Welcome to the Gossip Stone Podcast!

Created by Emosoda, Chuckles501, Riley2w69t, Chimpanreeve, winniedemon, YoshiKyon, and Ronan_Recordings

Hints, tips and discussion around the Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Randomizer!
Focused primarily (but not exclusively) around the racing scene, we'll go in-depth on various rulesets, settings, news and more from the OOTR community.
Intro and Outro music performed by the Super Soul Bros and composed by Koji Kondo. Super Soul Bros can be found here:
Youtube || Band Camp
Website || Twitch.tv Channel

released on Sat, 20 May 2023

The Gossip Stone Podcast went live before Game 1 of the S6 Grand Finals to preview the match between SeYsEy and Ryuukane! We take a closer look at how both runners got to this point, the challenges they faced along the way, and make some of predictions on what will happen in the big match.

The Ocarina of Time Randomizer Main Season Final: A Preview of SeYsEy vs Ryuukane

Sat, 20 May 2023 -- Episode 37.5

released on Thu, 16 Mar 2023

After being a guest for three consecutive episodes, Chuckles501 has officially been promoted to co-host! Emosoda and Chuckles are joined by guest DubuDeccer to discuss the many tournaments that wrapping up, including Season 6, Challenge Cup, and Multiworld. They also chat about what’s currently going on with weeklies (dungeon entrance rando!) and look ahead to what tournaments are on the horizon.

Resources/Links:
Triforce Blitz S2 Rules

New Weeklies Debate and Tournament News (feat. DubuDeccer)

Thu, 16 Mar 2023 -- Episode 37

released on Sat, 11 Feb 2023

Season 6 is in full swing! Emosoda is joined by third-time guest Chuckles501 to recap quals and chat about how brackets have gone so far. But S6 isn’t the only tournament going on right now! They also cover Challenge Cup groups and RSL S5 Top 8.
Finally, they discuss some ideas for new tournament formats and the meta that has evolved with vanilla adult start.

Resources/Links:
Atz’s classic routing tutorial

Tournament Talk and Meta Musings (feat. Chuckles501)

Sat, 11 Feb 2023 -- Episode 36

released on Thu, 17 Nov 2022

It’s the eve of Season 6, and Gossip Stone Podcast is back to get you hyped for the start of qualifiers. Emosoda is joined by Jimbo and Chuckles501 (two episodes in a row!) to talk about version 6.9, Season 6 settings, and our predictions for how the season will go. Also, we celebrate late November by reflecting on what we’re all thankful for.

Get Hyped For Season 6 (feat. Jimbo & Chuckles501)

Thu, 17 Nov 2022 -- Episode 35

released on Sat, 24 Sep 2022

1, 2, 3...9! Emosoda is joined by guests Jimbo and Chuckles501 as they chat about the plethora of tournaments that have happened since the start of the Summer (Mixed Pools, Triforce Blitz, Season Six, and more!).

Summer Tournament Roundup (feat. Jimbo & Chuckles501)

Sat, 24 Sep 2022 -- Episode 34

released on Sun, 01 May 2022

After a short hiatus, Gossip Stone Podcast is back to discuss everything that’s happened so far in 2022. Emosoda is joined by guests YoshiKyon and DocHeaps as they chat about Season 5 of the main tournament, Season 2 of League, Season 4 of Random Setting League, and all the new features that are in development for the randomizer.

S5, League, & What’s New? (feat. YoshiKyon & DocHeaps)

Sun, 01 May 2022 -- Episode 33

released on Fri, 17 Dec 2021

Emosoda and Chimpanreeve are back with guest Xopar to reflect on how the Random Settings League Season 3 tournament went, including the path of the two runners who made it to Grand Finals. We also discuss what’s changed for RSL Season 4 and how league races have been going so far. Finally, we celebrate the start of Season 5 of the main tournament and chat about how qualifiers have gone so far.

