During the time period of January 29th to 31st we want to organise an online marathon to benefit ESA. We’re hoping to raise a modest 1000€, which will cover the rent for the storage unit until ESA2016 and materials to construct four new and improved streaming stations. Any surplus funds raised will go into a fund to improve the on-site experience for ESA2016.

The 4 streaming stations will be built and assembled live on a pirate stream during the online marathon. We feel that it’s important that we show how they money is being spent. The streaming stations are compact, stackable and movable tables with room for A/V equipment, designed to be used as base for CRT / LCD monitors, much like a 90's TV bench. The low total height of the units are very important as they allow us to position the camera above the monitor while being at eye level with the couch so we can get back to the intimate feeling of early marathons.

End result be be something like this

Post your speedrun submissions below in this thread! A schedule draft is planned to be available on January 16th.

Any help with organising, hosting, streaming is much appreciated! Please contact us or post in the thread.

For any questions, please contact @ontwoplanks or @edenalsda

For any questions regarding the cuts or schedule, please contact @JohnUK89 or @Riekelt

The first draft schedule was up for a couple of days, and we only needed to make a minor change to fit people in. As such, we are willing to call the schedule official at this point.

https://horaro.org/preesa/schedule

The incentives listed are not final, and we do not yet have monetary amounts attached to them. This will be done closer to the marathon.

We all look forward to seeing your runs, and hope you are practising for the marathon. As a reminder, you are welcome to bring any co-commentators along, so long as they know how to use Discord and are available set up at the time of your run.

Game Name: Hitman 2: Silent Assassin
System: PC
Category: PRO difficulty/SA rating
Gameplay Estimate: 1:15
Ending/Bonus Estimate: 5min
Possible Donation Incentives: Scare an NPC to death:
Sample run video:
Description: Getting the best ratings on the hardest difficulty in the most punishing game in the series. The level design allows for interesting routes and glitches like animation canceling and sliding keep the run fast paced for a stealth game.

Game Name: A Hat in Time - Beta Build
System (Include both original system and system you plan to play on, if different): PC
Category (Any%, 100%, Glitchless, etc): All Time Pieces
Gameplay Estimate (excluding ending and bonus content): 30:00
Ending/Bonus Estimate (ending + any glitches/other bonus content you'd like to show post-run): No ending/bonus content.
Possible Donation Incentives: Bidding war for what gets drawn on the canvas at the beginning of Chapter 3 (Bidders decide on drawing, must be SFW).
Sample run video (strongly encouraged but not required):
Availability: January 29 between 3:30 PM and 6:00 PM PST, and January 30th at 3:30PM to 6:00 PM PST.

Game Name: Goat Simulator
System: PC
Category: All Trophies (full game) (race with DerToSt, a fellow goat runner) He is only NOT available on sunday afternoon
Gameplay Estimate: 30:00
No bonus content
Sample video:
Description: Goat Simulator is a whacky game with no real story, other than just being a goat. This game is praised (or not) by it's wacky physics, and everything that you can do being a goat in a sandbox world. Wreak havoc, and whatnot.
This run shows in how fast it's possible to grab the main collectible, golden goat statues, which are spread in every world. This requires a lot of tech in the earlier worlds, and the easger eggs in this game is also very interesting to see

Category: All MMO Quests
Gameplay Estimate: 18:00
Ending/Bonus Estimate There is the "forbidden" 27th quests I'd like to showcase and why it's so "forbidden". This won't take longer than 2 minutes
Possible Donation Incentives: Bid war between playing as a goat/penguin/snail
Sample run video
Description: Goat Simulator is a whacky game with no real story, other than just being a goat. This game is praised (or not) by it's wacky physics, and everything that you can do being a goat in a sandbox world. Wreak havoc, and whatnot.
This run features the goat doing all but 1 of the 27 quests in the MMO potion of Goat Simulator in a timely manner.

If there is a need for help with the event, I'd like to offer my services for wherever I can. I have no experience, but I know what must be done

Game Name: Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
System: PC
Category: 100%
Gameplay Estimate: 7:15:00
Ending/Bonus Estimate: doesn't need to be longer than it already is. 0:00:00
Sample run video:
Description: Vice City but with way cooler routing on grabbing collectables, and with all the fun side stuff that everyone loves in GTA games. Also with its fair share of game-breaking glitches.

Game Name: Ape Escape
System (Include both original system and system you plan to play on, if different): NTSC-U PlayStation (Played on NTSC-U PS2 because FDS).
Category (Any%, 100%, Glitchless, etc): any%
Gameplay Estimate (excluding ending and bonus content): 1:00
Ending/Bonus Estimate (ending + any glitches/other bonus content you'd like to show post-run):
Possible Donation Incentives:
Sample run video (strongly encouraged but not required):
Description: Awesome speedgame using lots of unintentional things, such as Infinite jump, boost jump. Has some RNG in it and thats the only con. 😛 But estimate should be great in case that would happen.

