Hey runners,

So, board has been sloppy for uh... some years now. Got some recent runs to verify including ties on the board. Reviewing, the timing hasn't been very consistent.

Will begin the process of reviewing timing methods, defining rules, out and doing retimings accordingly to bring some consistency to the game.

I work taxes, and uh yeah, bad week for me coming up here. But about to be past that and entering the summer, and cleaning up this board and getting some recent runs accepted and such looking like my first quick project.

Feel free with ideas/suggestions, etc. Hoping to get things definite and settled here in 2-3 weeks.

Hey y'all. I plan on doing a little of refining of the rules for the various ports in order to clarify exactly how timing will begin and end for the purposes of verification.

As you know, many of the various ports of the game have subtle differences, and the particulars as to how a level loads and unloads is no different.

At the end of the day, when verifying runs, particularly for the purposes accuracy and consistency, it's important for runs/ports to have a singular frame in which I can point at and say, "This is when the timer starts" and "This is when the run is considered over".

It use to be clearer, but as more runs have added on with new ports, I think it's important for me to go back and get all runs on the same page, and with the timing methods being explicit for each port.

I'm working on the draft right now of all the currently ran ports. As you can see... no single method is likely going to work for all ports. I've listed my thinking for each port up to this point, as I went with the best single frame occurrence I could use on a given port.

MS-DOS Input, Slightly Delayed Fade Last unfaded frame. IGT Stops, Slow Fade Out The first frame in which the final IGT second is visible

SNES/SFC Input, Very Delayed Fade Last unfaded frame. IGT Turns 0, Slow Fade Out The first frame in which the IGT 0:00 appears on successful last level.

NES/FC Input, Immediate Black Few Frames First black frame. Immediate Black Screen Preceding Post Level Info The first frame in which the screen goes black on successful last level.

SMS Input, Medium Fade, one Frame Level The first frame the level appears. Two Frame Load Out The first frame in which the entire after level screen appears.

Genesis Input, Very Delayed Fade Last unfaded frame. IGT Turns 0, Slow Fade Out The first frame in which the IGT 0:00 appears on successful last level.

Amiga Input, Immediate Fade Last unfaded frame. IGT Turns 0, Slow Fade Out The first frame in which the IGT 0:00 appears on successful last level.

PSP Input, Menu Disappears in Frame Last frame menu is visible. Post Level Screen Appears in Single Frame The first frame in which the after level page is visible on successful completion of last level

Atari ST Input, Medium Fade Last unfaded frame. IGT Turns 0, Slow Fade Out The first frame in which the IGT 0:00 appears on successful last level.

Comments, suggestions, etc. are welcome. After a couple weeks, I'll go through the runs to update the rules and retime runs as needed accordingly.

Thanks to user @Kitaru it was determined the placeholder submission I had placed on the leaderboard from a Japanese YT video was actually performed with autofire. They also provided additional information about the workings of the game and how autofire can be determined from watching visual gameplay.

In Japan, a Max Score is an objective often sought after in this game, is generally a challenged undertaken without regard for time. As such, some records presented to me has shown that autofire is generally allowed for these sorts of runs. Additionally, there is a lack of video available for these runs currently.

For the time being, I've removed the run, and clarified the rules to stipulate that the use of autofire is not allowed.

I've posted about this in the general forms before: https://www.speedrun.com/the_site/thread/duh5d

But, just noticing now yet another game I moderate negatively affected by this issue.

Quick way to visualize this: https://www.speedrun.com/quake_remastered/level/E1M5_Gloom_Keep#Any_Nightmare

See the KB&M and Controller subcategories? No run for KB&M. And there is a run for Controller on this specific level E1M5 for Any% Nightmare category.

Now look at the level leaderboard: https://www.speedrun.com/quake_remastered/levels

See how the run doesn't show up on the level leaderboard? No time shows up for E1M5 Any% Nightmare, despite there being a run.

Why is this? It is because KB&M is set as the default subcategory, and Controller isn't. Why is this? Because to make a variable a subcategory, you must pick a default subcategory. And by doing so, you only allow runs of that default subcategory to appear on the IL leaderboards.

Here's another one; Lemmings is getting some IL interest lately. Go to the whole leaderboard: https://www.speedrun.com/lemmings/levels

Now scroll down to NES 001 (yes, all the way down). No runs on the leaderboard. But go to the level specific leaderboard: https://www.speedrun.com/lemmings/level/NES_001_-_Just_Dig#Any and you see 3 runs.

