SGDQ 2014 Game Submissions (note: we're using Google form) [locked]

Axel Ryman

Edit history:

Axel Ryman: 2014-02-11 08:22:00 am

2014-02-11 08:19:07 am

We all scream for Eyes Cream

Quote from Twinge:

Quote from Axel Ryman:

This makes me a bit afraid since I feel more comfortable not streaming/recording practice...

Er, to be blunt - if you're uncomfortable streaming practice, how will you feel streaming in front of thousands of viewers during SGDQ?

Look at it like an exam for school. People have different methods of studying. Mine just happens to be best when I shut myself out from others. It let's me focus not only on the entirety of the exam's content(In this case, the whole run), but also my weakest points. SGDQ will be the exam in this case, and will show how much I've practiced, similar to how an exam will show you how well you prepared for it.

I have no problem with being on stream, be it for a normal playthrough or a full on speedrun, in front of hundreds of people as I have done it before, and still do so on a commentary channel, however when it comes to practice, I'm a harsh critic on myself, pointing out each mistake I made and why I made it so I will stop doing it. Plus, this lets me also focus on my commentary for the run since I want to explain in detail a lot about the game in regards to the run, be it general mechanics, why I'm doing/using X instead of Y, etc. This will pretty much give me a good idea on how much downtime there is and let me figure out the best method of filling it, as well as practice my delivery.

In other words, I want my gameplay to be good, I want my commentary to be informative and entertaining, and I want to make my run be damn well worth watching, and the best way for me to do that is to practice in my comfort zone. [And lack of sleep has made me realize this post went longer than it needed]

[quote="Twinge"][quote="Axel Ryman"]This makes me a bit afraid since I feel more comfortable not streaming/recording practice...[/quote]

Er, to be blunt - if you're uncomfortable streaming practice, how will you feel streaming in front of thousands of viewers during SGDQ?[/quote]

Look at it like an exam for school. People have different methods of studying. Mine just happens to be best when I shut myself out from others. It let's me focus not only on the entirety of the exam's content(In this case, the whole run), but also my weakest points. SGDQ will be the exam in this case, and will show how much I've practiced, similar to how an exam will show you how well you prepared for it.

I have no problem with being on stream, be it for a normal playthrough or a full on speedrun, in front of hundreds of people as I have done it before, and still do so on a commentary channel, however when it comes to practice, I'm a harsh critic on myself, pointing out each mistake I made and why I made it so I will stop doing it. Plus, this lets me also focus on my commentary for the run since I want to explain in detail a lot about the game in regards to the run, be it general mechanics, why I'm doing/using X instead of Y, etc.  This will pretty much give me a good idea on how much downtime there is and let me figure out the best method of filling it, as well as practice my delivery.

In other words, I want my gameplay to be good, I want my commentary to be informative and entertaining, and I want to make my run be damn well worth watching, and the best way for me to do that is to practice in my comfort zone. [And lack of sleep has made me realize this post went longer than it needed]

Tterraj42

2014-02-11 08:32:18 am

Games!

On behalf of TeamBN, I'd like to thank you for going over all of our Mega Man Battle Network submissions. Routing and running these games has been a blast, and things just keep getting better.

Though I would like to say that 'demos' shouldn't be cut for simply being 'demos'. Call it what you will (demo, alpha, episode 1), but the current version of Chrono X is a complete experience, and a good representation of both the game itself and the series it's inspired by. If a 'demo' provides a complete and satisfying experience, it could do just as well as any full game, as far as being in a marathon goes (and in a lot less time, generally). But yeah, we'll work on BN for some future GDQ Smiley

Also, while I agree that the Bomberman Hero race is a better offering than Bomberman 64 100%, I don't agree with the reason for cutting it ("This is similar to Bomberman Hero") so not true D:

theruseman

2014-02-11 10:15:32 am

Hey Romscout, just for clarification on second round cuts, did you mean that they would happen the weekend of 15th or 22nd?

hummeldon

2014-02-11 10:26:20 am

Just a small question. Are donation incentives considered in the cut vs lock decision or is that something that kind of just happens after the game list is decided? In other words can donation incentives push one game ahead of the other?

