Frequently Asked Questions
Why are you doing this?
Cameron got the idea from watching a similar event online one evening. In just a few short hours, he watched a group of like-minded people raise over 500 dollars for an excellent cause. And they were doing something they enjoy in the process. Inspired, he thought of how much he himself can raise if he stretched this concept to its limits. By testing our endurance we hope to raise the bar for what an event like this can accomplish. We think there is something to be said for the power of a group rallying behind generosity and we intend to see just how much we as a group are able to give back. Additionally, this should be a pretty ballin news story ;)
What is Childsplay?
Childsplay is a charity organization started in 2003. It was originally created in response to allegations by a few not-so-unbiased politicians that nothing good has ever come from video games. A massive community of gamers headed by Penny Arcade mobilized in an amazingly short period of time to form what is now one of the largest contributors to children’s charity. With a community of over 100,000 gamers, backed by many corporate sponsors like Valve, Harmonix, Bungie, and Microsoft, Childsplay has donated over 2 million dollars worth of toys, books, games, and money to hospitals across the world.
How will my money get to Childsplay?
We will be using a secure Internet service called Chipin to collect donations. This program will send money directly to Childsplay’s PayPal account and you will receive a PayPal receipt for tax write off purposes. We won’t even touch the money; all of it goes directly to charity. However, we are aware that not everyone wanting to donate may have access to a credit card, and Cameron is investigating alternate payment methods. If you have ideas of different ways to contribute, please notify me with the email form on the Contact Us tab on this site.
What will you be using to stream the footage?
At this point, we plan on using ustream.tv
How good are you at these games?
I believe all of us have played and beaten just about every game on the list and we’ve been practicing them in the months leading up to the event. Don’t expect pro-speedrunners though.
What version of these games will you be playing?
Super Mario 64 will be played using the downloadable Virtual Console versionon the Wii. Both The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask will be played on the GameCube release: The Legend of Zelda: Collector’s Edition Disk. Super Mario Sunshine will be played on the GameCube. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess will be the Wii edition and finally, Super Mario Galaxy is also on the Wii.
Will you be using any hacks or game exploits to reduce the time it takes you to complete these games? (Will any game be tool-assisted?)
No.
Will you be using any gaming guides to find all the secrets?
NO! This is all going be done from memory, practice, and nostalgia! There is much we know as a group, however, we NEED your help in the chat room! We can’t use guides, but that does not mean you guys can!
Why are you not playing Wind Waker?
We have had alot of mixed reasons for this game, and we may have considered it, however, we felt the total number of games was plenty enough to last us our goal of 110 hours and that many of us aren't as familiar with Wind Waker without it becoming an extreme act of masochism.
What order will you be playing the games in?
The order of their release, which is:
Super Mario 64 |
Released: September 26, 1996 |
|---|---|
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time |
Released: November 23, 1998 |
The Legend of Zelda: Majora Mask |
Released: October 26, 2000 |
Super Mario Sunshine |
Released: August 26, 2002 |
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess |
Released: November 19, 2006 |
Super Mario Galaxy |
Released: November 12, 2007 |
Do you have a plan to stay awake during this?
We have a set plan where each of us will rotate between playing, interacting with the audience, and sleeping. This way we can avoid undue stress by cramming any one role. The real challenge is going to be staying entertaining enough to keep YOU guys awake! (Which we will, by the way)
Do you really think this is doable?
I sure hope so, eh?
How can I help?
Promote, donate, and watch. Tell EVERYONE you know and help us advertise on any websites you can think of. We need to get the word out. The more viewers we get, the donations we get, and in the end, that means more money and toys for the hospitals. Speaking of which, DONATE! Even if you can only give us one cent, if it helps us towards our goal, WE’LL TAKE IT! Every dollar counts! And finally, watch us! We’re not going to be using any guides on these games, so if you can help us out we NEED you! And it’s always nice to receive your words of encouragement. It can mean the difference between fulfilling our goal, and calling it quits at hour 80.
If this goes well, will you be doing more marathons in the future?
We are definitely keeping that possibility open.
Won’t your Wii overheat?
We’ll be switching between 2 Wii consoles and an actual GameCube as the marathon progresses to prevent this from happening.
How do I run my own marathon?
GameMarathons has an excellent guide on this subject at http://gamemarathons.com/howto.htm
How do I setup a website for my own marathon?
You can use the email form on the contact page, and Dylan can help you with any web site problems you may run into. If you are looking for a good host, we recommend 000 Webhost.
I have a question that wasn’t answered here!
Use the email form on the Contact Us tab on this website and one of us will get you an answer as quick as possible.
