Posts from What is the current record for the fastest completion time?

Subject:

And which team?

Subject.
And for which team?

What caused the interest?
Based on personal experience, it is not entirely correct to talk about speedrunning, due to:

Can someone explain under what conditions the old judge dies?

I completed all the quests given before choosing between light and darkness, including the initiation quests, except for the Arcomage one, as I haven't been able to get to 2 taverns yet. I've already been to Eofol, but I haven't freed Roland yet. So far, all I've been doing in the game is going to the arena and hunting for bounties.
It's November of the first year in the game; thanks to the genie lamps, almost all the characters' skills are at the grandmaster level, but I can't train them further because I haven't reached the required rank.

Have you already made a choice between Erathia and AvLee?

If you mean the drum of victory in the form of a signaling horn, then yes.

By the way, he still died a couple of weeks later, after spending time at the school.

So, you're playing the game too quickly. :D This happens when you get the hang of it and also know your strengths and the likely danger of a location. And the game's plot events are designed for beginners who spend days sleeping in taverns, slowly earning money, and even lying down in bones after wandering into the wrong area (for example, when I first played MM7, I stupidly wandered into the Catacombs with a party of levels 3-4. What fun it was: getting out of this network of crypts is not a task for such weaklings, plus I didn't understand the system of number and lever designations for a while :smile04: ).

If you tell me something new about how to make the judge die faster, I will be grateful.
Otherwise, when I encountered such a delay in the game, I did everything quite slowly after choosing. If you're interested, I can look for my personal result; it should have been saved.

It's just interesting.

My personal record was, I think, 4 months and 16 days.

Then I saw reports somewhere of 4 months and 14 days, or thereabouts.

So, it's interesting to see if the general idea has progressed in that time.

Theoretically, the minimum should be no less than 4 months and 11-12 days. I wonder if anyone has reached that.

I think they were trying to get there. But due to the aforementioned plot-related slowdown, speedruns in Might and Magic VII are much rarer than in 6 and 8. People especially enjoy solo speedruns in 8, while 7 is often overlooked.

In the 8th installment, the issue isn't the lack of a narrative bottleneck, but rather the overall simplicity of the game – in the early stages, the monsters aren't particularly strong, and in the later stages, you can join forces with well-developed characters. If you had to complete the 8th game with a party of level 1 characters (or starting level 5 mercenaries), it would be a very challenging experience. Therefore, in the 7th game, the narrative bottleneck is more of a plus for comfortable gameplay – while waiting for Judge Gray to die, you can take your time, level up, complete necessary quests, etc. The frantic pace is only present at the beginning and end of the playthrough. In the 6th game, the playthrough is the shortest, although the game is the most difficult. It's completed by exploiting bugs and glitches, which isn't entirely immersive. For all these reasons, the 7th game is the most enjoyable of all the installments – it's moderately challenging, not buggy, and has branching storylines.

The problem with Might and Magic VIII isn't the lack of a plot-related slowdown, but rather the overall simplicity of the game – in the early stages, the monsters aren't particularly strong, and in the later stages, you can join with leveled-up characters. If you had to complete Might and Magic VIII with a party of level 1 characters (or starting level 5 mercenaries), it would be a huge pain.

Do you even read what people write? Read my post carefully:

Especially with Might and Magic VIII, people like to solo speedrun the game, but Might and Magic VII doesn't allow for that.

Solo means alone, i.e., not joining anyone at all. I can't think of an alternative interpretation of my phrase, so I'm afraid it's just careless reading. Not everyone levels up, instead relying on horseshoes to increase skills, because leveling up takes too much time. Yes, completing the game solo with a level 1 character is a pain, but it's worth it.

Could you provide a couple of links to speedruns of Heroes of Might and Magic VII? I might finally understand why Kondraty gets so upset. Also, it would be interesting to read about how a team of level 10-12 completed the game.

Do you even read what I write? Read my post carefully:

Solo means alone, that is, without joining anyone at all. I can't think of any alternative interpretation of my phrase, so I'm afraid it's just careless reading. Not everyone levels up either, using horseshoes to increase skills, because leveling up takes too much time. Yes, playing through the game solo with a level 1 character is a pain, but it's worth it.

ooooh ... very good, are there any descriptions of record runs?

Added 6 minutes later

Can you give me a couple of links to speedruns of the 7th game? Maybe I'll finally find out why Judge Kondraty gets so upset. And it would be interesting to read how a team of levels 10-12 finished the game.

I'm afraid I won't be able to find the links anymore, I read it somewhere a long time ago.

Judge Kondraty gets upset exactly 4 months after completing the quest to repair the castle.

A team of low levels can easily handle it; they just need a few things for a comfortable life - healing, invisibility, and transport spells.

