Scott Conrad VanderWoude The Great Awesome Wonderful Terrific Magnificent
              Exalted Majestic Role Model, Proudly Presents
              ---------- NOSWORD.NSM Version 0.9 ----------
              (The "new" challenge, where the real fun is!)

*W*A*R*N*I*N*G****W*A*R*N*I*N*G*****WARNING*****W*A*R*N*I*N*G***W*A*R*N*I*N*G*
Playback of these NsM files (as well as any NsM file on a game that uses a
battery in it) will almost certainly overwrite the saved slot!  Backup your
Zelda.SAV file before playing these files!  (Further details later...)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^WARNING^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
History:
0.5: First public release.  Had NoSword1.NsM, NoS2-1.NsM, NoS2-2.NsM,
        ZeldIntr.NsM, ZeldaNsm.Txt, and Zelda.Pat.  0.6: Added WoodSwor.NsM.
0.7: Added NoSword1.04x.  Renamed NoS2-1.NsM to NoSwor2a.NsM, NoS2-2.03x to
        NoSwor2b.03x, and NoSword1.NsM to NoSword1.03x.  Text file rewrote.
        Accidently left out ZeldIntr.NsM in this release.
0.8: FINALLY (I've been trying to do this since before 0.5) combined
        NoSwor2a.NsM and NoSwor2b.NsM into one file: NoSword2.03x.  Added
        NoSword2.04x, Z1Stuck.03x, and Z1Stuck.04x.
0.9: Minor text file updates, upon finding out that demos recorded on NESticle
        version 0.43 don't work with version 0.42.  Renamed *.4x *.43.  This
        should be the first version to go onto ZHQ (0.8 didn't), which means
        this'll probably be the first super-heavily downloaded version.  Added
        Z1NoLife.043.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:
SECTION 1: INTRO, WARNING, HISTORY, QUICK INSTRUCTIONS, CONTENTS
SECTION 2: PACKAGE INFORMATION
SECTION 3: HOW TO USE
SECTION 4: CALCULATING PLAYBACK TIME OF *.NSM's
SECTION 5: HOW LONG IS EACH NSM?
SECTION 6: WHO MADE THESE?  (HOW CAN I REACH THIS PERSON?)
SECTION 7: DID THE AUTHOR CHEAT?
SECTION 8: IS THE AUTHOR BLIND?
SECTION 9: WHAT IS EACH OF THE FILES (IN MORE DETAIL)?
SECTION 10: AUTHOR'S THOUGHTS ABOUT THESE FILES
SECTION 11: MISCELLANEOUS QUESTIONS ANSWERED (INTERNET RESOURCES INCLUDED)
SECTION 12: INTERNET RESOURCES
SECTION 13: CREDITS, MISCELLANEOUS

SECTION 2: PACKAGE INFORMATION
Included in NoSwor09.* should be the following files: ZeldIntr.NsM, 
NoSword1.03x, NoSword2.03x, NoSword1.043, NoSword2.043, ZeldaNsM.Txt,
Zelda.Pat, WoodSwor.NsM, Z1Stuck.03x, Z1Stuck.043, and Z1NoLife.043.
More information on each file is below.
There may be more files in this package.  I do not forbid the distribution
with additonal files (such as a text file saying where these were downloaded
from).  However, all files in the original archive should be packaged in the
archive you downloaded.  From my site, and sites carrying the official file,
the file is called either NoSwor09.Exe or NoSwor09.Zip.  It's really a
self-extracting zip (runnable under DOS), but for the sake of Windows 95
users who want to "execute" the Zip file and run their unzipper, the extention
may be called .Zip on some sites.

SECTION 3: HOW TO USE
First, a note about NESticle x.xx.  The author of NESticle has released a
version of NESticle since version .043.  It's version number is "x.xx".  So,
when you see "x.xx", don't assume it's a wildcard.  It's an actual version
number.  0.43+ refers to NESticle 0.43 and all later versions (as of this
writing that means: 0.43, and x.xx.)
To use these demos, you need the following three things:
The NES emulator called NESticle, version 0.32, 0.33, 0.34, 0.43, or x.xx.
Z1NoLife.NsM requires version 0.43 or version x.xx.  All other files either
work in 0.3x, 0.43, and x.xx, or they have both 0.3x and 0.43/x.xx versions of
them.
The Legend Of Zelda in a computer-readable iNES compatible format.
One of these demos.  :)
You also need a DOS-compatible operating system.
For more details, see far, far below, towards the end of the document.

Load up NESticle 0.32, 0.33, 0.34, 0.43, or x.xx and then click the CPU menu,
select NES MOVIE, then select PLAY.  In the dialog box that pops up, erase the
default filename (if you're using ZELDA.NES, it's ZELDA.NSM) and type in the
name of the file you want to play back (i.e., Z1STUCK.043) and then hit the
play button.
If you rename the files you are going to be viewing (i.e., all files ending
with the .043 extention) so the files's extentions are .NsM, you can leave off
the .NsM name (i.e., just type "NoSword1" and hit the play button).
Files ending with .NsM are believed to work with all versions of NESticle
after 0.32 (up to the current latest version, x.xx).  Files with the .03x
extention require NESticle 0.32, 0.33, or 0.34.  Files with the .043 extention
only work with versions of NESticle 0.43 and all later versions of this
writing (which are: 0.43 and 0.xx).

None of the demos with the .03x or .043 extention work with NESticle 0.42 (and
I believe, they also don't work with 0.40 or 0.41).
When playing back the movies, your (cartridge).SAV will be overwritten when
you leave NESticle or switch which cartridge image is being emulated.  So if
the name of your iNES-compatible ROM is ZELDA.NES, you may wish to backup your
ZELDA.SAV before proceding!

