RTA Guide/New Players: Difference between revisions

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Super Mario 64 is an iconic title and watershed moment in gaming, but at its core, the movement is what keeps people playing to this day. Mastering the movement is an endless journey and a whole lot of fun.
Super Mario 64 is an iconic title and watershed moment in gaming, but at its core, the movement is what keeps people playing to this day. Mastering the movement is an endless journey and a whole lot of fun.


The mechanics are fluid and satisfying, the skill expression is amazing, and advanced techniques raise the skill ceiling to impossible levels. There's many ways to play, too. Lots of people love to create and play mods of this game because its 3D platforming foundation is so good.
The mechanics are fluid and satisfying, the skill expression is amazing, and advanced techniques raise the skill ceiling to impossible levels. In addition to the vanilla game, lots of people love to create and play mods because its 3D platforming foundation is so good.
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== Getting Started ==
This 7-minute video by SeanRaider covers the basics of setting up and a lot of frequently asked questions about about versions, controllers, categories, practice, splits, and recording your runs!
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Join the [https://discord.com/invite/sm64 Super Mario 64 Speedruns Discord!] There are lots of other resources there and community members who can help point you to whatever you're looking for.


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The rest of this page is meant to give you just enough detail to get started.


== Setting Up ==
=== Emulators ===
=== Emulator ===
==== Speedrunning ====
==== Speedrunning ====
Emulator is the easiest way to start speedrunning, and it's free! Follow [https://wermi.neocities.org/emuguide wermi's guide] to set up Project64 v1.6, the approved PC emulator for speedruns.
Emulator is the easiest way to start speedrunning, and it's free! Follow [https://wermi.neocities.org/emuguide wermi's guide] to set up Project64 v1.6, the approved PC emulator for speedruns.
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If you are interested in playing ROM hacks (mods), there is a huge variety of fun and impressive new hacks being made all the time! For example, [https://romhacking.com/hack/mario-builder-64 Mario Builder 64] (Super Mario Maker-like level creator), [https://romhacking.com/hack/sm64-randomizer SM64 Randomizer] or [https://gist.github.com/WaffleSmacker/342e3e395aa2483b3cf4af48e2574afd IronMario 64]  (IronMon-like hardcore randomizer challenge), and [https://romhacking.com/hacks?sortBy=rating&sortOrder=desc&searchAuthors=false&searchTags=false&mature=no many original experiences]!
If you are interested in playing ROM hacks (mods), there is a huge variety of fun and impressive new hacks being made all the time! For example, [https://romhacking.com/hack/mario-builder-64 Mario Builder 64] (Super Mario Maker-like level creator), [https://romhacking.com/hack/sm64-randomizer SM64 Randomizer] or [https://gist.github.com/WaffleSmacker/342e3e395aa2483b3cf4af48e2574afd IronMario 64]  (IronMon-like hardcore randomizer challenge), and [https://romhacking.com/hacks?sortBy=rating&sortOrder=desc&searchAuthors=false&searchTags=false&mature=no many original experiences]!


Parallel Launcher for the ParallelN64 emulator is super easy to use and lets you generate a ROM file by simply double-clicking a patch file. ROM hacks download as a patch file because you need to obtain the vanilla ROM on your own. If you just want to mess around with SM64 a bit, you might find this quicker than setting up Project64. Popular ROM hack creator Kaze shows how to set it up in under 2 minutes:
Parallel Launcher for the ParallelN64 emulator is super easy to use and lets you generate and play a ROM file by simply double-clicking a patch file. ROM hacks download as a patch file because you need to obtain the vanilla ROM on your own. If you just want to mess around with SM64 a bit, you might find this quicker than setting up Project64. Popular ROM hack creator Kaze shows how to set it up in under 2 minutes:
 
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There are a few different autosplitters for Super Mario 64. One is simply called [https://github.com/fmichea/sm64-livesplit-autosplitter SM64 LiveSplit Autosplitter] by Franck, and you can follow this [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8f5I2fNeXlQ tutorial] by Remedy to set it up. Another one is [https://github.com/Kainev/AutoSplit64/releases/tag/0.2.5 AutoSplit64] by Synozure, and you can follow his [https://youtu.be/8TgWdduTrtM tutorial] to set it up.  
There are a few different autosplitters for Super Mario 64. One is simply called [https://github.com/fmichea/sm64-livesplit-autosplitter SM64 LiveSplit Autosplitter] by Franck, and you can follow this [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8f5I2fNeXlQ tutorial] by Remedy to set it up. Another one is [https://github.com/Kainev/AutoSplit64/releases/tag/0.2.5 AutoSplit64] by Synozure, and you can follow his [https://youtu.be/8TgWdduTrtM tutorial] to set it up.  


== Beginner Gameplay Tutorials ==
== Gameplay Tutorials ==
Feel free to explore Super Mario 64 to your heart's content, but if you are looking for some guidance, here are some great videos to start out:
Feel free to explore Super Mario 64 to your heart's content, but if you are looking for some guidance, here are some great videos to start out:


