105 - - TOBIAS REVELL TOBIAS PLAYING PLAYING GAME THE I like playing video games myself, but watching other people play them is a them is play people other watching but myself, video games playing I like feel people I imagine how experience. It's sublime particularly cathartic, think people their way watching I enjoy snooker. or golf watching about Over the last decade, video games have evolved from a popularly-maligned a popularly-maligned from evolved Over have decade, video the last games enter valuable most the world’s of one into “geeks” and children of hobby rodand film was lightning both the that way the same In industry. tainment now video games century, in the twentieth studies cultural for test litmus deservedly critique—and and so. analysis reflective of the same attract we that of ways indications find we practices, the of fringes At worlds. our of the boundaries challenge might peak performance according to those rules. But play can also go one step step also one can go those play to rules. But peak according performance in which they relationships of the system understand when players further, deconstruct détournement, of in a practice they engage act can so that well respect everyday players that the boundaries around working and ing unquestioningly. We learn through play. By playing, we test the boundaries of the world, its its the world, of the boundaries test we playing, By play. learn through We system in our interactions of the qualities and norms, social behavioural and a within competing and inventing, exploring, implies Play relationships. of denotes skilful successful play and or limitations, or protocols set of given 106 TOBIAS REVELL Done meetups. Quick IRL runner celebrities and intrigue; and festivals and events, such as popular the Games AverageTreyVG. As with any subculture founded on Internet, the there are downsruns of specific by ardent YouTuber critics like Bismuth and commentary subculture has with intense evenarisen, analyses and break descriptions of techniques and constraints applied Aspeedrunning to run. the Recordsrules. are generally accompanied by that avideo shows with run the like and .com Twin as core acting Galaxies databases of records and found can be Speedrunning varietyof inawide forms and forums, with sites flexingedgesthe the of technical and conceptual construction the game.of confinesrewards rules, speedrunning the of “play”the in sense ludic of and conflated with performing good at withinthe thebeing just sport very cycling or any other form of or sport game is where measured mastery by real way. avery Unlike,mean mastery in for instance, tennis, cricket, football, andacts showmanship mastery of I've that seen inany discipline– and I is responsible speedrunning best, for some of most the unfalteringly stunning isof art the Speedrunning exploitation of simulated environments. At its game from journey to beginning end. choices to prioritise over speed other markers like or health wealth inthe form of enemies or obstacles, having an innate of sense economy the of and rhythms, responding instinctively and efficiently to challenges the in game—possessing amental and motor dexterity precisely attuned to its rules simplest iterations, can this simply good at playing mean being very the anyuse strategy made possible by game’s the to In achieve code speed. its possible. than Rather simply playing fast, however, very can speedrunners act—orthe art—of completing agame or of part agame inas little as time mechanics of agame, but for different is essentially Speedrunning purposes. developspeedrunners anuanced understanding of architecture the and a more strategic of sense creativity same inthe territory. machinimists, Like through medium the of gaming, demonstrates practiceof the speedrunning display videos While these an impressive degree of narrative creativity unintended by game the developers and writers. game architecture, its physics and mechanics to create alternative narratives Souls VaatiVidya's lengthy but addictive expositions on inthe theories to include alitany of YouTubers and makers. video architecture of games to make cinematic narratives and has since expanded of watching amovie. Machinima has its origins practice of inthis using the watching game avideo approximates more and more closely experience the through problems and make choices, and with constant advances inCGI, games all set to games stunning set all visuals. 3 2 In streams, these players the the use 1 See, for See, instance, Dark Dark

