Creating the Longest Possible Ski Jump in "The Games: Winter Challenge"

17 days ago

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The article explores optimizing ski jumps in 'The Games: Winter Challenge' by reverse-engineering the game's physics.
Copy protection measures initially limited jump distances, but bypassing them allowed jumps over 100 meters.
Two approaches were considered: tool-assisted speedrunning and analytical reverse-engineering of the game's binary.
The game uses a 3D physics simulation with fixed-point arithmetic for realistic projectile motion.
Key phases of the ski jump include sliding down the ramp, lift-off, flight, and landing, each with specific controls.
Reverse-engineering revealed the replay file format, which includes savestate data and input sequences.
Input blocks in replays are run-length encoded and can represent keyboard or joystick inputs.
Optimization techniques included minimizing drag, maximizing lift-off frames, and delaying landing for extra distance.
A 'wiggle technique' was discovered, leveraging strafing to build additional speed down the ramp.
The final optimized jump achieved 113.8 meters by carefully balancing speed and drag.
A glitch involving out-of-bounds collision detection was identified but proved non-viable for record jumps.

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