I wanted to open up a thread to see if the community is open to changing the ruling on special name codes being allowed for main leaderboard categories. With Sub 7 Clockrush being humanly achievable in luck mode it is possible that the fastest way to complete any% NoSC will be with luck mode. And I personally would find it strange if the fastest speedrun for the xbox version of the game wouldn't be allowed on the leaderboard. Maybe each run could have a distinction of which name code was used similar to how the leaderboard distinguishes between xbox and psx without making separate categories?

I'm in favor of allowing it. Assuming it's possible to add a new field, and I agree we should add it, I am willing to update any old runs if they cannot be defaulted with the new field. Does AXEARMOR on its own offer any benefit to the existing route?

Axe armor has 1 potential benefit for any main leaderboard category that I'm aware of. I explain it in detail in my clock rush video here: But tl:dr you can kill doppleganger a little faster IGT if you equip the axe armor for that fight, meaning sub 7 might be a little easier in axe armor mode.

I think the original intent besides gameplay changes was to prevent any type of memory manipulation or weirdness using name inputs. If that is confirmed not possible, then it seems fine to allow it. Splitting the category makes sense to me since it is a significant gameplay change, but tracking with a sorting feature can also work.

I'm not the biggest fan of splitting the categories myself but I could be convinced if it makes more sense to do so. I just don't see it being that different. After doing a few runs with luck mode I don't think its different enough to warrant a new category just because of gameplay changes. The run plays out almost the same as sub 8 any% runs of the past just with a different death skip, exp route and very minor strat differences after that in a few rooms. Its similar to how psx handles the clock rush very differently to sub 8 xbox runs imo.

I personally would not call access to Big Toss and a sub 7 clock rush a minor change. Still, I don't think it is a laughable or unreasonable request and discussion.

I agree with Turbo, I think those are big changes for any% and this also has a potential for huge changes in other categories (i.e. Glitchless any%). I'm of the opinion that if you start the game with a Special Name Code, than it shouldnt be in the same category as the vanilla/standard speedrun regardless of the changes it brings to the run itself, but having big changes enabled by that is more of a reason to make those runs be in another category imo.

I think the good options are:

• Variable like with the Maria categories, segregates
• Field that is displayed on a run indicating the name code that was used, allows filtering

Another option is to preserve current Any% NSC and change to Any% NSC No code, but that's ugly.

If you follow the rules described in the extensions then:

No Special Code (Luck Mode, Axe Armor) except in Low% Bat, Zero Bosses, Reverse Boss Order, and Blindfolded.

In these categories, luck mode is allowed for some specific reasons. Maybe these reasons appeared in Any% No SC or even All Bosses? Is it possible to resolve this on similar rights?

The main problem with flat allowing any name code is that it would eliminate any way to see how the run was done apart from comments. Normally there is at least something to filter by.

Something I have brought up other places but not here yet is that the "standard" way to speedrun this game has been a replay playthrough after getting a clear file which changes the game dramatically compared to a first playthrough. The same arguments being made against luck mode's legality in any% NSC can be made against "replay" speedruns. Other things to think about: if someone were to submit a non replay speedrun to the leaderboard would they be rejected? If non replay speedruns were somehow found to be faster would we still feel like it shouldn't be allowed in any% NSC? We already have decided that replay is fine for any% NSC even though it changes the game significantly compared to a normal playthrough without a clear file, so why would there be any difference if another playthrough method is found to be faster but still follows the definition of any% no save corruption?

Not really relevant since nobody runs the category in non-replay mode. But yes that is also something that should probably be indicated on the run somehow. It just so happens that all runs are replay mode. I think Rom did some non-replay runs as a separate thing. If anything that point just means there needs to be more clarification to avoid it being confusing why we can skip cutscenes and purchase Duplicator. I don't understand what exactly they are waiting for. At the very least there should be a temporary place where all of these runs should exist.

It's undeniable that this is the next evolution of the category. It reminds me a lot of Aria without shop. It's also clear, and this isn't new information to anybody, that Luck Mode significantly changes how the game is played, so that should be indicated. I don't think this warrants category segregation, a filterable field works great. Glitchless is the only one that should be segregated because both routes deserve their category.

Added the Name Code annotation field to Alucard categories, with Normal being default. It shows up on the board page and can be filtered. Depending on community preference Glitchless can be split with dedicated rules.