HITMAN 3 Full Game Reset Policy

**You can only reset after the first successful completion of a level if you have in-game timer HUD turned on. Any following time measurements refers to in game time (IGT), and not real time.**

If you reset after 10 seconds into a level, the time on the timer HUD will be added to the in game time total for the full game run. For instance, if you reset 30 seconds into Bangkok, 30 seconds will be added for the full game IGT timing.

If you reset before 10 seconds into a level (this includes a reset during an intro cutscene), the time of the reset will be increased to 10 seconds if any of the following conditions are also true:

* If you reset on Bangkok from default start (Riverside Landing). This is due to being able to tell Jordan's cycle from the Riverside Landing cutscene. More maps/starting locations will be added to this list if other cutscene RNG manipulation strategies are found for other locations.

* If you have performed an action/ observed something that will affect the gameplay of the level. This includes but it not limited to:
  * Resetting due to missing a bullet distraction/ panic/ kill
  * Resetting due to the target's cycle being observed to be unfavorable
  * Resetting due to getting spotted by an enforcer


If you reset before 10 seconds into the level and the 2 complications above do not apply, then you will get a time penalty for how long you were in the level and no more than that. For instance, if you reset 5 seconds into a Dubai and did not make a choice that impacted the gameplay of the level, you will be penalized only 5 seconds for the reset.

Examples of actions that will give you a time penalty for how long you were in the level and no more than that:
* Forgetting your starting location or starting loadout and resetting to change it
* Watching "too much cutscene" on any starting location other than Bangkok Riverside Start
* Note that moderators will watch for loophole abuse like deliberately changing your loadout to a functionally similar weapon


The following cases will result in being able to reset the level with ZERO time penalty, no matter how far you were into the level:
* You get a connection error that forces you back to the main menu (if this happens, you will be able to reset the level without time penalty, no matter how far you were into the level)
* Your game crashes (if this happens, you will be able to reset the level without time penalty, no matter how far you were into the level)


**Reasoning behind these rules**
We use in game time for full game speedruns of the HITMAN 1-3 (2016, 2018, 2021) due to concerns about hardware disparity, and because the playerbase is not big enough for platform splits. We are also willing to accept lapses from traditional RTA timing standards, such as untimed breaks in the main menu between levels, trusting players will not abuse this privilege.

However, we do not want to endorse strategies that result in excessive resets early in the level being a better strategy than just getting the run for that level first try. The Bangkok Riverside start cutscene exploit (https://www.speedrun.com/hitman_3/run/m3n08pg) is the prime example, but this also includes cases like Berlin SASO, where without a minimum reset floor, it is better to reset 3 seconds in for a risky door skip than to take the safe route around the side of the nightclub.

These rules are by nature subjective and rather complicated, so moderators will step in to decide on subjective rulings as needed. Feel free to reach out if confused by any of this.