SECTION 4: CALCULATING PLAYBACK TIME OF *.NSM's
(Background)******************************************************************
(Look for some more astericks if you don't care where the math comes from)
On my old 486DX33, playback of an NsM which would take just under 3.5 hours on
a real Nintendo Entertainment System took just over 5 hours.  The system just
couldn't keep up.  On a high speed Pentium, a computer is capable of playing
back at the speed of a real NES with no problem.  With a FRAMESKIP setting not
on AUTO, playback can be even faster than a real NES.
The mathematical equations I give are designed for JPSoftware's 4DOS product,
or compatible.  %@eval[ and ] act like ( and ) in more traditional mathematics
and %@filesize[xyz] is replaced with a number (the file size of the specified
file in between the brackets; i.e. the filesize of xyz).
I watched the intro sequence of Zelda on a real NES, and it took 80 seconds.
On my 486DX system, it took 104 seconds.  Then I recorded ZeldIntr.NsM, which
is the intro sequence but with me doing some button pushing.  Playback of that
NsM required my computer to calculate joystick input, which slowed down the
intro sequence to be roughy 119 seconds of play.
Using that information, I ran:
echo %@eval[%@eval[%@eval[%@filesize[nosword1.03x]-%@filesize[zelda.sta]]/2]
*119/80/60/60/60]
This yielded a result of 5.12 (hours: 5 hours, 7 minutes).  In
reality, it took my system 5 hours, 5 minutes, 42 seconds to load up NESticle
and playback the NsM (figured using 4DOS's TIMER command).  So the result of
this mathematical equation was less than 2 minutes off.
Here's how the calculation was derived:
%@filesize[nosword1.03x] is the filesize of the NsM.
%@filesize[zelda.sta] is erroneous, actually.  This is supposed to represent
the number of bytes at the beginning of an NsM before the recorded input
begins.  There's actually 24 bytes after the *.STA file before the recorded
input starts, so I later found out that %@filesize[zelda.sta] should have been
replaced with 1*23016 (%@eval[%@filesize[zelda.sta]+24]).  The 1* represents
how many NsM's there are.
/2 converts the number of bytes to the number of frames.
*119/80 multiplies the time by a speed ratio: That of my system's speed to the
speed of a real NES.  On systems playing back slower than a NES, this adds to
the total playback time (119>80).  On systems faster than a NES, the 119 will
be replaced with a number smaller than 80, so the time will decrease.
/60 converts the number of frames to the number of seconds.
/60 converts the number of seconds to the number of minutes.
/60 converts the number of minutes to the number of hours.
To figure out minutes, take off one of the /60's and then subtract: the number
of whole hours multiplied by 60 (60 min/1 hour).
Note: When multiplying *X/80, you can result in calculations where playback
may end up with a number of frames which may not be an integer or even a half
number of frames.  However, if using the speed of a real NES (*80/80), the
mathematical results should yield an integer for the number of frames if the
filesize of NsM's.  If it's not, either the size of the NsM's is an odd number
(probably meaning that there was some NsM hacking going on: perhaps just
cutting off the ending bytes to save file size, or perhaps splicing multiple
NsM's together), or you made a mistake in the mathematics.
Of course, it is heavily recommended that you subtract as many bytes from the
end of an NsM as possible, in order to lower a byte count.  And on a one
player game, the second player's commands are rarely needed.  Of course, any
effect this would have would likely be negligible.
******************************************************************************
Calculating your playback time:
Figure out how long it takes to playback ZeldIntr.NsM using the same playback
settings (i.e., FRAMESKIP level, etc.) as what you're going to use to play
back the *.NsM file.  Then use:
echo %@eval[%@eval[%@filesize[nsm2test.nsm]-1*23016]*119/80/120/60/60]
replacing 119 with the number of seconds it takes to play back ZeldIntr.NsM on
your system.

SECTION 5: HOW LONG IS EACH NSM?
NoSword1.03x:
Here's my calculations and results:  (Each "frame" is 1/60 of a second.)
echo %@eval[%@eval[%@eval[%@eval[%@filesize[nosword1.03x]-23016]/2]*80/80]-3*
 60*60*60-26*60*60-44*60] yields 3 hours, 26 minutes, 44 seconds, 53 frames.
NoSword2.03x:
echo %@eval[%@eval[%@eval[%@eval[%@filesize[nosword2.03x]-23016]/2]*80/80]-2*
 60*60*60-34*60*60-8*60] yields 2 hours, 34 minutes, 8 seconds, 54 frames.
NoSword1.043:
echo %@eval[%@eval[%@eval[%@eval[%@filesize[nosword1.043]-23016]/2]*80/80]-3
*60*60*60 -10*60*60 -28*60 -5*0] results in 3 hrs, 10 mins, 28 sec, 5 frames.
NoSword2.043:
echo %@eval[%@eval[%@eval[%@filesize[nosword2.043]-23016]/2]*80/80-3*60*60*60-
 8*60*60-16*60] yields 3 hours, 8 minutes, 16 seconds, and 42 frames.
Z1Stuck.03x:
echo %@eval[%@eval[%@eval[%@eval[%@filesize[z1stuck.03x]-23016]/2]*80/80]-7*
 60*60-30*60] yields 7 minutes, 30 seconds, 2 frames.
Z1Stuck.043:
echo %@eval[%@eval[%@eval[%@eval[%@filesize[z1stuck.043]-23016]/2]*80/80]-7*
 60*60 -22*60] yeilds 7 minutes, 22 seconds, 35 frames.
Z1NoLife.043:
echo %@eval[%@eval[%@eval[%@eval[%@filesize[ Z1NoLife.043]-23016]/2]*80/80]-
 6*60*60-39*60] yields 6 minutes, 39 seconds, and 3 frames.
WoodSwor.NsM:
echo %@eval[%@eval[%@eval[%@eval[%@filesize[woodswor.nsm]-23016]/2]*80/80]-2*
 60*60 -7*60] yeilds 2 minutes, 7 seconds, 39 frames.
ZeldIntr.NsM:
echo %@eval[%@eval[%@eval[%@eval[%@filesize[zeldintr.nsm]-23016]/2]*80/80]-1*
 60*60 -20*60] yeilds 1 minutes, 20 seconds, 28 frames.  (That is, 80.46
 seconds.  All of these calculations are assuming this should be 80 seconds.
 Close...)

