Virgin Islands, U.S.Welcome to the "Leaderboard changes" megathread. It's just a thread with links to all previous leaderboard changes topics, so we can remove unnecessary pins.
Hey gamers, LCS moderation team is here with another update. We got various stuff to discuss, so let's start.
Rules
We've updated a few rules and even introduced a new one for PPSSPP users:
Emulator runs require showing emulation/cheats settings after finishing a run (Settings -> System -> Emulation and Cheats sections) ... Enable Plugins option must be turned off (applicable only to PPSSPP versions 1.18+)
If you're playing on a modern emulator version, make sure you go to Settings and disable the new "Enable Plugins" option, as it is turned on by default! You really don't want to get your run invalidated simply because you just updated your emulator.
Submission video must show the entire duration of the run from start to finish, including starting story missions from the marker, starting time trials from getting on the designated vehicle, starting multiplayer races by showing the lobby menuing and chosen event options before starting the race, starting side missions either via pressing the corresponding side mission trigger button or getting on/in the designated side mission vehicle and ending the recording with the mission pass. Singleplayer races can be seen as the exception, where you can start recording in the moments leading up to the racing portion trigger, i.e the runup. Starting the recording from dark screen/mid loading etc. isn't allowed and same principle applies for the recording ending prematurely.
This wall of text basically says "The recoding must include the whole run. Better submit a longer video than cut out something important". The exception is singleplayer races, because it is allowed to make a save state before the actual race marker on emulators, so you can get a perfect race start. If this rule is broken, the run will be rejected.
All story mission ILs recordings require the runner to show the mission intro cutscene fully faded in before skipping it. Showing only a few faded in frames of the initial cutscene or no cutscene at all is strictly prohibited
This part is extremely important. With some missions, it's possible to skip all cutscenes in a way that you're left with nothing but a black screen with "Loading..." in the top right corner. This makes timing these runs quite difficult and time-consuming. We need to see a clear starting point, so now it's required to let the initial cutscene fully fade in. If this rule is broken, the run isn't going to be rejected, but it will be timed from activating the mission marker itself, which adds an extra ~5 seconds to your final time. Don't do that.
Runs use the Real Time Attack (RTA) timing convention
Previously, some ILs used in-game time, but we decided to unify the timing method. This also comes with a benefit to players: setups that break the in-game timer are now allowed. All existing runs that used IGT were retimed.
Speaking of ILs
We've added 70 new ILs. And we tried to divide all levels into multiple categories with specific timing rules. Here's what we came up with:
Timing for story missions starts upon skipping the initial cutscene (cutscene footage begins fading to black once that happens) and ends when the mission has been passed (indicated by icons disappearing from the radar/hud and/or money counter ticking up upon runner completing the final objective of the mission, as well as first visible frame of the main character appearing after skipping final mission cutscene)
Timing for time trials/races starts upon triggering the race section (in-game timer pops up) and ends when the race has been finished (in-game timer disappears)
Timing for side missions/railshooters starts upon game establishing/triggering the side mission specific objective and ends when the side mission has been passed. Important note - all of the ILs in this group have specific indicators as to when they start and end, please refer to the "Level Specific Rules" section at the bottom for more details
Timing for multiplayer races starts upon triggering the race section ("GO" text disappears) and ends when the race has been finished ("Winner" text appears)
Don't worry, if you get the final time wrong, we will retime it for you. Just make sure you've included everything we need to see. However, some levels still require some further clarification on timing and/or rules. You can find it at the very bottom of the rules in the "Level Specific Rules" section. If this section doesn't exist for some level, then this level follows the common guidelines.
You also probably noticed that among these new levels we have multiplayer races. We imagine your first reaction is "Damn, I really want to speedrun these, but I don't have 2 PSPs!". Luckily, you don't need any (if you're willing to play on emulator). All you need is a PC with PPSSPP installed. Use "localhost" as ad-hoc server IP address and you're good to go. If you need a more detailed tutorial, let us know in the comments and we will provide one.
We've also introduced 4 high score levels - one for every railshooter and one for RC Triad Take-down. This change is more of an experiment, but we thought it could fun. It works like that:
Runner is required to include the entire gameplay that took place between the start and the end of the IL in their submission video, meaning ending the recording before the "Mission Passed!" text is forbidden. No timing rules apply here - submit your final score in the time field (1-999 in the milliseconds field, 1000+ in the seconds and milliseconds fields)
You can play on any platform you want - we created a separate category for these. Have fun scoring high!
And last, but not least...
