I think the main thing is gamepadviewer gives an easier time for verification. Maybe it should be the requirement for using "any emulator", and relaxing the reset rule. And if not using it, keep the predefined list of emulators that need a hard reset beforehand - I would wager most would go for gamepadviewer though as it's a very minor thing to set up recording for, and is practically set and forget. But obviously we need some form of catch-all for existing legitimate runs as well.

The list does still need some clarity though, Bizhawk uses GPGX which is allowed Technically I guess someone could splice together a Bizhawk hard reset video and one with input playback to hide that it's a "human TAS", and submit it. (an issue gamepadviewer alleviates anyway). :)

Yeah, the one I mention - https://gamepadviewer.com/ uses the html5 spec for gamepads, so works with the browser component in OBS (apparently XSplit too), and should be cross platform compatible as well - I know it works on Mac as HDL said it also worked for him when we discussed it a while back in the discord. (also it's free).

BTW: what variation in emulators really matter when verifying? Aside from input playback, I would say the choice of emulator is fairly moot, as all emulators strive to make the game as close to the original as possible, and is more down to the way the game is played (hence the input display) :)

As there are more runners using emulator now (including me), and the rules are somewhat dated I thought I'd put forth some suggestions for the rules that bring them to more "modern day" standards. Feel free to discuss, berate etc. :D

Emulators: Allow recent emulators, but just ban the use of Input Playback/"Movie" capabilities.

For proof of not using input playback, have a rule for showing something distinct about the emulator in use that doesn't have those capabilities (e.g. Retroarch's XMB menu,or the yellow "Reset" text), OR recommending the use of something like gamepadviewer (or Retroarch has an albeit crappy one built in), so real-time inputs can be seen - technically, this could allow emulators like Bizhawk still to be used. Obviously Bizhawk and others with input playback with an input display wouldn't suffice though so a separate display should be used.

Ditch the hard reset rule, as far as I'm aware this was for input playback emulators so they are shown as starting afresh, with the above this should be unnecessary and has parity between console and emulator.

Motivation for these:

1. There are a few emulators out there now that are cycle accurate, and even down to emulating the CRAM dots (the noise at the bottom of the screen in s3k) - telling the difference between these and a real genesis capture would be close to impossible. Having "hoops" for emulator users to jump through might just mean someone would opt for declaring they play on real hardware to avoid those hoops entirely.
2. Using input playback and having it shown on gamepadviewer is going to be almost impossible to achieve. Having a TASBot playback on real hardware would probably be an easier option :P
3. Bizhawk uses Genesis Plus GX, which is allowed, but technically has the same features that got Gens banned.

Another rule that probably should be clarified is the save file rule - allowing starting saves that haven't completed Angel Island. Which is technically already allowed given Chronoon's PB, and is a nice small QoL improvement when running the game, given how a lot of runners will reset in AI, and it doesn't seem to affect the CN2 ceiling either.

Hi Mike,

Thanks for the reply. Yeah this (with the exception Lava Reef) was the first ones I was doing with the level select and pause buffering, so it kinda makes it obvious after the fact that the LS was interfering with the Pause Buffering.

I think it's probably also one that slipped through the net with the IGT->RTA switch. The Pause Buffering takes very little time to do a sanity check that the set up is correct, and can often save a bigger time loss of not getting the right direction input fast enough. I'm now pretty sure the only difference here from your tutorial set up, is essentially remove the pause buffering and just go straight for the right input.

I like playing around with the glitches on emulator - but by no means am I anywhere near the caliber of the runners of the game.

Case in point: I couldn't get Mike's FB1 AsIntended tutorial to work, don't know if I was misunderstanding or the level select was screwing with the pause buffering - or my 36 year old hands just couldn't pause quick enough even with 50% speed in the emu.

Anyway with some extra hints from Lake, I decided to see if I could do it without Pause Buffering (seemed fairly logical to me - just pressing right when you're supposed to pause), and I got it to work, and it seems pretty consistent. Have uploaded a video of me doing it a few times without pause buffering - with the inputs on screen and hand cam:

I think the key here is (going by Lake's reaction in his stream to me saying about it), is that I hold A for the duration of the tube. But not sure, as I can't do the pause buffer strat to compare :P

Hope this helps :)