If you're talking about multiplayer, Pinstripe has the same/similar stats. If you can't pick him either, Dingo/Tiny/Papu are the next best choice (Dingo especially, due to having the smallest screen presence), followed by an all-arounder and then the turning type as Rob assumed.

It has recently come to our (my) attention that different platforms of running the game have vastly different lag, and this heavily impacts certain time attack routes. In the interest of fair competition, I am proposing the following changes to the time attack section:

1. PS1/PS2 and PS3/Emulator subcategories This has the effect of keeping the laggy versions together and unbanning emulator with its incorrect lag emulation. Emulation would still be at a disadvantage here, and could potentially be split off into its own category. PSTV and Vita would be categorized under 'laggy' and 'lagless' after further testing. Different PS2 models do vary slightly, but this is a matter of frames instead of tenths.

2. Reasoning eednob has obtained several timestops on PS3 beyond what is even possible on PS2. Hot Springs yielded a 2.37 on the third attempt, where the best known PS2 start is 2.38 out of thousands of starts. Dexter's Island was more obscene, quickly getting a 3.52 when the best ever PS2 start is 3.72, a full 0.2 difference. To me, this is too much for the versions to be compared.

However, I do not want this decision to be seen as protecting "my" records, even though this is half true. Let me quote myself from earlier today in the Discord. : [1:43 AM] IHNN: Is it bad that I feel like the fairest thing to do is also the thing that advantages me the most? [1:43 AM] IHNN: (subcat for PS1/PS2 and subcat for PS3/Emu) [1:43 AM] eednob: I don't think we should do that [1:44 AM] eednob: But, I can see how you feel that way [1:44 AM] IHNN: I'm too invested in this to step back and make an actually objective decision [1:44 AM] IHNN: But I still feel like I'd want that split even if I came along with PS3 to beat existing times [1:45 AM] parsoFish: egh it feels so bad splitting official hardware [1:45 AM] IHNN: (would also allow unbanning emu from time attacks- less lag means no problem when compared with even LESS lag) [1:45 AM] parsoFish: if im honest [1:46 AM] IHNN: Like I feel like if it's split it's because I don't want my times getting beaten, which is half true [1:46 AM] IHNN: I don't mind if they're beaten [1:46 AM] IHNN: I just don't want it to be because of hardware putting a worse played time on top/skewing things ... [2:07 AM] eednob: Ps3 isn't really fair

So, I turn the discussion over to the community. What are your thoughts?

Reposting my comments from the Sprash Discord here for archiving/easy viewing purposes.

[1:15 PM] IHNN: I would lean against allowing it for RTA- I found a similar skip in a flash game a few years back that relied on data from the current play session [1:16 PM] IHNN: Reasoning: you're playing the game with the intent to manipulate values for the run, THEN starting the timer [1:16 PM] IHNN: So gameplay that directly affects the run isn't timed, and that rubs me the wrong way [1:16 PM] IHNN: For a TAS, it could go either way but they generally prefer from a completely clean slate- no pre-prepared data/savestate/etc. [1:17 PM] IHNN: (again, I'd lean against it just because it's cutting out gameplay from save manipulation) [1:17 PM] IHNN: Also- say down the line a similar skip is discovered, same method, but it puts you right at the end of the game. Would that be allowed? [1:18 PM] IHNN: It's one of those slippery slope arguments- IIRC Twilight Princess has a back in time glitch (or was it Skyward Sword?) that, with save data, can beat the game in 10-15 minutes

Because it's 4 seconds slower than your 3P run in the same category.

Most people go with Coco because they prefer her model and sounds. Hitboxes are the same, but N. Gin's half missile can block vision especially when compared to how short Coco is.

Watch the video slowed down and note what things are collected, then play through collecting those things. The route for Jacques changes depending on how many gems were collected up to that point.

I wouldn't mind trading my (moderate) ability at VVVVVV to become instantly better at Final Fantasy 9. Though, that's less because of the likely intended reasons, and more because getting better at VVVVVV was FUN and I wouldn't mind being able to go through the learning process again. FF9 would take a while to get good at, so this would shortcut that process.

Let's see... so far my 2 biggest improvements have been Chip's Challenge Level Pack 1, from an 8:38:28 blind run to 4:35:14 second run, after having heavily worked on its ILs. That's a 4:03:14 improvement, longer than many runs get.

My biggest improvement though has been with FF9 "insanity%", on my third run- 39:10:01 first, 35:53:28 second, and 29:25:56 third. 6:27:32 is the second improvement there- with the first one being 3:16:33.

I've also had a couple other nice 'second run' improvements- CC1 dropped from 6:21:54 to a 5:04:52 (1:17:02 improvement), and CC2 has the potential to drop almost 10 hours from my winning blind race time of 13:26:08. Haven't practiced that at all yet, but once I have the puzzle solutions down I expect a time somewhere in the 3-5 hour range. What a difference knowing the solutions to 200 levels going in makes!

Yeah no that's definitely a bug. Having "Any" appear selected while also only showing runs under a specific set of filters (the default) is not the way it should be.

IL page: http://prnt.sc/dlgt5f Specific page: http://prnt.sc/dlgtau After clicking "Any": http://prnt.sc/dlgteg

I could believe the IL table only showing the default set of categories is intended, but it still feels like there should be a further measure of control there- or it defaults to only showing the fastest, which it does not currently do.

I didn't mean which person would end up on top- I meant which character would end up used for each level.

If you want splash damage, Anna's Gaia Blossom fits the bill- but as mentioned, Bullet Hell wins for spread (it has no splash damage or piercing). edit: I did some testing of Anna/Gaia Blossom and Lance/Cluster Bomb. Anna's shot and bomb work the same as Dry NoLegs, making the comparison Gaia Blossom vs. Bullet Hell. Bullet Hell proved only marginally more effective at dealing with groups of small foes and Gaia Blossom marginally more effective at dealing with stronger foes. Overall? Looks like a wash.

