(Link to video)
This is the NES port of the first M&M, the game that spawned a huge series of first-person RPGs and provided the universe for the Heroes spinoff series. In this run I use an item glitch to get the important items ASAP, skipping several go-get-the-key quests.

Game objectives

  • Emulator used: BizHawk 2.9.1
  • Abuses Programming Errors (Item Glitch)
  • Aims for fastest time
  • Manipulates Luck

Summary of updates

  • Buy and use "Return Scroll" instead of transport service by Leprechaun at Sorpigal
    • Buy the item at Dusk
    • "Bracers AC8" is not enough because need more budgets to buy a scroll (increase from 2,600G to 4,600G)
  • Use drop item "Padded Armor" instead of "Small Shield" to get Golds.
    • Previous: "Small Shield" - "Bracers AC8" (3,750G)
    • Current: "Padded Armor" - "Evil Flamberge" (10,000G)
  • "Eye of Golos" glitched to "Keycard" at Astral Plane
    • Previous: Create both "Eye of Golos" and "Keycard" at Dusk (glitched three times)
    • Current: Create "Eye of Golos" at Dusk, "Keycard" at Astral Plane (glitched twice)

Stage by stage comments

Almost stage comments are same as previous movie #7515.
Town Sorpigal
  • Started a new game, named the main character, and took 4 members from the inn to fill player 1's inventory with clubs, help with fighting, and unlock stuff. I skipped character 2 because I only needed 5 chars total and I wanted the knight and robber close to the top of the list.
  • Stepped on a monster tile and made sure it was sprites, because only they drop gems. They also are made to drop a "Padded Armor" which I glitched into a pricey item "Evil Flamberge". Without weapons equipped, only the main character and Sonja can strike enemies for damage.
  • Paid the Leprechaun a gem for travel to Dusk.
Town Dusk
  • Sold the pricey item, bought a "Return Scroll" (2,000G) and two "Magic Oils" (2 x 1,000G), used one to give the other 2 or more charges.
  • Glitched the "Useless Item" (first oil) into an "Eye of Goros".
  • Recharged the "Eys of Goros" twice, since I need at least 6 charges on it.
    • 6 is enough but 7 or 8 is more better because I can avoid to message "USELESS!!" after using the item.
  • Bought a "Skill Potion" (600G), left town, and glitched it into a "Flying Carpet".
Varn C1 and E3
  • Flew to C1, got a "Merchants pass".
  • Flew to E3, got and gave the briefest password. The password is not valid until you hear it. DEEM is 17 frames faster than the next fastest possibility, SOUTH.
Castle Alamar
  • Enter Castle Alamar and pass the first door (needs "Merchants Pass" at this point)
  • Glitched the "Merchants Pass" into the "Kings Pass" and pass the 4th door (needs "Kings Pass" at this point)
  • Confronted false Alamar. I needed the Passes to get through the doors.
Soule Maze
  • Gave the answer to the soul maze; the inner sanctum is now enterable.
Astral Plane
  • Completed the 5-part astral plane sequence with the help of the "Eye of Goros". The place is full of invisible walls.
  • Drop the "Kings Pass" and glitched the "Eys of Goros" into a "Key Card" before entering inner sanctum.
Town Sorpigal
  • Return to town Sopigal from Astral Plane. I have to leave town but the guard won't let me out for my own good since I'm still level 1. The fastest way out is to use "Return scroll" to go to town Erliquin and walk out from there.
Town Erliquin and Varn B1
  • Encounter with enemy on purpose at B1. It's still faster to entered the gates for the end sequence.

nymx: Claiming for judging.
nymx: Re-uploading the movie to see if the frame rate gets corrected, and the cycle count goes away. Talked with Samsara a few weeks ago, and this was related to a bug. Still...I want to get this cleared up here.
nymx: Replacing with new improved movie from author.
nymx: Uploading a corrected movie, by despoa.
nymx: Everything looks good here. New movie syncs and I'm following suit on the judgement that slamo made on the previous submission.

despoa: Processing...

TASVideoAgent
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Banned User, Player (198)
Joined: 1/6/2023
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Is there any reason you can't name the character "0" and save frames? I tried messing with it but you're skipping the animation afterwards which I wasn't pulling off in my quick 5 or 10 minute test.
Published TASes: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11, #12 Please consider voting for me as Rookie TASer Of 2023 - Voting is in December 2023 My rule is quality TASes over quantity TASes... unless I'm bored.
katsuster
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Joined: 10/13/2021
Posts: 8
OtakuTAS wrote:
Is there any reason you can't name the character "0" and save frames? I tried messing with it but you're skipping the animation afterwards which I wasn't pulling off in my quick 5 or 10 minute test.
Thanks for pointing out. Currently I have not been able to find good random seed to encounter "Sprite" and an "other type enemy" pair at first battle in town Sorpigal if using name "0". This pair is important to finish the battle in fastest time and get a drop item "Padded Armor" and GEMs to transport party to Dusk. Random seed patterns of this game are not so huge just 2^16, so I believe there is a good seed even if I choose shortest name "0". In this game, there is not so much chances getting random seeds on the town map (once per frame, 70~ times per frame on non town map). I will not take as many seeds because the merit of ruducing frames by choosing shortest name "0" is offset by waiting longer.
katsuster
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Former player
Joined: 10/13/2021
Posts: 8
I've found nice random seed with shortest character name '0'. This movie reduces about 4 seconds from previous version. Updated *.bk2 file is here: https://tasvideos.org/UserFiles/Info/638290659697224281
Experienced player (870)
Joined: 9/18/2008
Posts: 148
Location: Japan
In frame ~13150 of your updated movie, it seems that you can open the sack without untrapping. (And, if I remember correctly, sometimes chests are also not trapped) Does this help to save time?
Post subject: Movie published
TASVideoAgent
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This movie has been published. The posts before this message apply to the submission, and posts after this message apply to the published movie. ---- [5532] NES Might and Magic: Secret of the Inner Sanctum "item glitch" by katsuster in 07:19.61
katsuster
He/Him
Former player
Joined: 10/13/2021
Posts: 8
TaoTao wrote:
In frame ~13150 of your updated movie, it seems that you can open the sack without untrapping. (And, if I remember correctly, sometimes chests are also not trapped) Does this help to save time?
Thanks. Yes, it can reduces 3~4frames. I'll skip untrapping in next version with other speedup ideas if I find.