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The Plateau's Grip
Alright, fellow speedrunners and Zelda fans! We've all been there. Staring at the vast, foggy expanse of the Great Plateau in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, wondering how to shave off those precious seconds. This isn't just a tutorial area; it's a speedrunning enigma. For years, the community has been locked in a battle with this starting zone, pushing the boundaries of what's possible. But why is it so notoriously difficult to truly skip this iconic area?
The initial moments of a Breath of the Wild run are critical. Every second counts, and the Great Plateau, with its intended progression and seemingly insurmountable barriers, presents a unique challenge. This isn't about simply exploring; it's about breaking the game's intended path to achieve the fastest possible completion. We're talking about the cuts, the skips, the frame-perfect tricks that define elite speedrunning.
The Great Plateau isn't just a starting zone; it's a crucible where speedrunning strategies are forged and broken.
Early Attempts: The First Skips
When Breath of the Wild first dropped, the speedrunning community went wild. The sheer freedom offered by the game was unprecedented. Early on, the focus was on basic skips and out-of-bounds (OOB) techniques. Many of these involved exploiting environmental quirks and the game's physics engine. The goal was simple: get off the Plateau as quickly as possible, bypassing the shrines and the Old Man's dialogue.
Initial strategies often relied on getting a specific type of jump or using an enemy to launch Link. These methods were often inconsistent and highly dependent on precise movement and environmental positioning. Think of the classic shield surfing techniques, but amplified to get you through walls instead of just down mountains. These early discoveries were revolutionary, paving the way for more complex maneuvers.
The community diligently documented these findings. Websites and forums buzzed with new theories and experiments. It was a golden era of discovery, where basic but effective skips were being found almost daily. This initial phase set the stage for the intricate, almost balletic strategies we see today.
The Evolution of Glitches
As players delved deeper, more advanced glitches began to surface. The "inescapable fog" wasn't so inescapable after all, but getting past it required understanding the game's underlying mechanics in ways few developers would anticipate. Techniques like Wrong Warp, a staple in many speedruns, found its way into BotW. This involves manipulating the game's save system or trigger points to warp Link to a different location than intended, often skipping large sections of the game.
One of the most significant advancements was the mastery of bullet-time combined with directional inputs to perform extended jumps or pass through geometry. The ability to slow down time while in the air, coupled with specific button presses, allowed runners to gain impossible momentum. This required immense precision and practice, transforming a simple mechanic into a powerful speedrunning tool.
The discovery of tricks like Sword Flying (also known as "sword charging") became crucial. This technique allows Link to propel himself forward using a charged sword attack while gliding, offering incredible horizontal and vertical movement. Mastering this requires perfect timing and an understanding of how Link's momentum is affected by different inputs.
The evolution of speedrunning glitches is a testament to the ingenuity and persistence of the gaming community.
Frame-Perfect Maneuvers
Modern Breath of the Wild speedruns often hinge on what are called frame-perfect or near-frame-perfect inputs. This means executing an action within a single frame of the game's animation cycle. Missing a single frame can mean the difference between a world-record-breaking run and a failed attempt.
Consider the advanced strategies for traversing the Great Plateau. Techniques often involve intricate combinations of stasis launches, windbombs, and precise shield-surfing maneuvers. A windbomb, for example, requires detonating a bomb while jumping and using your paraglider to create a massive burst of speed. Executing this consistently, especially under the pressure of a speedrun, is incredibly demanding.
The analysis of game data, including frame rates and hitboxes, becomes paramount. Runners meticulously study videos, consult with top players, and use tools to break down every single frame of a successful execution. It's a level of dedication that transforms playing a game into a scientific endeavor. The pursuit of perfection is relentless, with each runner striving to shave off milliseconds.
The Impact on World Records
The quest to bypass the Great Plateau efficiently has had a direct impact on Breath of the Wild's World Records (WR). The category that is often the most scrutinized is "Any% Glitchless," which aims for the fastest completion without major glitches. However, even "Any%" runs often incorporate skips that were once considered glitches.
The discovery of a new, consistent skip for the Great Plateau can shave significant time off a run, often by minutes. This forces the entire community to adapt, learn the new strategy, and reintegrate it into their routes. What was once a 30-minute run might become a 25-minute run overnight due to a single, well-executed skip.
The evolution of these strategies is what keeps the Breath of the Wild speedrunning scene so vibrant. Every record broken inspires new attempts and new discoveries. The pursuit of the ultimate time is a constant race, and the Great Plateau remains a formidable, yet conquerable, early hurdle.
The pursuit of the fastest time in Breath of the Wild is a relentless cycle of discovery, practice, and optimization.
Community Insights and Future
The Breath of the Wild speedrunning community is incredibly dedicated. They meticulously analyze game data, share knowledge, and collaborate to find new routes. This collaborative spirit is what drives innovation in the speedrunning world.
The "inescapable fog" of the Great Plateau might still feel daunting, but therunners have proven time and again that with enough ingenuity and practice, no barrier is truly insurmountable. Future discoveries might involve even more obscure glitches or a deeper understanding of the game's physics that we haven't even conceived of yet.
Will we ever see a complete removal of the Great Plateau from any category? It's a possibility, but even then, the journey through Hyrule will always be a testament to player skill and the joy of discovering the hidden depths of our favorite games. The chase for the perfect run continues!
For more in-depth analysis and discussions on Breath of the Wild speedruns, check out resources like speedrun.com's Breath of the Wild page. You can also find incredible strategy breakdowns on YouTube channels dedicated to the game's speedrunning scene.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main goal of speedrunning Breath of the Wild?
The primary goal is to complete the game (or a specific category) in the shortest possible time. This often involves using glitches and advanced techniques to skip intended gameplay elements.
Is the Great Plateau truly inescapable in speedruns?
While it's the intended starting area, speedrunners have developed numerous techniques, including glitches and skips, to bypass large portions of the Great Plateau very early in the run.
What is a "windbomb" in Breath of the Wild speedruns?
A windbomb is a technique that uses bomb detonation combined with a paraglider deploy to propel Link forward at high speed, allowing for massive traversal distances.
How important are frame-perfect inputs in BotW speedruns?
For top-tier speedruns, especially those aiming for World Records, frame-perfect or near-frame-perfect inputs are often crucial for executing complex glitches and strategies that shave off vital seconds.
Where can I learn more about Breath of the Wild speedrunning strategies?
Reliable resources include speedrun.com leaderboards, dedicated YouTube channels of top runners, and community forums or Discord servers focused on BotW speedrunning.
The pursuit of speed is what drives us. The Great Plateau may present its challenges, but the Breath of the Wild speedrunning community is constantly innovating. Share your favorite Great Plateau skips or your personal best times in the comments below! What other legendary game mechanics do you think deserve a deep dive from a speedrunning perspective? Let us know, and let's keep pushing those records!
Check out our other guides on Gaming Strategies and more SpeedrunGaming content!