The Ultimate Challenge Run

[Kirbyarm]

Got about halfway (I think) Through the beast's three legs of HP walls using a different tactic.. recording the .smv state file instead (thus no AVI recording lag) and tested to see if it still matches up with the boss' randomization of attack patterns, and it works, so now it should be just like my first low level run in terms of difficulty. Have a feeling I'll level up after one leg and get caught into a death trap immediately after haha. Wish me luck.

EDIT: This is pretty comical.. I have to time my hits to optimize my chances of not getting hit during the lag. No more care of just getting hit.. now it all centers around the lag.

[Kirbyarm]

Oh, booyeah! Only about 6 tries with this method and the beast is history. Already restoring Nirlake and gathering the star stones as we speak!

[Kirbyarm]

Just boarded the airship. I should make a note to anyone attempting this. The sewers will prove to be an extreme pain to navigate BACKWARDS once you get the starstone from the little girl. Just one part in particular. It's a pain because you spend 8 minutes starting the sewer from the beginning, getting everything, doing everything, backtracking 90% of the way then BAM! SURPRISE, YOU'RE DEAD!

You know that door you use the sewer key on? The blue fire mage just before it? Well... backtracking FROM that door heading back to the exit his sprite appears so close to the door that it is impossible to perform a slicer, walk or run to the side, and you can't block the projectile ANYways so... what can you do except enter a cycle of repeated deaths? The solution is simple. (I didn't encounter this on my first low level run because I used a bone pin).

While the screen is transitioning to enter that room of death, hold run, right direction (Because the flame spins counterclockwise when he unleashes) and rapidly tap jump and you can immediately jump to safety and out of harm's way. Anyways. Getting very close to Dark Gaia. Thank god I didn't miss any magirocks. x.x

[Kirbyarm]

-Sigh- And here we go.. the final showdown. This is going to take longggg time. Going to experiment with my other low level file first to see if I can find a better weakness versus Dark Gaia II.

[Kirbyarm]

Took about 5 tries to re-memorize second form's red laser pattern and realize it doesn't ALWAYS hit you even if it's a direct hit to Ark's sprite. Thank god for that... but alas, great news. I've defeated Dark Gaia!!! Just going to record the ending and start uploading to YouTube.

[Kirbyarm]

Apologies in advance, 13 of the videos will have *slightly* reduced quality (still looks pretty much the same, just 30 fps instead of snes9x's 60 fps recording) because the videos had to be split in order to fit the 15 minute YouTube limits. Dark Gaia's 2nd form was a 42 minute battle, thus three videos. Longer than any dungeon or boss, by a long shot. (3 videos just on that fight).

EDIT: Also, during the Dark Morph battle you'll notice there is no visible snow / blizzard in the background... I had to disable that layer during the fight in order to make it have less lag, and that is pretty much the only possible way I was able to record it on my dinosaur PC. xD

[inferiare]

Daaaamn. :O I look forward to this!

[EverPhoenix]

that's awesome. nice to know we have the best terranigma challenge runner on our forums

[Kirbyarm]

inferiare wrote:

Daaaamn. :O I look forward to this!

Sweet, glad I'll get some viewers. At least for the action parts haha.

EverPhoenix wrote:

that's awesome. nice to know we have the best terranigma challenge runner on our forums

Aww, shucks. I'm flattered, but I hope some of you will rise up to the challenge and give this run a go! It's mad fun.

(Quite literally "maddening and fun")

[Kirbyarm]

Most of the videos have been uploaded. For some reason the battle against Storm Master video does not want to upload no matter what I do with the file or description information.

#17 is Storm Master. #28 was the first half of Sylvain Castle if I recall correctly and didn't work at first, but now it is up and running. #13 Grecliff (really nice performance getting through it too, with 1 HP most of it) won't upload. I did have the Dark Gaia fights up, but feel it does not need to take that much time to complete him. There must be a faster way I can record it. Maybe get luckier with crits or something.

One thing I'm realizing, is that the main engine randomly generated certain AI scripts and algorithms as to how the entire dungeon will play out, as soon as you enter the beginning of the dungeon. Leaving seems to reset it.

I'll have the rest of the videos up ASAP. May even try to do some fights over again, now that I'm realizing I don't have to AVI record right away (severe lag spikes, thus decreased gaming performance).

[Kirbyarm]

#17 (Storm Master Battle) is now uploaded and running. Working on Grecliff now.

[Kirbyarm]

#13 (Grecliff) not only desynched the sound in the oiriginal file but it's being extremely picky to upload.. so I decided to start an entire play through (since I had no available saves close to that point). Do everything the same as I did. Get to the sanctuar to save... manipulate my EXP, health, gems and everything exactly as it were when I first started Grecliff in the original video. You can tell it's a different run because I didn't change the pallette to red like all my other videos, haha. Happens to be blue. Encountered a nice glitch when grabbing the sharp claws.. Ark just stood there holding them for like, 10 extra seconds. After mashing the buttons in frustration it continued and I lucked out massively collecting that near-impossible M.Bulb chest at the top of the cliff right after collecting the sharp claws! Funnily enough, I got hit by the same enemy, dealing the same damage bringing me to 1 HP. So it's basically as close to the original run as humanly possible, as far as I can tell.

Anyways. The video did not desync audio this time and plays quite smoothly, so #13 - Grecliff will be uploaded within the hour.

Enjoy! It's one of the most difficult parts to do in AVI recording lag.

[Kirbyarm]

OH HELL YES! Found a nice little exploit with Dark Gaia. Works beautifully when Strength isn't high enough to make any difference. I had HeroPike and <drum roll> HOLY SUIT equipped (Turns Strength into Luck) and for those who might theorize this helped, Speed Shoes were also equipped.

The 42 minute, three video fight has been reduced to 2 videos, with a total of 20 minute completion time, as my hits landed more than double the critical rate I had without the Holy Suit equipped. I find this quite interesting as he doesn't have a weakness to any specific spear... but this armor is definitely a huge help, though I can't take any hits except Dark Gaia's beam on the second form.

Uploading the videos now, and everything will be completed. Will hyperlink the best videos here, and in the YouTube description will hyperlink the awesome parts in each video. Thanks for watching, to anyone who does.

EDIT: The first post will be edited with the video details & links etc. ASAP.

[psychokind]

if you equip the magic box, you can "use" it and stay in the ring menu for the duration of the beam in the 2nd form - you take 0 dmg that way

[Kirbyarm]

psychokind wrote:

if you equip the magic box, you can "use" it and stay in the ring menu for the duration of the beam in the 2nd form - you take 0 dmg that way

I'm aware, but saw it unnecessary as everything else 1-hit KO's you anyway. Still a good fight.