SECTION 6: WHO MADE THESE?  (HOW CAN I REACH THIS PERSON?)
Scott Conrad VanderWoude.
Currently, you should be able to reach me via the internet E-Mail address
toogam@nether.net (shown in NoSword1.03x).  (I decided not to put my E-Mail/
Web addresses in the later movies, so as to not waste the time of the viewer.)
Another E-Mail address is toogam@suburbia.com.au.  Both of these currently
forward mail to toogam@filedump.ml.org, toogam@bespin.ml.org,
toogam@hyrule.ml.org, toogam@packrat.ml.org, and *@toogam.ml.org
(Anything@toogam.ml.org as long as there's no punctuation, etc.).  All those
addresses go to the same account.  On my world wide web pages I have a list of
current E-Mail addresses.  Currently, my web pages can be accessed by pointing
a web browser to http://toogam.home.ml.org (which will automatically redirect
all major web browsers (Netscape Navigator/Communicator, Microsoft Internet
Explorer, and Lynx) to the real location of my site).  That list, more
specfically, is at http://toogam.home.ml.org/toogsite.htm#EMail.  I also have
created some web pages dedicated to The Legend Of Zelda accessible via
http://toogam.home.ml.org/zelda.htm.  In the event that home.ml.org goes down,
you can try accessing my web pages under ~toogam at toogam.ml.org, nether.net,
filedump.ml.org, or suburbia.com.au (i.e.: http://nether.net/~toogam).  My
Zelda pages should be at http://hyrule.home.ml.org.  If all these sites are
down, you can try looking up TOOGAM under Yahoo! (URL is www.yahoo.com),
Alta Vista (www.altavista.digital.com), and perhaps
InfoSeek (www.infoseek.com).  The older (now non-working) URL's of my Zelda
site were easily findable by putting "Hyrule" into AltaVista (or Yahoo, which
used AltaVista).  Someday I guess I should update those engines for more
current URL's.  Also, you may wish to try the Zelda HeadQuarters web site to
see if anyone knows of my whereabouts, if all else fails.

SECTION 7: DID THE AUTHOR CHEAT?

Whayya mean cheat?
As far as I know, it is not possible to playback an NsM with an active game
genie code.  As far as using special emulator functions, such as saved states,
advancing frame by frame, and so forth, I did not use any of those in order to easy my 
ease the game in NoSword1.03x, NoSword2.03x, NoSword1.043, or NoSword2.043.
NoSword2.03x in particular had some frame-by-frame advancing for effect so I
could pull off some cool things like killing a gleeok from behind.  This was
done only in the latter part, after I finish level 7.
Z1Stuck.03x and Z1Stuck.043 were basically TOTALLY done with Frame-by-frame
advancing.  I was trying to make sure I didn't get hit so that the demos would
be compatible with all versions, as earlier demos I've made always became
incompatible between versions soon after I got hit.  I figured getting hit
might affect the random number generator which is different between versions.
Well, that's not accurate.  So, I made Z1Stuck.03x without getting hit.  I
couldn't make Z1Stuck.043 worse than that!  :)  Also, since I made Z1Stuck.*
with full emulator advantages, I did some fancy work with the recordings to
keep the file size short, and that's why I won every time I gambled.  :)
NoSword2.03x, NoSword1.043, and NoSword2.043 were all originally multiple demo
files which I combined into fewer, larger files.  It just takes too long to
record.  If by chance I perished, I cut that out so as to keep the file size
somewhat small.  (Yes, I did die in both of the second quest demos...  Usually
I don't die, but usually I also don't feel time constraints because I'm not
worried about filesize of the *.NsM's, as I'm not usually recording, and so
I'd've been a bit more careful: Perhaps visit out-of-way fairies more often,
or retreat from a crowded room instead of foolishly fighting my way through
it, or saving my progress when I'm near death ignoring the fact I may have to
repeat some progress I've made through rooms, etc.)
And yes, I could probably do even better playing than what you saw me in these
demos, but it just takes too long to redo a whole quest just for one minor
error!  On the NoSword1.* demos, I recorded them when I was quite out of
practice in the game.  The NoSword2.* demos I had recently had just a tad bit
of practice (from recording the NoSword1.* demos).  If I were to play each
quest through a time or two before recording, you'd probably see me do
better...

Maybe someday I'll replay these while recording just for fun.  (Maybe.
Someday.)

SECTION 8: IS THE AUTHOR BLIND?

On the 0.3x files, you may see me walk right into a Wizzrobe, seemingly
intentionally.  That is because the wizzrobes were flickering in and out.  On
the system in which I recorded the demos, enemies which flicker in and out,
flashing enemies, and so forth would be either constantly on or constantly
off in NESticle, or be one solid color (of the flashing colors), or so forth.
Interestingly, different colors are solid on/never shown during different
occurences of playing back the same demo on the same machine.  So, the reason
that I walk right into those guys is because I couldn't see them.
In some rooms, as I recall, I just pause the game using the select button, at
which time Zelda will keep the enemies solidly on.  This helped me see
otherwise invisible enemies.  However, I did not use Alt-A as an emulator
advantage to aide in overcoming the disadvantages I was receiving from playing
the emulator on a slower system.

SECTION 9: WHAT IS EACH OF THE FILES (IN MORE DETAIL)?

