Welcome, Wasteland wanderers and speedrunning aficionados, to a delve into one of the more… unique categories of Fallout: New Vegas speedruns. Forget saving the Mojave or becoming a legendary warrior for a moment. Today, we're talking about the "Sleep With Everyone" category. If you've ever wondered how to achieve this peculiar objective as quickly as humanly possible, you've come to the right place. This isn't your standard main quest blitz; it’s a specialized run that requires a deep understanding of glitches, unique gaming strategies, and precise execution. We're going to break down what it takes to pull off this impressive feat, explaining the core mechanics and the "why" behind the rapid progression.
Table of Contents
What is the "Sleep With Everyone" Category?
The "Sleep With Everyone" category in Fallout: New Vegas is precisely what it sounds like: a speedrun focused on achieving romantic encounters with all 12 potential partners in the game as fast as possible. This is a stark contrast to traditional speedruns that focus on completing the main questline or achieving 100% completion. Here, the objective is personal, intimate, and requires a very specific set of actions and prerequisites. It's a testament to the sheer variety and creativity within the speedrunning community, showcasing that even seemingly mundane or niche goals can be tackled with the intensity and dedication of world-record attempts.
Achieving this requires more than just chatting up NPCs. Each partner has specific questlines, dialogue options, and sometimes even prerequisites that must be met. Doing this rapidly means skipping as much of the standard gameplay as possible and leveraging the game's mechanics, both intended and unintended, to accelerate progress. This category often involves a heavy reliance on glitches and skips that bypass lengthy quest progressions or environmental obstacles. It’s a true test of player knowledge and precise execution.
Core Mechanics and Strats
At its heart, this speedrun is about maximizing efficiency and minimizing time spent on non-essential tasks. The core strategy revolves around:
- Rapid Travel: Utilizing fast travel, optimal routes, and potentially even out-of-bounds glitches to move between locations quickly.
- Dialogue Mastery: Knowing exactly what to say to each NPC to advance dialogue trees and trigger romance options with the fewest clicks.
- Quest Skip Exploitation: Employing known glitches and exploits to bypass major quest requirements or entire questlines where possible.
- Character Builds: While not as crucial as in combat-focused runs, certain stats like Charisma can sometimes speed up dialogue, though often glitches bypass the need for high stats.
- Partner Location Knowledge: Knowing precisely where each of the 12 partners are at any given time and what their specific requirements are.
The order in which you approach each partner is meticulously planned. A single mistake or a poorly executed glitch can cost valuable seconds, or even minutes, impacting the final Personal Best. This is where extensive practice and community knowledge come into play. Runners often study previous attempts, sharing notes on what works best and what to avoid.
"This run is less about combat and more about understanding the intricate web of dialogue and quest flags in New Vegas. It’s a different kind of challenge, but incredibly rewarding when you nail a sequence."
Glitches and Skips Explained
The "Sleep With Everyone" speedrun for Fallout: New Vegas heavily relies on a variety of technical exploits. While the specific strats can evolve as the community discovers new tricks, some common ones include:
- Quest Manipulation: Certain quests can be manipulated to trigger completion or advance objectives prematurely. This often involves specific dialogue choices, item usage, or strategic positioning.
- Dialogue Skips: While not always a "glitch" in the traditional sense, knowing the exact dialogue options to select to get the fastest progression is crucial. Some dialogue can be skipped entirely with precise timing or by exploiting game mechanics.
- Fast Travel Exploits: Sometimes, fast travel can be used in conjunction with other mechanics to reach destinations faster than intended, bypassing normal travel times.
- Inventory/Item Exploits: Certain items might have unique properties when used in specific sequences or locations, allowing players to bypass obstacles or trigger events.
One of the key aspects of this speedrun is the sheer ingenuity required to string these glitches together. It’s not just about knowing a single skip; it’s about understanding how they interact and how to execute them reliably under pressure. The original video mentions the "increased number of glitches used, and how unique the route is," which perfectly encapsulates the category's appeal to dedicated players.
