Until now, timing for ILs has been such that timing begins when you select a level (meaning 3.84 seconds before you gain control of Mario/Luigi).

Since I have created a new hack of the game that times your IL runs, which is valid for IL runs, and it times from gaining control of Mario/Luigi, this will be the new timing method. I will correct currently submitted times to reflect this change. (Timing is displayed in frames, at 26 FPS, so to get your time in seconds just divide the number of frames by 26)

To get the hack, go to the Discord and look in the pins of #smf1-specific. You can download a .swf file, which can be played with the standalone player pinned in #general. I highly recommend using this hack for IL runs as it makes it easier for everyone.

If you run on the original version, LiveSplit (and I believe many other timers) can be set to start the timer at -3.84 seconds and you can start that when you select the level to make your timing easier and more accurate.

Follow-up to that post, the 3.84 seconds is ONLY for SMF1, newer version. At this time I haven't made any hacks for SMF1 V2.0 or SMF2, but the timing method will be updated to start when you gain control of Mario.

Here is what you can set LiveSplit to when starting a level so that your timing is a bit easier and more accurate: SMF1 V2.0: -2.77 seconds from splash screen showing before level. SMF1 V3.0: -3.84 seconds from selecting a level (please use the IL hack so you don't even need this; it will be easier for you too, I promise) SMF2: -1.84 seconds from selecting a level.

For SMF2/SMF V2.0 runs, I will probably leave them as are, and when someone submits a new run to each level, I'll update all the runs in that level.