Resources/Links:
RSL Site and Leaderboard
Winnie´s Crazy S5 Predictor (as of Q12)

Random Settings & Rushing Ice – RSL & S5 Quals Recap (feat. Xopar)

Fri, 17 Dec 2021 -- Episode 32

released on Thu, 11 Nov 2021

In this episode, Chimpanreeve and Emosoda are joined by shiroaeli and DobbyDigital to talk about glitches. Specifically, we’re discussing the Dungeon Door Requirement (DDR) glitched racing ruleset. Tune in to learn about what is (and isn’t) allowed in the ruleset, some ideas for where to start when learning glitches, a recap of the first big DDR tournament, and a look ahead to the possible settings for DDR Season 2.

Resources/Links:Pictionary at ZSRMarathon 2021
DDR Season 1 VODs
The 21 Page DDR Settings Document

Dungeon Door Requirement (DDR) Ruleset & Tournament (feat. shiroaeli & DobbyDigital)

Thu, 11 Nov 2021 -- Episode 31

released on Thu, 14 Oct 2021

It’s been a year since the big community shake-up of 2020, so Emosoda and Chimpanreeve invited TreZc0_ back to discuss how things have changed over the past 12+ months. In this community-centric episode, we cover a wide range of topics, including development of the randomizer, leadership, side communities, and volunteers.
We also look ahead to the future, with our goals for the next year and the path to Season 5.

Community Check-Up (feat. TreZc0_)

Thu, 14 Oct 2021 -- Episode 30

released on Thu, 02 Sep 2021

Everyone has to start somewhere! Chimpanreeve and Emosoda sit down with guests felixoide4, DareDevinX, and Aughoti for a chat about ScrubsCentral and the ongoing Scrubs Season 3. We talk about how the Scrub Tournament has evolved over the past few seasons, what considerations went into choosing the settings, and how well the qualifiers have gone this season. We also share our opinions on what skills we think are the most fundamental for new runners, some common pitfalls to avoid, and even reminisce on our own humble tournament origins.
Resources/Links:
ScrubsCentral Discord
RSL Current Weights

ScrubsCentral & Scrubs Season 3 (feat. felixoide4, DareDevinX, & Aughoti)

Thu, 02 Sep 2021 -- Episode 29

released on Wed, 28 Jul 2021

Emosoda and Chimpanreeve are joined by guests Cubsrule21 and Spikevegeta for a long chat about short tournaments! We discuss what makes a tournament “blitz,” what sorts of settings have been used, our experiences with running blitz tournaments, and some ideas for the future. We also have a conversation about OoTR’s inclusion in speedrunning marathons (like GDQ and ESA) and debate: do randomizers count as speedruns?
Blitz Tournament Discord

Blitz Tournaments (feat. Cubsrule21 & Spikevegeta)

Wed, 28 Jul 2021 -- Episode 28

released on Wed, 14 Jul 2021

There’s a lot going on in the OoTR community these days! Hosts Chimpanreeve and Emosoda break down all of the different tournaments that are ongoing, just wrapped up, or are starting soon, and have a frank discussion about what happens when you try to commit yourself to too many of these tournaments at once.

Time Commitment to Rando

Wed, 14 Jul 2021 -- Episode 27

released on Fri, 18 Jun 2021

In this episode, Emosoda and Chimpanreeve sit down with YoshiKyon to discuss the League that kicked off last month. We go over the history of the League, how the League admins managed to sort over 150 participants into 26 divisions, and how things are going within each division. We also discussed the current state of weeklies - what the settings currently are, and what other settings might be considered in the future.

0:03:33 - Weekly Settings Discussion

0:52:13 - Community Tournament Updates

1:06:23 - OoTR League

1:57:02 - Division 8

2:11:36 - Division 7

2:16:56 - Division 6

2:25:58 - Division 5

2:41:36 - Division 4

2:44:20 - Division 3

3:09:33 - Division 2

3:12:12 - Division 1 and Wrap-Up

Weekly Settings and the OoTR League (feat. YoshiKyon)

Fri, 18 Jun 2021 -- Episode 26

released on Sat, 15 May 2021

After five months (and eight podcast episodes!), OoTR Season 4 has finally come to an end. Chimpanreeve and Emosoda are joined by guest MrMario7788 to discuss Grand Finals Game 2, the final match of S4. We also talk about what else is going on in the OoTR community, with a focus on Season 3 of the Random Settings League and a discussion on routing tips/strategies RSL seeds.

