Editing Tool-assisted speedrun (section)

{{short description|Video game technique}}
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A '''tool-assisted speedrun''' or '''tool-assisted superplay''' ('''TAS'''; {{IPAc-en|t|æ|s}}) is generally defined as a [[speedrun]] or [[playthrough]] composed of precise inputs recorded with tools such as [[video game emulator]]s. Tool-assisted speedruns are generally created with the goal of creating theoretically perfect playthroughs. This may include the fastest possible route to complete a game or showcasing new optimizations to existing [[world record]]s.

TAS requires research into the theoretical limits of the games and their respective competitive categories. The fastest categories have no restrictions and often involve a level of gameplay impractical or impossible for a human player, and those made according to [[real-time attack]] rules serve to research the limits of human players.

The TAS developer has full control over the game's movement, per video frame, to record a sequence of fully precise inputs. Other tools include [[Saved_game#Save_states|save states]] and branches, rewriting recorded inputs, splicing together best sequences, [[Macro (computer science)|macros]], and [[Script (computer programming)|scripts]] to automate gameplay actions. These tools grant TAS creators precision and accuracy beyond a human player.