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SUPRA SYSTEMS 107 - -

means no item manipulation or ‘wrong warp means no item manipulation or ‘wrong 4 category across most games. ‘no IM/WW’ most games. ‘no category across to the mechanics of this game in particular. ing’ which are techniques specific (Accessed https://www.speedrun.com/oot at: Available Credit: Speedrun (2018). [Online]. September 1st 2018) the classics, such as Super Bros., GoldenEye 007 and The Legend of The Legend 007 and GoldenEye Bros., Mario Super as such the classics, Zelda: Time. Ocarina of Time. : Ocarina of leader board on speedrun.com of The Figure 1: microsec shave played by speedrunners to This twenty-year-old game is still continually means are different conditions for runs; ‘any%’ The tabs at the top onds off play time. This is a common as long as the game is finished. of completion is acceptable any level data for demo maps was significantly lower. As a result, some players began players some result, As a lower. significantly was maps demo for data a runs at of the data “record” to creations their level reverse-engineer to in others by replayed could then be which filevideo, size than lower much and formats, recording games, of then, the range Since the community. exponentially expanded has watching and sharing for channels remain titles popular themost although bandwith: of the growth alongside would record their runs on VHS tapes and send them into webmasters of of webmasters send them into and VHS tapes their runs on record would post the runs. and authenticate Galaxies, who would Twin like forums speedrunning of occurred the in the explosion the mid-1990s with real But Quake like new games and connections Internet home of parallel emergence to create players allowed that editors with came Doom. Thesegames and speeds were internet dial-up Early them online. share and levels their own the However, Internet. over the video files transferring for insufficient often Speedrunning can be traced back to the first arcade video games. Players Players video games. arcade Speedrunning be can traced the first to back 108 TOBIAS REVELL effective testing and validation procedures to identify “cheating”. and anarchic, but its world is incredibly with rule-bound, fervent and By deliberately exploiting such glitches, may speedrunning appear piratical YouTubeTwitch. and on views generate sitescan like streamsmillions of video speedrunner as to debatepoints finer the whatof constitutes exactly run. a Meanwhile, springDedicated wikis up to logtechniques, routes, and strategies, as well looking forspeedrunners any microsecond edge over competitors. their element ofevery construction their pored over by acommunity of rabid for are and speedrunning dissected broken with code, down to very their boundariesthe that structure world the of game. the The popularmost games toallows exist run the first inthe trueplay,place. This is pushing and testing exploits glitches, cuts, shortcuts, tricks, and world the hacks to defy that otherthe hand, challenges world the developers the have built. It abuses and within confines the the wayof the developers intended. on Speedrunning, In normal play, terms denote these that game the was followed and finished challengesSpeedrunning notions the of how we “play” and “beat” games. com/watch?v=9BChZORabk (Accessed 28thAugust 2018). AGENT 0:52-UNTIEDWORLDRECORD.[onlinevideo].Available at:https://www.youtube. slightly faster. Credit:Author’s screenshot/karljobst(2017).GOLDENEYEN64-DAM background assetsthathave to beloadedinthegame,thusallowinggameto run continuously anglesthecamera downwardstowards thefloor:thisviewreduces understanding ofitsconstruction. Throughout therun,weseeverylittlebecauseKarl the gameisconventionallyunderstood, butrather anapproach thatreveals adense the Damlevel inGoldenEye007at52seconds. There's almostnoplayinit in the way Figure 2: This isastillfrom a video in which Karl beats a fifteen-year-old record for

SUPRA SYSTEMS 109 - - changing numbers that appear on screen at the end of levels. Speedrunners levels. of the end at screen on appear that numbers changing by authenticity demonstrate to behaviour emergent an developed have in is, it that show to the time display over and around their cursor moving still image. a Photoshopped fact, not a video and cluding looking for in-game cues (themselves collated and tabulated on wikis on tabulated and collated cues (themselves in-game for cluding looking used speedrun. to the varied techniques as as In documents)—are open and which Boy, Meat in Super animation sprite a loading of 4 the frames Figure are analysed animation, “down” and “up” an cycle of 40-frame a regular has splicing. from resultthat might irregularities detect any to screen to from screen involving frequently cheat, a common obviously is footage Photoshopping would be considered poor sportsmanship at best and outright deception at at deception outright best and at poor sportsmanship be considered would the disingenuous essentially is speedrunning, however, worst. Cheating in editing means cheats, of heinous the most of one a run. Splicing, of reporting scrutinis spend hours parts. Fans pre-recorded discrete a run from together mismatched or frames skipped as such splicing of signs videos for ing in a certain game—in detect splicing to fact, the techniques In inventories. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdvFSQFZfK8 [Accessed 28 August 2018 2018]. [Accessed 28 August https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdvFSQFZfK8 the rules by it understand might we in the sense that cheating isn't Cheating (literally the map through clipping everyday play, In gaming. normal of fights bosses avoid to around navigating the landscape), through passing Figure 3: Speedrun fans and analysts will look for evidence of cheating in video and of cheating in video for evidence Figure 3: Speedrun fans and analysts will look player was caught 'splicing' that are uploaded. In this case a Donkey Kong audio tracks at: Legend’ Available screenshot / Apollo Credit: Author’s by analysis of the audio track.

110 TOBIAS REVELL Jxg-0awDCWgLoGrgK_U/edit?usp=sharing (AccessedSeptember12018). Available at:https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YWiHvjJf96LEz95BJFPmW7NZ Credit: SuperMeatBoy:Bandage Girl Autosave AnimationforDetecting Splices.[Online]. Figure 4:Analysisoftheframes ofaloadingsprite animationinSuperMeatBoy.