Resources/Links:
mracsys’s tracker: https://mracsys.github.io/tootr/
RSL leaderboard: https://rsl-leaderboard.web.app/

S4 Conclusion and RSL Routing (feat. MrMario7788)

Sat, 15 May 2021 -- Episode 25

released on Sat, 10 Apr 2021

Chimpanreeve and Emosoda deliver the first EVER live episode for the podcast where they talked about the Season 4 tournament, the final matchup, and how we got to this point. This was recorded live before Grand Finals Game 2 in front of a twitch.tv audience.

Season 4 Grand Finals: Live!

Sat, 10 Apr 2021 -- Episode 24

released on Fri, 19 Mar 2021

The field has been narrowed from 11 down to 6 in OoTR Season 4, and Emosoda and Chimpanreeve are joined by special guest (and S4 contender) TheSaltySponge to talk about how the latest matches have gone. We cover Winners’ bracket semi-finals, as well as Losers’ bracket rounds 4 and 5, with some in-depth discussions on many of the interesting decisions that the runners have faced, including: ambiguous items on high skull counts, whether it’s worth it to dip GTG on the way to Spirit, and the possibility of skipping Zora’s Domain when you’re one item from go mode.

Season 4 Tournament Recaps - Rounds 4 & 5 (feat. TheSaltySponge)

Fri, 19 Mar 2021 -- Episode 23

released on Fri, 05 Mar 2021

Season 4 is moving forward at a great pace! In this episode, Emosoda and Chimpanreeve get caught up on Rounds 2 and 3, with a focus on the four runners going into Winners’ Round 4 and their journey through the bracket. We also discuss the upcoming match-ups and make some predictions about who might win.

Season 4 Bracket Catch-Up

Fri, 05 Mar 2021 -- Episode 22

released on Sat, 13 Feb 2021

This week on the podcast, Emo and Chimpanreeve are joined by current S4 top 32 contender felixoide4! We discuss all of the first round of top 32 bracket matches for the Season 4 tournament - join us as we discuss plays, make predictions, and have fun talking about the current state of OOTR.

0:00:46 - Intro

0:04:53 - SariasObject vs MrMartin

0:18:01 - DylanMeeble vs DareDevinX

0:31:41 - SeYsEy vs Namaha

0:40:16 - Kevin_818 vs KayzoBro

0:46:41 - Fmzgun129 vs Oneshot013

1:03:08 - Bonooru vs Felixoide4

1:30:53 - PhoenixFeather vs MrMario7788

1:43:50 - RyuuKane vs Zoopal

1:56:09 - Holysparkz vs gsk8

2:03:31 - Riley vs TomPouce

2:17:09 - PinkKittyRose vs Vodzilla

2:27:12 - WTHH vs Readrim

2:37:57 - FantaTanked vs sanzeau

2:44:34 - Marco vs Gavaroni

3:06:41 - Kariossa vs WoodenBarrel

3:17:21 - KCNecro vs TheSaltySponge

3:31:10 - Looking ahead to Round 2

3:33:19 - Challenge Cup

3:37:13 - Outro

Round 1 S4 Tournament Matches Roundup (feat. felixoide4)

Sat, 13 Feb 2021 -- Episode 21

released on Fri, 29 Jan 2021

This week on the podcast, Emo is joined by former co-host Yoshikyon as well as current S4 top 32 contender MrMario7788. We discuss the top 32 bracket for the Season 4 tournament, as well as touching upon Challenge Cup and the ongoing Random Settings League Season 2 bracket.

Season 4 - Post Qualifier (feat. YoshiKyon)

Fri, 29 Jan 2021 -- Episode 20

released on Thu, 17 Dec 2020

We discuss The first 2 quals, the qual that never was, new tricks discovered in the meta and the Random Settings League

S4 and the RSL - WhatTheHell'sHappened? (feat. WTHH)

Thu, 17 Dec 2020 -- Episode 19

released on Thu, 26 Nov 2020

We discussed the differences introduced with the new Season 4 settings compared to the old Season 3 settings - we also took a look at some of the first weekly races that used these new settings for the upcoming Season 4 tournament! Feel free to post your feedback on the #gossip-stone-podcast channel here in Discord - we are always looking to improve each and every episode. Thank you to everyone for listening - I hope you enjoy this week's episode.

