Karma run work in progress (not started yet)

[julius-ruler4]

As the title already suggested, I plan of doing a full blown karma run once I figured out the optimal strategies. But for now, I intent to share my thoughts here on how to approach this.

I came to an understanding that the current CH1 highscore on Normal is 605,010 points.

To get a minimal loss, I have calculated the amount of UTs/ETs that are possible in every fight. All scores indicated are averages

Fight 1: 2 UTs - 22,520
Fight 2: 2 ETs - 39,250
Fight 3: 3 UTs - 68,500
Fight 4: 1 ET + 1 UT - 87,750
Fight 5: 2 UTs - 111,000
Fight 6: 6 UTs - 161,200
Fight 7: 2 UTs - 185,000
Fight 8: 5 UTs - 226,000
Fight 9: 8 UTs - 288,500
Fight 10: 1 ET + 1 UT - 307,750
Fight 11: 2 UTs - 331,000
Fight 12: 2 UTs - 353,000
Fight 13: 5 UTs - 394,250
Boss fight: RNG makes you only get a chance of hitting a UT or ET 30%. Hit 1 UT on Murai and you can get above 615,000.

Potential score for Chapter 1: 619,000

My thoughts: To get a bigger chance of success I have to make sure I have at least 5 saves for each chapter. If I feel a fight or gauntlet is done properly in my book, then I'll go save. knowing I only have 9:59 for Chapter 1, getting a potential 615k will consume at least 8:30 minutes of my chapter time. However, movement is a crucial factor in succeeding this full blown karma run. for one thing, I'll try to base myself a little bit more on skill then luck, though luck can be helpful sometimes too. To approach this properly I will base this on JTB's Normal Karma Run videos. With that I can analyze thisnin full to see for future chapters.

This is actually the ideal score, though I will be pleased by breaking 605k. Once I got everything else figured out (and have a new PlayStation 3), I'll try to beat Jryusama's score of 605,010 points.

If successful, the chapter 2 approach will be posted in a reply

My conclusion: This will be the greatest challenge I've ever done in karma running ever. I don't know whether I'll be able to continue this project in full, but I think I might be able to pull this one off with the help of some serious karma runners like Kelll, Alhazard and JTB. All advice is more then welcome because just watching videos is not enough to pull it off.

The Challenge: To be able to squeeze out a maximum of points, whilst not losing any UTs/ETs due to RNG screwing me over.
The Goal: to score above 23,2 million, even knowing a loss of points is inevitable
The obstacles: UT bug, essence management, RNG, Time limits
The restrictions: Dabi, WH, lunar remain level 1
The requirements: level 3/4 Dragon sword, level 2 VF

[Luckrequired]

What are you talking about, I'm no help at all. Seriously, I wish you the best of luck, hope you hit your targets with minimal retries.

[Alhazard]

normal difficulty?

[julius-ruler4]

Yes. And I'm planning everything out chapter by chapter. This is the first ever time I might go for a full blown karma run that I might actually finish. It is personally a huge challenge for me as I mostly was trying to get absolute perfection on the very first go.

To plan it out I have to watch JTB's videos and get maybe some practice runs done. With that I might be able to get the optimal scores from every fight that I have to do.

To understand the method of my approach, I have give the example in the OP.

[Alhazard]

just keep the advice in mind don't spent too much time in early chapters compared to chapters where the most points are at stake (zombie chapters, aquaduct, and the core).

[Alhazard]

for fight 2, if you get 2 ETs, its going be very hard to get 3 uts on 3rd fight because whehter you can charge into UT is RNG dependent. Maybe just go for 1 ET?

it is even possible to get an ET in the torch fight? (fight 4).

fight 6, not possible to get 6 uts because even brown ninjas are not that passive. 5 UTs and 1 ET (2,2,2,1,1ET,1) is likely max.

Same with fight 7 (hallway), and fight 8 (room with flying swallow). Can you even charge enough to get 5 uts in that fight? I think its fantasy but would like to see.

Trap door: no idea since there is so much RNG.

Fight 13: you only have 6 enemies and a very short time limit. 4 UTs (2,2,1,1) is likely the max possible.

I guess I am concerned that your goals already are not realistic.

[julius-ruler4]

I have made some calculations. I truly think some things are possible, but these are luck based. Luck is greatly involved here and I have gotten the next before:

2 ETs in fight 2 and 3 UTs in fight 3
6 UTs in fight 6 and 1 UT + 1 ET in fight 4

The trap door fight I was able to get 8 UTs before but you have to kill the brownies first before killing the whites.

Fight 13 is possible to get 5 UTs, but again luck is a factor. I would be happy with 4 UTs and 1 ET

[JTB123]

I would just echo what Alhazard has said about not getting too caught up in the early chapters, especially chapter 1. One of the biggest run killers is when people go for that perfect chapter 1 score and then their tank is already depleted for the rest of the game. Chapters 7,9,12,14,15,16 and 18 are what will really test you.

Your UT breakdowns for chapter 1 are possible but you're talking about getting the theoretical maximum fro 9 encounters in a row when several of them rely on the a.i. cooperating just to get that extra 2 or 3 thousand points. Keep in mind as well how frail brown ninjas are, just one hit of a UT can sometimes take them out and you don't have a lot of room to work with in the environment space.

I made a video a few months ago where I just tried to get the maximum for every encounter in NGB and if you take out the first fight in Sigma they are very similar so that would give you an idea of the difference between the max and a really good run at the end of the first gauntlet.

Are you going to be recording any of this run? I know first hand just how awkward it is to record the PS3 in HD but if you're doing a no.1 score run I'd say it's better to have that in standard resolution rather than not have it at all.

Best of luck with the run though man

[julius-ruler4]

Just got to wait for that new PS3 to come. And I have an elgato to record, just as I recorded my NG3RE run

To make it clear to everyone, I did mention it is just work in progress. The real deal will be on youtube as I break down every chapter and every fight using all the knowledge that JTB and Bigalski gathered over the years.

As stated I will lose some points here and there but I'll take anything that is above 595k for chapter 1

My personal scores that I would love for every chapter

Chapter 1: 595,000
Chapter 2: 1,005,000
Chapter 3: 1,065,000
Chapter 4: 660,000
Chapter 5: 765,000
Chapter 6: 865,000
Chapter 7: 1,660,000
Chapter 8: 1,165,000
Chapter 9: 1,450,000
Chapter 10: 715,000
Chapter 11: 1,270,000
Chapter 12: 2,275,000
Chapter 13: 840,000
Chapter 14: 1,165,000
Chapter 15: 2,560,000
Chapter 16: 1,110,000
Chapter 17: 1,130,000
Chapter 18: 2,300,000
Chapter 19: 495,000

Desired score: 23,090,000

Again said: work in progress. I know I can get Cloud98's score broken by at least 10k points, if I could have gotten 6 UT's in the fight before the horsemen and 7 UTs in the fight before doku and not mess up any ET against Doku.

Of course this is also said a desired score. I am guaranteed to lose some points but I know it is inevitable. I would be happy if I just beat jryusama's score of 22,89 million