Run starts:

1. When the gravel lands text fades in (Current method)
2. On first input (You would no longer be allowed to move before the game fully loads in and your character is visible)

Run ends:

1. When the options for entering the next layer appear
2. As soon as the options for entering the next layer disappear (Current method)

(runs currently on the leaderboards affected will be retimed)

I think first input is better for run start. It can also give you a bit of time to look around outside the pod so you dont rush out and fall off a cliff off rip.

For run end, it would depend on how the game works (I dont really pay much attention at the end of a layer). Ending on when the option to enter the nex layer sounds nore intuitive to me, but if you can still move around while the option is on screen then it should end after you click it/it disappears.

I'd also like to suggest that for multi-layer runs, the timer pauses in between the time for the previous layer ending and the next layer starting to eliminate people with better hardware having an advantage with loading times.

For the start of each layer's timing: I think that the first frame the layer text is visible would be best as it's very easy to find and is also about when you gain control of your character. First input can get a bit iffy as it would invalidate normal runs that would otherwise have no reason to be invalidated, and without the invalidation condition it's still unclear on when exactly the game starts receiving your inputs. It also seems a bit arbitrary as in-game time DOES pass even when you don't do any inputs.

For the end of each layer's timing: I think that the best time to end each layer's timing would be on the first frame the next layer button is held down, as the time for the options to fade out from that only changes from the lag a player experiences. For ending timing when the options appear, this is going back to the problem of run timing being independent from in-game time as if you end the timing on the first frame the options appear, time can still pass between when they do appear and when the next layer button is pressed. And that might be abused to, say for example, recover from injuries that would otherwise ruin the next layer's time.

Additionally, for ending layers with drill pods: I think it would be better if runs where split into two categories: with drill pods, and without drill pods. Drill pods are very RNG based, as you need to either directly get the metal alloy or get the materials to craft it. AND THEN find a drill pod after that. It would feel unfair to have runs that go all the way down the layer to be counted in the same category as runs that happen to have a metal alloy and drill pod within the first 50 meters.

Ok here's what the rules will now be regarding timing:

The run starts on the first frame the Gravel lands text is visible

The run ends as soon as the options for entering the next layer are visible

as for the ending time abuse the reason I'm not worried about it being abused with the passage of time is because even if you use it to heal an injury before the next layer it will still count towards the time of that layer because a layer 2 run isn't just layer 2's time it's layer 2 and layer 1's time combined all it would be changing is instead of spending 3 extra seconds on layer 1 you would be spending 3 extra seconds on layer 2

the rules will be updated shortly and a drill category or subcategory will be added soon