Hello old and new Blade Runner speedrunners.

I've been running the game for around 2-3 weeks now and I tend to go at things rather hard. As such, I have a LOT of new information appertaining to my most recent submissions. - I'll try and keep this as brief and concise as possible, but if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask.

SCUMMVM 2.9.0

Following the release of ScummVM 2.8.1 earlier this year, it was claimed that it was possible to manually select the RNG seed. As I'm sure we're all aware, Blade Runner is a horrific mess of RNG. Having spoken with ScummVM developer 'PraetorianWolfie', however, the update notes regarding seed selection was only a half truth.

Keeping things simple, although 2.8.1 would allow you to manually set a seed via the global settings, there were a number of potential conflicts within the game's menu system, as well as with the save files (including the mountain of autosaves you acquire), that could result in the manually set seed being overwritten into something random. I checked and was able to confirm this issue myself.

Put simply, this seed selection on 2.8.1 (the most current stable release of ScummVM at the time of writing) does not work.

With 2.9.0 currently in development though, 'PraetorianWolfie' confirmed that this issue had been fixed.

Yes, there is a means of manually selecting a seed and have it remain consistent throughout numerous attempts. - So, the doors were open to finding the optimal RNG seed! Something I think many of us who run/ran this game would consider the most frustrating issue!

FINDING THE SEED!

So, with ScummVM 2.9.0, the 'luck' could be mostly set. And by 'luck' what I mean is who is predetermined as a human/replicant when you start a new run.

The most obvious optimal luck route, as far as I could ascertain, was the following:

Izo - Replicant / Dektoka - Human / Lucy - Human / Gordo - Replicant / Luther/Lance - Human / Sadik - Replicant

This would allow Lucy/Dektora/Gordo pathing in act 3 which, again, I believe is the most optimal.

Speaking to my friend (and retro speedrunning legend) Darkshoxx - He has found a means of finding every single potential seed. - Better still, he actually made a GitHub page where you can play around with it!

Incredible work so clap clap for Darkshoxx.

Literally find your seed number (see above for what I think is optimal), set it in ScummVM 2.9.0 via Global Settings, and away you go. GUARANTEED rng.

https://darkshoxx.github.io/BladeRunNG/

TLDR - SEED #404 seemed a strong choice to me#

Oh, and presuming you want to check/confirm your RNG at any point in ScummVM 2.8.1 or 2.9.0, you can type 'cheat' in the debug menu (CTRL+ALT+D). This will reveal the human/replicant status of all important characters.

SEE PAGE 2 BELOW!!!

Major Speedrunning Breakthrough - Part 2 of 2

A SKIP WHICH MAY NOT BE A SKIP... - RESTORED CONTENT VERSION ONLY

As part of ScummVM 2.9.0, and playing specifically with the 'restored content version', you can get an exceptionally low burden of proof RNG with Izo. And by exceptionally low, I mean zero.

Before going any further though, please note again that this is exclusive to the Restored Content Version ONLY and, again, ONLY works on ScummVM 2.9.0. This does not work on the standard version of Blade Runner and will not work at all in older ScummVM releases. - For those who haven't played the 'restored content' version, it typically only adds audio files which were cut from the original. There is no tangible additional content. Anyway, back on point!

The pathing from Act 2 in this 'restored content' version is as follows - Go to Tyrell, get the Kingston box from the dome room, go to animoid row, speak to Izo, say cheese.

Yep, no shell casings, no grigorian, nothing. Literally ZERO evidence required. - You only need the Kingston Kitchen box just to get animoid row as a viable location. That's it.

In terms of time save though, I don't think this is too exciting. I've yet to confirm it, but it appears Izo emerging from his shop is set to a global timer which starts when you arrive in the location. - In basic terms, no matter what you do, Izo will NOT appear until you've been in the overall location for 30 seconds (ish).

The only real advantage with this route is that you can't lose time whereas you can clearly make some mistakes on the way to Earring woman, Bob, and then to Izo.

The adverse issue though is that you have to spend circa 12 seconds going into the dome at Tyrell to get the food box (rather than just getting the earring outside).

Overall, I think this 'skip' gives with the left hand and takes with the right.

MOVING FORWARD WITH THE SPEEDRUN CATEGORY

So based on all the above, and some side notes, I have a couple questions.

And to be 100% clear, the below are ALL PERTINENT to my recent submission of 19m 13s 090ms.

1 - Do we want a new category for ScummVM 2.9.0 based on the clear advantage of manually setting and locking optimal RNG?

2 - Do we want a new category due to the 'easier' route provided in the 'Restored Content' version?

3 - What is the official stance regarding the 'game options'? This most notably would appear to include the option to "Disable McCoy's quick stamina drain".

It would appear that the original rules were somewhat loose regarding #3, and in fact may not have been an issue at the time at all. It would, however, appear that #3 was utilised at least in the WR run.

As things are right now, we're potentially heading into a hornets nest of vagueness with the rules. In so far as I can see, these appear to be the options moving forward;

A) - Retain the current leader board as any% and NOT allow seed selection. Literally play the game, roll the dice, pray to the God/s of RNG - With that being said, it would be difficult to police/verify as people COULD just pick a good seed when 2.9.0 becomes standard and not mention it. Like it or not, Pandora's box has been opened.

B) Allow 2.9.0 in the current leaderboard. Allow fixed RNG seeds. But do not allow the use of the 'restored content version' and by proxy the No Evidence Izo glitch.

C) Create a new leaderboard for the 'restored content' version with an 'anything goes any%' policy

D) Retain the current leaderboard and make ScummVM 2.9.0 and RNG selection simply a declaration. This includes the Restored Content/No Evidence Izo. - We just carry on with the current leaderboard in a 'no holds barred', but similarly, 'please tell us if you've done anything unusual' Any% category.

Personally, I endorse B, C, or D. I think we all agree the RNG grind in this game is simply ridiculous and until we had the option to manually lock it down, it likely put many people off running this game. It is, without a doubt, soul eating to keep fighting something you may have lost within the first click. - I think that by allowing a fixed RNG, this could open the doors to a lot more interest in this game from the speedrunning community.

I'm more than happy to discuss this further and thank you for your time in reading this small novella.

Helpful Links

ScummVM 2.9.0 (or latest version) download - This is the most recent ScummVM working build and can be updated on literally a daily basis - https://buildbot.scummvm.org/#/dailybuilds

ScummVM Update Reel for Blade Runner (lists all fixes in latest ScummVM version) No need to update ScummVM if there's nothing new here - https://github.com/scummvm/scummvm/commits/master/engines/bladerunner

Darkshoxx's amazing RNG seed selector - https://darkshoxx.github.io/BladeRunNG/