Username:
B
I
U
S
"
url
img
#
code
sup
sub
font
size
color
smiley
embarassed
thumbsup
happy
Huh?
Angry
Roll Eyes
Undecided
Lips Sealed
Kiss
Cry
Grin
Wink
Tongue
Shocked
Cheesy
Smiley
Sad
page  <- 123456789101112131415 -> <- 1 .. 7 .. 15 ->
--
--
List results:
Search options:
Use \ before commas in usernames
And I just finished my test run up to Ch.5, with my ending time being 4:31. That's a 28 minute improvement from my last try. Sadly, I don't have much of a clue what happens next, so I'll have to actually play through this and chapter 6. I don't even know if I have the right pictures I need. Haha.
Edit history:
HavokMoobii: 2014-08-13 08:38:20 am
I think I use the Bell Trigger from recruiting Gordon on him, it does pathetic damage, but he still opens his mouth.

I'm retesting all the shopping trips right now on a completed file.. here goes.

(Buy up to the amounts listed)

Chapter 1:
Morton
  20 x Scrap of Metal
  2 x Hunk of Copper
  2 x Thick Hide (One for Adel later, so you dont have to revisit Morton)

Chapter 2:
Free Items from Conda (Might as well document them for reference)
  28 x Rolling Log
  1 x Sturdy Cloth
  1 x Glass Material
  1 x Sugar Cane
  1 x Scrap of Metal
  1 x Fire Element
  20 x Water Element

Conda
  55 x Rolling Log
  3 x Sturdy Cloth
  2 x Glass Material
  12 x Sticky Clay
  4 x Sugar Cane
  6 x Forest Dew
  10 x Scrap of Metal
  2 x Silver Ball
  1 x Hunk of Copper
  3 x Light Element
  2 x Wind Element

Chapter 3: (This includes materials for BCII, which I have added to my route.)
  16 x Sturdy Rock
  6 x Sturdy Cloth
  7 x Glass Material
  4 x Sticky Clay
  13 x Forest Dew
  5 x Scrap of Metal
  1 x Holy Element
  13 x Earth Element
  2 x Fire Element

Chapter 4:
  67 x Rolling Log
  4 x Bundle of Hay
  10 x Sturdy Cloth
  4 x Sticky Clay
  24 x Glass Material
  88 x Scraps of Metal
  8 x Light Element
  15 x Water Element
  1 x Wind Element
  9 x Fire Element

Chapter 5:
  52 x Sticky Clay
  48 x Scrap of Metal
  10 x Silver Ball
  4 x Hunk of Copper
  10 x Light Element
  4 x Thunder Element
  3 x Fire Element

It turns out I used a Chapter 6 file to test, but everything else looked solid, so I am assuming 6 and 7 are correct.

Chapter 6:
  10 x Sturdy Rock
  43 x Sturdy Cloth
  14 x Glass Material
  30 x Sticky Clay
  57 x Scrap of Metal
  10 x Silver Ball
  15 x Hunk of Copper
  2 x Water Element
  6 x Fire Element

Chapter 7:
  47 x Sturdy Rock
  38 x Rough Rock
  2 x Glass Material
  1 x Gold Bar
  3 x Light Element
  16 x Holy Element
  15 x Earth Element
  16 x Water Element 
  2 x Life Element

 
Random thoughts:

Ferdinand doesn't need to be at the stand to sell Chicken. He sells it in the train and hes in the same car as Cedric, so you can get it at some point if you have to repair or during the final Conda stop.

Theres an interesting glitch in the Japanese version. If you remove your 3rd party member and add a new one without leaving the area, the game will softlock on the character screen.

The game doesn't actually give you Stamina drinks, they just seem to be super common from chests later in the game.