This is because consoles are treated as a subcategory for Lemmings (instead of 20+ pages for one of the most ported games in history).

In the past; the main leaderboard would list the fastest time, irrespective of what subcategory the IL run is. This wasn't perfect, but it was certainly better than just vanishing all IL runs that don't fall into one specific subcategory.

I don't really see how this hasn't been address.

If I go to any full-game board on this site, there is now a drop down box for subcategories, to which I can filter this leaderboard. I don't know plausible it is, but it seems to me that adding that same drop down box to list all the subcategories (and ALL), would allow the viewer to filter the whole dang IL leaderboard by subcategory. This would immediately fix the problem of IL runs now showing up on the IL leaderboard.

In any case, on Lemmings for example; our IL all level leaderboard page is basically useless as this point. Unless you are going to run the game on one specific console in our case, that it can't be fixed. To workaround this, we'll have create even more levels, and eliminate any subcategories for IL runs.

But obviously, not every page is going to have a workaround at all.

Can this, please, finally get looked at and addressed? Where/who can I forward something like this?

Hey y'all. I've been moderating for a hot minute, one might say.

In general, I think this site has always been fantastic, and haven't really had much complaint with the features over the years. It's been slow, but the added functionalities of this site have improved the experience over the last 5 years I've been using it (a few unneeded things, aside).

In any case, there has always been an issue with IL boards. No real improvement to some of this issues due to a limited functionality of the site. I happen to be more aware of it than more, since it affects to board of the first game I set up on the site many a years ago, and have encountered here and there from time and time, moderating games and setting up boards and such.

I guess before I mention the proposal, I should do a simple illustration of the problem. I'll provide some links, with reference numbers, just for ease of reading.

I happen to running Quake Remastered at the moment, and it's perfect illustration.

Here's the IL big board: https://www.speedrun.com/quake_remastered/levels (Ref. 1)

Looks normal. Looks great. But there is an issue.

Looks look an IL together. Here's E1M4, the 4th level: https://www.speedrun.com/quake_remastered/level/E1M4_The_Grisly_Grotto#Any_Easy (Ref. 2).

Once you are there, change the board from "KB+M" to "Console", and then look over the different categories (say, 100% Easy, for example).

As you can see, there are console runs. Now check back to Ref. 1, and you will see the big board has blanks in those spaces for where runs those "Console" runs exist.

It's changed a bit overtime, but currently, the IL leaderboard will only show runs from the Sub-category marked "Default", as of this moment. I've also seen it at times be the case where it will merge all of the subcategories, and show the best time amongst all of them. It's recently changed to the "Default"-only mode... for lack of better words.

This issue will actually pop-up on any current leaderboard with IL's and sub-categories; so feel free to check, if you like.

So, I have a proposal I think might be possible that could rectify this situation (and may even be to used in the IL page for runners in some way). Before I get to deep into it I just want to say, I'm not, like, a software developer or nothing, so I can no idea as to the feasibility of any of this. If it's not really possible, than it is what it is. But it would be cool to know that too, since I've been staring at the issue for years now.

Pull up Ref. 1 again. Imagine for a moment, in the top right-hand part of the IL leaderboard, there exist a drop down box. Even a drop down box for each subcategory for a game and "All". That way, the entire leaderboard can more or less be filtered by this subcategories. Default those bad boys to "All".

In our Quake Remastered example, all the "Console" runs will appear on the leaderboard. It also gives the "Console" runners the ability to filter the board to see who has the best times based solely on "Console", a cool feature for those runners. Likewise, it can be set to only show "KB+M" runs. In this game instance, those runners would expectedly always be faster, assuming there was a run submitted. But that may not always be the case for all the games, so the additionally functionality show improve all game boards.

Now, as I mentioned, I don't know the backend of sr.com or anything, so not sure if that's plausible, but I'm thinking that would really help moderators solve the occasional weird issues that arrive on IL boards with subcategories. If there is a better place to submit something like this, let me know.

In any case, appreciate the work on the board, even the misses. Apologies for any typos; too lazy to proofread. Thanks for reading.

EDIT: Sorry, title mentions a couple proposals; but realized the 2nd wouldn't work as I was typing it out. It was least preferable anyways. Cheers.

Name all of them.

Couldn't think of a short title.

Runner did run 22 years ago. Mr. X

Go to submit historical time and video. List Mr. X on run.

