Hey all. You may be aware of a newer exploit/glitch discovered in which one can take an egg with a payload in it into a new game (simplified). This obviously has implications to speed running, so the mod team had a discussion about it, and we want to share our conclusions, and open a public discussion about it as well. Our conclusions are as follows:

1. For all currently existing categories, the proposed new rule will be that time starts when you begin the first run that directly affects the submitted run. To be explicit, this means if you start a long run to prepare an egg, time begins when that first long run starts, not when the final run you use the egg starts. This essentially means that such egg strats are useless in current categories, but there may be future exploits discovered that take less time to set up. This is in keeping with precedent with other games, such as Donkey Kong 64's main menu mode glitch.

2. That being said, this is an exciting and interesting exploit, with much possibility for creativity and optimization. One could imagine an All bosses run where multiple eggs are carried through, and one teleports the player around the map, and another instantly kills all the bosses. We don't want to disincentivize that creativity. Thus, we propose adding new variables for runs (similar to seeded/random, or glitches/glitchless) that not only allow this tech, but have time begin on the start of the final run. Possible names include Setup vs Setupless, or Egg vs Eggless.

We'd love to hear your thoughts on this, and thanks for taking the time to read.

This feels like the way to do it to me. I look forward to seeing this used to it's full potential too 😁

e g g

Ayy that sounds great!

Egg / Eggless would be both hilarious and fitting for the lore of the game.

I like the idea of adding the variable to allow for the tech, I am a little confused though, you say for egg runs time would start on the final run, I'm wondering if there is also a variable for runs where time starts at the start of the setup run too.

"For all currently existing categories, the proposed new rule will be that time starts when you begin the first run that directly affects the submitted run."

So the current categories would be that.

I do say what I dislike the idea of the previous run affecting the new one, essentially a ghost wand but legal. If that is a new category or a sub category for the existing ones, I don't mind then.

I agree with Bestbard's suggestion. If you spent time in one run preparing the exploit for the next run, that previous run should count towards the time you took to complete the new run. Sounds perfectly fair and reasonable.

The question here is if you include the previous run time, are mods allowed for that run?

Hey everyone! We have clarified the rules as such "For runs that use the Hollow Egg exploit, the timer begins when you start the first run that directly affects the submitted run. The initial run, and any following runs, must also follow all game and category rules and has to be in the recording. These rules do not apply to the separate Hollow Egg Category."

We will also be adding in Hollow Egg categories for each speedrun section upon request. There likely won't be many runners doing the Hollow Egg section, but if you complete a run and want to submit it just message one of the mods and we'll add the category. The only rules for the Hollow Egg section are "The final submitted run must follow all game and category rules, and the recording must include the setup run(s)." This means you can load in everything with mods before hand for setup on the prior run, as long as the final submitted run is clean.