The current rules for both Any% and Achievements% state that the timer starts as soon as input is given to start the game. However, I have recently noticed that each run on the leaderboard starts the timer at a slightly different time relative to the fade-in and appearance of the message pop-up. Generally speaking, this is not really the fault of the individual – it can be difficult to reliably ensure that the timer starts on the frame that input is given, especially if the timer is added in post (due to there being a fade-in from the main menu instead of a cut). It is, however, something that must be addressed for the purpose of fairness.

The obvious solution to this problem would be to change the point at which the timer starts, the two possibilities for which are: • The appearance of the message pop-up: ie. the frame on which the pop-up first becomes visible. This may be more difficult than the other possibility for those starting the timer live (since they would have to estimate the point at which the pop-up appears). • The disappearance of the message pop-up: ie. when the player presses 'Accept'; ie. the first frame on which the pop-up is no longer visible. If this start time is used, it will be difficult to switch back to any earlier start time in the future; that does not necessarily mean that this timing should not be used, but it is a fact that should be considered.

These new start times would slightly change the current Any% leaderboard. Specifically, the leaderboard would end up looking like this:

1. CarlThaBeast (18s 220ms or 18s 020ms)
2. FrostySeason (18s 919ms or 18s 635ms)
3. EmojiMOON (19s 231ms or 19s 006ms)
4. sapphics (19s 260ms or 19s 100ms) 5/6. Leoj20 (21s 470ms or 21s 140ms) 6/5. FionaKaenbyou (21s 520ms or 21s 130ms) The only positional change here is that Leoj20 and FionaKaenbyou would swap positions, but only if the 'disappearance' timing was used.

On a somewhat-related note, I have considered for a while the possibility of splitting the leaderboard based on platform, given the significant differences in what is humanly possible with a touchscreen and with a mouse. This would group runs into a 'Touchscreen' category (iOS, Android, Switch) and a 'Cursor' category (Windows, macOS, Linux); suggestions are of course accepted for other names for these subcategories.

These are both issues that I have considered since I first started running this game, though I originally ended up deeming them insignificant (a particularly poor decision in the case of the start time issue).

I welcome any and all feedback for these suggestions! Nothing is set in stone, and feedback from other people who have run the game would be particularly useful in making decisions related to this topic.

Since it has been a week since I made this thread, with no replies, I have gone ahead and implemented the changes I suggested (using the 'Accept' start timing). Feedback is still, as always, accepted.

I think you made some good points here. And yes, it would be much more fair to split the leaderboard based on platform!