Soul Blazer

Edit history:

Reaif: 2011-03-17 11:24:34 pm

2011-03-17 11:11:30 pm

I am in a similar position as the OP about this game, and I have started planning for this game. I intend to do a deathless any%. I intend to follow what the tas does largely, but I am considering a few changes for sanity's sake. The biggest change I think is that I don't intend to die to save time, but was also kicking around the idea of getting the ice armor. In any case, I have been streaming the game fairly often, so you can see me go through really boring planning sessions while I get ready to start doing actual attempts. I am listed on the w00ty page.

If I get sick of planning, perhaps I will just start attempting to do what the tas does and gradually ramp up the speed until I can handle it.

Edit: Oh and I think I will be running the Japanese version, because it is the only version I own Cheesy

sb

2011-05-24 09:58:41 pm

any progress updates on this? been hoping to see something new, maybe i can get my emulator fired up and try to contribute something to this.

aarin

Edit history:

aarin: 2012-02-01 03:32:14 am

2012-02-01 03:25:49 am

<3

Resurrection! I needed a new snes. I still don't have a DVDRecorder (maybe later) and need a new controller, but I should just work on the run first and work off the rust. I missed my annual Thanksgiving run for the first time since 1993 Sad

Can't record anything unless I learn to kick ass again. Let's just pretend it's 12 months ago Tongue

I beat my old Grass Valley time by 3 minutes off memory (no deaths, 1st try), so I guess it's not so bad.

Still going for no death-warps, which will slow it down, but it's sort of easy, so maybe death warps for a lower time would be more impressive, IDK. No reason not to submit both, as was suggested, and maybe a 100% (zzzzzzz) later.

Anyway, my casual 100% run a few days ago was like 3:15:00, but taking an hour off that is definitely doable/easy. I'll actually keep posting this time, and hopefully get a DVDR deck within the next month. If I stay within 2 minutes of the TAS per stage, I should roll in at about 2:00:00 to 2:10:00 by the time I hit the record button, ending and all.

Resurrection! I needed a new snes. I still don't have a DVDRecorder (maybe later) and need a new controller, but I should just work on the run first and work off the rust. I missed my annual Thanksgiving run for the first time since 1993 :(

Can't record anything unless I learn to kick ass again. Let's just pretend it's 12 months ago :P

I beat my old Grass Valley time by 3 minutes off memory (no deaths, 1st try), so I guess it's not so bad.

Still going for no death-warps, which will slow it down, but it's sort of easy, so maybe death warps for a lower time would be more impressive, IDK. No reason not to submit both, as was suggested, and maybe a 100% (zzzzzzz) later.

Anyway, my casual 100% run a few days ago was like 3:15:00, but taking an hour off that is definitely doable/easy. I'll actually keep posting this time, and hopefully get a DVDR deck within the next month. If I stay within 2 minutes of the TAS per stage, I should roll in at about 2:00:00 to 2:10:00 by the time I hit the record button, ending and all.

Shiden

2012-02-01 04:38:16 am

Reaif got 1:57:27, http://www.twitch.tv/reaif/videos check it, guess you have a new goal! Cheesy

aarin

Edit history:

aarin: 2012-02-01 05:01:05 am

2012-02-01 04:59:47 am

<3

Ah, cool! Grats Reaif

I didn't see it posted on the SDA list. A new goal it is ^.^

Was that just a few days ago, or last year?

PJ

2012-02-01 05:14:25 am

Is PJ

He got that run a few days ago. I think he said a sub-1:50 would be a good goal for any%, but I might also just be making that up. Haha. Everhate is actively working on a run of this game as well. I think his PB (as of a few days ago at least) was just over 2 hours for any%, but I expect he will get his times below 2-hours any day now.

aarin

2012-02-01 05:16:08 am

<3

Great see see this game getting attention in any case Smiley

There's no etiquette I need to follow as far as competing for the top score I hope Cheesy

ghostlyunown

2012-02-01 02:10:55 pm

Currently Running: Pokemon Rumble

Love this game, and would really enjoy seeing someone run it. I hope I can help you out with the run in some way, and if you don't already have a source for information, I would like to recommend http://www.terraearth.com/soul-blazer/ to you. They seem to have good and accurate info(even if it isn't all relevant to a speedrun).

aarin

Edit history:

aarin: 2012-02-04 11:15:12 pm

2012-02-02 07:44:24 pm

<3

My first deathless speedrun came in way too slow, 2:20:00ish, so hats off to Reaif again.

1. Used Grass Valley Toolshop herbs as a crutch. I can stop that next time and save a lot of time. World of Evil is still a bitch w/o running for extra herbs, but not impossible.

2. I need to practice the Fire Shrine in Greenwood until I can just walk over the hotplates instead of waiting ~1min wasted.

3. Boss strats, mainly the Greenwood bosses and the Castle one. So slow.

4. Minor refinement on deathless lairs to include recall crystals, paths, and herbs is pending.

I can get in striking distance soon for the any %. I've also made maps for deathwarp and 100%.

