@Bilka That's a very good point. Custom maps I could probably get on board with to be honest, but debug options... That's a much harder pill to swallow.

If I continue with argument that using "everything the game legitimately offers" as my basis for arguing my point, I run into the issues you raise about the debug options. I don't honestly think I can maintain my position.

@AntiElitz You also make a good point about the idea that blueprints are in effect an external save file, which if included, should be part of the timed run. That would obviously negate the benefits. I wouldn't suggest that loading a save file right before a rocket launches is in any way an any% run, clearly you should start from the beginning on the save file. But, as you point out, blueprints are external save files, just in a slightly different form.

In that regard, does using a particular map generated seed also count as a save file though? I see this as a grey area where in terms of "is this a saved game?" it goes [map seed] < [blueprints] < [save game right before launch]. There's a scale there, and at the moment it seems that the decision to allow map seeds is as far as people want to go. Blueprints are probably the next step along that scale, and as you point out are getting a little dubious about whether they should be allowed.

@All Honestly after reading the last two posts I don't think I can put my foot down and say blueprints should be allowed any more. They both raise very valid points, and I think that sums it up.

@Yivry Aye you make a point about the system is being used, just that you're limited to blueprints you create during that save. However, that means that part of the system is being removed, going against what I would consider a true any%.

Your suggestion of having pictures to one side is a good one, and might make up for the fact you have to remember every detail. Offloading that to either external blueprints or a printed picture is actually pretty similar.

I still believe, however, that an any% speed run should take full advantage of all legitimate game mechanics. That explicitly includes all of the blueprint features! I feel that if there is a limitation put onto how you play the game, it's no longer an any% category, and something else... maybe an "any% no external blueprints" category, same rules as any%, except in this one you can't use external blueprints.

Just consider some of the speed run categories for other titles, they frequently have categories for "any% glitchless" and "100% no save games" and such things. A speed run category which excludes features on other games are categories of their own.

@macros42 Thanks for the rapid response. I didn't realise that NewGame+ existed until you pointed it out! I can understand why people skip it, it's off "to the side" where no one goes! People would rather do the any% run to get the glory.

It still seems odd to me that blueprints are disallowed though in an any% run. "any%" to me says you can do anything including glitches and in-game settings, anything that the game allows you to do without cheating.

It strikes me as obvious that blueprints should be part of an any% run, and a category for no blueprints is the extra category, rather than the other way around.

I've just begun to get interested in doing an any% speedrun, so I read up on the rules. After spending the last week designing blueprints for the run, I found that blueprints are not allowed during "any%" speedrunning.

This strikes me as strange, because after all it's an "any%" run! Blueprints are a part of the game, and an integral part of designing a base.

I'm proposing to change the rules to allow blueprints in any%.

Pros:

• More complex base designs are possible due to being able to invest time in designing them, and being able to reproduce those builds during gameplay.
• It allows people with poor memory talent to take part. Those who cannot remember every grid square of their finished base should not be penalised.
• It would make for more interesting final designs for people to see come into fruition.
• All those hours spent designing late-game builds won't be put to waste!

Cons:

• You could in theory blueprint every single part of your base, meaning the game is more of a "game on rails" than a dynamic play through.
• For those that wish to retain WR status without using blueprints there would need to be a new category "any% no blueprints" specifically for them.

Are there reasons why we can't use blueprints that I'm not aware of?

Thanks!