UPDATE: Rules have now been updated.
ORIGINAL:
I am working on an update to the rules for the Any% (No Skips). The goal is not to actually change the rules, but rather to add clarity to the existing rules. Ideally, this will help to both make the category more accessible to new runners and make the category easier to moderate.
I'd like to get feedback about all aspects of this! Does it actually make the rules clearer? Are there any rules that still don't make sense? Is it too wordy? Have I overlooked something?
I'd especially like to make 100% certain that the modified rules 1) don't accidentally ban anything used in any existing runs and 2) don't accidentally ALLOW anything that was previously banned (even implicitly). Thanks for your help!
I'm also compiling a list of specific examples (with video clips) of tricks that are and are not allowed under these rules, but I haven't finished that yet.
Without further ado, here is the proposed re-write:
Formerly known as Glitchless. Beat the game without using glitches or other tricks to skip meaningful portions of the game. Accidentally using a skip or glitch is acceptable ONLY IF no unfair advantage is gained; any accidentally-skipped section MUST be replayed correctly (e.g. by dying intentionally) for the run to be considered valid.
Runs require a video to be deemed verifiable.
Control rules:
- Turbo/Autofire and tricks that require pressing opposing directional buttons simultaneously (up+down or left+right) are banned. These can provide an unfair advantage over using an official controller.
Category rules:
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Do not use glitches/exploits to travel through solid walls or barriers. These exploits include (but are not limited to) the "single-frame tap" method, preserving velocity from moving platforms to carry Klonoa through walls and barriers, and using giant moos to squeeze through nearby unintended gaps. NOTE: This does NOT apply to "solid" objects that can simply be walked through normally, including doors DURING their opening animation.
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Do not carry, squeeze, or grab enemies through unintended doorways or barriers, i.e. those where enemies normally do not fit.
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Do not throw enemies through unintended geometry to hit targets earlier than intended, including the vine walls in vision 3-1.
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Do not enter rooms blocked by key doors without first using a key to open the door.
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Do not travel between separate rooms except through intended doorways.
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Do not travel to "unreachable" areas of the SAME room earlier than intended. "Unreachable" areas include paths/planes that are entirely off-screen and can only be reached by unintended triple jumps, require heavily exploiting enemy re-spawn positions to reach, or can only be reached directly by checkpoint/death abuse. NOTE: This rule does NOT generally apply to using smaller unintended DOUBLE jumps between paths/planes, jumps where the target path is visible onscreen, or damage abuse that would be readily understood by a casual player.
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Do not traverse "out-of-bounds" regions (areas that are not intended to be reachable at all).
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Please contact the moderators/discord before submitting a run that uses ANY method to skip a meaningful portion of intended gameplay (especially something not used in other runs in this category), even if it's not covered by the above rules. This is simply to help avoid the use of newly-discovered skips or "loopholes" that are likely to violate the spirit of this category.
Emulation rules:
- For CD loading speed, maximum allowed values are : - 2x (Quad Speed) for DuckStation ||| - 4x for Retroarch/Beetle. If you've played on a PS2, please indicate on the same field if you've used the Fast Disk Speed feature. If not, just choose --- as a value. NOTE: If you're running on the emulators that are allowed to be used with a modified disc speed, it is strongly recommended that you show proof of the setting used somewhere in the footage of the run to make verification easier. Runs with allowed loading speeds will not be rejected simply for forgetting to show this, but runs with loading times faster than what is obtainable on official hardware WILL be rejected.
Timing rules:
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Timing starts upon the first frame the player starts moving, after getting past the beginning cutscene of the first Vision.
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Timing ends upon the first frame of Nahatomb's last health bar breaking up into pieces, after decreasing to zero.
