Deceax pointed out to me today that the current 100% runs listed on the leaderboard use map glitch to skip the first impact fight. This causes you to go through the whole game without the Triton shell, even though you are seen using the shell in cutscenes, the item never appears in your inventory and is never visible on the pause screen, thereby breaking the rules listed on the leaderboard.

It's my opinion that, first of all, the Triton Shell becomes a mandatory item, as the required gameplay to collect it is very fun and enjoyable to watch and play. I want to believe it was an oversight on the part of the entire community that this item has been skipped in 100% runs in spite of the rules clearly stating that it should be collected and that we can quickly remedy that and see some runs with all the impact fights.

My second thought is that the rules for 100% should be redefined, as they are currently vague and could have their meanings debated. Currently the rules are:

"Timing starts on reset. Timing ends during the white flash when D'etoile explodes. Collect everything on the pause screen and all dolls."

The timing is fine, although, I have been told by Shaf personally, who was a long time WR holder for any%, that he would not care at all if the timing method were adjusted, and that he didn't realize that him and Match (the TASer) had set a standard timing method that would be followed overseas. I personally don't care either, and I'm not suggesting we change the timing method at this time.

What I am suggesting is the second part of the rules. "Collect everything on the pause screen" doesn't clarify that there are items that only temporarily appear on the pause screen. These items are as follows:

Rice balls Helmets Armor Silver Fortune Doll indicator (parts of the doll is filled in as you hold 1/4, 2/4 or 3/4 dolls towards an increase in your health gauge) Red Fish (can hold up to 8 ) Yellow Fish (can hold up to 5) Blue Fish (can hold up to 3)

I may be wrong, but I believe the quantity indicator for the fish maxes out at the number Ushiwaka is requesting. The point is that it's not currently possible to ever be holding everything on the pause screen. It is probably obvious to someone submitting a run that consumable items have no place being required for a 100% run, and there is a precedent for this game not going by the 'if it doesn't come back after you get it, then it counts' standard as castle maps and boss locations are not required.

This skews things even further for someone who is new to the community because the map and boss locations DO appear on the pause screen after pressing Z while paused. A new runner could interpret the current rules as requiring the elephant and arrow in each castle. It would be a pretty boneheaded misinterpretation, but I could totally see it happening.

These are only a few of the things that I see as being wrong with the 100% definition, and the fact that the two runs with video on the leaderboard don't even follow them is enough for me to determine they should be redefined, and the leaderboard should be stripped until someone completes a run that actually follows the rules. I also believe that a video should be provided for Match's run or it should also be removed. I don't know whether it collects the Triton Shell or not.

Here is a tentative suggestion for new 100% rules:

Beat the game with the following:

All Weapons Max Weapon Upgrades All Magic Abilities All Fortune Dolls Triton Shell Gold Key Super Pass Achilles Heel Quality Cucumber All Miracle Items

Listing every required item is much clearer and is what I am seeing in a lot of games for 100% rules lately. Listing miracle items may seem silly since the game isn't beatable without them, but perhaps one day it will be, and we would still want those items collected for 100%.

Please use this thread to discuss your opinions on the current 100% situation, and for the moderators of the game to say whether anything will be done about it. I would be willing to take responsibility if modship was handed to me.

Thanks to everyone who is dedicated to Goemon speedrunning and to all those that have worked on this game in any way shape or form.

Agreed, the 100% run should include triton shell since it's part of the inventory. New rules look good to me as they make the definition of the category unambiguous.