Hello, I am one of the guys working on the BetterSADX mod pack... patch. Thing. It turns the steam version into an enhanced version of the 2004 port, basically.

Something I've noticed over the years is that modders and speedrunners tend to not get along so well. I don't like that. :P

I've talked to Shanekilz here before, and it seems BetterSADX is at least listed on the resource page, but I'd like to give a quick thread here on it for discussions and questions about it.

So, BetterSADX has an even more improved speedrun friendly mode coming soon that should be coming in the next few days, but first, I'd like to talk mods.

For some reason, it seem that nobody has bothered to approve the Input-Mod for Speedrun use.

Basically, it's an improved version of the outdated XInput-Fix you all use. Instead of disabling the right stick, just replaces the input handling with something that isn't outdated, and thus, correctly reads inputs from modern controllers. Beyond this, there are no discernible differences between it, and the outdated Xinput-Fix.

This means it should be considered speedrun-legal.

With that out of the way, I'd also like to introduce a new mod to be approved that is being added to BetterSADX.

It's called Frame Limit. From the sound of things, I hear there's an issue you all face involving the game running at something like 61 to 63 fps sometimes, causing a time discrepancy based on hardware.

That sounded annoying so I asked SonicFreak94 to make a mod that limits the framerate internally to 60fps.

This exists now. Source is here, a copy of the file is here. https://github.com/SonicFreak94/sadx-frame-limit https://u.teknik.io/HcTQI.7z

Hope that fixes the problem. :D

Next up are some details about the change to BetterSADX I mentioned above.

Essentially, we are now adding an option to the patcher itself for 3 different versions of BetterSADX.

One of these versions is called "Minimal (Speedrun Suitable)".

This mode is literally the 2004 port, but with the SADX Mod Manager pre-installed, coming with Input-Mod, Frame Limit, and CCEF.

Because it uses the Steam version music and voice files, that age old issue of lags caused by voice clips is also fixed, meaning you won't have any lost inputs during critical moments like the important 1 cycle Egg Hornet fight with Sonic. (and you don't lose any sound effects either!)

So what do you all think?

Hello CheatFreak, surprised to see you here, though I do appreciate the olive branch.

We've spoken before, and I appreciate you taking the time outta your day to give us some further insight into BetterSADX. I appreciate all the work you've done and continue to do in order to help SADX become a more accessible game for runners to get, seeing as the only easy way for them to get it is by downloading a sketchy .rar file and add mods in itself. It really does streamline it, and makes it easier for them not to have to tweak the game often in order to get it to run correctly.

Now to get into the meat.

Input Mod: I didn't realize that you had a more or less improved version of xinput, however, I'd need to inquire about how it may affect all inputs and controllers going forward. Because whilst it sounds great, I don't know the full effects of it on the game. Perhaps it will allow more runners to use a larger pool of controllers for the game by quelling the rather strange way the game reads it. Will definitely have to look into it.

Anyways, thanks for the post and I'll definitely look into what you've brought up.

As a person who currently runs on the PC Disk version with Mod manager I'm not seeing an issue with anything here assuming it all runs as stated with no hidden elements. Frame Limit sounds like it'd be a great addition to the speedrunning community.

Edit - Shanekilz has posted the alternative that a few people are looking at :)

Unfortunately I'm not one of the people that needs to be convinced to change anything :D

Time will tell if this stuff is used but regardless, thank you it's appreciated.

Nice, glad to bring you all up to speed a bit. I hope you all would approve of Input-Mod and Frame Limit in favor of the new feature we're adding to the BetterSADX patch, as well, but I'd love for you all to test them in the meantime to ensure that they are at the standard you all have set.

Input Mod can be downloaded here: https://github.com/SonicFreak94/sadx-input-mod/releases/download/v1.9.1/input-mod.7z and I posted a link in the original post to the new frame limit mod if you'd like to play with that as well, but it'll only have an effect on hardware that runs the game at above 60fps (or at least that is the intent)

BetterSADX 4.0 is set to launch sometime in the next few days, which will include an install option specifically targeting the speedrun crowd actually, like I mentioned above.

Here's a few screenshots from the beta build we have going internally, which you might find interesting.

Preview of the patch's new options feature, specifically highlighting Minimal Mode.

Preview of the Minimal Mode the mods it comes with.

Preview of the default settings for Minimal Mode

To address your concerns with input-mod- as far as I can tell from looking at the code, it more or less just replaces the outdated input-handler in the old 2004 port with a modern implementation of SDL2, allowing for much greater controller support and automatic mapping for Xinput type controllers, and it even restores rumble properly. (rumble can always be disabled in-game in the options menu, as you would expect, however)

As for how this may impact input, I can say for sure that it could only improve on it, if anything- many modern games, including twitchy games that require instant-reflex actions like Hotline Miami use SDL2 to handle not only gamepad input, but also Keyboard input as well, so that should speak volumes to it's quality.

As for Frame-Limit, this one is just more of a fix I had made because many people have this issue, and it's generally not a good idea to have the game running at an inconsistent frame rate, for both speedrunners, and the average user alike.

So I'd really like to know if this is coming out soon?

What exactly? BetterSADX is currently allowed. However framelock and inputfix as of now are not allowed.

For the time being that is.

Edit: This was changed a few years back.