If i remember correctly the reason why i loaded an empty file is because once you start a run and beat a level, the next level will stay unlocked in the save game slot until you fully restart the game, which was pretty annoying. As for the settings you mention, another way to "go around it" is starting a new game, changing the settings, leaving the level, then re-selecting new game again (normally), and the settings will remain saved anyways. Personally I don't see this as an issue with either, but there are no real rules regarding this
Alright. I noticed there were no rules set in general so I thought I'd check. The save game makes sense for doing a number of consecutive runs.
It'll be a while before I'm ready to run the game anyway (just got back to it after a long time) but i wanted to make sure I understood what was currently used.
This is indeed no issue.
The game saves ONLY whenever you complete a level. Loading a savefile would have no point, except maybe losing a couple of seconds throughout the entire run due to menueing.
There is one exploit with this, but it doesn't help you a lot. - Rock Raiders tends to save not only the levels, but also the skills that the Rock Raiders have, which allow you to start the first level with fully equipped Raiders. However, since there's plenty of time to train the raiders throughout the run itself, there's no point in having to come fully equipped from the start. Does lift some of the brain power required to memorize stuff.
Do keep in mind that this rule allows you to do "single segment" runs, where it's actually in parts. You could have a backup save just before a level you have a lot of randomization on (Frozen Frenzy, cough, cough) and if it fails, jump to that save and cut out the previous footage. - This is really hard to detect, as the only way to see this is by tracking the mouse cursor on the screen. This can again also be cheated easily with something like a script, which always puts the mouse in a certain position; You do this for just two/three levels and use a unique script for each and taadaa; Magical "single segment" run.
In short; It's hard to confirm whether this has been done (easy to cut out in post-editing, practically cheating) + using it doesn't give you much of a benefit when used correctly, so there's no need to ban it.
P.S.: That's also why I'm not taking the rules very seriously. This category is super easy to cheat in due to the lack of continuity between the previous screen and the menu screen; They're two seperate things.
There is no definition for 100% yet; Except that (in my opinion) it should simply be: "Complete all levels". - The tutorials are not fun & really tedious to an extent where I'd approve a run which doesn't complete the tutorials.