=== Movement guide ===
=== Movement guide ===
This video by SeanRaider covers the various movement options and how they work together. It is a great resource for any new player to get a better understanding of the game.
This video by SeanRaider covers the various movement options and how they work together. It's a great resource for any new player to get a better understanding of the game.
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** Especially when you are starting out, line up your angle and check your spacing when performing actions.
** Especially when you are starting out, line up your angle and check your spacing when performing actions.
** When swimming or flying, small movements around the neutral zone will often give you enough control. It's very easy to overcorrect, especially when flying.
** When swimming or flying, small movements around the neutral zone will often give you enough control. It's very easy to overcorrect, especially when flying.
** Neutralizing (letting go of) the control stick
* The camera is weird and hard to use at first (and sometimes later on), but once you make friends with it, you will find it can work really well in a lot of cases. The geometric game design combined with the camera angles allow you to do a lot of movement in the 8 notched directions (if your controller has notches).  
* The camera is weird and hard to use at first (and sometimes later on), but once you make friends with it, you will find it can work really well in a lot of cases. The geometric game design combined with the camera angles allow you to do a lot of movement in the 8 notched directions (if your controller has notches).  
** The left and right C buttons feel inverted from most modern games because you are actually controlling the camera's position, not Mario's perspective!  
** The left and right C buttons feel inverted from most modern games because you are actually controlling the camera's position, not Mario's perspective!  
** For a general-purpose camera, try Mario Cam C-down. It will pan to follow behind Mario and you can press C-left or C-right twice to turn it by 45 degrees.
** For a general-purpose camera, try Mario Cam C-down. It will pan to follow behind Mario and you can press C-left or C-right twice to turn it by 45 degrees.
** If the camera is stuck somewhere you cannot see Mario, try double-tapping R to go into and out of Mario cam to reset it.
** If the camera is stuck somewhere you cannot see Mario, try double-tapping R to go into and out of Mario cam to reset it.
*One of the sayings we have is "strats save seconds, movement saves minutes." Learning the fundamentals as a beginner is super important, and trying to learn an X second timesave might not be as helpful to your improvement!
** There's no harm in trying advanced movement, but if you're getting frustrated, go back to doing what feels right for you. There's a lot to get used to, and it's easy to overwhelm your brain.
** When you make mistakes, remember that lots of people have played for thousands of hours and still make mistakes all the time! That's what makes great players so impressive.


=== Drogie and Squeex 16 Star walkthroughs ===
=== Drogie and Squeex 16 Star walkthroughs ===
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This tutorial by Squeex (the wonderful 2024 Best Speedrun Streamer award winner) also walks through the entire 16 Star run with super simple strategies to help new players do their first runs. "All good 16 Star runs begin with a perfect bridge skip and a great attitude. Let's figure out how to do one of the two."
This tutorial by Squeex (the wonderful 2024 Best Speedrun Streamer award winner) also walks through the entire 16 Star run with super simple strategies to help new players do their first runs. "All good 16 Star runs begin with a perfect bridge skip and a great attitude. Let's figure out how to do one of the two."
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One of the sayings we have is "strats save seconds, movement saves minutes." Learning the fundamentals as a beginner is super important, and trying to learn a big timesave might not be as helpful to your improvement early on! There's no harm in trying advanced movement, but if you're getting frustrated, go back to doing what feels right for you. There's a lot to get used to, and it's easy to overwhelm your brain.
When you make mistakes, remember that lots of people have played for thousands of hours and still make mistakes all the time! That's what makes great players so impressive.


=== Ukikipedia speedrunning guide ===
=== Ukikipedia speedrunning guide ===
Want to dive deeper into speedrunning Super Mario 64? Check out the main page with guides to all the speedrun categories and links to lots of other great community resources: [[RTA Guide]]  
Want to dive deeper into speedrunning Super Mario 64? Check out the main page with guides to all the speedrun categories and links to lots of other great community resources: [[RTA Guide]]  


RTA stands for "Real Time Attack", and it is an acronym created by the Japanese speedrunning community that we use to refer to runs performed in a single segment, rather than segmented!
RTA stands for "Real Time Attack", and it is an acronym created by the Japanese speedrunning community that we use to refer to runs performed in a single segment, rather than segmented.


You can see all the stars at the bottom of the main page, or click on whichever category you're playing to see the route. Most stars have videos for different levels of strategies and input displays that you can try to follow, and some have commentated tutorials!
You can see all the stars at the bottom of the main page, or click on whichever category you're playing to see the route. Most stars have videos for different levels of strategies and input displays that you can try to follow, and some have commentated tutorials!


== Final Thoughts ==
== Final Thoughts ==
Whatever brought you here, we appreciate you taking the time to read this page and see a glimpse of what Super Mario 64 is all about.  
There are many ways to enjoy SM64, and it stands on its own merit as a game. But, it's also given many of us a shared space for social connections, growth, cooperation, and competition. If you want to get involved in the community, try watching some Twitch streams, chatting in community spaces, or participating in races and tournaments.


There are many ways to enjoy SM64, and it stands on its own merit as a game. But, it's also given many of us a shared space for social connections, growth, cooperation, and competition. If you want to get involved in the community, try watching some Twitch streams, chatting in community spaces, or participating in races and tournaments. Make sure you join the [https://discord.com/invite/sm64 Super Mario 64 Speedruns Discord!] There are lots of other resources there and community members who can help point you to whatever you're looking for.
Looking for more content? There are always streamers live on Twitch in the [https://www.twitch.tv/directory/category/super-mario-64 Super Mario 64 directory,] and great YouTube videos for entertainment, information, inspiration, and everything in between. [https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_5wP6CEc-wPKqXKjmPdD6fmhEcyv195n&si=9ehPeWKQ1zZhTexO Check out this playlist of some great SM64 videos by many different content creators!]


Looking for more content? There are always streamers live on Twitch in the [https://www.twitch.tv/directory/category/super-mario-64 Super Mario 64 directory,] and great YouTube videos for entertainment, information, inspiration, and everything in between. [https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_5wP6CEc-wPKqXKjmPdD6fmhEcyv195n&si=9ehPeWKQ1zZhTexO Check out some great SM64 videos by many different content creators!] Learn about the speedrunning history, TAS and the A button challenge
Whatever brought you here, we appreciate you taking the time to read this page and see a glimpse of what Super Mario 64 is all about.


- Badroenis, GTM
- Badroenis, GTM
[[Category:RTA Guide]]
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