So i am not sure if i am just unable to find the information or what, but i cannot find rules for submissions. Do they require a video? saved splits? email?

and another note, which is much more open ended, is that if i would like to use my laptop to record runs, twitch or otherwise, wjat are some good programs to use? I am currentoy using LiveSplits for splits.

https://www.speedrun.com/resources -> Everything you'll need for splits, broadcasting, etc.

Most runs/categories/games will always require video proof for high level runs that are near the top of the board. However, for more popular games that get a lot of submissions, they might not require video proof and you can get by with a screenshot of splits or even no proof at all (the rules for the category will often state if this is the case by saying "Video proof not required until <cutoff time>"). Always check the rules for a game/category and reach out to the game mods if you have any specific questions about it.

Which programs to use depends on both personal preference and computer specs. For example, in the past, Livesplit gave me troubles on my old laptop because the CPU was weak. So I used Wsplit since it was less intensive and performed better. Just play around and do some test recordings/streams to make sure that your laptop is strong enough to run the necessary software for splits and broadcasting.

PS: don't ever publicly post your email lol. That's an open invitation for spam mail and other crap from bored people crawling the forums. You'll never need it for anything on this site other than the standard administrative stuff like resetting your password.

To be more specific as to how to find the rules that Timmiluvs described above:

If you search for the game you are wanting to run using the search bar at the top, it will take you to the leaderboard for that game. There should be tabs at the top that show you the different categories. Click on the tab with the category you want and there should be another button on the right that says "View Rules". Clicking that should pop up the rules that the mods have set for that category of the game. If you have a problem with the rules themselves, ask the game's moderators about it.

Good luck on your runs!!