Difference between revisions of "Verification Guidelines"

Revision as of 17:54, 29 May 2013

Congratulations on being chosen to verify a speed run. Verifying is an important part of SDA and helps us maintain the site's high standards.

Confidentiality

Please do not give anyone the link to the run or the video files themselves. Furthermore, if the information has not already been made public by the runner, do not tell anyone the final time, what tricks were used, or any other information about the run. Some people prefer not to be spoiled. Finally, do not tell anyone who is not a verifier you are verifying the run -- not even the runner. This ensures that your opinions are not swayed by anyone else.

Cheating

Be sure you are up to date on the official rules, and report anything suspicious you see to Flip immediately, either by email, SDA PM, or IRC. The runner will be given the opportunity to explain the situation.

Quality (Capture)

The verification copies of the runs do not usually represent the quality of the final product. However, if you notice any serious problems with the video or audio quality (such as the picture going completely blank or the audio on only one channel, sounding overpeaked, or completely missing), or if you notice a missing segment/mismatched segments, please report it to Flip immediately. Also, if there are failed attempts in the video, please tell Flip when the run actually starts and ends.

Quality (Gameplay)

SDA gameplay standards are high, but mistakes do happen. If you feel that the run does not meet SDA standards, then tell Flip. The reputation of the site cannot be maintained if sub-par runs are posted. Also, if the run is 100% or low%, make sure it actually meets the definition.

Do not feel ashamed if you are rejecting a run. Ask yourself whether people would really want to see this run. Sometimes people submit sub-par runs just so they can get their name on SDA.

If you are not sure what is considered reject-worthy, here is a small list of reject-worthy mistakes:

• A death that costs a significant amount of time.
• A poor, inefficient route and bad planning.
• Using the wrong weapon against enemies or bosses.
• Failing to use the fastest method of movement when it could have easily been used.
• Numerous sloppy minor mistakes (missed jumps, whiffed attacks, failing to perform a shortcut) that cost a significant amount of time (significant depends on the run length).

Timing

If you are asked to help decide how a run will be timed, give this information to Mike via email or SDA Forum private message (mikwuyma on the forums). Nate has no responsibilities as far as timing goes. If the game needs to be manually timed, please tell us when character control starts and ends. Unless if you are using VirtualDub (or another program that counts frames) to check specific start and end frames, DO NOT time the run yourself. If you are using VirtualDub to time the run, then please tell Mike the start and end frames. If you want to help time a run, but don't know how to use VirtualDub, just ask. Mike likes it when people help time runs, he just wants it done correctly.

The Importance of Verification

Verification is what separates SDA from YouTube. In the past, there have been very few cases of a run being taken down after being posted due to verifiers missing something, and we'd like to keep that number as low as possible. Thus, we remind you that verifying is a serious task. If you're just looking to watch the newest runs before they're posted, verifying is not for you. When you volunteer to verify, you agree to commit your fullest energy to making sure that when a run is posted, it meets SDA's standards 100%. When a viewer sees the label "VERIFIED: NO CHEATING" at the beginning of a run, we want them to be able to rest easy in the knowledge that it is the truth.

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