For anyone reading this forum post in the future, I made a guide for TAS cycle with blue shell so check that out if you’re interested

I don’t see how we'd need to split the leaderboard into two when you consider how RNG-intensive it is even with 1-2 manip; some people might go for your ES strat if they’re desperate for WR or sub 23:10, but I don’t see that many places(at least the ones that I know of) in w8 where mini is significantly faster than shell. Sure, we can take the time to look through w8 mini strats, but even then this is a very risky route, and frankly I don’t see many people going for this— even top players. You say that 1/18 RNG isn’t as bad as 1/144, but a 1/18 is only slightly better than 5%, which I think isn’t worth grinding for unless there’s an OVERWHELMING advantage in ES route besides time save. Very nice discovery regardless, I sense a new route coming soon

Damn

Exactly correct, but your method requires changing the date and time, right? What I’m trying to figure out is a setup that is reliable enough for original game that doesn’t require those extra steps. My method actually seems to converge to about 60% success rate without changing settings, whereas yours is about 80% success with a little bit of setup beforehand. Date and time manip would be no doubt better than a 60% if it were 100% consistent, but since it’s not, I don’t see much difference in efficiency when you consider the hassle of going into the menu for every reset.

Has anyone ever pulled off the 8-C strat from Hartmann's TAS in real time? I’m talking about the 12:13 mark where he keeps sliding on the moving platform before grabbing the rope. It doesn’t seem like he’s using the shell super speed, so it could be a potential time save

Hmmm, alrighty then

I did an IL with ZeldaCubed's setup + the slide cancel:

I don’t have any recording software nor a PC, so I can’t use live split etc. for accurate timing. I currently record on my tablet, but I figured that using a stopwatch on my phone is very tedious and inaccurate. If I were to submit a run, do I need to time it very precisely afterwards? (i.e. going back to my footage and using a timer to time it) Will the mods retime my run if it was a bit off? Thanks in advance. I’ve been speedrunning this game for quite a while, but I’m new to recording runs lol