. On 28-January 2021, Forest64 mentioned that he "found something interesting." We had been focused on going THROUGH walls but Forest64 noticed that if you're traveling fast enough you can go far enough into a wall to interact with the surface behind it. On the Japanese version of Mario Kart 64's Luigi Raceway, there is a surface behind the gray wall with a useful section designation that allows full lap skips.
This new trick does not have a known useful application on other courses but may ultimately help us achieve a time trials Moo Moo Farm shortcut. Check out more details on this and other "drive through walls" tricks in the new Bismuth video (youtu.be/2_uRIyAgtpE) that Forest64, micro500 and I collaborated on.
On January 29th and 30th I did two RTA sessions to see what I could get on console. Forest64 had already gotten a rough 3/3 on emulator playing with a keyboard so it seemed reasonable that I should be able to set some times on console. During those sessions I achieved the following records:
00:00 14"76 flap WR (first hit ever was a 2/3, I could have had 3-lap WR if I hadn't gone for 3/3)
02:10 13"75 flap WR
04:23 1'08"48 3-lap WR, accepting 2/2
06:17 13"61 flap WR
07:01 10"50 flap WR
09:00 1'03"38 3-lap + 8"94 flap double WR
10:30 54"30 3-lap WR, first 3/3
Note: sorry for the audio issues on some of the runs, I was using a new HDMI capture card and had some settings a bit off (OBS was still looking for the analog capture source I'd previously used).
For the last several months, I've been collaborating with Forest64 on better understanding how wall collisions in Mario Kart 64. On 28-January 2021, Forest64 mentioned that he "found something interesting." We had been focused on going THROUGH walls but Forest64 noticed that if you're traveling fast enough you can go far enough into a wall to interact with the surface behind it. On the Japanese version of Mario Kart 64's Luigi Raceway, there is a surface behind the gray wall with a useful section designation that allows full lap skips.
This new trick does not have a known useful application on other courses but may ultimately help us achieve a time trials Moo Moo Farm shortcut. Check out more details on this and other "drive through walls" tricks in the new Bismuth video (youtu.be/2_uRIyAgtpE) that Forest64, micro500 and I collaborated on.
On January 29th and 30th I did two RTA sessions to see what I could get on console. Forest64 had already gotten a rough 3/3 on emulator playing with a keyboard so it seemed reasonable that I should be able to set some times on console. During those sessions I achieved the following records:
00:00 14"76 flap WR (first hit ever was a 2/3, I could have had 3-lap WR if I hadn't gone for 3/3)
02:10 13"75 flap WR
04:23 1'08"48 3-lap WR, accepting 2/2
06:17 13"61 flap WR
07:01 10"50 flap WR
09:00 1'03"38 3-lap + 8"94 flap double WR
10:30 54"30 3-lap WR, first 3/3
Note: sorry for the audio issues on some of the runs, I was using a new HDMI capture card and had some settings a bit off (OBS was still looking for the analog capture source I'd previously used).
![[TAS] Mario Kart 64 - Toads Turnpike SC Flap 430](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/eJ62BHCnxuI/hqdefault.jpg "[TAS] Mario Kart 64 - Toads Turnpike SC Flap 430
This is a brand new fast lap strategy that only works on the Japanese 1.0 version of the game. This strategy was another collaboration between Forest64 and me. It works by crossing the finish line and then crossing back over the finish line but getting stuck in the wall on the same frame. So, this is a frame perfect trick (at least the part where you cross back over the finish line). It may be possible to get 427 but this may always soft lock the game as it means you finish a lap on the same frame as you get stuck.")
![[TAS] Mario Kart 64 - DKJP Outer Fence Miniturbo / Playaround](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/eK-gC83Uf7U/hqdefault.jpg "[TAS] Mario Kart 64 - DKJP Outer Fence Miniturbo / Playaround
Had to try to get an MT on the fence on the other side.")
![[TAS] Mario Kart 64, DKJP Non-SC(?) Strategy](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/eUTD9fKJS9U/hqdefault.jpg "[TAS] Mario Kart 64, DKJP Non-SC(?) Strategy
Poll at http://www.mariokart64.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1376855161 if you want to vote.
