Interview with the Speedrunner star, WitherMan!
It was with great pleasure to have interviewed the person who placed 1st in Sonic Adventure in the speedrunning community, with a total running time of 1h 06m 28s, WitherMan! Here's how our interview went!
How did you discover speedrunning?
I discovered Speedrunning at school, with the first Speedrun I ever watched being CGN's run of F-Zero GX at AGDQ 2014. There was something so magical about that run that made me enthralled with watching runners from that point forward, but it would be YEARS before I ran anything myself.
What made it interesting for you to check it out?
I think what really pushed me to get into Speedrunning big time was wanting to step away from the FGC. I've had a lot of problems in my local scene and finding a way to stay competitive without having to directly compete with other people has scratched the itch I once had for fighting games. My favorite part of fighting games has always been the feeling of self-improvement, and Speedrunning gives that to you tenfold.
What were the biggest issues you encountered in the community?
I don't particularly want to get into this one, but there have been some bad apples in a lot of the communities I've been in. I've left any community which was full of them, and thankfully in the Sonic and Billy Hatcher communities, bigots and self-centered room-dividers are typically handled with efficiency.
What would be the best memory or moment you’ve experienced?
After trying nearly every day for a year straight, getting the sonic story world record during my GDQ Hotfix run. It was the most climatic run I've ever had, and finally fulfilling the dream and pushing Sonic Adventure further in front of the biggest crowd the game has ever seen is something I'll never take for granted. That run is forever etched in history, and a core memory.
Should other people also try and check out speedrunning? Why so?
100%! Speedrunning is a hobby that when approached with a healthy mindset can really change the way you look at everything. Every game has a Speedrun community somewhere!
What makes the speedrunning communities special?
We're all here to celebrate our favorite games and push them further than anyone had ever intended. They're communities formed with love, and that in and of itself is very magical in a way.
Who do you think would enjoy speedrunning as well?
Idk what this question means, sorry!
How would you describe your experience and stay in the community?
Very welcoming. It's extremely easy to get into the Sega speedgame communities. It really does feel like a second family at times to me.
What are your suggestions for the speedrunning community?
Never stop pushing. Be willing to do what other people don't want to do. If you want to run on obscure hardware or play a game no one cares about, that's awesome. Commit to making yourself happy, and running what you want to run.
What made you stay long in this community?
The support. While there was a tiny bit of pushback in the beginning with attempting to argue in favor of Sonic Adventure, the overwhelming amount of support I've received from the community in several different ways has totally changed my life and given me a drive that I thought I had long since lost.
What is your message to those who admire and watch you?
Subscribe I suppose? Idk, it's very strange to imagine having admirers
Check out WitherMan on Speedrun.com and follow them on Twitch and Youtube to get more updates on their speedruns!
Want to see more of things like this? Or maybe you like cats or the Game Boy or the NES? If you do, let's have a catjam together! Join Mega Cat Studios on Discord for more fun and excitement!
