On February 26, 2020 [MrCheeze](https://www.speedrun.com/user/MrCheeze) bet [Savestate](https://www.speedrun.com/user/Savestate

) that the Ocarina of Time speedrun would never go under 7 minutes. On July 22, 2021, Savestate ***won*** this bet, getting their name in the history books and completing [The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time in 6:59.767](https://www.speedrun.com/oot/run/zxgej3ky)

# A Rich History

OOT might be the speedgame with the most documentation and mainstream attention surrounding its world record history. [Narcissa Wright’s 18:10](https://www.speedrun.com/oot/run/emkjx7ly), [Torje’s 16:58](https://www.speedrun.com/oot/run/y215p47z), and now the biggest barrier broken since the discovery of Stale Reference Manipulation (aka SRM, we’ll get more into that in a bit) — Savestate’s 6:59. It’s safe to say there was a lot that led up to what might be the last minute-barrier to ever be broken in OOT, but if I was to cover [everything from the beginning](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1DgefbvS3X4geDxfwdE-K6CnGvNcDwZSmiZz_u2KGDcI/htmlview?pli=1#) we’d be here forever. Instead, let's take a brief overview of what the route looks like today.

# The Route

Once Savestate is out of the 3-minute introduction, they do a backflip off of Link’s house and side jump to grab two rupees. The start of this run is all about grabbing some items and rupees to buy more items needed later in the run.

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/l1n7m9n5.jpg)Savestate then continues on to grab the sword from a chest, grabbing more rupees along the way.

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/97n62meq.jpg)Next, it’s time for some rupee farming. Savestate grabs every permanent rupee in Kokiri Forest (the first area in the game) plus two random ones for a total of 55.

It’s possible to farm some more of the random rupees and save an additional 5 seconds, but Savestate intentionally opts not to for this run since it only has about a 14% chance of success. With the 55 rupees, Savestate buys a Deku Shield, which is needed to get Mido out of the way for a setup later in the run, as well as a Deku Nut, which is used for a glitch later on.

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/7rnq5wnj.jpg)This is where things get ***wild*** and *VERY* technical.

Ocarina of Time is quite a long game casually, but a *short* speedrun while running under the Any% ruleset. This is because runners are now able to warp to the final credits from within the first area through an ***INCREDIBLY*** complicated process.

The tech behind this process is complex enough that after a few hours of research, I still feel as though I’ve only scratched the surface of it. I want to thank Savestate, MrCheeze, dannyb, and the Ocarina of Time Speedrunning Discord for assisting me with this information, and I’m going to do my very best to boil it down as best I can. I’ve also listed some documents and videos explaining everything with greater detail at the end of this article.

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/67e9g1n1.jpg)After leaving the shop, Savestate manipulates the actor heap at the transition between Kokiri Forest and the Great Deku Tree in order to set up the game’s memory appropriately, performs a glitch called [Return A](https://youtu.be/5A51_byMBXs?t=437) and then heads back up to the crawlspace where they grabbed the sword.

On the sign by the crawlspace, they use a glitch called [Walking While Talking](https://youtu.be/5A51_byMBXs?t=497) which, when combined with Return A, is able to create a Stale Reference from a rock, and then load a fairy in its place, modifying its data.

Normally when fairies are unloaded, they run a function in the unloading process. This function modifies memory in two places, and runners use SRM to modify memory based on the first and second halves of the player's filename.

Players use the first half of the filename to set all the grass polygons to a specific exit within Kokiri Forest, and the second half to set the current cutscene value to 7, which when combined with the exit mentioned previously, wrong warps the runner to the credits. Running back over to the Great Deku Tree unloads the fairy and activates the effects of the SRM.

# ![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/3ynl7mz6.jpg)Technical Marvel

When Stale Reference Manipulation was discovered, there were sub-categories created that banned its use due to how powerful it was, even spawning a new category representative of the route before SRM's discovery. The majority of the community and even the runners of Any% don't seem to *enjoy* the new Any% category in the traditional sense.  However, there is certainly something to be said for the amount of effort, knowledge, and talent that exists behind this run.

So many people spent a combined hundreds of hours into the routing of this run. Even beyond that, the execution required to match up angles precise enough to allow for this glitch is astounding.

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/r7z34led.jpg)What lies ahead?

Well, as I was in the middle of writing this very article, prolific speedrunner DannyB who has also held many world records in the past was able to achieve a sub-7 time of his own — lowering the Ocarina of Time world record by a further 2 seconds with a [6:57.400.](https://www.speedrun.com/oot/run/yj5j413m)

Danny was even a contender to be the first person for a sub-7-minute time, but unfortunately due to a caching error (no fault of his own) he had two sub 7 pace runs die right at the end.  He finally managed to get it on July 23, just one day later than Savestate. At the end of this run, Danny mentioned that Any% can be lowered by a further 5 seconds but that it won’t be him that does it.

So what’s to come? No one really knows. Will someone come along and lower the record right after this article gets published? Maybe. One thing is for sure, it seems the last minute barrier for Ocarina of Time has *finally* been broken.

No one’s ever claimed that before — right?

## Resources

***An overview of SRM, ACE and more***

**By Fig**

[Link](https://youtu.be/SPi_d0zhNFc)

***Stale Reference Manipulation Explained at GDQ***

**By ZFG, Savestate, & dannyb**

[Link](https://youtu.be/TAj1cuz7jXs?t=300)

***Reach the Credits from Kokiri Forest using ACE (Ocarina of Time Glitch Explained)***

**By GlitchesAndStuff**

[Link — shows older route, but still great information](https://youtu.be/wdRJWDKb5Bo)

***Ocarina of Time Speedrun World Record History Spreadsheet***

**By Ocarina of Time Speedrunning Community**

[Link](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1DgefbvS3X4geDxfwdE-K6CnGvNcDwZSmiZz_u2KGDcI/htmlview?pli=1#)

***OoT Speedunning Discord Server***

**By Ocarina of Time Speedrunning Community**

[Link](https://discord.gg/7FYGh3d)

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/2qnykdzp.gif)

On July 22, 2021, Savestate broke the 7-minute barrier for the Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Any% speedrun.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 7-minute barrier broken

The cycle of speedrunning marathons raising money for amazing causes is infinite, and there’s no better time to enjoy such content than during the summer. Both GamesDoneQuick (GDQ) and the European Speedrunner Assembly (ESA) have major events in the summer where the finest talent from all around the world comes together. 



As ESA’s biggest event of the year comes ever closer, let’s take a look at what I'm most looking forward to as someone who played a large part in the scheduling process!



## Honorable Mention - Persona 5 - True Ending (Hard) by Neviutz - July 23 10:30 pm CEST / 4:30 pm EST

ESA is continuing with the pre-shows as they did with Winter earlier in the year, allowing them to showcase much longer runs that would usually have a hard time fitting into the schedule. Kicking off the event is Neviutz with Persona 5, and it’s a big speedrun. This run chooses the hardest difficulty, where you do 20% less damage and take a whopping 60% more compared to normal mode. It also explores the true ending of the game in order to make sure no stone is left unturned inside the world of Persona 5. We’re ready to go through a year of the protagonist’s life, are you?



## Bloodborne - All Bosses (Unrestricted) by Yarthow - July 24 5:30 p.m. CEST / 11:30 a.m. EST

Kicking off the first day of ESA Summer 2021 is a first day full of crazy runs, and what is crazier than beating every Bloodborne boss in 90 minutes? To those unfamiliar, Bloodborne is an entry into the *Souls* franchise. These games are extremely difficult, and Bloodborne is absolutely no exception. 