The Poison Apples for Maradan don't spawn if you already have some. (I have known this for a long time, just sharing)

Updated Route
CHAPTER 1

-Settings > Text Speed Fast, Time Fast, Map Mode 3
-3rd cutscene after battle can't be skipped until you can see Cedric
-Get Wrench
-Circus nonsense, spin attack 2 Clowns at a time

-1-1 Rat x 6
-1-2 Rat x 3
-1-3 Balloon x 4
-Linda

-Belt, Window+Wooden Box, Pipe, Milk Can, Book
-Morton, Buy
20 Scrap of Metal
2 Thick Hide
2 Huck of Copper
-Invent (Don't make yet)
    Energy Pack (Belt,Milk,Pipe)
-Get money from Cedric
-Make Pack

-Linda
-Start collecting Ridepod Fuel (For Chap  5-6 bosses and MFP)
-1-4 Vanguard x 4
-1-5 Vanguard x 3 (Kill Nightmares for Silver Ball)
-Halloween
-Picture of Firehouse
-Flotsam

CHAPTER 2

-Repair Robot Parts
-Get Bombs
-Sindain
-Firbits

-2-1 Himarra x 8, Picture of Himarra
-2-2 Tore x 5 (Must have 400EXP)
-2-3 Tortoise x 4 (Kill with whatever bombs are on hand)

-Great Fish Swamp
-Talk to Firbits
-Catch 2 Fish (Get some extra bait after first catch, one must be a Prisclean)
-Utan
-If Poison Apples are there, You need them.
-Catch Mardan
-Give fish
-Go back to Firbits
-Leave dungeon, Repair Robot Parts, Barrel Cannon
-Get Bombs
-Move to Sindain
-Carpenterian

-Move to Swamp
-Utan
-Exit

-2-4 Pumpkin Head x 6, Geostone
-2-5 Tore x 5, Geostone
-2-6 Pixie x 6, Geostone
-2-7 Gyumo x 5. Geostone
-2-8 Hunter Fox x 6, Geostone
-2-9 Hunter Fox x 4

-Leave Dungeon, cutscene warp to Sindain
-Pickup everything but Firbit House, break everything but the Trees
-Picture of Tree
-Move to Station
-To Conda, Buy
    55 Rolling Log
    3 Sturdy Cloth
    2 Glass Material
    12 Sticky Clay
    4 Sugar Cane 
    6 Forest Dew
    10 Scrap of Metal
    2 Silver Ball
    1 Hunk of Copper
    3 Light Element
    2 Wind Element

-Move to Palm Brinks
-Buy a Holy Water from Bruno if needed
-Recruit Gordon, Claire (if night), Ferdinand, and Adel
-Picture of Phone and Fountain
-Invent Aquarium (Fountain, Window, Wooden Box)
-Invent, Build, and Equip Bell Trigger (Fountain, Phone, Tree)
-Recruit Gerald
-If day, move to Palm Brinks Station, Exit, and recruit Claire

Move to Sindain
-Build and Place
    3 Pot
    2 Wooden House
    1 Eye Tree 1
    1 Eye Tree 2
    1 Nose Tree
    15 River
-Adel and Gordon Reside in Sindain
-Future
-Past to Future again
-Past to Future a 3rd time
-Coins, Himarra Badge, and Gold Paint
-Upgrades

-Move to Woods
-1-1 Sundrop, Escape
-Rainbow Falls
-Scene on top of the Flower is skippable after camera focuses on Monica
-Rainbow Butterfly
-Future
-Take Train
-Repair Robot Parts
-Get Bombs
-Move to Sindain

Pickup and Break Everything but the Firbit House, the Pots, and Trees, take the Trees and the Pots

-To Lin’s House
-Move to Palm Brinks
-Upgrades
-Recruit Donny and get the Upgrade
-Exit Dungeon
-Recruit Parn
-Get Purple Paint in Parn’s House
-Recruit Bruno
    Picture of Candle
-Recruit Dr. Dell
-To Lin’s House

CHAPTER 3
-Save Destruction Crystals(up to 10) and Power Crystals(2), especially after Chapter 3

-Move To Starlight Canyon

-3-1 Masked Tribesman x 8, Geostone (Use Cannonball Arm if possible)
-3-2 Elfas x 3, Geostone
-3-3 Dog Statue x 4
-3-4 Thunder Gemron x 4 (Gamefaqs Lies!)