Season 4: What's new? (feat. Chimpanreeve & Gavaroni)

Thu, 26 Nov 2020 -- Episode 18

released on Thu, 13 Aug 2020

An episode a long time in the making! YoshiKyon & Emosoda are joined by the one and only, TreZc0, to discuss the changes currently taking place within the OOTR community and how they'll impact on all of us. We go in-depth on what can be done from the back-end to get people more invested, how everyone else in the community can take steps to get more involved, and what changes need to happen to keep the community thriving.
Whether or not there's a next episode depends on the reaction to this one - we're looking for more people to help out, especially with audio editing - so if you like what you're hearing, let us know, and thanks for listening (hopefully not for the last time!)

Community Patchup - Next Steps & How to Get Involved (feat. TreZc0_)

Thu, 13 Aug 2020 -- Episode 17

released on Wed, 10 Jun 2020

The Ocarina of Time Randomizer community is always developing new ways to play! This week, Emosoda and Chimpanreeve are joined by DylanMeeble to discuss the newly-formed OOTR Co-op Tournament, in which two players have to work together to complete a seed. It adds a new level of planning to the gameplay, and some exciting new strategies as well!
For the first time in Gossip Stone history, we did not include our normal weekly race recaps. Please let us know your thoughts on this if you have them!

Competitive Cooperation

Wed, 10 Jun 2020 -- Episode 16

released on Wed, 27 May 2020

This...is definitely a do-not-miss episode. Yoshi and Riley are joined by Alaszun, one of the organizers for the inaugural OOTR Multiworld 'Squads' Tournament.
In this episode, get a behind the scenes look at what went in to putting together and executing this exciting, new, and unique competition, hear about a variety of fun and memorable moments from the tournament, and listen to some thoughts on what a potential second tournament might look like.

Terminus Tournamentus™: Multiworld Tournament Edition

Wed, 27 May 2020 -- Episode 15

released on Wed, 13 May 2020

Many entered, 32 selected, and one brand new reigning OOTR champion. After months of jet seeds, AD seeds, highs, lows, and memorable moments, the Season 3 OOTR Standard Tournament has come to a memorable end.
Join Yoshi, Riley, Emosoda, and our new (!) Gossip Stone host Chimpanreeve as they analyze the tournament from all angles: noteworthy races, the Grand Finals race between Bonooru and Marco, and some insights from two members of the inaugural Chamber of Sages.

Terminus Tournamentus: Season 3 Standard Wrap-up

Wed, 13 May 2020 -- Episode 14

released on Wed, 29 Apr 2020

YoshiKyon and Riley are joined by Cola to discuss your options as a player once you move into the mid-game: what do you actively need to be doing to beat the seed, and what's the best way to get to that point? These are decisions that can often make or break a race setting, so choose wisely!

Progression Report: Mid-game Routing

Wed, 29 Apr 2020 -- Episode 13

released on Wed, 08 Apr 2020

After 3 months of intense brackets matches, we are left with the final remaining competitors in Season 3 of the OOTR Standard Tournament.
YoshiKyon, Riley, and Emosoda take a look back at the progression of the tournament that got us to where we stand today, and offer some insights and predictions into the remaining matchups.

Season 3 Tournament: The Final(s) Countdown

Wed, 08 Apr 2020 -- Episode 12

released on Wed, 25 Mar 2020

Yoshi, Riley, and Emo discuss the latest weeklies and Season 3 matches, and Xopar joins us to talk about the wonderful fun of playing seeds with randomized settings.

Randomized Settings (feat. Xopar)

Wed, 25 Mar 2020 -- Episode 11

released on Wed, 11 Mar 2020

Yoshi and Emo talk about metagaming and how it should or shouldn't affect you in a rando race. This discussion is preceded by analysis of weekly community races, as well as recent Season 3 Standard Tournament matches.

Metagaming

Wed, 11 Mar 2020 -- Episode 10

released on Wed, 04 Mar 2020

Yoshi, Emo and Doc go through various little overworld strats and optimizations for the Standard ruleset not used as often by the racing and casual player base! Here is the Google Document for all the strats discussed in this episode!

