Officially Unofficial Weekly Discussion #38: Speed Runs

[SeraphimKensai]

15 hours ago, macskull said:

I've joined task forces that were advertised as "speedy" and then the leader decides to set difficulty to +4 "for more XP and inf" and that's when I bow out and hop on the next team trying to do it.

I've been in that same position looking for a speed that suddenly ends up on +4, and I inspect players set bonuses and it becomes obvious they intend the people with optimized builds to carry the team through +4.

 

I've experimented with a team like that by intentionally having to go AFK for 10 minutes just to watch how many people die and see the chat chatter. To the point that when I came back people may as well said praise Jesus he's back.

 

I'm definitely a fan of people advertising the difficulty at recruitment and sticking to it as my playtime gets limited and I'd rather not be manipulated into carrying a team of that wasn't my intent.

[tidge]

1 hour ago, SeraphimKensai said:

I've experimented with a team like that by intentionally having to go AFK for 10 minutes just to watch how many people die and see the chat chatter. To the point that when I came back people may as well said praise Jesus he's back.

 

 

 

[CFIndustries]

Not a fan of speed runs because rarely is anything explained, I don't always have stealth, and I don't generally have a min/max'd alt. So generally speed runs means I just run around lost and dying alot.

 

Speed runs should never be assumed, they should be advertised so I know not to join. I have quit TFs when it turns out to be an un-advertised speed run.

 

I actually do appreciate when a leader explicitly states "kill all/most/kill-as-we-go" as well. This generally becomes "we won't scour the whole map, but we will kill everything along the most common path and won't be racing past active mobs in our path." These can be fairly fast but not difficult to follow like a speed run can be. And honestly, just work like most mission teams.

 

To be clear: I don't care if others like speed runs, if that's their fun. I'm only pointing out is I like to play to feel useful, and am easily flustered when things are not explained or are too chaotic. Speed runs just set-off my "non-enjoyment."

[Techwright]

In my experiences, there are speed runs and there are speed runs.   By that I mean there's events where everyone knows to take shortcuts, but still fight some of the time.  Alternatively, there are those speed runs where one or two know all the extreme shortcuts and don't really allow any fighting.  The other 6 or 7 players are relegated to little more than standing inside the door and gain very little XP from the event.

 

I've done many speed runs where we still fight part of the time.  The cloaked speedster might be off on level 4 looking for the McGuffin, but we slower, more conspicuous types still manage to drop several of the first floor mobs before the goal is met.  I'm fine with this if it is announced ahead of time.

 

I've been on a few of the other kind though.  With those, so far, it's never communicated in advance that only one or two will run the show, and no thought is given to XP, just the end rewards.   Those I might tolerate on a first run for a character, just to get the badge, but not subsequent runs.  This is a game.  I log in to play, not to be a token figure.

 

I'd also add that the longer the TF, the more agreeable I am to doing a speed run.  The shorter TFs, like Posi 2 or Yin TF, I'm happy to take the KM approach.  I'm also agreeable to certain instances being run in speedy fashion even on a kill most TF.  For example, the "rescue Dr. Todd" mission during the Moonfire TF:  I favor using a team teleport to the exit once we secure Dr. Todd, due to the chance at mission failure as well as the NPC's ability to get stuck or confused.

[biostem]

6 hours ago, CFIndustries said:

rarely is anything explained

This is a problem from 2 angles:

 

1. Is the one organizing the run stating they are doing a speed run?  If not, then that's wholly their fault.  If they are, then...

2. If you are joining a group advertising that they are doing a speed run, are you familiar with the TF or trial in question, are you familiar with speed runs, and if the answer to any of those is "no" then it is incumbent upon you to ask.

[macskull]

1 hour ago, biostem said:

2. If you are joining a group advertising that they are doing a speed run, are you familiar with the TF or trial in question, are you familiar with speed runs, and if the answer to any of those is "no" then it is incumbent upon you to ask.

This is pretty important - I did a speed Aeon recently and it was the first time I'd run Aeon at all since the very early versions in testing at the beginning of last year. I was thoroughly lost most of the time, but I also expected that to happen, and made it clear when I joined that I hadn't run the TF before.

[Snarky]

When I think of "speed runs" I think of the Cosmic Council players and people like them.  They had a few records for speed runs on verified sites.  I am not a speed runner.  I dont even know who tracks that.  

 

Cosmic would do regular events where they would This vs That (Doms vs Scrappers etc) Speed Run the ITF.  This was always 15 minute or less and sometime around 10.  I vaguely recall a few sub 10. Someone kept a spreadsheet and it was convoluted but always sppppppeeeeed.

 

Most "speed" TF are actually not.  Speed.  They are "Fast"  I like Fast TFs, especially when I am on a "get every TF badge as I level" OCD run.   Although I got on a TF Junky Synapse that came in a hair over 30 mins.  Which they laughed and said was Fast not Speed.  Could have fooled me!

 

Doing low level TFs there is (for me) no logic in doing them anything but as fast as possible.  Increasing difficulty for more exp or killing most or some various combo of the two is almost always slower than just grab another TF, levelling wise.  

 

I DO love a kill most ITF, especially when opening incarnate powers.  Thats the trick right there.

 

Most TFs, and ALL TF below 50.  Speed.  Errr, Fast!

 

 

 

 

Edited July 27, 2023 by Snarky

[JasperStone]

Depends on the type of speed run.

 

I have been joining Aeon speed runs.

They have felt mostly like this

 

 

1. Because it has been a while since I have done one

2. Obviously those participating have been a lot of them.

 

I could barely keep up.

 

Last night I did a speed "Master of" that was so low-key.

Clear directions

Lotsa TPs.

Finished around the same time.

 

I agree with @Snarky that most speed runs are fast runs.

 

[drbuzzard]

I like speed runs. I also like KM runs. It depends on the character and need. They should be made explicit when recruiting of course. 

[Troo]

19 hours ago, CFIndustries said:

So generally speed runs means I just run around lost and dying alot.

 

hehe

[Troo]

I can enjoy a speed run as much as a kill most.

 

For me, it can boil down to having a team on the same page. Nothing worse than joining a team/group with unclear goals and non-complimentary tactics.

 

Going for record times isn't really my thing but a well organized, knowledgeable group with teleport powers and a plan can make a mockery of many TFs.