-Exit
-Repair Robot Parts at Sindain, Cedric as 3rd Party Member
-Get Bombs
-Move to Palm Brinks and Buy Seal-Breaking Scroll(2 if Possible)

-Move to Starlight Canyon
-3-5 Elfas x 11 Take Moon Exit
-3-8 Elfas x 6
-3-9 Fire Gemron x 2, Geostone
-3-10 Thunder Gemron x 2
-3-11 Elfas x 2
-3-12 Dragon x 1

-Buy Scroll if needed
-Return to 3-5 Break Seal, Take the Sun Exit
-3-6 Elfas x 4
-3-7 Fire Gemron x 4, Geostone

-Exit Dungeon
-Move to Sindain Station
-Repair Robot Parts
-To Conda, Buy
16 Sturdy Rock
6 Sturdy Cloth
7 Glass Material
4 Sticky Clay
13 Forest Dew
5 Scrap of Metal
1 Holy Element
13Earth Element
2 Fire Element
-To Balance Valley Station
-Get Bombs
-To Balance Valley
-Make
13 Thorn Tree
1 Brick House
1 Chinese Stand
1 Star Lamp
1 Church
-8 Trees, Church and Bruno at farthest Platform
-Everything else +Parn and Ferdinand on closest

-Future
-Lao Chao
-3 Bridge (all but Star Items one) and Middle Upgrades
-To Starlight Canyon
-Barga’s Valley(Can't skip Spheda explanation HIT NO!)
-Fail to impress Monica with less than amazing Spheda skillz
-White Windflower
-Future
-Miracle Dumplings
-If low on Crystals and money, go get bombs from Erik
-Save Lin’s Life
-Future
-Chest in front of Star Items(If you don't have 10 Destruction Crystals, 4 Hunter Crystals, and 2 Power Crystals now BUY THEM)
-Starglass
-To Starlight Canyon

-Phantom Memo Eater
-3-13 Wind Element x 5
-3-14 Dragon x 3 Geostone
-3-15 Holy Gemron x 2
-3-16 Dragon x 5

-Lighthouse
-Cant Skip the Top of the Lighthouse Scene before the battle until the camera changes
-Takes 8 Bombs to kill Gaspard

-Future
-Can't skip second cutscene until you see Moonflower Palace
-Take Train
-To Balance Valley
-Buy 20 Red, Blue, and Green Paint (If cant afford, move Parn into the purple house when building Luna Lab for the rest)
-Pick up the Pots and Break the House, the church, the Stand, and the Lamp
-Build, Photo, Break Well
-Build and Equip Barrel Cannon II (Barrel, Fountain, Well)

-To Veniccio Station
-Repair Robot Parts
-Cedric as 3rd Party Member

CHAPTER 4
-A Carrot is needed from a Sand Moler
-4 Hunter Crystals and 700 Ridepod EXP are needed for the end of Chapter 4

-Pau
-To Ocean’s Roar Cave
-4-1 Geron x 4, Geostone
-4-2 Geron x 4
-4-3 Beach Rat x 4, Geostone
-4-4 Beach Rat x 4
-4-5 Geron x 6, Geostone
-4-6 Sand Moler x 8
-4-7 Auntie Medusa x 4
-4-8 Shiva x 2
-Cave of Ancient Murals

-Move to Veniccio Station
Repair Robot Parts, Upgrade Core
-To Conda, Buy
    67 Rolling Log
    4 Bundle of Hay
    10 Sturdy Cloth
    4 Sticky Clay
    24 Glass Material
    88 Scraps of Metal
    8 Light Element
    15 Water Element
    1 Wind Element
    9 Fire Element
   
-If extra money go buy a Seal Breaking Scroll
-Make
8 Pier
4 Iron House
1 Pot Torch
2 Shop Boat
-Build Veniccio(Build it so everything but the purple house would be picked up by getting rid of 2 Piers)
-Move Claire, Parn (if still need Paint), and Donny in

-Future
-Get 3 Upgrades on way to Red Lab
-Invent Aquarium and put extra Chapter 2 Fish in
-Electric Worm
-Picture of Energy Pipe in Red Lab

-Puppet Shingala

-Move to Ocean’s Roar Cave
-4-9 Zappy x 2 (GAMEFAQS!! DX)
-4-10 Sand Moler x 4
-If Needed get a Scroll
-4-11 Neo Vanguard x 4 Geostone
-4-12 Sand Moler x 4
-4-13 Neo Vanguard x 4
-4-14 Zappy x 6 Geostone
Exit Dungeon

-Build and Place Windmill and 8 Luna Stone Light
-Future
-Shell Talkie, Upgrade in back of Blue Lab

-Get Medicine
-Heal Shingala
-Dr. Jaming

-Future
-Center Platform Upgrades at 2, 5, 7, 9, and 11 o’clock
-Ma
-Take Train
-Can't skip scene where the train is arriving