Gamepro011

2014-02-11 12:14:51 pm

Sanic Heroes addict

It seems that there was a mistake for Sonic Heroes. The estimate for the category I offered is currently at 1:30:00 (which was the estimate given for the guy who tried offering Team Sonic). The actual estimate should be at 1:05:00.

halfcoordinated

2014-02-11 01:40:28 pm

One hand is enough.

Quote from hummeldon:

Just a small question. Are donation incentives considered in the cut vs lock decision or is that something that kind of just happens after the game list is decided? In other words can donation incentives push one game ahead of the other?

I second this question, particularly since I didn't go into possible donation incentives in my submission yet included them in my time estimate. I can only blame myself for that I suppose.

Twinge

2014-02-11 02:53:25 pm

Quote from romscout:

Ok, we should be caught up on submissions now.

Does this mean I should re-submit my 2nd game? I submitted two together a few days ago and one isn't on either list.

Quote from Axel Ryman:

When it comes to practice, I'm a harsh critic on myself, pointing out each mistake I made and why I made it so I will stop doing it. Plus, this lets me also focus on my commentary for the run since I want to explain in detail a lot about the game in regards to the run, be it general mechanics, why I'm doing/using X instead of Y, etc. This will pretty much give me a good idea on how much downtime there is and let me figure out the best method of filling it, as well as practice my delivery.

Makes sense - though this shouldn't stop you from doing a local recording and uploading when you get a good PB. You can always mute the microphone or remove the sound if needed as well =)

mikwuyma

2014-02-11 03:08:35 pm

My feelings on The Demon Rush

Axel Ryman: I am going to be blunt. If you cannot handle streaming your runs and commentating, then that hurts you and your commentary. Also, it means you are likely not ready for a GDQ even if you feel comfortable being in front of tens of thousands of viewers at a GDQ. Without streaming your practice, how else are you going to work on your commentary? I can tell you of many cases (including my own) where commentary was improved simply because the runner streamed most of their practice and talked while they were streaming. Streaming (with a mic) makes you more comfortable with commentary and talking in front of an audience. Just compare AGDQ 2011 video to a video from this year's AGDQ, and you'll notice the difference.

Also, if you are a harsh critic on yourself, and you're aware of that, then shouldn't you stream so you learn to stop pointing out your mistakes and provide informative commentary? The best way to work through problems like that is to practice commentary. If you don't practice then you might end up being critical of your run without noticing.

I understand, sometimes you need to practice offline, we all do, but streaming none of your practice is not only detrimental to us (we can't easily see your practice), but it is also detrimental to you. Even if you have someone commentating for you, it's beneficial that you stream so they can watch what's going on and commentate alongside the stream.

P.S. If you bring up early GDQs as a response, I will say this, streaming is a lot easier and more common now than it was back in 2010/2011 so there's no excuse these days.

Axel Ryman: I am going to be blunt. If you cannot handle streaming your runs and commentating, then that hurts you and your commentary. Also, it means you are likely not ready for a GDQ even if you feel comfortable being in front of tens of thousands of viewers at a GDQ. Without streaming your practice, how else are you going to work on your commentary? I can tell you of many cases (including my own) where commentary was improved simply because the runner streamed most of their practice and talked while they were streaming. Streaming (with a mic) makes you more comfortable with commentary and talking in front of an audience. Just compare AGDQ 2011 video to a video from this year's AGDQ, and you'll notice the difference.

Also, if you are a harsh critic on yourself, and you're aware of that, then shouldn't you stream so you learn to stop pointing out your mistakes and provide informative commentary? The best way to work through problems like that is to practice commentary. If you don't practice then you might end up being critical of your run without noticing.

I understand, sometimes you need to practice offline, we all do, but streaming none of your practice is not only detrimental to us (we can't easily see your practice), but it is also detrimental to you. Even if you have someone commentating for you, it's beneficial that you stream so they can watch what's going on and commentate alongside the stream.