Personally, I played as the light side, and there are elementals there that can either destroy monsters or simply distract them so that the party can sneak through where they need to. And the quests on the light side are easier.

I think the only really difficult place was the quest to kill Xenofex, it's really tough - there are a lot of demons in the hall, and it's impossible to kill them all. I had to improvise - lure Xenofex out of the hall, which I managed to do after N attempts.

ooo ... very good, are there any descriptions of record runs?

I'm afraid I won't be able to find it anymore; the record was set about a year and a half ago. All I can say is that it was a dark elf, and he was using invisibility and an artifact bone bow from Krigan, which has a built-in explosion. The biggest problem was the Earth Planar Gate; it took either a month or a month and a few days.

...
The judge Kondratiy starts taking action exactly 4 months after completing the quest to repair the castle.
...

Thanks, now it's clear where the theoretical minimum comes from. 7 days from the island to Harmondeal, 1 day to the stone city, 1 day to Brakada, 1 day back, 1 day to sail to Linkor.

Thanks, now it's clear where the theoretical minimum comes from. 7 days from the island to Harmonndale, 1 day to the stone city, 1 day to Brackada, 1 day back, 1 day to sail to the warship.

2 days to the stone city - there is no NPC in Harmonndale that reduces the travel time by 3 days.

But you can return from Brackada to the stone city in a smarter way - by first running to Nygon and back, and then, after collecting the dwarves, teleporting to Nygon with a mercenary.

2 days to Stone City - there is no NPC in Harmon Dale who reduces the travel time by 3 days.

However, you can return to Stone City from Brakada in a smarter way - by first visiting Nighon and returning, and then, after collecting the dwarves, teleporting to Nighon with a mercenary.

Then the minimum time required looks even more theoretical: too much running around needs to be packed into 1 day.

Found descriptions of several record-breaking runs:

http://www.crpg.ru/sections.php?op=listarticles&secid=251

I see a 4-13 completion time, but that player didn't use the Nighon feature (!). So, 4-12 is probably achievable.

Correct answer: 4 months 12 days.
For the skeptics regarding how much can be achieved in nine game hours — a detailed log:
Walkthrough of MM 7 (beginning)

Party generation:
Lord of Air – goblin, monk.
Starting stats: 30,5,5,20,15,30,15. Starting skills: spear, perception;
Lord of Water – goblin, monk.
Starting stats: 30,5,5,20,20,30,7. Starting skills: sword, leather armor.
Lord of Earth – dwarf, cleric.
Starting stats: 12,9,12,12, 7, 7,7. Starting skills: merchant, meditation;
Lord of Fire – elf, sorcerer.
Starting stats: 7,30,9,7,12,9,7. Starting skills: water magic, alchemy.