NoSword1.03x: I get to Gannon without a sword, a ring, or the letter to the
        little old lady (hence so sale of the Water Of Life).  Then I RETRY
Got     from that saved game, grab the wooden sword, and the red ring, and I
ver     defeat Gannon.  Then I RETRY again, do a bit more work on the saved
0.3x?   game (kill a Patra, get some more rupies, etc.) and SAVE that
See     progress.  Finally, I grab the magical sword and some Life Potion
this    (good thing...  I got hit by Gannon one too many times to live had I
file!   not had the potion) and defeat Gannon wearing no ring.  When I save
        the princess the demo ends, so that the player may hit the START
        button to have a second quest saved game, or RESET the emulated NES
        and end up with a Zelda.Sta with a stocked up saved game on the first
        quest (with all items except for a sword, ring, or letter to the old
        lady).
NoSwor2a.03x:  This demo starts very late on the first quest.  After beating
        Gannon, I beat the second quest.  Originally this was split into
Got     NoS2-1.NsM, where I played through most of the dungeons of the second
0.3x?   quest in this demo (specifically: 1 (E), 2 (A), 3 (L), 4 (D), 5 (Z),
        and 8 (Spiral).  In level 7 (other Sprial) I goofed around too much
This    with the blue darknuts (fighting many which I just didn't need to) and
file's  ended up dying.  I chopped off just the last bit of that demo and
for     then recording NoS2-2.NsM, which contained everything in this demo
you!    after the last room before the last stairs in Level 7.  This demo ends
        after the princess is saved, so you can return and you'll be able to
        hit START to get a fresh second quest character, or you can RESET the
        emulated NES for a saved game fully stocked up except that the
        character has no sword, letter to the old lady (hence no Life Potion),
        and no ring.
WoodSwor.NsM: Recorded on NESticle 0.3x, this file is fully compatible with
        NESticle 0.4x!  This demo is not a full quest, but starts right before
0.3x    Gannon on the second quest.  Armed with a red life potion, no ring
AND     whatsoever, and the wooden sword, I thwart Gannon.  For those wanting
0.4x    proof that Gannon can be defeated without the magic sword but don't 
compat. want to watch through most all of NoSword1.03x, this file's for you.
        This file also shows how you can lose the game after
        "beating the game".  Zelda is wearing a green dress (imagine that).
NoSword1.043: I get to Gannon without the use of the sword, ring, or letter
        to the old lady.  After that I fill up my bombs, SAVE the game, and
0.43+   then beat Gannon using the White Sword and the Blue Ring.  If you want
only    to see Zelda in a blue dress, watch this demo.  After the princess is
demo    saved, the demo ends so you can press START to get a second quest
right   character, or RESET the machine to end with a character with nearly
here    full items (all but a sword, ring, or letter to the old lady/potion).
NoSword2.043: I beat the first quest starting near the end, showing how simple
        Gannon can be, and I save the princess Zelda while I am wearing the
0.43+   blue ring.  Then I show how to walk behind the princess.  Then I get
only    to Gannon on the second quest.  Then I stock up on rupies and
demo    bombs, and save the game.  Finally, I grab the magic sword, and the
        red ring, and I kill Gannon, and eventually I save the princess as I
        wear the red ring.  Never got the letter to the old lady...  :)
Z1NoLife.043: Shows me walking around with no life.  I had discovered this
        trick some time ago, but forgot about it.  Actually, I somehow got
        myself under the though that picking up a -1 Heart container when you
        had only three would have the old man ignore you, like he does when
        you try to gamble with no money.  Thanks goes to Gregory Irgang
        (a.k.a. Grandlord Atma) for reminding me of this secret and thus
        correcting me of my error.
ZeldIntr.NsM: Just shows the beginning of the game, and is included so you can
0.32+   calculate playback times.  Both 0.3x and 0.4x compatible.
Zelda.Pat: Game genie cheat codes which I've managed to find.
Z1Stuck.03x: Shows how to get stuck in the game.  Also shows Amos-cloning bug.
Z1Stuck.043: Shows how to get stuck in the game.  Also shows Amos-cloning bug.
Note: If you play NoSword1.043 with NESticle 0.3x, Link will die, but you will
        get to see the double-Amos bug first.

SECTION 10: AUTHOR'S THOUGHTS ABOUT THESE FILES

I've very pleased with how well these files turned out.  My only major
complaints are both with the first quest files: On NoSword.03x I didn't kill
the Red Gohma in the one cool way to do it (walk in and shoot for the quickest
imaginable kill), and in NoSword.043 I had to steal the bombs from one of the
mummies in Level 5, meaning that if someone wanted to go back to where the
whistle is then they'd have at most 16 bombs guarenteed to be usable, and
couldn't go get four more after killing the first room of darknuts.  Oh, and
my one other complaint is that when I recorded what was supposed to be 0.4x
compatible demos under version 0.43, I later found out that ACK!  0.43 demos
aren't compatible with version 0.42.  Well, um, ARGH!
However, in the demos I manage to show off multiple bugs as multiple
opportunities for showing them off came up, some of which I didn't even know
about before I started recording these demos, such as profitting three keys
from Eagle (Level 1, first quest) if you have bombs, not just two.  There is a
blue octorok that goes through the wall just south of Moon (Level 2, first
quest) in NoSword1.03x.  In NoSword2a.NsM I show how to get the sword back
from a temporary bubble by blowing the whistle.  I show killing an enemy and
leaving the room to make another disappear, getting life immediately after
selecting a character from the character select screen, and getting hit with a
like like without losing the Magic Shield.  I also show a music bug where the
music plays during the CONTINUE/SAVE/RETRY screen.  In NoSword1.043 I managed
to stand ontop of a block.  There's a way to stand in rock on the screen with
the waterfall which got into the 0.43+ demos.  Basically, (most?) everything I
could think of at the time of recording the 0.3x demos made it into those
demos, and (most?) everything I could think of at the time of recording the
0.43+ demos went into those.
One thing I decided not to show, in the 0.3x demos because I never tried it up
to the time of recording, and in the 0.43+ demos because I didn't want to just
kill myself, was dying in the whistle's whirlwind.  To do this, use the Magic
Wand (with the Magic Book) to shoot a flame before you're caught in the
whirlwind.  You can be hurt by your fire when you're in the whirlwind.
BOASTFUL BRAGGING COMING UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I hereby claim to be the world's best Legend Of Zelda player, on the grounds
that I have conquered both first and second quest in less than six hours each
without using a sword, a ring, or Life Medicine, and additionally I have
managed to topple Gannon using the Wooden Sword using no ring.  I'm ready and
willing to accept any challengers who intend to top that.  Although I have
heard long ago a rumor that someone toppled Gannon with the Wooden Sword, I
have never before heard of anyone else playing the game swordlessly.  If you
have done this before me, please contact me...  I'd like to hear from you.  I
don't remember exactly when I beat the game without a sword for the first
time.  These demos were created in 1997 (according to the file dates,
NoSwor2b.NsM was finished being spliced in late July).  I'd say I first
accomplished getting to Gannon without a sword between 1992 and 1995
(inclusive).  Beyond that, I really don't remember.
The dates I made/modified each of the files are shown by the filedates in the
Zip file if you get the Zip file straight from my distribution (from my web
pages).
Oh, and if I'm not the world's best, well, oh well.  Still, since I haven't
had any serious challengers as of this writing, it's fun to think of myself as
actually being the truely best in the world at something.  :)  I would have
fun living up to the name, though, if anyone dares challenge me!

