Course outline
Module 1
Module 1: Introduction to Speedrunning
Introduction to Speedrunning
Knowledge check
Q1. What is the primary goal of speedrunning?
- A. To complete a game as quickly as possible ✓
- B. To enjoy the game at a normal pace
- C. To explore all areas of a game
- D. To play with friends
Why: The primary goal of speedrunning is to complete a game as quickly as possible.
Q2. Which of the following is a common type of speedrun?
- A. Normal playthrough
- B. Any% ✓
- C. Slow playthrough
- D. Unlimited time
Why: Any% is a common type of speedrun where the goal is to finish the game as quickly as possible, regardless of the route taken.
Q3. What is a "route" in speedrunning?
- A. A way to earn money in the game
- B. A specific path or method to complete the game quickly ✓
- C. A type of game difficulty
- D. A way to meet other players
Why: A route in speedrunning is a specific path or method used to complete the game quickly and efficiently.
Q4. What is a "glitch" in the context of speedrunning?
- A. A special item in the game
- B. A mistake made by the player
- C. An unintended feature or bug in the game that can be used to gain an advantage ✓
- D. A type of game mode
Why: A glitch is an unintended feature or bug in the game that can be used to gain an advantage in speedrunning.
Q5. What is a "category" in speedrunning?
- A. A type of game
- B. A classification of speedruns based on rules or conditions ✓
- C. A way to earn points
- D. A type of player
Why: A category in speedrunning is a classification of speedruns based on rules or conditions, such as Any% or 100% completion.
Module 2
Module 2: History of Speedrunning
History of Speedrunning
Knowledge check
Q1. Which of the following is considered one of the earliest known speedruns in history?
- A. A Mario Kart speedrun from 1997
- B. A Super Mario Bros. speedrun from 1991 ✓
- C. A Sonic the Hedgehog speedrun from 1992
- D. A Street Fighter II speedrun from 1994
Why: The first known speedrun was a Super Mario Bros. speedrun performed in 1991 by a player known as "CrazyGamer."
Q2. What was the primary purpose of speedrunning in its early days?
- A. To create content for YouTube
- B. To compete in online leaderboards
- C. To set personal bests for fun
- D. To improve gaming skills and show off techniques ✓
Why: In the early days, speedrunning was primarily a way for players to improve their gaming skills and showcase their techniques to others.
Q3. Which gaming platform was the first to have an official speedrunning community?
- A. PlayStation
- B. Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) ✓
- C. Sega Genesis
- D. PC
Why: The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) was the first platform to have an official speedrunning community, with players sharing times and techniques for games like Super Mario Bros.
Q4. What event is often considered the first major speedrunning competition?
- A. The 2000 Speedrunners Championship ✓
- B. The 1998 World Speedrunning Tournament
- C. The 1999 Speedrunners Meetup
- D. The 2002 Speedrunners Convention
Why: The 2000 Speedrunners Championship is often considered the first major speedrunning competition, bringing together speedrunners from around the world.
Q5. Which of the following is a common practice in speedrunning that helps improve performance?
- A. Using cheat codes
- B. Skipping cutscenes ✓
- C. Playing with multiple controllers
- D. Playing with a joystick
Why: Skipping cutscenes is a common practice in speedrunning, as it helps reduce time and improve performance by avoiding unnecessary delays.
Module 3
Module 3: Game Mechanics and Optimization
Game Mechanics and Optimization
Knowledge check
Q1. What is the primary goal of optimization in speedrunning?
- A. To make the game more fun
- B. To complete the game as quickly as possible ✓
- C. To explore all game content
- D. To increase difficulty
Why: Optimization in speedrunning focuses on reducing time taken to complete a game or specific segment.
Q2. Which of the following is a common optimization technique in speedrunning?
- A. Playing the game with both hands
- B. Using glitches or exploits ✓
- C. Ignoring game objectives
- D. Playing the game in slow motion
Why: Glitches and exploits are often used to skip sections or gain advantages in speedrunning.
Q3. What does the term 'route planning' refer to in speedrunning?
- A. Choosing the best time to play the game
- B. Deciding on the order of game segments to minimize time ✓
- C. Planning the game's storyline
- D. Designing new game levels
Why: Route planning involves determining the most efficient path through a game to achieve the fastest time.
Q4. Which of the following is NOT a type of speedrunning category?
- A. Any%
- B. 100%
- C. No%
- D. Race% ✓
Why: 'Race%' is not a recognized category in speedrunning; common categories include Any%, 100%, and No%.
Q5. What is a 'skip' in the context of speedrunning?
- A. A pause in the game
- B. Skipping a section of the game to save time ✓
- C. Skipping the game entirely
- D. Skipping a level without completing it
Why: A 'skip' refers to bypassing a section of the game to reduce time and improve speedrun performance.
Module 4
Module 4: Speedrun Categories and Goals
Speedrun Categories and Goals
Knowledge check
Q1. What is the primary goal of a speedrun?
- A. To complete the game as quickly as possible ✓
- B. To enjoy the game at a relaxed pace
- C. To collect all items in the game
- D. To beat the game on the hardest difficulty
Why: The primary goal of a speedrun is to complete the game as quickly as possible.
Q2. Which of the following is NOT a common speedrun category?
- A. Any%
- B. 100%
- C. New Game+ ✓
- D. Glitchless
Why: New Game+ is not a common speedrun category; it refers to a game feature rather than a speedrun category.
Q3. What does the 'Any%' category in speedrunning mean?
