Difference between revisions of "Beginners Guide"

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(The Next Step - Learning the Game)
(The Beginning - Choosing Your Category)
 
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This guide is meant to help answer some common questions new runners have. It's specifically (but not exclusively) targeted towards people who have never speedrun before.
 +
=The Beginning - Choosing Your Category=
 +
*If you are new and you don't know which category to run, it is advised to pick Any% Warpless, as it is the category that best teaches you the basics of the game (plus, it's the most active and optimized category, which means that it also has the most resources and runners who can help you).
 +
*A good first goal would be to get a sub 2 hour run in Warpless. This isn't too hard and can be accomplished in less than a month if you keep at it.
 +
*If you want to start running 100%, almost everyone will tell you that it's a good idea to start with Warpless and get sub 1:50 first. This will make you much more comfortable with the basics like moving, tonguing and making eggs before moving on to 100% and in turn, will make picking up strategies ("strats" for short) a lot easier than if you were to just jump straight into 100%. A few people have started with 100%, so if you really want to do it, feel free to do so, just keep in mind that learning 100% from scratch will require a lot more effort.
 +
*If you plan on running one of the more "obscure" categories, there are less resources and less people to help you out.
 +
*You should also join the Yoshi [https://discordapp.com/invite/0SlKcDn4zPM71sh8 Discord server]. It's a great resource in addition to this wiki where you can talk with other runners for help or to discuss strats!
  
This Guide is meant to help answer some common questions new runners have. It's especially (but not exclusively) targeted towards people who have never speedrun a game before.  
+
=The Next Step - Learning The Game=
 +
*This wiki is still rather new and may be lacking some information. Here is the [http://yoshispeedruns.wikia.com/wiki/Yoshi%27s_Island_Speedrunning_Wiki old wiki] where you might find some information that isn't here yet. (Most things have been transferred over, but still, keep that in mind!)
 +
*As far as resources are concerned, most of the level pages have either outdated strats or are just missing the newest strats.
 +
*The best way to learn the game is a combination of watching the personal bests of other runners and using the information on the wiki. Specifically, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mG4iUS21SxI Kolthor's PB]. It's a very good starting point as during that time, the strats he used were still relatively easy. (After the 1:42 breakthrough, the category started to become a lot harder/optimized strat-wise).
 +
*Looking at IL WRs (individual level world records) is another great resource for learning, even though some levels may have strats that are too hard to be consistent at for full game runs.
 +
*Don't get discouraged when a trick isn't working for you. Sometimes it's better to just go with a slower method for the time being and come back to the strat at a later point to try again. It's not uncommon that after taking a break from a strat, it's suddenly a lot easier when you go back to it.
 +
*When you try a strat and it's not working for you, take a look at what other runners are doing and see if any of them uses a variation of the strat (maybe you will find someone who does things a little differently, but in a way that actually works better for you). '''EXPERIMENT!!!'''. Watching runners in the ~1:50 range can be useful for this since they usually won't be going for crazy strats.
 +
*It's generally advised to watch a lot of other runners. That includes both watching live-streams on Twitch/Youtube and their PBs. The reason for this is that it's more diverse. Due to the lengthy nature of the game, knowing about every possible strat can be hard. It is good to watch other runners for that since there is a good chance that they do things differently from you/everyone else. You can pick up on new strats that way. This includes faster strats (especially when watching top runners) but also, potential ways of doing a safer strat that might not lose much time either. Yoshi is a game that allows for a lot of different strats to be used that are almost equal in speed, but just differ in execution. It's always good to know as much about the game as possible. This helps in finding new strats too.
 +
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpvJjwWN2KI Here] is a tutorial for World 1 Warpless/Warps by andy_kuma. It explains everything in great detail and is a good place to start.
 +
*There are also these [https://www.youtube.com/user/leewith4as/playlists tutorial series] by Lee which covers the basics as well as every level in the game but keep in mind that these series are old and the strats used are most likely outdated, though it may still be useful.
 +
*For 100%, use [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLVtL6_Dtmk&list=PLNwzr3j2ErcYAfCpS2-j4_M0OxhEOJxRg Trix's tutorial series] along with watching the PBs of other runners, as stated before.
  