Game Name: Jazzpunk
System: PC
Category: Any% but with Marathon strats
Gameplay Estimate: 18 Minutes
Ending/Bonus Estimate: 5 Minutes (Qake 3mins, Street Fighter 2mins)
Total showcase time shouldnt be longer than 25 mins.
Possible Donation Incentives: Wedding Qake & Street Fighter Easter Eggs
Sample run video:

It's goofy, funny, short and interesting to look at. Jazzpunk is known as a fun Indie casual puzzle game but has been proven to be a cool speedgame. The main features of the run are cutscene skips, wrong warp and crazy pathing optimation with very little RNG throughout the run. I've done live commentary in other highlights on my Twitch channel & been running this at various online marathons before. It is the game I am most comfortable with.

Availability: Currently any time (CET here) but I'm in between jobs right now so Friday Night or all of Saturday should be the safest.

Game Name: Ed, Edd n Eddy The Mis-Edventures
System: PC
Category: Any%
Estimate: 0:40:00
Donation Incentive: Retarded OOB's In the Cul De Sac
Description: TME is a rather obscure run due to being a licensed game, but it's a really good speedrun. The run is all about switching Eds quickly and using their special abilities fast. Most of the run is filled with fast movement with the Batter-Ed, and there are plenty of cool skips and tricks to laugh at how hilariously dumb they are. There are no cutscenes and the loading times are instant, making for a run without a single dull moment and a constant fast pace. Fast movement, hilariously stupid and cool tricks, critical timing and more tech than you'd expect. I'm linking my PB video, but i also have a commentated run that explains/shows off the game as a run well enough (goo.gl/wqzLJRH).
Sample run video:

Game Name: Ren & Stimpy - Stimpy's Invention
Category: Beat The Game
System: Sega Genesis (Emu)
Estimate: 0:15:00
Description: a really short and weird little game based off the TV show. Despite the admittedly insanely stupid looking game, there is actual skill involved by effectively using Ren and Stimpy's tag team
abilities to not die and get through levels as quickly as possible. Can be a possible donation incentive/bonus game...?
Sample run video:

Game: XIII
System: PC
Category: Any%
Run Estimate: 1:45:00
Ending/Bonus estimate: 0:00:00
Possible donation incentives: No
Sample run video: http://www.speedrun.com/run/8yv67d8z

Description: some obscure FPS based on the Belgian comics. Not really a technical game but with a few glitches and ways to exploit enemy's IA. Not much to say about the game, I guess.

Game Name: Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse
System: Sega Genesis
Category: Any%
Gameplay Estimate (excluding ending and bonus content): 00:23:00
Ending/Bonus Estimate: 0:03:50
Possible Donation Incentives:
Sample run video (strongly encouraged but not required): http://www.speedrun.com/run/6yj42k7y

Description: Mickey Mouse buttstomps his way through a quest to collect the seven rainbow gems to save Minnie. There's lots of small movement optimisation and a chunk of RNG in the mix.
There's a possibility of making this into a race with Tenebrae, and this being part of a larger Disney block assuming the other games in the series get submitted.

Game : Deus ex
System : PC
Category : any%
Run estimate : 1:00:00
Ending/Bonus estimate : 0:02:00
Possible donation incentives : no
Sample run video :

Description : Breaking the game from the start via glitchy saves, abusing augmentations to jump through entire maps, duping all items to have endless supply, and clipping through doors because it is faster then opening them. Could show at the end a interesting wall with an interesting texture...

Game : Deus ex Human Revolution
System : PC
Category : any%
Run estimate : 1:00:00
Ending/Bonus estimate : 0:05:00
Possible donation incentives : no
Sample run video :

Description : Boxes and fire extinguisher are all you need in this game to break it. Some physic tricks here and there with grenades and mines and we are good to skip more then half of the levels or entire levels. Could show some interesting Level design mechanics which we found out during our glitchhunting + possible to punch our friends in the face via going OOB in one level.