This discussion is preceded by analysis of weekly community races, as well as recent Season 3 Standard Tournament matches.

Strats and Optimizations (Overworld Episode)

Wed, 04 Mar 2020 -- Episode 9

released on Wed, 26 Feb 2020

YoshiKyon and Riley are joined by Zelda Speedruns staff and OOTR moderator Cubsrule21 to discuss the largest to-date multiworld seed that occurred in late February, 2020. Cubs shines light on the intense logistical challenges that came with organizing and executing such an ambitious event.
Yoshi and Riley share their experiences of the event from the player's perspective. This discussion is preceded by a recap of recent Season 3 Tournament matches, as well as our Rando Recap of the weekly OOTR community races.

Multiworld Madness: The (almost) 200-player Extravaganza (feat. Cubsrule21)

Wed, 26 Feb 2020 -- Episode 8

released on Wed, 19 Feb 2020

Yoshi, Emo and Riley go through various little dungeon strats and optimizations for the Standard ruleset not used as often by the racing and casual player base! Here is the Google Document for all the strats discussed in this episode!

This discussion is preceded by analysis of weekly community races, as well as recent Season 3 Standard Tournament matches.

Strats and Optimizations (Dungeons Episode)

Wed, 19 Feb 2020 -- Episode 7

released on Thu, 13 Feb 2020

Riley, Emosoda, and special guest TheSaltySponge discuss the differences, advantages, and disadvantages of the two most popular ways to play OOTR:
Wii Virtual Console vs. emulators such as RetroArch and BizHawk.

As a veteran of all play methods, TheSaltySponge offers his thoughts and expertise, as well as some recommendations for various types of players. Riley and Emosoda are seasoned emulator users who flex their powerful PCs. This discussion is preceded by analysis of weekly community races, as well as recent Season 3 Standard Tournament matches.

Console Wars: OoTR Edition (feat. TheSaltySponge)

Thu, 13 Feb 2020 -- Episode 6

released on Wed, 05 Feb 2020

YoshiKyon, Emosoda, and Riley discuss the namesake of the Gossip Stone podcast - the Gossip Stone and the hints they provide! Following the recap and analysis of recent Season 3 Tournament matches, listen in for a deep dive into various hint settings, their effect on routing and gameplay, and thoughts on current and previous standard hint distributions.

Hints: The Way of the Hero

Wed, 05 Feb 2020 -- Episode 5

released on Wed, 29 Jan 2020

Yoshi, Soda & guest Whatthehellshappened call back to last week's episode, taking the opening routes and adapting them for a whole host of settings, from the fairly minor (Shuffle Gerudo Card) to the extreme (full Entrance Randomizer). Plus, our usual recap of the weeklies and Season 3 tournament races!

Opening Routes: Variety Edition (feat. WTHH)

Wed, 29 Jan 2020 -- Episode 4

released on Wed, 22 Jan 2020

Soda, Riley & Yoshi discuss the main opening routes - 3-Song, Early Adult, and variations on them - and the strengths and weaknesses of each, detailing preferences and what it takes to move away from those preferences.

Opening Routes and When to Use Them

Wed, 22 Jan 2020 -- Episode 3

released on Wed, 15 Jan 2020

Yoshi & Riley are joined by special guest LostThePirate to talk about how to get involved in OOTR commentary, as well as some thoughts and advice on improving (both general and specific to the Ocarina of Time Randomizer). Plus, our weekly recaps and a catch-up on Season 3 Tournament races!

OoTR Commentary: Dos, Don'ts and Hows

Wed, 15 Jan 2020 -- Episode 2

released on Wed, 08 Jan 2020

The first episode of the Gossip Stone - an Ocarina of Time Randomizer podcast - is here! Riley, Emosoda & YoshiKyon bring you the latest on the Season 3 Tournament, all the way from the first qualifiers to the most recent matches. Plus, a recap of the NA and EU weekly races from this past weekend.

Season 3 Tournament Recap & Analysis

Wed, 08 Jan 2020 -- Episode 1