Pokemon Red FAQ (console runs)

Pokemon Red FAQ (console runs)

Q: What are you trying to do?
A: Beat Pokemon Red as quickly as possible without using glitches.

Q: What are you playing on?
A: A GameCube using a GameBoy Player.

Q: Why play on console?
A: Because the Pokemon speedrunning community has decided to no longer accept emulator runs as world records.

Q: Why not accept emulators?
A: Most people use the logic that 1) they are easier to cheat on, and 2) the controls are easier. There is no difference in timing between a proper GameBoy Color emulator (such as Gambatte) and console.

Q: What is the world record?
A: 1:54 by Werster.

Q: What Pokemon do you use in this run?
A: I use a male Nidoran as my main Pokemon, and I use Squirtle to beat the first gym. I also use Pidgey/Spearow and Paras/Farfetch'd/Oddish as HM slaves.

Q: Why are you resetting?
A: Probably because my time or my Nidoran's stats are bad.

Q: What stats are you looking for?
A: Ideally, a Nidoran with 16 Attack, 15 Speed and 13 Special at Level 8. If my time is good, I'll probably take a 15/14/11 Nidoran, but I won't run 14 Attack.

Q: Why are stats so important?
A: With Attack, I need to maximize the chances that I can OHKO certain Pokemon. Having 16 Attack at Level 8 also allows me to use faster, riskier strats if necessary. With Speed, I want to outspeed certain Pokemon, such as Misty's Starmie and Sabrina's Alakazam. Special is much less important, but having 11 Special at Level 8 means certain Pokemon later in the run might not die to one Thunderbolt/Ice Beam.

Q: You keep saying "DV" -- what is that?
A: DV stands for dynamic value. Each Pokemon has a DV ranging from 0 to 15 for each stat. The higher the DV, the higher the growth rate for that stat. At Level 100, the difference between 0 and 15 DV is about 30 stat points. DVs help me decide which strategies to use, and I can determine them by checking my stats at certain level-ups.

Q: What is "red bar," and why is it important?
A: When your Pokemon is at or below 20.83% HP, its health bar turns red and a warning sound plays. While this sound is playing, the game does not pause to play certain other sounds, such as Pokemon cries and level-up jingles. Pokemon cries last about 0.9 seconds on average, and level-up jingles last 2.2 seconds. Being in red bar for long stretches can save 30, 60 and sometimes even 90 seconds.

Q: Why do you exit the grass when looking for Nidoran?
A: This is a form of RNG manipulation that is explained here: http://www.pokemonspeedruns.com/index.php/Pok%C3%A9mon_Red/Blue/Yellow_DSum_Manipulation

Q: What is your goal time?
A: Eventually, 1:49. Right now, I just want a 1:53 to regain the world record.

Q: Why are you playing against splits from your 1:50 emulator run?
A: Because I know those splits much better than any console run. When I complete a console run of 1:54 or better, I'll use those.

Q: Where can you save the most time on your 1:50 splits?
A: Mt. Moon (I had 10 encounters, which is average); Fly, Poke Flute and Koga (I didn't use red bar strats); and the Elite Four if I play risky. The first three splits are almost impossible to save time on, so I expect to be 30-90 seconds behind as I enter Mt. Moon.