Run Information

Run Information
Completion Date			Jan. 11, 2020
State			Published
Runner			Michael 'arglefumph' Gray
Internal Comments:
Comment State	Information	Checkpoint	None
A copy of the speedrun with my commentary is here: https://youtu.be/VogvKTqnPys I also did a longer video, describing the strategies is more detail: https://youtu.be/R75tKxQp48U By my estimates, I lost about 10 seconds overall, mostly on screwing up the decoder puzzle and the final puzzle room. The game has only two randomized challenges, where I was very successful. I saved about 20 seconds on the drawers puzzle, because I got a layout that was extremely similar to one I had written down. I saved about 9 seconds on the wavelengths puzzle, over my previous best time. There doesn't appear to be a consensus on where the game ends. Some people say it's when the ending credits start, and some people say it's when you click the door to start the ending cutscene. The difference between the two is less than two seconds. The game has multiple loading screens, which I did not take into account when coming up with the time estimate of 29:02.
Links
Verification Thread

Run Comments
"Midnight in Salem" is a lot more linear than previous Nancy Drew games, making it easier to speedrun. As you can see, a good portion of this run is clicking through dialogue options and skipping every cutscene. There are only two randomized challenges, which I good luck on. First is the wavelengths puzzle about 15 minutes in. I did it about 9 seconds faster than normal. Second is the drawers puzzle, about 26 minutes in. I did it about 20 seconds faster than normal, because I lucked out and got a solution that was a near repeat from my last run. The places where I lost time were the decoder puzzle 17 minutes in and the final room with Mei, 27 minutes in. Two glitches are used during the run. First, about 20 seconds in, I double-click on the drawer as it's being opened. For some reason, this skips a phone call with Deirdre. Second, I completely skip the computer puzzle about 20 and a half minutes in, by solving the puzzle before starting the speedrun. The game's short term memory stores the fact that the puzzle has already been solved, so there's no need to solve it again. Too bad it's the only puzzle which can be skipped that way! For those of you wanting a more in-depth explanation of what goes on during the run, you can check out the version with commentary or my video where I do the run at a slower speed: https://youtu.be/R75tKxQp48U

Run Comments

"Midnight in Salem" is a lot more linear than previous Nancy Drew games, making it easier to speedrun. As you can see, a good portion of this run is clicking through dialogue options and skipping every cutscene.

There are only two randomized challenges, which I good luck on. First is the wavelengths puzzle about 15 minutes in. I did it about 9 seconds faster than normal. Second is the drawers puzzle, about 26 minutes in. I did it about 20 seconds faster than normal, because I lucked out and got a solution that was a near repeat from my last run.

The places where I lost time were the decoder puzzle 17 minutes in and the final room with Mei, 27 minutes in.

Two glitches are used during the run. First, about 20 seconds in, I double-click on the drawer as it's being opened. For some reason, this skips a phone call with Deirdre. Second, I completely skip the computer puzzle about 20 and a half minutes in, by solving the puzzle before starting the speedrun. The game's short term memory stores the fact that the puzzle has already been solved, so there's no need to solve it again. Too bad it's the only puzzle which can be skipped that way!

For those of you wanting a more in-depth explanation of what goes on during the run, you can check out the version with commentary or my video where I do the run at a slower speed: https://youtu.be/R75tKxQp48U