If I submit a recording that isn't from a stream and done with like, my IPad camera facing my TV is that okay, or do I need a capture card and timers on screen and stuff (cause I also won't have any timers or splits on screen)
feel free to use your ipad camera, although you should probably use some kind of stand so the video is somewhat stable.
It would be better to record with the best quality, so it can be easier for mods to verify your run, and more fun to watch! Personally, I don't allow anyone running the games I moderate to record with an external camera. I do this because I'm trying to create a standard for new runners to follow -- I believe more people will enjoy the sport of speedrunning if everyone strives for great quality in their video and audio ;)
If you have questions about resources for recording on a certain device, I would ask in the forum specific to each game.
Oh you don't have to worry, I defiantly plan on getting a capture device as soon as I can afford one, it's just that I was curious if I can submit before that or if I'd have to wait for once I have a capture card, I understand the need for quality that's why I asked after all.
If Little Timmy didn't read the rules for submission before doing the run, it's on him. It's the responsibility of a runner to understand the rules, not the moderator.
The "wearing purple sunglasses" bit is a Straw Man argument and a logical fallacy. It doesn't address the purpose for requiring a certain quality of video. Rejecting a run for low quality video is no different than rejecting a video for no sound (which is becoming more and more standard for games that ¤have¤ sound) It makes runs harder to verify and it shows that the runner doesn't care enough or simply does not want to put the effort into get the proper equipment (most of which is OPEN SOURCE and FREE). I get that console capture cards can be a couple hundred, but we're talking about PC games here. I think I made a similar argument elsewhere, but requiring Olympic swimmers to wear swimsuits is really not too much to ask, and neither is asking runners to invest in the proper equipment. Maybe Little Timmy has a gift, but he should still be held to the same standards as everyone else. The difference is between "discrimination" and "entitlement".
If you're not sure, check with the mods. When I first booted up OBS, I couldn't for the life of me get the sound to work, so I asked the mods of games I wanted to run if it was acceptable and if it was not, what I could do to ¤make¤ it acceptable if I couldn't get sound to work. In general, moderators don't set rules arbitrarily; there is usually a good reason for them, and it seem a bit disrespectful to the mods to insist that they excuse the rules just for Little Timmy.
I have yet to find a passage that states olympic swimmers have to wear a swimsuit. ofc they'd wear that shit cuz it makes 'em go faster (to the point where they had to ban newer swimsuits).
rejecting runs solely on basis of recording method / video quality / no- or different bgm without any reason to do so is bad moderating and should cease. "I'm trying to create a standard for new runners" is not a reason to reject a run.
And if you're concerned about splicing: even with those arbitrary video/sound rules you don't get rid of splicing - if someone takes care in what he/she does you ain't gonna notice anyway.
~HDK
A timer on screen is not a requirement even. It is an example of a bad/lazy moderator who wants his work done for him. I retime the runs of the game I am a moderator of to see if it was accurate, before taking a closer look at the videos. Would not change if there are more games of it. The only reason I would reject a run when it has no sound is if I find it suspicious.
Also, I personally think it is harder to splice a run if an external recording is used. Especially if part of the scenery captured is not static, like a cat moving around. How would you explain when a cat disappears from the top of your TV when it is laying there, and then appear in the same spot 5 seconds later?
[quote]the sport of speedrunning [/quote]
I lol'd
I should have mentioned I only moderate PC and mobile games right now. Back when Eira first posted, I did not see any runs on their profile. For console games like Splatoon 2, I can see how it would be harder to record without expensive equipment.
For PC and mobile, this is not the case. I clearly state in each rule section that there are resources in the forum for finding free and easy to use software for recording and timing. I've only rejected one run with an external camera, since only one has been submitted. It was a minute-long non-WR run -- I definitely took into consideration the effort that was put in. Still, I rejected the run and pointed the user in the right direction for good recording software. That way, next time he decides to run any game on PC, he has the right resources for a good quality run. After this, I implemented the rule on all of my channels to ensure that new users can aim for the best quality speedruns. It would have been hypocritical to verify it and then tell everyone else not to do it.
