PSP Emulator runners are now required to show the entire "Control mapping" menu when showing the settings of the emulator after a run.

This is the menu you have to show. Scroll down all the way to end when showing the settings after a run.

PSP Emulator runners are now required to show the entire "Control mapping" menu when showing the settings of the emulator after a run.

This is the menu you have to show. Scroll down all the way to end when showing the settings after a run.

From my testing, this is what counts towards IGT:

• Cutscenes
• Deaths/restart checkpoints (so it's not like GoW1 where if you die the igt resets to what it was before)
• Portals
• Shops

This is what does not count towards IGT:

• Loads
• Pause menu (pressing the options button)
• Weapons/map menu (pressing the touchpad)

Another important thing to consider: IGT starts counting on the main menu, before starting a new game! So when starting a run, you should open a savefile, and, when ready, rush through the menu as quick as possible after quitting the current save.

With the new layout, the game's release year is listed after the game's name in the leaderboard page. The problem is that sometimes the release year is already contained in the name, like in God of War (2018). Since there is another game called God of War, to differentiate we put the release year in the new game's name. So now the leaderboard says "GOD OF WAR (2018) (2018)". How could we fix this?

https://www.speedrun.com/gow2018

The start point of the GoW Ascension runs has been changed. Now, the run starts the instant the first cutscene is skipped, rather than when selecting to start the game. This is because the initial load of the game is not always the same, so the later start point would negate this load.

All runs of the leaderboard have been retimed according to the new rule.

To clarify, the run starts the instant the "are you sure you want to skip"? message disappears:

And the run ends the instant the red thing above Alecto disappers, signaling that the R1 command is completed:

Recently, it has been noted that in the Valkyrie% categories, PS4 is at a severe disavantadge compared to PS4 Pro. Under the old rules, both platforms would compete in the same category, if using the same storage type (HDD or SSD). The first (and simpler) proposed solution would be to add more subcategories to better reflect the variability in load times among platforms.

The alternative solution, which has been adopted, is to remove the storage type subcategory, and instead use a loadless time to merge all platforms and storage types in the same ranking. Since this speedrun has a fixed route, and load times are not expected to vary much between the same platform/storage, a good way to do this is to calculate an average load time for each platform/storage, and subtract this fixed time from all runs made on that platform/storage. This way, we don't need to use any load remover tool (which would not be feasible to implement in this game) or individually count the loads for every run made in the future (which would also not be practical for the runner nor to the mods who verify it). The downside of this solution is that load times can vary randomly and are not exactly the same among different runs in the same platform/storage, so the runs can have loads a few seconds greater or smaller than the average time suggests. However, this problem is also present in the old rules and in the first proposed solution.

To determine the average loads, I opened most of the Valkyrie% runs currently in the leaderboard and calculated all 18 loads (restart checkpoints and portals) to a precision of 1 second. For the restart checkpoints, I begin counting the loads the moment the restart command is done, and end the moment the GoW icon begins to fade out. For the portals, the loads start the moment the destination is selected, and end the moment the portal appears in the portal realm.

To determine the total load time for each platform, I simply summed all individuals loads and averaged them over all runs. The values I found are: 414s (PS4), 298s (PS4 Pro), 194s (PS4 Pro SSD), 335s (PS4 SSD, with a sample size of one run), 212s (PS5, with a sample size of one run). The PS5 run I checked lost time in one of the portals due to extra time spent on the menu, so its time is probably around ~205s. I rounded these values down and the final adopted load values are: • Base PS4 or PS4 Slim with HDD: 410s • Base PS4 or PS4 Slim with SSD: 330s • PS4 Pro with HDD: 290s • PS4 Pro with SSD: 190s • PS5 with internal SSD: 200s

I made a video to demonstrate the loads in a typical Valkyrie% run and how they were counted:

Since they were based on one run each, the PS4 SSD and PS5 values are provisory and may be refined in the future. The PS5 value is valid for runs played with the default SSD inside the PS5. For runs made on PS5 with an external SSD or HDD, the loads may be different and we can evaluate them if such runs appears.

All Valkyrie% categories have been updated to reflect these changes. Their rules have also been updated and were slightly rewritten to make them clearer.

Also, the God of War (2018) leaderboard now supports PS4 Pro as a platform. Runs made on PS4 Pro should be entered with this platform, rather than PS4 as before. We updated all Valkyrie% runs with the correct platforms, and plan to update the runs of other categories soon.

Summary: • Valkyrie% runs now use a loadless time, and the previous subcategories of HDD/SSD have been eliminated (for Valkyrie% only). • To get the loadless time, you must subtract a fixed amount of time from the time with loads, depending on your platform/storage. • The leaderboard now supports PS4 Pro as a platform.

To the mods: please fix the platform of this run https://www.speedrun.com/gtav/run/yo7x5g5m

It is listed as PS3, but the run was made on PC.

