Emulator Used: Snes9x v1.43+ for windows with option WIP1 Timing.
You can download all the savestates you wish you had for viewing this movie at http://www.obellemare.com/speedruns
This run is a no-damage run.
My goals for this run were to complete the game in a really fast time, take no damage and entertain the viewers.
Illusion of Gaia is an Action RPG. You play young Will, who will be asked to go to Edward’s Castle. This is where the adventure begins.
First of all, I'd like to thank Mike Leatherwood (aka StarFighters76) for all the maps he made and Jeff Chan (aka Atom Edge) for the walkthrough he made for the game. These works are all on GameFaqs.
And now, personal comments:
There are a few things that really surprised me about this game.
  1. Whenever you defeat a boss, Will automatically receives all the upgrades he was supposed to get on his way to that boss. That allowed me to simply run through all the rooms without having to kill enemies.
  2. You can use telekinesis while running. This means you can use it for 1 frame without losing any speed. I used this twice in the run.
  3. You can also hit an enemy while running and then “cancel” your shot by pressing any other direction than the one you’re hitting. I used this in a LOT of places, but you’ll notice a decrease of that technique when I receive Psycho Slider. This is because I couldn’t do it anymore.
  4. Will is invincible when doing a jump attack, using Psycho Dash, Psycho Slide or Psycho Spin.
Larai Cliff
I think I abuse a programming error in this dungeon. There is a statue head on a pedestal which is trapped in walls. Normally, Will can’t reach it, so I’d have to get Freedan and come back to kill it. However, I discovered that when you run, you can attack at a greater distance because your character goes “through” the wall and then comes back behind it. This is, I think, something the programmers didn’t expect. Killing the head that way saved a couple of minutes.
Also, you don’t need the Wind Melody at all if you know on which tile to stand. This saved me a bunch of minutes too.
Castoth Battle: I managed to kill Castoth before he went on his “laser frenzy”, but it was a really close call. A few frames longer and I would’ve had to wait around 30 seconds before I could hit him again.
Drifting Raft
I remembered that part of the game to be really long and really boring. However, when I did the time attack, I realised that it wasn’t that long after all. You just have to know what to do to trigger the events and it’s soon over.
Sky Garden
You can clearly see the “use telekinesis while running” trick in the third “room” of Sky Garden. If I hadn’t discovered this trick, I would’ve been forced to go back to Will’s form to continue my route.
For the fourth crystal ball I picked, the path I took, walking below the statue was really tiny. I strongly suggest you don’t try this when playing on the console, because you will jump down the small fence.
I succeeded in not being hit by the three fireballs that force me to backtrack, but this trick had a 1 frame window. This means that if I started running 1 frame faster or slower, I would’ve been hit. Do not try this on a real console.
Viper Battle: This boss is by far the easiest one I had to fight in this speed run. You’ll see what I mean when you watch the fight.
Mu
I hate the Rock Guardians. The time windows to hit them are really weird, and I had to re-record many times for each one I had to fight. I hate them.
About that “wizard” I slid through near the end of Mu, I had no choice to. Whatever path I took, it always appeared right in front of me.
Vampires Battle: Being the hardest fight in the whole game, I expected it to be quite tough. However, I quickly found out that abusing the short invincibility times Will has when doing some attacks, that fight was really a piece of cake. I totally abused these invincibility times.
China’s Great Wall
When I killed that second snake, right before picking up part 2 of Lilly’s necklace, I did it because I had no choice. If I didn’t kill it, it would have moved right below the staircase and hit me the very frame I went downstairs.
Sandworm Battle: I had a lot of trouble to optimize this battle. It just wouldn’t cooperate with me. This battle caused me a lot of frustration. I took a long break (around a month) before fighting this one and continuing my speed run. However, after I was done with this one, I had a boost of energy and finished the whole speed run in less than a week.
Watermia (second visit)
As I expected, I couldn’t manipulate the lily pad to come or go any faster. There will be some waiting here. Sorry guys. It’s not that bad, though.
Ankor Wat
I found out a pretty nice bug, if you could call it that. When I defeated the enemy on the wall, near the beginning, it releases a blue energy ball which is supposed to create a sliding path for Will. However, as soon as the enemy is killed, the path exists; it’s just invisible.
I took the Black Crystal Glasses for entertainment purposes only. I preferred the watchers to see the path instead of always seeing a very bright white light. I could’ve done it without the glasses, though, but I thought you wouldn’t have liked it.
Pyramid
When I stop running, seemingly for no reason, it’s because I had to. If I continued my way, the enemy nearest to me would’ve changed direction and hit me. I stopped to manipulate the enemies.
Mummy Queen Battle: This battle is probably the longest once since every hit she takes, there’s a long time where she transforms into spirits that float around the screen. I did it the fastest I could, though.