P.S. If you bring up early GDQs as a response, I will say this, streaming is a lot easier and more common now than it was back in 2010/2011 so there's no excuse these days.

romscout

2014-02-11 03:20:07 pm

that Metroidvania guy

We'll shoot for having the game list done by the 23rd, but since there's a lot of discussion and research that will need to happen, it might not be done by then. If that's the case, look for it to be on March 2nd or slightly after that (since I might be incredibly busy that weekend).

Donation incentives are not really considered for cuts for anything besides RPGs. We will talk to RPG runners as needed for the 2nd round, so you don't need to worry about posting incentives in a thread.

kirbymastah

2014-02-11 03:51:34 pm

<(^_^)>

Oh crap, I was responding to "streaming practice" because I thought people were bringing up having a second stream to stream people practicing in the practice room... My bad <___<

Kefka14

2014-02-11 03:52:30 pm

I hope my two games make the second round. I personally have never streamed due to internet woes, but if I need to in order to show I'm prepared, I will gladly! Just let me know!

romscout

Edit history:

romscout: 2014-02-11 04:15:43 pm

2014-02-11 04:15:12 pm

that Metroidvania guy

Quote from Kefka14:

I hope my two games make the second round. I personally have never streamed due to internet woes, but if I need to in order to show I'm prepared, I will gladly! Just let me know!

yes. at the very least, you need semi-regular youtube uploads. and thats BARE minimum.

Miles

2014-02-11 04:32:03 pm

Considering it has a reviewer's note and no reason for being cut, I'm guessing SotN isn't supposed to be on the cuts list?

theruseman

2014-02-11 04:59:42 pm

Quote from romscout:

We'll shoot for having the game list done by the 23rd, but since there's a lot of discussion and research that will need to happen, it might not be done by then. If that's the case, look for it to be on March 2nd or slightly after that (since I might be incredibly busy that weekend).

Swag. Thanks!

bassdeluxe27

2014-02-11 05:23:42 pm

aka forte27

So, I briefly touched on it earlier, but now that it's being discussed more, I'd like to ask more about the streaming question.

I have streaming capabilities for most systems, but I proposed Marble Madness on the NES, and for some reason, my capture card's software won't display a 240i signal at the same time I'm playing. It will record the footage for uploading after playing (which is how my 2:57 PB is on Youtube), but I can't stream NES games (it's a documented issue with the Elgato Video Capture device that I have). In addition, I use a Mac at home, so I'm limited in terms of alternative recording software as well. In light of that, would it be acceptable if I consistently recorded my practice sessions and made them available on Youtube? I'd rather not have to spend more money than necessary if I can help it.

romscout

2014-02-11 05:29:44 pm

that Metroidvania guy

yea that's fine. also marble madness is super short and there's not much to say about the game when it's done well, so commentary isn't as huge of an issue.

Beezy

2014-02-11 05:34:12 pm

Gold Standard

Well, aside from Fallout 3 I struck out. Best of luck to those going towards the second round and may your games keep going until you get to play 'em at SGDQ!

ratfunk

2014-02-11 05:35:35 pm

Im just wondering why bubsy from a non runner of it is accepted, when gold like manmaru is rejected 0_o, highly confused rat.

romscout

2014-02-11 05:46:26 pm

that Metroidvania guy

ratfunk: This in part goes back to something I said in an earlier post:

Quote from romscout:

A more important factor is the history that runners have at marathons; I trust Caleb Hart to pick up MMX2 a lot more than I'll trust a random I've never heard of to cut their time in half on Goof Troop. As more runners attend these events and show they will put in the practice to put on a good performance, that means there are more runners who can submit in the future without such harsh scrutiny. There really weren't that many who got cut in the first round for anything like this. Around 5, off the top of my head? Out of about 400 submissions.

Grav put on a really great performance last SGDQ, and I would trust him to pick up Bubsy quickly if he wanted to. That being said, if someone who already runs the game offered, he would be competing against them for the spot. If he shows no progress on learning the game well before the final list is done, then it'll be cut. Pretty simple.