CHAPTER 5

-Repair Robot Parts.
-To Heim Rada
-To Veniccio
-Pickup Iron House and Pot Piers, also pickup Windmill
-Recruit Pau
    Add to party
-To Heim Rada
-Picture of Geyser

-To Mount Gundor
-5-1 Rifle Wolf x 6, Geostone
-Exit and buy a Scroll
-5-2 Steam Tore x 2, Geostone
-5-3 Ice Gundron x 4
-5-4 Rifle Wolf x 6
-5-5 Steam Tore x 2, Geostone, Clear floor and win Spheda for a Bandit Coin
-5-6 Griffon Soldier x 6
-5-7 Griffon Soldier x 6
-5-8 Steam Tore x 2, Geostone
-5-9 Griffon Soldier x 6
-5-10 Rifle Wolf x 2
-5-11 Steam Tore x 4
-Exit Dungeon

-To Heim Rada Stop
-To Conda, Buy
    52 Sticky Clay
    48 Scrap of Metal
    10 Silver Ball
    4 Hunk of Copper
    10 Light Element
    4 Thunder Element
    3 Fire Elements
 
-Move to Heim Rada
-Make
    13 Pot
    3 Iron Stand
    1 Iron Chimney 2
    1 Generator
    1 Great Crane
    1 Power Arm
-Picture of Power Arm

-Future
-Picture of Work Crane
-Picture of Jump Gate(Transmission Device)
-Invent, Build, and Equip Steal Gun(Book, Fountain, Work Crane)
-To East Gate
-2 Upgrades Just past Lift
-Second Floor, Time Bomb
-2 Nearby Upgrades
-Picture of Drum Can In G-Parts
-First Floor
-To Time Gate

-To Mount Gundor Peak
-Break the Fire Squall
-Break the Flying Battleship
-Lower Exit

-5-12 Chimera x 2
-5-13 Lava Runner x 6
-5-14 Chimera x 4
-5-15 Bone Lord x 4
-5-16 Red Dragon x 6
Exit Dungeon

-To Cedric’s House
-Repair Robot Parts
-Future
-To West Gate
-Upgrade
-To Lift
-3rd Floor
-Upgrade under ramp
-Fire Horn

-To Mount Gundor Mouth
-Can't skip parting lava cutscene
-Gaspard

-Future
-Picture of Paznos
-To Bridge
-Paznos vs Golems Cutscene
-Every time the scene shifts to inside Paznos after the Golem army is first show is a skippable mini-scene

-To Heim Rada
-If no Gun Repair Powder, take Cedric for Sirus.
-Pickup the Pots, Windmill, and the Houses, Break 12 Pots
-To Veniccio
-Rebuild Luna Lab
-Ixion
-After the first two scenes no skipping until Chapter 6!

CHAPTER 6

-Sirus

-To Rainbow Butterfly Woods Star Path
-2S-1 Spirit Flyer x 6
-2S-2 Mad Tore x 4
-2S-3 Mad Tore x 6
-Trentos
-Earth Gem

-To Starlight Canyon Star Path
-3S-1 Balalla x 12
-3S-2 Balalla x 6
-3S-3 Bluno x 6
-Lapis Garter
-Wind Gem

-To Palm Brinks
-Seal Breaking Scroll

-To Ocean’s Roar Cave Star Path
-4S-1 Star Tortoise x 4
-4S-2 Fat Naga x 6
-4S-3 Arkerath x 4
-Sea Dragon
-Water Gem

-To Mount Gundor Star Path
-5S-1 Red Fox x 6
-5S-2 Fire Spirit x 4
-5S-3 Flaming Nail x 8
-Inferno
-Fire Gem

To Sindain Station
To Conda, Buy
    10 Sturdy Rock
    43 Sturdy Cloth
    14 Glass Material
    30 Sticky Clay
    57 Scrap of Metal
    10 Silver Ball
    15 Hunk of Copper
    2 Water Element
    6 Fire Element
If enough extra go get the last Seal Breaker

-To Kazarov Stonehenge
-Gems in Altars
-Talk to Osmond
-Enter Palace
-No Skippy this Scene