Babel Tower Fighting every boss for a second time was a really cool thing to do. The fights are a lot faster and most of the time more impressive to watch… Viper and the Vampires both had a bad time.
The Comet The first part of the fight is not that entertaining to watch, but the second part really copes for that lack of entertainment. I won’t give it all out though.
Final comment: Ending with 69 dark gems (DP, at the top of the screen) was not intentional. However, I find it pretty amusing.

TASVideoAgent
They/Them
Moderator
Joined: 8/3/2004
Posts: 14776
Location: 127.0.0.1
This topic is for the purpose of discussing #716: Halamantariel's SNES Illusion of Gaia in 2:06:52.42
Joined: 1/1/2022
Posts: 1716
Yes from me. Looks well done. To Bisqwit: Although I did not download the movie file from this page, I got it from the site that Halamantariel posted in the IoG thread. I have watched the movie. Just clarifying :o
Wren
He/Him
Joined: 4/11/2005
Posts: 196
Location: Michigan
Yes. I wathced the full movie and I gotta say it was entertaining. Really well done and worth watching.
<i>A little rudeness and disrespect can elevate a meaningless interaction to a battle of wills and add drama to an otherwise dull day.</i>
Joined: 8/31/2004
Posts: 298
Location: Falun, Sweden
Very good, indeed. I haven't watched any of your updates 'cause I wanted too wait for the full run and belive me, it was worth it. There is a few questions though I'd like an answer too: 1. Would it be possible to save some time by Sliding or Dashing just before you enter a screenchange to reach it faster? 2. You use the slide alot but do you save time in movement by using this or is it faster just to run? 3. Why, oh why did you not Spin more to save time? I would have loved too se that (I know you've answered this one before but I just had to ask) [/b]
Bein' away for like five years, and not a single new post in the ZSNES forum... :'-(
Joined: 8/17/2004
Posts: 377
Looks good. It's a pity you never found a way to suitably manipulate bosses, but you can only work with what you have. A great run for a great game.
Player (104)
Joined: 1/30/2005
Posts: 562
Location: Québec, Canada
Mazzic wrote:
1. Would it be possible to save some time by Sliding or Dashing just before you enter a screenchange to reach it faster?
Probably not. Will stays still for a few frames before sliding, and I think that he would reach the exit about at the same time when running or when sliding because of those "still" frames.
Mazzic wrote:
2. You use the slide alot but do you save time in movement by using this or is it faster just to run?
Whenever I slide, it's because I have to get through an enemy or to slide through a hole. I don't think I used it when I didn't HAVE to. Also, when I kill an enemy with sliding, it's because if I hit it with the sword, I'd have to hit it again, and again, and again... So I decided to slide-kill it. Believe me, sliding IS faster at a lot of places.
Mazzic wrote:
3. Why, oh why did you not Spin more to save time? I would have loved too se that
Because I don't like the fact of entering a room, swinging the sword, start to run while charging the sword, stop to start spinning, spin, etc... I could have done it, but depending on the places, it wouldn't have been faster.
Joined: 3/11/2004
Posts: 191
finaly! a run of this game. oh how i waited for it. i remember playing this on the snes and finishing it 2 days later after buying it. lol good use of $100 eh? anyways i'ma watch this now and tell you what i think, though i'm almost positive that i'm gonna vote yes as a no damage run of this damn deffinatly deserves it. btw like i mentioned in the thread a long time ago, its called Illusions of Time in australia. anyone care to mention how/why its name was changed? EDIT - well poo. it desynchs for me in the cannable (spelling?) village where the pig kills himself. but from what i saw i loved it. only wish there was 1 grade higher than a simple YES
Player (104)
Joined: 1/30/2005
Posts: 562
Location: Québec, Canada
Did you try loading another savestate? You can get all my savestates at http://halamantariel.homeip.net/speedruns/ Maybe it'll work. It's worth trying!
Joined: 3/11/2004
Posts: 191
ok i fast fowarded through the whole movie again and its working now. strange. anyway i have 1 question. when you use earthquaker when dropping from that small platform in ankor wat, this is to stop those big stone giants from walking/forming in the small hallway you go through right? if not why do it? other than 1 thing i'm glad i retried to view it. up to the pyramid now
Player (104)
Joined: 1/30/2005
Posts: 562
Location: Québec, Canada
Dark Mana wrote:
when you use earthquaker when dropping from that small platform in ankor wat, this is to stop those big stone giants from walking/forming in the small hallway you go through right?
Well, of course it is! Else, why do you think I'd bother changing the route to go take Earthquaker and then use it for nothing? :) I had no choice to do it, so I did it.
