Speed Demos Archive
Encyclopedia
Speed Demos Archive is a site dedicated to speedrun
s done on many computer and video games.
run, Radix expanded SDA to include demos of other games.
Players may do the runs in a single segment (single sitting) or in multiple segments using the game's built-in saving system. Runs saved in multiple segments are usually downloaded part by part, which is helpful when one does not have time to watch or download an entire run. Almost every speedrun on SDA can be downloaded in low, normal, or high quality to suit differing bandwidths. In some cases there is also an "insane" video quality available. Runs must be performed on their native consoles or on certain PC/Mac configurations. Runs done on emulators are not accepted, since it cannot be proven that a user did not use any tools to assist them. Runs of an alternate mode within the game (such as Devil May Cry
s Super Dante mode) can be accepted.
Until recently it was required for the first runs of a game to be uploaded, "out of the box" runs (playing the game the first time), before an alternate category would be considered. This was changed to allow for more runs to appear on site without requiring a tiring effort of beating a game normally to have the second category valid.
The site includes videos of such popular games as Mega Man
, Metroid
, The Legend of Zelda, Super Mario Bros.
and Sonic the Hedgehog. The site has been featured numerous times in publications such as Electronic Gaming Monthly
and G4tv's Attack of the Show!
. Some of the runs also appear in an episode of Pure Pwnage
. Runs are captured from a console using a DVD recorder
or a TV input card setup on a PC/Mac. Runs from PC/Mac are captured with recording tools built into the game, or using special video capture programs, such as Fraps
. Runs were previously accepted on VCR
s, but these were obsoleted in 2008.
Speedrun
A speedrun is a play-through, or recording thereof, of a whole video game or a selected part of it performed with the intent of completing it as fast as possible, optionally under certain prerequisites, mainly for the purposes of entertainment and competition...
s done on many computer and video games.
History
The site originally began as a demo archive of Quake play throughs. SDA was formed initially by Nolan "Radix" Pflug of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania by merging with a site created by Gunnar and Jesse in April 1998. In 2004 after the success of his own famous 100% Metroid PrimeMetroid Prime
Metroid Prime is a video game developed by Retro Studios and Nintendo for the Nintendo GameCube, released in North America on November 17, 2002...
run, Radix expanded SDA to include demos of other games.
Modern SDA
By 2006, SDA was now home to numerous videos of gamers completing various video games as quickly as they can.Players may do the runs in a single segment (single sitting) or in multiple segments using the game's built-in saving system. Runs saved in multiple segments are usually downloaded part by part, which is helpful when one does not have time to watch or download an entire run. Almost every speedrun on SDA can be downloaded in low, normal, or high quality to suit differing bandwidths. In some cases there is also an "insane" video quality available. Runs must be performed on their native consoles or on certain PC/Mac configurations. Runs done on emulators are not accepted, since it cannot be proven that a user did not use any tools to assist them. Runs of an alternate mode within the game (such as Devil May Cry
Devil May Cry
is an action game developed and published by Capcom, released in 2001 for the PlayStation 2. Although it is the first game in the series of the same name, the events in Devil May Cry are second in the series storyline's chronological order, taking place after Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening and...
s Super Dante mode) can be accepted.
Until recently it was required for the first runs of a game to be uploaded, "out of the box" runs (playing the game the first time), before an alternate category would be considered. This was changed to allow for more runs to appear on site without requiring a tiring effort of beating a game normally to have the second category valid.
The site includes videos of such popular games as Mega Man
Mega Man (video game)
Mega Man, known as in Japan, is a video game developed and published by Capcom for the Nintendo Entertainment System . It is the first game in the original Mega Man series and the entire Mega Man franchise...
, Metroid
Metroid
is an action-adventure video game, and the first entry in the Metroid series. It was co-developed by Nintendo's Research and Development 1 division and Intelligent Systems, and was released in Japan in August 1986, in North America in August 1987, and in Europe in January 1988...
, The Legend of Zelda, Super Mario Bros.
Super Mario Bros.
is a 1985 platform video game developed by Nintendo, published for the Nintendo Entertainment System as a sequel to the 1983 game Mario Bros. In Super Mario Bros., the player controls Mario as he travels through the Mushroom Kingdom in order to rescue Princess Toadstool from the antagonist...
and Sonic the Hedgehog. The site has been featured numerous times in publications such as Electronic Gaming Monthly
Electronic Gaming Monthly
Electronic Gaming Monthly is a bimonthly American video game magazine. It has been published by EGM Media, LLC. since relaunching in April of 2010. Its previous run, which ended in January 2009, was published by Ziff Davis...
and G4tv's Attack of the Show!
Attack of the Show!
Attack of the Show! is an American live television program shown weeknights on G4, G4 Canada and Fuel TV in Australia. The program is hosted by Kevin Pereira and Candace Bailey...
. Some of the runs also appear in an episode of Pure Pwnage
Pure Pwnage
Pure Pwnage was an Internet-distributed, mockumentary series from ROFLMAO Productions. The fictional series purports to chronicle the life and adventures of Jeremy , a Canadian and self-proclaimed "pro gamer"...
. Runs are captured from a console using a DVD recorder
DVD recorder
A DVD recorder , is an optical disc recorder that uses Optical disc recording technologies to digitally record analog signal or digital signals onto blank writable DVD media...
or a TV input card setup on a PC/Mac. Runs from PC/Mac are captured with recording tools built into the game, or using special video capture programs, such as Fraps
Fraps
Fraps is a benchmarking, screen capture, and real-time video capture utility for DirectX and OpenGL applications. It is commonly used to determine a computer's performance with a game, as well as record gaming footage...
. Runs were previously accepted on VCR
Videocassette recorder
The videocassette recorder , is a type of electro-mechanical device that uses removable videocassettes that contain magnetic tape for recording analog audio and analog video from broadcast television so that the images and sound can be played back at a more convenient time...
s, but these were obsoleted in 2008.
See also
- SpeedrunSpeedrunA speedrun is a play-through, or recording thereof, of a whole video game or a selected part of it performed with the intent of completing it as fast as possible, optionally under certain prerequisites, mainly for the purposes of entertainment and competition...
- Video games notable for speedrunning — an extensively documented list of noteworthy games for speedrunning purposes.
- Sequence breakingSequence breakingIn computer and video games, sequence breaking is the act of performing actions or obtaining items out of the intended linear order, or of skipping “required” actions or items entirely...
— the act of performing actions or obtaining items in a video game out of the intended order, or of skipping said actions or items entirely while still successfully completing the game. - Tool-assisted speedrunTool-assisted speedrunA tool-assisted speedrun is a speedrun movie or performance of a video game produced by means of emulation and using features unavailable to regular players, such as slow motion or frame-by-frame advance of the gameplay, and re-recording of previous portions of a performance...
- technically fastest speedruns recorded on tool-assisted emulators - Cyberscore - scorekeeping website containing speedrun times and high scores.
External links
- Speed Demos Archive
- SDA knowledgebase--an SDA wikiWikiA wiki is a website that allows the creation and editing of any number of interlinked web pages via a web browser using a simplified markup language or a WYSIWYG text editor. Wikis are typically powered by wiki software and are often used collaboratively by multiple users. Examples include...
- Extended Description of SDA