Do they still take VHS? /noob-faq

ghostlyunown

2012-02-02 07:48:08 pm

Currently Running: Pokemon Rumble

Based on a quick search, I don't think VHS is still acceptable according to this:http://kb.speeddemosarchive.com/VHS Right at the top it says that they don't accept it anymore.

aarin

2012-02-02 07:49:29 pm

<3

TY. Looks like I won't be submitting for a while ^.^

I totally understand why, btw.

ghostlyunown

2012-02-02 07:59:42 pm

Currently Running: Pokemon Rumble

Kind of sucks, but all the more time to improve the run, if you want to look at it that way.

I'll try to run through the game myself sometime on the weekend to try to pick up on different ideas and possibilities . I'll let you know if I find anything of importance.

aarin

Edit history:

aarin: 2012-02-04 11:37:22 pm

2012-02-02 08:22:36 pm

<3

Yeah, it's not like there's a race to get a time in ASAP. It's just "best possible" wins, and I'm sure I'll need to do something special to be competitive with Reaif and Everhate. It's all for fun anyway Cheesy

I'm really happy you're a fan of this game too, GU. This and Secret of Evermore are my 2 fav games, and both seem sort of obscured by time.

ZenicReverie

2012-02-02 08:50:27 pm

Waiting hurts my soul...

Record it on VHS if you're getting good times. Some people will convert it for you, although SDA itself doesn't handle this for all runs, you might be able to find someone to help out if that's the only way you can record right now and since it's a semi-popular game (not actively played, but remembered fondly).

aarin

2012-02-02 10:06:14 pm

<3

Cool. Good to know the option is there if something cool happens~ I certainly wouldn't waste anyone's time with something subpar, so tyvm.

Everhate

Edit history:

Everhate: 2012-02-04 03:32:41 am

2012-02-04 03:21:42 am

Managed 1:52:04 tonight, with a bad death (forgot to re-equip power bracelet for a boss...yeah...). I think 1:50 may be doable, by playing cleaner. This is on the English version at least, the japanese version saves about 9-10 minutes of text time, and makes a couple of the bosses faster.

My current route skips the ice armor, and the mermaid tears, though those were both in until a day or 2 ago. It makes a couple of sections really challenging, particularly the beginning of st elles and leo's lab, but is certainly the way i'll go once I find a way to record.

We do, however, pick up the light armor. It's about a 10 second detour, and allows you to be more aggressive in Magridd, and not die to RNG on the ghost spawns (since they hit so hard). Other than that, picking up Ice Armor and/or Mermaid tears makes it pretty manageable, but skipping them seems to save a reasonable amount of time.

Working on splicing together video of the practice run that got the time, and searching for a way to record off the SNES for something submittable-looking.

Part 1 http://www.twitch.tv/everhate/b/307487077
Part 2 http://www.twitch.tv/everhate/b/307487124

I tried to explain some of the stuff as I went, for tricky areas, but it may give you a few ideas...obviously still room for improvement.

Managed 1:52:04 tonight, with a bad death (forgot to re-equip power bracelet for a boss...yeah...). I think 1:50 may be doable, by playing cleaner. This is on the English version at least, the japanese version saves about 9-10 minutes of text time, and makes a couple of the bosses faster.

My current route skips the ice armor, and the mermaid tears, though those were both in until a day or 2 ago. It makes a couple of sections really challenging, particularly the beginning of st elles and leo's lab, but is certainly the way i'll go once I find a way to record.

We do, however, pick up the light armor. It's about a 10 second detour, and allows you to be more aggressive in Magridd, and not die to RNG on the ghost spawns (since they hit so hard). Other than that, picking up Ice Armor and/or Mermaid tears makes it pretty manageable, but skipping them seems to save a reasonable amount of time.

Working on splicing together video of the practice run that got the time, and searching for a way to record off the SNES for something submittable-looking.

Part 1 [url]http://www.twitch.tv/everhate/b/307487077[/url]
Part 2 [url]http://www.twitch.tv/everhate/b/307487124[/url]

I tried to explain some of the stuff as I went, for tricky areas, but it may give you a few ideas...obviously still room for improvement.

Shiden

2012-02-04 03:33:44 am

I say the JP version needs to be submitted for sure, just for that huge time advantage from the text.

BlueGlass

2012-02-04 04:57:43 am

Yep yep yep!

I used to love this game when I was younger, but I never really thought about speedrunning it until I caught Reaif's stream the other day. Toying around with stuff a bit, I found a couple things that could save a few seconds. Both are in Greenwood.

First, the plant enemy lair to open up the shrine warp after the fire shrine, it's not at all hard to take them out with magic from across the way while opening up the path to the water shrine, and seeing as how a couple of them will be spawning anyway as you walk by, it saves that time later.

There's a similar situation in the first room of the fire shrine, where you can let the flame enemies from the lair in the top part of the room spawn while finishing off the lizards, then take them out with a fireball on the way to the stairs.

I hope these help, and if I can spot anything else, I'll be sure to post it.

mikwuyma

2012-02-04 12:16:10 pm

My feelings on The Demon Rush

Quote from ZenicReverie:

Record it on VHS if you're getting good times. Some people will convert it for you, although SDA itself doesn't handle this for all runs, you might be able to find someone to help out if that's the only way you can record right now and since it's a semi-popular game (not actively played, but remembered fondly).

