In this update our hero defeats the dragon and saves the day. There are quite a few computer sequences left to do in Aneki Tower, but I'm going to end this test run here and start working on the final version. I did a brief run using Randil's lua script to make sure I can complete the game, and there's not much value in optimizing computer sequences.
http://dehacked.2y.net/microstorage.php/info/224638948/Shadowrun%20v32.smv
Goals for final run:
No HP upgrade (the only reason my HP dips below 30 in this run is because Steelflight left in Volcano), no MP upgrade, no heal spell upgrade (won't even cast heal, I only do in the Volcano bcuz no Steelflight), no stat upgrades except for Charisma and Firearms, no armor, no cash pickups from enemies (except for Rat Shaman for the $3K). Aims for fastest time, takes damange to save time (manipulating a perfect damage free run would not be practical and would cost additional run time). Would any one consider not defusing the cortex bomb straight away a speed entertainment tradeoff? It is faster the way I do it.
A note on Drake:
In the fight against Drake, the purpose of the Jester Spirit is to reduce Drake's health, and left alone will take it from 250hp to 70hp (Drake's HP is: 7E3546). So if each of my spirit spells can deal 25 damage, one would think I can take him down the second the Jester Spirit spell finishes. Unfortunately, the game is designed to cap the help provided by JS based on how much damage the player has already dealt. So if Drake's HP is taken down by over a certain threshold, JS only takes him down to 40HP. It's more complicated than that though, here are some scenarios: if you deal 75 damage, Drake will have 40hp after JS, if you deal 40 damage, he will have 40 hp, and if you deal either 39 or 49 he will have 31 hp which is as low as it gets. (Does this make sense to anyone math wise?). Since 31 HP is as low as he'll go, it takes 2 summon spirit spells to finish him off, and there is some waiting until Jester Spirit is complete to hit him at the earliest possible moment (otherwise the JS will stop its attack and Drake'll still be >31).
Notes on the final route:
I forgot you need the "Head Computer" keyword to get into Aneki, so I will have to do the doctor sequences because only the last doctor gives this keyword after deactivating the cortex bomb. However, I won't bother with boosted reflexes. To afford the additional funds for the operation, I'll stake Vladimir for $5K.
I'm also going to make a run into Drake Tower with Norbert, Jetboy, and Kitsune after Rust Stilettos. I will fight up to the 5th floor, clearing all encounters that need battles and hacking the required computers, but not hacking for cash. Doing an initial run up Drake Tower costs an additional 2K frames, but saves a run back to the hotel (also around 2K frames). This, however, will enable me to run Bremerton and the Volcano back-to-back for more entertainment. Then I'll rest just before Aneki.
The biggest flaw with my test run is Steelflight leaves before Aneki, and he absolutely has to stay with me for his datadeck. I found the RAM addresses for how long shadowrunners will stay with me (7E2DFA is for first position shadowrunner, 7E2DFC is for second position). It's interesting, as long as the bad guy is the only guy on the screen and he dies, it counts down against you, even if there are other bad guys just off screen. Watching this now I should be able to optimize this so he stays for Aneki, especially since we only had 1 encounter to spare when we went to the Volcano. There were a lot of encounters on the Rat Shaman path that he won't have against him in the final run.
Since I'm confident I can keep Steelflight till the end, I won't pick up the datadeck. That saves 800 frames in the current run.
I estimate I can save around 6-7 minutes in optimization, and Aneki should take about 10 minutes (7-8 of which are in the Aneki building). I think that lands us at 50 minutes for the run. To the best of my knowledge, the unassisted speedrun records are around 90 minutes. I would be happy if the run could get below 45 minutes, but I think that's a fairly good spread already.
Some other things to change:
24) I fight one guy in the Bremerton stairs, but I think I could avoid that battle with luck manipulation.
25) The poison ooze fight took a while because I could not select Kitsune for a spell. This should not be a problem in the final version since Kitsune will no longer be the tail end of the party.
26) I can activate first computer in Drakes from the front side of desk
27) I should be able to manipulate the elevators by changing when I log into the computer
28) There's a fairly long wait where I don't move with Drake, but I wanted an idea for the perfect timing.
29) It's worth noting for the matrix sections that you can hold down the arrow key to move over squares, but after turning, tapping the direction you want to go is faster than holding down
30) I forgot you can use "Select" button to exit menus, this may improve the karma boosting sections.
Any thoughts and ideas would be appreciated!