Mobile
Mobile is now a separate category. All Android and iOS runs belong there now. The reason for this decision is pretty clear: I needed all my IL records back. Wait, what? I mean, the mobile version is a little different after all. For example, Paramedic, Vigilante and Firefighter were shortened from 12 to 9 levels, which gives an unfair advantage in ILs and 100%. If you're wondering "is Mobile going to get a completely different leaderboard like it happened with the mobile releases of III, Vice City and San Andreas?", then the answer is no. We believe such drastic separation isn't needed here. The most popular category, Any% (No AJS), is not much different between Mobile and original releases, so it'd be more convenient to keep everything in one place.
All old runs were moved and all new runs that are still in the queue will be moved by the moderation team.
And that is it for now, folks. Congratulations to @Noz for becoming a WR holder in Any% (No AJS)!
Have a Hollywood Christmas and an Undead New Year!
Hello, it's me again. Shortly after we released our biggest GTA LCS rules overhaul, @NABN00B informed us of its potential flaws. We quickly started working on a "hotfix" to provide the fairest experience for everyone. And today I'm happy to present the changes.
For every category, we now have this:
Every failed attempt reaching at least as far as the Slacker (2nd mission) requires a full game restart before starting a new run to avoid any invalidating NG+ effects.
And for "All Rampages" and "99/100 Hidden Packages" it is a bit more specific:
Every failed attempt reaching at least as far as the Slacker (2nd mission) or 9mm Mayhem sidemission start ("godbike" acquisition) requires a full game restart before starting a new run to avoid any invalidating NG+ effects.
I know, I know, that sucks. And I'm going to be the first one to admit it. But what are these "invalidating NG+ effects" - are they really that bad? NG+ effects are effects that don't reset after starting a new game. The most prominent example is the working lift bridge connecting Staunton Island and Shoreside Vale. We already tried to counter that in our previous update, but more things have surfaced. The biggest one of them is disabling roads. Some missions disable roads, and if you start a new game (or load a save file) while roads are disabled, they are going to stay disabled. It may lead to an unfair advantage, and this rule change addresses it. What is the first mission that does that? If your guess is "Slacker", you're wrong. It is actually "Home Sweet Home" (but "Slacker" does it too). So, what do runners have to do now to make sure their runs are valid? It's simple: if you reached Slacker and need to reset, restart your game. If you reached 9mm Mayhem and need to reset, restart your game (relevant for "All Rampages" and "99/100 Hidden Packages"). Or simply restart your game after every attempt to be safe. This is still required for WR contenders anyway. Once again, we understand the inconvenience, but there's nothing we can do. There might be more hidden NG+ effects we are not aware of, so it's easier this way. Let's all thank NABN00B by putting #teamBlameNab in your submissions for bringing this up.
This leads to a change in this rule:
Runs that wish to be considered world record require a starter save load between each new attempt reset, or a full game restart in case of a lack of one, because of possible NG+ effects and for extra cheating prevention purposes. Loading/restarting process must be included in the submission video
There is no longer a point in loading your starter save between attempts (but it is still recommended to have and use it, for more info refer to this guide).
Moving on, we have another rule change:
Runner is required to show the beginning of their run's statistics in the stats menu (up until and including the 6th line which is "Number of saves") after finishing the run to confirm the eligibility of the used starter save, in case of using one, and/or confirm that no cheats were used in a run.
Important: this rule is slightly adjusted for every category, so make sure you read the updated rules first! I think this is quite self-explanatory. It doesn't take much time on the runner's side and makes the verification process a lot easier.
And last, but not least: you are now allowed to use AJS in 100% runs. There was no rationale to forbid that in the first place, so we are lifting this rule. Can't wait to see PS2 players unlocking the car spawner for Car-azy Car Give Away!
And there you have it. These rules are taking effect in 2 weeks, so make sure to submit your old runs. Already submitted, but not yet verified, runs are not going to be affected.
Welcome to the biggest GTA: LCS rules overhaul. We have tons of changes and some of them may seem inconvenient. At the same time there's a reason behind each of them. In this post I'll try to explain everything.
Let's start with the main categories. We'll go over the rules that apply to all categories first and then talk about the category specific ones.
Timing starts on the first frame after choosing/confirming a New Game option (first dark frame after confirmation), or alternatively on the first frame of game starting flash screen loading bar getting full (happens in case of no save files being used for the game)...
That's right, we've changed it and here's why. The old rule was bad, because instead of skipping the cutscene you could just watch it and end up in a completely different spot (behind the car). Moreover, the in-game clock starts running during those cutscenes, so you could potentially get better traffic lights and maybe other advantages. Now it is going to be consistent. Old runs are going to be retimed by adding a constant value to them (we've measured loading times for all platforms).
