(formerly named "any% definition change", but this was heavily misleading)

This is a forum thread meant to discuss a new timing definition for the any% of both games. Specifically, the beginning point. Why is that, you might ask ?

Right now, the rules says that "Timing starts on file select". So, upon the button press. As natural as it is for runners to use, it poses a severe issue when wanting to accurately time runs to the frame. Indeed, it is very difficult to determine when that button is pressed exactly, since the game doesn't visually represent that input. Indeed, nothing actually happens until roughly 0.1 second, time where the game plays a sound effect, and 0.1 second after, after the fade-down to black begins.

If it was only that, it would be a little annoying but ultimately fine, as would simply be able to determine where the input happens based on the audio or visual part. But it couldn't be further from the truth. Because both those time estimations are in reality random in length. They can either be normal, or straight up 4 frames longer, and in-between, all at 60 fps. This is an absolutely unreliable timing method, and is the main reason why it currently is being subject to change. But also, to make the run much easier to time for everyone.

The newly developed method, favored by the current runners and that works for both games, is timing from the first frame of the black screen after the save select screen has faded down. It is easy for runners to split to, reviewers to time from, and compatible with autosplitters.

Such a change will ask for a potential re-timing of every single runs (27 in total), due to the slight time difference with the current timing method. Because of this, it is mandatory that we ask the community about a change of this scale.

Now that things are explained, this is you moment for you to vote and express your thought on which is better :

• Keeping the current timing method for the beginning point of any%
• Using the newly-developed timing method

This thread has been duplicated in the DCT game board, but it is preferred that you respond here.

We will call it off once enough people have responded in the following days.

Link to the DCT mirror thread https://www.speedrun.com/klonoadct/thread/trkp6

It's been my thought that if we are going to be changing the timing method for the start of the run (because it is pretty ambiguous when the a press is made to start the run) that it be made to start on that first completely black frame immediately after the fade down from the new game file select screen.

I've found it works best with auto splitters, having a reliable starting image to know when the run begins as well as being fairly easy to time to start manually real time. timing this way would only offset runs by a little and will barely lower times and would keep run rankings the same unless we find a run that is timed way wrong to begin with.

It will statistically offset most runs by a second, as this new timing change would roughly remove 0.85 s off of them. But that's not an issue.

Well, enough time has passed. Most of the discussion happened in the Discord, and before this thread actually even made, so...

Either way, the voices we've heard (on the server) made it clear, we will accept this new timing change. Any new run starting from now on, will abide by this new timing method. I'll soon get to work on the new rules, and then the mod team will go on about potentially retiming all 28 runs.

How's this ?

"

• Timing starts upon the first frame of the screen being completely black, which appears right after the fade-down of the save select screen.

• Timing ends with the final hit on Bagoo. Time does not stop if you die. "

[EDIT : Looks to be on the good path. Still some nitty gritty left. Changed the word "ensues" to "appears". Planning on adding another line (discussed in the server)]

Changes made, last message about this probably.

The "show post-game cutscene" probably won't affect previous runs that didn't show it.

Now to work on re-timing the runs

After some more discussion in the community server, it has been decided that we change the beginning point of the run to something that is more practical and friendly for re-timing runs.

As follow, the new text :

"

• Timing starts upon the first frame of the fade-down process that happens to the save screen soon after creating a new game. "

We had already started re-timing a lot of runs before that point, so hopefully this teaches us a lesson in not pulling such major changes without prooftesting them first.

We will again return to re-timing runs. The boards obviously remain open for new submissions. This should be the last post.

Update : all EoD runs are now re-timed !