On RNG manipulation

I think RNG manip in speedrunning is an awesome treat the first time you see it. No one should dismiss it as a glitch, cheating, the wrong way to play the game, etc. Remember that RNG technically doesn't exist, as video games do not have true randomness, and the only distinction between manip and no manip is whether the runner has knowledge of the current state of the game's code. No different than a runner using knowledge about enemy AI, for example.

However, RNG manip has major practical problems. For one, it eliminates the main appeal of speedrunning to me: accessibility. Without manip, a lot of games could be run/routed at the highest level simply by booting up an emulator, playing the game with save states and speedups, and using your brain to solve problems. Now you need tools. These tools might require programming knowledge. They might require a newer computer. They might require dozens of hours of tweaking (not the game, but the tool itself).

All of this for the goal of going fast. But rarely do speedrunners actually attempt to go as fast as possible. We see this in several forms. First, we have categories to separate unappealing categories (like any% in Gen 1 Pokemon). Second, we often aim for consistency in runs (fastest average completion) as opposed to the fastest way to beat the game if everything goes perfectly. That's partly because we don't have time to grind for the best runs, but it's mainly because that grind isn't fun. You don't get to play the game. You don't get to solve problems, other than "is it mathematically worthwhile to reset now, or should I wait until I made another mistake or get bad RNG?"

RNG is often fun to manage, and many runners prefer games with RNG despite complaining about it. Without RNG, the run lacks strategy. Without RNG, you have to worry about timing frame-perfect inputs, which are often difficult enough that no amount of practice will yield consistency. Without RNG, practical concerns such as the quality of your controller, your physical stamina, and finger/hand pain are amplified. With RNG, you can do runs even if your timing is off, your controller is worn out, your hands hurt, etc. You just need brain power and patience.

When speedrunners complain about RNG, they're often just venting. "I hate this game" does not mean "I wish this game had no RNG." Sometimes it's just the type of RNG that frustrates us. For example, RNG manip was a godsend in Gen 1 Pokemon at first, because it removed the dozens of hours of early-game resets required to get to the fun part of the game. I'm glad the manip kept most of the RNG intact, as the run still requires a lot of routing, strategy and general game knowledge to get a good time. Of course, in the end, heavy reliance on tools will likely kill Gen 1 speedrunning.

One final note: In speedrunning, good runs do not exist. If you somehow get one, it's worth savoring, but you likely won't get another anytime soon. Enjoy speedrunning for the process of going fast, not because you are actually going as fast as possible. Value your efforts to make a new route, improve an existing route, nail a difficult trick, get gold splits, and see a game more critically than a casual gamer. Have fun playing video games.