In March 2020, the PS3 Emulator category was added to the leaderboards. A few months later, it was discovered that under standard settings, the emulator runs God of War 2 faster than it should. This can be tested by observing the in-game timer from the Status menu, and by timing the duration of certain sections. The result is that the emulator runs the game at about 101 to 103% speed (this depends on hardware), which adds to about 30-90 seconds of gain in one hour of gameplay. This is clearly undesirable, even with a separate category for the emulator, as the times are unavoidably compared to other platforms, and this also leaves users with better hardware with an advantage.

After months with no clear solution, it was recently found that by lowering the VBlank Frequency (found in the Avanced tab of the emulator configurations) to 59 Hz and leaving the Framelimit as Auto, this issue is greatly reduced, and the game runs closer to the PS3 levels. It is not a perfect solution, which means that the game still runs very slightly faster (about 100 to 100.4% speed), but this is much better than what we currently have.

So from now on, the rules of the GoW2 PS3 Emulator category will change. VBlank Frequency as 59 Hz and Framelimit as Auto will be required, and it will be necessary to show the game configuration after the run in finished. Runs with the game at over 100.5% speed will be rejected. Runs that don't use the required settings but still run the game at an acceptable speed will not be rejected. Older runs have all been checked, and those that go over the limit will be removed from the leaderboard.

For now, all of this applies only to God of War 2. The other games have not been found to run faster on PS3 Emulator (we haven't tested them, so it is still possible). Runs of the other games will not be rejected due to settings. Only the rule to show the game configurations will be added to the other games.

In summary, the new PS3 Emulator rules for GoW2 are: • It is necessary to show the performance overlay on screen during the entire run. • The runner must show the configuration of the emulator used for the game after the run is finished. All tabs (from CPU to Emulator) must be shown. Note that if a Custom Configuration was used, it is to be shown, not the Global Configuration. • VBlank Frequency must be set to 59 Hz, and the Framelimit must be set to Auto. This is to prevent the game from running at an accelerated speed. A run without these settings will only be accepted if the game is running at the correct speed.

The new PS3 Emulator rules for the other games (GoW1, GoW Chains of Olympus, GoW Ghost of Sparta) are: • It is necessary to show the performance overlay on screen during the entire run, and the FPS limiter must be set to 60. • The runner must show the configuration of the emulator used for the game after the run is finished. All tabs (from CPU to Emulator) must be shown. Note that if a Custom Configuration was used, it is to be shown, not the Global Configuration.

Em março de 2020, a categoria do Emulador de PS3 foi adicionada aos leaderboards. Alguns meses depois, foi descoberto que nas configurações padrão, o emulador roda o God of War 2 mais rápido do que deveria. Isso pode ser testado observando o cronômetro interno do jogo no menu de Status, e por cronometrar certas seções do jogo. O resultado é que o emulador roda o jogo a uma velocidade de 101 a 103% aproximadamente (isso depende do hardware), o que gera uma vantagem de cerca de 30-90 segundos em uma hora de jogo. Isso é claramente indesejável, mesmo com uma categoria separada para o emulador, já que os tempos são inevitavelmente comparados com outras plataformas, e isso também dá vantagem para runners com hardware melhor.

Depois de meses sem uma solução clara, foi descoberto recentemente que se diminuir a frequência VBlank (na aba Advanced das configurações do emulador) para 59 Hz e deixar o limite de FPS em Auto, o problema é reduzido e o jogo roda de forma mais parecida com o PS3. Não é uma solução perfeita, o que significa que o jogo ainda roda um pouco mais rápido (cerca de 100 a 100.4% de velocidade), mas isso é muito melhor do que o que temos hoje.

Então a partir de agora, as regras da categoria de Emulador de PS3 no GoW2 vão mudar. VBlank Frequency em 59 Hz e Framelimit em Auto serão exigidos, e será necessário mostrar as configurações do jogo após o término da run. Runs com o jogo a mais de 100.5% de velocidade serão rejeitadas. Runs que não usam as configurações exigidas mas com o jogo a uma velocidade aceitável não serão rejeitadas. As runs antigas foram todas checadas, e aquelas com velocidade acima do limite serão removidas do leaderboard.

Por enquanto, tudo isso se aplica apenas ao God of War 2. Não foi mostrado que os outros jogos rodam mais rápido no Emulador de PS3 (eles não foram testados, então ainda é possível). Runs dos outros jogos não serão rejeitadas por configurações erradas. Apenas a regra de mostrar as configurações do jogo será adicionada aos outros jogos.

Resumindo, as novas regras do Emulador de PS3 para o GoW2 são: • É necessário mostrar a performance na tela durante toda a run. • O jogador deve mostrar as configurações do emulador usadas no jogo após o término da run. Todas as abas (CPU até Emulator) devem ser mostradas. Note que se uma configuração customizada foi usada, é ela que deve ser mostrada, não a configuração global. • VBlank Frequency deve estar em 59 Hz, e Framelimit deve estar em Auto. Isso é para evitar que o jogo fique acelerado. Uma run sem essas configurações só será aceita se o jogo estiver na velocidade correta.

