New runner learning strategies
7 years ago
Kentucky, USA

Hello!

I'm new to the speedrunning community (I've watched several GDQs but never actually tried to speedrun anything let alone interact on the forums) and would like to use this as an introduction and a chance to ask the more experienced minds among you a question.

I have recently started learning to run LADX and was wondering what techniques you use to learn LADX and games in general?

For instance, do you do one area over and over or do a longer segment, then focus on fine tuning? I'm sure it's possible to practice anything from individual tiles all the way up to full runs but I'm not sure what the general consensus is.

My only experience in something like this is when I first started learning Rubik's cubes. I would start at the beginning and after learning first step I would do the first and then the second, then I would start over adding the third, etc... The only reason in not immediately trying to learn LADX this way is that a full LADX run, especially for a beginner, is going to take a lot longer than solving a Rubik's cube.

TL;DR - How would you all suggest a new runner best use their time learning the run?

Thanks,

BigolPHD

Edited by the author 7 years ago
ElectroTweak likes this
Netherlands

Hello and welcome!

In terms of techniques of learning any speedgame in general there are several ways to approach it.

  • Your rubix cube method: start from the beginning and each time get a little bit further into the game
  • Segment by segment: Learn up until every dungeon step by step, starting at the end of one dungeon and going to the next.
  • Wing it: Watch some tutorials on the speedrun and try to apply it all in one sitting

Every person has it's own techniques which they prefer. Especially in games like Link's Awakening DX the runs are not optimized to perfection, not every button you press have to be frameperfect. Instead it revolves on several tricks throughout the run.

As you mentioned, doing it the rubix cube way will take a lot longer. That's why a logical decision is to do it segment by segment and check in each segment which tricks are hard and what is just ordinary movement.

Overall, I definately recommend the no S&Q/WW/OOB tutorial ZorlaxSeven made for this game which can be found at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEw8BLPFL8Wu8rMKJ_5KiYFdYUT2rJTq7 . It's in nicely sized chunks so you can learn the game step by step getting further into the tutorial each time.

I hope you'll enjoy your first attempt of anything speedrun related in general! We also have a community discord where we chit chat alot and everyone can ask questions or ask for tips freely. The thread for that can be found in the forums also. Discord is a free service much like skype, it hosts servers where people can chat and talk to each other. Best of all, it can also be accessed in most browsers without any download so you can give it a try.

Hope to see you around! Dragonc0

TechWolf, BigolPHD and 2 others like this
United States

Honestly, you just gotta do what will keep you in the game the most. If learning the route and doing runs right away is most fun, do that. If you enjoy getting more and more optimized "fast", do some segment practice. (I am in the latter group).

Whatever you do, you just gotta make sure it works for you; there will be no practice / learning routine that works well for everyone. Good luck with your journey!

[I will say though, don't stress out too much about learning a 'hard trick' too early. Kinda get okay at it, and then move on.]

TechWolf and BigolPHD like this
Washington, USA

I'm learning to run the game myself (100%), I do know the map quite well even though I hadn't played Link's Awakening since before DX came out. So I'm using my knowledge of where things are (heart pieces, seashells, etc), and the tricks to map out my own route. And I'm just practicing the tricks over and over. Every few days I then start playing through the game using save states and will save at every trick, like the Moblin Skip. I just do it over and over until I can get it about 4 times in a row, then move on through the game. I pick a stop point and just restart from there until I like my own progress then add more parts to the practice. I've now added practicing those small playthroughs but without the save states so I can also practice dealing with the RNG.

BigolPHD likes this
Kentucky, USA

Thank you all very much for your answers and suggestions. I'll need to play around with it a little more and see what feels best. I've been really enjoying playing this game again after so long and I'm loving finding out all these little tricks. Also, thank you Zorlax for the guide, it's been helping tremendously.

Spider-Man likes this
Massachusetts, USA

I built a Memrise course to learn a menu route. It's only complete up to about D6, but someone might find it helpful:

http://www.memrise.com/course/1185779/ladx-menus/

You'll be prompted with a screenshot and be asked to type the keys. Right now this is configured to my key bindings, which are:

Up: W Left: A Down: S Right: D A: / B: .

There's a weird Memrise bug where if the only input is "/", you have to actually type "A".

It's kind of quirky, but it has helped me learn my menu route much faster than I otherwise would have. I might build something like this out into a small webapp soon where the key bindings can be customized.

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