I can convert VHS to DVD, if necessary.

aarin

2012-02-04 05:24:23 pm

<3

Quote from Everhate:

Managed 1:52:04 tonight, with a bad death (forgot to re-equip power bracelet for a boss...yeah...). I think 1:50 may be doable, by playing cleaner. This is on the English version at least, the japanese version saves about 9-10 minutes of text time, and makes a couple of the bosses faster.

My current route skips the ice armor, and the mermaid tears, though those were both in until a day or 2 ago. It makes a couple of sections really challenging, particularly the beginning of st elles and leo's lab, but is certainly the way i'll go once I find a way to record.

Nice. Yeah, you shouldn't have a problem with skipping those two items in a deathwarp run (I avoid the ice armor even in deathless). I can't avoid the tears though and make it out of Durean alive. Grats on the time! I definitely think you and Reaif should submit the JP runs as well if it saves that much time.

I'm still waffling on the swords.

I'm going to confirm/deny tonight whether the lucky sword is required to beat the game. I didn't find any reason to feel that way when I ran 100% earlier in the week, but maybe it's something I just didn't notice.

[quote="Everhate"]Managed 1:52:04 tonight, with a bad death (forgot to re-equip power bracelet for a boss...yeah...). I think 1:50 may be doable, by playing cleaner. This is on the English version at least, the japanese version saves about 9-10 minutes of text time, and makes a couple of the bosses faster.

My current route skips the ice armor, and the mermaid tears, though those were both in until a day or 2 ago. It makes a couple of sections really challenging, particularly the beginning of st elles and leo's lab, but is certainly the way i'll go once I find a way to record.[/quote]
Nice. Yeah, you shouldn't have a problem with skipping those two items in a deathwarp run (I avoid the ice armor even in deathless). I can't avoid the tears though and make it out of Durean alive. Grats on the time! I definitely think you and Reaif should submit the JP runs as well if it saves that much time.

I'm still waffling on the swords.

I'm going to confirm/deny tonight whether the lucky sword is required to beat the game. I didn't find any reason to feel that way when I ran 100% earlier in the week, but maybe it's something I just didn't notice.

BlueGlass

2012-02-04 08:18:17 pm

Yep yep yep!

Lucky sword is required. Without it, the grandpa in front of the entrance to Lake Lune won't let you pass.

aarin

2012-02-04 10:17:33 pm

<3

And...you'd be correct. I came here to post that BG:P That's so weird. I think it did make Poseiden go faster though so /shrug.

Having major problems ATM killing the robots in the lab just poking them with the Z-sword. I'll check everyone's strats and just grind out some practice I guess.

Everhate

2012-02-04 10:57:10 pm

Quote from aarin:

And...you'd be correct. I came here to post that BG:P That's so weird. I think it did make Poseiden go faster though so /shrug.

Having major problems ATM killing the robots in the lab just poking them with the Z-sword. I'll check everyone's strats and just grind out some practice I guess.

Yeah, leo's lab is definitely the hardest part of the run. I've got a series of landmark positions for the spawns that I use after having practiced it quite a bit (and dying there in many, many runs before that). Plan to do a walkthrough of my strats for stuff when I get the opportunity, particularly since Leo's lab has gotten to be fairly consistent for me now.

That's the part of the game that had me picking up Ice armor for so long, since it gives you a lot of additional health buffer.

aarin

Edit history:

aarin: 2012-02-04 11:29:42 pm

aarin: 2012-02-04 11:26:52 pm

aarin: 2012-02-04 11:25:12 pm

aarin: 2012-02-04 11:24:11 pm

aarin: 2012-02-04 11:22:58 pm

aarin: 2012-02-04 11:21:30 pm

aarin: 2012-02-04 11:20:33 pm

aarin: 2012-02-04 11:18:44 pm

aarin: 2012-02-04 11:06:45 pm

2012-02-04 11:05:09 pm

<3

Just finished watching your run, Everhate. Great stuff!

I enjoyed the commentary, as a fan of the game. Shoot me a PM if you need a verifier when you get to submitting (or anyone else!). I'm sure you'll get it down even lower since it wasn't sloppy, but there's always chances for better luck and patterns. I should have the lab sorted out tomorrow. I just got a little burned out earlier from screwing around in St. El's for two hours trying more deathless stuff, timing and retiming.

I'm a little surprised you take the invuln bracelet, but it beats grabbing an extra herb. I'll have to try that for WoE.

---------------------------------------
Also, I didn't realize the timer stopped when Deathtoll died Cheesy

I always stopped mine like 2 hours later after the second ending click (Do you remember me?)

That saves literally 15 minutes! Holy shit~ I'm not that far off pace (2:05:ish deathless) ^.^

Everhate

2012-02-04 11:31:49 pm

Nice, I've been looking at cutting out some of the deathwarping (and cut out a few that I'd been doing to get the 1:52). Haven't really timed deathless, but, with the exception of being able to skip mermaid tears, the time savings in some places may not be worth losing all the gems...at least for race-style runs...since my luck with gem drops tends to be terrible, heh.