The Future of Speedrunning
Speedrunning is known as a hobby within the gaming community where players called "Speedrunners" spend a lot of time performing repetitive tasks to find ways to complete a game in the shortest time possible. Speedrunners set goals by choosing the category of speedruns they want to focus on and then dedicate time to finishing the game as quickly as they can. Over time, speedrunning has become a popular hobby in the community, leading to tournaments and races. You might wonder, do players ever get tired of it? How does speedrunning impact the game industry? What does the future hold for speedrunning and its enthusiasts?
Speedrunner's Minds
Single-player games like Ocarina of Time or Super Mario 64 take on a new dimension when played as speedruns, offering a fresh perspective on gaming. Speedrunners dedicate years to perfecting their skills, aiming to complete games faster or discover new strategies and shortcuts. As MajinPhil, a speedrunner, notes, this approach gives games "infinite replay value."
For instance, in Super Mario 64, a technique called 'BLJ' (backwards long jump) involves executing consecutive long jumps to build up speed and clip through walls to reach different areas of a map. Such tricks demand precision and practice, with many similar maneuvers necessary to complete a speedrun. Mastering these techniques, along with learning the optimal route, can be time-consuming and challenging for newcomers.
However, mastering these tricks doesn't guarantee immediate success on the speedrunning leaderboard. Another, more nuanced challenge awaits: mastering the mental aspect of speedrunning. While technical skill is crucial, speedrunning heavily relies on mental prowess, requiring a deep understanding of oneself and the game being played.
To grasp the mental game of speedrunning, one must understand the various facets of competition involved. Speedrunners compete against others, themselves, and the game. While direct competition with others is less common, competing against oneself involves managing fatigue, maintaining focus, and controlling nerves during the speedrun. Additionally, competition against the game demands a resilient attitude in the face of unpredictable game elements. Overcoming these mental challenges is essential for success in speedrunning.
Although learning the intricate movements and tricks of a speedrun presents an initial hurdle, the true challenge lies in the mental game. This aspect reveals the inner struggles players face with themselves and the game. Despite these challenges, speedrunners continue to push boundaries, aiming for the best possible performance and breathing new life into video games.
Game Developer's Thoughts
Nina Freeman, developer of Cibele and Tacoma, enjoys watching speedruns and appreciates their community, which includes both players and developers. She acknowledges the inevitability of bugs in games and finds it fascinating how speedrunners exposes them. Freeman stated, “One of the beauties of game development is that no game is going to be perfect or without bugs”. She admires the dedication of speedrunners, viewing their efforts as an honor to the game.
On the other hand, Andrew Shouldice, developer of TUNIC, collaborated with speedrunners during his project. He valued their insights on which bugs to leave in for cool speedrun techniques versus those needing removal. Shouldice noted, “I got a better sense of what is a good thing to leave in the game”. He incorporated features beneficial to speedrunners and appreciated how their deep engagement with the game revealed its intricacies.
In addition, he discussed how Kevin Regamey’s speedruns, an audio designer from Power Up Audio, and those of other QA team members inspired his development. He stated, “I implemented a feature that allowed the ending cutscenes to be skipped if you were in speedrun mode, and Kevin said, "Don’t worry about it. If a run has made it all the way to the end, it’s a good run. Nobody’s going to be hammering through the credits."
Afterwards, Shouldice highlighted the importance of collaborating with others to understand the nuances of the speedrunning community, noting, “There’s a million little nuances of the community and the exercise of speedrunning that I just don’t have a whole lot of context for, which is a reason why it’s good to work with other people.” TUNIC is now featured in the SGDQ2022 event, where speedrunner Sunnymuffin aims to complete the game in 35 minutes, compared to the usual 12-20 hours.
How is Speedrunning impacting in Future Games?
Speedrunning has significantly impacts the gaming industry by influencing game design, development practices, and player engagement. Speedrunners' in-depth exploration of game mechanics often uncovers hidden aspects of games that developers may not have anticipated. This feedback loop encourages developers to create more engaging and dynamic gameplay experiences that cater to both casual players and speedrunning enthusiasts, enhancing the overall quality of games.
The competitive nature of speedrunning has also led to the growth of tournaments and events, which not only showcase the skills of speedrunners but also generate excitement and engagement within the gaming community. Additionally, successful speedruns can act as a form of free marketing for games, attracting attention and generating buzz among players.
Conversely, speedrunning enhances the gaming industry by leveraging players' meticulous attention to detail. Having speedrunners on development teams, as seen in Shouldice’s experience, helps developers notice and include details they might have overlooked.
For instance, think of it like writing a paper in school and asking a friend to proofread it. Your friend might catch typos you missed, just as game testers help developers spot issues. However, speedrunners make many details even more evident.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the future of speedrunning impacts not just the gaming industry but also various other industries. Within the gaming industry, developers could gain a better understanding of glitches that were not discovered during the development process. Speedrunners, with their detailed exploration of games, can help developers identify and address these issues.
References
Bergin, S. (2022, May 20). Speedrunning is changing the game industry. dbltap.com. https://www.dbltap.com/posts/speedrunning-is-changing-the-game-industry-01g3f3pp8j15
McGill, M. (2017, August 20). More than Just a Game: Inside the Minds of Speedrunners. With a Terrible Fate. https://withaterriblefate.com/2017/08/20/more-than-just-a-game-inside-the-minds-of-speedrunners/
Toftness, A. (2020, February 7). The Psychology of Speedrunning — Alexander Toftness. Alexander Toftness. https://www.alexandertoftness.com/blog/2020/2/4/the-psychology-of-speedrunning
Done by Alexandra Zheng
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