- SUPRA SYSTEMS 111 - menu-ing is regarded. In Japan, speedrunners are respected for their mastery respected for speedrunners are Japan, In regarded. is menu-ing continuous or the rapid which automate controllers turbo using menu-in of tools. reject such audiences Western whilst most buttons; of pressing The definition of cheating is nuanced and varied among different communi different among varied and nuanced is cheating of definition The quickly when actions a runner is performs example, for ties. “Menu-ing”, inventory rudimentary moving like tasks from menu, the game through and saving rapidly as such techniques sophisticated more to around, items location. in a different respawn to out” “quitting or enemy an reset to loading is it as long as allowed generally is glitches exploit to manipulation Item how determines geography Yet the game. of the architecture by permitted Another cheat is using an emulator to simulate one piece of hardware on on hardware of piece one simulate to emulator an using is cheat Another advantages significant create can Emulators it. reporting without another through the contrary, on a modern PC or, on rates frame faster through which can responses, precise more and faster enable to rates frame slower when every all counts. make the difference microsecond Figure 5: Goldeneye 007 was a common target of Photoshopped finishing times for of Photoshopped Figure 5: Goldeneye 007 was a common target numbers on screen. Pixel pattern analysis years because of the ease of just copying the been copy-pasted. is performed detect when numbers have analysts to by speedrun 112 TOBIAS REVELL www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdvFSQFZfK8 [Accessed28August 20182018]. (2017). 10SpeedrunnersWhoWereCaughtCheating.[onlinevideo]A Figure 6.Videoofcheatingspeedrunners.Credit:Author’s screenshot/ApolloLegend 1 2018). Available at:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYR3aNe8HrY (AccessedSeptember OutofBoundsSpeedrunin8:37.59.[Onlinevideo]. screeshot /ConnorAce(2017).Portal path through thegamethatplayerswouldn't takeinnormalgameplay.Credit:Author’s runsimplyrequiressomeacrobaticsFigure 7. to takea This out-of-boundsPortal vailable at:https:// SUPRA SYSTEMS 113 6

Figure 6 Figure 5 7 glitched speedrun a pointless exercise. However, the Pokemon community community the Pokemon However, speedrun exercise. glitched a pointless debate. and challenges still for allow that sethas variables much more popular and is now the standard model for determining the determining model for the standard now is and popular more much and discussing community speedrunning,ethics of each game’s with cheating. constitutes what on arbitrating runs and rules for suggesting idiosyncrasies. ideologyown and its evolved has game On Speedrun.com, each glitching—as like certain allow techniques do not communities game Some as in 0.00 seconds, games Pokemon early used complete to in the technique the making competition, of notion any 9—becauseseen they void in Figure the context of each different game, with vastly divergent interpretations. divergent vastly with game, each different of the context a common down lay to keen was community, Radix, the SDA the leader of of out going banned thus rule all and all speedruns set games, for across more and Galaxies, a competitive in speedruns.bounds Conversely, Twin based game each on rules individual for allowed site, records game general became Galaxies approach the Twin Ultimately, architecture. each game’s Speedrunners in Metroid 2002 commonly used “secret worlds” or “out of of “out or worlds” used “secret 2002 commonly Speedrunners in Metroid the game parts of through navigating runs, thereby faster for play bounds” including be the gamer, to accessed by intended never were that architecture games As game. the of version final the spacesor from cut areas unfinished forums SDA grown, the has the speedrunning community and developed have in bounds” of “out of the meaning debate about a continuous sustained have speedrunner’s advantage). advantage). speedrunner’s that activity in an “cheating” constitutes what over arguments Paradoxically, in schisms fundamental the most of some caused rules bending have about is played examples theoldest of One speedrunningthe ethics of methodology. Quake for a forum began as (SDA), which Speed Demos Archive on out 2002. including Metroid games, other to expanded quickly but players was thought possible only with “tools”, by editing game code or using an an using code or game editing by “tools”, with only possible thought was dannyb21892 named in December player 2017, a second However, emulator. the execute to Zelda runs) managed glitchless for record-holder (the world active an to leading dexterity, sheer through technique demonstrated of a (the circumvention skip between a simple the difference over debate the to mechanics of (the exploitation a glitch and a game) part of large and still court controversy on twenty-year-old games to this day. to games twenty-year-old on still controversy court and be can used in that technique jumping perfect” “frame a controversial shows to has be actions of a Time: sequence of of Zelda: The Ocarina Legend run at may in the exact when the frame game order performed in the right involves This per sixtyparticular frames to speedstechnique second. up the jump to move attack an by followed explosion an of the physics using precision of this level Previously, area. inaccessible a normally into character Even “glitchless” runs that employ none of these tricks are subject to debate, debate, to subject these tricks are of none employ runs that “glitchless” Even 114 TOBIAS REVELL them to fully exploit tothem fully that system to advantage—to their it as see an artefact asophisticatedpossess of mastery asystem and its dynamics that allows may alightning be rod for ways of playing our world better. Speedrunners nascent about that—asthetwentieth speedrunning in with film century— prioritised by community, the there’s something richly and politically we could from learn to play insystems. While it may not acknowledgedor be over, and over again inorder toever-more find runs—isthat a strategy perfect for hobbyists and obsessives. But dedication the to iterative play—over, and staggering, evenifit from may seen outside the be as an esoteric subculture The levelsheer of accomplishmentthe community in is of speedrunners gamers—acts as areaction against the perceived malaise of precarious society. differentbetween of existence—thespeeds rapid “Actions Per Minute” of elite making doinprecarious circumstances.” disposition for calibration helps to of make strategies sense everyday for sociotemporal the of gaming, aspects tify offeringthat the idea “play as a equivalent infinancial value figuresandsoccer inviewing to Europe—iden Recent studies of huge the celebrity-driven gaming culture inSouth Korea— wiki/Potential_Skips. (AccessedSeptember12018). - Potential Skips.[Online].Available at:http://nier-automata-speedrunning.wikia.com/ move outsidethedesignedareaofgame. Credit:Nier Automata SpeedRunningWiki Figure 8.…whilethisNierAutomata techniqueinvolves clippingthrough themapto 8 In other words, ability the to move - SUPRA SYSTEMS 115 : Life: A User's Manual A User's Life: -

