CnCbug has found a new glitch which allows you to skip any cutscene where an image appears in place of the mini map (maybe full screen ones too, I will test it out when I get time, or someone else can if they like)

The way this is done is by deleting the 'Movies' folder from the game's data. It will search for a file but as there is nothing at the required location it will skip the cutscene altogether, except camera pans.

An example can be found here:

My question is, as this does involve modifying the game before starting the speedrun, should it be allowed? If so, should it be any% or its own category?

I actually posted these two runs here before but Adam_ak rejected them on the grounds that modifying the game from the outside is going too far. After considering it myself I agree that removing files might not be the right call but the skip still gives useful insight as to how the game works so it might help us in the future if we find an in-game way to achieve the same result.

I've said in my stream from time to time that the day we find a way to skip the cutscenes will be a glorious day. Unfortunately, I don't think today is that day.

See, the problem with removing parts of the game is that if it's cool to remove the movies, where does it end? If thats allowed, running the Allies Campaign with all the soviet and empire assets deleted could be allowed. So, following sitewide rules, any modification of the final, official patch release is not allowed.

'Tis truely a sad day that we have not found a way to skip cutscenes. :(

Having said that, does this bring us any closer to figuring out a proper way to skip cutscenes? Special key press? I don't know how to get into the game files myself. If someone could poke around in them and see what triggers the game to play them, and if theres a way to fool itself into thinking it's being played, or has already been played, or whatever, there will at least be 6 happy people.

While skipping cutscenes would be great, it's pretty dodgy to modify game files (or remove them). As Charlie said, it sets a precedent for allowing other modifications as well (e.g., removing AI files). Even if we'd all agree to only allow one such modification, others can easily come in and take it a bit further (if X is allowed, why not Y?)

Sorry I had to reject the runs, bigbug, but it would only lead to a possible modification mess.

Hopefully, there's an alternative way to skipping these cutscenes.

Well I did manage to skip the final cutscene in Soviets 2 by dying as I was victorious whilst doing a co-op speedrun with c9q9md. No matter how much I tried to do it again though, I couldn't manage it (it could well be frame perfect). Maybe a setup leading up to a final command could make this consistent, but I don't think it will really be viable because it would most likely lead to you being defeated 99% of the time, thus sacrificing a potential good run.