As the game is a Playstation exclusive, users of other platforms might not be as haunted by the names of some bosses when compared to something like *Dark Souls*. However, The Old Hunters DLC that comes with the package is well known to include some of the most difficult bosses in the entire series. Bloodborne puts a new spin on Souls combat and forces players to be much more aggressive in order to survive. This makes it all the more of a spectacle to watch, and all the more breathtaking when Yarthow showcases his exceptional talent.



## Minecraft - Random Seed (Glitchless, 1.16+) by Sizzler - July 24 8:30 p.m. CEST / 2:30 p.m. EST

Shortly after Bloodborne, we will take a large turn from a bleak and hopeless landscape filled with terror to a much more relaxing childhood favorite of many in Minecraft. In recent times, Minecraft has taken the speedrunning world by storm and has become by far the most popular speedrun to exist. At the forefront of this craze is RSG, otherwise known as Random Seed Glitchless. RSG is quite simple; you spawn into a random world and kill the ender dragon as quickly as you can. No glitches, no prior preparation, just you and the tools the game gives you.



Version 1.16 changed the landscape of Minecraft speedrunning forever, as it allowed for trading within the Nether in order to receive ender pearls rather than farming them from Endermen. Nowadays, it gets even deeper (pun fully intended) with runners using ocean monuments to farm gold for the aforementioned trading. It remains to be seen what Sizzler will be able to pull off when he only gets a single shot to take down the dragon.



## Resident Evil Village - Hardcore (Glitchless) by Gidano - July 25 2 a.m. CEST / 8 p.m. EST

It is one thing to master a game that has been around for years and possibly even decades, but what happens when a game is only two months old? The newest entry in the *Resident Evil* franchise is Village, the eighth installment into the main series. Already runners are doing their best to complete the game in record time. This game has made many a headline in the gaming world, discussing how ruthless and unforgiving the Hardcore difficulty is. The enemies are quicker, deal much more damage and won’t give you a moment to breathe. Fortunately for us, we will be safe in the hands of Gidano, who has mastered this exceptionally hard difficulty and will use nothing more than the hand he is dealt in order to overcome the gargantuan challenge he will be faced with. Everything is planned carefully to the last bullet, will you be there to see where they land?



## Honourable Mention - JP Block by quino_w / stone_clive / fuso_wasedr09 / swordfish464 / cicada - July 26 2 p.m. CEST / 10 a.m. EST

This block of games is definitely a first for ESA, and possibly even most western speedrunning events. On July 26, ESA will feature a number of top-level Japanese speedrunners in their own segment of the event to showcase their skills to the western world. There usually isn’t much overlap due to language barriers and travel costs for in-person events, but one of the upsides of us all being home is that these sort of crossovers are much more doable. 



At the time of submission, we contacted the runners and all of them were extremely friendly when we were trying to make sure English commentary was possible and to schedule tech checks. Every single one of them had a plan in mind, whether it be speaking English themselves or having a dedicated commentator to bridge the language barrier, so I’m super excited to see these guys showcase their exceptional talent to a world that might have never seen them otherwise.



## Pokémon FireRed/LeafGreen - Elite 4 Round 2 by Shiru - 5 a.m. CEST / 11 p.m. EST

There is nothing comfier than a good old-fashioned Pokemon speedrun. The amount of preparation required in order to efficiently level your Pokemon while also using a single team to sweep the entire game is really impressive. 



Runners will know every trainer they face, each move their Pokemon have and each item they carry. This knowledge allows for a limitless amount of potential when it comes to routing and creating a powerful team, and this is amplified when we look at Round 2. Most people will be familiar with defeating the Elite 4 in a playthrough, but in these titles you can have a rematch against them. During Round 2 their Pokemon will be at a higher level, and they will have switched out members of their team to have a more deadly lineup. This means that new strategies will need to be utilized in order to efficiently defeat the Elite 4 once again, so join Shiru as he takes them down.



## The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD - 100% by mralberto - July 30 midnight CEST / 6 p.m. EST

When it comes to speedrunning, Zelda speedruns have made up a huge chunk since the hobby’s inception. Some of the most well-known moments in speedrunning history stem from the Zelda scene. The 18:10 & the infamous barrier skip, to name just a few, with the latter all coming to a head within the HD version of The Wind Waker. Currently, if you take a look at the top of almost any Wind Waker HD leaderboard, you will see just one name and that name is mralberto. Alberto has been dominating WWHD for a long time now and shows no signs of slowing down, so it is an honor for us to let him show his skills to the masses as he collects every last hear, item, song, and upgrade on his way to 100% completion.



## Grand Theft Auto: Vice City - 100% by Mhmd_FVC - July 30 9 p.m. CEST / 3 p.m. EST

Continuing on from 100% runs you definitely should not miss, how about seeing a Grand Theft Auto title completed 100% in less than 5 hours? The Grand Theft Auto community is one of the largest on the planet, and Mhmd is one of the greatest of all time. We haven’t seen a 100% run of Vice City at ESA since 2015, and the difference between the two runs is going to be colossal. Huge amounts of mission duplication and memory corruption are segmented between casual Sunday drives through Ocean Beach. This run truly has it all. Ever wondered how to complete 100 taxi fares while only delivering one? How about completing the firefighter missions without using the water cannon, or completing the paramedic missions without saving a single patient? All will be revealed and much much more as Mhmd takes you on a trip to the eighties.



## GeoGuessr - Perfect Score (A Diverse World) by havrd - August 1 2 a.m. CEST / 8 p.m. EST

The finale of ESA Summer 2021 is quite a unique speedrun. We’ve all played GeoGuessr at some point I’m sure, putting our geographical skills to the rest by trying to pinpoint a location anywhere in the world purely by looking at Google Maps. It’s definitely not easy, and usually, I find myself sometimes guessing the wrong country or even wrong continent entirely. havrd is built different though. Not only will he get the country, but he will find the exact road he’s been placed on anywhere in the world within a few minutes. A perfect score is 5 maps, and he will guess perfectly for all 5 maps in order to complete a perfect run. Bonkers.



## Where Can I Watch?

ESA Summer 2021 will be taking place from July 23 - August 1 over at [ESA’s Twitch channel](https://www.twitch.tv/esamarathon), and will be running around the clock during those dates to bring you only the best of what speedrunning has to offer.



What we have mentioned in this list is not all you will be seeing at ESA, and you can find the entire [event schedule on their website](https://esamarathon.com/schedule/). The event will support [Save The Children](https://www.savethechildren.org/). Their goal is to improve the lives of children everywhere through better education, health care, and economic opportunities. Save the Children respond to major emergencies, deliver innovative development programs, and ensure children’s voices are heard through our campaigning to build a better future for and with children.



You can also find ESA on these platforms:



[Twitter](https://twitter.com/esamarathon)  

[Discord](https://discordapp.com/invite/0TZ2NlveujtasAqb)  

[YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/user/EuroSpeedAssembly)  

[Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/europeanspeedrunnerassembly)  

[Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/esamarathon/)  



We hope to see you there!





ESA Summer 2021 gets underway on July 23. We've compiled a list of can't-miss speedruns from the week-long event that are sure to delight fans!

Runs at ESA Summer 2021 you don’t want to miss

Speedrunning is a niche, that we can say for sure. Some speedrunning concepts can be extremely hard to grasp without deep technical knowledge of a certain title. A lot of runners can possess this knowledge, but a viewer will need to seek out answers themselves. For many, speedruns become far more enjoyable to watch when you understand the technicalities of such a run, and appreciate all the work that goes into them. For this reason, there has been an increasing demand for glitch breakdowns and explanations from the experts as a method of bridging the gap between the well-versed communities and somebody fresh to the scene.



catalystz has been producing some of the best educational content covering speedruns I’ve ever seen. His videos include world record histories, glitch explanations and much more, all written in an easy-to-digest manner that makes it perfect for those unfamiliar with the specifics to learn and get involved. cata is well known as [one of the best *Dark Souls* players on the planet](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHqWjTcAlW0), but there is a whole other skill set that allows him to develop this internal knowledge into teaching resources for newcomers and veterans alike. Whether you’re someone who wishes to learn more about the world of speedrunning, or how to begin as a teacher yourself, cata has you covered with his fantastic perspective and advice.



*Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?*



> Hey, I'm catalystz and although I have a varied history of speedrunning different games dating back all the way to 2012, I am primarily known for my Dark Souls speedruns the past three and a half years. 



*What/who inspired you to start creating scripted content?*



> I was inspired by several fellow speedrunning content creators which I look up to, especially by what they are able to provide in terms of presenting speedrunning to casual audiences and being able to bring more interest towards our hobby, which can quite often 

be misunderstood, I mean just look at the YouTube comments at some popular speedrunning videos. I don't think people are ignorant towards what speedrunning is, I simply believe they need to be introduced to it in a proper way.



*What does the process usually look like for such content? How long does a project take?*



> The process always has to start with an idea of what to present. Luckily Dark Souls is so varied even before speedrunning comes into play, so there is always something interesting to be relayed to the audience. My videos serve both educational AND entertaining 

purpose, but the main concern is how to relay interesting information in an engaging way as concisely as possible while keeping the desired amount of detail. When I have a clear idea of what the video will represent, I sit down to draft a script. Starting with a rough outline is a must, followed by a couple of rounds of writing the actual text. Since my videos are highly produced, I script them word by word. Then I mark each section with corresponding video footage ideas. When most of the script has some footage assigned, I go ahead and record or otherwise collect it and then mark it off. In the meantime, I will also be recording my audio in small chunks, so that my voice does not get too tired during it, that does not sound good. After collecting all the video footage and going through a bit of post for audio (cutting out saliva noises, de-essing...), perhaps the most fun part of the process begins - the editing. 



> Premiere Pro and After Effects usually serve most of my needs for a project. During the editing process, many ideas might come up when it comes to presenting specific ideas throughout the video and the evolution of having an empty canvas gradually filled is very satisfying. When I'm done with the first version, I send it out for a round of feedback to some close friends, definitely recommend doing that. It helps if you can contact both people who know lots of things about the subject that is covered and also people who might be complete outsiders. After implementing the necessary changes, the video can pretty much go live.



*What have been your favorite and least favorite projects so far?*



> I do not have a least favorite project of mine, of course the quality of my videos has evolved through time, but every single project has been a stepping stone for my improvement as a content creator and has taught me many valuable lessons. You cannot 

get better at creating content just by observing or learning about it, you need to get out there and do it. My favorite project on the other hand is probably my [Force Quit World Record History video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtNdxuTieog), it took quite a while to produce, pretty much 6 weeks of nonstop work next to streaming and I really like the story I managed to tell there.



*Do you focus your content towards a casual audience, or towards the speedrunning community as a whole?*



> Produced speedrunning content presented in the correct manner can be a great way of bringing more eyes to the community. I always try to ensure that things which might not be clear to the general audience are properly explained. A lot of the "hate" speedrunning gets in places like youtube comments are in my opinion coming from a place of lack of knowledge, when people don't understand the concept of what we do. I think bridging this gap is something content creators can strive to do.



*Do you have any advice for new creators who wish to start producing educational speedrunning content in the future?*



> My advice for new content creators would be to just go for it, if they feel like they have something interesting to relay, they can always at least try. Plenty of speedrunners know fascinating things about their respective speedgames which they consider to be mundane, but you need to take an outer look and realize that these ordinary things for them might be fascinating to the right audience. Give it a shot and learn with every step of the way.





If you’d like to delve deeper into the mind of catalystz, I’m sure he’d be happy to see you. Whether it be on his [Twitch channel](https://www.twitch.tv/catalystz) where he frequently streams his attempts to break records and write history, or on his [YouTube channel](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA9uZZsfbQDbvW8Z9e3rFGA) where all of the teaching masterclasses happen.



Who is catalystz? He produces educational speedrunning content as well as being one of the world's best Dark Souls players. Check out our interview with this skilled speedrunning content creator!

Insight into the mind of catalystz

FrozenFlygone is a Celeste speedrunner as well as a runner and Admin for Frame Fatales who earlier this month performed a Celeste Custom Map at SGDQ.



## Celeste



Like a lot of Celeste runners, the game’s tight mechanics and meaningful story are what keep FrozenFlygone invested in the game.



“It's very clear about talking about mental illness and struggling with yourself and perfection, and always wanting to be the best,” she said.



She also thinks the story is fitting for a speedgame.



“Celeste has over 2500 runners. And so it's a daunting task to get into running this game. But the story of the game itself is like ‘you can do this. Keep pushing,’” she said.



Additionally, she has found the Celeste community to be a welcoming and supportive environment where members are often quick to help one another with difficult tricks and questions.



As well as running the base game, FrozenFlygone runs and creates Custom Maps for Celeste. Currently, she is a map designer and level manager on the collaborative [“Strawberry Jam”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOg-LqoUgiA) project and in the past she has worked on maps like [Quickie Mountain 2](https://gamebanana.com/mods/150732).



“It keeps a game alive to have content like that,” she said.

She is grateful that Celeste’s development team has maintained a positive relationship with the speedrunning and modding communities including promoting custom maps and actively seeking community feedback on future game patches.



![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/3xz03xzl.jpg)

## Other Games



In addition to Celeste, FrozenFlygone tries her hand at all kinds of speedgames to keep things fresh and interesting for her.



She frequently runs Super Mario World Kaizo Rom Hacks as well as other platformers like VVVVVV.



She prefers games that lend themselves to a gradual learning process where she can incorporate strats overtime as her skill improves.

Although most of her passion lies with platformers, she still explores other game genres.



FrozenFlygone owns every Hamtaro game (as well as some Hamtaro plushies and miniatures) and early on she decided to speedrun [all five of the Hamtaro video games](https://www.speedrun.com/hamtaro).



“It's been really fun to run those just because it's totally different. It's not input intensive like Celeste, it's more routing and I really like that aspect of it,” she said.



She has also made a point of running every Powerpuff Girls game and while she doesn’t recommend the trilogy on the Gameboy Color, she still actively runs Him and Seek on GameBoy Advance.



As her username implies, FrozenFlygone is also a fan of Pokemon games however this year was the first time she speedran any titles from the franchise.



“I'm not an RPG runner by any means. But I wanted to challenge myself and so me and about seven people all ran HeartGold SoulSilver in a discord call together. So we were just hanging out for like six hours,” she said. 



She also ran Pokemon Let’s Go: Eevee for the first time in June and is hoping to run it again this month.



Overall, she enjoys branching out and learning new games because there’s always a chance to find something she connects with and wants to continue running.

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/9kzwq8zq.jpg)

## Community



Getting involved with Frame Fatales has played a major role in FrozenFlygone’s speedrun journey. 



“That was really the place I got to meet a ton of amazing people who are now some of my best friends,” she said.



She reflected that getting into speedrunning communities can be intimidating for newcomers and finding a group she could really click with has significantly impacted her experience.



Now she serves an Admin position with Frame Fatales, which she says has given her some exciting perspective.



“With this past event...I was runner and volunteer liaison, which was so much fun because I got to really be on the other side of the marathon besides just running in it,” she said. “I'm going to be on staff again for our next event, upcoming in August. So it's been a great both professional and personal experience and I absolutely love the group.” 



