Hi, Completely new to speedrunning, but this was the game that made me want to give it a go. Spent a few days planning and testing various routes and strategies. Just finished a testrun (NO VIDEO) with 53:59. It was sloppy, and I'm guessing sub 50 would be easy if the execution gets better.

Played on Northern forest, same spawn as current WR and almost same running route with a few changes (see below).

I'm not going to submit a run unless refined (and with video ofc), but figured I would share a few tactics I developed and observations I made. If nothing else, just to spark some discussion or further brainstorming.

Note that I haven't watched too much of the other runs or runners, so forgive me if these are obvious to you.

Northern forest, based on current WR route:

• Spawning, run directly to closest wreck (do not dismantle pod). Pickup everything except the computer thingy.
• Gathering bushes here is great!
• Run directly towards wreckage near pond. Dismantle pod on the way there, preferably mid-large jump as to not slow down.
• Make sure to equip the tazer during a jump, that way you won't slow down doing it (assuming you will fight the bees)
• Handmining is slightly faster if you re-press the button right after each time the ore is added to your inventory.
• I only used 3 portable miners on the iron for the entire run. Was enough. Might need another if I am to use more smelters. pure portable iron is 80/minute. A smelter does 30/min.
• I used a miner MK 1 on the copper with conveyor back a smelter in hub area. It's close enough to drag conveyors all the way back to the hub without going over there. Then I never need to go over there. (broke the copper-blocking rock on the way from second wreckage)
• Ended up using 5 smelters, 5 constructors, 2 assemblers (fulltime smartplate), 2 bioburners. Might change this in future attempts.
• 5 portable miners on the nearby limestone. Bring back 300 on the first trip, enough for everything until 3 more trips later totals the 1500 needed for the space elevator. (Each portaminer holds 100 max)
• Handcraft all rotors. Handcraft rods and cables (so fast!). Never handcraft iron plates, use constructors for that (nearly same speed).
• 1000 plants seems too much for the run with my current setup. A full stack of biomass for each burner seems overkill for the run. This may change if more power is used in future.
• Never craft more than you need to push to the next production increase . E.g. hub upgrade 2 and 3 can be done in one go. 5 and 6 in one go (if you stop to do conveyors at 4.). Some surplus cables and rods is nice though.
• Used conveyors from smelters to constructors, shortest possible uses 3 iron plate each.

Challenges:

• Juggling copper smelting (used 2 smelter for this)
• Remember to fill iron in smelters, but not too often. You gotta spend as much time as possible handcrafting, and a trip to the smelters/constructors cost 30-60 seconds.
• Finding time to craft 500 concrete for space elevator. My best guess now is in between rotor handcrafting.
• Remembering what to do when. Notes are super helpful (when I remember to look at them).

So I'm not sure if this was just me filling easter holidays with something fun or if I will be back. This is definitely a fun game to run. So much planning and skill needed. I'm sure this run has a lot of potential. If I come back, however, it should be with a video.