I don't think the difference is quite 5 minutes- probably less than 1 minute after the Anna testing. But you are correct that it is a sizable difference. Any% and NG+ will remain split then- though it does have the unfortunate consequence of separating any full-game runs done currently. I might just have to do a run on the web version just to directly compare...

We'll see who comes out on top after I go through the rest of the ILs. I don't remember too much of worlds 4-6 since in my first playthrough, I played the first 3 worlds a lot going for 3 star ranks, gave up on that in W3 and kept the first 1 star I got after that point. Had no trouble with that stretch of the game so I don't remember it too well, while the end I did struggle to get star ranks on sometimes.

The big advantage of the Titan Blade is that is hits everything in front of you instantly for a decent chunk of damage- it pierces. Bullet Hell doesn't, but can hit both sides of the screen at the same time. Lance can do it with his bomb item for (I think) more damage and piercing, but with tougher timing. Anna can hit both sides with her default shot and pretty much any sub-weapon.

I don't think any given character is 100% the best option for anything (other than Natalie for speedkilling bosses) and since that's the only (gameplay) difference between base and expansion, I had thought they should be merged for categories where that's the case... but that could be taken as me adjusting the rules to give me an advantage, so I figured I'd ask for other opinions before doing so.

Currently, the Expansion and Base Game are split on all full game categories, and merged for all IL categories. This thread is meant to get an idea for if that's how it should be.

I'll start with the easiest- 100% and 100% No Heavenly Requirement have slightly different definitions based on if you're playing the base game or the expansion. These two are staying split no matter what, as the goal changes, not just the route.

Any% and Any% NG+, then, are currently split. But should they be? The difference seems to be the same as for the ILs, where the two are merged. As far as I can tell, the only difference for these categories is that Dry NoLegs, Slime Bunny and Phyrnna are options to use. Does such a small difference warrant a full category split, or just a variable filter to show which runs were on which version?

I believe some ILs are advantaged by using the expansion version, which in turn would give both Any% categories a small overall advantage- but this is still a smaller difference than platform differences in other games.

Personally, especially given the fact that there have been 2 run submitters so far, anything that allows direct comparisons should- so I would be in favor of the any%/NG+ category split being dropped to a variable filter, like with the ILs.

IN SUMMARY: I'm considering moving the base/expansion subcategory for the any% categories into just a filter, depending on other opinions

I submitted it on your behalf- my best guess would be you didn't set the difficulty to Heavenly on the submission page. http://prntscr.com/djengu (from edit run on my run)

Current solution: Player split is a category for any%, any% NG+ and ILs. It is not a split for either completion category, due to the medals requiring multiple players. If it turns out mattering, a split can be added later but I don't believe it will be. 100% is difficult enough that only a few dozen people have met the requirement casually, and the no heavenly requirement version, though much easier, will still probably have less interest than any% or the ILs.

Difficulties: Runs are not obsoleted across subcategories- the way the site handles ILs with subcategories is that it only shows the time for default settings (currently 1P, normal, no cheats) on the level leaderboard page and your profile. Other runs are not considered obsolete and can be viewed by going to the page in question- for example, go to World 1, Level 1, Heavenly (and make sure Expansion runs are showing) and you'll find that I have a 1:08 there currently. Under normal, I have an 0:58. Neither is considered obsolete.

This doesn't really save much time, but it does make 100% easier:

Damage +10%, Damage +15%, One Heart Mode and 8 diamonds is enough to get a 1 star rank on Akron. Matt + Holy Swords shreds through most of the patterns without much dodging required.

My approach was to perfect waves 1-7 (with 5 and 7 being trouble spots), bomb wave 8 if a burst goes off near me, capture 9 and bomb 10 if I have any bombs left at this point. Waves 11 and 12 are both doable for me, albeit with some difficulty, so messing up on wave 5 or 7 isn't instantly fatal to the attempt. After a few A ranks from getting 7 diamonds, I finally got the main part of the fight correct and went on to clear wave 11, and wave 12 my first time ever facing it for a 2 star rank and global 14th.

Still tough to star Akron on Heavenly, but that's way easier than needing 7 diamonds with no cheats/handicaps.

Conceded on 10 million but not on 5 million. http://prntscr.com/di6gf3

Matt, Titan Blade, 1-1, all handicaps except Pacifist on.

The short-lived "50%" category has been changed to "100% No Heavenly Requirement" and placed under Misc. categories.

The goal here is to have a category that captures what 100% is, without the obscene difficulty and the money grinding removing these medals would add. As usual, this is subject to change if a better definition can be found.

Phyrnna only needs to beat 3 bosses, Natalie needs 2,000 graze. I figured that it'd be better to double up the grazing with the pacifist part of the run, since you have to do 5 levels and at least one boss.

I'll go mess with Natalie vs. Akron though, see if the damage rushing makes getting a star rank easier. edit: it doesn't, especially because the method requires tanking hits and you need diamonds for a good rank. In turn, that also makes the strategy useless for earlier bosses because, well, you need that star rank!

There's less grinding than you'd think for 100% (at least, for the expansion version)- unlocking everything costs 385,000 coins. Collecting every medal (except the one for all cheats/handicaps) requires 100,000 from enemies and awards 275,000 total- that's only 10,000 left to make up.

Survival levels also give a lot of coins- I don't know what the best way of farming coins is, but I suspect if I ever make an attempt, that won't be an issue.

Getting a star rank on Akron on Heavenly will -_-