HM64: All Photos FAQ

All Photos Speedrun FAQ (Updated 8/25/2020)

Before Reading: This is a long list. If you have any questions, feel free to ask in the chat. I mainly made this for people to learn more about the run, rather than to answer any specific questions they have.

Q: Do you play on N64, Wii U, or Emulator?
A: I play on N64. Unlike other games, the Wii U version actually has slower loading times, and the controller makes it difficult to make angled movements.

Q: Why do you play on English? Isn't Japanese faster?
A: The English version does have slower text speeds, but loading times are 1-3 frames faster over Japanese. We're not sure exactly how much slower English is, somewhere in the 15-minute range for All Photos, so we've made each language their own sub-category on Speedrun.com. I play on English because most people prefer being able to read the dialogue.

Q: What is "Cow Stealing"?
A: If you accept Doug's three cows on Fall 30th, Year 1, get a bachelorette's affection to 160+ on Winter 4th, Year 1, then stay up until you're warped home that night, the dream event (triggered at 160 affection with any bachelorette), will skip Winter 5th and take you straight to Winter 6th. Normally, waking up on the 5th triggers Doug to take his cows back, but by skipping the 5th completely you're able to keep them. They function as normal cows which you can milk, sell, and enter into the Cow Festival.

Q: Why do you need cows?
A: You need at least one for a Photo, but they're also a quick source of money. You used to Mine to get enough money for three cows, which made the 60 shipped milk requirement (for the Cow Photo) a lot easier. Now, we can steal Doug's three cows for free, removing mining from the run completely.

Q: How much RNG is there in this run?
A: A lot. You can easily lose 10-20 minutes in the first Spring and Summer from rain and typhoons. You have to win the Harvest Fest on Fall 12th, which has a 6% chance of winning. Each time you lose costs around 3 minutes, and we've seen 10-15 losses in a row before. You're required to win one Dog Race for a photo, which can take anywhere from 5 minutes to over an hour depending on RNG. Having 200/255 affection with your dog (which is required at the end) has a fairly high chance of winning, but runs will still die from it. (It also saves around 2 hours to buy all the needed lumber from the Dog Race rather than chopping it, but it costs a total of 2,000 medals, which can take a while to get). There's plenty of other small and large time losses from RNG, but those are the biggest run killers.

Q: Who do you marry?
A: Elli. This is because Gotz has an affection spam* that only works if you are NOT married to Karen, so marrying Elli is faster even though she requires more gifts to max her affection.
*Affection spams are explained four questions down.

Q: When do you get Married?
A: You propose between the 18th and 24th of Summer, Year 2. The Wedding will happen on the 25th, which is the latest day you can get married.

Q: Why do you get married then, and not earlier/later?
A: Every day you're married, your Wife will lose 1 affection point. Talking to her everyday will even this out, so you want to get married as late as possible to avoid extra talking. You can't get Married later than Summer 25th, Year 2, because you need to have a child for the Party Photo, which takes 90 Days after marriage to be born, leaving you a few days before the Evaluation for affection spams.

Q: Why does your Wife's affection matter?
A: She needs 250 affection to become pregnant, as well as 250+ for the Party Photo.

Q: What are affection spams?
A: Normally showing someone an animal, talking to them, or giving them an item can only be done once per day. However, there are people who continue to get affection from those actions an infinite amount of times per day, thus spamming their affection.

Q: How many affection spams are there?
A: Karen - Showing her your dog has no daily cap. +1 per show.
   May - Talking to her has no daily cap. +3 per talk.
   Kent - Showing him a chicken or wild animal has no daily cap. +3 per show.
   Jeff - Talking to him in the bar while Elli has 150+ affection. +7 per talk.
   Doug - Showing him your baby has no daily cap. +2 per show.
   Gotz - Showing him your baby has no daily cap. +2 per show.
   Harvest Sprites - One Sprite doesn't have a daily gift cap until 21 affection points. +1 per gift.
   Head Carpenter* - Giving him a gift has no daily cap. Variable affection gain based on gifts.

*The Head Carpenter cannot show up to your Party, so his is not used in this run.

Q: Why are you befriending all these people? Don't you just need the girls' photos?
A: You need to have 10 people, as well as your wife, show up to your Party at the Evaluation for the Party Photo. Each of them requires 160+ to show up to your Party, which you can get them to while befriending the girls.

Q: Who do you have attend your Party?
A: This changes between runners, re-routes, new glitch discoveries, etc. My current Party list is: Elli(Wife), Karen(1), Ann(2), Maria(3), Rick(4), Kai(5), Kent(6), May(7), Jeff(8), Doug(9), Gotz(10).

Q: Why don't you befriend Popuri?
A: Her Photo doesn't require you to befriend her, unlike the other 4 Girls who need 200+ each. There's also a glitch that allows you to get Popuri's Photo in one day, rather than 18 days of watering.

Q: How is that glitch done?
A: Water any flower on the Goddess Pond screen, leave and re-enter 3 times, and Popuri will be there for the Photo.

Q: Why are you working on the Bridge and Hotsprings?
A: Every day you work, you get +5 affection with each of the Carpenters, as well as 1,000G. Additionally, you need to help on the final day of the Hotsprings for a Photo.

Q: Why do you need affection with the Carpenters if they don't come to your Party?
A: You need a combined total of 2,494 affection to get the Party Photo. Just having 10 people at your Party isn't enough, so this plus festival bonuses puts you over. (This affection requirement is referred to as the "GAT" (Global Affection Total), which you will hear me and other runners talk about a lot).

Q: Why do you need money? And how much do you need?
A: You need money for Extensions and Grass Seeds. You need 43 Grass Seeds (21,500 g), and all 6 extensions (48,000 g).

Q: Why are you hitting your cows?
A: Cows have an affection glitch, too. Every time you hit them while they are Sick or Mad, they get +20 affection. Additionally, you can hit a Sick cow to cure their sickness rather than buying medicine. This is because every time you hit a cow, there's a chance they become mad, even if they're already Sick or Mad.

Q: Why are you using the (in-game) bathroom so much?
A: Every time you use the bathroom, you get +2 happiness. 250+ happiness is required for the Party Photo.

Q: Why do you get Power Berries?
A: You need 6 Power Berries for the Party Photo.

Q: Which Berries do you get?
A: Farm Tilling, Goddess Offering, Egg Festival Win, Kappa Offering, Frozen Pond, and Flower Festival Purchase (1,000g).

Q: What are all the requirements for the Party Photo?
A: Wife Affection at 250+
   Dog Affection at 200+
   Have a Child
   Have 380 squares of grass planted on your farm
   Have 10 people show up to your Party
   Have All Extensions
   Have 6+ Power Berries
   Have 250+ Happiness
   Have a fed Chicken on the day of the Evaluation (Summer 1st, Year 3)

If you have any questions that aren't listed above, feel free to ask.