Available time : between 19:00-23:00

Game Name: Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath Of Cortex.
System: Xbox, played on Xbox 360 download version.
Category: Any%
Gameplay Estimate: 1:07:00
Ending/Bonus Estimate: None
Possible Donation Incentives: Smokey and the Bandicoot one-cycle done during any% (getting all the boxes in Level 13, one of the hardest strategies in 106%)
Sample run video:
Description: As a fans favourite, Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath Of Cortex offers a nostalgic feeling for many viewers. This run is submitted as a race between myself and Bensagram; we've both put lots of time into this speedgame to stretch it as far as we possibly can. The game itself entails a diverse array of levels, ranging from atlasphere to underwater, adding to the excitement of the run. With many cycles to be made, the game is fast paced and is very linear; it can be appreciated by those who've never watched or played Crash Bandicoot before.
Availability: Not between 9am-4:30pm, any other time is fine

Game: Ys: The Vanished Omens
System: Sega Master System
Category: No credits warp
Estimate: 1:15:00
Ending/Bonus: 5mins
Incentives: Any% run(30s long credits warp)
Sample video:
No credits warp:
Any%:
Description: Everyone knows any% which is 30s long credits warp. I'm only one who ever did no credits warp run and it would show some of actual gameplay. Run contains little to no grinding as using same glitch as in any% but in different way gives us max level right away.

Game: Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II
System: Nintendo GameCube
Category: Ep.1 glitched any%
Estimate: 1:10:00
Ending/Bonus: 5mins
Incentives: None
Sample Video:
Description: Action RPG where you dupe the money, stack weapons to get attack power skyrocket off-charts and then you go through randomized maps(very little randomness here) killing stuff to progress.
Edit: I can race with Gyoo if you want

Availibility: Anytime

Game Name: Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake
System: MSX, played on PS2 via Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence
Category: Any% Original
Gameplay Estimate: 01:00:00
Ending/Bonus Estimate: 00:05:00 (this also shows the in game time and a bunch of stats)
Possible Donation Incentives: None
Sample run video:
Description: This game introduced many of the gameplay and story elements of the Metal Gear series, such as long cutscenes (almost all of them skippable), crawling, strange puzzles, a radar and noisy ground. The run itself consists mainly of movement optimization, a small amount of AI manipulation and hopefully good RNG, with some inventory management as well. Some of the boss battles also involve some VERY wacky tricks, mainly by using explosives.

Game Name: X-Men: Mojo World
System: Sega Master System, played on Sega Mega Drive
Category: Any% Suicidal
Gameplay Estimate: 00:06:00
Ending/Bonus Estimate: None
Possible Donation Incentives: None
Sample run video:
Description: This is a challenging game where you beat up people and perform some difficult jumps. Unless you're playing as Rogue in which case you can just FLY THROUGH THE ENTIRE GAME! The boss battles are incredibly easy, with only the 2nd and 4th boss battles having any strategy at all. The run on the video was played on an emulator, which I might end up using if it doesn't work on the Mega Drive.

EDIT: I will definitely be available on all days at some point, but I won't find out what my work schedule will be like until the week before the event starts, so there's a slight chance of some overlap 😕

EDIT EDIT: I've noticed RoboSparkle submitted X-Men: Mojo World too. I'll be happy to race against him if both of our submissions are accepted.

Game Name: I wanna be the Boshy

System: PC

Category: any% (Dark Boshy, no Wrong Warp)

Gameplay Estimate (excluding ending and bonus content): 40 minutes

Ending/Bonus Estimate: ~5 minutes for Kappa, ~5 minutes for Cheetahmen, ~5 minutes for real any%

Possible Donation Incentives: Beat optional Kappa boss, beat optional Cheetahmen boss, do a real any% run

Sample run video (strongly encouraged but not required): [My PB that was retimed to be 7 frames away from the record]

Description: A very difficult and fast paced 2D platformer in the style of I wanna be the Guy. Has a lot of references to oldschool games (Kirby, Mario, Sonic, Ryu just to name a few) and is generally seen as a very fun watch. A downside is that there is very little time to actually explain what is going on, because the game needs a lot of focus to do well (circumvented by finding a commentator?). Boshy has been played during several marathons already, including my 100% run during ESA 2015, and it always had above average reception (from what I can tell at least)

I'm going to ask other runners for a potential race.

My availability should be anywhere from Friday evening (~8 pm CET) to Sunday evening (~10 pm CET), but I would prefer to not run in the middle of the night for the sake of my sleeping schedule.

Game Name: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
System: GBA, Played on GBA Player
Category: Any%
Gameplay Estimate: 1:15:00
Ending/Bonus Estimate: End credits last about 2 mins, but don't need to be played
Possible Donation Incentives: N/A
Sample run video:
Description: HP2 doesn't have any useful glitches, so the game is entirely based upon movement optimisation. The game recently went through a reroute that goes to get the portrait passwords, which cuts out time spent on the stairs, and this saves about 2 minutes.