SECTION 11: MISCELLANEOUS QUESTIONS ANSWERED

If you are actually reading all this before you saw the demos, um, wow.  I do
encourage playing this game without a sword, and of course for the full
effect you'll want to do this BEFORE seeing me do it (otherwise you'll know
all of the solutions).

Here's some questions which I expect some people may be wondering, or which
they'd like answered whether or not they think of the question:
Why is this labeled version 0.9, not 1.0?  Is there more coming?
        It's just called 0.9 in case I find I made some sort of error or so
        forth.  0.8 was going to be the last version before 1.0, in case some
        error came up.  Indeed, I found an error (Thanks to Steve Fairbank of
        ZHQ) which was around since 0.7 anyways: I learned information about
        0.42 and 0.43 not being NsM compatible.
        I expect to release 1.0 shortly, which I expect to be the
        same as this Zip file except the history will mention there was a
        minor change to the documentation, version numbers being changed, etc.
        The first version, 0.5, had all the features I was originally planning
        to add except that one of the file was split into two, and I couldn't
        combine them.  But by the time 0.5 came out, NESticle 0.40 had just
        been released so I kept the version number under 1.0 in case I'd ever
        make 0.4x demos, since by the time the first version was out, I
        decided my work was NOT completed (more work was given to me).
Do you ever plan to make a new version?
        If NESticle source code is released and that version doesn't play
        back these demos, then I will make a record for that version in honor
        of that version being more awesome (since it's portable).  When
        NESticle 0.40 came out, I had just finished version 0.5 of these
        demos.  (I named the version 0.5 because, upon there being a new
        version of the emulator, I deemed the work was only "half-done".  :) )
        I didn't feel the need to immediately replay both quests under 0.40,
        which I didn't see as having any real significant new features
        (especially when it comes to viewing demos) over version 0.34.  When
        version 0.43 came out, though, I thought it was time I strive to make
        new demos, since the viewing would be so much more enhanced.
        Right now, there are no NoSword demos of mine which work under
        versions 0.42.  After I get a new computer at home and I feel like
        playing Zelda again, I may make 0.42 demos.  However, I don't see any
        real reason why anyone would be demanding 0.42...  demos can't be
        played over TCP/IP which is the one advantage I see in the Windows 95
        version over the DOS version of NESticle.
        If NESticle gets a new version (or some other emulator with movie
        capabilities) with more authentic game play than the current versions
        of NESticle, such as having the above mentioned bugs fixed, then I'll
        probably record some new demos...  eventually... some day.  After I
        get a new computer, I'll be more likely to.  But for *right now*, I
        don't have any current plans on creating a new version of NESticle
        unless the source is released (in which case, if my demos are
        incompatible, I'll be scrambling to make a new version: I'd love to
        see NESticle ported to OS's and see my demos running under Linux, or
        as a plugin in a browser, or so...)
        Now that MESS is out, I have some interest in creating some *.INP(ut
        recording) files for that emulator, but as of right now MESS is way,
        way too slow for my current system (which may be fixed either by MESS
        become faster or me getting a faster system), and since MESS is so new
        (as of this writing), still at version 0.2 (with no new changes to the
        NES core noted since version 0.1, that I've found), I wouldn't be at
        all surprised if they make some changes to that emulator core
        resulting in the *.INP files becoming incompatible.  I am very
        interested in making MESS recordings since MESS has source code, and
        it's portable, but right now I just don't have the time or realistic
        ability to create such files.  As for MESS's accuracy, I couldn't get
        it to run with sound, and I am not unrealistically patient to waste my
        time playing on an incredibly slow emulation set up, so I cannot give
        any sort of a real rating at this time.
Did you have any versions prior to what's shown on the history?  What's with
        the first version being 0.5, not 1.0 or 0.1 or...
        Nope.  0.5 was the first.  By the time I got the 0.3x demos recorded,
        NESticle 0.40 was released.  NESticle 0.40 didn't have the warning
        that future versions might be incompatible with demos recorded with
        the current version if the emulation core occurred, so I figured that
        perhaps the emulator was planning to switch emulation cores for some
        time, and now that 0.40 was out, he didn't plan to do that anymore.
        I figured I would probably release 0.4x-compatible demos some day,
        although I wasn't exactly in any hurry to record me playing through
        the whole game again.  So I named it version 0.5, on the premise that
        I was half way to 1.0 (half done).
        A week before 0.5 was released, I'd've released 0.5 as 0.9 (since the
        second quest demos were split) or maybe even 1.0.  It was just since
        0.40 was out that I named it 0.5.  And now that there are 0.43+ demos,
        I'm glad I did.  :)  Now I have basically everything in there that I
        was planning to during the period prior to the original release
        (demos to work with 0.3x, since I had basically already made those by
        the time 0.40 was out, and also some to work on the latest version of
        NESticle), and I also included some more stuff (WOODSWOR.NSM,
        Z1STUCK.*), so I'm pretty content with having made a "gold" release
        (naming it version 1.0) after the 0.43+ demos were out.
        If someday I make a future version, that's okay.  Then it just means
        I tacked on more features since the 1.0 release.  I like to think
        that 1.0 releases are the first version that the author is willing to
        stand by and say "See?  Here's a complete product which works".  1.0
        fulfilled the specs I had made by the time I made my first version
        number.  So I'm happy.  And I'm also repeating myself.  I'm rambling.
        I'm sorry.  Let's move on to the next question.