January 1 Emerald Island: 09.00. Landed on the island. 200 coins in the purse, experience: 309, 251, 290, 300. Dismissed the guide, sold all weapons and one leather jacket from backpacks in the corresponding shops, bringing the coin count to 309. Hired a thug for 200 coins, took 1000 coins from the well, joined the Fire and Air Guilds, bought a Lute for 500 coins. Opened the chest on the shore, took 340 coins, a precious stone, and a helmet +2 armor. At 09.11, got the Fireball wand from Malvic, bought reagents and empty bottles at AM. Drank from the well as Lords of Fire and Water, bringing their luck stat to 15, sold all items from backpacks in MM, bringing the coin count to 1764, leaned against the Haste pedestal, bought the same Training skill for the monks. After that, with 12 coins, ran toward the bridge. Crossing the bridge, traded a Hat for a red potion with Bernt, leaned against the Day of the Gods pedestal, cast Feather Fall and Torchlight spells as Lord of Fire, and at 09.28 with experience: 309, 251, 290, 300 and 12 coins entered the Dragon's cave. At 09.29 with previous experience, but with 107 coins and the quest bow and shield found in the cave, left the cave, and on the way to the Moon Temple bought a Sea Shell for 100 coins. At 09.33 with previous experience and 7 coins entered the Moon Temple. Killed particularly persistent monsters with bare hands, and in the hall where their concentration was especially high, fired the wand four times. Collected scrolls and books from the shelves, took the quest tile, and headed for the exit. At 10.04 with experience: 548, 490, 525, 535 and 234 coins left the dungeon. Won the marksmanship contest, receiving +3 skill points for all. Distributed s.p. – brought monks' Training skill to 2, cleric's Body magic to 2, sorcerer's alchemy to 2. Jumped off the mountain; at 10.08 completed the quest to find missing tournament participants and became Tournament winners, receiving same Harmondale Castle as a prize. With experience: 5548, 5490, 5525, 5535 and 1234 coins ran toward the shops. Sold found armor, bought Trap Disarming skill for Lord of Air, and at 10.16 with experience: 5548, 5490, 5525, 5535, a thug mercenary and 897 coins departed for Harmondale. The first stage of the game is complete.
January 8 Harmondale: 10.16. Arriving at the location, entered the Castle. From the first trash pile we managed to pull out a Heal Wounds scroll; then, using the Fireball Wand, cleared the Castle. At 10.56 all invaders were killed, and we moved toward the exit. We didn't open chests, fearing traps. From trash piles we pulled: three leather jackets and chainmail each, and from a pile of scrap metal a spear +1 attack. Leaving the cleared Castle, with experience: 7110, 7052, 6990, 7000 and 1362 coins rushed toward the stables. Took three horseshoes, opened the chest in the attic, got two more horseshoes, money, plate armor and a cloak. Having the monks eat the horseshoes, distributed s.p. to them. Lord of Air training up to 4 (ate 3 horseshoes), Lord of Water training up to 3 (ate 2 horseshoes). Looked into shops, sold excess goods, talked with the Butler in the Tavern, sold two chainmail in the shop, hired a scout-hunter, then purchased Training skill for Lord of Fire, drank from the well +2 accuracy, and headed toward the Castle. On the way stopped by the Town Hall, where we were told that the Minotaur hunt is on this month. Fired the thug, hired a trailblazer, then went to the village in the southwest of the location. Joined the Water, Earth and Thought Guilds, talked with Hume, drank from the well +10 strength, and headed toward the Barrows. At 11.47 with experience: 12110, 12052, 11990, 12000 and 656 coins left Harmondale.
January 8 Barrows: 11.47. Appearing in the location, first thing we did was fire the scout-hunter; then, collecting money and reagents and picking up a wand from the ground, ran to Stone City. On the way, the cleric was knocked unconscious by ghosts, but by 12.15 we were at the walls of Stone City with experience: 12110, 12052, 11990, 12000 and 828 coins.
January 10 Stone City: 12.15. Entering the dwarf city, looked into the Armory, mostly out of interest since we had no money for significant purchases. Among other junk discovered a glove +10 armor /+12 intelligence/. Since we cannot afford to buy it yet, ran to the alchemy and magic Shops. Sold the found wand and two books, then started buying reagents and empty bottles. In MM bought Preservation, Stone Skin and First Aid scrolls. After that, hiring a Tracker, ran to a rendezvous with Gotfar IX; taking from the Dwarf King at 12.23 the bottle necessary for reviving his loyal subjects, headed toward the Stone City Tunnels. At 12.30 with experience: 12110, 12052, 11990, 12000 and 703 coins began descent into the Tunnels on the first lift. At 12.38 slipping away from Troglodytes, with previous experience and amount of money moved to Nigon Tunnels. The path to the transition to Thunder Mountain took us about half an hour. On the way we managed to significantly refill our purse, and at 13.06 we crossed into Thunder Mountain already with 2538 coins. Just before the crossing cast preservation from a scroll and rushed into the unknown. In Thunder Mountain we were met by two Minotaurs; running around them we picked up a Green Pomegranate, and without stopping our run, at 13.14 reached the exit to the surface of Nigon. Thanks to our agility, only Lord of Water ended up unconscious on the surface, who was almost immediately brought back to senses with potions, but turned out to be insane.
January 10 Nigon: 13.14. Exiting to the surface, moved toward nearby houses. One of the NPCs turned out to be a wind master; firing the merchant, used the services of the wind master and, casting fly, flew toward the central square. The required tracker was not among the NPCs, so after drinking from all wells /+2 skill points; +2 spirit; +50 intelligence and spirit (temporary); +20 to all defenses (temporary)/, flew back to Thunder Mountain. Before entering distributed skill points: Lord of Water training up to 4, Lord of Earth Body magic up to 3, Lord of Fire alchemy up to 3. At 13.31 with experience: 12110, 12052, 11990, 12000 and 538 coins, firing the wind master, entered Thunder Mountain. The return path to Nigon Tunnels took us nine minutes, but now all heroes became insane. At 13.40 we crossed into Nigon Tunnels and rushed through the underground passage toward Stone City, collecting money and items along the way.