## SGDQ 2021



Earlier this month at SGDQ, FrozenFlygone ran a Celeste Custom Map called “Glyph.” It was her first time performing in a mainstage GDQ event as well as the first time a Celeste Custom Map has appeared at GDQ.



[She ran the same map in June at Power Up With Pride](https://www.speedrun.com/news/769-2021-6-1-power-up-with-pride-2021-5-years-strong).



According to FrozenFlygone, [Glyph by Marshall H](https://gamebanana.com/mods/150453), is a great place to start for anyone who has finished all of Celeste and wants more of that tight, complex platforming (though there are also plenty of maps out there for other skill levels).



“Its theme-ing is so beautiful. Marshall’s eye for aesthetics and he wrote all the music himself as well,” she said. “It’s just an amazing experience to play.”



She hopes her run will open the floodgates of Celeste Custom Maps at future GDQ events.



Her SGDQ run was, like so many of the best GDQ runs, equal parts fun and informative.



During her run, several developers and artists who worked on Celeste dropped by to donate and wish FrozenFlygone good luck.



Her experience creating custom maps also allowed her to share unique insights. As she avoided an obstacle by going up and above the screen, she said, “As any Custom Map Maker knows, a lot of times you just forget that you need to put a ceiling and this is one of those times.”



You can check out FrozenFlygone’s SGDQ run [here](https://youtu.be/_zon5vP6qIo) as well as an SGDQ interview with FrozenFlygone [here](https://youtu.be/t6XU7wEuyHw?t=7891) 

Check out FrozenFlygone on Twitch [here](https://www.twitch.tv/frozenflygone).



***All images provided by FrozenFlygone.***



FrozenFlygone is a Celeste speedrunner who recently performed runs at SGDQ and Power Up With Pride. We spoke with her about speedrunning for our July Spotlight.

Spotlight: FrozenFlygone

Speedrunning expresses such a high level of love for the chosen game. Marathons like Games Done Quick, bringing together the broader speedrunning community to show off their runs and talents, demonstrate this like nothing else. The positive energy surrounding the event can be felt even now as it comes to an end — not to mention by the end of it, SGDQ 2021 raised nearly ***3 MILLION DOLLARS*** for [Doctors Without Borders.](https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/)

Truly amazing.

Let’s dive into the highlights from the final days of [Summer Games Done Quick 2021!](https://www.twitch.tv/gamesdonequick)

### ***Halo 2***  

**Any%**

*Ran by Monopoli*

*[Link to ru](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqZeIVOivXw&t=42s)n*

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/qoeo74ng.png)Similar to Ocarina of Time, you need a university degree to understand Halo 2’s speedrun. Monopoli wastes no time getting into the run executing one glitch after another, doing a fantastic job as a solo commentator explaining the difficult tricks while also performing them. The main highlight is a glitch called Arbitrary Unit Possession which manipulates the games memory to allow you to become nearly anything in the game. Only a few minutes into the run, Monopoli transforms into a Phantom (a VEHICLE *by the way*) and navigates out of bounds.

That’s just scratching the surface, you ***CANNOT*** miss this run.

### ***Astro’s Playroom***  

**Any%**

*Ran by Xeilius*

*Commentary by LeKcEy and MotoNickelz*

*[Link to run](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzC5PKC7XVM&t=14s)*

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/qrz278n0.jpg)Astro’s Playroom is a *free* third-person-platformer with extremely advanced movement, as well as adorable characters and atmosphere - also the sound design is phenomenal.  Developers also implemented a Speedrun Mode where they specifically leave in speedrunning tricks that get patched out from the regular mode. Yay for speedrun accessibility! On top of stunning movement, this run has some amazing (and very physical) climbing strats using the Playstation controller, which is quite entertaining to watch Xeilius perform.

### ***Factorio***  

**Any% Set Seed**

*Ran by Frankqly*

*Commentary by AntiElitz, Thue and XenoCyber*

*[Link to run](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlEVneHpRas&t=5s)*

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/1pzmoonk.jpg)This run is a showcase of incredible routing and execution. Routing a game like Factorio is incredibly difficult due to the sheer amount of options you have, and the runners even mention themselves that the route is still pretty frequently updated. For the duration of the run, Franqly remained mostly quiet because Factorio is, surprisingly, *very* demanding of your execution. Every second of the run for its nearly 2-hour runtime demands Franqlys strict attention, considering if he was to place something where it wasn’t supposed to, there could be a potential for devastating consequences further down the line. Listening to the stories behind the routing process of this run is worth a watch by itself, definitely give this run a watch.

### ***Celeste Custom Maps***  

**Glyph All A-Sides**

*Ran by frozenflygone*

*Commentary by Comet*

*[Link to run](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zon5vP6qIo&t=80s)*

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/2yzr2jn4.jpg)Frozenflygone premieres a custom-made map containing entirely custom level design and music which looks absolutely *gorgeous.* The movement tech is incredible, the commentary is great, the developers were watching showing their support, and overall frozenflygone and comet provide a truly heartwarming showcase from one of speedrunning's most wholesome communities. Did I mention the movement tech is incredible?

### ***Bowser’s Fury***  

**Any% No Amiibo**

*Ran by fir_*

*Commentary by Dangers*

*[Link to run](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enDKdZRGrwI&t=105s)*

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/v5ng0xeq.jpg)Nintendo games always seem to bring some new mechanics that mesh really well with speedrunning, and Bowser’s Fury is a *little* different which had runners thinking it wouldn’t be a good speedgame — but where there’s a will, there’s a way. Imagine a bus stop…. No? Old meme? Okay. This is Bowser’s Fury’s premiere at a Games Done Quick, and both fir_, as well as Dangers, do an incredible job explaining the new tech and the speedrun appeal of Bowser’s Fury, if you love platformers and cycles — give this one a go.

### ***Super Metroid***  

**100% Race**

*Ran by Oatsngoats, Behemoth87 and ShinyZeni*

*Commentary by Antinomy and TheHockeytowner*

*[Link to run](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucwaN2bbwLU&t=36s)*

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/9qzp96n3.jpg)Super Metroid is a true classic 2D platformer with a *rich* speedrunning history, many people have years of practice under their belt and it really shows here in this race between Oatsngoats, Behemoth87, and ShinyZeni, who were all neck and neck for a very long time at the start of the run. Even by the end of the hour-long run, they all finished within 3 minutes of each other - an incredible display of optimization on a classic speedgame.

### ***Dark Souls 3***  

**Any% Glitchless**

*Ran by MattApocaalypse*

*Commentary by Distortion2 and Fudge Cow*

*[Link to run](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQJOl72vJGQ&t=84s)*

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/v5e15mn0.jpg)If you’ve ever played a Dark Souls game, you’ll know how brutally difficult the game is. Bosses can sometimes take the majority of players multiple *hours* to complete, and yet in this run, MattApocaalypse completes Any% Glitchless in under ***one hour*** real time. If you ever want to see a display of immense skill, check out a speedrun from a souls series. I guarantee you will not be disappointed.

## Final Stop

Well, that’s a wrap for Summer Games Done Quick 2021. There were jokes, glitches, lots of talent, and a whole lotta love and passion. Unfortunately, it is true that all good things must come to an end, but not forever. The next GDQ is only ever a few months away.

If you happened to miss any runs you were interested in, you can find every run as well as interviews and other great moments over on [GDQ’s YouTube channel.](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI3DTtB-a3fJPjKtQ5kYHfA)

With SGDQ 2021 a wrap, we're taking one last opportunity to highlight some of our favorite events from the week-long speedrunning event.