Do you have any other demos like this made?
        Oh, I made one where I get to world -1 in Super Mario Bros., and where
        I get into what I call "Reverse mode" (one of the few really cool,
        awesome secrets that I found out myself).  You can probably find them
        on my web site somewhere.  Also, I created a bunch of small demo files
        which show (in bits and pieces) me beating Zelda 2 without a candle.
        Currently (Z2Cand04.Zip), all I have that is in 0.3x format (although
        some work with later versions of NESticle, but some of the bits and
        pieces don't).  Okay, so I'm not really all too happy with that
        product.  Still, I figured it may be useful to somebody.  BeatGame.NsM
        by itself isn't too bad.  So, I have it available for download.  The
        fact I feel it needs way more work done to it to be admirable is
        meant to be evident by the fact I version'ed it version 0.4.
What is "TOOGAM" (from your E-Mail address)?
        "The One Of Greatness And Magnificence".  I decided SCVTGAWTMEMRM
        (skuv-gawt-mem-rem) (ancrynom spelled out at top of document) was too
        long, as many computer entry fields want eight letters or less.  So I
        looked for something similar, shorter, and preferably a bit easier to
        pronounce.
How hard is it to play without the sword?
        As you can expect, on the first run through the game without a sword,
        the game was significantly more difficult than with a sword.  However,
        once I did it once, and learned the tricks as to what weapons can kill
        what (rahter than using the sword on just about everything), I tried
        again and did it in under 6 hours.  I continued on with second quest,
        again beating the quest in 6 hours.  The next time (I think) that I
        tried it I was playing on the computer, with NESticle, although that
        recording wasn't the greatest, at all!  When I tried again, I did it
        in under three and a half hours real NES time.
What's the hardest part?
        The beginning of the game is the most time consuming (especially
        before winning at gambling), but the hardest part of the game without
        a sword, I'd say, is in first quest, level five, trying to get the
        whistle.  The second most difficult challenge is the get the Magic
        Wand.  Unless you try to get the Magic Wand before the capability of
        holding 16 bombs (which requires the whistle)...  Then Level 6 is the
        toughest spot (as the spot in level 5 isn't too hard for an
        experienced player if that player has the wand).  Once you get the
        Magic Wand, which is required to defeat Gleeoks and Patras, you're
        set.  The second quest doesn't have any super-difficult parts of the
        game for swordless people as does the first quest.  The Wizzrobes in
        Level 5 guarding the bow do require good bomb usage, though not as
        tough as the darknuts in Level 5 of the first quest.  Levels 7 and 9
        are overall rather difficult to get through without dying (without a
        sword, ring, or life potion).
How were the files made?
        Using a system recently upgraded from a 486DX33 using a 486 to 586
        upgrade chip, 20 MB of 30 pin SIMM RAM, ISA based video, a Sound
        Blaster 16 (since GUS support in NESticle was (well, is) still very
        preliminary and I have both sound cards available), a four-button
        game pad, and NESticle 0.32, I recorded NoSword1.03x, and
        NoSword2.03x.  WoodSwor.NsM was recorded on a Pentium with 32MB of RAM
        which had no sound card, using the keyboard.  NoSword1.043 was
        recorded with two different game pads (the first one broke) on a
        friend's system, using NESticle 0.43.  NoSword2.043 was recorded on
        the same friend's system.  Z1Stuck.03x was recorded at a University
        Computer Lab and a bit at the same friend's house.  Z1Stuck.043 was
        at a computer lab at the same University.  Both of these labs (or was
        it the same one?) have Pentium computers with enough RAM, but no
        joystick plugs or sound cards.  It's almost as if these computers
        aren't meant primarily for playing Zelda on.  :)
Why did you leave those bombs where they were in Level 9?  Why did you leave
that 100 rupie give-away there?
        So the observer can take over the game at any point, and use what I
        left behind for that person to use.  I did take one 100 rupie
        give-away in NoSword1.043 when I bought life potion as well as a blue
        ring for the purpose of fighting Gannon, although that part isn't in
        the saved game.
Was this fun or torture?
        Both.  :)  It was fun, actually.  NESticle 0.32 to 0.34 didn't have
        full sound support yet, so I didn't hear any shuttered doors slam
        (open or closed), any key doors open, any Boss characters (in their
        screen, or in a room adjacent to the level guardian), any Dondongo
        snorts, Link getting hurt, or, when I actually beat the game, the
        sound a sword makes when you swing a sword with full life and a "copy"
        of the sword launches itself accross the room.  But it was still
        playable, and enjoyable.
You think I can do what you just did?
        If you're dedicated.  First I recommend beating the game with the
        sword.  Both quests.  Then try beating both quests without a sword.
        If you don't watch this NsM file, this will likely take you a while
        as you figure out exactly how you can kill a Like Like, etc.  Finally,
        try beating it in as little time as possible.  Realistically, though,
        you probably won't be able to beat it without a sword in much less
        than 6 hours the first few times you play without a sword.
        Defeating Gannon in less than three and a half hours on the first
        quest is exceptionally good playing:probably as good as anybody's
        going to be able to get, and only then with much practice.
        Even doing it in four and a half hours is pretty good playing.  How
        long does it take you?  E-mail me!
Will this NsM file work if I screw up the Zelda.NES?
        Any graphics patches you might find for this game should have no
        effect on the game play.  If you try this on Rage Games's "Revenge Of
        Gannon" (available at http://www.classicgaming.com/ragegames) or some
        other world made with the Zelda Improvement tool (which can be found
        at http://pages.infinit.net/zdemo), then, of course, this would mess
        up the NsM playback.
Have you noticed any bugs with NESticle (other than sound not being fully
supported)?
