Greetings!

After discussions within the FTL Multiverse community, I am excited to present a proposal for a new speedrunning category in FTL: Faster Than Light, aptly named "Hyperspace Vanilla Set Seed." This category is designed to enhance the FTL speedrunning experience while addressing some key challenges. Below are the details and reasoning behind this proposal:

Category Rules:

1. Modded FTL with Hyperspace Only: Participants must use a modded version of FTL that includes only the Hyperspace mod.
2. Timer Start and End Points: The timing for runs begins when clicking away from the mission screen and concludes when the flagship starts to break apart.
3. No Command Console: Runners are prohibited from using the Command Console during their speedruns.
4. Seed Selection: Runners are allowed to select the seed with which their run will start. The chosen seed must be visible or provided(e.g., by pressing ESC before the run begins).

For detailed explanation on why this category should exist and my reasoning behind it, please see the following document: Category Proposal: Hyperspace Vanilla Set Seed

I for one would be very interested in seeded speedruns. Hopefully we can get enough support for it

Sounds like a good idea, however I do remember Hyperspace removing the Hacking- Defense Drone Bug which would change the way you play runs. I would be interested tho.

If players want new categories, awesome! If there is a will to speedrun category X I'm open to adding most things. I do ask for some things to be prepared beforehand. Partially to ensure that it's a serious request where people will do runs, not just "this would be cool". But also, and mainly, to give other players the chance to do their own runs.

1. Show a video of a run.

2. Create instructions for what players need to do to start a run (how to install mods, start with a specific seeds etc.). This would be added to the resources/guides section.

3. Create a ruleset. The 4 suggested rules, do they sound good to the others here? Anything you want to add/remove/re-phrase?

All the rules stated sound good to me, but I do have two additional questions. 1) how do we verify that hyperspace is the only mod? Is there a part of the hyperspace ui that only displays when it’s the only mod/if there are other mods? Requiring the mod folder to be submitted alongside the video still leaves room for manipulation. 2) With set seed obviously being able to guarantee a first jump pre-igniter, does this replace the start with pre-ignited category?

And I guess a third question is do we rename the categories to be more cohesive? Something like any%, any% no preigniter, any% set seed etc

Is verification necessary? In general a video + timer and the rest following a honour system is good enough for me.

Starting with a pre-igniter and receiving one in the first jump isn't the same thing, and my understanding is that the Hyperspace changes things inside of the game. So I don't see why it wouldn't be a completely new category instead.

Isn't the naming system consistent and clear as it is? A new category could be like Beat the game (Hyperspace, seeded) or something similar.

If everyone else is comfortable with the honor system then I’m good with it. The speedrun community for the game is fairly small so I guess foul play isn’t too much of a concern.

If you see enough distinction between seeded and starting with a pre-igniter to keep the two separate then no worries.

The current naming system is clear enough as is, just a bit wordy in my opinion, which is really the only reason for renaming it.

I’m gonna do some seed hunting, unless someone knows a seed with a fast pre-igniter, and see about getting a run submitted when I get off work

I can also try to prepare a run soon and guide for installation soon, I also agree that the honor system should work. If something is suspected, it should be easy to verify since the RNG is seeded. I know some people in the Multiverse community that would jump on making a run once the category goes live. I have a lot of work in the next few days, but I hope I can create a tutorial this weekend to help people get started.

Alright, I made an installation guide, let me know if I should edit anything in it. I'll create a game-startup guide later on, but I have a very busy week so it might be a few days

Hyperspace Vanilla Set Seed Installation Guide

I have made a Getting Started guide that has the rules, how to set a seed, and other useful information.

Getting Started - Hyperspace Vanilla Set Seed

I updated the rule to require Hyperspace version 1.8.0 or higher, as reflected in the Set Seed Installation Guide. This change was made to ensure compatibility because older Hyperspace versions may generate seeds differently. If a modder has already upgraded to a higher version of Hyperspace and then downgrades to match seed generation, it could potentially lead to issues with their modded save files. Requiring version 1.8.0 ensures that most mods, including all Hyperspace-dependent ones at the time of writing, can run smoothly. This also encourages everyone to be on the same page and minimizes any potential disadvantages for players trying to compete against those who found optimal seeds in outdated versions. If future Hyperspace updates alter seed generation beyond 1.8.0, we can re-evaluate this rule and consider creating guides for safe workarounds. For now, this update simplifies the process for everyone to get started on an even playing field.

Thank you for taking the time to create the guides Kayachlata!

Some thoughts regarding the rules, where I wish input from others.

1. Rule 3 can be removed? Feels obvious that console isn't allowed. I'd rather have fewer rules, partially for readability and we can't write down all possible cases. It's not something that is clearly stated for other categories and I've never heard someone ask about it either.
2. Showing the seed can be a guideline instead of a set rule? There is an argument for it to be mandatory to make it easier to check if someone is cheating, and for allowing others to try the same seed. On the other hand, speedruns are reset heavy and going into the menu and back before each attempt is annoying. Mainly I don't see strong arguments for it being a must.

This could be a good compromise, completed runs have to show their Victory screen since it shows the seed you played on. This allows people to see what seed they played on without the runner having to open up the menu repeatedly.

My main reasoning for disallowing command console as an explicit rule is because there are commands that allow the game to be sped-up and I wanted to avoid that being used

Also here's an example run I did with the seed 9001. This is more of a proof of concept as my Vanilla skills are a bit rusty. (I'm very sure the people in this thread could get a faster time much more easily lol) There's some nice optimizations in the first sector speeding through events to get extra stuff that I already know is there and avoiding known hazards to showcase how it's a bit different than a regular FTL run. As better seeds are found and the seeds are practiced, they can improve vastly. But hooray! First run of the category!

Category is created. Kayachlata, I added you as a verifier. Congrats on the WR. :)

Please let me know if the category & the links under Resources are looking good.

Hooray! I'll be sure to announce that the category is now live to the multiverse community, hopefully they beat my time real soon ^_^

sounds fun, thanks for setting this up