Yeah, any beta or dev build post 2019 is fine. You can also use any rom version: US, JP, PAL or KR

Emulator runs are allowed as far as you use a modern version of dolphin, just DON'T use 5.0 stable or any older stable version.

Old versions of Dolphin have faster loading times than wii, so it's unfair to use them. Modern versions on the other hand have loading times very similar (and just slightly slower) than console, so they are allowed.

Is there a version 3 for Dreamcast? I thought Dreamcast was only version 1 and 2

@sivart0sivart0 just discovered that there's in-game cheat codes.
They go from getting extra lifes to completely skipping levels, so we are banning them for Normal Mode for the health of the leaderboards.

Idk, it just bugs me out. It shouldn't be the case but what if there's a glitch or exploit or tiny microscopic timing difference as a result of the different menu.
I feel like mod territory is always complicated as we don't have a way to predict what might happen. I would allow it in different categories just because the original release doesn't have enough tools to support those categories.

I also have my problems with mods (even while this game isn't "official"), and that's why I wouldn't allow it in Normal Mode leaderboards.

That said, I think it's a good way to implement Extra Mode and IL's, considering the original game doesn't have too many options for those.

Some of the intended ways to implement these categories without mods would be:
- Playing IL's from savefiles: This works good with resets, but you'll need to press escape everytime you successfully beat the level in order to don't lose the savefile (because otherwise it will save on the next level). Also there's just 3 vanilla savefiles, and there's a total of 12 levels (6 + 6 Extra Mode), so you'll need to make new savefiles every now and then.
- Defining Extra Mode as "beat the game from level 1 to 12": I personally think this would be a hassle, It's just any% + more levels, I've never been a fan of categories being too similar.
- Playing Extra Mode from a savefile that starts on level 7 (level 1 Extra): It has the problem that reseting is a pain after the first level. If you exit with escape after level 1 Extra, you'll lose your file, so you either have to make/hack a new file or close the game entirely without saving.

@sivart0sivart0 just made a mod of the game that allows to play Extra Mode (level 7 to 12) and every Individual Level from the title menu.

Should we make categories for this mod? What do you think?

I'm fine allowing the mod for extra categories, although I think I would prefer to keep Normal Mode with the vanilla version only.

I put an invitation to the MS-DOS Speedruns Discord server in the Discord tab of this page.

https:/​/​discord.​gg/​tugeCVr

I uploaded the last version (1.2) of the Mario & Luigi Autosplitter, you can find it in the Resourses page.

The use of the Autosplitter is not mandatory but still highly recommended, as you wont need to retime runs.

You can find all the details on how it works in the ReadMe inside the .rar file.

Then I'll put both as an option in the rules.

Is everyone alright with 15.000 cycles or do we allow max cycles?

Hello everyone. After talking a lot with @AlphaTempAlphaTemp we came out with the following ruleset for Normal Mode:

(Every line after a "-" is how the ruleset will look like, and every line in brackets "[ ]" are comments about why we want that ruleset)

Timing method
- Timer starts at the first frame the player gets control over Mario.

- The Status Line has to be active at the start of Level 1.

[This is the same frame where the Status Line shows on the screen, see here: https:/​/​drive.​google.​com/​file/​d/​18R5YDpUNOjHZRj0Z_8QkmLendraDthBg/​view?usp=sharing]
[Because of this, every run has to have the Status Line active and visible at least at the start of Level 1 to be valid]
[Even while the autosplitter can do all this for you, we as moderators need a consistent way to retime runs in case someone is not using the autosplitter (and for old runs)]
[If you don't have the Status Line active, you can activate it from the options menu or press the "S" Key while playing]

- Timer ends at the first frame the player loses control over Mario.

[This happens one frame before you see Mario a couple pixels inside the final pipe of Level 6, see here: https:/​/​drive.​google.​com/​file/​d/​1rHhCjIUmTlcNuSGUanzuiQsT_vus8wAe/​view?usp=sharing]

Emulator Rules
- All runs have to be done on DosBox 0.74.

[This is because this is the most consistent emulator so far. Also, the autosplitter only works with this version of DosBox]

- Use 15.000 cycles in DosBox configuration.

[This is a reasonable value that keeps the game at good speed]

I'm interested in being a Moderator for this game.

I have experience moderating another DOS game called Hocus Pocus (see https:/​/​www.​speedrun.​com/​hocus ).

I also made an autosplitter for DosBox 0.74 that was tested by @sivart0sivart0 . We think it gives the most consistent timing method for the rules.

Hope to see your reply @AlphaTempAlphaTemp
cheers, Pandora

15k seems good for rules

My guess is that it refers to beating the game once and then doing it again with the speed boost earned at the end of level 6.

I can give you the autosplitter if you want to test it and see if it is a good timing method

Yeah I run at max cycles too, it works nice for some games (we accept max in Hocus Pocus, another DOS game).

I think the game gets max speed around 10000 cycles, so that could be a reasonable number to follow. Max cycles can get insanely higher than that with a good pc, but some DOS games don't speed up after a certain threshold (I think I got the same speed here with 50000 cycles, but I haven't timed transitions yet).

In any case both max and set cycles are pc dependent, max cycles will go slower with a slow pc, and fixed high cycles will cause lag and sound glitches in slow pc's.

Also I think it's important to set a DosBox version (I've seen various inconsistencies with some special builds). DosBox 0.74 It's the most stable version in my experience with DOS games.

I just made an autosplitter that starts the timer as soon as mario appears on the screen on level 1 and splits as soon as you take the last pipe of every level.
It uses a "Level Clear" memory address that turns 1 when you beat a level and goes back to 0 when the next level starts.

I noticed there's no rules for this game. I saw some different timing methods on the LB's runs.

I would be nice to have some rules on when to start and finish the timer.

hey everyone! do you have specific rules or suggestions for dolphin version and/or configuration?