Since Mr. X is already an account on sr.com, the run links that runner to that automatically based on name. This is pretty useful most of the time; particularly co-op runs and mod added runs, etc.

However, I have a situation where Mr. X (the runner), is not the same Mr. X (sr.com user and sometimes other runner). I was wondering if there is a way to add Mr. X to the run without it hyperlinking to sr.com Mr. X.

Thanks!

https://www.speedrun.com/myth2/levels

So, yea, I have these runs listed; or course, we click on the individual level pages, and the levels don't show up. Until I changed the first level from Solo to Coop (as part of new system implementing), then the run disappears from both Level Leaderboard and the IL leaderboard.

I'm aware of issues with deleting subcats causing runs to disappear, but I should have the issue addressed. However runs still aren't showing up?

Anyone run into this error? Anyone know how to contact side mod about this?

Thanks.

I've gotten 3 more 6:55's since my PB was set. Finally, I got a 6:46 today... on the one run I somehow didn't record.

Just had to vent.

Hey y'all. First off, an apology for the delays in post board updates as well as run verifications. After dealing with yet another hellish extended tax season, I figured it'd have more time to address these issues his summer (as well as getting my streaming set up together and begun running gain more frequently). Welp, it turns out I have to get some more classes done in a very short time period, and the classes are pretty difficult. So, it might be a bit before I start getting my streaming back up.

That being said, I should have more time devote to moderating boards and cleaning them up, and doing what I do on this site in normal times.

Firstly, I've asked BryBad & Megamatt79 to hop on as additional moderators. I'm hoping this will expedite video verifications. Should they accept, they will be up on this board to assume the same moderator roles as I currently have. I plan to work with them (or other people should they not be interested) equally for verification, board changes, disputes/resolutions, etc. Pretty much everything except adding more moderators.

Secondly, I wanted to nail down this Quick Match issue.

As far as Exhibitions are concerned, I will be creating a separate subcat for submission victories with both Quick Match on and off. It will be stipulated that Non-Quick Match submission runs will need to be displayed after or before the run is complete.

As far as Royal Rumble is concerned, I'm assuming we will have something different than originally anticipated.

Any% No Ring Out/Quick Match No Ring Out/No Quick Match

Similarly, No Ring Out/No Quick Match will probably have the additional verification requirements.

If there is a better/shorter/nicer name for those subcats, let me know, as I can't think of anything particularly accurate and good.

That being said, if I'm missing anything, please let me know. I will have the updates to board up sometime this week.

I had a runner ask about this;

As far as playing a custom character, that seems fine to me. However, the runners also brought up the fact that you could, in fact, alter the moves of everything single stock character in the game, and wanted to know if such an approach would be acceptable.

If not, just got to be a little careful verifying runs, so that it can made sure that AI moves are stock moves the game gives them or not.

If so, then, I mean that's pretty straight forward.

I didn't want that full decision since it could really affect runs without running it by the community. So, here I am, throwing this out there as something that needs to be determined to be acceptable or not acceptable.

What do you think?

So, couple things I noticed.

In order to 100% a level, as far as the game in concerned, isn't as straight forward as you might think.

Looking at the stats (on most levels, obviously trial levels and boss fights may have far less to normal levels) you got something like this.

Collectibles (Coins basically) Eggs (Dead Enemies) Bonus Ball (The additional colored ball that spells out Beackham on the overworld)

As as I can determine, that's all you need to get to 100% a level. The Collectibles and Eggs, must be completed in a single run for it to count. The Bonus Ball can actually be entered into the goal in advance. I.E. You could run a level with a bonus ball, and collect nothing else. Then, play the level again, and collect everything else but the bonus ball. This will 100% the level for the game. However, for the purposes of doing a 100% IL, it makes sense to me that you need to collect those three things for a run, even if you previously collected the bonus ball. Of you 4 worlds, the last 7 levels each have a bonus ball.

The GEMS turn out, are entirely unnecessary to 100% a level. The first 7 levels of the 4 worlds will have 7 color gems, and 1 large gem. The 2 remaining levels just have the 7 color gems. Regardless, collecting the gems are not needed to 100% a level as far as the game in concerned. Therefore, when setting out these rules, collecting gems for an IL doesn't appear to be needed.

However, the one thing I haven't figured out yet... does collecting all the gems on all levels, do anything different at the end game? Ergo, If I collect all the gems (independent of getting all the other collectibles or not) does something happen at the end of the game that shows all gems were collected? If so, it seems to me that 100% full-game run would require collecting all the gems. If not, then I don't think the collecting the gems would be needed to 100% the game. I'm going to playing around with the game to try to answer this question here soon.

