Oh for f* .

Thanks. It's been a while since I was a mod, didn't realise it already existed. Well, at least this was very simple :D

I suggest adding an option for removing the explicit run verification process entirely for a given game.

When this option is used, all submissions go directly to the leaderboard without any verification, and game mods can retrospectively remove or fix entries as needed. Game mods can set this option if they so desire, and then unverified submissions are tagged accordingly.

Reason for suggesting this is that many (or most?) mods don't even look at runs unless it's a new WR submission, nor is there usually any reason for them to. I know this from personal experience, I used to be a mod here for several games and rarely watched submissions before verifying, and all other mods did the same. Having a verification process in name only creates confusion, so an option should exist to remove it.

As retrospective summary, a 1-loop category was created. Currently it has roughly half the number of submissions as any% category, and within the active community it's mostly just ignored.

The hypothesis that it would attract more interest in the game and grow the community have also proven largely incorrect. None of the people who originally argued for creating a 1-loop category ever became active SGnG runners (of any category), or otherwise active members of the GnG community.

I'm writing this as a reminder and a warning that when people flock over demanding things in the "name of the community", it should be taken with a grain of salt. In this case what actually happened was 1-loop category being included in a popular french multi-game race, temporarily inflating interest in SGnG, but ultimately resulting in nothing more than a wet fart.

I didn't find a readily suitable section in Resources to post the map link. Feel free to add it wherever you like though.

What I meant by using box to get further HP is using it to retreat from battle, rest, then fight the same enemy again to farm more HP for yourself. I learned from your WR run notes that retreating the usual way won't allow getting further HP if you fight the same enemy again.

Anyway, it seems like there isn't much room for further improving understanding on the basic game mechanics. It is an Inty game after all, they tend not to be that complex, and Tarmin is an incredibly complex one at that already.

One thing I did check and forgot to mention is that using the glance left/right mechanism takes the same time as just turning left/right and back again, or at least the difference is smaller than 0.1s and would need to be frame-counted. I also timed opening doors, which takes roughly twice the time it does to move one step or turn. Considering this, I've made some rule of thumb routing regarding which parts of a given map I want to spend time checking and under which conditions. For example, it's rarely worthwhile opening a door to a single room with no other exits, and just generally finding ways to run through maps covering the most blocks in least amount of time, while taking into account that it minimising risks for unwanted monster encounters might be desirable.

Without really drilling into the inner workings of the RNG system though, it mostly boils down to just gut feeling based on experience and a general idea of how risky you want to play. And frankly I don't have much interest in even attempting to reduce the game into math formulas on probability, beyond what I've already learned over decades of casual play, a few hours of savestate research and your TAS notes. Much more interesting aspects of speedrunning the game for me are improving on navigation skills (I still regularly lose my bearings and/or lose track of which parts of a level I've already visited), and making snap judgements in any situation, as opposed to eg. spending time just staring at items like a moron wondering if I want to pick it up or not.

I actually did my initial routing and attempts before I learned you'd done runs, last time I checked there were still none. I established as my basic strategy to ensure that (read: reset until) there is a gate five blocks down and that it's blue, then attempt to farm war HP (requiring suitable armor) before using the blue gate, and wing it from there. I don't know if this is the exact same thing you'd been doing already, but I was anyway happy to find out it was what your WR run did, so at least I wasn't too badly off. Sadly I missed your attempt streams, but I will be viewing through your PB history!

Working towards a sub-30 hard mode run (read: playing the game for fun, finding new challenges), I've started putting together some notes. First step was something I was often doing as a kid, but never saw through to completion: Maps.

Here they are: https://imgur.com/a/V5s7mJD

I did find existing 3D models of the maps online, but I greatly prefer 2D to better grasp the layouts, so I decided to draw my own regardless.

Other random notes/observations I didn't find elsewhere online:

• Using a box as a single use weapon against any enemy de-aggros it. Traditionally I've used this as backup when taking on fighting doors without certainty of victory, and for emergencies when facing a powerful enemy right after descending stairs. I haven't yet tested if once de-aggroed enemy with this method would give further HP when fought for a second time.

• Small blue potions (full heal) can be used mid-battle. This can be very helpful when farming HP; it saves food, shows current farming progress and allows instantly continuing the farm without searching for a new weak enemy. Obviously it can also save your hide in Minotaur battle, or against any other strong enemy. I assume all potions can be used mid-battle, but only other I could imagine having any possible reason for doing so is the large purple potion, which seems like a very unlikely scenario.