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Comment by wynnvonn | Hacker News Reader

Dodging the f*ing lightning in the desert area of FFX. I spent hours in that section as a kid, never managing to dodge more than 20 bolts in a row... When it came out for PC, it was time for revenge!

I captured video input with a simple python+QT script and emitted a button-press whenever the screen flashed. The best part was that the script didn't interfere with my controller - I could run around the area opening chests and battling random encounters, all the while getting closer to the 100-contiguous-dodges prize!

Sure - a memory editor would have had the same effect in 5% of the time - but this was _way_ more rewarding.

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On the video game kick, I remember needing to do a massive number of laps in Gran Turismo 3 to unlock something.

Turns out the low-tech solution of using an insanely fast car (Escudo), taping down the controller's gas button and just letting it do laps while grazing the wall worked. Some time later I looked back and had won.

I also did this! I think I set the throttle to be controlled by the joystick, then used a rubber band to keep it going. It was so very satisfying for such a low tech solution, and I think the prize was the car I really wanted. Fun memory.

Super speedway endurance, to get the polyphony formula one car perhaps :) I also had the same strategy.. Very handy as the car was one of 4 randomly gifted and that was one boring track.

I remember using a rubber band to tie the thumbstick of my Xbox controller in a forward position when playing Morrowind.

This made your character run into a wall, but keep running on the spot, thus levelling up your "athletics" stat.

Similarly, the game "Hyper Light Drifter" had a number of challenges, and even a pretty hefty achievement, which required the character to dash really quickly without touching any boundaries.

On PC, you could use a keyboard script to repeatedly press the dash key every 500ms and steer with the mouse. Something that was pretty difficult with a controller.

I loved this game! I got the achievement by going back and forth in the same spot. I used a dual shock controller.

There's a spot in that area where the lightning is deterministic and you can press X repeatedly. Still, your solution is cooler!

I did the same thing!

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