Rule history

This page contains a log of rule changes.

First retrievable version (archive.org) was from 19 Feb 2005.

Changes from 11 Sep 2005:

Save warping now permitted but as separate category if there's also saving without save warping. Previously save warping was forbidden unless unavoidable but then a penalty was added for using it to save time.
Death abuse allowed now (as a separate category). Previously beneficial dying was forbidden.
Turbo controller ban added
Cutscene skip compulsion added

Changes from 11 Jun 2007:

Runs with unlockables now require a normal game run first (unless the unlockable is another difficulty)
Half second penalty per quicksave added

Changes from between 25 Nov 2007 and 17 Mar 2009 (there are gaps in archive.org so I don't know for sure):

Most glitches allowed now, only glitches that skip almost the whole game still forbidden, glitches that skip large parts of the game get their own category besides games not using them. Previously glitches that allow the player to leave the boundaries of the game world ("out of bounds") and glitches that cause mysterious warping were explicitly forbidden.
Internal scripts allowed, external scripts forbidden except for Half Life & Portal where they are still allowed under a grandfather clause. Runs using scripts get their own category. (this has since been revoked at some point and no scripting of any kind is allowed)
"Individual Levels" added
"Save warping" no longer gets its own category if it's possible to also segment a run without save warping
Cutscene skip compulsion replaced with the more general "speed is first and foremost priority"
Turbo controller ban replaced with more general ban of third-party add-ons giving unfair advantages
Added reservation of right to take down runs, obsoleting clearly defined
Now any game that has a definite end point and where a speedrunner is faster than an experienced player can be run, according to FAQ some games such as fighting games were banned before.
Pausing rule added: pausing counts against the runner except when used to swap DVDs
Info for multiplayer runs added: generally permitted but as a separate category
Runs with unlockables again no longer require a normal game run first

Changes made on 19 Aug 2013

Virtualization Software and DOSBox allowed for old games
- Virtual machines and DOSBox are allowed to be used for running old PC games for SDA submissions in case they cannot be otherwise run properly on a modern PC. If an official compatibility patch exists you are required to use it. Think of these tools as a last resort, not a default option.
- Runs recorded on DOSBox require the settings used to run the game to be included as part of the submission process. Verifiers need to approve these settings as part of the verification process for a run to be posted on SDA.
- If a game has received an official DOSBox bundled release you are required to use those settings (but not necessarily that release of the game) for your run unless you have a strong argument against it. (Such as version differences introduced by the rerelease or incorrect playback under these official settings.) If a game had multiple such releases with differing settings, use whichever settings are best for the run.

Changes made on 09 Apr 2016

General update of the wording and formatting.
Adding a description of games that won't be accepted on SDA.
Adding descriptions for several new categories that are more or less recurring: "with uber large-skips", "multiplayer", "new game+/DLC".
Adding a section about how timing is done on SDA.
Adding a section about hosting rules on SDA.

Changes made since then: see the rules page history tab.