As novas regras do Emulador de PS3 para os outros jogos (GoW1, GoW Chains of Olympus, GoW Ghost of Sparta) são: • É necessário mostrar a performance na tela durante toda a run, e o limitador de FPS deve estar em 60. • O jogador deve mostrar as configurações do emulador usadas no jogo após o término da run. Todas as abas (CPU até Emulator) devem ser mostradas. Note que se uma configuração customizada foi usada, é ela que deve ser mostrada, não a configuração global.

"Easy Glitchless (Bonus Costume)" has been added to the Chains of Olympus and Ghost of Sparta leaderboards, as has been requested.

Since these games allow the use of bonus costumes even in NG, these are reasonable categories to be added. Other than using a costume other than the default Kratos, they follow all Easy Glitchless rules.

The following item has been added to the Game Rules:

"The run should be submitted in the most appropriate category. If you did a glitchless run, it should not be submitted in the Any% categories."

This prevents situations where players would do a glitchless run and submit it to the Any% category just to get a free PB/WR there. While technically possible under the rules, this seems to go against the idea of splitting the leaderboard into different categories.

If a user submits multiple obsolete runs (worse than their current verified pb), should we verify them? I think in this case it would not be unreasonable to simply reject them all. The moderation rules of the site say we should not reject runs for being obsoleted by newer submissions, but in this case they are obsoleted by older submissions.

Alfheim% (with Any% NG+, Any%, and Very Hard Glitchless variations) and All Raven categories have been added.

I don't know how old this is, but I just saw that we can now run segments on console. This was an old request of mine, and while it was met with critcism before, I'm glad the mods were finally able to figure it out. Thanks to the mods for this.

There is now a 100% category! This has been requested before, and even if there is no full run currently, I think it is an important enough run to merit its own main category.

All Muspelheim Impossible Trials, previously a misc category in the main God of War (2018) page, has been moved to the Category Extensions page, along with all the verified runs of that category.

This category was originally a cooperation between Speedrun.com and the Guinness World Records. In September 2020 the deal was expired, and the category was left as a regular misc category. Given its very specific rule-set and the fact that it never got very popular, I believe it is best placed in the Category Extensions.

Link to the category: https://www.speedrun.com/gowce#GoW_2018

All Muspelheim Impossible Trials, anteriormente uma categoria misc na página do God of War (2018), foi movida para a página do Category Extensions, junto com todas as runs verificadas desta categoria.

Essa categoria foi originalmente um acordo entre o Speedrun.com e o Guinness World Records. Em setembro de 2020 o acordo expirou, e a categoria foi deixada como uma categoria misc regular. Dadas suas regras bem específicas e o fato de que ela nunca ficou muito popular, eu acredito que ela é melhor colocada no Category Extensions.

Link para a categoria: https://www.speedrun.com/gowce#GoW_2018

All Muspelheim Impossible Trials, previously a misc category in the main God of War (2018) page, has been moved to the Category Extensions page, along with all the verified runs of that category.

This category was originally a cooperation between Speedrun.com and the Guinness World Records. In September 2020 the deal was expired, and the category was left as a regular misc category. Given its very specific rule-set and the fact that it never got very popular, I believe it is best placed here in the Category Extensions.

All Muspelheim Impossible Trials, anteriormente uma categoria misc na página do God of War (2018), foi movida para a página do Category Extensions, junto com todas as runs verificadas desta categoria.

Essa categoria foi originalmente um acordo entre o Speedrun.com e o Guinness World Records. Em setembro de 2020 o acordo expirou, e a categoria foi deixada como uma categoria misc regular. Dadas suas regras bem específicas e o fato de que ela nunca ficou muito popular, eu acredito que ela é melhor colocada aqui no Category Extensions.

Watching the Any% Standard and the Glitchless Standard categories, I realize they are basically identical. In the current route, (from what I can tell) there are no glitches to differentiate between them. In fact, the HDD world record holder just ran them both as Any% and submitted an Any% run to the glitchless category.

So I propose that we should merge the Glitchless category to the Any% category. Only the Any% Very Hard run does use a glitch (XP glitch), so it should remain separated. If someday significant glitches are found and used in the run, we can split the categories again. What do you guys think?

With PS5 released, the rankings now support it as a platform. For now, runs made on PS5 can be included in the SSD category. If significant differences are found, we can discuss possible changes.

With PS5 released, the rankings now support it as a platform. Since the PS5 version is exactly the same as PS4 (running with backwards compatibility), runs on PS5 will be included in the PS4 category for now. If significant differences are found, we can discuss possible changes.

The PS4 world record for Countryside (30:07 by MrSpeed39) has numerous cuts throughout the video, so this time is wrong and the run should not have been accepted.

List of cuts:

4:55 7:40 10:27 15:56 21:27 26:56 29:40 32:25

I timed the duration of the first cut, and it is about 10 seconds. I expect the others are similar.

https://www.speedrun.com/gtav/run/yw8nek9y