        Yes.
        In the Legend Of Zelda, there are two types of Patras (identical in
        every way except for behavior): One has the little eyes flying in a
        circle that expands and contracts, and the other has the little eyes
        flying in a circle which spins vertically around the big eye in the
        center.  Well, the type with the verticle spinning pattern for the
        little eyes messes up under NESticle.  You'll see an occurance of this
        in both NoSwor2b.03x and NoSword1.043.
        Versions 0.43+ of NESticle has a new CPU emulation core since version
        0.34 (possible two new emulation cores since that version), probably
        done for some licensing reasons as the source code for the new CPU
        emulation core is released by Bloodlust Software.  The monster
        behaviors just didn't seem quite right at times.  According to the
        author of the NES emulator NoFrendo, there's a few different CPU cores
        all claiming to be more authentic than any of the others.  I think the
        CPU emulation core used in NESticle versions prior to 0.40 is probably
        a bit more accurate.  It wasn't anything too major: Just that the bats
        would stick around in a corner or so forth where it just didn't seem
        quite right to me.  (I refer to playing Snake: Level 4, in
        NoSword1.043.)
        Overall, I think that any game play in NESticle is pretty much bugfree
        and relatively authentic to the real NES, except for the following:
        A) Sound is not fully implimented in all versions prior to 0.43 (a
         DOS-only release).
        B) Some Patras may move buggily.
        C) Link's sprite (graphic) has a higher sprite priority than verticle
         doors in the underworld (he seems to walk ontop of the wall rather
         than underneath it).
        All other repeatable bugs, including those I've first found in
        NESticle, have been confirmed on a real NES as being authentic.  This
        includes the bug where I instantly kill a blue moblin with one hit of
        the magic wand, background music playing in a gambling room and on the
        CONTINUE/SAVE/RETRY screen, and others.
Whenever I exit to DOS, I lose my saved data.  What's wrong?
        NESticle should save your data to a file called ZELDA.SAV.  If that
        doesn't happen, you may have a corrupt Zelda.NES file.  I once
        downloaded ZELDA.ZIP which contained a LEGEND~2.NES file (probably as
        someone had a "Legend Of Zelda.NES" in a directory on a Windows 95
        machine), and it wouldn't save the data.  In NESticle, I opened up the
        ROM header and it had "Vert Mirror" checked and "Battery" unchecked
        (both check boxes WRONG according to a working ZELDA.NES file).  Also,
        bytes #11-15 were "NI2.1" instead of all NULL (hex code 00) bytes.
        Other than that it was identicle to the working ZELDA.NES.  If you
        are having troubles, you may not have a good header.  Try using a hex
        editor and setting the first sixteen bytes to be as follow:
        4E 45 53 1A 8 0 12 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.
What's the quickest way to get the .SAV file near the end of the game I want?
        If all you want is a .SAV file near the end of a quest, play
        NoSword2.03x or NoSword.043, end playback right away, and save the
        game in Zelda.  Then quit.  Otherwise, play through the most
        appropriate demo and when it's done playing, QUIT NESticle and the
        .SAV file should be a swordless, ringless, letterless character on
        whatever quest was being played through.  (You don't have to be there
        when the demo ends).  For systems with enough speed (any Pentium
        class machine is likely going to have "enough speed"), you can try
        increasing the NES Timing (version 0.34) from 60 Virtual FPS to 999.
        With versions 0.43+, you can increase from frameskip from AUTO to 4 in
        the game, or you can run NESticle with the following command line:
        NESticle Zelda.NES -frameskip 256
        That will skip 256 frames for every one it shows, and the result is
        you'll only see around one or two frames a screen.  (You can pause the
        emulator with Alt-A/P to allow easy, fast mouse movement.)  Of course,
        you can adjust the number you put on the command line.  Unfortunately,
        there's no way to change the frameskip in the game to anything higher
        than 4 (unless you're on a slow system and AUTO is more than 4).  Not
        specifying a number puts it on Auto Frameskip.  Note: You'll probably
        want to undo the speed up effects before you start playing a serious
        game!  Exactly what will undo the speed effects varies from version to
        version of NESticle.  (In 0.34, you just play a new demo.  In 0.42,
        that doesn't work).  But if you sped it up, you should be able to
        figure out how to slow it down.
        If you want your own character to beat the quest using my playing,
        make sure your character is in the same slot in the game (first
        slot with a character or second slot with a character) and that it's
        a demo where I don't enter the name myself.  Then remove the first
        8196 bytes from one of the demos and replace it with the 8192 bytes of
        the Zelda.SAV file containing your character.  That should do the
        trick.
Why do you keep spelling it "Gannon"?  It's "Ganon!"
        The game says internally (watch the title screen for a while)
        "Gannon".  Internally, Zelda 2 says "Ganon".  All manuals seem to say
        "Ganon".  The "Maps and Strategies" that came with the game say
        "Gannon".  Zelda 3 says "Ganon".  So it appears the game and the "Maps
        and Strategies" were made, then the name got changed, then the
        instruction manual was printed, and later Zelda games use the later
        spelling, along with Nintendo Power.  I like the spelling shown in the
        game better, though, so that's what I use.
Why is it that when Link shoots an arrow, he loses a rupie?
        I just recently had a good explanation offered to this often-asked
        question (by dem@pacificrim.net).  I'll be putting it on my web pages
        shortly.  Other such questions relating to the game are probably best
        answered on the web pages rather than in the docuement for these
        *.NSM files, in my opinion.  So look there for them.
Why do you include Game Genie codes, but not anything else about Zelda?
        Well, the Zelda.Pat file concludes all the files I have for use with
        NESticle, as pertains to Zelda 1.

