Speed runs

[McGraw]

Has anyone else attempted a speed run of the third generation games?

My best first hall of fame times are:

Ruby = 2:04:42 (49 cumpolsory battles)
Emerald = 2:46:46 (82 cumpolsory battles)

I think if I really tried, I could break the 2 hour barrier for Ruby, but I don't see how I would be able to improve my emerald route by much more than a minute. I havn't tried FR/LG yet.

I admit that I did cheat slightly to obtain these times... My most efficient method was as follows:

* shark a max IV modest Kadabra, EV train (40/0/0/216/252/0) and shark on thunderpunch + fire punch, keeping teleport; trade at level 5 to a new game with lucky egg attached
* start new game with Mudkip (important for water HMs, rock smash and dig) and deposit in the PC after trading over Alakazam (saves on the line "do you want to switch pokemon?" and stops forced 2v2 battles in Emerald)
* first use of teleport; Rustburo to return from Whismur Tunnel (there is a useful repel on route 116)
* HM cut is unnecessary to complete the game, and Dewford cave can be navigated without using flash
* take Mudkip out of the PC after beating Wattson, for rock smash and later, dig
* go all the way around the map and enter Whismur Tunnel again to get HM strength; now use dig and teleport to Mauville
* defeat Flannery and teleport to Mauville
* defeat Norman, get HM surf and teleport to Mauville
* catch Tropius for the rest of the HMs
* after getting the devon scope, teleport to Fortree
* defeat Winona and now you can use a heart scale to teach Alakazam calm mind over teleport
* teach Tropius fly/flash/strength/rock smash, later deleting rock smash from Mudkip to make room for HM waterfall
* you do not need to battle your rival in Lilycove
* buy max repels in Mossdeep, dive to Sootopolis, resurfacing inside and diving again. Complete the next sequence and fly to Sootopolis (or continuing to Pacifidlog in Emerald before flying back)

I used this line for Emerald, but I used Ralts for Ruby. The idea is the same, but Ralts grows much slower and does not get access to teleport for the first time you need it; hence I think it is possible to break the 2 hour barrier if I used Alakazam.

Has anyone tried a FR/LG speed run?
What are your fastest first hall of fames for all the games?

Edit: side point - I think the speed runs go to show just how much more Emerald has to offer. Even doing the bare minimum, you get 33% more play than R/S, with even more to do after defeating the elite 4.

 

[Shiny Lugia]

Speeding through the game doesn't really help if you're playing for the PokéDex or raising the Pokémon up propperly, though I suppose it helps if you don't like waiting around long before getting a strong enough Pokémon to defeat a Gym Leader.

Still, interesting methods.

- Shiny Lugia.

 

[Misty]

Speed runs are mostly just a different way of playing the game. It's a special challenge to do everything as quickly as possible. It's particularly popular in Metroid games.

 

[McGraw]

Just finished Ruby in 1:52:19... I'm done with this generation, roll on DP x)

 

[Scrye-Maple]

I never really pay much attention to how long it takes my to beat the game. Sometimes, speeding up can mess me up in Pokemon, but not in other games like Metroid Fusion.

 

[Æsahættr]

wow sounds like fun, but in fact, my friends and i have competitions about who has the most hours clocked up on their games. my emerald (before it got stolen) had 700+ hrs after the 4th silver frontier symbol.