Asking users to submit videos with quality recording and timing is not irresponsible moderation. Had I verified that user's run, I would have allowed for future users to do the same. I do not want to leave room for error. With quality standardization, there is much less room for error on both the runner and moderators part. Mistakes in recording, editing, and timing are less likely to occur. For most runs on PC, the software I recommend also prevents cheating -- such as automating the mouse and keyboard, playing a prerecorded run on your screen, and much more. Splicing, well of course that's harder to detect, especially in runs without sound... it's perhaps one of the downfalls of quality screenrecording. Not a bad argument, HDK :)
Little Timmy can speedrun -- but hey, let's show him how to properly record and time! Not many people are going to watch or share a bad quality run. Maybe you would, and that's great. However, I'm trying to make an effort to standardize so that potential speedrunners can come into a community that looks and functions as nicely as its portrayed at SGDQ. Since we have the proper tools to make that happen, then rules should be in place to direct players accordingly.
I have 43 players on games I mod following quality rules. Some of them were completely new. All of them now use the correct tools and have gone on to run many games with them. Perhaps to some my rules are limiting; for others, my rules explain what a good speedrun should look like.
Again, maybe its not appropriate to moderate this way for console games quite yet, but hopefully you see that those playing on PC and mobile have the resources to do so. Accessibility is not an issue, and if it ever is, I will not blindly reject the run without considering the player's situation first.
Your arguments aren't wrong, but this still bothers me for some reason. We seem to have different ideas of what a moderator is responsible for, for sure, but I think there's more to it than that. I think you're right that standardization of runs is against the general spirit of the community. However, promoting laziness isn't, and I think that's the distinction. My first impression, whether or not it is actually true, is that the standardization Oxknifer is trying to promote is not necessarily video quality, but the work ethic / respect standard runners have toward the mods of their games.
For example, I would be less likely to side with a runner if the issue was brought up ¤after¤ a run submission rather than ¤before¤ the submission. Is this runner complaining because he submitted a run before taking the time to read the rules? Or did he read the rules and have a legitimate reason for not being able to follow them? I think the distinction between these two situations may be why we are disagreeing.
I stand by the statement that "moderators have a reason for each rule they set", whether it is the true reset required in Undertale or requiring the game never be powered-off to restart like in Earthbound. That doesn't mean that the reason is always a ¤good¤ one, but the correct way to challenge that is not to submit a run, then complain when it is rejected, but to bring up the issue and reasoning to a higher authority in the proper forum.
PerkiePie, I'm listening to you. I get that its harder to record on consoles and mobile. I don't know about resources for iOS so I've posted a thread in Color Switch: https://www.speedrun.com/Color_Switch/thread/od6sg. There are at least a few runners there who are submitting great videos from iOS devices.
"Setting a standard" is never a reason for any rejection. Was I not clear that better quality reduces errors and prevents cheating? That's the real reason -- the standard is a positive outcome.
Again, I don't mod console games, and I don't think it would be entirely fair to force people to buy hardware for that. However, if we want to move in the direction of good quality runs from all players, this is something all mods need to consider.
Better quality does not mean harder to cheat. They will know better where to splice, the right frames and the sound. Due the better quality, and a bit if research and patience, splicing can even be harder to spot. So your real reason for it is flawed.
And why the timer? Also could not be the real reason. You can add a timer after recording and it can still look real. Hence why a mod retimes.
Also on those speedrun or gaming events, some are captured by pointing a cam on the screen to keep it going while having tech isssues. If they break their pb, you will face a big issue. Rejecting it while millions have seen it is a bad idea, but accepting it means you gotta change rules. I know this happened on an arcade event with VS super mario bros, and there might be more instances.
And if you want for it to be good quality, then even PC games might be better recorded with a camera. I know several games I play lag while livestreaming. If I want to run it, a cam facing the screen gives better quality than having to lower the recordings quality. Those with bad pcs cant run a game then according to oxknifer's rule.
I'm not sure why the response to Oxknifer has been so vitriolic. The intention seemed reasonable and if there was a reason a runner couldn't use screen recording software or a number of runners took exception to the rule then I imagine he would have reviewed it.
Doesn't warrant the backlash imho.