CHAPTER 7

-Build a Fountain and take a picture
-Invent, Build and Equip
Jet Hover(Candle, Firehouse, Relaxation Fountain)
Soul Breaker x 2 (Energy Pipe, Geyser, Transmission Device)
Heavy Hammer (Drum Can, Paznos, Power Arm)
-Moonflower Palace

-Level Steal Gun to +3 in MFP
-As soon as the following items hit level 5 Synth the listed materials to them and synth them to Steal Gun
Heavy Hammer
    27 Scraps of Metal
    5 Sturdy Cloth
Soul Breaker x 2
    19 Sturdy Cloth Each

-7-1 Castle Eater x 6
-7-2 Club x 5, Geostone Get, Kill a Diamond
-7-3 Evil Performer x 6
-7-4 Castle Eater x 6, Sun Exit
-7-5 Evil Performer x 6, Geostone
-7-6 Moon Goyone x 6
-7-7 Stormy x 2
-7-8 Moon Goyone x 6, Geostone
-7-9 Moonflowephant x 1
-7-10 Evil Performer x 6, Geostone
-Garden
-Flower of the Sun

-Moon Exit
-Make sure to have a Scroll

-7-11 Stormy x 1, Geostone
-7-12 Fire Drake x 4, Geostone
-7-13 Moonflowephant x 2, Geostone
-7-14 Guardia x 4, Geostone Get
-7-15 Thunder Ghost x 4, Geostone
-7-16 Vanguard Mk 2 x 2
-7-17 Stormy x 2
-7-18 Vanguard Mk 2 x 6, Geostone
-7-19 Leogriff x 2
-Alexandra’s Room
-7-20 S. Club, Geostone
-7-21 Vanguard Mk 2 x 6
-7-22 Leach x 4
-7-23 Vanguard Mk 2 x 4
-7-24 Earth Dragon x 4
-Exit Dungeon
G
-All Non-Monica Foyer Upgrades
    All but 3rd on left and right
    Downstairs all but 2nd on left
    Left, Under stairs
    Right, by stairs
    All but 2nd on right
    2 by door
 
-To Sindain Conda, Buy
  47 Sturdy Rock
  38 Rough Rock
  2 Glass Material
  1 Gold Bar
  3 Light Element
  16 Holy Element
  15 Earth Element
  16 Water Element 
  2 Life Element
-Buy Chicken from Ferdinand
-To Moonflower Palace, Make
2 Petal Stream
1 Hall of Sorrow
1 Stardust Pond
2 Starlight Stairs
2 Flower Beds
1 Palace Stairs
16 Moon Column
1 Silver Bench
8 Road to Golbad
4 Roads
2 Camellia Tree
-Try not to totally fail at placing all that
-Moon Stone
-Supernova

-”Sirus”
-Griffon
-Minibosses
-Dark Element
.done
Fun news. I just got a new laptop. When I can actually start recording/streaming, I will do so. I will also have to check out the updated route in a bit.

I did remember after I posted that you can just go to the train and probably save time doing that. But at the same time I really don't know if it is all around faster that way, since you would have to pick up and break the stand to get him back there. Actually just pick it up, but why not just break the darn thing?

Your georama list seems pretty close to mine. It's all just a bit of memorization to get the shopping down to no time at all. Although, I never realized that you didn't need to complete the 10 tree thing in Sindain, so that might help a little, since money is tight early on, and that saves... 1200 gilda from making trees. I've been making the 8 extra trees every single practice. @_@

Sadly, I seemed to notice the lack of Finny Frenzy when it should have been available, but I think we can skip getting 100% in Veneccio, unless it's required to get Ixion. I notice earlier today that the BC2 is to Mount Gundor as BC1 is to Ocean Roar Cave, meaning it takes 4-5 hits for mostly everything, so the 100% of Veneccio, if required, can wait a little bit, since you have to go back anyway. I still don't think it's faster to tear down Veneccio, and the amount of money you should acquire from Ch.5 should more than make up for the need to build new structures. So you can just build, place, and then later immediately run back to Veneccio without a stop to Parn for paint, and picking up and replacing everything. We'll have to really put these to the test, or rather I will test the two theories side by side and see what would be faster. I'll have to grab my Dazzle at some point, so it'll take a small bit of time. But I will definitely go on a recording spree and do all the side by side comparisons of which ideas are actually faster. I look forward to it. Once I get a little more practice under my belt I'll start running for real.
And after looking at your updated route, my only immediate suggestion right off the bat would be to snap the picture of the fountain when you first enter Max's house. There's one right next to Gerald's room, which takes a lot less time than the fountain I think you're aiming for down by the train station. Stupid photo ops.
Well, my friend, it looks like we'll beat that 6:38 time very soon. I'm getting more and more excited to run this game after seeing time getting shaved left and right from my practices. This is just a random post, but man. I hope we can continue to keep bringing the time down even after we top the current record that someone posted at the very beginning of this thread!
I use the Nova Cannon all throughout Chapters 6 and 7, so 100% needs to happen at some point.

