Skipping cutscenes

2009-06-19 12:43:15 pm

we have lift off

So for the world of goo speedrun I am doing it would be possible for me to skip some cutscenes by using another profile to play the levels which have cutscenes after them and watch them. Then in the same session without quitting WOG I could start a new profile, do the run and could skip those cutscenes. Obviously this is a terrible hassle but its the only way to skip them, my question is what would be the difference timing wise between a run skipping cutscenes and a run not skipping them?

Thread title:

Carcinogen

2009-06-19 01:40:08 pm

The Symphony of the Night run starts from a loaded file, to skip dialogue. That's allowed.

ridd3r.

2009-06-19 02:07:01 pm

we have lift off

Yeah I know it would be allowed, it would just be such a hassle to have to complete a set of levels everytime I decided to reattempt the run that I was wondering how the timing would be done. For example say 1 person submitted a run that was 10 seconds quicker because the cutscenes had been skipped but their run was actually 30 seconds slower taking into account the skipped cutscenes what then? (Taking into account the hassle of skipping the cutscenes, it is not a case of simply pressing a button).

ExplodingCabbage

2009-06-19 03:17:55 pm

ridd3r, I suspect the verifiers would factor out cutscene time when comparing a run which skipped them with one which didn't, and that SDA wouldn't require you to skip them if it adds needless hassle. You can always ask Mike.

Alternatively, consider either finding a way to hack the game to remove the cutscenes, or simply editing them out of the final video if this would produce the same effect as skipping them. I know that either of these is technically cheating but the key word there is 'technically'; I don't think anyone's seriously going to mind you doing it since it's just a substitute for playing through the whole game before every session of runs.

In_Pieces

2009-06-19 03:39:45 pm

...?

Quote from ExplodingCabbage:

Alternatively, consider either finding a way to hack the game to remove the cutscenes, or simply editing them out of the final video if this would produce the same effect as skipping them.

Umm... No...

ExplodingCabbage

2009-06-19 04:31:21 pm

Quote from In_Pieces:

Quote from ExplodingCabbage:

Alternatively, consider either finding a way to hack the game to remove the cutscenes, or simply editing them out of the final video if this would produce the same effect as skipping them.

Umm... No...

Umm... Why?

Sir VG

2009-06-19 04:33:33 pm

Fucking Weeaboo

Because modifying the game is illegal.

NK3233

2009-06-19 04:39:50 pm

It's-a me, Stalin!

I'm not 100% sure on the rules, but would this be NG+, seeing as the run involves completing the game to make the run faster?

ExplodingCabbage

2009-06-19 04:48:14 pm

Quote from Lord_VG:

Because modifying the game is illegal.

Yes, but given the alternative is playing through the whole game at the start of each session, I think it's acceptable in this case to try to remove the cutscenes from the game if possible. It's not as if there have never been compromises on modifying the game before when it was convenient and didn't run counter to the spirit of the rules or modify the gameplay of the game (e.g. HLSP Bunny mod, RA2 timer mod, and I'm pretty sure I've even read of someone deleting cutscene files because his game crashed whenever a cutscene played, though I forget what game that was).

Quote:

I'm not 100% sure on the rules, but would this be NG+, seeing as the run involves completing the game to make the run faster?

I've raised this question in very similar circumstances before. Actually though, there are exceptions to what is considered NG+, and playing through a game strictly to make cutscenes skippable is one of them (because who wants to watch cutscenes?).

[quote="Lord_VG"]
Because modifying the game is illegal.
[/quote]

Yes, but given the alternative is playing through the whole game at the start of each session, I think it's acceptable in this case to try to remove the cutscenes from the game if possible. It's not as if there have never been compromises on modifying the game before when it was convenient and didn't run counter to the spirit of the rules or modify the gameplay of the game (e.g. HLSP Bunny mod, RA2 timer mod, and I'm pretty sure I've even read of someone deleting cutscene files because his game crashed whenever a cutscene played, though I forget what game that was).

[quote]I'm not 100% sure on the rules, but would this be NG+, seeing as the run involves completing the game to make the run faster?[/quote]

I've raised this question in very similar circumstances before. Actually though, there are exceptions to what is considered NG+, and playing through a game strictly to make cutscenes skippable is one of them (because who wants to watch cutscenes?).

NK3233

2009-06-19 04:52:14 pm

It's-a me, Stalin!

Quote from ExplodingCabbage:

Who wants to watch cutscenes?

Off topic, but with games like MGS4, cutscenes are key to enjoying the game Tongue

I see where you're coming from though, in the sense of watching a speedrun.

Sir VG

2009-06-19 05:01:27 pm

Fucking Weeaboo

Quote from NK3233:

I'm not 100% sure on the rules, but would this be NG+, seeing as the run involves completing the game to make the run faster?

No, unless you are carrying stats/items/etc over.

Quote:

Yes, but given the alternative is playing through the whole game at the start of each session, I think it's acceptable in this case to try to remove the cutscenes from the game if possible. It's not as if there have never been compromises on modifying the game before when it was convenient and didn't run counter to the spirit of the rules or modify the gameplay of the game (e.g. HLSP Bunny mod, RA2 timer mod, and I'm pretty sure I've even read of someone deleting cutscene files because his game crashed whenever a cutscene played, though I forget what game that was).

