Diablo: Three-minute World Record Proven False after 13 Years
In a groundbreaking investigation, a team of Diablo speedrun enthusiasts has irrefutably demonstrated the fabrication of a three-minute any% world record that has stood unchallenged since 2009.
Reverse-Engineering the Map Generation System
The effort involved reverse-engineering Diablo's complex map generation system, boasting an astronomical 2.2 billion possible legitimate outputs.
Origin and Suspicions
The contested speedrun was uploaded to Speed Demos Archive by Maciej "groobo" Maselewski in March 2009. Its exceptionally favorable level layouts, including close proximity of key objectives, raised suspicions.
MapGen Tool Analysis
The Diablo mapgen tool, developed by Matthew Petroff, meticulously mapped out dungeon layouts, item distribution, and exits. It confirmed that the advantageous conditions experienced by groobo were statistically improbable within Diablo's valid date range.
Manipulations Beyond Allowed Exploits
Despite groobo's claims of relying solely on luck and skill, the tool revealed manipulations extending beyond authorized exploits, such as manipulation of game assets outside the legitimate seed range.
Invalidation and Ongoing Controversy
Groobo's three-minute run has been removed from Speed Demos Archive, but remains available on YouTube for historical purposes. However, the Guinness Book of World Records still lists it as the "fastest completion of an RPG videogame."
Negative Impact on Speedrunning
The alleged cheating has had a chilling effect on speedrunning the category, discouraging attempts and potentially stunting its growth.
New "Seeded" Run Category
The mapgen tool has inspired a new "seeded" run category, where players deliberately select advantageous layouts from the legitimate seed range.