Sorry for the long delay, but I've been very busy.
Paused wrote:
What was the big error you found?
I played Chocobo H&C until the Moogle told me there's nothing more to dig, then come back a few moments later to dig up the last 2 Chocograph Pieces. Where I should have stop 2 games earlier and pick up the last 2 Chocographs alongside the Chocograph Pieces. Saved about a minute. I went ahead and redid it just to find out hours later, that I had a different RNG on the Frog mating and got 3 tadpoles instead of 0. So I fell short of 2 frogs...
Then I didn't want to redo once again, and even more because I didn't know when exactly the Frog mating occurs.
Paused wrote:
A small question regarding the route; do you need to go into the Tantulus hideout on disc2 for its treasure chests considering you have to go back during the Nero family nonsense during Memoria?
In Disc 2, yes because it's not the same chests in Disc 3. However I took them in Disc 3 where I could have left them for the Nero Family Sidequest. Lost about 9 seconds. But once again, it's going to go in the Known Improvments section. I've already spent enough hours on Disc 3.
PotatoHandle wrote:
I'm hoping to get some juicy details about Meltigemini's AI script.
Like most ennemies, Meltigemini's first 3 moves are set in stone at the beginning of the fight with Random Number 2 to Random number 6. What calculations are done on those numbers I don't know, somebody with disassembly knowledge would be required, but from what I can tell, there's no order more likely than another. I had a couple times, 2 Wings in a row. But indeed Viral Smoke seems to appear more often.
There is no check for Reflect.
I tried a party full of Reflect, a party with 3 Reflect and a party with none. Attacks were the same, he still cast Bio no matter what.
All in all, I'd say, fighting Meltigemini is just luck-based on which 3 first moves are selected, but there doesn't seem to be anything you can do about that.
Finally, one last update.
Encode should be done in a week or two.
Zanoab wrote:
Just wondering, how did you encode the commentary?
I draw them with Lua and encode with kkapture.
And again, thanks for the support
Disc 3 is being uploaded as we speak. But the file is pretty big so I think it'll take a week or so.
In the meantime, have some Pandemonium battles to keep you waiting.
Link to video
That is an insane setup for those three fights.
Zidane, I mean Gecko, might as well be alone, with friends like those.
"Please die so I get all the EXP k thx."
Thanks !
Currently in Treno, trying to optimize the Tetra Master game to get cards with the lowest leveling up requirement.
And oh boy, is this a pain...
So basically what will be left after Excalibur II ? I can think of grinding (against dragons I guess), finish all the cards/letters/chocographs/blue magics stuff and defeat Ozma/Hades
Finally got the time to watch the latest segment. Great stuff as ever, don't really have many things to ask as your commentary covered most things.
The only question I would have is regarding the Whale Zombie Quina ate; is it standard for undead enemies to be dropped to 0hp and not be removed from battle after using a Phoenix-down on them? I had assumed it would just be an instant KO.
Just as a personal observation; I was aware of the early Quina levels, but in retrospect had no idea why you did them. Amusing that the second Holy Mitre is picked up immediately after the event you would need it for... in a room you had already have been in but couldn't pick it up just to said event!
Chocobo stuff seemed to fly by. Shame that you couldn't keep the within 5 seconds bonus in the Air Garden, even with tools, but not a dam thing you could do about it. (Remind me are you intending to get a star in the Chocobo Hot and Cold menu by maxing out the points?) How many dug up chocographs were 'needed' to be dug up on this disc? I lost track of some of the digs, just thought they were alot of them and you just picked them up in the area. Hard to remember your run doesn't stop past being a speed run after 11.59.59 goes by.
Had to smile at the very last thing you did before heading to Terra was pass directly over the Lifa Tree.
Best of Luck on Disk 4!
Already sounds fun; unless I'm missing something obvious, playing cards in Treno before Malaris sounds like interesting routing, even with the back and forth from Lindblum.
As for whats left lapogne, also Frogs and Quale, Thievery grind afik, Stelazio, Beach world tour and after maxed Dragons Crest I'm guessing Yan killing? Oh, and the Garnet/Dagger/Sarah thing too I assume?
The only question I would have is regarding the Whale Zombie Quina ate; is it standard for undead enemies to be dropped to 0hp and not be removed from battle after using a Phoenix-down on them? I had assumed it would just be an instant KO.
Phoenix Down on Undead Ennemies, left them with a HP between 0 and 9. So while they indeed can insta-kill, they are more likely to just reduce HP.
Paused wrote:
Just as a personal observation; I was aware of the early Quina levels, but in retrospect had no idea why you did them. Amusing that the second Holy Mitre is picked up immediately after the event you would need it for... in a room you had already have been in but couldn't pick it up just to said event!
Indeed :p
I had just the right amount of points in Chocobo H&C to get a second Robe of the Lord, there was just the Holy Miter missing. And it's right there taunting us.
Paused wrote:
Chocobo stuff seemed to fly by. Shame that you couldn't keep the within 5 seconds bonus in the Air Garden, even with tools, but not a dam thing you could do about it. (Remind me are you intending to get a star in the Chocobo Hot and Cold menu by maxing out the points?) How many dug up chocographs were 'needed' to be dug up on this disc? I lost track of some of the digs, just thought they were alot of them and you just picked them up in the area.