It doesn't take very long to pack up and rebuild Veniccio. I guess it just depends on how money looks at that point... worth testing for sure.

Finny Frenzy has never been consistent for me, so I have long abandoned the idea of using any related inventions.

Good catch on the fountain! I'll change that right away.

Can't wait to see some of those comparisons. I can see 6:38 going down easily.
Quit after failing Spheda at 4:23.

I can't post exact chapter times, wsplit reset as soon as I hit stop.

Chapter 1 was great, like 24 minutes. Both Prologue fights were garbage.
Chapter 2 was decent. Ended around the 1:30 mark. I love the fishing in this game, but man is it trolly
Chapter 3 was terrible, no idea what the time was.
Chapter 4 was good. Ended around 3:50
Chapter 5..... spent like 2 minutes figuring out where a good bomb stop would be, spent 10 minutes in 5-1 walking past the damn gatekeeper because I'm dumb and blind, and failing Spheda.

I took a chance in 5-2 and went in without a scroll. used a thunder stone to kill the tore grabbed the Geostone and left. It's risky, but can save some cash to do that after you get Pau.

I remember why I dismissed the BCII before. You need a core upgrade to use it. I ended up having enough exp this time for it though, so it worked out. I also forget to add the Barrel picture and buying Gunpowder to the route.

Diagonal running is INSANE. Its way easier than I though it would be and its insanely fast. You move so much faster that it makes some animations look a little funny, like wading in water in Veniccio. Its also really helpful in chapter 3. The sideways view helps you find the Geostones, as they are rendered no matter how far away you are.

Sometimes when you shoot the Nova Cannon it will do a double shot. I have no idea what causes it, but if we could get it consistently it would save a ton of time.
I forgot about the core upgrade. My bad. I usually get a little exp while I'm in the lower chapters to build up Steve just a touch. I aim for 2 core upgrades for the Propeller and Energy pack. That extra hit does wonders when you have terribad luck with rocks like me.

Damn. I had an amazing Ch.1 in my last test, but I still didn't get lower than 31. Probably because I stall for a second to grab the exp, or throw a box and pray for fuel. I lose a lot of time because of boxes.
Your Ch. 4 end time was just about where mine was on my last test. I think I had it around 3:41 though. But we both had some god awful luck in Ch.3. The way I see it, Ch.3 is either going to be excellent, or just plain bad.

The double shot thing actually happens with any projectile weapon. I have absolutely no idea what triggers it though. I thought it was just a lucky double tap, but it just seems to happen at random with any gun. There's also a strange glitch that causes Ridepod damage to do like 3hp to the enemy, which I haven't figured out yet. It goes away after a second, but it's quite inconvenient.

I'll have to try that idea out for 5-2. What's the spheda prize for 5-1? Or were you working on 5-5? I need to practice spheda so I can always get it no matter where it's at. I don't think I'm bad, but Ch.5 is a little iffy with it's crevasses that the ball can just fall into.

Diagonal running saves more time than I think anyone realized until kinda recently. I had a hard time noticing it myself until I saw the video someone posted a few pages back with a side by side comparison. Sadly, I have to work tonight, so I'll have to put off another practice until tomorrow. I want to get my Ch.1-4 time down to 4:20 or less before I really start working on the rest of the game. Ch.5-7 take a whole different set of knowledge and skill than the first 4 chapters. It's cool that we can see time just dripping away. It also turns out that the record that is posted on that site is under just TA, and not RTA, so when it comes time to run for real, it'll bring great satisfaction to see the segmented record get done in by a single segment.
(I also have a girlfriend who doesn't seem to understand that when you're in the middle of a run you can't stop, so she likes to get in the way and distract me, so I can only really run when she's not around.)[/font][/font][/size][/size]
My laptop went a little crazy for a second and highlighted a bunch of stuff... Added font and font size. Forgot to delete the end. XD
I sucked on 5-1 and failed Spheda on 5-5. Sometimes it can be a little weird with how many hits you get. I had 3 to take it around a couple of corners. I could of done it, but I undershot the first hit. Using downspin with the Turkey helps a ton, as the ball barely bounces.

