I am thinking about this game again because it would be a nice target for RPG Limit Break next year. Attempting a quick verification with a flash cart, the published run syncs until stepping out after the deathwarp. We hope this is due to some difference in the treatment of the SRAM but deathwarps can be avoided if absolutely necessary. The published run also uses resets (dragon potion save -> reset to get out of cave without losing other party members) but it turns out that a better route doesn't need that.
The link just a few posts up (yet many years ago now) is dead. However, that run can be found here:
https://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm14226435
https://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm14226494
Other great resources from the speedrunning community:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Iaos-C2tFrUF42zx6d-MkRhywzacAl3QoYjLTi5EFm0/edit#gid=0
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzJTdbx9GMY7TVJHbXhCYlRBTzg/view
The glitch to attack twice with Sword of Destruction power level sounds nice but I don't think will work out for a TAS. The falcon sword is necessary to do this and it is just too expensive to acquire.
So the 39:42 run uses the Japanese version but I suspect there are few mechanical differences aside from the opening cutscene skip and longer dialog throughout. This does mean there is no chance to match this on the (U) version but we can do quite a bit better than the current run.
The main improvements are:
- Essentially do the game solo with Midenhall, the first character. This changes the route considerably compared the the current published run. Keeping the princess alive and powered up leads to numerous inefficiencies. The big downside is that this means no surround for the final fight.
- Get one more level, ending on 14 instead of 13. The experience route changes quite a bit because of going solo but what it comes down to is taking out more metal babbles. The (J) TAS above gets into a fight with 5 metal babbles in the final dungeon and kills 3 of them. Letting 2 run away is surely intentional as there is a 10% xp bonus for each enemy initially present in the battle past the first. The extra level adds 4 attack, increasing damage on Malroth and cutting the number of battle rounds quite a bit. The level may also factor in dodge rate which becomes important.
- Disassemble the RNG and other mechanics more thoroughly. It's definitely possible to do a lot better than the published run. It will have to be in order to get the dodges on Malroth without surround. This looks really smooth in the (J) TAS video but in my testing it was much more difficult to force, hence routing around to get surround on him. Possibly a version difference? If necessary there is an armor that improves dodging.
- The main character name determines the other names and also seeds the RNG. If my target is RPGLB I am going to be seeing if I can force a collision so that at least part of the name can be a donation incentive. Not optimal but really cool.