SECTION 12: INTERNET RESOURCES

Where can I find more information about The Legend Of Zelda?
        Unfortunatley for Zelda 1 enthusiasts, most web pages on the internet
        relate to the Zelda series, and in particular Zelda 3 or the not-yet-
        released Zelda 64 for the Nintendo 64 system.        
        About the only web page with much information was ZHQ (The Unofficial
        Zelda HeadQuarters), which was located at
        http://nth.simplenet.com/zelda.  Even the information there was rather
        inadequate as a tribute to this excellent game, in my opinion, and I
        knew quite a bit about the game as well as having original information
        not found in any issue of Nintendo Power or any other web site I've
        seen (such as beating the game without a sword), so I created my own
        web site for Zelda 1 and Zelda 2.  My web pages at
        http://toogam.home.ml.org/zelda.htm had quite a bit of content and
        impressed the webmaster of ZHQ, and it's been agreed that my work can
        appear on his site where it will likely get more exposure.

        So, my work will soon be on Zelda Headquarters at it's new location
        of http://www.zhq.com.  I will still keep my site up at
        http://toogam.home.ml.org/zelda.htm and http://hyrule.home.ml.org.
        That site may be updated with *my* stuff a bit quicker than ZHQ,
        although lately I've solely been working on the ZHQ site and my site's
        been rather untouched.  Also, there may be some information on my
        site, such as links to other sites, which aren't on ZHQ.  Most of my
        stuff will be going there, though, and they also have stuff done by
        others.  :)

        The Zelda 1 and 2 sections of the Zelda Headquarters, in addition to
        containing most of the information from my web site, will also include
        information contributed by other people, such as text-mode FAQ's, and
        the like.

        Other possibilities include contacting Nintendo, which I would guess
        still has some older materials.  Materials I can think of that came 
        from Nintendo include older issues of Nintendo Power, the Nintendo
        Power Game Atlas, the Zelda 1 tip book they made ages ago, and the big
        fat black book that had information on many early games when the 8-bit
        NES was a new system.

SECTION 13: CREDITS, MISCELLANEOUS
Although Nintendo is cursed by many in the emulation community for being very
much anti-emulation, if it wasn't for their work over a decade ago these *.NsM
files wouldn't exist right now.
Many thanks to that guy whom I know nothing about except that he goes by
"Sardu", who calls himself "Bloodlust Software" & made the NESticle emulator.
David Manifold, for allowing me to spend hours at his place while I record
the NESticle 0.43+ demos of Zelda 1, even though he doesn't even care for the
game himself.  Without him, I probably wouldn't have finished the 0.43 demos
until quite a bit of time after I had recorded the first one.
Gregory Irgang, for having corrected an error of mine.  After I was corrected
of this error, I felt compelled to make Z1NoLife.043.
The Zelda Headquarters, which didn't help in the making of this collection of
files, but which does have more Zelda-related content than anywhere else I've
seen on the internet and thus is worthy of special mention.
Myself, of course.  1 of these days I'll remember how I helped this project.
My God, Jesus Christ, without whom I most likely would have lost hope in life
some time ago and never would have lived to make these demos.  This last
credit here is not a joke.  (Save the best for last?)

Miscellaneous thoughts by the author:

I like the NsM extention:  If you pronounce the letter N and then say the
letter S, you get N-ess, which is phoenitically the same as NES.

I do not publicly distribute the Zelda.NES ROM.

NESticle has both DOS and Windows 95 versions, from the very first version up
until version 0.42.  Personally, I prefer the DOS version for several reasons.
First, I support the usage of DOS over Windows 95 (it's offered by multiple
vendors, is easier to emulation without legal entanglements, DR-DOS is freely
and legally downloadable, etc.)  Second, the DOS version doesn't require
DirectX and thus can be signficantly easier to get working even on a Windows
95 machine.  (At a University computer lab I go to, the computers don't come
installed with DirectX.  Sometimes there's already-installed (incorrectly)
corrupt versions of DirectX, which are a real pain to fix.)  Third, the DOS
version supports 256x224 display mode, which the Windows 95 version doesn't.
Fourth, the latest DOS versions to date (0.43+) has better sound support than
the latest Windows 95 version to date (0.42).

You can freely, legally download DOS for non-commercial use from
http://www.caldera.com.  This is DR-DOS, the successor the DR-OpenDOS
("Dropin' DOS"), which is the successor the OpenDOS, which is the successor to
Novell DOS, which succeeded DR-DOS.  (This DOS got bought out a couple of
times and renamed by a single owner a couple of times.  Digital Research sold
out to Novell who sold out to Caldera, each company making it's own name, and
then eventually Caldera decided (gradually) to use the more familiar DR-DOS
name as they made their DOS less open, not releasing the source code for most
all of DR-DOS (such as EMM386.Exe and so forth) as they once promised the
public to do, and removing the kernel source code from the web site which they
previously had offered as a free download to the public.)

The distribution I give out has the files in the .Zip file format.  You can
get a free, absolutely free of charage, source code even included, UnZipper
off of the internet by going to http://www.cdrom.com/pub/infozip.  An Unzipper
for DOS is available at http://www.cdrom.com/pub/infozip/MSDOS.  Links to the
Windows versions (16 and 32 bit versions) are available from
http://www.cdrom.com/pub/infozip/UnZip.html#Win16

And for all those wondering, yes, I am very capable of writing a document
which does not exceed 4/5 of a thousand lines in length.  Why do you ask?

This text file made with IBM QBASIC/ED version 1.0.  QBASIC.Exe is available
in IBM PCDOS, IBM OS/2, and MS-DOS, but is NOT included in a stardard
installation of Windows 95 !?!

You want even MORE text to read?
Here, have my current .signature which is at the bottom of my E-Mail messages.

[Congratulations!  You're experiencing an excellent honor: Reading some]
]words of Scott Conrad VanderWoude The Great Awesome Wonderful Terrific[ 
[Magnificent Exalted Majestic Role Model (The First), a.k.a. The One Of]
]Of Greatness And Magnificence (TOOGAM), the WORLD'S BEST The Legend of[ 
[Zelda (1) player.  WWW to http://toogam.home.ml.org/toogsite.htm#EMail]
]for a current list of valid E-Mail addresses, or try 1 from next line.[
[toogam@suburbia.com.au,AnyThingYaWant@toogam.ml.org,toog@hyrule.ml.org]

As you can see, this file does NOT exceed 4/5 of a thousand lines in length.