For instance, certain partners might be located in areas that are normally inaccessible early on. A runner might use an out-of-bounds trick to reach them, gain their affection, and then use another method to return to a progression-friendly area. This requires meticulous planning and practice to ensure these maneuvers don't softlock the player or ruin the run.
"The beauty of this speedrun is how it forces you to look at the game in a completely different way. You’re not just playing through quests; you’re deconstructing the game’s code through your actions."
Route Optimization and PB
The current World Record (WR) for this category is a testament to the dedication of the speedrunning community. As the original source indicates, the run presented clocked in at 28:38 in-game time and 31:13 real time. This might seem fast, but the runner themselves notes it was "far from perfect" and could be "lowered by around a minute." This highlights the constant pursuit of perfection in speedrunning.
Optimizing the route involves several factors:
- Order of Partners: Deciding the most efficient order to visit each of the 12 partners to minimize travel time and quest prerequisites.
- Resource Management: Ensuring you have the necessary items or skills (if any are required) at the right moment.
- Glitches and Skips: Identifying and perfecting the execution of the most time-saving glitches and skips.
- RNG Dependence: While speedruns aim to minimize Random Number Generator dependence, some elements might still introduce variability. Runners try to mitigate this through careful planning and execution.
The pursuit of a new World Record is a continuous process of discovery and refinement. Runners like the one in the video are constantly pushing the boundaries, looking for that one perfect sequence that shaves off those crucial seconds.
The Fallout New Vegas Speedrun Experience
Fallout: New Vegas has always been a beloved title within the speedrun community. Its open-ended nature, extensive scripting, and sometimes quirky engine lend themselves well to complex and creative speedruns. Whether it's an Any% run that breaks the game in half, a 100% completionist challenge, or a niche category like "Sleep With Everyone," there's always something new to explore.
This particular category stands out because it focuses on a very different aspect of the game – player interaction and relationship building, albeit in a highly accelerated and exploitative manner. It’s a fascinating blend of deep game knowledge and technical mastery. If you're a fan of Fallout: New Vegas and intrigued by the more unconventional side of speedrunning, this category offers a unique and entertaining challenge.
For those looking to dive deeper into the world of Fallout: New Vegas speedruns, exploring resources like speedrun.com is highly recommended. You'll find detailed guides, leaderboards, and community discussions that can help you understand the nuances of various categories, including this peculiar "Sleep With Everyone" run.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the "Sleep With Everyone" category in Fallout: New Vegas?
It's a speedrun category focused on achieving romantic relationships with all 12 potential partners in the game as quickly as possible, often using glitches and skips.
Is this a difficult speedrun to perform?
Yes, it requires a deep understanding of the game's mechanics, precise execution of numerous glitches, and extensive practice to optimize routes and dialogue.
What are some common glitches used in this speedrun?
Common techniques include quest manipulation, dialogue skips, specific fast travel exploits, and out-of-bounds tricks to access partners early.
How long does a typical "Sleep With Everyone" speedrun take?
The current world record is around 31 minutes of real-time, but personal bests can vary greatly depending on player skill and execution.
Where can I find more information about Fallout: New Vegas speedruns?
The best resource is speedrun.com, specifically the Fallout: New Vegas page, where you can find leaderboards, guides, and community forums.
This "Sleep With Everyone" speedrun for Fallout: New Vegas is a prime example of the depth and creativity within the gaming community. It’s a challenge that requires a blend of technical skill, deep game knowledge, and a good sense of humor. While it might not be the typical path to saving the wasteland, it certainly offers a unique and compelling speedrunning objective.
What are your thoughts on this category? Have you ever attempted it, or a similar niche speedrun? Share your own strategies, best times, or any mind-blowing glitches you’ve discovered in the comments below! Let's keep the discussion going and push the boundaries of what's possible in the Mojave.