[Edit : thread previously known as "Rule clarification for full-game runs".]

A line in the rules has now been changed, to explicitely state that you must play the run through a newly created save-file for the run to count.

Besides for clarity sake, this is mainly due to ensure all runs come out the same way. We recently found out that FestivalTemple's two top runs has started the game via an already created file, which messes with the definition of the run since you never encounter the "Save complete" panel.

We'll exceptionnaly turn an eye to these runs (any of the already existing ones that have this problem, which I'm not even sure they are) since first : they were both from an era where the rules might have been different or simple unclear on this. And second : they had been accepted back then either way, and the lost time had been accounted for in their final time. But this won't be the case for any of the new runs. [Done, after only 4 days of waiting]

This doesn't exactly fit, but I'd rather avoid creating threads for every little things. I have added a line to regulate any submissions of full-game runs that are done without having created a save-file due to no Memory Cards being plugged in.

This has the effect of removing the "Save complete" panel off the creation process of the save-file, meaning we cannot time the run with the original beginning point anymore.

Thankfully, there exist another way to time runs that works whether you have access to that panel or not. It's related to the music fading out. So, I've decided that such runs have to be timed from the first frame the screen turns black and doesn't update, after exiting the option screen. I assume it's roughly around here that the music starts fading down, but as I have no means to tell this, there might be frame inacuracies between both run types.

Not much we can do about that, unless if we were to change the beginning point timing definition to when the players gets control of Klonoa. For which, we would need to do a vote to decide.

Either way, this Memory Cart rule oversight has now been taken care of. For information, as far as we know it, not plugging the Memory Cart doesn't affect the run, as for instance the saving prompts met after every stage will still appear despite this.

We just discovered a very weird and rare final boss behavior that makes it so the dealt final hit won't immediately end the fight. No, King of Sorrow stays alive and fully active with his enemies for the duration of a whole second :

This is concerning because of the current timing rules. They state that the fight explicitely ends on that hit, meaning that we could finish the run, even thought the boss isn't completely done with his stuff and is still dangerous. Unsurprisingly, everyone in the Discord who gave their opinion on this were not okay with it, so a change was necessary.

Thankfully, this strange case is easy to deal with as it is. We simply have to tweak the definition of the end point of the run, so that instead of on the final hit, it ends on the first frame of the flash effect the boss emanates (or alternatively on the first frame of the enemies disappearing), since this is the true end of the fight (at least if you don't get a frame-perfect death, which unfortunately has happened to some)

As such, I'll very quickly change the rules with this. And correct the runner's time by adding a second. (done)

In light of Kumohachi's mesmerizing support mode boss fight times on the remaster, I realized this board never allowed anything of the like. Which is pretty dumb, as it doesn’t make sense to be able to use Popka in full-game runs, but not run the extra stages with him. Thus, I have added IL categories where you can use Popka.

The time becomes green when you use him, which basically means the time disqualified, and doesn't save if you finish the run. Who cares.

But now, at the same time, I would like to discuss the act of pausing.

In RTA settings, pausing is part of the final time, so naturally, you would want to avoid doing it completely since it generally prevents you from doing anything in the game.

But in settings where the time would simply be extracted from an in-game source, like an incorporated timer – here used during boss time-attack, and the extra stages - there may be issues, depending on how these timers are programmed.

And in our case, there is a big one : the timer stops when you pause. The entire run suddenly halts at the press of a button, and you can do it anytime you want.

This can mean a lot of things :

• Dealing with pressure without any run penalty
• Being able to anticipate the future, instead of dealing with it live. Setting up precise tricks more easily
• Splicing being slightly easier, although we aren’t very much concerned by this.

Although abusing pausing in order to obtain lower times is an interesting endeavor, I think this typically careful, meticulous and slow playstyle would go against speedrunning, which is more about completing an objective very quickly, in one sweep go, always going at top speed without taking breaks or slowing down. Don’t get me wrong, these are two valid playstyles, and some games have potential for both, like Minecraft. But for us, it doesn’t look like pausing would bring anything special to the table. Pausing doesn’t seem like it would help with saving much time, as it only provide some amount of support with pulling off tricks, and pausing to recover kinda cheats the purpose speedrunning as you’re supposed to never stop… running.

