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SMS Guide

IL Rules

These rules apply to the main tab, ILs; other tabs loosely abide by these but their rules are informal and have some deviations. Check example videos from the sheet you’re interested in and ask in the Discord’s #help channel if still unclear.

Rules are non-italicised and guidelines (on best practices) are italicised.

  1. Platform rules: ILs may be run on Wii/GameCube (Nintendont or Swiss), or Dolphin emulator. They must be run:
    1. On 60Hz (if you are on PAL, ensure 60Hz is enabled by holding B during startup with intro skip practice code off; NTSC is always 60Hz).
    2. Never using save-states to reset (use the level select practice code and e.g. exit area).
  2. Permitted practice codes: all codes are generally allowed, but some levels have specific restrictions posted in the note on the level’s name. Specific rules:
    1. Free Pause is allowed but midair pausing is banned.
    2. Fast Text (DPad Functions) is allowed except for Pianta 5 Full, Secret and Reds.
    3. Remove Saveboxes is no longer available so just assume it’s banned!
    4. Any Fruit Opens Yoshi Eggs is always allowed.
    5. FMV Skips is allowed but skipping cutscenes by pressing a button (i.e. not exit area) is banned specifically in Pinna 1.
    6. Position Store/Load (DPad Functions) is allowed specifically outside the part of the level being timed – usually to set up a starting position.
    7. Fix Manta Splitting is required for Sirena 1.
  3. Timer: all times must be obtained directly from the in-game timer (IGT) provided by the Shine Get Timer (SGT) practice code, version 2 or later (from Oct 2019), with two exceptions: (1) SGT may be left off for ILs using vanilla IGT, and (2) runs may be retimed (as below). Consult example videos to see where time starts and ends for a given level.
    1. Retimes may be requested by posting a video in the main discord #help or #clips channel (pinging the @IL Sheet Mod role), or by sending it by direct message to the IL Mods#6610 discord account. The included video must be somewhat cropped (i.e. <5 mins long). Examples of common retime situations are ILs from full-game runs or done without fast text by accident.
    2. Retimes are available for all levels except those where accurate load timing hasn’t been done by the community, namely Bianco 2; Ricco 1; Pinna 1; Noki 3,8; Airstrip; Corona Mountain (Full).
  4. Video requirement:
    1. Video is required for times in the top 3 and/or top 15% of a level leaderboard. The cutoff times for each level are shown in a row at the top of the sheet. Any PB that can’t be posted because of this should go in a note over the relevant cell. Runs in the top 15% but not top 10% without video may be accepted on appeal.

    2. Players in the top 25 overall need to provide a minimum number of videos. The quota is a proportion of your total entries, which varies depending on your overall rank (see below); your video count on the sheet will be highlighted orange if below the threshold. Anyone below the threshold must submit every IL with video (for flexibility, a videoless submission will be allowed for every 3 with video). Guideline video quotas for ranks 26–50 are shown with a *, but these aren’t enforced or highlighted orange.

    3. Videos are encouraged for every IL. Videos legitimise runs, show respect for the competition, and provide documentation/ideas for all to learn from, at all skill-levels/parts of the leaderboard.
  5. Video validity criteria: every link must be to a valid video, “valid” meaning:
    1. The video must include the entire run while the timer is running. The timer runs during the load into any of the seven worlds (e.g. Bianco Hills), and therefore the entire intro cutscene is required for valid video.
    2. The video ideally includes everything from the input that reset the level (and the ensuing load) to at least 2 seconds after the timer stops at the end.
    3. The time shown on the in-game timer in, or logged in the retime sheet for, the video matches the time reported on the sheet.
    4. The video is of sufficient quality and without major frame-drops (per mod discretion). The standard for this is higher for top-3 times. Post-processed videos of gameplay are not permitted, and the gameplay must take up greater than or equal to 50% of the canvas in both width and height of the video.
    5. The video must be on YouTube/Twitch for top-3 times, and should be for any other submission if possible. Top-3 videos on other platforms will be moved to a note.
    6. Game audio should be present (though it needn’t be the only audio).
    7. To link something that isn’t a valid video, you may put it in a note – e.g. a link to a video of a worse time, or a still image. You may choose between reporting a worse time with link or a better one without – a choice between more points or a medal maybe – but it’s nice to still keep the other time/video in a note.

  6. Deletions: removal of submissions is discouraged, because the sheet aims to record all runs that are known to have happened, which also improves the accuracy of the points system.

  7. Vandalism: you may choose any colour for your name as long as it contrasts enough with the white background to be easily legible (it must give 2:1 or above on this), but may not change the formatting of anything else on the sheet (Do you want your sheet to look like this?? Didn’t think so :P).