 
+
=General Philosophy Of Improving At The Game=
== The Beginning - Choosing Your Category ==
+
*Your number one focus/priority should always be movement. While the tricks are cool and obviously save time, the most important and satisfying part of running Yoshi's Island is the movement. Yoshi is a great speed-game when it comes to movement, so don't focus too much on the actual tricks at first, but instead on improving your movement (e.g. less left-rights, less flutters, avoiding slopes, etc.).
 
+
*Your final time is '''not''' that important. Set yourself a small goal each run (like landing a few tricks) so you have something to work towards/accomplish. This game can be brutal when it comes to losing time, as dying takes very long and most levels only have 1 middle-ring (or we skip them), so a death can easily lead to losing 30-60 seconds. If that wasn't enough, due to the Baby Mario mechanic, just getting hit can also cost you some time. Try not to focus on your final time too much and try to have fun instead.
:* If you are new and you don't know which category to run, it is advised to '''pick Warpless''' as it's the category that teaches you the basics of the game the best (plus, it's the most active & optimized category, which means that it also has the most resources and help from other runners).
+
*When you are starting out, your main source of losing time will be getting hit or dying. Cutting out deaths saves so much time it's insane. So on top of focusing on your movement, focus on not dying and you will see your time improve very fast. Once you reach a point where you're not dying as often (or at all), getting a ~1:50 run shouldn't be too hard.
 
+
*Keep in mind that this is a long game, so building up stamina and being able to keep focused will definitely take some time. Finish runs when you are starting out. Don't focus on getting PBs, as they basically mean nothing for a while. If you want to become a good player, it doesn't matter how well you know the first 3 worlds if you just keep losing lots of time to the later worlds.
:* A good first goal is to get a sub 2 hour run (warpless). That isn't too hard and '''can''' be accomplished in less than a month of practice if you keep at it.
+
*Going back to movement, you can use flutters to make certain sections of the game very safe but generally, you want to learn to play the game using as few flutters as possible (i.e. only when necessary). Each time you flutter, it costs about a second compared to not fluttering. So when you learn a level, try to learn it properly, without the use of extra flutters. If you watch any of the top runners, you will see that they will almost never flutter unless they have to.
 
 
:* If you want to start playing '''100%''', almost all runners will tell you that it's a good idea to start doing Warpless first and get sub 1:50 in that category before moving on to 100%. The transition will be smooth and picking up 100% strats from there will be A LOT easier than if you jump straight into 100%. But a few people have started directly with 100%, so if you really want do it, feel free to do so, just keep in mind that learning 100% from nothing will require A LOT of effort.
 
 
 
:* If you are planning on running one of the more obscure categories, keep in mind that there are less resources and there will be less people to help you out...
 
 
 
:* Which brings me to our [https://discordapp.com/invite/0SlKcDn4zPM71sh8 Discord server] that you should definitely join! We also have a channel where you can ask questions and get help from other runners.
 
 
 
== The Next Step - Learning the Game==
 
 
 
:* First off, let me tell you that this wiki is rather new and is still lacking some information. There is also the [http://yoshispeedruns.wikia.com/wiki/Yoshi%27s_Island_Speedrunning_Wiki old wiki] where you might find some information that isn't here yet. (Most things have been transferred over, but still, keep that in mind!)
 
 
 
:* As far as resources are concerned, most of the level pages have '''either''' outdated strats '''or''' are just missing the newest strats.
 
 
 
:* The '''best way to learn this game''' is a '''combination''' of watching the personal bests of other runners & using the info on the wiki. Especially, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mG4iUS21SxI Kolthor's 1:42:57]. It's a very good starting point as, during that time, the strats he used were still *relatively* easy, for the most part. (After the 1:42 breakthrough, the category started to become a lot harder/optimized strat-wise)
 
 
 
:* Looking at '''IL WRs''' (Individual Level World Records) is another good idea, even though some ILs usually have strats that are just too hard (to get consistent) for full runs, so they usually don't see any use outside of the IL format.
 
 
 
:* There also is this [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpvJjwWN2KI World 1 Warpless/Warps Tutorial by andy_kuma] that explains how to go pretty fast in World 1 - it explains *everything* in great detail and is good starting point, though the audio quality is trash unfortunately. The explained strats are from late 2016 but since it's W1 not too much has changed (There are a few new and faster strats though)
 
 
 
:* There are also 2 old tutorial video series by lee --- https://www.youtube.com/user/leewith4as/playlists --- '''note:''' these are ''very'' old so the strats used in these videos will most likely be outdated.
 
