At one point or another, all of us have taken part in a speed-run. Whether it’s a personal challenge, or for competitive glory, we’ve all attempted to finish a segment, level or entire game in what we think is the fastest time possible. Once we achieve that milestone, we don’t stop there- we push the limit further, just to see how quickly something can truly be done.
Players can choose to do a speed-run of something on all sorts of platforms, whether it’s a retro console, digital re-release or emulation. In the process, gamers also have the options of choosing to take the “purist” method, by completing something in the fastest time possible with just a controller and the game at hand, or they can take a more “customized” approach, with special gameplay mods, cheats, or through hacking.
Both of these methods get the job done, but regardless of the gamer’s approach, how does that affect the validity of the speed-run, if at all?
Like virtually every gamer on the planet, I have a select handful of games that I’d like to think I have mastered; I know all the “ins and outs” of the core mechanics, level structure, and character-abilities, and can easily complete those titles faster than the “standard” time. The GameCube version of Resident Evil 4? On a good day, I can get through it in 2.5 hrs. Megaman X on the SNES? My 100% completion run takes around 50 min- a “no upgrades” run takes roughly half an hour. TMNT IV: Turtles in Time on the SNES? I can breeze through the hardest difficulty in 21 min.
I can complete Super Mario Bros. on the NES in under 10 min….but I’m pretty sure 93% of people have done the same thing, if not faster.
What do the previously mentioned games have in common? Each of them are listed for their original systems, not as digital re-releases, HD versions or emulations. This is an element that goes into something I like to refer to as the “purist” method of speed-running.
A purist speed-run consists of very few base elements; the original console/platform, an original (i.e. stock) controller, the game in its original format, and of course the player….and a TV, but that’s beside the point.
Doing a speed-run of this sort generally requires an absolute mastery, or understanding of the game at hand. At a glance, some might think this just means a full understanding of the controls, and the layout of each level. However, a speed-runner’s knowledge goes into an even deeper area of omnipotence. It isn’t just about how fast the characters can move, but also their attack speed and recovery time. Where we may recognize the layout of a specific level, a truly dedicated speed-runner can see every pixel-perfect transition point for those extreme last-minute jumps and “one foot ledges”.
After several, several periods of game-dedication, a speed-runner almost has a developer-level sense of the game they plan on racing through.
Another popular method of doing a speed-run is through a “customized” experience. The common acronym for this is “TAS”, or “tool-assisted speed-run”. In this case, “tools” can be various modifications or scripts used in tandem with a game, in order to complete the game in an “easier” manner. The function of a tool isn’t to autopilot the game itself, but rather as an active player-aide. TAS’s are often done with emulated games and PC titles, as those are much easier to alter than their console counterparts. Some of the more popular scripts and mods include automated actions such as running, “bunny hopping”, and attacking. Other scripts can initiate “save-states” on the fly; in some cases, if a quick-save is loaded, any lost life is automatically restored…By doing frequent save-states, followed by even quicker file loading, the player’s health is almost never lost.
Essentially, the work of the speed-run is evenly split between the player, and a customized program.
An interesting variable that can be factored into both, is that speed-runs can be done by one player, or a team of people. While it’s more common for one person to sit down and marathon a game from start-to-finish, a team of players can switch out after completing each of their designated segments of the game.
In case you were wondering where this post suddenly came from, these thoughts were sparked from reading the comments on the recent Half-Life record-breaking speed-run: A team of players completed the original Half-Life in just over 20 min. In the process, a bunny-hopping mod, a life-regenerating mod, and several save-states were some of the custom modifications that were used. Some of the YouTube comments were at war with each other, arguing if this classifies as a “valid” speed-run, as it technically falls into the TAS category…
Here’s the thing…Whether it’s through traditional means or by game-alteration, if the party (single player or a team) begins the run at the start of the game, and reaches the end of the game via some kind of actual gameplay in the middle somewhere, I classify that as a valid speed-run. As far as I see it, the only way to invalidate that is to use either a cheat or game-breaking exploit that takes the player directly to the end-game.
Speaking of exploits, don’t those affect the validity of a speed-run? Not particulary; an exploit is simply the player taking advantage of a glitch or internal error to progress forward in the game. Let me repeat that last part: “a glitch or internal error to progress forward in the game”. An error within the game is technically part of the game itself, and if the player can access it, then the exploit becomes a viable part of the gameplay. A notable example can be found in two speed-runs of recent Bethesda titles, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Dishonored. While the means of doing so are different, the speed-runners in both games are able to exploit a glitch that allows them to pass through walls. Other than the obvious ability to bypass closed-off areas, the exploit allows both players to skip ahead of story elements, and trigger later ones. Yes, I suppose it does take away from the “true” experience of having to physically complete every portion of a game, but as I said earlier, it isn’t cheating if it’s in the game by default.
When it’s all said and done, speed-runs are done for personal satisfaction and competition. Whether a speed-run is against friends, or on world-leaderboards, there is always some kind of drive behind that race to the finish. The methods may not be the same, but a speed-run should be a fun, personal challenge, and perhaps something to brag about later on. Whether it’s done through the traditional method of grinding away on a console, or through technical assistance on an emulation, both methods of speed-running are valid, and offer their own unique experience to the player.