When do you start the timer?
7 years ago

Start it at file select, then add 8 seconds if you care to figure out how it would compare if you started on reset. It's far more logical to start on file select.

It's the principle of there being no reason to start it on reset over file select. Would a run even be accepted if I submitted one starting at file select?

Colorado, USA

it would be retimed, and could possibly add hours to your submitted run if you reset using the quit game function for a while. it's all about global stuff and how the game counts frames, same with pokemon games. watch some pannenkoek, it's not a simple game. every run needs to be compared to each other on fair ground, even if it means minuscule stuff like coin rng

"Correctly" is completely subjective though.

Also Jumpyluff, are you saying that there could be discrepancies in timing if someone were to select a file at X frames on console power, vs someone who waited longer and selected a file at Y frames?

Colorado, USA

Yes, from power on a global frame counter begins. Though it may not have an effect on all runs, and would certainly never have a major effect for most categories, it is a slight difference that could easily be avoided if timing started on power on. Having discrepancies is not worth risking for a game at such a high level.

Ellie likes this

Is there any proof that a game having been on after so much time results in a different number of frames having passed between 2 points vs the game being powered on? Obviously the total frame count will differ, but if we count the frames between some point of animations, will there be a difference?

Poland

I have tried replaying 120 Star TAS with one frame delay, and it got desynced after few minutes.

«"Correctly" is completely subjective though.»

Starting from power on is the correct way for the official leaderboard, there's nothing subjective.

«It's the principle of there being no reason to start it on reset over file select.»

There's no reason to use file select timing except for it being ¤arguably¤ more convenient. Changing the timing standard would require a lot of work for pretty much no benefit.

Kentucky, USA

This subject is dead already, lock request?

[I have tried replaying 120 Star TAS with one frame delay, and it got desynced after few minutes.]

I fail to see how a hard coded set of inputs matter here. Are you saying that the frames from the time you select the file, to the time you can advance the opening text box are different, or that it behaves different in some way on a console that's just been powered on vs one that's been on for an hour?

[Starting from power on is the correct way for the official leaderboard, there's nothing subjective.]

It's still subjective since it's based on a consensus of what people THINK should be the "correct" way. (And im not saying that starting on file select is NOT subjective either).

[There's no reason to use file select timing except for it being ¤arguably¤ more convenient. Changing the timing standard would require a lot of work for pretty much no benefit.]

More convenient, saves time instantly (i figured that's what speed running was about), and how many other games start on a system reset? Seems like SM64 is a bit of an odd man out in this case.

Edited by the author 6 years ago
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EMU/VC subcategories for Stage RTA

We would like to announce that VC and EMU subcategories are now active on the Stage RTA leaderboards (under "Levels"). Stage RTA involves collecting all the stars in a given stage including the 100 coin star. Timing starts on star select and ends upon collecting the final star. You are allowed to us

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