Runs use the Real Time Attack (RTA) timing convention, which means it measures the real time that has passed from start to finish, rather than in-game time. Runs may be timed with an external timer (such as WSplit), though the timer does not have to be shown on video.
This rule wasn't changed.
Submission video must show the entire duration of the run from start to finish, including the menuing process leading to new game start (i.e beginning a highlight from 'Game' tab in-game, or on the confirmation screen isn't allowed), as well as showing the end of the previous failed attempt that runner reset before starting a new run, if there's one, otherwise the early game booting process showcase would be required for a singular attempt.
Should be self-explanatory. Starting from the "Game" tab is not allowed due to possible NG+.
Any save files loaded must be made during run Usage of cheats (including accidental) is forbidden
Nothing new, just stating the obvious.
Every failed attempt reaching at least as far as the Staunton Island segment requires a full game restart before starting a new run to avoid any invalidating NG+ effects Starting a new game after starter save load is only allowed with the saves made as early as before starting the 2nd story mission, because of NG+ effects.
Self-explanatory. The only thing that might change in the future is the deadline after which you have to restart the game.
Real hardware:
Runs that wish to be considered world record require a starter save load between each new attempt reset, or a full game restart in case of a lack of one, because of possible NG+ effects and for extra cheating prevention purposes. Loading/restarting process must be included in the submission video.
Emulator:
Runs that wish to be considered world record require an additional full game restart between each new attempt, because of possible NG+ effects and for extra cheating prevention purposes. Restarting process must be included in the submission video.
It is possible to keep cheats active even if Enable Cheats is off (PPSSPP). Restarting the game ensures you get rid of any effects. Keep in mind: if you're not going for a WR, it doesn't mean you can use cheats. If we find some fishy stuff, your run might be rejected.
(No) AJS any%:
Runner is required to show the run's IGT stat from the game's statistics menu after finishing the run to confirm the eligibility of the used starter save, in case of using one.
100%:
Runner is required to fully show game's statistics menu after finishing the run to reconfirm the completion of the required tasks.
Miscellaneous:
Runner is required to show corresponding side activity/collectible stat line from the game's statistics menu after finishing the run to reconfirm the completion of the required task, as well as run's IGT stat to confirm the eligibility of the used starter save, in case of using one
While none of these rules should be absolutely mandatory they are going to make moderators' lifes much easier, especially with 100% runs. And since showing the stats menu is neither hard nor time-consuming, I hope the community will understand our decision.
All categories except any% AJS and ILs:
Arbitrary Jump in Script and/or Arbitrary Code Execution isn't allowed.
AJS is a good meme, so it has its own category. No need to try to use it everywhere, though. Also when I say "ILs" I mean for setups, of course.
100%:
Being rewarded percentage for the same objective twice is allowed (i.e: duping), but should be noted in the run comments for easier verification purposes
That doesn't mean you can stop at achieving in-game 100% - you still have to complete all of the objectives that give a percentage.
If you're playing on an emulator, there's a set of additional restrictions:
Usage of savestates (even accidental) is forbidden. Emulator only glitches are forbidden.
Self-explanatory. Making save states is also banned.
Emulator runs require showing emulation/cheats settings after finishing a run. (Settings -> System -> Emulation and Cheats sections) Fast Memory option must be turned on, Ignore Bad Memory Accesses option must be turned off and Enable > Cheats option must also be turned off.
Enable Cheats rule is self-explanatory and you can read about the Fast Memory option here. Ignore Bad Memory Accesses is close to Fast Memory in terms of allowing you to do stuff that'd crash the game on a real console.
The Frame Counter must be present on-screen at all times (Settings -> Graphics -> Overlay information section -> Show FPS counter -> set to "FPS" or "both").
Just to be sure you are not changing FPS in any way. Hardware related framedrops are fine, limitimg/changing FPS with external software is not.
100%:
Starter save file must be renamed to be put at one of the bottom save slots because of the way PPSSPP handles loading save files, starting from the very first slot, as opposed to PSP's loading of the most recent one.
Just to be sure you don't break the "Any save files loaded must be made during run" rule when you reset the game. We emphasize it here, because there're strats that require a full game restart in this category.
Now it is time for ILs.
Level runs use RTA convention as a main timing method, excluding races/time trials and the likes, that come provided with in-game timer, in which case IGT gets used.
It was confirmed that the in-game timer is not broken in this game, so we've decided to use it where it's possible.
Timing for time trials/races starts upon triggering/activating a race and ends when you complete the race. Timing for missions starts upon skipping the initial cutscene (cutscene footage gets faded once that happens) and ends when the mission has been passed (indicated by icons disappearing from the radar/hud and/or money counter ticking up upon completing the final objective of the mission, as well as first visible frame of main character appearing after skipping final mission cutscene).
