Unless I've overseen something really obvious it makes few sense to me to differ runs by the platforms. Although 90% of the runs are done via PC it's still weird that PSVita and/or PS3 are seperated from PC runs.
the only thing I can imagine is the loading time between the platforms, aside of that I haven't notice a single difference gameplay-wise between the PSVita version and the PC version (for DR1 and SDR2).
I think you can skip text faster on the PC version compared to the Vita. Dunno about the PS4 version though. I'm going based off my run for DR2, I assume the same could be said for DR1.
If you want me to look into it, I will after the Shots Fired Marathon.
Edit: Loading as you mentioned, is also is a BIG component in speedrunning. Because PC has faster loads compared to handheld and console, they need to be separated because we use RTA.
Edit Edit: Also when I first set up the leaderboards, the game was a vita/psp exclusive. As PC and PS4 got announced, I liked RE4's leaderboards so I decided to mirror it. http://www.speedrun.com/re4
Despite nobody running the handheld and console version, condensing them into one category would still make it unfair, if my text skipping and loading comment is true, for anyone choosing to run those platforms.
I haven't done any indepth testing as I don't have a way to accurately record off PSVita, but there is a noticable (0.5-2 second, if I had to put a number to it) difference in most full loads of areas of the school in Any% for DR1 & 2, a smaller but more consistent difference (~1 second) in major transitions between scenes in Class Trials, and some slight input lag on the Vita version (can't speak to the performance of DR1/2 Reload on PS4 or any version of UDG). I don't think by any means it's impossible for a console runner to achieve top 3 times or even a WR in any category of the game, but they would be at significant enough a disadvantage that they would need an almost perfect run to, for example, beat Smiley's DR1 Class Trials% record.
E: Also, going by my experience with DR2 and UDG casually, running off a cartridge or disc on consoles has enough impact on these load times to the point a digital download would be mandatory to be competitive, IMO. UDG's loadtimes off a cartridge are pretty mediocre.
