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Overacheiving to the MAX! 4 parties of 99

  • Oblic
  • 10/12/2012 04:38 PM
  • 4770 views
The video below does a fair bit of explaining, but after you watch it, I want to tell the (relatively) long history I have with this game...



Did you watch it? Honestly? Alright, I believe you...

So, yes, I took the time to get all my characters to level 99. But why? For what reason, if there is any? Well, it's hard to say it was out of boredom, because, to be honest, even as entertaining as this game is, this was borderline painful to do.

Some history

Back in late 2007, I realized that my once awesome computer, was relatively garbage compared to what was on the market. It had no graphics card (or at least no dedicated memory for graphics), had less than a gig of RAM, and a processor that made dial-up look like lightening. In short, it couldn't do much in terms of... well anything. The most amazing thing I ever got to run on it was Diablo II, and that was a struggle. So in order to sate my gaming needs, I turned to the internet to look for "freeware games". That was all I knew to search for. For a while, I never came up with anything that lasted more than an hour before I got tired of it and moved on.

After about a month, I finally came across a site called GameJolt, which I'm sure most of you are familiar with. Since this site had a HUGE library of games (at least compared to other sites I came across), I immediately searched for the top rated games. One of the highest rated, with lots of ratings to boot, was none other than Hero's Realm. It was one of the first RM games I ever played, so I wasn't terribly used to the interface at first, but I caught on quickly.

After playing for a while, I noticed a bug. Knowing that this game was made independently, I wasn't surprised to find one or two while I played. I went back to GameJolt, and wrote a short email to the creator, our one and only kentona. He was very helpful, but after each correspondence, he kept urging me to "join RMN". I am always wary when people insistently urge me to join something, especially something on the internet. But I eventually caved, and made a quick account. The rest, at least in terms of that, is history.

I finally worked out the bug and continued to play. Even though it was free, it was one of the most entertaining games I had played in years. In the mean time, I would snatch up a couple of games from RMN and other places and played them for a bit, but nothing held my attention quite like Hero's Realm. I wouldn't say I was obsessed, but I was definitely hooked. I remember getting closer and closer to the end of the game, running out of sidequests and other things to collect, and finding myself disappointed. Not so much with the game itself, but that I was nearing the end of the journey. When I beat it, I was happy that I finished, but also sad as well (and not just because of the ending). Once the credits rolled and I was asked if I wanted to save for a New Game +, I was elated! Even though the game was over, I could keep playing if I wanted. I played for a few days, but got bored with how easy it was. Shortly afterward, my computer started having problems and it needed to be reformatted. Very little was recovered, and I lost my save files.

After a few years and many games played later, I came back to Hero's Realm for nostalgia's sake. Since I didn't get all the Mini Medals the first time through, I figured I'd challenge myself to get them all. And, since I already played through the game once, I allowed myself to use the Mini Medal guide when needed (I have a rule of thumb not to use guides on my first playthrough of a game). I paced myself more this time around, but finally beat it, Lightsaber and all.

I started a New Game + and decided to get a second set of Mini Medals AND make a horrendously over-powered party, too. The only way I could think of making this over-powered party was to make all of Holdana's (who is arguably the best of the main characters) party members Master Classes. So, I gave her a Templar, a Channeler, and of course a Daredevil, which is easily the most powerful class in the game.

Since this was a New Game +, and I already had some pretty ridiculous equipment early on, it was fairly easy to level the Master Classes, especially considering their accelerated growth. By the time I finished this game (or at least got close enough to the end to say I was finished), I was again dismayed that I had reached the end of my journey, one that I had now fabricated to extend my play time. I didn't want to end it and then start over AGAIN; what was the point? Where was the challenge?

The Challenge

I then had an idea: why not get everyone to level 99? I've done it with almost every other RPG I've played, why not this one, too? I already had Holdana's party in the 70s, the rest in the mid 40s or 50s, so I already have a bit of a start, right? I mean, how hard could it be?

Hard... very hard.

Well, to be fair, it wasn't hard. It was tedious and, most of the time, boring. I was glad that all of the other parties gained experience while the main party did the work. It allowed me to plow through battle after battle, while still beefing up the other three.

Like I said in the video (you did watch it, right?), I finished with Holdana first. It probably took me two or three months, playing a little at a time (your brain starts to melt after a while) gaining levels. I started on the next party (Zefiryn's) when they were in the 60s. Obviously, this was going to take longer, unless I focused on the game more.

I didn't. I had tons of other things to do, both in terms of entertainment and in terms of work. I didn't even touch HR for about 2 months; then I started working late in my lab. The things I was working on allowed me to sit for a few minutes every once in a while. I couldn't do anything truly productive due to the brevity of the breaks, so I did something mindless: level grinding! What better way to deal with boring monotonous lab work than with boring monotonous gaming?

Considering the maximum amount of experience, at least to my knowledge, in a single battle is about 2500, in an area where monsters can be immune to magic or physical attacks, the rate of leveling is pretty slow. On average, each normal (non-master) class needs about 1.25 million experience. This meant that the last three parties took much MUCH longer to max out.