Hum, would have to check to be sure, but from the top of my head I'd say 7 are needed. 2 of them we're passing over, so it would be a shame not to take it. 1 is on the island we fight the friendly Yan, so I have to take it aswell to not waste time. 1 includes the Kaiser Knuckles before Oeilvert which is absolutely needed. + the 3 transformations. IIRC Max points is 99.999 so with an average of 3.000 points and 30 seconds a game, it should be doable.
Paused wrote:
Already sounds fun; unless I'm missing something obvious, playing cards in Treno before Malaris sounds like interesting routing, even with the back and forth from Lindblum.
Had a lot of stuff to do in Treno. Give the 12 Stellazzios, so I can pick the 13th in Quan's Dwelling. Fight Behemoth. Get the Magical Fingertip in the Auction House. So we just happen to pass in front of the stadium, would be a shame not to win some cards. I have cover most of the cards from Treno, but I have to go back anyway since a few Weapon and Eidoleon cards didn't have high enough stats to start with.
Paused wrote:
As for whats left lapogne, also Frogs and Quale, Thievery grind afik, Stelazio, Beach world tour and after maxed Dragons Crest I'm guessing Yan killing? Oh, and the Garnet/Dagger/Sarah thing too I assume?
Indeed. I also have 2 Ragtimer quizz left. 1 is done before Memoria, the last one after Excalibur II.
Thanks.
First priority is to get cards from the Ghost of Memoria.
Already picked up Ozma, Dark Matter, Masamune and Mog, but it's really a pain. In addition to get cards with the lower upgrade requirement, they also must have a unique arrow arrangement.
Already missed two great cards because they had the same arrow pattern than the Dark Matter I just got...
After that, the Eidoleon Wall sidequest since we're very close to Madain Sari, and then Frogs world tour....
Routing the next parts isn't done yet.
Alright.
Well I'm litteraly crying for help.
I've spent like 40 hours just trying to optimize Tetra Master in Memoria. And I'm just at the second ghost.
If anybody with assembly knowledge could take a look at Tetra Master and see how a card upgrade from M or P to X and then from X to A, it would make my life so much simpler, and progress would go way faster.
I really don't wanna spend another 40 hours in Tetra Master.
Thanks in advance to anyone willing to help.
Yay for progress. Finally done with the second ghost of Memoria. He had a lot of cards to give me.
Moving on to the third.
EDIT : Here's my deck after him.
Your blood, sweat and tears to make this run happen are much appreciated, my man. I have to admit, I'm more interested in seeing how you tackle FF7 by just a smidgen. However, I've been 'in the dark' as far as actual game play except for an hour of Disc 1. I am uncredibly stoked, and I wish you the best of luck. <3!
Currently obsessed with: Mega Man 2 hacks, SFA3, Super Metroid Zero Mission, MM8BDM (Skulltag MegaMan mod, it's amazing!)
Great news, happy to see things moving forward for you. In to uncharted waters for real in regards to routing now too, though not like you were following the guide word for word before.
Lil_Gecko wrote:
If anybody with assembly knowledge could take a look at Tetra Master and see how a card upgrade from M or P to X and then from X to A, it would make my life so much simpler, and progress would go way faster.
I really don't wanna spend another 40 hours in Tetra Master.
Thanks in advance to anyone willing to help.
I wouldn't know where to begin, sorry, but really wish you the best for this to happen before your next card games. Does sound frustrating.
It's good that FF9s other type of card game has no Arrows or stats to grind.
Little stuff to note.
Alternate strategy tested on Shell Dragon. Instead of healing him then have Gecko attack, I do a 777 damage with Lucky Seven + a Critical hit from Dagger. Saved 3 seconds.
As planned everything hex-edit just fine until the Auction House which was 99,9% sure to desync. And it did. But... ends up earlier than before. 1 second saved.
Alternate strategy tested on landing near Lindblum for the Nero Familly sidequest.
Instead of landing behind and have the delay of 120 frames before being able to enter the town, I landed on the right side which allow to enter immediately. However that makes the Invicible further away when going out.
But... Saved 120 frames entering, lost 50 exiting. About 1 second saved on each trip.
Currently doing some tests on Tiamat. I'm just 2000 hp shy of finishing him as he attacks just once. Having Tiamat not use a spell would save a whole lot of seconds.
Something I forget to consider...
Having 12 minutes left when picking up EII, means I have in fact enough time to make another trip to Lindblum before fighting Tiamat AND challenging Hades.
Redoing Tiamat is no big deal it's a pretty easy one to TAS. However Kraken was really good and I'm not sure if I could do as great as this one.
So yeah, next few days will be redoing those parts and then I'll upload a video from start of Disc 4 to Excalibur II.
Ha; I was wondering if anything else could be squeezed in before ExII considering how much time you had to spare. Great to hear those small optimizations you have found along the way have come together and rewarded you with an extra (extremely cool) timesave.
Hope these improvements wont effect the work already put into the card games too much.
Looking forward to seeing the WIP of course.
Encode should be done in a week or two.
We even have time for a coffee !!!
Time to grind....
Old man Morrid would be proud!
Best of luck with end/post game optimisation then.
