All necessary information in comment file.

[A NOTE ON DOSBOX SETTINGS]
This run was done on the GOG.com official release (i.e., 10,000 cycles), with two lines changed that do not affect gameplay other than in the positive sense. As with Quest for Glory I VGA, this game seems to suffer from random crashes. Once changing the "EMS" and "XMS" DOSBox settings to "false," these crashes went away. These settings were discussed during the Quest for Glory I VGA verification thread and were approved; albeit not for this game yet. Both Quest for Glory I VGA and Quest for Glory III run on the SCI1.1 engine, so I imagine this is the reason.

Also, the video output from "Overlay" to "OpenGL" to allow for FRAPS to make the recording.

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[CREDITS]
Of course, I want to thank SDA for hosting such a great service. It is always my first place to check for speed runs, and the community is always super friendly and helpful. :)

This route was developed almost entirely by Puri as watched on his Twitch stream, however, I found areas MAJOR areas where the game can be sped up significantly. I will discuss specific in the scene-by-scene commentary.

Also, as a minister, I have to give credit to God for giving me a little extra leisure time to practice the series of games I enjoy.

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[KEYBOARD COMMANDS]
Unlike the other games in the series, pressing the TAB key DOES NOT open the inventory. No other keyboard command seems to either. However, I have attempted to optimize the INSERT key function, which switches from whatever icon you are on to the walking icon. Upon pressing INSERT again, you go back to the icon you were previously using. This is demonstrated to its fullest in the marketplace, as I can switch from running to the money bag as necessary to avoid conversation with the merchants.

Also, the arrow keys are used when fastest to move around. This is often a judgement call.

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[SCENE-BY-SCENE COMMENTARY]

[CHARACTER CREATION AND OPENING REMARKS:]
Unlike other Quest for Glory games, this one is not magic heavy outside of the Wizard's route. The major thing is to make sure you add 25 to Stealth and 25 to Agility. No training will be necessary with those prerequistes met.

Also, this game's random encounter system can be a bit frustrating. You cannot avoid all enemies. Perhaps in a TAS, but definitely not in a real game. As such, running the direction you choose is important.

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[EVERYTHING TARNA:]
I start with my icon on the door, and begin character movement as soon as possible, changing my movement type to Run. After this, I adjust the Game Settings sliders so moving to the door is already on auto-pilot. After that, I head down to the marketplace, and to the moneychanger area to watch the Thief. Staying at the left side of the screen will auto-transition back to the screen fastest, and the game thinks you have tried to apprehend the Thief (most points/fastest transition).

In the Rajah's room, right-clicking is the fastest way to make sure you skip all the screens. After that, you can speed up this dialog by not saying anything (just looking at myself over and over). When I exit, I reset my movement to run, head back to the moneychanger. We will not need more cash in this game. Here is our shopping list:

- 2 Waterskins
- 5 Zebra Skins
- 1 Fine Spear
- 1 Oil Bottle
- 1 Rope
- 1 Fine Robe

Where you click is important in the marketplace, as I am avoiding getting too close to the merchants and initiating dialog. After this, I am leaving Tarna, and within seconds, have my first RNG encounter.

Once my second RNG encounter happens, I use the opportunity to grab a handful of rocks which I would have had to do anyway when I reached my destination.

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[GRAPES AND STONE AND WASTING TIME:]
There are two cutscenes here. One is optional, but I find it to be much faster to watch both rather than the alternative, which does not happen until the Lost City at the end of run, and requires precise timing. Even with the second cutscene skippable, I believe this is actually the faster route.

After freeing the Meerbat, I reenter a third time to get the Venom Grapes and the Fire Opal. Venom Grapes are for the Dispel Potion; Fire Opal for the door at the end of the game.

After that, it is a matter of RNG prayer. It is almost night, when it becomes night, you can sleep on the savannah until morning. There are three possibilities that can happen:

1) You have an RNG encounter, and have to run; once you escape you can sleep until the morning.
2) The Earth Pig can appear, which doesn't require running, but you still have to say goodbye to him and then you sleep until morning.
3) Everything goes fine and you sleep until morning. That is what happens here.

I am running back and forth on the savannah to waste time, as I will automatically return to the inn for the next scene at dusk.

When you are asked to swear an oath when Rakeesh does, you can say "yes" or "no." The only difference, I believe, is points. So you will not see me aim the mouse here because it does not matter. I again use the "eye" click to avoid all of his answers and having to dialog through the menu. There is a misclick here where I right-click which causes a dialog box to pop up. Right clicking through certain dialogs is usually faster. Here, however, it cost me a second or two to realize what had happened.

On a sidenote, this dialog is hysterical if you do not answer the Rajah, and he gets utterly furious with you.

We travel across the savannah to the Simbani Village.

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[SIMBANI VILLAGE, ERANA'S POOL, GETTING THE FRUIT:]
Attempting to walk away causes the dialog screens to appear faster when you are on the hill, which gets you into the village fastest. Once inside the Laibon's Hut, I use the "eye" clicking skip again to get to the next scene MUCH faster.

In the next scene, you can either click "Say Goodbye" or walk to the door. I find the door faster, and if not faster than fail-safe. After that, you are expected to sleep through the night, but I am not going to do that. I am a Thief, and haven't stolen anything for a few days at least. Walking to the exit gets me to the exact time of day I want (sunset or night, doesn't matter).

