I am happy to inform you guys that we now have a Category extension page for Outbreak File 1 and 2. For the moment we have the following categories

Melee Only Kevin Only Mark Only Jim Only George Only David Only Alyssa Only Yoko Only Cindy Only Stick Figures Only

File 1 link https://www.speedrun.com/Resident_Evil_Outbreak_Category_Extensions

File 2 link https://www.speedrun.com/Resident_Evil_Outbreak_File_2_Category_Extensions

Feel free to suggest more categories either here or in the forums in the category extension pages

As I understood it you can't have character type (i.e. Kevin) only in File1, only in File2.

Depends how funny or sadist you want to be regarding categories though. Could have;

All special items for all or one person No damage for all or one person No weapon (....rofl) Ablib spam (or no ablib at all depending on which is harder to do :P) Completion % This one would be a bit interesting to implement but probably impossible as someone could have a lower completion but a shorter time.

Oh oops, I haven't played online in quite some time so I completely forgot about not being able to have multiples of the same character type in file 1. I'll fix that really quick, hard mode should be added soon as well. I can add no damage seeing as my most recent run was a no damage. No weapon I would need a video for someone to submit

No weapon was one of the joke ones since every map has a boss except DT which has a horde of zombies. One person would have to basically sit it out while the rest did the work. No damage could be doable though DT would probably screw teams every time.

I think the special items category could be fun to do, that's probably my top choice I'd submit. Completion could work but I think it would have too many problems as one person would largely need to do all the work while others assist with bosses or trigger teamwide cutscenes etc.

For no damage and no weapon I would require all members to not take damage or use weapons. Special items wouldn't be able to really be a defined category because iirc SP items are locked to certain character types and difficulties so it wouldn't be done in 1 run

1.- https://www.speedrun.com/reobf2/thread/pp3ul

2.- I don't understand the 2nd question's example. I get Yoko BFP is the same as any% but I don't get the rest. Character types are solo so a Yoko BFP would only apply for Yoko and couldn't be used for David type. Any% allows for AI which can help or hinder a run.

3.- I guess that's the nature of some runs that are online. I'd say it 'does' make sense just reliant on online conditions but then that applies to any online category. Thantos lag would affect any run not just melee.

4.- That's true though online categories would force a team to use other sticks besides Gold. Why have a BFP any% when Yoko is pretty much going to be the main pick? Some categories effectively force certain conditions hence why the extension categories remove that constraint. NPC only type would automatically conflict with character type and I refer you to your 2nd question? Why use the original types if an NPC can tick off 2 in one go?

5.- After reading several times and probably being wrong I think I understand what you mean. That's a valid point, retrospectively yes, just index the times in the full game. As for future submissions, that's up to the mods. The trouble I see is that it essentially forces a mod to do all the work and let the other mods know they've taken it on or they agree to break the full game in to chunks which defeats the purpose of submitting 1 run. After a while it will get to the point where individual runs have to be submitted separately because only 1/4 was improved upon or a full game gets submitted because it's faster but not one of the individual runs is a PB (been there, done that).

6.- Hard was discussed and was going to be added. Mods are busy so I guess one should attempt the runs anyway, and if enough voices clamor for it, it will get pushed up the priority order.

Hope that answers your questions or at the very least gives another person's view on why things are the way they are. The general truth I feel is that if you allow for too many conditions as to why a category exists it would feel like more of a hassle to administrate and manage. I didn't fully understand what you were getting at at times so I might have the wrong idea.

1.- Shrugs* If the mods want to rectify this it's of no consequence to me I don't have an opinion only what I read there and didn't feel it was worth challenging.

2.- I don't think it's made clear but 'everyone' on the team must be a Kevin type for online runs. The rule still applies 'Kevin only'. That's why we can't have Kevin only for online in File1, because we can't have Kevin, Karl, Dustin and Raymond together. File 2 we can so online exists (I pointed this out when we first got these so was address then). Your example wouldn't be valid outside Any% because you're using different character types.

3.- Even with the RL Thantos has lagged and dodged or took the shot and lived, it's ruined runs but it can and does happen. Melee it will happen more so given the low damage and thus more hits required.

4.- You said about Sticks not making sense. Well when I read it the first time I thought an NPC run e.g. Nathan solo, would still qualify as a David run making it an NPC run and David run (which you earlier said would make no sense having the same run satisfying 2 categories. Reading again you probably meant online only but then that's really no different than any% e.g. Nathan, Rita, Bob, Linda would be no different to David, Alyssa, Mark, Cindy (it's like saying Any% with no sticks but no originals instead which you also say makes no sense to exclude so it's a bit of a contradiction as I see it). Most character runs I use NPCs anyway as they are better it's only a few like Yoko and Cindy where there is no difference/the original is better.

In Yoko's case you would be forced to choose Regan B as the rest are File 3, Stick or Yoko (Yoko Z is NPC though...).

Np Happy New Years.

As there isn't an online character only category for file1, I think that's a rule which was written in when this was created but then it was discovered you can only have 1 Kevin type in a team. I'd say that's bad rule writing and needs rectifying because to do what you suggest makes essentially all the character types obsolete. Everyone would bring a Kevin type probably and then the rest would get carried.

Changing to NPC type now would probably be controversial as I've been doing easy/normal character runs and often not using the original character. Now I'm sure others could beat my times but let's say there are runs out there that people can't beat because older runs used a superior NPC? Certain runs could theoretically be cut off so you either delete those times (not just mine but as the rules stood, my runs were, and still are legit) or let them be...grandfathered? and there be an unfair playing field where I get to have a better rank because I'm use a character you can't now.

Having played enough of the categories I can't see the NPC type changing what I do. David has no item, Nathan has a green herb mix, neither of which will affect my strat at least on the early difficulties, later maybe but good players and times probably won't rely on healing. I imagine most will pick the fastest NPC with little/no dmg loss and not look back (that's how one of my melee runs nearly ended up, I went Nathan 4/5 and could have easily 5/5).

I would say the rules need rewriting sure but the categories don't need to change. A mixed team run should, in my opinion, only work for any% (to make that category valid) and have character only limited to that type (hence no online character types for file1).