Joined: 3/11/2004
Posts: 191
ok just making sure heh. it just finished and was damn good. glad i stayed up to watch it. now for a full red gem run (or whatever they are called. i never saw what you get from finishing it)
Player (104)
Joined: 1/30/2005
Posts: 562
Location: Québec, Canada
Dark Mana wrote:
now for a full red gem run (or whatever they are called. i never saw what you get from finishing it)
They are called Red Jewels. Don't count on it. I won't do the 100% run for Illusion of Gaia. The only thing you get for getting all the jewels is a new dungeon which, in return, gives you nothing. I don't think it's worth all the trouble of making another 2 hours run. (that one would probably be from 2h30m to 3h)
Joined: 2/25/2005
Posts: 68
Location: Germany
I watched the run and it's well done. A YES vote from me. The game has pretty graphics and is quite text-intensive, but lacks action in return. A good game for RPG-beginners I'd say. So if you have a younger brother/ sister give them an easy start into the world of gaming with this game :P
Erklärung der Relativität: "Wenn du deine Nase in meinen Po steckst, haben wir beide eine Nase im Po. Nur ich bin relativ besser dran."
Player (209)
Joined: 2/18/2005
Posts: 1451
Although I don't know this game to much, the movie is very good. I liked how you fool around in situations you had to wait like spinning slowly and become faster and faster later (like I did in Secret of Evermore sometimes) also the last boss fight was very nice with this fire-byrds you shooted on him so often. The graphic of this game is also beautiful so there is matching all together. A YES of course!
See my perfect 100% movie-walkthroughs of the best RPG games on http://www.freewebs.com/saturnsmovies/index.htm Current TAS project (with new videos): Super Metroid Redesign, any% speedrun
Ambassador, Experienced player (695)
Joined: 7/17/2004
Posts: 985
Location: The FLOATING CASTLE
After all the crap I've given you while making this, the result is pretty nice. It's an excellent treatment for this beautiful game.
Joined: 1/31/2005
Posts: 121
I have seen the whole movie as if I read a real poetic work. For better reviewing this long movie in the future, I'd ask as usual: do you keep some savestates for each statue unit? if so, could you give a link to download?
Joined: 6/7/2004
Posts: 28
I know I'm just a lurker who can't vote, but it is possible to beat the game without earthquake. If someone knows where I can upload it, I have a savestate of Freedan in the pyramid without it.
I love Crystal Mines.
Joined: 1/1/2022
Posts: 1716
My memory might be blurry, but I'm pretty sure that Hala only used the earthquake in one situation (described in this thread). He never used it vs. the mummy queen.
Joined: 8/17/2004
Posts: 377
While it's possible to beat it without it, I'm pretty sure that in the IoG thread on the SNES forum it was determined that it would be slower to do so, since it would involve getting the powered up Dark Friar at the Euro market place, and spending time charging it up several times to kill the barricading robot before he walks into place while he's on the edge of the screen. At least, that's why I think it Earthquaker was gotten..
Player (65)
Joined: 3/29/2005
Posts: 229
Location: The boonies.
Yes, that's why he got the Earthquaker. As long as it takes to get it, it's even slower to wait in line for the powered up Dark Friar. An obvious yes vote. Awesome game and the run is very well done. My only two complaints are that he grabs the Dark Glasses, and he could have made the two Mummy Queen battles a little more entertaining. Beyond that it's a top-notch movie.
If life were an RPG, I'd be an NPC.
Player (104)
Joined: 1/30/2005
Posts: 562
Location: Québec, Canada
ramond wrote:
For better reviewing this long movie in the future, I'd ask as usual: do you keep some savestates for each statue unit? if so, could you give a link to download?
Of course I can! I've edited the submission text to include the link to the many savestates for the movie. Sorry I didn't think of it before seeing your post.
Joined: 1/31/2005
Posts: 121
Thanks! I vote yes for u! By the way, could you explain the IoG Secret.mpg? I can't understand this "secret" well...
Player (104)
Joined: 1/30/2005
Posts: 562
Location: Québec, Canada
ramond wrote:
By the way, could you explain the IoG Secret.mpg? I can't understand this "secret" well...
This is totally unrelated to the TAS, but anyways ... here's a link: http://www.terraearth.com/illusion_of_gaia/rumors.htm This "Secret" is in fact a rumor, all explained in that link, but I'll copy/paste it here anyways. During your trip to the Incan Ruins, you'll notice a small hole near the entrance. It looks like you could use Will's Psycho Slide to enter the hole. The only problem is, you don't get that skill until Mu, and there is no way to get back. Thanks to some people, I succeeded in proving that this is false. Myth BUSTED! Even with Psycho Slide, you can't enter the hole. *back to the topic now*
Joined: 5/14/2005
Posts: 6
Well Done! *claps* excellent run, i recommend watching this video, so thus i vote yes
Joined: 3/11/2004
Posts: 191
16 yes votes, everyone who has watched it has loved it, and no one has mentioned any reason why this should'nt accepted... guess bisqwit is queued up atm