Works exactly how it did before.
Only ONE mission instance is allowed to be active at any time; no duping nor instapassing. No unintended script execution is allowed to be used to pass the mission, such as executing the mission cleanup command during the mission.
Ditto. That includes AJS.
Any glitches used to pass the mission/race/TT with 0:00 IGT are banned, as well as any other possible method of IGT abuse.
In simpler words - don't mess with the in-game timer, unless it's RTA.
Cheats may be used before the mission/sidemission start (e.g before picking up races from the payphone marker) to make more convenient setups that are possible without cheats.
Don't forget that setups you make with cheats should be possible without them. If it's going to be not obvious for a moderator, be ready to answer a DM on srcom. Alternatively, you can explain the setup in the description. Also, pay attention to races: you cannot use cheats after starting a mission from the payphone marker. That's because we want to be sure you don't overwrite something that's forced by starting the mission.
Submission video must show the entire duration of the run from start to finish, including starting missions from the marker, or starting races/TTs from their respective pickup points (i.e races being picked at the phonebooth), and ending with mission pass, or later if there're any extra requirements. Starting from dark screen/mid loading etc. isn't allowed
Self-explanatory.
Full IL setup prior to starting the race/TT/mission must be present in the submission video(s) for PSP/PSVita/PSTV (e.g including full process from marking vehicles for the IL and/or any other bit of setup necessary for race/TT/mission, and ending with the finished successful attempt)
We want it to be fair across different platforms. Since you can make save states using plugins on PSP and PSVita/PSTV, we want to be sure you're not using them while making setups, because it's banned. If you're aware of a method for making save states on PS2/PS3/Android/iOS, please, let us know and we'll expand the list. Note: you still can use save states before starting a mission, if you're playing on an emulator. It's a completely different "platform" with its own set of categories. But I still suggest to include the setup in the submission for easier (and quicker) verification.
Emulator:
Usage of savestates for runs is allowed, but only from a point before the official mission/sidemission/race/TT (run) start
Self-explanatory.
The Frame Counter must be present on-screen at all times. Emulator runs require showing emulation/cheats settings after finishing a run. (Settings -> System -> Emulation and Cheats sections) Fast Memory option must be turned on, Ignore Bad Memory Accesses option must be turned off and Enable Cheats option must also be turned off.
We already talked about these.
And there you have it. If you still have any questions, feel free to ask them in this topic. As for the old runs: none of them are going to be rejected, but we will retime them (including obsolete ones) by adding a constant value. I don't want to promise anything, but this process will take around 2 weeks.
Not so long ago a huge skip was found. At first, the setup was TAS only, but shortly after the second, RTA viable, setup was found as well. This glitch allows you to jump anywhere in the script, similarly to AJS in the remastered version of GTA: San Andreas.
First of all, you can jump directly to final credits. Second, you can also jump to the last mission, "The Sicilian Gambit", but that crashes the game. Hovewer, it is possible to unlock debug menu with this glitch and warp to "The Sicilian Gambit" through it.
Since a few runs were already finished (both on real hardware and emulator), I'm adding a new "Any%" category to the leaderboards. The old "Any%" is now renamed to "Any% (No AJS)" and it's going to stay the main category. Technically, "ACE" is also possible in this game and the name should probably be "Any% (No ACE/AJS)", but I don't want to confuse people even more.
Rules for the new category:
- Timing: starts as soon as you gain control and ends on the first visible frame of the End Credits
- Timing convention: RTA
- Emulator: allowed (has its own category) Important note for PPSSPP runs: it is mandatory to show the "Fast memory" setting after the run. It must be on. You can find it here: Settings -> System -> Emulation.
Short FAQ: Q: Why is having "Fast memory" on mandatory? A: Having it off allows emulator to not crash on certain opcodes with invalid arguments. This gives an unfair advantage over the real hardware runners.
Q: Why is it allowed to jump to the credits? Shouldn't it be like with VC SSU/SA AJS? A: It is impossible to jump to the final credits in III/VC/SA, because they are a part of the corresponding missions. It is not the case with LCS and VCS. Timing in VCS already ends on the first frame of the credits, so it makes sense to keep it consistent between those titles.
Q: So, it is enough to trigger any credits, right? A: No, only end credits count.
Q: The category says PSP/PS2/Mobile. Does AJS work on PS2/Mobile as well? A: The current setup doesn't work on PS2/Mobile. However, it doesn't mean there're no setups on these versions. Feel free to find one and potentially get a world record.