- A. The runner must complete the game with 100% of the content
- B. The runner can use any method to finish the game, including glitches ✓
- C. The runner must complete the game without any skips
- D. The runner must complete the game on the easiest difficulty
Why: The 'Any%' category allows the runner to use any method, including glitches, to finish the game as quickly as possible.
Q4. Which category requires the runner to complete the game without using any glitches or exploits?
- A. Any%
- B. 100%
- C. Glitchless ✓
- D. New Game+
Why: The 'Glitchless' category requires the runner to complete the game without using any glitches or exploits.
Q5. What is a common goal for a speedrunner in the '100%' category?
- A. To complete the game as quickly as possible with all content ✓
- B. To complete the game without any skips
- C. To use glitches to finish the game
- D. To complete the game on the easiest difficulty
Why: In the '100%' category, the goal is to complete the game as quickly as possible with all content, such as collecting all items and completing all side quests.
Module 5
Module 5: Community and Collaboration
Community and Collaboration
Knowledge check
Q1. What is a primary goal of speedrunning communities?
- A. To compete against each other constantly
- B. To collaborate and improve the craft together ✓
- C. To avoid sharing any information
- D. To focus only on individual achievements
Why: Speedrunning communities often emphasize collaboration, sharing knowledge, and helping each other to improve the overall quality of runs and the community as a whole.
Q2. Which of the following is NOT a common way speedrunners collaborate?
- A. Sharing strategies and techniques
- B. Competing in solo challenges without any interaction ✓
- C. Working together on stream to achieve a goal
- D. Creating and sharing tools or software
Why: Collaboration in speedrunning typically involves interaction and teamwork, so competing in isolation without any interaction is not a common form of collaboration.
Q3. What is a "speedrunners hub" typically used for?
- A. To host official competitions only
- B. To discuss and share speedrunning content and knowledge ✓
- C. To sell speedrunning merchandise
- D. To provide legal advice to runners
Why: A speedrunners hub is usually a place where runners gather to share content, strategies, and knowledge, fostering a sense of community.
Q4. What is a key benefit of being part of a speedrunning community?
- A. You can avoid all competition
- B. You can gain support, feedback, and encouragement from others ✓
- C. You can keep all your techniques secret
- D. You can focus only on your own goals without any interaction
Why: Being part of a community provides support, feedback, and encouragement, which helps runners improve and stay motivated.
Q5. What is a common rule in many speedrunning communities regarding sharing times?
- A. Times should never be shared publicly
- B. Times should be shared only with friends
- C. Times should be shared openly to encourage improvement ✓
- D. Times should be kept secret to avoid competition
Why: Sharing times openly is a common practice in speedrunning communities to encourage improvement and transparency among runners.
Module 6
Module 6: Tools and Software Used
Tools and Software Used
Knowledge check
Q1. Which of the following is a commonly used tool for recording speedrun gameplay?
- A. OBS Studio ✓
- B. Notepad
- C. Calculator
- D. Paint
Why: OBS Studio is widely used for recording and streaming gameplay in the speedrunning community.
Q2. What software is often used for timing and tracking speedrun attempts?
- A. Excel
- B. Twitch
- C. Speedrun.com ✓
- D. Steam
Why: Speedrun.com is a popular platform for tracking and timing speedrun attempts.
Q3. Which of the following is a tool used for creating and sharing speedrun videos?
- A. YouTube ✓
- B. Spotify
- C. Adobe Premiere
- D. Zoom
Why: YouTube is commonly used for uploading and sharing speedrun videos with the community.
Q4. What is a common use of a game emulator in speedrunning?
- A. To play music
- B. To run and test games on different platforms ✓
- C. To edit videos
- D. To chat with friends
Why: Game emulators allow speedrunners to run and test games on different platforms, which is useful for compatibility and optimization.
Q5. Which of the following is a tool used for communication during speedrunning streams?
- A. Word
- B. Discord ✓
- C. Calculator
- D. PowerPoint
Why: Discord is widely used for communication during speedrunning streams and community interactions.
Module 7
Module 7: Practice and Improvement Techniques
Practice and Improvement Techniques
Knowledge check
Q1. What is the primary goal of deliberate practice in speedrunning?
- A. To complete the game as quickly as possible
- B. To improve specific skills in a structured and focused way ✓
- C. To watch other speedrunners for inspiration
- D. To play the game for fun
Why: Deliberate practice involves focused, structured efforts to improve specific skills, which is essential for long-term progress in speedrunning.
Q2. Which of the following is a common technique used in speedrunning to improve reaction time?
- A. Playing the game with both hands
- B. Using a mouse instead of a controller
- C. Training with reaction time games or drills ✓
- D. Skipping cutscenes
Why: Training with reaction time games or drills helps speedrunners improve their ability to respond quickly to in-game events.
Q3. What is the purpose of routebraking in speedrunning?
- A. To skip parts of the game
- B. To find the most efficient path through the game ✓
- C. To break the game's rules
- D. To take a break during the run
Why: Routebraking refers to the process of finding and optimizing the most efficient path through a game to minimize time.
Q4. Which of the following is a benefit of recording and reviewing your speedruns?
- A. It allows you to play the game for longer
- B. It helps identify mistakes and areas for improvement ✓
- C. It increases the number of games you can play
- D. It helps you skip difficult sections
Why: Recording and reviewing your speedruns allows you to analyze your performance and find areas where you can improve.
Q5. What is a common way to stay motivated while practicing speedrunning?
- A. Ignoring feedback from the community
- B. Setting small, achievable goals ✓
- C. Playing the game without a plan
- D. Focusing only on the fastest runners
Why: Setting small, achievable goals helps maintain motivation and provides a sense of progress as you improve.