SecretAsianMan Posted January 2, 2016 The year may have just started but Awesome Games Done Quick waits for no one! This year's event runs from Jan. 3-10. For anyone not aware, Awesome Games Done Quick is a marathon gaming event where some of the best speedrunners in the world gather together to raise money for the Prevent Cancer Foundation by beating games as fast as possible. Many of the runs have donation incentives or bid wars such as the ever present Save/Kill the Animals for Super Metroid. There are also a large number of prize drawings during certain blocks of games. For more details check out the links below. Schedule Twitch Stream Donation Tracker Donate Page Official YouTube Channel Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SecretAsianMan Posted January 2, 2016 Some things I'm looking forward to: Splatoon kicking the event off Battleblock Theatre with PJ and MechaRichter Spelunky all shortcuts + Olmec relay (with an incentive for a Hell Run) Battletoads with a donation incentive for blindfolded turbo tunnels Super Mario Maker race Lagoon by PJ Mike Tyson's Punch Out blindfolded race between sinister1 and zallard1 Mirror's Edge Stepmania Super Metroid reverse boss order Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Trip Hazard Posted January 2, 2016 I'll defo watch Spelunky. Man, I was so pleased with myself when I got the speed run achievement, but the pros make me look like a beginner. I hope somebody runs Super House of Dead Ninjas. Recently rediscovered that game and it's so great, just perfect for speed running Edit: nobody doing SHoDN Castlevania IV tho, I'll tune in for that Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Griddlelol Posted January 2, 2016 Awesome! Thanks. This will be great to have on in the background while writing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Problem Machine Posted January 3, 2016 Huh. Spelunky's an interesting one, I was under the impression that it was too randomized for the organizers to be comfortable with. Binding of Isaac is one thing, but a run can easily end in a randomly generated instant with Spelunky. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SecretAsianMan Posted January 4, 2016 Battleblock Theater is tonight. I'm excited for that one. Anyone who's read the other Games Done Quick threads knows that I'm a huge fan of PJ and the AGDQ 2015 run of Battleblock Theater was possibly the most entertaining run I've ever seen. This time the run is any% Insane mode co-op, which means that they don't have to collect all the items but if either of them die they have to restart the stage. That means no shortcuts like death abuse to teleport to the other player's location. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Henroid Posted January 4, 2016 I tried watching last year as it was live but had some issues internet-wise. Now though I'm seeing the event live mostly from start to finish. I've watched archived videos from previous events and this is great stuff. Disney block has just started. Aladdin is coming up; is it the Genesis or SNES version? Because they are very different games. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SecretAsianMan Posted January 4, 2016 Updated the top post with a link to the official YouTube page where runs are already being posted. I plan to curate a playlist of runs as I go through them. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SecretAsianMan Posted January 5, 2016 I didn't get to watch all of BattleBlock Theater but what I did see was entertaining as always. They got Will Stamper (voice of the narrator) back again providing commentary. I was very tempted to make a donation with a comment that I would donate again if someone besides Stamper sang the secret song but I knew I wouldn't be able to watch the whole run. I'll just have to donate at a later time to make up for it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Henroid Posted January 5, 2016 OH MY GOD, the Metroid Prime run managed to get more incredible than before. Two words: infinite speed. When you see it your head will go "what." Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BadHat Posted January 6, 2016 I just got Crypt of the Necrodancer in the sale and have only played for a few hours. Even so, that Necrodancer run was freaking amazing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SecretAsianMan Posted January 6, 2016 On 1/5/2016 at 8:43 PM, Henroid said: OH MY GOD, the Metroid Prime run managed to get more incredible than before. Two words: infinite speed. When you see it your head will go "what." Is that the trick where they morph ball in a corner and do some shenanigans that break the game or is this something new? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Henroid Posted January 6, 2016 On 1/6/2016 at 2:30 PM, SecretAsianMan said: Is that the trick where they morph ball in a corner and do some shenanigans that break the game or is this something new? It's that one. I mean, it's new to me; they said they discovered it just a short few months ago. But man... the programming that allows for that to happen must be weird. It is literally Samus touching all possible points in the loaded room(s) at the same time, items included. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RubixsQube Posted January 7, 2016 The 8-players-on-2-teams Mario Maker Relay Race of some new AGDQ levels was the highlight of the whole thing thus far. Absolutely amazing. There are only some low-quality streams up of it now, but when a better stream comes out, you should take an hour and watch it, you will 100% NOT BE DISAPPOINTED. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thepaulhoey Posted January 7, 2016 It's a shame some of the best stuff is on in the middle of the night for Europeans, can't wait to catch all the Mario stuff from last night. The highlight for me so far was the 2 controller 1 player run of Goof Troop and the 2 players 1 controller run of Super Metroid. Incredible to see brains work like that. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SecretAsianMan Posted January 7, 2016 I meant to watch the Mario Maker race and I totally forgot. I'm super annoyed at myself. I'll have to catch up on it later. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dinosaursssssss Posted January 7, 2016 I really enjoyed the Lagoon run last night, which kicked off the awful games block. The guy running it, PJ, also ran Battleblock Theater earlier this week and is pretty entertaining. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Badfinger Posted January 7, 2016 The official spot to go is the youtube account. They're lagging behind by about a day, but this is as active as I've seen them cataloging the videos as they've ever been. Other places might eventually be pulled down, but that will stay up. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SecretAsianMan Posted January 7, 2016 On 1/7/2016 at 5:03 PM, Dinosaursssssss said: I really enjoyed the Lagoon run last night, which kicked off the awful games block. The guy running it, PJ, also ran Battleblock Theater earlier this week and is pretty entertaining. I was bummed when I saw on the schedule what time Lagoon was being run since it's way too late for me. I've seen runs done by PJ in the past (I think he's literally the only runner of that game, with good reason) and was amazed that he finally submitted it to AGDQ after joking about it for years. I remember trying to play Lagoon myself as a kid and being completely destroyed by that game and it's tiny, tiny sword. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vulpes Absurda Posted January 7, 2016 This Stepmania speed runner is really impressive. Though I suspect he won't be able to use his hands in like a year or two with the arthritis he must be developing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Badfinger Posted January 8, 2016 I think my "they're so close to being 100% amazing and then you remember this is an event produced literally by children" annoyance of this year's GDQ is the constant reference of any play of the game not explicitly a speed run as "casual". it's not that it's a catastrophe or horrible words, but in a huge community outreach like this that's for a universally good cause it's frustrating to hear smart people, that would probably say something different if you brought it up, subtly build a wall between them and anyone that's not in their exclusive community every time they say it. I don't like how I keep having one of these thoughts or my drive to say so out loud reflects on me or the event, but here we are. Blueglass' laugh continues to be tied for all time winner with every other GDQ event. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mangela Lansbury Posted January 8, 2016 I'm okay with the use of casual in the way that a lot of people use it. I don't hear it used as a pejorative very often, and I don't like it when I do, but most speedrunners I hear use it just to mean the people who just play a game. I think it's a nice way to kind of reclaim the pejorative sense of "casual gamer," but I can see how that's a very generous interpretation of the use case. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ninety-Three Posted January 8, 2016 On 1/8/2016 at 3:18 AM, Mangela Lansbury said: I'm okay with the use of casual in the way that a lot of people use it. I don't hear it used as a pejorative very often, and I don't like it when I do, but most speedrunners I hear use it just to mean the people who just play a game. Yeah, speedrunners tend to use "casual" to simply mean "non-speedrun play" in a way that's clearly not pejorative. I've heard them talk about "When I played this game casually" or even say things like "I still haven't beaten this game on my casual playthrough. I'm like a hundred hours in, I'm level 50 at such and such..." Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Badfinger Posted January 8, 2016 I don't think any of them are using it in a way that's the stereotypical "filthy casuals" pejorative, which is kind of the point. They're building a wall they can't see in a way that's invisible to them. There is plenty of unintentionally bad word usage in gaming culture, but that doesn't mean it can't be better because one just doesn't know better. Just say non speed run. e: That Crypt of the Necrodancer Coda speedrun was completely insane. Absurd, even. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Problem Machine Posted January 8, 2016 I'm not sure I understand the criticism. What way could there be to speak of non-speedrun play specifically which wouldn't draw a boundary, and what is the special problematic significance of that line? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