Final SGDQ 2021 Highlights

Runners typically need to work with the cards that are dealt to them by the developers when speedrunning — whether that’s due to the lack of a developer/speedrunning community relationship, the developer having an anti-speedrunning perspective, or anything else that could result in a situation where the community decides to intervene.

In recent years, it’s become more prevalent for communities to take matters into their own hands to create tools or rulesets that work around some of the negative aspects to their chosen speedgame in favor of a more entertaining run. Today, let’s take a dive into some of the tools and decisions made in various communities to foster a more fun speedrunning environment.

## Race Files

Race files are perhaps the most common compromise when it comes to balancing entertainment and purity in speedruns. “Race file” is a blanket term used to describe when speedrunners start their speedrun from a section not immediately at the start of the game, whether through a save file or some other means.

This is done in [Portal](https://www.speedrun.com/portal) to skip the minute-long vault section, [Super Mario Sunshine](https://www.speedrun.com/sms) to skip the nearly **6** minute starting cutscene, [Dead Space](https://www.speedrun.com/ds1) to skip the 5-minute train ride, and other games with very similar scenarios. Typically, race files are used to skip these beginning sections because they’re either boring or are completely void of gameplay for a long period of time.

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/83nvl1em.jpg)

## Cutting out Cutscenes

[Titanfall 2](https://www.speedrun.com/titanfall_2) is a great speedgame with around an hour of high octane Source engine movement… and around 24 minutes of cutscenes. Certainly not the worst offender of cutscene-to-gameplay ratios, but not ideal when it comes to a game as fast-paced as Titanfall 2.

A few years ago, the Any% & All Helmets categories were split into the subcategories Standard & No Cutscenes. The No Cutscenes mod allowed for pre-made saves to be loaded at select points so that you could play each gameplay segment in between cutscenes, removing the majority of the downtime.

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/qrz2m8n0.jpg)From 2018 to 2021 Titanfall 2 progressed quite a bit as a speedgame, developing new strategies like [Andy Shot](https://youtu.be/U1szguexnpk?t=1794) or [Elmo Clip](https://youtu.be/6fs8FpxsQic?t=52m50s). Unfortunately, because the pre-made saves for No Cutscenes were made prior to these discoveries, they ended up being left out completely from the category. This left No Cutscenes in a strange state where it was skipping all the downtime, but also a good chunk of the new tricks.

In July 2021, the community decided that a solution called the BT Cutscene Bypass would be voted on to merge the ideas of No Cutscenes into Any% in a new way. The beginning of the run contains an infamous cutscene hilariously dubbed “The 18 Hour Cutscene” due to a line of dialogue that takes place during the scene. The 18 Hour Cutscene lasts for roughly 3.5 minutes and includes 19 seconds of gameplay via an autoscroller, the most egregious cutscene in the run — right near the beginning. The idea was to skip just this one cutscene as it was the most disliked one, but also inject the time right back into Livesplit as if you had never skipped it at all. This meant all the runs that don’t use it remained just as competitive. Titanfall 2 Speedrun.com moderator [Bryonato](https://www.speedrun.com/user/bryonato) was the one to kick off the vote for this decision, and this is what they had to say about the process:

> We were facing a few issues with the state of our leaderboards. Any% was our main category, but most high level runners didn’t want to grind it due to the long opening cutscene, so the majority of competitive times were happening over on No Cutscenes. Normally this would be fine, but No Cutscenes is also a PC exclusive category, and we accept runs from multiple platforms on the same board, so console players were out of luck here. So in order to encourage people to run Any% again, have our leaderboards be more representative of the actual state of the game, and ensure the longevity of our speedgame’s lifecycle, we had a vote on the BT Cutscene Bypass.

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/1pzmqoek.jpg)

> "Mechanically, the BT Cutscene Bypass does more or less what we do in No Cutscenes. But this time, we have a script integrated into LiveSplit itself, that detects when the cutscene starts and then it skips the cutscene but it also injects all of the time that we would have skipped back into the timer. Think of it like skipping past an ad read in a YouTube video. The video is still the same length, but you’ve saved yourself time by not watching a part of it.  So ultimately at the end of the day, yeah, it's arbitrary but like, so is the majority of speedrunning. It comes down to the balance of purity and runner convenience."

-*Bryonato*

## Modifying Mechanics

[Outlast 2](https://www.speedrun.com/outlast2/full_game) *also* suffered from a lot of cutscenes on release. Although, perhaps an even worse offense to speedrunning, Outlast 2 introduced a new mechanic in which skipping any game checkpoint leads to the player dying instantaneously. This is what Outlast 2 leaderboard moderator [AlexisDR](https://www.speedrun.com/user/AlexisDR) had to say about Checkpoint Killing:

> "I knew the run would get alot more interesting, because we already knew about some big skips that could be done but weren't possible because you would die/get softlocked. There were skips known to be theoretically possible like a few weeks after the game released but they weren't possible to do due to the checkpoint killing mechanic."

-*AlexisDR*

This mechanic was such a problem that even casual players found themselves dying from seemingly nowhere.  It was left this way for nearly 4 years because no one could figure out a way around it.

Eventually, Alexis reached out to Speedrun Tool Developer [Kuno Demetries](https://www.speedrun.com/user/KunoDemetries) who also recently developed the [Flashless Epilepsy Mod](https://github.com/KunoDemetries/APTIEpilepsyMod) for A Plague Tale: Innocence.

Alexis asked Kuno to help them out with a mod that would disable this checkpoint killing mechanic for a new sub-category called No CPK. The [No CPK Mod](https://www.speedrun.com/outlast2/resources) aims to create a category similar to what Any% actually should have been. This is what Kuno had to say about how the mod was created:

> "The mod changes the original if statement, responsible for checking if the current checkpoint is the one sequential to the previous one, and returns it to always true - preventing the game from killing the player and restoring the original checkpoint save function from Outlast 1."

-*Kuno Demetries*

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/2yzrqjn4.jpg)

## Removing RNG

[Bioshock Infinite](https://www.speedrun.com/bsi) has a piece of gear called the Hill Runner’s Hat, which gives you a speed boost if your shield gets broken. This fairly significant speed boost is great because it saves roughly **16 minutes** of game time over the course of a whole run. But there is one issue: the Hill Runners Hat has a 2% chance to drop.  This requires speedrunners to load the checkpoint over and over, attempting to get it before proceeding with their speedrun. This issue is discussed in more detail in the video [“The Bioshock Infinite Problem”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8829nP7akEY) made by Jarko, who helped me write this article. Jarko was the leading force in the move to allow a mod dubbed simply “HRH mod” on the leaderboards. The HRH mod removes all RNG from the HRH drop, forcing it to spawn 100% of the time. Here’s what Jarko had to say about it:

> "BSI was a tough one when I started glitch hunting the game about 5 years ago. Any% was almost 50% cutscene across a roughly 1 hour 50 minute run. At its peak activity, the category had maybe 4 active runners - and that low number is mostly because of HRH. I'm sure you get the jist of the item but 1/52 odds 30 minutes into the run was soul crushing to reset through. It was rough, though the occasional first try HRH was certainly a thrill. The game is probably in a much better place because of the efforts I had made to make a modified main category."

-*Jarko*

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/v5ngxxeq.jpg)

# Why are we here?

In the end, I think the majority of us are in speedrunning because we want to have fun.  Despite speedrunning being competitive in nature, I believe for a lot of people it serves primarily as an entertaining hobby.

So in that case, why not add some edge cases to prioritize entertainment? Personally, I’ll advocate for entertainment and accessibility any day.

When games don't provide what speedrunners are looking for, sometimes it's up to the community to step up to make the changes for themselves. 

