Advanced NeoQuest II Part 2: The Race Against Time

1. There are four optional bosses which you need not fight in your race to get the fastest time: the miner foreman in Chapter 1, Leximp in Chapter 2, Meuka in Chapter 4 and lastly Hubrid Nox in Chapter 4.

2. Take note however, that by skipping these enemies, you will lose some valuable experience, useful weapons and armor (particularly if you miss the Miner Foreman). Rohane has just started out, he is going to fight a relatively strong opponent in Zombom, and you would want him to have the best protection and arsenal with the little gold you have got.

3. Few people realize this, but you can skip Leximp, the Nimmo which holds Chia Oscuro prisoner by preventing the inhabitants from speaking your language. Do this only if you have sufficient potions from Chapter 1 and if you do not need to rest. This is not recommended though, because the cave to Leximp is very short, and does not take up any significant time.

4. The later you get on getting the NQ2 speed trophy, the harder it is going to be. Why? From time to time there will be other players who will want to challenge the speed for the trophy. Case in point: I was ranked 2nd when I finished NQ2 Insane at a time of 33 hours in June, but since then I am currently 4th. The maximum time taken to complete the game can only decrease. It is a really good-looking trophy, so if you want it, get it as soon as you can.

Experience

Ideally, you should have played NQ2 at least once. This gives you a good idea of what to expect during the game and to save time on talking to the characters in the game.

Use Maps

This is definitely not a time to test your memory or to explore on your own. There are plenty of maps out there, pick a suitable site and you are good to go!

Time Management

Determine the time needed for each chapter in the game. Break the individual chapters down into smaller sections, and based on your memory (or ask players who have just completed), estimate the fastest time you can take to finish it. Be realistic. If you are on dial-up, you cannot expect to be as fast as those on cable (see Limitations).

Prepare a time table that tells you the approximate amount of time you need for each leg, and stick to it carefully. Have a reasonable margin from the time by the 10th place winner, say 6 hours, to prepare for the unexpected, such as power failure, Down for Maintenance of the Neopets website (to be discussed later) and the like.

As a general guide, Chapters 2 and 4 are relatively shorter which you should power through quickly. The battle gets tougher, and the hp of your enemies gets higher the further you go into the game, which will take up more time. Remember to factor this in your calculations.

Leave the cut-scenes alone! You can view them later, when you have finished the game and the trophy safely in your hands, which, by the way, will only appear on your user lookup when trophies for all the games are given out.

Real-life commitments

Get them out of your hair for the period of time you have assigned yourself to devote to NQ2. Finish your home/housework, and tell your friends that you will watch the movie with them next week. You cannot afford to spend your time in other stuff, not when you are challenging the NQ2 race trophy. You can fully relax after all this.

Rest

To get enough rest during play is important. Having enough rest keeps your concentration level high and motivation going. You do not want to be making critical mistakes that can hurt your game when your concentration falls because you are tired.

It can get especially tiring in Chapter 3, when the terrain is relatively bare and all you see is sand for miles on end. Also it will be tough in Faerie City of Chapter 5, where the route you take is winding and confusing. Lack of sleep and rest can make you frustrated and grouchy by the time you reach Chapter 5, and to have a clear head while fighting King Terask II is extremely important.

Fatigue can cause you to miss that medallion, or worse, take a wrong turn and land yourself in a labyrinth that will cost you valuable time to get out of.

Learn to take power naps. This is when you take a short nap from anywhere between 30 to 60 minutes. Make sure you do not fall into a deep sleep, though it can be very tempting. A good power nap helps to keep you refreshed during play and is a useful skill to have in your life.

Your party members need to rest too, especially on the Normal and Evil modes. Rest when you can so you do not need to restart should your party fall.

Down For Maintenance

Possibly your greatest fear when you are going to challenge the NQ2 race trophy. I know it was mine. Fortunately, it did not happen to me, but who is to say it won’t happen to you? *Sees the shocked look on your face* Okay, I was scaring you. But what do you do if – Fyora forbid – DFM strikes?

Yes, it did not happen to me, but if it really happened, I would do the following 3 ‘R’s:

1. Relax.

Remember you factored a few hours from the slowest time you can get for inconveniences like these? Yes! So you will not be too far gone off your intended time. After all, DFMs do not normally take such a long time.

2. Review

Go through your schedule and check to see if you have been doing the right thing. Also visit your maps to scan through the terrains you will be going through later. Hopefully you would have saved this article on your hard drive, so you can take it out to read, for leisure.

3. Rest

Now you have an excuse to rest. Take a short nap, and don’t forget to set your alarm clock. Above all switch off your computer, it needs rest too – and ensures its top condition later.

Oh, and check every so often if DFM is gone. If it had been a short one, make your way down to the Battledome – and beat up the DFM Pteri!

Timing’s important, too

The best time to move as much forward in your game is when the traffic load of the Neopets website is as low as possible. That will be when America is sleeping! When the site is significantly slower, use the time to take a rest, eat, drink a glass of water, and stretch and walk around, and then go on with the game.

Weekends and holidays are not exceptionally spectacular times to race NQ2 either. However, if you are schooling, or working, there is no other way out. Taking leave to play NQ2 is a bad idea which I would recommend against it!

Also try as much as possible to begin when the connection is healthy. To have the game begin quickly is a great motivation and propels you to win.

Get Help

You know the way your younger siblings always hang around beside you while you are hogging the computer playing Neopets? Now you can make them happy while give yourself a little break too. Obviously, you are not going to let them fight the bosses but they can be here to help you train up your party members while you quickly grab a bite. The ideal places to seek help for training would be when you have just gotten another party member, or when you are close to where you can receive rest for free.

Towards the end..

You will feel drained towards the end of the game. Keep your eyes open! If you have time to spare, take a nap. Your body and I am sure Rohane and gang, will appreciate it.

Limitations

Your computer processor speed and Internet connection is no doubt, a determining factor in the game but this does not mean that you cannot attempt with a dial-up connection.

Have Fun

Most of all, have fun while playing. It will be pointless, getting the trophy if you did not enjoy the process at all. Play so that you can look back and think that you have actually did something that few people ever dared ventured out to do. Good luck!