The Ridepod damage is probably a feature, like a grazing hit or something.

I got all my data for floors and Spheda prizes from this walkthrough: http://www.gamefaqs.com/ps2/561438-dark-cloud-2/faqs/36910

Post more later, not at home.
Looking at the list, it seems the only viable option is 5-5 spheda, as the only other back-up coin is almost at the end of MFP. That's no good at all. I think we're going to get somewhere really soon. Especially when I get my Dazzle back and start recording those time differences. But the real test will be the full runs with no saves. Gosh darn Griffon has me terrified. I'm also wondering if time would be saved overall by getting... Stopping myself right there. Level-up powders are not at all viable, as the Magic Gun can't even be built up until a long bit into MFP. My thought was that by clearing a couple floors, playing Spheda, and getting some powders, it would save the time it would take to level up the three weapons needed, but then realized that it is unnecessary, as you can't get the Supernova at all until a certain point. But I did notice that there are some extra Synthesis points available on all the weapons. Do you have any sort of strategy with those excess points? One that might grant you the Supernova before having to get the Moon Stone?
So I took a break from actually running today to play through Ch.8, which I've never actually beaten before. I learned that the Sun exit n every dungeon will always lead you to the exit, so there shouldn't be any more confusion about which door to take!
The absolute earliest you could upgrade to Supernova is 7-16. I believe all that you need to upgrade it after adding those weapons is ~10 chill and attack. Adding the extra chill to the weapons should be easy enough, but the attack will probably have to be added to the Steal Gun afterwords. Getting attack from synthed weapons is a little mathy.. I'll work it out next time I get to chapter 7

I actually haven't played through chapter 8 yet. Was waiting to get a 100% there, but always lose interest around chapter 6.
So I don't have any new ideas or anything today, but I did get my Dazzle back, so I can record stuff now. If there's anything related to the run you specifically want me to test with video evidence to back it up just let me know and I'll go ahead and try it out. So far I've gone and recorded the proper camera angle for diagonal running, I just need to actually put the clips together. I'm thinking my next test will be NC vs. BC2 for Ch.5-6. I'll post them when I have them.

I never realized how stupid crazy strong those stones were! It is a viable option to use stones instead of switching over to Steve. A little more risky, but a whole hell of a lot faster. That's something I'll have to test out as well. Do they have the same consistent power? When I was doing my run through Ch.8 they all did around 1200-2400-6000 damage, based of how weak the enemy was to the particular element. Do they keep the same power even early on in the game? Or is it a percentage based thing? I think I'm going to do a run very soon, following your route, possibly tomorrow. I'm going to spend today testing stuff. Might do one final practice up to Ch.5 as well.
Yeah the stones are always that strong. They are essential to doing item medals in the later chapters.

I really want to do more testing with the ABS in chapter 7 and with how early you can get the Supernova. If you were to stop and kill some high ABS mobs to get it early, would it even be worth the increased kill speed? I kinda doubt it, but its worth looking into. I also want to look into clearing all the Monica stages after Pau with Items instead of buying the scrolls.. and maybe even some before. Chapter 3 will never be safe, there are just too many Elfas and no way of telling which one you need, but 4-11 might be doable. The problem with that stage is the other enemies.. Zappys, Water Elements, and Ragstinks. It would be very risky considering one hit is a game over. Chapter 5 you have to deal with Gundrons.

Chapter 7 could go either way. At this point you have plenty of money to get the scroll and all the enemies are slow and have no ranged attack, but at this point you have the jet hover and need ABS anyway. I would suggest just using the scroll here.