9 puzzle-maker has made before; every piece the puzzler picks up, and picks picks and up, picks puzzler the every piece before; made has puzzle-maker a tries and tries, he every combination strokes, and studies and again, up each and hope each every insight, and every blunder time, second the by decided and calculated, designed, been all have discouragement other. ...Puzzling is not a solitary game: every move the puzzler makes, the the makes, puzzler the every move game: a solitary is not ...Puzzling run of Pokemon Yellow in 0 minutes. Yellow in 0 minutes. run of Pokemon screenshot / Werstler Credit: Author’s Yellow: 0:00 Speedrun (2011). Pokemon Record. [online video] Glitched World at: https://www.youtube.com/ Available watch?v=VlmoEpNNiV (Accessed Sep tember 1 2018). game. As we navigate a world increasingly structured and simulated by by simulated and structured increasingly a world navigate we As game. reconstructmethodology of the game and the rules that mentality a software, world—and in that agency sense of our for implications profound have can requires. that technical proficiency the critical and Figure 9. A full game glitched speed interactions in regimented and controlled systems. We play within these within play We systems. controlled and in regimented interactions to or see unable but we meetthem when offthe limits bouncing confines, than more as it imagine never can because we the construction beyond move us Speedrunning shows the game. play We sky. limitless and solid ground not them and meaningfully playing systems, with interacting of new ways of the playing Speedrunnersthe play their confines. within operating just The world is increasingly simulated by systems and databases that bound our bound that databases and by systems simulated is increasingly world The Speedrunners understand these mechanics so keenly that they are able to to able they are so that these keenly mechanics Speedrunners understand plaground, their own toto as new use uses—to to the game in the system turn contradictory in resonates, power That by developers. the defined one not Perec's in Georges the preamble with ways, gamer might buy into the simulated world, believing the ground solid and solid and believing the ground world, the simulated into buy might gamer thespeedrunner A screen. by bounded world the whole limitless, the sky its at be can broken surface that a collision simply is the ground that knows the of slice the a mere screen and map, environment an the sky edges, their relationship change thus Speedrunners can their control. at architecture a is Every game it. within their position and the game, the developer, with certainto perform together functions. fit parts that interacting of system contained by its construction, and thus open to manipulation. A casual manipulation. to open thus and construction, its by contained 116 TOBIAS REVELL 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 wha-1796849850 (Accessed: 22nd na-of-time-speedrunners-debating- kotaku.com/new-trick-has-ocari Actually Is, Available at: https:// ners DebatingWhatAGlitch Has Ocarinaof Time Speedrun August 2018). wiki/No_IM/WW (Accessed: 22nd at: http://oot-speedruns.wikia.com/ cessed: 22ndAugust 2018). at: https://gamesdonequick.com/ (Ac cessed: 22ndAugust 2018). youtube.com/user/VaatiVidya (Ac August 2018) machinima.com/ (Accessed: 22nd Manual, London:VintageClassics. Anthropologist, 120(3), pp.500-511. Digital GamingCulture’, American Play’: SociotemporalityKorean inSouth 22nd August 2018). speedrun.com/pkmnyellow (Accessed: low, Available at: https://www. html(Accessed: 22ndAugust 2018). cussion_on_the_out_of_bounds_rule. speeddemosarchive.com/post/dis rule, Available at: https://forum. the OutofBounds on Discussion August 2018). Georges Perec (1996) Life:AUser’s Stephen C.Rea (2018)‘Calibrating Speedrun.com -Pokémon Yel Heather Alexandra (2017) New Trick OoT Wikia, Available Speedruns Games DoneQuick, Available VaatiVidya, Available at: https://www. Machinima, Available at: http://www. ------