As for Manmaru, I wouldn't call it gold. The penguin is incredibly adorable, and then once you get past that, there's not too much going for the game. And the finale is just running around in a circle for 3 minutes. I think I elaborated on our reasoning for the cut pretty well on the spreadsheet.

ratfunk: This in part goes back to something I said in an earlier post:

[quote="romscout"]A more important factor is the history that runners have at marathons; I trust Caleb Hart to pick up MMX2 a lot more than I'll trust a random I've never heard of to cut their time in half on Goof Troop. As more runners attend these events and show they will put in the practice to put on a good performance, that means there are more runners who can submit in the future without such harsh scrutiny. There really weren't that many who got cut in the first round for anything like this. Around 5, off the top of my head? Out of about 400 submissions.[/quote]

Grav put on a really great performance last SGDQ, and I would trust him to pick up Bubsy quickly if he wanted to. That being said, if someone who already runs the game offered, he would be competing against them for the spot. If he shows no progress on learning the game well before the final list is done, then it'll be cut. Pretty simple.

As for Manmaru, I wouldn't call it gold. The penguin is incredibly adorable, and then once you get past that, there's not too much going for the game. And the finale is just running around in a circle for 3 minutes. I think I elaborated on our reasoning for the cut pretty well on the spreadsheet.

Wuqinglong

2014-02-11 06:47:36 pm

Ratfunk: While I appreciate the support for Manmaru I actually agree with the decision for cutting it. I offered it as an option, they chose not to take it and gave a valid reason why.

Kefka14

2014-02-11 08:17:16 pm

Quote from romscout:

Quote from Kefka14:

I hope my two games make the second round. I personally have never streamed due to internet woes, but if I need to in order to show I'm prepared, I will gladly! Just let me know!

yes. at the very least, you need semi-regular youtube uploads. and thats BARE minimum.

Alright then! I recently moved and haven't attempted to stream from here yet. I'll get started this weekend so you or whoever can have more proof that I'm good to go/practicing. I've been procrastinating getting started on streaming anyway. This is a good incentive to finally bite the bullet.

Azurinel

2014-02-11 09:01:03 pm

Guess I should mention that my streaming days are Saturday - Monday due to my work/school schedule.

Also, I'd estimate that my average time per run since AGDQ is 44 minutes, well under my estimate of 50 + 10 for setup. I'll keep a record of runs somewhere so that my improvement can be easily tracked.

Finally, if Eternal Daughter manages to make it into the final schedule, would anyone be willing to learn enough of the game that they could help provide commentary? I'd love to have tjp7154 provide it, but he said he won't be attending SGDQ and twitch's delay will likely prevent him from providing good commentary over a skype call. You don't need to answer right away (unless you just want to learn the game); as I said, it depends on if the game is a part of the marathon. Just something for you to think about, for now.

bassdeluxe27

2014-02-11 09:37:23 pm

aka forte27

Quote from romscout:

yea that's fine. also marble madness is super short and there's not much to say about the game when it's done well, so commentary isn't as huge of an issue.

Perfect. Thanks. I'll make sure I make a habit of recording my practice sessions for you guys to track.

Saint Connor

Edit history:

Saint Connor: 2014-02-11 10:25:25 pm

2014-02-11 10:24:37 pm

Quote from romscout:

Donation incentives are not really considered for cuts for anything besides RPGs. We will talk to RPG runners as needed for the 2nd round, so you don't need to worry about posting incentives in a thread.

I did have a small question regarding incentives. I included mine in my submission comment, but they may need some elaboration since 250 characters isn't exactly a lot of room to fit everything. Particularly, my Blasto Warp Route incentive in addition to the actual run (as they are vastly different runs, and I don't want to take away from the core run as there is more stuff to show in Any%). Certainly it can be scrapped if needed, but my main question is: would that be something considered for future cuts, or would it be more of a do the cuts/accepts and hash out the details later?

romscout

2014-02-11 10:33:11 pm

that Metroidvania guy

For Blasto, we're looking at the main run only right now. If the game makes the final cut, we can worry about incentives then.