Prioritizing Entertainment in Speedrunning

We’re a little over the halfway point of Summer Games Done Quick 2021 and things are still going *very* strong! At the time of publishing, the marathon has raised more than a ***MILLION DOLLARS*** for Doctor’s Without Borders.



It’s been a few days of non-stop talent and entertainment. Let’s dig into some of the key moments from the first half of Summer Games Done Quick 2021.



## Tuesday Night



### ***Metal Gear Solid 3 Snake Eater***  

**European Extreme**  

*Ran by ApacheSmash*  

*Commentary by Jaguar_King and miniomegaking*  

*[Link to run](https://youtu.be/C5g1j0WPPKI)*  



Having met a donation incentive, ApacheSmash ran through MGS3 while having Snake wear a tuxedo as much as the game allowed — while also wearing a tuxedo in real life. European Extreme is the games highest difficulty, forcing the player to restart a room if they get caught. This is also on top of the tuxedo, which makes it *much easier* to be caught. Of course, Apache Smash blasts through the run in a little over an hour real time.



### ***Dead Space***  

**Any%**  

*Ran by Looney*  

*Commentary by Sharkhat and Waifu*  

*[Link to run](https://youtu.be/bMhnbyWEV8Y?t=97)*  



Even before Looney had started his run, he received a tweet from a former Dead Space producer, [Steve Papoutsis](https://twitter.com/leveluptime/status/1412516658476814336?s=20) letting him know he was looking forward to his run — no pressure or anything. Thankfully, Looney’s run was a jaw-dropping success. 



While Looney was boosting around and performing some incredible skips and tricks, Twitch chat was consistently expressing how surprised they were that Dead Space had never been to a GDQ event before — and how excited they were to inevitably see Dead Space 2 at a future event.



## Wednesday



### ***Geoguessr***  

**Perfect Score**  

*Ran by Havrd*  

*Commentary by Mumrik and Chuckolator*  

*[Link to run](https://youtu.be/fxBcdmExUyc)*  

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/r7z30lzd.jpg)Havrd is typically an amazing glitch hunter and strat finder, but he *also* is a Geoguessr wizard. Geoguessr is a game where you get plopped down on a 3D map and have to figure out where you are, the closer you are to the actual location when you place your pin on the map, the more points you get. Havrd’s goal for this run was to get a *perfect* Geoguessr score in under 35 minutes. I’ll tell you, I nearly failed my geography course years ago and it *shows* when I try to play Geoguessr. Watching Havrd and listening to his thought process while trying to pin down his location is mind-blowing, and a showcase from GDQ you cannot miss.





### ***Ratchet & Clank: Into The Nexus***  

**NG+**  

*Ran by mobius*  

*[Link to run](https://youtu.be/IzHrfZRntsE?t=38)*  

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/2qny5dzp.jpg)

Ratchet and Clank is potentially one of the most popular series to speedrun among the Playstation exclusives, and the developers, Insomniac Games, are maybe the most supportive of their speedrunning community out of any studio I have ever seen. 

On top of Mobius' excellent execution throughout the run, there were constant donations stating support from different developers on the team. All any speedrunning community wants is support from the developer of the game they pour their hearts into, and watching this run is really heartwarming.

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/p4zjo1nk.jpg)

### ***Ghostrunner***  

**Any% Inbounds**  

*Ran by Blaidan*  

*Commentary by Bryonato, DragonTears0, and BladeLMAO*  

*[Link to run](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTsYYJJQxyY&t=73s)*  

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/r1n8rxzq.jpg)Ghostrunner is one of those games where the movement system has such a high skill ceiling, watching a pro like Blaidan rip through the game is like watching a 1000 degree knife cut through butter. During this run, Blaidan played **within a minute of his world record** — even getting a best segment on one of the most optimized levels in the game. If you want a high octane run with *fantastic commentary*, Ghostrunner is definitely something you don’t wanna miss.

Oh, by the way, Blaidan got a brand new world record by 30 seconds the very next day — the first-ever sub-35-minute time.



## Thursday



### ***Sonic 3D Blast***  

**Beat the Game 2 Players 1 Controller**  

*Ran by AmberCyprian & TGH*  

*[Link to run](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTzkEILXZYI&t=46s)*  



Speedrunning is hard enough as is, but imagine if two people had to coordinate their gameplay using half of a controller for each of them. AmberCyprian and TGH working together to complete Sonic 3D Blast as fast as they can with just a single controller is really a sight to see, especially with the controller cam on for the duration of the run.



### ***Destiny 2***  

**Deep Stone Crypt**  

*Ran by Shockwve, MunchaKoopas, Tokeegee, Traderkirk, Scoobyfoo, BystanderTim*  

*[Link to run](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaHMkXMVEWU)*  

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/83nvp1nm.jpg)On the topic of cooperation, this run of Destiny 2’s Deep Stone Crypt raid by *six different runners* is a glorious showcase of co-op speedruns which are **always** a demonstration of teamwork and wild cooperative strategies. This group of runners has a lot of charisma, and the showcase was a very wholesome experience you should definitely check out.



### ***DOOM Eternal***  

**Ancient Gods 1&2 No Major Glitches Inbounds**  

*Ran by Bloodshot9001*  

*Commentary by Bryonato, DrakePHOSE, and Xiae*  

*[Link to run](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EmAQ1BdRAk)*  

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/0dz49wn6.jpg)The follow-up to last year's main campaign NMG run, Bloodshot runs both DLC’s for DOOM Eternal back-to-back demonstrating great combat, movement, and some wild skips. All of this was supported by a wonderful couch that had electric energy for the entire duration of both runs.



A highlight within this highlight: Bloodshot's cat had a cameo and someone donated ***$10,000*** to see Bloodshot pet him. 



## The show goes on



Summer Games Done Quick 2021 has had too many memorable moments to fit them all in here. The good news is the event isn't over yet. SGDQ will continue through Sunday, July 9th 2am EST - if you want to see more moments like these head over to [Games Done Quick](https://www.twitch.tv/gamesdonequick) There are many more runs to look forward to, and we’ll see you there!

Now midway through the event, SGDQ 2021 continues to deliver with memorable speedruns. Let's take a look at the highlights from the last couple of days.

Mid-week highlights for SGDQ 2021

We’re just a few days into [Summer Games Done Quick 2021](https://www.twitch.tv/gamesdonequick) and things got off to an incredible start! At the time of publishing, the marathon has raised more than $380,000[update!] for [Doctor’s Without Borders](https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/).



You never can go wrong with GDQ but with so many great runs to choose from, we’ve narrowed down a few highlights worth checking out just in case you missed them!



## Sunday



### [Dragon Age: Inquisition -- Any% - PC by Lemuura with commentary by A Flyin Coconut, bryonato and LettersWords (0:39:02)](https://youtu.be/BTO8ArCIocE)



How many times have you seen a speedrun switch game patches mid run? Combine a fascinating run with Lemuura’s excellent execution (including a ridiculously quick final boss fight), and this is definitely worth checking out.



### [F-Zero -- Snaking All Tracks - Gamecube by 1davidj with commentary by Valyssa0, Naegleria, and AKC12 (1:06:43)](https://youtu.be/WLq4NWzbnNM)



Somehow this run manages to be pretty chill considering it features 1davidj flinging his F-Zero machine off of the track only to land on a later portion as well as an intentional death at the end of the track in order to send the vehicle careening over the finish line. The run ended up just 14 seconds behind 1davidj’s PB.



### [Spyro the Dragon (1998) -- Any% - PS1 by Dayoman (0:45:03)](https://youtu.be/WKzwEFviq4k)



Dayoman brings heaps of charm and skill to this classic Spyro title. In addition to the entertaining run, make sure to checkout Kungfufruitcup’s interview with Dayoman which can be found [here](https://youtu.be/DDlExHbDiuE?t=2790).