 
 
:* Don't get discouraged when a trick is not working for you. Sometimes it's better to just go with a slower method for the time being and coming back to the strat at a later point and to try it again. It's not uncommon that after taking a long break from a strat that when you go back to it, it's suddenly a lot easier.
 
 
 
:* When you try a strat and it's not working for you, take a look at different runners and see if anyone of them uses a variation / different version of the strat - maybe you will find someone who does things a little differently but in a way that actually works better for you --- '''EXPERIMENT!!!''' (Note: Especially watching runners in the ~1:50 area can be useful for this since they would usually not attempt the crazy strats)
 
 
 
:* It's generally advised to watch a lot of other runners, that includes both: Watching livestreams on twitch AND watching PBs of other runners. The reason for that is diverse: For one -due to the lengthy nature of the game- knowing about every possible strat can be hard. It is good to watch other runners for that since there is a good chance that they do things differently from you / everyone else. You can pick up on new strats that way. That includes faster strats (especially when watching top runners) but also potential ways of doing a safer strat that might not lose much time either. Yoshi is a game that allows for ''lots of'' different strats to be used that are almost equal in speed but just differ in execution. It's always good to know as much about the game as possible. That helps finding new strats too.
 
 
 
'''(Only for 100%: Use [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLVtL6_Dtmk&list=PLNwzr3j2ErcYAfCpS2-j4_M0OxhEOJxRg Trix' Tutorial Series] to learn the game)'''
 
 
 
== On the general philosophy of improving at Yoshi Speedrunning ==
 
 
 
:* Your #1 key focus/priority should always be movement. While the tricks are cool and obviously save time too, the most important & satisfying part of running Yoshi's Island is the movement. Yoshi is great speedgame when it comes to movement. So don't focus too much on the actual tricks but instead focus on improving your movement (e.g. less left-rights, less flutters, avoiding slopes).
 
 
 
:* Your final time is '''not''' that important. Try to set yourself a small goal for each run (like landing a few tricks) so you will have accomplishments. This game can be brutal when it comes to losing time, as the death animation takes very long and most levels only have 1 save ring (some have none even - or we skip them), so a death can easily lead to losing 30-60 seconds. If that wasn't enough, due to the baby mechanic getting hit can also lose you ''a lot of time''. Just don't focus on your final time too much and try to have fun instead.
 
 
 
:* When you are starting out your main source of losing time will be getting hit & deaths. Cutting out deaths saves '''SO MUCH''' time, it's actually insane. So on top of focussing on movement as mentioned above, also focus on not dying and you will see your time go down very fast. Once you are at a point where you don't die anymore getting a ~1:50 run is usually not too hard anymore.
 
 
 
:* Keep in mind that this is a long game, so building up stamina and being able to keep the focus will definitely take you some time. Finish runs when you are starting out. Don't focus on getting PBs, PBs basically mean nothing for a while. If you wanna become a good player, it doesn't matter how well you know the first 3 worlds, if you just keep losing lots of time to the latter worlds.
 
 
 
:* Going back to the first point about movement - You can use flutters to make certain section of the game '''very safe'''. But generally you do want to try learning to play the game using as few flutters as possible. Each time you flutter it loses you about a second compared to not fluttering. So really - If you learn a level try to learn it properly without the use of many flutters. If you watch any of the top runners you will see that they will almost never flutter unless needed for a skip or similar.
 

Latest revision as of 21:22, 29 December 2018

This guide is meant to help answer some common questions new runners have. It's specifically (but not exclusively) targeted towards people who have never speedrun before.

The Beginning - Choosing Your Category

  • If you are new and you don't know which category to run, it is advised to pick Any% Warpless, as it is the category that best teaches you the basics of the game (plus, it's the most active and optimized category, which means that it also has the most resources and runners who can help you).
  • A good first goal would be to get a sub 2 hour run in Warpless. This isn't too hard and can be accomplished in less than a month if you keep at it.
  • If you want to start running 100%, almost everyone will tell you that it's a good idea to start with Warpless and get sub 1:50 first. This will make you much more comfortable with the basics like moving, tonguing and making eggs before moving on to 100% and in turn, will make picking up strategies ("strats" for short) a lot easier than if you were to just jump straight into 100%. A few people have started with 100%, so if you really want to do it, feel free to do so, just keep in mind that learning 100% from scratch will require a lot more effort.
  • If you plan on running one of the more "obscure" categories, there are less resources and less people to help you out.
  • You should also join the Yoshi Discord server. It's a great resource in addition to this wiki where you can talk with other runners for help or to discuss strats!

