Perhaps a sneak peak into the future? Read on to find out more!
The Speedrun Hall of Fame is proud to present our chat with bedwablackburn. Bedwa was able to not only PB in his 100% marathon run of “Gekisou Sentai Carranger: ZENKAI Racer Senshi” in Skip the Stigma 2022, but it was a new World Record!
JSR: It was awesome having you in Skip the Stigma, bedwa. Tell us, was that your first time running in a marathon? Specifically, both you, and the game (Carranger)?
Bedwablackburn: “(It) was not my first marathon run… it was the first marathon run for this category, though. I had done a couple with RGL, SNES Superstars was another one. But, this was definitely an honor to be in this one, and especially the 100% category which had not yet been able to be shown in a marathon. By far, I knew that was the category as well that I had the most time that I could go ahead and gain on, and everything just kind of came together during the run just enough to go ahead and get that 4-second PB. Which was… (I felt) ecstatic, it was great.”
I can only imagine. Not too many people get World Records in a marathon, and you were our first! Tell us: how much preparation went into getting ready for your marathon run? Were you able to just pick it up and go, or were you practicing a bunch?
“Mostly, yeah, I had done a lot of practicing offline the week before. Tends to be, since it’s my primary game, it tends to be one of those games that even on the good ending, my PB is like 8:47, but I can- no, correction, 8:40. But I can go ahead and pick up and beat the 9:15 that was the previous world record before I started lowering it with maybe 1 or 2 full runs. So, it’s one of those that I’ve got fairly well done… it’s just sometimes swapping from one category to the other, kinda confuses me for one or two runs, but then I’m good from there.
Sounds like you were well-prepared. Even so, were there any points during your run where you were nervous, or felt any pressure?
“The second boss. The one that I went on and put my own donation stipulation on, that boss has a habit… if you let him or you don’t get a good rhythm going with him, he will eat your time, just as well as he’ll eat anything else. (Laughs) It’s joked that he’s the Bowzock’s best eater, and he can eat your time, so…”
It didn’t seem to slow you down a bit. You were flying! Were you aware of what pace you were on during your run? If not, were you kind of feeling like it was a good pace?
“I was not fully aware I was on record pace. Again, in previous marathons that I’ve done, it’s usually been my timer (that I used to time my run). So, in previous marathons I’ve known 100% where I was, what sort of pace I was on. (However) this one, I didn’t. Outside of that, I had chat open… I was kind of watching chat go by, kinda glancin’. Ya know, between my TV in front of me, and the screen… and just kind of going that route, so… I did kind of have a feel for what was going on there. As you know, this was towards right after I finished my run, Slackanater went on and raided, and I said, ‘Hello Slack and everyone!’ So (laughs) that was kind of fun, to have him pop in at that moment too.
But, usually, after I get started into the run, it’s a lot easier. It’s the nerves beforehand that kind of get to you a little bit.”
So you had no clue you were on record pace at all near the end of your run?
“No.” (Laughs)
That must’ve been quite the shock to see that! What went through your mind when you saw your timer?
“It reminded me of the last World Record I got in the good ending (category), because I was derusting for, I think it was SNES Superstars. And I went on and looked at my timer when I stopped, ’cause I hadn’t been- I hadn’t played in a couple months so it’s like, oh yeah, I’d thrown my time in the back of my mind, ya know… I had kinda forgotten it (and I was like) ya know, I think that’s a World Record. I popped (my timer) up (and said) oh yeah, that’s a World Record by about 7 seconds! Nice! (Laughs) So it’s one of those (situations) it’s like, ‘Oh, that just happened… again! Ok, cool! (Laughs)”
It was really a good thing, too! The marathon was having some tech issues early on, and was running a tad bit behind when you came up. In fact, that’s why we wanted this interview today! We wanted to hear your story, but it’s hard to do that live when we fell behind like that…
“It is. And, I know there was some hiccups beforehand. I know it was kind of ironic that Jam had, ya know, a little bit of, like, the horse RNG and such in the run after me (of King’s Quest VII, and) it was kind of, not the most cooperative. But Jam knocked it out as he always does. Outside of that, it was, ya know… I’m glad that I went on and helped keep the ball rolling with that, ’cause it was definitely something (the marathon needed), to go ahead and help move that ball quickly. It was delightful!”
It really was. We were very excited, because it was a big moment for us as well! Our first live World Record in a (Speedrun Hall of Fame) marathon! It was a big moment for us, and obviously for you as well!
“Yeah, that was… I did not expect that much hype in chat, and it was awesome to see. It was… I… I say it honestly when I say it was an honor.”
You can see bedwablackburn’s entire run right here, right now! From Skip the Stigma 2022.
The honor was ours, my friend. Tell us: now that you’ve accomplished another World Record (in the 100% category), what is next for bedwa? Are you going to continue running Carranger? Or do you have another game or run in mind?
“That’s the plan, (to run Carranger) for the good ending. I know for a fact, with how I did, there was the four silverware clangs… there was a couple knockbacks. I know I’ve easily got another 3-to-5 seconds, and that’s not even really crunching the numbers, or trying to figure it out that way. But I know I’ve got at least… I can probably get (into the) low…. 10:10 area. Or low 10:0x… possibly… maybe not sub-10:10… But I also need to go back and try to reclaim that any% (Bad Ending WR) as well, that BusterMan went on and crushed on me. Which is kind of where I got that second boss strat from, which was faster than my fast strat.”
That sounds exciting! Any other big stream plans? Tell us, what’s next for you once you finish grinding (bad ending)?
“Well… that’s a good question. I mean, I do want to go back to Choujin Sentai Jetman. I’ve been doing some (A Link to the Past) Randomizer. But, I’m trying to figure out what I want to do next. I do have… let’s see… I’ve got this one sitting around! (Holds up a cartridge of Akumajou Densetsu, the Japanese version of Castlevania III on the NES)”
What!? You’re gonna run CVIII? No way!
“Yup! And, I’ve got one of these adapters here, and I’ve went on and both did the resistor mod on the bottom of my NES, and I also did the resistor mod on the adapter, too. So I’ve got the expansion audio”
Sign me up for that! I can’t wait to see you run (CVIII)!
“That’ll be (fun)!”
Who is your favorite secondary character (in CVIII)?
I love Grant! I love Grant in the Japanese version of Castlevania III, too. Because it’s a lot easier when you’ve got the throwing dagger as your main weapon! (Laughs) It’s kinda cheap, but ya know…”
I can’t wait for that. It will be exciting to see for sure… although I don’t know if it can quite top getting a World Record in a marathon. That must’ve been a big moment for you.
“It was. It was really exciting. And, I think the other thing that excited me the most was that I was able to do it on the actual cart. Not just the (SD2SNES) flash cart that I usually use. Having more than one of my PBs done on the actual cart… that makes that cart even more special.”
Awesome! Well, tell the wonderful folks out there reading about this where they can find you!
“twitch.tv/bedwablackburn, youtube.com/bedwablackburn (I actually just got my handle there, as well), you can go ahead and find me there. I do a little bit of other stuff on the side… like, a few high score things… Super QIX is one. But, other than that, I might go back to Friday the 13th, as well. Ya know, a little here, there, and yonder, so…”
Bedwa, thank you so much for spending a few minutes with me today! And congratulations again on your new PB and World Record!
“Thank you!”
(interview recorded on November 16, 2022)
JSR _- 0 Comment
- Moments, News, Skip The Stigma
- November 20, 2022