Once I got Zefiryn's party in the 90's (which happened only about 2 weeks ago), I modified my strategy. Rather than focusing on one party until they reached 99, I'd float between them, as to not waste the small amount that was gained by the inactive parties. Since Zefiryn was so close at that point, I only had to float between Akira and Raj Ahtan.

A few nights ago, I was stuck in the lab until very late, much later than normal. In this time, I finally got all of Zefiryn's party to 99; the other two parties were in the mid 90s. The end was in sight.

Two nights later, it was over.

For a moment, I thought I would have been filled with a similar sense dismay at reaching the end of the journey again. Instead, all I felt was relief. I was finished! I no longer felt an urge to conquer the next mountain. I did have a fleeting thought of maxing out everyone's stats (there's a place to grind Rainbow Seeds, so it is entirely possible), but I knew enough was finally enough. This challenge already bordered on obsession. I needed to cut it off before it went any further.

So... that's my story. It took longer to tell than I thought it would, but I suppose a long journey can produce a long story.

Anyone else out there?

Now that this is posted, has anyone else done this? I feel like I can't be the only one. I'm kind of torn about whether or not I want someone else to join this insane little one-man club of mine. On one hand, if someone else has done it, it's no longer unique and I probably wouldn't be the first. But on the other, if someone has done it, or at least attempted it, I can at least sleep easy knowing I'm not the only one insane enough to go this far! Let me know, because I am curious.

Well, I hope you enjoyed this little tale! Now I have to find something else to do while I'm in the lab... maybe I should look into cloning...

Posts

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I am pretty sure you are the only one.

To help put this into perspective, when I designed the game, I anticipated that the typical endgame party would be around level 42, with a variance roughly between 39-47 depending on how quickly you played through the game. I beat the game in my testing around level 36~39, but I knew all the ins-and-outs (naturally). I think I leveled up some testing parties up to level 41 (which, iirc, is the last level any of the classes get new skills), but never much beyond that!

When I heard about another player having characters in the level 60s I thought they were insane. When I heard about parties in the 90s, I KNEW they were insane. When I watch and read this... it transcends insane?

Congratulations on obsessing with this game more than I! Didn't think that would ever happen!
Huh, that was pretty awesome. Grats!
U mad bro?
No, seriously, I've done some pretty obsessive things (spent 2 months playing LOZ Ocarina Of Time 3D Non-Stop(No seriously)) but seriously WTF
Oblic
Once a member of RMN, always a member of RMN!
1937
author=kentona
I am pretty sure you are the only one.

To help put this into perspective, when I designed the game, I anticipated that the typical endgame party would be around level 42, with a variance roughly between 39-47 depending on how quickly you played through the game. I beat the game in my testing around level 36~39, but I knew all the ins-and-outs (naturally). I think I leveled up some testing parties up to level 41 (which, iirc, is the last level any of the classes get new skills), but never much beyond that!

When I heard about another player having characters in the level 60s I thought they were insane. When I heard about parties in the 90s, I KNEW they were insane. When I watch and read this... it transcends insane?

Congratulations on obsessing with this game more than I! Didn't think that would ever happen!


Thanks! It wouldn't have been possible if you didn't make such a great game!

author=Clareain_Christopher
Huh, that was pretty awesome. Grats!


Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed!

author=jackalotrun
U mad bro?
No, seriously, I've done some pretty obsessive things (spent 2 months playing LOZ Ocarina Of Time 3D Non-Stop(No seriously)) but seriously WTF


Mad? I suppose in the sense that I'm nuts. But, like you seem to agree, we all have our gaming weaknesses.
Craze
why would i heal when i could equip a morningstar
15150
It's always the scientists.
What areas did you go to train to get level 99?
Ok, forget trying to get lvl 99 but i'm gonna see if lvl 50 for all of them is possible (maybe 60)I'm that bored
author=supremewarrior
What areas did you go to train to get level 99?
In the video he mentioned he was in the Death Valley (I think that's what i called it anyway. The final desert valley before the final dungeon)
Oblic
Once a member of RMN, always a member of RMN!
1937
author=Craze
It's always the scientists.


We just can't help ourselves...

author=kentona
author=supremewarrior
What areas did you go to train to get level 99?
In the video he mentioned he was in the Death Valley (I think that's what i called it anyway. The final desert valley before the final dungeon)


Yea, I think it is Death Valley. The only other place that would be feasible is the ocean, but from what I remember the EXP spread is much wider.
Oblic
Once a member of RMN, always a member of RMN!
1937
Wow, the things I used to do almost a decade ago....

I'm almost glad the link doesn't work anymore, haha. I remember making some of these videos while I was trying to figure out my life in grad school, and they were all god-awful. Not that they weren't fun; I'm just not well equipped to do that sort of thing.

Anyway, I wonder if the commercial release would be doable... doubtful with a full time job and a 1-year-old, but who knows!
don't worry the little tyke will be off to college by the time the remaster is released
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