Definition
NoSFX is an official feature of the game. It involves pausing the game, and setting the sound effects volume to 0% causing cutscenes to skip loading (instead of seeing and manually skipping the blue vortexes, the game goes straight to the level). It also skips the Aku Aku box cutscenes on the NTSC-J version. It has been rumored to save about 40 seconds from Any% categories and a few seconds more in 105% categories (which only have 1 additional cutscene).
A bit of trivia supporting the fact that it's official: Gameovering with NoSFX doesn't display Uka on the GO screen.
Allowance
The feature was not used early on at higher tiers of speedrunning, where it be for preference reasons or simple ignorance that it exists. (And also because the previous leaderboards had it banned; ever since the move in 2014, NoSFX was allowed in runs submitted here) It was allowed because of these reasons: a) It is available on all platforms and versions. b) It shortens the length of speedruns across the board. c) It's an official feature of the game that anybody can use.
Filtering
There are no plans of making NoSFX a different category. I think the reasons for this are obvious, but if anyone needs clarification, I'll happily oblige. There are currently no plans of implementing a variable to sort between runs using/not using NoSFX. Reasons: a) NoSFX doesn't change the run in a major way. b) People in-the-know can calculate and compare important runs anyway. c) It would cause confusion and misinformation about the validity of top times.
Discussion
Feel free to discuss the use of the feature, however try not to resort to irrational arguments.
Just create a subcategory thing so people know if run is with SFX or not. Just like DMC4 has subcategories such as NG+ or just NG, with Turbo option on or not. So this isn't that big of a problem IMO
Beta, OK I got the thing about not adding variable. Then the only opinion that I have here is just allowing it. Like giving argument that not using SFX doesn't let viewers enjoy the game isn't really valid(no offense Saboom if you're reading this), so allowing it will be most logical decision. And I don't think it has been ever discussed with community so I have no idea why it was banned on the old leaderboards. As you already mentioned that in the main post it's an official feature of the game and not anything connecting with hacking the game or such stuff. Truth is I don't really care about the game but I care about community. NO DRAMA ALLOWED
The question is: why had people runned no SFX while WR is SFX, since no SFX doesn't affect anything on the gameplay? Let's use common sense, no SFX doesn't affect the gameplay, so why use it while the best time on the game does use SFX?
Also, no SFX doesn't affect the gameplay at all; however, I myself get better on the game while hearing it SFX (it helps a lot on Crash 3's NSJ, helps so much when Cortex is going to teleport near to you on Twinsanity), consequently use no SFX makes no sense imo, but there is no barrier to ban SFX because it is not any kind of cheat. As I said before, let's use common sense, Saboom deserve his WR even with SFX on because the gameplay was faster, so that let's use SFX.
SFX also makes the game more enjoyable and fun, but it is not an intelligent argument, so ignore this part of the topic <.<
Nattyone convinced me. No SFX is better. Ignore what I said, I now agree with don't use SFX. His argument was great, all that I can say :).
Once again it's a case of "Community" over "Going fast". I thought speedrunning communities wanted to go fast, so why is there this split?
Thing is, as of the moment the best played run isn't world record, and people realise this, but that's because the runner decided not to save the free 50s available. And why not? For community reasons and some shit about viewer experience idk. Nothing is stopping someone using NoSFX. If they care about viewer experience over their own times then why are they even speedrunnning?
To address the "But I like to have sound cues", you're basically saying you don't want to use NoSFX because the game becomes harder. Not everyone agrees that sound cues are beneficial, but if it's more difficult then so what? Aren't skips and glitches difficult and save time too? Why not ban skips because someone can't do them and they lost world record? Like, understandable NoSFX isn't a "skip", but it saves time at the cost of potentially making the run more difficult.
It's another case of being stuck in the past and people don't like change.
Honestly just let people use or not use what they want.
This is just a rehash of the pitiable FDS de-b8. In the end it's all up to runner preference and it should be that way not matter what.
What Ztar said.
NoSFX can simply be considered a strat like any skip or shortcut. If you don't do it, it's your own fault for choosing to be slower. I don't like noSFX myself, so I just don't use it and that's all about it for me.
I know that SFX on won't come back. I won't complain about SFX off anymore, but there is a one thing that I'd like to be added.
That is heading of whether the run is SFX on or off. There is a character heading in CTR leaderboard, right? It's a same thing. I want to know which run is using SFX on clearly. It's not separating category. It's OK to put all runs together. Just make it easy to see each runs difference.
If it make sense, I will never say something about SFX.