Guess what? Doesn't matter. You're modifying the game. Which is 1. against the rules, and 2. if you're in the US technically illegal via the DMCA. But how do we know you only modified with the cutscenes? That's the real point here.

[quote="NK3233"]
I'm not 100% sure on the rules, but would this be NG+, seeing as the run involves completing the game to make the run faster?
[/quote]

No, unless you are carrying stats/items/etc over.

[quote]Yes, but given the alternative is playing through the whole game at the start of each session, I think it's acceptable in this case to try to remove the cutscenes from the game if possible. It's not as if there have never been compromises on modifying the game before when it was convenient and didn't run counter to the spirit of the rules or modify the gameplay of the game (e.g. HLSP Bunny mod, RA2 timer mod, and I'm pretty sure I've even read of someone deleting cutscene files because his game crashed whenever a cutscene played, though I forget what game that was).[/quote]

Guess what?  Doesn't matter.  You're modifying the game.  Which is 1. against the rules, and 2. if you're in the US technically illegal via the DMCA.  But how do we know you only modified with the cutscenes?  That's the real point here.

ExplodingCabbage

2009-06-19 05:52:16 pm

...

Lord_VG, I just cited 3 examples of game modifications that're accepted under SDA rules and comparable to this one. What exactly is your point? Yes, if there is a way of removing the cutscenes from this game Mike will need to okay it, but I'd be willing to bet that he will.

Smilge

2009-06-19 06:47:34 pm

I believe in the Warcraft 3 run the runner just deleted his movies folder. That game uses the in-game timer and the movies don't count towards the time anyways though.

ridd3r.

2009-06-19 06:51:58 pm

we have lift off

I considered removing the cutscenes from the game, kinda like making sound work for max payne in vista, or removing sound from wog. However, I don't think it would be easy and I won't do it.

Quote from Smilge:

I believe in the Warcraft 3 run the runner just deleted his movies folder. That game uses the in-game timer and the movies don't count towards the time anyways though.

Good point! There is actually an in-game timer on the profile page which I temporarily forgot about. This may factor in everything including cutscenes though, which would complicate the matter of timing.

Sir VG

2009-06-19 09:37:22 pm

Fucking Weeaboo

Quote from ExplodingCabbage:

...

Lord_VG, I just cited 3 examples of game modifications that're accepted under SDA rules and comparable to this one. What exactly is your point? Yes, if there is a way of removing the cutscenes from this game Mike will need to okay it, but I'd be willing to bet that he will.

Quote:

Game modification: Removing or altering a game disc/cartridge/files while the game is running is forbidden. Examples of this are the crooked cartridge trick in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and the CD streaming trick in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. If you're not sure what this rule means, think about it this way: don't mess with your system while playing the game, and don't modify the game itself at any time.

Anything else is up to Mike, but what you're suggesting is right there in the rules as a no-no. As for the 3, the last doesn't count because you don't even give a proper example, and the scripting rules is being reviews right now in another thread.

[quote="ExplodingCabbage"]
...

Lord_VG, I just cited 3 examples of game modifications that're accepted under SDA rules and comparable to this one. What exactly is your point? Yes, if there is a way of removing the cutscenes from this game Mike will need to okay it, but I'd be willing to bet that he will.
[/quote]

[quote]Game modification: Removing or altering a game disc/cartridge/files while the game is running is forbidden. Examples of this are the crooked cartridge trick in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and the CD streaming trick in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. If you're not sure what this rule means, think about it this way: don't mess with your system while playing the game, and [b]don't modify the game itself at any time.[/b][/quote]

Anything else is up to Mike, but what you're suggesting is right there in the rules as a no-no.  As for the 3, the last doesn't count because you don't even give a proper example, and the scripting rules is being reviews right now in another thread.

MatrixTN

2009-06-19 10:59:16 pm

You got a deletion wish?

Just throwing this in here...

In "The Simpsons: Hit & Run", the cutscenes are skippable but NOT the first time through a new game. If you play through that part of the game again on the same file, then you can skip it but stats carry over (missions [though you still do them in order except for the bonus one if you already completed it therefore you can't do it again], coins [required for additional vehicles/outfits, some of which ARE required for certain missions] and other stuff collected) so you're essentially stuck with unskippable cutscenes unless you're planning on doing a NG+.

For the OP: can you play a new game on a profile that has already beaten the game or is it considered NG+ there (stuff already acquired carries over so you can't collect it again?) Note: I'm not familiar with the game, therefore idk.

ridd3r.

2009-06-20 05:31:57 am

we have lift off

Nothing carries over, they are separate profiles. To clear it up a bit, I have a completed game file, in order to skip the cutscenes on any profile I would have to complete certain levels after which there are cutscenes. After watching them all I could then proceed to play on any profile, including a new one, and skip those cutscenes. However, this would all have to be done in the same session, closing the game would result in those cutscenes having to be played again. I think i will have to ask Mike, but it appears that the best thing to do would be to use the gaining to losing control time and cut out those cutscenes from the timing.

mikwuyma

2009-06-20 12:13:48 pm

My feelings on The Demon Rush

If it's that much of a hassle to skip cutscenes, then you can leave them in. I'll factor out cutscenes from timing if worse comes to worse.