How To Master Speedrunning Techniques

Speedrunning, the art of completing video games as quickly as possible, has become a competitive and highly specialized skill in the gaming world. Whether it's breaking records in classic games like Super Mario 64 or The Legend of Zelda, or conquering new challenges in indie games, mastering speedrunning techniques takes dedication, precision, and a deep understanding of the game mechanics. This guide will break down the essential techniques and strategies for mastering speedrunning, giving you insights into everything from preparation to execution.

Understanding Speedrunning

Speedrunning is more than just playing a game fast. It's about exploiting the game mechanics to optimize every movement, action, and decision in order to complete a game as quickly as possible. It involves studying the game in-depth, practicing specific techniques, and sometimes even discovering hidden features or bugs that can be used to your advantage. The ultimate goal of speedrunning is to achieve the fastest possible time, often under specific conditions such as completing the game "any%" (completing it as quickly as possible without necessarily finishing all objectives) or "100%" (completing every task or collectible).

Different Speedrunning Categories

Before diving into the techniques themselves, it's important to understand the different categories of speedruns that exist. The type of category you choose will influence the strategies you use.

1. Any%: The objective is to complete the game as fast as possible, regardless of how much of the game you actually complete. This often involves skipping large portions of the game.
2. 100%: Here, you must complete all tasks or collect all items required to finish the game fully. This category is typically longer but requires more exploration.
3. Glitchless: A speedrun where the player must complete the game without exploiting bugs or glitches in the game's code.
4. Low%: The goal is to complete the game using the fewest resources or upgrades possible. For example, you might try to complete a game with the minimum number of power-ups.
5. Any% No Major Glitches (NMG): A combination of "Any%" but limiting the use of major glitches that can completely break the game.

Getting Started: Choosing the Right Game

The first step in mastering speedrunning is choosing a game to focus on. While it's tempting to jump into a popular game like Super Mario 64 or The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, it's important to consider a few factors before committing.

1. Interest and Familiarity: Pick a game that you're passionate about or already have some experience with. Familiarity with the game's controls and mechanics will give you a head start in understanding the fundamental aspects of speedrunning.
2. Community and Resources: Consider a game with a strong speedrunning community. A healthy community means a wealth of resources such as tutorials, guides, and people to share strategies with.
3. Game Length and Complexity: Some games are shorter and more suited for beginners, while others have intricate mechanics that take years to master. Choose one that matches your skill level and time commitment.
4. Categories and Challenges: Make sure the game offers multiple categories to explore. This will give you flexibility in how you approach the game and help keep things interesting as you progress.

Essential Speedrunning Techniques

Speedrunning requires mastering several core techniques. These range from basic movement optimizations to complex tricks that exploit game mechanics. Below are the key speedrunning techniques you'll need to focus on to improve your times.

1. Optimizing Movement

Efficient movement is fundamental to speedrunning. In almost every game, the faster and more efficient your character's movement, the better your run will be. This involves minimizing wasted motion, such as excessive jumps or unnecessary turns, and maximizing your character's speed.

A. Dash and Sprint Mechanics

Many games feature dash or sprint mechanics, which allow players to move faster than usual. Understanding how to initiate and maintain these movements is crucial. In some games, there may be specific actions that allow you to maintain high-speed movement over long distances without losing momentum.

B. Jumping and Climbing

Optimizing your jumping technique can often make a significant difference. In some games, you can "buffer" a jump by pressing the button at the right moment before landing. Mastering these jump techniques can help you avoid unnecessary delays and make your movement smoother.

2. Sequence Breaking

Sequence breaking involves skipping certain parts of the game, usually through exploiting specific glitches, out-of-bounds areas, or unintended behaviors in the game's programming. Some of the most well-known techniques include:

A. Wall Jumps and Clipping

Wall jumps allow players to bypass obstacles that would normally require a specific action or item. Wall clipping, on the other hand, involves exploiting the game's physics to move through walls or other boundaries, saving valuable time.

B. Early Unlocks

In many games, certain abilities or items are only unlocked after completing specific objectives. Speedrunners often find ways to "skip" these unlocks by exploiting game mechanics, giving them access to advanced abilities earlier than intended.

3. Glitches and Bugs

While many speedrunning categories focus on glitchless runs, glitches are an integral part of most speedrunning techniques. Some of the most common and useful glitches include:

A. Item Duplication

This glitch allows players to duplicate in-game items, often with the goal of gaining an excessive amount of useful resources that would otherwise take time to collect.

B. Warping and Clipping

Some glitches allow players to warp to areas of the map prematurely, or clip through boundaries to skip long sections of the game. This can shave off massive amounts of time, especially in longer games.

4. Resource Management

Managing in-game resources such as health, items, or power-ups is critical to achieving optimal run times. Speedrunners often find ways to minimize or maximize their use of resources to avoid wasting time on unnecessary grinding or backtracking.

A. Efficient Item Usage

In some speedruns, there are specific items that can either speed up or slow down the player's progression. Learning when and how to use these items can drastically affect the pace of your run.

B. Health Management

Some games allow players to skip health recovery items by using invincibility frames or other techniques. Knowing how to manage health to avoid wasting time on healing or respawning is a crucial skill.

5. Practice and Execution

The most important part of mastering speedrunning techniques is practice. Unlike many other forms of gaming, speedrunning is not about playing the game at a leisurely pace; it's about practicing specific segments until they become second nature.

A. Segmented Runs

To practice efficiently, break the game down into segments. This allows you to focus on improving specific sections of the game before attempting an entire run. Record and time each segment to track improvements and identify areas where you can cut down time.

B. Save States and Tools

Using emulators or save-state tools can help you practice specific sections of the game without having to redo the entire run. This allows for focused practice on difficult parts of the game, such as boss fights or tricky platforming sections.

6. Mental and Physical Preparation

Speedrunning isn't just a test of skill; it's also a test of endurance and focus. Long runs can be mentally and physically taxing, so it's important to stay prepared for the mental strain.

A. Staying Calm and Focused

During a speedrun, it's easy to get frustrated, especially after a mistake or failed attempt. Learning how to remain calm and refocus will help you avoid getting discouraged and keep you pushing forward.

B. Physical Comfort

Speedrunning can involve long hours of intense concentration, so it's important to maintain good physical health. Ensure that you have a comfortable gaming setup, take breaks, and stretch your hands and wrists to avoid fatigue and injury.

7. Studying and Learning from the Community

One of the key aspects of speedrunning is the community. Speedrunners share their strategies, tricks, and experiences with others to help each other improve. Watching other runners, reading guides, and interacting with the community is a great way to learn new techniques and stay up to date with the latest strategies.

A. Watching Speedrun Streams and Recordings

Watching live streams or recorded speedruns on platforms like Twitch or YouTube can give you valuable insights into strategies that you may not have thought of yourself. Pay attention to their movement techniques, resource management, and how they handle difficult sections.

B. Participating in Speedrun Events

Events like Games Done Quick (GDQ) are great opportunities to engage with the speedrunning community. These events often feature record-breaking runs and can be a source of inspiration and learning.

Conclusion

Mastering speedrunning techniques takes dedication, patience, and practice. By learning how to optimize movement, exploit glitches, manage resources, and break down the game into segments, you'll be well on your way to improving your speedrun times. Additionally, staying mentally and physically prepared, while learning from the community, will help you push through the inevitable challenges that arise during your runs. With time, you'll not only improve your own skills but also become a part of the vibrant and supportive speedrunning community that thrives on achieving new records and sharing knowledge. Happy speedrunning!

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