The Next Step - Learning The Game

  • This wiki is still rather new and may be lacking some information. Here is the old wiki where you might find some information that isn't here yet. (Most things have been transferred over, but still, keep that in mind!)
  • As far as resources are concerned, most of the level pages have either outdated strats or are just missing the newest strats.
  • The best way to learn the game is a combination of watching the personal bests of other runners and using the information on the wiki. Specifically, Kolthor's PB. It's a very good starting point as during that time, the strats he used were still relatively easy. (After the 1:42 breakthrough, the category started to become a lot harder/optimized strat-wise).
  • Looking at IL WRs (individual level world records) is another great resource for learning, even though some levels may have strats that are too hard to be consistent at for full game runs.
  • Don't get discouraged when a trick isn't working for you. Sometimes it's better to just go with a slower method for the time being and come back to the strat at a later point to try again. It's not uncommon that after taking a break from a strat, it's suddenly a lot easier when you go back to it.
  • When you try a strat and it's not working for you, take a look at what other runners are doing and see if any of them uses a variation of the strat (maybe you will find someone who does things a little differently, but in a way that actually works better for you). EXPERIMENT!!!. Watching runners in the ~1:50 range can be useful for this since they usually won't be going for crazy strats.
  • It's generally advised to watch a lot of other runners. That includes both watching live-streams on Twitch/Youtube and their PBs. The reason for this is that it's more diverse. Due to the lengthy nature of the game, knowing about every possible strat can be hard. It is good to watch other runners for that since there is a good chance that they do things differently from you/everyone else. You can pick up on new strats that way. This includes faster strats (especially when watching top runners) but also, potential ways of doing a safer strat that might not lose much time either. Yoshi is a game that allows for a lot of different strats to be used that are almost equal in speed, but just differ in execution. It's always good to know as much about the game as possible. This helps in finding new strats too.
  • Here is a tutorial for World 1 Warpless/Warps by andy_kuma. It explains everything in great detail and is a good place to start.
  • There are also these tutorial series by Lee which covers the basics as well as every level in the game but keep in mind that these series are old and the strats used are most likely outdated, though it may still be useful.
  • For 100%, use Trix's tutorial series along with watching the PBs of other runners, as stated before.

General Philosophy Of Improving At The Game

  • Your number one focus/priority should always be movement. While the tricks are cool and obviously save time, the most important and satisfying part of running Yoshi's Island is the movement. Yoshi is a great speed-game when it comes to movement, so don't focus too much on the actual tricks at first, but instead on improving your movement (e.g. less left-rights, less flutters, avoiding slopes, etc.).
  • Your final time is not that important. Set yourself a small goal each run (like landing a few tricks) so you have something to work towards/accomplish. This game can be brutal when it comes to losing time, as dying takes very long and most levels only have 1 middle-ring (or we skip them), so a death can easily lead to losing 30-60 seconds. If that wasn't enough, due to the Baby Mario mechanic, just getting hit can also cost you some time. Try not to focus on your final time too much and try to have fun instead.
  • When you are starting out, your main source of losing time will be getting hit or dying. Cutting out deaths saves so much time it's insane. So on top of focusing on your movement, focus on not dying and you will see your time improve very fast. Once you reach a point where you're not dying as often (or at all), getting a ~1:50 run shouldn't be too hard.
  • Keep in mind that this is a long game, so building up stamina and being able to keep focused will definitely take some time. Finish runs when you are starting out. Don't focus on getting PBs, as they basically mean nothing for a while. If you want to become a good player, it doesn't matter how well you know the first 3 worlds if you just keep losing lots of time to the later worlds.
  • Going back to movement, you can use flutters to make certain sections of the game very safe but generally, you want to learn to play the game using as few flutters as possible (i.e. only when necessary). Each time you flutter, it costs about a second compared to not fluttering. So when you learn a level, try to learn it properly, without the use of extra flutters. If you watch any of the top runners, you will see that they will almost never flutter unless they have to.