It seems too irrelevant for us to care about, and as such, I suggest we simply disable pausing during boss time-attack and extra stages Ils. So we may simply continue our efforts on doing what we know best to do.

Of course, under special occasions, pausing may be allowed, like if it's accidental (trying to skip the Polonte mid cutscene, inoffensive cutscenes, as long as they are not very long). Either way, I have checked every single L’sV Ils, and none of them pause, so no time should be affected if we push through.

Obviously, if things were to change, like a new groundbreaking use gets found to pausing, we may return to this topic again. But before then...

Still on this topic, if people want main game stage ILs, we may add them. Though I feel a bit sad that most of the time we add them to certain games, they quickly end up becoming inactive and empty. Maybe people should play around this a lot before we can consider it.

Tell me what you think.

[Didn't hear anything, nor in server, so I changed it as so, thinking it wouldn't hurt things.]

[No replies in a couple days since. Made the changes]

Hello.

I would like to suggest a new information variable for runs. I explain everything in more details in the PS1 DtP forum thread, which there, the variable was just added : https://www.speedrun.com/klonoa1/thread/d3f73/1#jpdk9

But basically, it’s possible (and always so) to play the game at normal (60Hz) and slower (50 Hz) speed. 50 Hz L'sV speedruns is not what we're used seeing for sure, but they're undisputably there. Problem is, there is no way to tell the speed of the run without painstakingly manually entering the submission and checking the run. Moreover, PAL games can sometimes be played on 60 Hz, so the correlation PAL = 50 Hz, isn't possible. All in all, this lack of information both makes it difficult to find those runs, and for the players of the slower speed to find runs to compare to.

So, I propose we add a Hz variable, just like the sister board. It will not split the leaderboard or anything, the layout will remain the same as ever.

I'll leave this open for a couple days if there's any messages. After that I'll add it.

Some other time I’d like to reproperly arrange the full-game categories, as their current arrangement can definitely be simplified. That would ask of moving runs around and stuff like that. But I’m busy for now. Unless some of the other mods want to get on it.

(Been three weeks, not going to do anything for now) Hello.

This post is about discussing a potential layout revamp of the full-game categories of this game.

As you can see right now, there are over 7 categories, 4 of which are in misc. We have four run types : any%, 100%, all stages and 0 dreamstones. And then we have gameplay types : popkaless and popka.

We could simplify the board by reducing the amount of categories. But also, giving more visibility to the misc categories. Recent src updates made it a lot harder to spot the button leading to the misc categories. We’ve had issues over the PS1 DtP board about this.

There are multiple approaches :

• We could create a compact category system like the one found for KPRS (take a look at it if needed). It would be much more simplified of course. No difficulty variables, fewer rules. This would be a massive board simplification, reducing the amount of categories to only two (0 dreamstones would need to be separated as it doesn’t translate too well with this system). But, I’m worried that it may perhaps be too drastic of a change. I feel it would trip away the legacy and feeling of categories such as any% with or without popka.

• Instead of gathering every single run types under one roof, let’s only regroup each individual run type with its two gameplay types. We would have four game categories, for which you can choose the gameplay type once you access them (except for 0 dreamstones). All four categories could become main, so no categories are left out in misc. I feel this would retain the spirit of the old categories more.

• Same as point two, except we leave any% and any% popkaless intact. As they are by far the categories with the greatest history.

I'm split with the second and third one personally.

Each runs that needs to be moved would need to be updated, but that is fine.

At the same time, I was also considering renaming the "all stages" categories to that of "all visions". Purely for consistency sake with the DtP and KPRS board who use it.

But before doing anything, I would like to hear opinions. This time though, I will not push this forward if I don't get replies.