I have been watching a lot of GDQ videos lately, and I think speedrunning is fascinating to watch because it requires so much focus and accuracy.
Do any of you just choose to kick back and play the entire game as intended, I was wondering? Or is it no longer pleasurable to complete after doing it so many times?
Every game I have picked up for speedrunning is one I first enjoyed casually. Speedrunning became a natural progression of how I could keep enjoying the game, but now I find it hard to go back to playing the way I used to. So, I would have to say no.
It really depends on the game. In some cases, it’s as simple as avoiding skips and sticking to the intended sequence, like not jumping onto the gem in Glimmer for Ripto’s Rage.
For RPGs, though, a lot of the speed strategies revolve around using overpowered builds, and it’s tough not to default to those. A good non-speedrun example is the Shotgun Surgeon perk in Fallout: New Vegas. Once you realize how broken it is, it feels like you’re at a disadvantage if you don’t use it.
If they don’t know what’s going to happen next, they can not run quickly.
There is usually a casual initial playthrough.
Of course, we still go back and play them casually, that’s why we chose those games in the first place. It can be challenging to switch off the speedrun mindset, but there are plenty of ways to kick back and enjoy games you have played countless times.
Anecdotally, I think we tend to hear things like, someone else explain what’s happening, I only know the speedrun, not the game, more often than the runner actually describing the plot of their game.
For the past year or so, I have been hanging out with a lot of speedrunners. Even if they still play games occasionally, they usually finish them quite quickly.
Indeed. I beat a few Zelda 3D games quickly. Though I usually just play them for pleasure, there are some speed running strategies that are really enjoyable, particularly sequence breaks.
For instance, in The Legend of Zelda, Twilight Princess, there is a bug that allows you to bypass 90% of the opening sequence. The most tedious portion of the game can be skipped, but it will require some work and strategic timing.
Yes, without a doubt. First and foremost, speedrunning is an act of admiration, therefore it seems sense that I also like to play the game on occasion.