## Monday



### [Sundered -- Resist% - PC by JeviLevee with commentary by Denezen, dyindude and Medlife (1:08:35)](https://youtu.be/Hhv7u7II8jg)



Jevilevee moves with swift grace through the procedurally generated pathways of Sundered with a friendly virtual couch commenting the whole way. Keep an eye out for when Thunder Lotus Games, the gamedev collective behind Sundered, pops in to donate $1000 and wish JeviLevee good luck!



### [Cave Story 3D -- Reverse Boss Adventure - 3DS by Supreme Dirt (1:16:34)](https://youtu.be/rB6NClurRiI)



Check out this fun performance of a lesser-known 3DS remake Cave Story to learn some of the interesting history of Supreme Dirt’s efforts to route the run. “Almost all of my routing of this game happens in a hex editor," she says.



### [Shadow of the Colossus -- Any% Hard - PS4 by TikTak with commentary by RUBIEHART and FoxyZilla54 (1:41:11)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zm3Ol9-rSQk)



Not only is this game always a cinematic treat to watch, but TikTak and the virtual couch have so much fun and friendly chemistry. This is a great showcase from the Team ICO Speedruns community. Additionally, the donation incentive to pet the in-game horse, Agro, raised more money than the total raised at the first GDQ back in 2010!



### [Paper Mario -- Stop 'n' Swop - N64 by JCog with commentary by Iycewynd and Rain (0:26:12)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhH-UsSz69M&list=PLz8YL4HVC87V6OQSXXmP-a0qtUVaLZouR&index=34)



It might be confusing at first to see a Paper Mario speedrun that begins with The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time but thanks to some clever usage of the N64’s expansion pak, JCog is able to use a game crash from one cartridge to execute code in another. Ok, even after watching the whole thing it is still pretty confusing but fascinating nonetheless and worth a watch!



## Tuesday



### [FAITH -- 100% - NES by Vynn (0:05:53)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMls30ESTWg&list=PLz8YL4HVC87V6OQSXXmP-a0qtUVaLZouR&index=38)



The spooky vibe of this short run alongside the calming commentary by Vynn is perfect for anyone who likes some horror in their speed games. Vynn shows off a few of the game’s endings without missing a step.



## [Gone Golfing -- True Ending - PC by Teddyras with commentary by Jeff_in_3D (0:13:06)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isV1v-TGTjo&list=PLz8YL4HVC87V6OQSXXmP-a0qtUVaLZouR&index=39)



This short run is not hiding anything. It starts off just like any other mini-golf game with Teddyras putting one hole at a time. Then it moves into a dark, industrial space where he has to run from a human-sized golf ball named Mr. Golfy. Enjoy equal parts scary and funny with the relaxing commentary you would expect for gold. In the words of commentator Jeff_in_3D, “I’m seeing some comments from the chat saying that they’re questioning how much this is golf. Umm, y’all it might have been a long time since a lot of us have gone outside and seen sports, it’s been about a year and a half, but rest assured this is normal golf play.”



### [Battletoads by TheMexicanRunner with commentary by JC586 (0:35:43)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yQLiSDpEPc&list=PLz8YL4HVC87V6OQSXXmP-a0qtUVaLZouR&index=55)



TMR delivers a skilled performance including that incredibly tense "Turbo Tunnel Blindfold" segment of the run. The chat, along with JC586 and host Skybilz provided tons of positivity while TMR does a fantastic job with a truly grueling game.



### [Grand Theft Auto III -- Any% - PC by KZ_FREW with commentary by Anti (1:16:29)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpp5aih-r0M&list=PLz8YL4HVC87V6OQSXXmP-a0qtUVaLZouR&index=59)



Between flipping cars and driving on train tracks, this run is as hilarious as it is explosive. Just what you might expect from a GTA speedrun. Expect jumping through concrete and mildly disorienting camera shifts, plus an KZ_FREW tosses a grenade through a car window in just one try. Definitely worth the watch!



There are still more incredible speedruns to come and plenty of more opportunities to tune in and support Doctors Without Borders. Tune into SGDQ [here](https://www.twitch.tv/gamesdonequick).



*Header image includes the GDQ logo, and at the bottom, a segment of the SGDQ interactive crowd, a clever solution to create a digital, interactive audience while the event remains fully online.*



Summer Games Done Quick 2021 got underway July 4 and runs through July 11. We've compiled some early highlights from the first three days of the event. Let's take a look!

Early highlights from SGDQ 2021

The Dead Space series strikes fear and adrenaline into the hearts of its players, and with [rumors of a reboot to the series](https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/eas-ip-revival-is-reportedly-a-dead-space-reimagining/) as well as Dead Space premiering at Summer Games Done Quick — now is a very special time for Dead Space speedrunners.

Dead Space is a little over an hour of brutally challenging tricks and skips, coming together to form an incredibly difficult (and satisfying) run. With the help of [Looney](https://www.speedrun.com/user/Looney), let’s dive into the tech that broke Dead Space wide open: Pulse Boosting.

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/3xz08xnl.jpg)

## What is Pulse Boosting?

Pulse Boosting is a trick that abuses the Pulse Rifles alternate fire mode which allows the main character, Isaac, to go flying, skipping large portions of the game. Pulse Boosting was [found September 2020](https://youtu.be/CXVyV1Ojj0w?t=26) by [r3sus](https://www.speedrun.com/user/r3sus), the contributor to many different strats for Dead Space 1 and Dead Space 2.

## How does it work?

In Dead Space, weapons collide with the game world. You can see this yourself by simply walking up to a wall and aiming, the game will push you away slightly. This was likely implemented during development to prevent you from shooting at or interacting with things on the other side of the wall — which funnily enough you *can* still do [with some ingenuity](https://youtu.be/G1nqodtvqs0?t=915).

So that’s step one of the trick, for step two we’ll need the trick's namesake,  the Pulse Rifle. The Pulse Rifle has an alternate firing mode where Isaac crouches down and fires the rifle 360 degrees around him. If you aim into a wall and on the same frame perform the alternate fire of the Pulse Rifle, the game will [shoot you away with a massive amount of speed.](https://youtu.be/G1nqodtvqs0?t=3237) Runners make the [setup for this trick](https://youtu.be/CLTCdk7LRWI) much easier by unbinding “stomp,” which otherwise would interfere with the boost. Then all they need to do is hold the spacebar and aim into the wall, buffering the alternate fire so it triggers the first frame you aim every time with ease.

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/9kzw18nq.jpg)*[Source](https://youtu.be/CLTCdk7LRWI)*

Of course, even with the inputs being made a lot easier, that doesn’t make the trick easy at all. Making Isaac actually do the boost is the easy thing, but getting him where he needs to be is a whole other thing. The boost can be affected by Isaac’s starting animation, as well as the frame in that animation, framerate, angle, among other things, it’s certainly no easy trick.

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/oxzd1vzm.jpg)*[Source](https://youtu.be/G1nqodtvqs0)*

## Honorable Mentions

### [Isaac Tilting](https://youtu.be/aelh6pIzERM?t=178)

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/y1n54ke3.jpg)This physics-defying trick is done by transitioning out of a zero g zone while meleeing, which makes the game think you’re still in zero g. Because of that, the game still sticks you to surfaces and tilts the game world around you as if you were still in zero g, tilting Isaac. This can be used in strategic places to skip [fights](https://youtu.be/G1nqodtvqs0?t=761) or [elevators](https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1046244740?t=00h55m18s).

### [Elevator Warp](https://youtu.be/G1nqodtvqs0?t=3827)

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/l1n7l9e5.jpg)

Using nothing but a table and an elevator, runners can skip a huge chunk of chapter 10 - the biggest single skip in the run.