I get into the Laibon's Hut and steal the precious Drum of Magic. If you have 120 Stealth, you will die with a spear through the chest. Apparently 125 is necessary. After that, I exit and head to Erana's Pool.

I am here to fill two waterskins. One is for a Dispel Potion, the other is to give so I can get another ingredient for a Dispel Potions. Had a second's worth of difficulty in the inventory screen, but nothing major. I am headed, after this, to the Big Tree, but first I need to see the waterfall portion of the map. This triggers the Leopard Woman prisoner to appear.

The tree itself is interesting on my machine (perhaps the GOG.com package). When I enter the second screen (the part where I am actually scaling the side of the tree) you will notice I do not move right away. Actually, you will notice NOTHING moves (even the waterfall). The more you click, the longer this lag lasts, so I make sure to only click when I see the waterfall move. It happens again once I have the Magic Fruit.

Also, if you just click at the bottom of the screen from the doorway, you run right back inside the top room, which is an obvious problem. Moving slightly down the stairs fixes this routing AI issue. Back to Tarna (after a few more RNG encounters)!

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[REVISITING TARNA:]
I am here for the Dispel Potion, but there is a proper way to acquire it to maximize time efficiency. You want to enter the city at sunset, so you can talk to the hippy about the Dispel Potion, give him the ingredients, and then sleep and purchase them the next morning. If you arrive too late at night, it counts as the same morning even if you sleep until the next day, requiring a trip out to the savannah to waste time.

That is why I hang outside until sunset. After purchasing TWO Dispel Potions, I head back to the Simbani Village.

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[BUYING A BRIDE:]
This section is hard to time properly. I have run into problems wherein I approach the Leopard Woman prisoner, and Yesufu begins to talk, and I am soft-locked in that screen and have to restart. I have found by going into the Laibon's Room, this is avoided. Talking may not be necessary, but I was too scared to try otherwise because this attempt was going well.

You can only use the Dispel Potion and open the gate when the unnamed guard is there. If Yesufu or Uhura are there, they will not let you do anything, even if she is your bride.

By going as fast as you can and min/maxing time in other areas, it is inevitable that you are going to run into this short storytime cutscene. It seems as though it is avoidable, but it is not if you are on pace. Again, it takes longer to avoid it than to right-click through it (and there will be less "you're tired" dialogs because you get an extra sleep).

Once the bride is free, we are headed to the jungle.

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[JUNGLE, NON-PEACE-CONFERENCE, MONKEY VILLAGE:]
Finding your wife in the jungle is the same as an RNG encounter. This one happens fast. If it does not, it is not an immediate deal breaker. You can position yourself next to the Jungle Village to make the trip last about two seconds. This way, however, does avoid the problem of RNG encounters. If I would have had to sleep through the night, that would have been annoying and time-wasting in this automatic travelling scene.

You have to tell her about the drum and she will lead you to her village. Once there, you watch some magic, and have to steal the spear. You have to have higher Agility or you WILL fall off of the rope as you try to walk over it. This obviously results in a gameover. You have to free the monkey (I believe, this may be skippable but would only save a second), then steal the spear and leave. After that, you get to present the drum and start the peace conference. Once the peace conference goes south, you have to run back to the jungle.

Too many bad luck RNG encounters later...

Once you are on the third screen, you automatically enter a dialog with the monkey you freed, which kicks to another automatic travelling scene that ends at the Monkey Village. Climbing the tree is fastest, followed by talking to Manu about the Lost City, and then asking him to take you four times. With higher communication skill, I believe you only have to ask him once, but there is no good way to make that happen in this short of a run.

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[WATERFALL AND LOST CITY:]
The waterfall screen is annoying, and has killed me once for being careless. There are times when walking the tightrope is faster. Walking here, however, gets you killed. You have to use the hand to travel across.

This last encounter is not RNG, but scripted.

You have to "Say Goodbye" to Manu to reach the next screen. After that, you open the door. There is another gem that can open the door in the eye of the statue. You can climb (even without climbing skill) to reach it, but it requires avoiding the Jungle Men and unescapable encounters if you fail to time it right. It also takes about 20 seconds because of it, and I find use the Meerbat area for the gem to be failure-proofed and faster.

Once inside, you have to Stealth across the room, oil the door, and pick the lock or else the Demons attack you. After that, we use the last Dispel Potion. Everyone walks in to their own theme music.

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[ENDGAME:]
You cannot win the fight against your doppleganger. Fastest thing you can do is spam the attack key until you are almost out of health, at which point the Thief from the beginning of the game comes and saves you. You do have to be a little careful, because you can die if you are too fast.

The next area is the last. You have to climb the first pillar (which cannot happen immediately; I was spamming left-click the whole time the hand icon was on it until it worked), walk (or hand) to the next pillar after the grapnel is set, grapnel the next and then WALK (not hand) to the next pillar, then grapnel the boss. The entire time, I am using the INSERT key to switch between the two icons to eliminate needless clicking.

Once the grapnel is clicked on the Demon, that is the last official input past dialog skipping.

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[AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT]

Better RNG in random encounters. I could have guessed which way the enemies would appear to escape slightly faster, but if I failed, it would have resulted in battle/escape which eats a few seconds. Over the course of the run, you may save time doing this. You have a 75% chance of escaping sucessfully. So even if you find yourself in combat once or twice but escape every other time, it may be faster, but I am unsure.

The route itself is solid, and I am unsure if there is much room for improvement.

The Thief is the least RNG heavy out of all the classes, so this time is fastest out of ten serious attempts from start to finish.