But, just wanted to through that all there to see if there is anything else to consider that I might be missing, and get any feedback about how gems should be considered for IL's and Full Game runs.

Hello. Been slowly getting the streaming set up for consoles (component and S-Video).

GV USB2 seems to do pretty decent. Once added to Steamlabs OBS, I can pick up the video feed fine enough.

The only thing I've noticed upon watching playback (using SMB3) as my test at the moment is that when Mario moves really fast or vertically in any direction it looks like some of the graphics are a little fuzzy or something. Here's a sample.

At first I thought this might be a framerate issue; recording/streaming 60fps, and the capture device is set to default. But I'm wondering if it's actually because I'm using the device capture on OBS straight to the GV USB2, instead of routing it to AmaRec?

I was trying to understand what exactly AmaRecTV is, as it see online that running the feed through AmaRecTV and than OBS can help with the quality. I'm like a toddler when it comes to understanding how video works, so I guess any advice/suggestions would be useful. I see on their website they have a few pieces of software, so I'm trying to figure out which of those things is suppose to what I'm looking for. The software that comes with GV USB2 is all in Japanese, so I'm not quite sure if I need to do something there as well.

Anyways, I appreciate any advice.

So, I'm finally moving to hardware. First up NES. But I've ran into an audio puzzle I haven't quite figured out.

Using the I-O Data, I can capture video/audio from the console. Great. Component splutter sends the signal to the capture card and to a TV I play with. The I-O Data obviously has a delay. So I want to record the game music/video through it and keep it synchronized.

Fine and dandy. But I also want to hear audio from the game while I play. Well, the capture device delays it, so can't listen to the audio from the computer. I can't have the TV blare the game audio, or else the mic pics it up, then I get two bits of audio being recorded; the normal one and the delayed bit from the TV. I could plug a headset into the TV to hear the audio without recording it for a second time; but then I can't hear the sounds on the computer (like the alerts on OBS). So I'm sitting here thinking, like, do I need some sort of mixer to collect both audio and send it to one headset? That's the only option that makes sense to me at the moment, but I bring it all up to see what other people do.

I appreciate the input.

Hey. Looking for any advice.

Generally for run verification purposes I'll use untwitch.com to download runs on twitch to verify them. However, when I open the videos with Avidemux to verify them, I'm running into weird issues where frames are missing, or something about decoding the videos where time codes are acting nonsensically. If I open the video with VLC, there doesn't appear to be in any issues; it only appears to be occuring in Avidemux.

I'm a little dumb, so I don't know much about how video software works in general. But anyone else run into this issue? Is there another free software I can use when I run into this issue anyone can recommend?

I appreciate it.

Apologies, the last runs I submitted, I just discovered the "F" button, and since no one was ever submitted a time with Turbo in it, I didn't consider the rules addressed this long ago. So, I'm dumb, lol.

But, I was curious if anyone would be interest in categories allowing for turbo (buffering still banned)?

Yeah, someone has submitted a run with a link to pornhub. I personally don't care, as I'm an adult and what not. But, I dunno, seemed like I should check to make sure that was an acceptable thing, or if I should request the runner upload their time to an alternative.

Thanks.

I've split the boards between the two platforms since it was basically impossible to reconcile the differences of the two games on one board. I've moved runs already. Will be updating and cleaning the rules for both boards.

Think we might be finally good to go after that.

Since we had some close times, and I needed to do more accurate timings, I went ahead and retimed a number of runs.

My timing method works as such: I download the video. Then, I look for the beginning frame. In this instance, the beginning frame is the last frame of video in which the game feed is at it's brightest. When the next frame of game play dims, I know the input has been on the preceding frame to start the game. The last frame is the first frame in which the final number appears in its box. From there, I can count up the number of frames between these two points to get an accurate measure for timing the runs. Having runners time it themselves leads to slight in inaccuracies (should as starting LiveSplit slightly early/late, and ending the split slightly early or late.)

Going forward, I will time runs via this method under two conditions; 1.) A time has crossed a certain threshold in which runs will be beating one another by milliseconds instead of seconds and 2.) to resolve ties in submitted runs. All other runs will have milliseconds removed from the board.

Feel free to reply here, or message me with any questions or concerns.

Heartbreaking.