January 10 Stone City: 14.10. With previous experience and 2863 coins we crossed into the Stone City Tunnels. Here we had to kill four Troglodytes on the way who had the misfortune of blocking our path. At 14.21, with experience: 13090, 12274, 12102, 12000 and 2942 coins went up by lift to Stone City. Healed the cleric and sorcerer in the local Temple (decided to leave monks insane since this state adds hit points). At 14.29, hiring a tracker on the way, with previous experience and 2402 coins left Stone City.
January 10 Barrows: 14.29. Taking advantage of the fact that the fly effect was still active, flew toward the nearest entrance to the underground Barrows. At 14.36
flew up to the entrance of Barrow IX and with experience: 13090, 12274, 12102, 12000 and 2942 coins entered the dungeon. Our goal is to reach Zokar's Tomb as quickly as possible and, after talking with Hume, pass the first monk promotion. There are two short paths between Barrow IX and Zokar's Tomb. I used this one: from Barrow IX ran into the left passage (lever position up), ending up in Barrow V near the right passage, flipped the lever to the lower position, and returned to the right passage. Next on our path was Barrow XII; picking up red potions lying within reach, flipped the lever near the left passage to the lower position and entered the left passage. In Barrow IV repeated the procedure of collecting red potions and, without touching the lever near the left passage (it was in the upper position), dove into it. Now we were in the sought-after Tomb. Killing several local inhabitants with Malvic's wand, decided not to get involved in a long fight, and at 14.41 Lords of Air and Water became Initiates. Having completed the task, returned to the surface of the location by the same path. At 14.47 with experience: 43560, 42744, 27522, 27460 and 4500 coins left Barrow IX, exiting to the surface. From the dungeon besides potions and money, we managed to pull out rusty plate armor. Continuing our way, at 14.48 opened a teleport chest, took items and money from it, and having moved to the center of the location, decided to visit the contest. Since it turned out to be on intelligence, and in Nigon this stat was temporarily increased at the central fountain, we managed without much effort for the whole team to get +5 s.p. each. After that we flew toward the border with Bracada. At 15.06 with experience: 43560, 42744, 27522, 27460 and 13745 coins we left the Barrows.
January 11 Bracada Desert: 15.06. Appearing in the location, cast magic eye and torchlight from scrolls, fired NPCs, and went through the location via the teleport system; then after opening a chest with a fly scroll, switched to flying. At 15.21 near the School of Magic hired a scholar NPC, identified previously found items: of everything found the most valuable for us were: belt +12 trap disarming (which is why we opened chests so easily), cloak +9 armor, and Starfall scroll. At 15.22 with experience: 43560, 42744, 27522, 27460 and 14412 coins entered the School of Magic. Talked to Thomas Grey, bought a reading subscription for 5000 coins, and took scrolls from the shelf: Prism Light, Day of the Gods, Day of Protection, Lloyd's Beacon and the book Feather Fall. After that left the School and continued moving through the location. At 15.27 became expert training monks, then flew toward MM. Selling everything excess, with the proceeds purchased: Invisibility scroll, amulet /+10 to all seven stats/ and two reagents. There simply wasn't enough money to purchase other interesting things. After that won a strength contest with monks and cleric (sorcerer was short one skill point), gathered gold and items, hired a gate master NPC, and flew toward the Red Dwarf own Mines. Opening two chests near the entrance, at 15.49 with experience: 43560, 42744, 27522, 27460 and 3662 coins entered the dungeon. Moving quickly and effectively, in 56 minutes freed all dwarves, and at 16.43 having cast TR by the gate master, with experience: 43560, 42744, 27522, 27460 and 7617 coins teleported to Nigon.
January 11 Nigon: 16.43. Drinking from the central fountain and hiring a gate master, flew toward Thunder Mountain. At 16.50 with previous experience and 5617 coins, having previously cast invisibility from a scroll, entered Thunder Mountain. At 17.00, picking up chainmail on the way, crossed into Nigon Tunnels, which we left at 17.28 running invisible to enemies, crossing into Stone City Tunnels.
January 11 Stone City: 17.28. With previous experience and 7617 coins we crossed into the Stone City Tunnels. The invisibility spells were enough for maneuvering between local Troglodytes, and at 17.42 without killing a single living creature, we completed the quest for the Dwarf King, and with the help of the gate master hired in Nigon teleported to Harmondale with experience: 56060, 55244, 40022, 39960 and 10617 coins.
January 11 Harmondale: 17.42. Arriving at our Castle, talked to the Butler, who reported to us on the rebuilding of the Castle. After that listened to ambassadors' invitations, and at 17.47 left the Castle. Thus began the four-month war.
But we still had 13 minutes until 18.00 (training hall closing time). Therefore decided to use them with maximum effect. Flew toward the speed contest and won with all, receiving +5 s.p. each. Did not distribute skill points yet. After winning the contest flew to sell out in local shops and buy necessary skills. Purchased: for Lord of Air – leather and sword; for Lord of Earth – chainmail and shield; for Lord of Fire – leather, dagger and item identification. At 17.58 with experience: 56060, 55244, 40022, 39960 and 7830 coins we approach the training hall.

A save exists somewhere else.
If anyone is interested — I can send it.

Read the post, felt the vibe of a gaming forum, then noticed the nickname... Welcome! :)