You plan to remove runs if the game gets patched? Why not add a variable to the game instead. Also why is there only IL boards. You should add something for full game runs.

Indeed, the rules make absolutely no sense and are not even properly listed. Rules shouldn't be in Guides but in Rules. Please fix it.

Also having rules set in such a threatening manner is very discouraging. Either split the runs into Glitchless (that doesn't allow any glitches) and Any% (which allows all glitches from all versions - And it's super easy to get old versions if you own the game) or, alternatively, have Any% Old Patch, Any% and Glitchless if it's such a big deal that someone would run on an old version.

This is so dangerous because of the fact that the devs are the ones to decide what is and isn't intended behavior of the game, so you'd have to remove runs that use anything that gets fixed. And just that makes everyone pray that they don't make a new version that fixes anything they change.

Most speedrun.com communities are primarily focused on Any%, which mostly means using the lowest difficulty and all glitches from any versions - if any of that is a problem, then it's time for a new category. But these leaderboards just seem like the exact opposite. You shouldn't be removing runs just because a new patch comes out and you shouldn't have the only difficulty be the hardest one. Obviously, non-existence of full-game leaderboards is also insensible in this case.

Also not allowing to use mechanics of the game (time acceleration) seems pretty unreasonable. It's literally what you are supposed to use during regular gameplay, so why ban it in a speedrun.

Judging from Shadow Tactics - Blades of the Shogun these rules are what matters... Seem like you guys didn't even play the game :(

@makvasic: Imagine running a game where mods threaten to delete your runs if the game gets patched.

And I'm not exactly sure how you can possibly know what we did or didn't play. I've played the game and I would consider speedrunning it - that's why I'm here, duh. But I don't speedrun ILs, so I'm instantly not welcome, and the rules are unexplained and every submission contains a risk of having your run removed and bans even things that are features of the game.

And if you've read the moderation rules, it states that the mod doesn't own the leaderboards. And if people who want to run the game disagree with the rules, it's not right to ignore them.

Seems like the mod doesn't even care, no response and it has been nearly a week. Sad to see such little care has been put into this board.

@makvasic the rules for shadow tactics blades of the shogun also suck. for IL the only rule is "submit the time shown at the end." also the only difficulty on those ILs is hardcore, way to give people options on how they run the game. both this board and that ones rules suck and its weird to act like they are good.

@Khloë Shadow Tactics had its leaderboard separated into the different difficulties until very recently but there were no runs for most levels on Easy and Normal so they removed it.

I don't feel strongly about this and wouldn't really mind the sections for the other difficulties, especially since there is actually a real difference now (in ST there wasn't really a reason to play on easy or normal since it didn't usually enable a better time) but I also don't really think the lower difficulties are that important. Most people I have seen still only run on Desperado difficulty. But I guess at least for now it's still a good idea to allow all difficulties and see if there are any runs on them.

As for glitches, there is currently a completely game-breaking glitch that makes all levels trivially easy so there is definitely a rule changed needed there but @stardog573 said he will create a separate leaderboard for really glitched runs. But I don't think it makes sense to separate runs by versions since the community is so small anyways so there aren't that many runs that they can be filled meaningfully. But adding a variable for it makes sense I guess. Honestly, from my experience with the devs I don't expect most glitches that safe time but don't completely break the game to get patched so I would just wait for now until something actually comes up.

As for time acceleration, if anything this should definitely be a separate category. I don't think it's reasonable to completely forbid it but IMO it also doesn't belong into a normal run. There is no real reason to ever have it off since it effectively halves your time but it also turns off all the time e.g. after cutscenes or when you get spotted. It just makes all runs much harder since you have to do everything at twice the speed while also ensuring that you always reenable acceleration. But it doesn't really add any interesting strategy or something and I also don't think it's that fun to watch 2x runs.

Oh am I too late? I thought there is notification about forum post for mod but there wasn't... And I didn't expect much about this forum because this game is not very popular so I didn't checked it so sorry about that.

1. At first I thought if the game is patched up, late contenders may have no chance to beat record. I admit I wasn't thoughtful and didn't think it was threatening. Sorry about that. I didn't really think that I'll reject some runs because Shadow Tactics didn't fix for years so it'll same for Desperados 3 I suppose. Anyway I admit I had mistake at there, I deleted guide and added rules at each categories

2. For categories, there were all difficulties at shadow tactics leaderboard but they were removed except hardcord diff. because they were almost empty for 5 years. Speedrunners found that lower difficulties are not very appealing because they couldn't make the run significantly faster. It's good to have full categories, but no meaning if they are empty.

3. And shadow tactics leaderboard even didn't need 'no major glitches' category because there was no significantly faster run by using major glitch (even there is teleport bug) But now we have really faster run by using teleport bug so I added any% category.

That's all, thanks for your opinion. I hope that we can have more runs at this leaderboard

I will be running more! As soon as I finish Pheonix Point, and Wasteland 3 which comes out in about a week. I would be blown away if someone managed a full game speedrun, no reloads, no fails! However something like that can be susceptible to cheating, like splicing.

Ah I forgot to mention full game leaderboard... I didn't consider that much because full game leaderboard of Shadow Tactics was empty from the first place until now. But Wafu said he wanted to make a full game speedrun, so let's consider about it. Definitely need lower difficulties unlike IL, as no miss run at desperado diff. will be extremely difficuly. And how we will define record time? Do we need timer tool? or just sum up times of each levels? Give me your opinions and help me out for setting rules.

I think timer tool, because like I said if you use in game time one could more easily just edit all the stages together and try to make it look real with editing

Right, possibility of manipulating record is a concern. Currently only full game speedrun I saw was Werglia's, but he just added up all in-game times from each levels.

@Dustbag I don't see how a timer tool will help with this? Can't you just edit levels together the same way and edit in the timer tool? I'm not necessarily against it (and also I probably won't be running much full game runs so I guess my opinion doesn't really matter) but it's still more complicated and requires more set up so I wouldn't do it if there isn't a clear benefit.

Also, your YouTube link is broken, is that intentional?

@stardog573 The rules now don't mention fast-forwarding anymore? I guess there isn't really a clear consensus yet but I think it definitely needs to be handled somehow, either with a separate category where it's not allowed or forbidding it entirely or at least for the glitchless runs. I'm pretty sure all the current runs can be beaten easily with it.

I guess for now the simplest solution that should be ok for everybody would be a separate leaderboard i.e. [Any% | no-major-glitches | no-major-glitches, noFF]. We can always remove it again if it remains empty. Alternatively, allowing FF on Any% but not on no-major-glitches also sounds ok.

I personally don't like FF for normal speedruns. Speedrunning this game is about flawless execution and its awesome to watch and perform. I think FF will make the runs alot less interesting. Just my opinion but hey we will see maybe I'm wrong.

I think I fixed my YouTube link. Give it a shot and thanks for letting me know! I had no idea.

i agree on allowing FF on Any% but not on no-major-glitches

OK it looks good to have follow "allowing FF on Any% but not on no-major-glitches" rule then. We already have empty any% leaderboard so it can be used for runs with FF. I don't really expect there'll be many submission on any% leaderboard, but we'll see.