First of all, the problem with any big change is that I don't know what to do with past runs driven with old rules, maybe they could be archived, I dunno. Anyway let's visualize my ideas:
I just wish there were to two different rules for each category instead of the current "Any%" and "100%". These two names don't really fit this game in my opinion.
The two rules that would be needed are something like "with penalties" and "no penalties".
With penalties you can drive however you want. Just drive as fast as possible through the bus stops. You can skip the passengers getting on, and you should also be allowed to go through red lights.
For "no penalties" you just need to obey every single rule. That's it, you can't get any penalties. Drive as fast as possible, without getting penalties.
Of course these rule names could be improved and such, but I honestly think these are the only differences we need with speedrunning this game. I want to point out again "Any%" and "100%" don't really fit a game like this. There's no real game completion, and there's no thing in the game tracks how much % you have finished the game. This game is all about stages. I like the other categories though, Each tier separately, and then All tiers, that is fine.
On a side note: Why are you not allowed to go through red lights in "Any%"? This is such a dumb rule, it's like not allowing you to jump in a Super Mario speedrun. This is why I recommend a complete rule overhaul for this game, the current rules are honestly screwed up, and weren't thought through.
The main thing in this game is the penalty system, so why is it ignored? Especially in a speedrun? And why is the game centered around silly red light timings? This has nothing to do with completing the game, this is not true speedrunning.
In my eyes, just two rules are needed, something called like "no penalties" and "with penalties" (Please help with better names)
I have already thought of these rules these before Bus Driver was even submitted to speedrun.com, but it got submitted with rules like this... I'm pretty sad.
Mods, please think about this. I'm not sure what to do with past runs if the rules do get changed. My intention is just to have rules more akin to speedrunning.
Thanks.
Also Original has 5 tiers. Gold/Temsa has 6. Why can't you run the currently called "All Tiers (Original)" with Gold/Temsa? Are there any differences in the first 5 tiers between Original and Gold/Temsa?
I recommend changing the category rules, and explaining it a bit better.
You are allowed to drive through red lights in any%. It says it at the bottom of the rules for the any% categories that you can run through red lights and skip passengers. And for 100% I know the title doesn't fit for no driving through red lights but no penalties doesn't seem right to me either. And this is why I came up with any% (which I stayed up until midnight adding the subcategories). And Gold and the original have the same missions and tiers (except for the 6th tier). So there's no difference. If you really don't like 100% then don't play it. Do any%. You're not required to 100% and to be honest you're kinda acting like you are.
There's no 100% completion in the game, so why is it a category? Any%? Games with "any%" usually have a final main goal to achieve. Here it's just stages, tiers to get through, no final end goal or whatever. Is there an ending screen? Just change the names at least. Or not, just make the category names align with how this game works. And let's rework the rules a tiny bit. I find it weird how the rules state that you can't run All Tiers (Original) with Gold/Temsa. Let me quote the rules: "this category is exclusively for the original/normal Bus Driver game." Why?
There's two ways of playing the game for a speedrun, and those would make sense for two different speedrun playstyles, strats:
No penalties: Drive perfect With penalties: Just drive as fast as possible, skipping passengers is allowed (For the love of god help with better names, because apparently I can't seem to get my point through. Maybe "Penalties allowed" and "Penalties not allowed" sounds better.)
So why can we get other penalties in "100%" but there's such a big emphasis on Red Lights? It makes no sense to focus on only one penalty type.
Also I'm wondering what your "to be honest you're kinda acting like you are." supposed to mean. I'm just trying to give a little sense to the rules of speedrunning to this game. I feel like the current rules and naming schemes are incorrect, and in some cases they don't make sense. That's it. Let's debate, and I'm looking forward for answers to my questions.
One penalty type? There's skipping passengers, and running through red lights. That's 2, not 1. 100% completion is driving through all tiers and missions while also following the game's rules.
"Here it's just stages, tiers". Yeah, the stages would be the levels, and tiers would take the roll as the worlds. Every video game has stages, so I don't know what you're trying to prove there.
When going to edit the rules for gold and temsa edition all tiers, it said it wasn't for the original (I added Temsa too), so I don't know what you're trying to prove there either.
Why do we need to change 100% to no penalties anyway? You can drive as fast as you want, and (like others) will break really hard and get a penalty. (That's 3 penalties)
When I mean by "you're kinda acting like you are", all this time you've mostly focused on 100%, and asking for all these changes for 100%. So you're acting like you're required to play 100% to ever speedrun the other categories.
All I'm asking is that for "100%" don't only focus on red lights and no passenger skips. Why are other penalties allowed in ”100%”?
I can't get my point through, and I keep getting misunderstood. Is there a better way I could talk to the admins and talk through my ideas? Thanks.
@DdariQ it does help to talk to us through our discord as it is the best way to reach us.
Me personally, both of you guys are correct in different reasons in aspects. In fact, I think there should be some category like an NG+, where you have to follow the rules of a real-life bus driver.
This is something we do need to clarify though, how the rules work. I knew when I was first running the game, rules weren't very clear and I had to ask multiple questions left and right.
On the other hand, the original two mods @j_hoodhere and @Mars02 have had this SR page way longer than me. I think there are a lot more things we can do with this game that we are definitely not taking advantage of.
For history I actually submitted the game twice back in the spring or summer of 2017, so it's been a while since the game has been under consideration to have leaderboards on src for nearly 2 years now.
I will be submitting a category extensions game for bus driver with the penalties and no penalties along side with a 'High Score' category.
I don't think this game needs a category extension, and further complicating... whatever... This is ruined for me and I can't look at this game as a proper speedrun game anymore... Pretty sad and stupid decisions were and being made here to be honest.
In my opinion, all the game needs is two simple main categories:
With Penalties - Drive as fast as possible with penalties No Penalties - Be as fast as possible with no penalties
My renaming suggestions: Any% -> With Penalties 100% -> No Penalties
Now explain me, why does this simple game need more than these two simple categories? The game is centered around the penalty system. It's either a yes or no for me: all penalties, or no penalties. Why is there a way in the middle? Why focus on running through red lights and skipping stops? (As they are not allowed in your so-called Any%. It's ANY%! Finish the game as fast as possible, no matter what you do basically. This general Any% naming that works with lot of other games, don't work with this game I feel.)
Why further complicate this game with a category extension? What the hell :D This is not a big game that needs two pages on this website.
If you still don't agree with me, give me a time, and I'll talk to you guys on discord, I would maybe even prefer a voicecall. Thanks.
I would run this game but I have some questions:
-For Any%: Are you allowed to stop at bus stop, open doors and then immidiately close doors after? Skipping the passengers getting on. If not, why is it written in the rules? & Why does the rules say you need to stop at red lights for Any%?
-For 100%: What does "same as original rules" mean? & And why are we allowed to break other traffic rules? How is this 100% in any way then?
The rules in general are pretty badly written. The current 100% feels like a modifed Any%.
Please look into it, thank you.
PS.: Oh and now I don't care about the category names anymore, just make sure the meanings behind "Any%" and "100%" line up with how this game works. There aren't percentages in this game I think, but whatever.
Whoops, it seems like the invite link to the server was actually just the link to a channel, and not an actual invite. It should be fixed.
Regarding this: https://www.speedrun.com/bus_driver/thread/o7pwv
Why not just create a new category for glitched runs? We could have glitched and glitchless subcategories or whatever. This new trick is ruining existing categories. And, I don't see the reason to exclude it from 100%.
Also, can't we voice our opinions under that thread? Only one person is making the rules with no feedback involved?