### [Zero G Jump](https://youtu.be/G1nqodtvqs0?t=3544)

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/97n69mnq.jpg)A tiny little hole in the zero gravity area of Chapter 9 allows runners to take the effect from zero gravity for *the rest of the level*, even in areas out of bounds. This trick has some… *interesting* effects, [as you can see.](https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1046244740?t=01h20m47s)

## Games Done Quick

After everything was said and done, Pulse Boosting managed to chop off *a little over an* ***hour*** — essentially slicing the run right in half.

![](https://next.speedrun.com/static/blob/7rnq7wej.jpg)If you’re eager for more Dead Space, Looney will be running Any% with commentary from [Waifu](https://www.speedrun.com/user/Waifu) and [Sharkhat](https://www.speedrun.com/user/sharkhat). The event started **Sunday, July 4th**, and Looney’s run takes place on **July 6th**. If you’re interested in watching, keep an eye on the [schedule](https://gamesdonequick.com/schedule) as it tends to shift around.

I hope you’re excited for GDQ because I, sure as hell, am.

Ahead of Dead Space's debut at SGDQ, let's take a look at the tech that allowed speedrunners to reduce their run times by half.

How Dead Space Speedrunners cut their runs in half

For a lot of people, glitches are at the heart of speedrunning. For many of us, witnessing cool skips and tricks at GDQ or other speedrun marathons is what got us excited about speedrunning in the first place. But where do these glitches come from? Who finds them? And how?

Well, that’s where glitch hunting comes in.

# What is glitch hunting?

In the most simple terms, glitch hunting is when someone attempts to find glitches and exploits within a given game. That said, there is a wide variety of approaches to glitch hunting that require different levels of skill and will often produce different results.

Whether intentionally or unintentionally, a lot of speedrunners will do a bit of glitch hunting at some point or another. Some people are so dedicated to the search for glitches that they will call themselves glitch hunters. There is plenty of room for crossover between speedrunners and glitch hunters but that does not mean the two are synonymous.

While the process of glitch hunting can take different shapes, we can more-or-less break it down into some steps that may help you get started. (You might even recognize these steps from science class.)

# Step One: Observations

Before looking for glitches, you can set yourself up for success by getting to know the game you are hunting through.

This can take the form of repeated playthroughs but it can also include research into what discoveries other people have made about the game.

When it comes to repeated playthroughs it never hurts to keep recordings of everything so you can look back on any points of interest you stumble upon.

My own experience glitch hunting my primary speed game, Moomin’s Tale, has mostly included repeated playthroughs and discussion with the small Moomin speedrunning community.

As is often the case, community cooperation is one of the best paths forward. Whether someone plays the game casually, speedruns it, or glitch hunts it themself, you never know what discoveries can be made just by sharing experiences and working together.

This step can also include the use of additional tools to investigate a game’s code. My own coding skills are amateur at best and I’m just getting started using CheatEngine and other tools to understand the inner workings of different games.

[For more technically complex examples of glitch hunting with advanced and custom tools, check out our spotlight on the Prince of Persia speedrun community.](https://www.speedrun.com/news/694-2021-4-26-spotlight-prince-of-persia-community)

# Step Two: Questions

While learning about a game, follow your curious impulses and ask questions.

*Sometimes the physics in this game do weird things. Is there a way to exploit that?*

*Someone else just found a cool glitch. Are there other places that glitch could be useful?*

*This eagle boss is a poorly-coded, late-game run-killer. Is there a way to skip the fight entirely?*

The main point is turning the information you have gathered into questions.

For example, in Level 5 of Moomin’s Tale, there is a door on the other side of a small gap the player cannot usually jump over. Later in the level, one of the branching paths brings the player to that door presumably to trick new players into accidentally falling into the old room and forcing them to replay a portion of the level.

Additionally, there are fruit items in Moomin’s Tale, some of which give the player a speed boost until the next time they take damage. This boost also improves jumping distance.

Lastly, the player character’s sprite sometimes flickers between falling and landing when running into the edges of certain platforms.

With all this information combined, I asked: “If I have a speed boost and correctly time a jump across the gap then jump a second time while I am semi-colliding with the other platform, will that allow me to cross the gap and skip part of the level?”

# Step Three: Hypothesis

Once you have your question, it can help to turn it into a hypothesis by coming up with a guess and a way to find out if that guess is true.

*The physics in this game can be exploited by chaining these actions in this location. I will test it by attempting to demonstrate the trick.*

*That glitch someone else found can be used in this other part of the game. I wiIl test it by trying the glitch set up in the new location.*

*By getting out of bounds, I can exit the fight with the poorly-coded, late-game run-killer eagle boss and leave it behind. I will test this by editing the game code to put myself out of bounds to determine if it is possible before I start looking for a way to get out of bounds.*

Of course, in some cases, your hypothesis might just be “If I jump into this wall something interesting will happen. I will test it by jumping into this wall.” You don’t need a specific goal in terms of *what* you find. It’s going to differ between glitch hunters and games and game sessions. Sometimes it’s good to have a clear goal but it's equally important to keep an open mind to the possibilities.

Returning to my example from Moomin’s Tale, my hypothesis was: “If I have a speed boost and correctly time a jump across the gap then jump a second time while I am semi-colliding with the other platform, I can cross the gap and skip part of the level. I will test this by setting up a savestate before making the jump so I can make multiple subsequent attempts.”

# Step Four: Testing

It’s experimentation time. Put that hypothesis to the test and record what happens. You can even take notes if you’re testing something more complicated or you just like to be meticulous.

It’s up to you.

Demonstrate the trick, try the glitch, mess with the game code. There isn’t much else to say but to get to it.

# Step Five: Analyzing and Interpreting Your Results

So how did it go? Were you right? Were you wrong? Something else?

Maybe you were right. *You proved the physics in the game can be exploited by chaining those actions in that location.*

Maybe you were half-right. *You found that the glitch someone else found can be used in this other part of the game, but the setup is a bit different and it’s tougher to pull off.*

A lot of times, you might have gotten it completely wrong. *Getting out of bounds does not allow you to skip the poorly-coded, late-game run-killer eagle boss.*

In the case of my jumping experiment in Moomin’s Tale, I was successful. The jump worked and I was able to skip a short segment of the level!

##Step Five: Sharing, Repeating, Further Testing

In the first two cases above, you should of course share your discovery with other members of the community but it is often just as important to share when your discovery went wrong.

At the very least you can save someone else from fruitlessly repeating your exact actions and maybe other people can contribute new adjustments on your experiment or completely new ideas for

solving the problem you’re facing.

In a way, every experiment becomes part of the “Observations” stage of the next experiment! Regardless of what you find, you now know a little bit more about the game and can take that information into account while you continue your hunt for glitches.

In the case of my Moomin’s Tale experiment, I went on to double check if this new route was in fact faster than the previous one by timing both routes and comparing.

# One Last Thing

Of course, this cycle does not need to be as formal as these steps might make it sound. Some of these steps are unconscious or happen quickly as you try one thing after another.

But hopefully, this structure can help if you are new to glitch hunting or hitting some kind of roadblock in your hunt.

Whatever you do, good luck glitch hunting and wish me luck finding a way around the poorly-coded, late-game run-killer eagle boss in Moomin’s Tale because it is trying my soul.

Glitch Hunting is an important activity within speedrunning — but what is it, *exactly*? And how can you get started?

Glitch Hunting: What is it and how do you do it?

EBen

xwpw4y0l

summertimealice

A Difficult Game About Climbing

The leaderboards will open 2 weeks from launch to allow discussion about the categories we want to start out with.