Frankly, I think the scrolls would be the best option no matter what. If Monica is going to die from one hit, I'd rather be safe than be ganked in the behind by a stray enemy. However, if items are that strong, then they could be used early on in chapters without flying gate keepers. I'll do a test on that to see which idea will save the most time and how much to see if it's even worth it. This will basically involve clearing a dungeon twice. My only concern with doing that in the early game is that Steve needs ABS to get the core upgrades required for the Propeller and BC2. Altogether needing a cool 2300 EXP by the end of Ch.4, and 2700 if you plan to buy the BC1.

In regards to the use of Monica, I think it would just be better all around to keep her out of the game as much as possible, especially with her being decimated in one hit. 1500 gilda to ensure you don't lose a run sounds pretty good to me no matter how strapped you might be for cash. So my other idea is to use those stones instead of bombs on Gaspard, depending on the situation. Bombs do a set 1500 to him, right?
I want to pick up this game. One of you mentioned you were planning to run today? Any chance you can stream it so I can watch and learn?
Sadly, due to IRL stuff I don't have time today to do a run. Right now I'm using the little time I have to throw together some comparison videos for some of our theories. I can offer you a few pointers right now, but that's about it. Glad to hear you have an interest in picking it up, though! Havok and I have been working hard on it, so any additional help would be great. I would like to refer you to one of Havok's posts from earlier, which contains his route. That should be a good start, but here are some helpful tips.
1. Skip every cutscene. (duh)
2. Run diagonally as much as possible. It saves SO MUCH TIME.
3. Open whatever chests happen to be in your path. You need loot to sell, and some items are really useful early on.
4. Break rocks after you get the Ridepod, and stop when you have 3 Ridepod fuels. Pray for luck.
5. Halloween can be beaten in one cycle if you're fast enough. Really easy to do.

I wish I could offer more, but until I can start streaming (probably this Friday or Saturday) I can't really be much help.
Do you gentlemen run on the standard english ps2 version? Thats the copy i own right now but I might look into buying JP.
Also, it seems like you guys aren't using known tricks such as inifinite money. How come?
To be honest, it's a lot slower to do those tricks than it would be to just open chests. Especially since the earliest you can do anything related to infinite money is around the end of Ch.4. By then it's already to the point where money is becoming less hard to get, and as of Ch.5 you get Pau, so there's no real need to go and kill all the enemies around, which means you just need to open chests. In the long run, it's a lot faster to just open chests, but I am going to do a comparison video to see if it would indeed be faster to make Turkeys or just open chests. Other than that, you are able to get plenty of cash throughout the game. We consistently have more than enough money to take care of the Georama without having to farm anything.

I use the English copy. I'm pretty sure Havok uses the Japanese. So far I really don't know which is faster. I'm pretty sure it's about even.
I play both, usually English, but it seems all the version differences are aesthetic. There is a jp only softlock when changing 3rd party members.

You have to open chests in the single segment regardless. Finding Magic Crystals post-Pau can save minutes on floors, you need certain elemental crystals to craft things, and there will be atleast 1 floor in a SS where the gatekeeper or geostone will be hidden behind a locked door.
Indeed. Havok says it better than I do. But I just finished testing the NC vs BC2 for Ch.5. Hands down, NC saves a lot more time. About 30 seconds total just killing the gate keeper. Not to mention the rest of the chapter (minus georama and bosses (did it on an already completed file)) being about 10 minutes faster just with the NC and a bit of luck. Also, the Propeller is a pain in the ass to use right, but saves so much time. I don't have time today to do a run, so that'll definitely have to wait until Friday or Saturday.

Oh, and Havok. I also thought of a new strategy. Use escape powders to reset the dungeon floor if the map is telling you it's a really bad one. Way too big, lots of hallways, dead ends everywhere... A quick reset of the floor could be beneficial.
It will probably take a lot of experience to know what is reset worthy for floors. This game has a ton of depth it is crazy.
Edit history:
HavokMoobii: 2014-08-17 06:31:11 pm
You don't even really need the powders. If you are careful about selling you should always have very little money. Might be worth it. Some floors you know are really bad the instant you see the map, such as the ones in MFP that are a Giant S-shape with the exit right next to the entrance and the gated off section on the other end...

Does diagonal running work with the propeller and jet hover? One thing you could test is how long your fuel lasts using Propeller on every floor in chapter 5.

Edit: In the chapter 4 and 5 Monica stages, im going to buy the scroll and only use it if I feel I can't safely complete the floor with Monica.
Im also about to do a first half run and will try out different explosives on Gaspard.