EDIT: i hate to disappoint greatly here, but im afraid it still took an hour to fully upgrade.
ive a new idea though... but im not sure how to apply it. it has to do with one of the theories... about killing them on certain rounds. 4 monks could do it no problem, im almost sure of it (well, im actually not). however, that would mean class changing after griffon (capacity issues). we had 74 potions by the end before heading back into the cave...
IF we could get 3 potions per battle, that would mean only 8 battles to get to 99. and with that carrying over further hopefully, 8 more battles. the problem is with experimenting. i havent been able to get 3 potions in while, but 2 potions just takes a few dozen more frame attempts even on autofire. that could save time as well.
ill post what i have before i go to sleep tonight. hopefully it'll demonstrate the use of the otterheads and warping out; and you'll see why they're so worth it (if i can get all 30 of em to work correctly).
thanks DeHackEd :)
sorry, havent got much further because i was out. in any case, some of the theories that came to mind are listed here. namely, im gonna try and win 3 potions from a 2 potion battle. could someone kindly rule out a few of the below theories to ease my mind? please be gentle too, im not as GIFTED as most users in coding and such.
for land turtle and i suppose all other boss battles, they cant be easily manipulated. i mean by stopping a frame beforehand and then moving onward. it seems that the damage is random?
something to note; im not keeping track of battles that dont take waiting time. mainly because it wouldnt do any good AND because there is no stop.
current HIGH 13 frame difference.
stopped on 4700 (possible it was 4699)
-4701 potion
stopped on 6891
-6893 potion
stopped on 10373
-10385
MISSED A FEW
-----DEFUNCT-----
stopped on 49936
-49944 or something... close to that. sorry.
stopped on 52695
-52708
stopped on 55218
-55226
-----DEFUNCT-----
enters new room, estimate 49651?
-49653
stopped on 53045
-53050
stopped on 76619
-76621
stopped on 78847
-78849
stopped on 80897
-80900
stopped on 84508
-84512
stopped on 86886
-86890
stopped on 89591
-89597
stopped on 92589
-92593*
very vital to note i won 2 potions in this battle. !? how did this happen suddenly?
stopped on 95036
-95037
stopped on 98324
-98327
stopped on 100120
-100129
stopped on 102330
-102332*
IT HAPPENED AGAIN! 2 POTIONS!! WTF!? DOES IT HAVE TO DO WITH ENEMIES BATTLED, CAUSE I HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE GOBLINS?
stopped on 105912
-105913
stopped on 107900
-107910
stopped on 112657
-112662
stopped on 114616
-114619
stopped on 117122
-117125
stopped on 119894
-119899
stopped on 122009
-122011
stopped on 124007
-124009*
ANOTHER!! YET A FUCKIN NOTHER!
stopped on 126785
-126786
-actually, what is done inside battle does affect the outcome! by this i mean my berserk strat isnt so full proof. if not all enemies are killed in a certain round, the result changes.
im wondering on 2 things:
-1-is the frame number when entering battle a predetermined time set within the ROM or game that makes it a battle where an item can be dropped.
OR
-2a-is the time between battles via frame number a lengthy pattern that carries over.
OR
-2b-is this a randomly generated value which it has so far proven to be so (though i wouldnt expect such transparency).
there must be a pattern eventually. the game cannot be entirely random, and ive reason to believe that in some way i can manipulate potion battles and EVEN non-potion battles to obtain them (moreso). meaning all battles should have a way to drop a potion.
...in some RPGs, when running from battle, you are prone to drop things. in this game, enemies can attempt to run but are not always successful. i wonder if this is what causes it? maybe not...
-3a-perhaps each round, the enemy may or may not have the item on them. if killed in that round in which they HAVE the item, they drop. so it may indeed just be a waiting game for the correct round to come up to kill them?
-3b-or perhaps order plays a part in it as well? such as they must be killed in a certain order to obtain the maximum amount of potions? this could mean a waiting game.
please note, i have deeply treaded into unknown territory. outlandish ideas.
for us to ever hope to gain 3 potions in a single battle once more, we must have a battle in which there are 3-4 goblins of course.
stopped on 131002
-131003 ------
-131004 ------
-131005 ------
-131006 ------
-131007 potion +5
-131008 ------
-131009 ------
-131010 potion +8
-131011 ------
-131012 ------
-131013 potion +11
-131014 ------
-131015 ------
-131016 ------
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-131020 ------
-131021 ------
-131022 ------
-131023 ------
-131024 ------
-131025 ------
-131026 ------
-131027 !!! 2 potions +25
-131028 ------
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-131030 ------
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-131032 ------
-131033 ------
-131034 ------
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-131038 ------
-131039 ------
-131040 potion +38
-131041 potion +39
-131042 ------
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-131045 ------
-131046 ------
-131047 ------
-131048 potion +46
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-131062 ------
-131063 potion +61
-131064 ------
-131065 ------
-131066 ------
-131067 ------
-131068 ------
-131069 ------
-131070 ------
-131071 !!!!2 potions +69
-131072 ------
-131073 potion +71
-131074 ------
-131075 ------
-131076 !!!!2 potions +74
-131077 ------
-131078 potion +76
-131079 ------
-131080 ------
-131081 ------
-131082 ------
-131083 ------
-131084 ------
-131085 ------
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-131089
-131090
-131091
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-131095
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-131099
-131100