My 100% base campaign run for RCT3 ( ) was recently denied for using custom saved track rides which struck me as a bit unfair and after overviewing the rules of the current Any% category and reading a forum post where the mod Squad3 implied that the Any%run could be qualified as only beating the Apprentice level of each of the first 16 scenarios. This makes me want to have a discussion about the rules of the categories because they seem to be unrefined in this state and my run was developed and created back in October of last year before the rules were ever posted to this site. As someone who's relatively familiar with how rules are set up in run categories, I would like to make a few suggestions as how to keep all of the runs currently of RCT3 valid and also open up the room for a couple more categories that could lead to some interesting routes.
Proposal 1: Make more definitions on what's banned. For starters I highly recommend doing a full ban on all macros, custom flat rides and scenery (not custom design, but rather the ones modded into the game), trainers (software injection) and all track designs created by them (easily distinguishable by rides with impossible clearance). Reasoning behind these proposals is because it gives runners an unfair although slight advantage by using external, non-official programs to cut down time on their runs.
Proposal 2: Add single level leaderboards for all of the expansion pack levels. Reasons for this being there are several of single levels with possibly interesting runs such as Oasis of Fun from Soaked that have a lot of room for optimization.
Proposal 3: Remove bans on custom ride designs for full game runs. Main reasoning for this being it makes the full 100% Original Career run at the very least an hour longer due to certain crucial rides having to be made by hand, such as the minimum of 7 excitement coaster required to beat Box Office on Tycoon level. This makes an already 3 and a half hour run at the very least 4 hours, and would require several techniques I developed for the 100% original run to be redone entirely. The only reason I could see for keeping the ban if it were out of place it would be easier to cheat using designs saved using a trainer to make impossibly compact designs, but other than that it is a feature that was included in the base game. As a side note, certain built-in designs require you to already beat the game, which would make this a New Game Plus category if they were used. To avoid any conflicting information the ban should simply be removed for full game runs while allowing post-game designs. I recommend keeping the ban on all custom track/pool designs on single level runs however, as this encourages more thoughtful short term run goals and doesn't invalidate the runs already uploaded and the routes developed. There is one debatable aspect to this topic however, and it's the built-in feature to import saved rides from RCT1 and RCT2 into RCT3. On one hand, this is a feature that is built into the base game and isn't using any unofficial software to enhance a run, and my route of RCT3 original 100% already uses it to place a couple rides before that particular ride type is unlocked via the research mechanic. On the other hand, it allows certain designs to be built into the scenarios without unlocking them and it requires having RCT2 or at the very least RCT2 track design saves to accomplish. My run that I'm currently developing for the Soaked 100% category doesn't use any yet, but I highly recommend leaving this mechanic in for not only being part of the game but also for potentially increasing the skill ceiling for the runs by getting runners to find out new combinations to optimize runs. For the record, there is already an inherent downside to using this feature, as when testing these rides to get their statistics, the game engine takes much longer to determine the ratings for each ride which in turn increases time, so it's always better to use the already unlocked rides to save time.
In short, I recommend splitting the categories into 7 directions: Any% of all 3 careers (if I read Squad's post right), 100% of all 3 careers, and a full level leaderboard of all 39 scenarios with the already imposed limited ruleset that restricts track designs to make for longer single level runs.
I hope this is a good compromise to keep all of our currently developed and recorded runs legal, and I highly encourage discussion of this topic.
Although i would agree that it would take atleast an hour longer when restricting custom rides, i still think that creating custom rides for knocking down time in scenarios by 10 minutes or even more is a bit of a cheating procedure. Yes, the option to do so is in the game and you CAN use Custom Designs that are available to you in the game already. I have talked to a lot of people and most of them consider your own custom designs as cheating. I'm willing to do a seperate category in which these are allowed, could even allow them in any%, but with the 100% Career mode, the rules will stick with the way they are.
I'm going to dwelve way more into Any% of all 3 careers, 100% of all 3 careers and a full level leaderboard (There is one for the original career already, but i'm going to be adding in Soaked! and Wild! levels too.
If you're willing, i can add you as a Moderator to the game, but i'd like to be notified on the changes you'd be doing.
I didn't, i re-did the category name and added the Soaked! and Wild! Levels. Please re-submit your run and i'll validate it ASAP, didn't know that would get rid of the WR.
There we go, verified.
I've removed the Custom Rides rule for Any% Categories, still keeping it on 100% and individual levels.
100% for me is a bigger challenge than any% (Obviously) and i'd rather see people putting an effort into it (An hour isn't really that much in terms, Vanilla hills can be completed without custom designs of your own within about 12 minutes or less)
Considering my current split for it is 4 minutes with customs enabled it might actually be more. Is it really that hard to remove the ban on something that's already built into the game?
Also you still haven't added or even discussed official bans on macros and trainers which leads me to believe you didn't read the full original post.
I did read the full original post and as i said, i'd love to discuss this via Discord, as i tend to forget what i have to do due to work and such. If it's such a hastle, i'll lift the bans, my offer still holds, i can add you as a Moderator.
I can flesh out a full ruleset and category sheet if you make me a mod of the game, would be much appreciated.