Is this an acceptable Non-SC Strategy? I wonder what people think. I TASed this at this years Kart 64 / Goldeneye Virginia meet and a majority of the folks I showed it to thought it should be classified non-shortcut strategy. By my interpretation of the shortcut definition for the Mario Kart 64 speedrunning community, this appears to be a non-shortcut strategy to me. It also happens to be over a second faster than racing this section with the standard strategy.
For reference, here is the official description of shortcut versus non-shortcut racing on http://www.mariokart64.com/mk64/faq.shtml :
What is a shortcut?
The principle of shortcuts actually started with the first kart (SMK). They were originally called tricks and were not distinguished from other times in SMK. At this MK64 site, we distinguish and separate non-SC and SC races and reserve the right to ask for proof. Anyhow, here it is guys.
- Jumping over ANY walls or fences. (LR, KD, TT, CM, MR, WS, DK, YV, RRo)
- Using the assistance of lakitu in any fashion. (TT, FS, RRa, DK, YV)
I would also like to answer the next logical question. What is legal in Non-Shortcut Racing?
- Cutting Grass or Sand either on flat ground or hills.
- Jumping unobstructed cracks or gaps.
- Using preprogrammed routes that were intended by the programmers such as KTBs tunnel.")
![[TAS] Mario Kart 64 - MMF GP SC, No Lakitu, No Pause Proof of Concept](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ezf5vDIsbgc/hqdefault.jpg "[TAS] Mario Kart 64 - MMF GP SC, No Lakitu, No Pause Proof of Concept
Sharing this because Ive referred to it in a few chats. This was something Forest and I figured was possible but hadnt confirmed. I actually did this proof of concept back in August, about two months before we discovered pausing strats.
This works because Im only within the out-of-bounds area on one frame (yes the grass I touch is coded a out-of-bounds), a physics frame where Im on the ground. Its actually barely possible to do it, but it saves a lot of time (especially in one player) because you dont have to spend time getting stuck and put down by Lakitu or rapidly pausing.
Assuming good CPU timing at end of lap 1 or 2, this is faster for 3-lap. Though 2-player pausing would get faster in-game time than this. Its worth noting even the 5858 2-player pausing TAS (which was done pretty quickly and could definitely be improved) is faster than the old TAS in real-time.
Also, note that the real-time could be improved by sacrificing in-game time. This is possible because normally each pause takes 3 frames (start, release, start) but each pause can actually be done in two frames (pause without A held, press A). So, especially in situations where you have a mushroom active, you can either not hold A at all (other than to un-pause) or you tap A every other frame (during the other players pause). Thus, that would speed-up real-time by roughly 33%. One other thing to note, its possible to spend less time off road on the last shortcut in that 5858, I just basically didnt feel like doing it because its a pain (involves a bounce off the fence, past the bridge).")
![[TAS] CM Lap Skip Alternate Approach Testing; Bowser (~2.0X Potential)](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/fluKdi0P5RI/hqdefault.jpg "[TAS] CM Lap Skip Alternate Approach Testing; Bowser (~2.0X Potential)
Acute angle Weathertenko strat.")
![[TAS] Mario Kart 64 - New Fastest Sharp Turn MT Strat (Jump MT)](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/hFrOyAKNGmI/hqdefault.jpg "[TAS] Mario Kart 64 - New Fastest Sharp Turn MT Strat (Jump MT)
Quick demonstration showing that its faster to jump once you release a mini-turbo when entering a sharp turn. I have the input visible on the top left of the screen.")
![[TAS] Mario Kart 64 - New GP Shortcut on Banshee Boardwalk](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/hUcRonYeQwc/hqdefault.jpg "[TAS] Mario Kart 64 - New GP Shortcut on Banshee Boardwalk
By going around the first corner, you can trick the game into thinking youre making forward progress even when jumping back towards the finish line. You just have to stay outside the course until you get past the finish line for the lap to count.")