Game Name: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
System: GBA, Played on GBA Player
Category: Any% NG+
Gameplay Estimate: 1:00:00
Ending/Bonus Estimate: None
Possible Donation Incentives: Playing the Minigames
Sample run video:
Description: HP3 follows on from the rpg style of the two previous GBC games of Harry Potter. The NG+ category takes out the vast majority of the RNG in the game, making it a much more reliable marathon run, whilst still keeping the fast paced gameplay that comes through quick menus and quick battles. The game has minigames that are scattered throughout the run that can be skipped by just quitting the minigame, but a possible donation incentive can be to play these minigames, which might add another 5 minutes or so to the run.

Game Name: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
System: Gamecube
Category: Any%
Gameplay Estimate: 2:45:00
Ending/Bonus Estimate: None
Possible Donation Incentives: None
Sample run video: http://www.speedrun.com/run/nz1xpvjm
Description: Although this run is long, it manages to keep its interest factor throughout. The majority of the run involves good movement as well as accurate spell casting. However, the run makes use of a few time-saving glitches, which each save a significant amount of time, one even skipping an entire level of the game. RNG is the biggest killer of time in this run, with Quidditch being one of the most unpredictable things in any Harry Potter speedrun.

Game Name: Crash Bandicoot
System (Include both original system and system you plan to play on, if different): Original- PS2, Plan- Emulator
Category (Any%, 100%, Glitchless, etc): any%
Gameplay Estimate (excluding ending and bonus content): 50:00
Ending/Bonus Estimate (ending + any glitches/other bonus content you'd like to show post-run):
Possible Donation Incentives:
Sample run video (strongly encouraged but not required): http://www.speedrun.com/run/pzgrgkem
Description: Game requiring concentration and skill. Contains movement allowing to go faster than intended. Well optimised, very entertaining. Fast pace, music and energetic background are making this game very entertaining and fun to watch. Planed as race with WhitePaaws.
Is there an option to do it on 29th in morning/noon hours?

Game Name: Fallout 1
System: PC
Category: Any%
Gameplay Estimate: 10 minutes
Possible Donation Incentives: I got nothing.
Sample run video: http://www.speedrun.com/run/jy99jlky
Description: The game is pretty short and very easy to run, but It's also a pretty fun run to watch and since It's short its a perfect game to get in between longer games.

Game Name: The Next Penelope
System : PC
Category: Mines First
Gameplay Estimate: 00:27:00
Ending/Bonus Estimate: Credits take roughly 2 minutes
Possible Donation Incentives Sorry, move along at this submission
Sample run video:
Description: Really broken little Indie racer on PC. Some levels are top down racing, while boss fights are SHUMP style. However, every shot I take at a boss also damages myself, meaning I can die simply by being a bad aim. Tricks to save time have been found in almost every level, several of these saving minutes. It's a great watch.

Game Name: Kirby's Avalanche
System: SNES (Wii VC, see donation incentives are to reason why)
Category: Hardest Difficulty
Gameplay Estimate: 20 minutes
Ending/Bonus Estimate: 2 minutes
Possible Donation Incentives: I offer a bid war as to whether I play Kirby's Avalanche or Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine. They are the same base game, just different music and sprites. I have both on Wii VC.
Sample run video:
Description: It's a puyo puyo game, where I match falling colored blobs in sets of 4 as fast as possible to defeat the computer.

Game Name: Hot Wheels Turbo Racing
System: N64
Category: Any%
Gameplay Estimate 42 minutes
Ending/Bonus Estimate 1 minute
Possible Donation Incentives: Not really
Video:
Description: It's a N64 racing game that involves skipping 12 minutes of races due to some RNG manipulation and the final standings of races. Also features reset warps, unlocking a hidden car for increased stats, and a LOT of stunts for increased turbos to go fast. A few years ago on the SDA forums, bangerra gave me the encouragement to keep working on routing this game out as it was my first speedrun and to not give up. I'm still speedrunning. Thanks bangerra!

Game Name: Rayman 2: Revolution
System : PS2 (emulator)
Category: All masks (emulated)
Gameplay Estimate: 01:20:00
Ending/Bonus Estimate: 20 minutes
Possible Donation Incentives: I could do an entire run of any%, which usually takes 14 minutes and has fun tricks.
Sample run video:
Description: Very broken PS2 game, with decent length and cool strats to get faster. The glitches are very impressive at points. Glitches include: Wrongwarp, playable menu state, superjumps, sequence breaks, Out of Bounds movement and more. Diagonal movement is 1.4 times faster, (and the game isnt designed around that) so optimisation can get very tight. I am pretty consistent at the game and me and Sobinist broke this game bit by bit over the fall. Emulator doesn't affect the game too much, but slowdown and loading times aren't accurate at times, so it is its own thing in the community.