1. You will need an account with Twin Galaxies. You can begin the registration here.
2. Make sure you read the rules both here and for the individual variation you are aiming for. Browse the scoreboard to find the variation. If you have any queries, contact the applicable referee or make a new post on the forums.
3. You must provide sufficient proof for the submission to meet (or exceed) Twin Galaxies' standards. There is some excellent detail on this very page covering the acceptable formats and most importantly what you must record.
4. When you have your recording, you can submit your score online. This process will achieve a number of things: it will notify the referee that you are going to submit the score; it will send you confirmation of the details you entered and will give you the address to send your submission to.

The typical method for an analog recording is through the use of a video camera (which provides the video feed) and a VCR (many find use of a TV/VCR more useful as the TV shows exactly what is being seen on the recoding). The VCR method also allows the use of longer tapes for lengthier games (VHS tapes can record upwards of 8 hours in SLP mode). If your game will not require 8 hours of taping, then smaller tapes can be used, which will also provide a higher quality of recording. 8 mm, Hi-8, VHS-C, and other types of analog tape may also satisfy the requirements without the need of a separate VCR. Note: please contact a referee to confirm if the tape type you use can be accepted, especially if the format has become esoteric such as Betamax. It is the player's responsibility to ensure the footage can be viewed before submitting the footage.

DVD Submissions

Twin Galaxies also accepts submissions on DVD. Essentially, the recording requirements are the same as for recordings made on VHS media with only a few exceptions:

• DVD region encoding should match one of the following circumstances:
1) be region free
2) be the region of the game and system being submitted for
3) be a region compatible with the location of the performance

It is preferable the region encoding be the “No Region Coding” but a list of region encodings is:
o 0 No Region Coding
o 1 United States of America, Canada
o 2 Europe, including France, Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Arabia, Japan and South Africa
o 3 Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Borneo and Indonesia
o 4 Australia and New Zealand, Mexico, the Caribbean, and South America
o 5 India, Africa, Russia and former USSR countries
o 6 Peoples Republic of China
o 7 Unused
o 8 Airlines/Cruise Ships
o 9 Expansion (often used as region free)

• For US Standard DVD recordings, SVHS is preferable for video input and RCA audio input is preferred. SVHS produces 420 lines of horizontal resolution, which produces a much higher picture quality than standard RCA cable input, which produces 240 lines of resolution. This makes the quality of the recording much clearer and brighter, both of which are benefits when you are sending in a video to a referee as proof of your arcade score. Videos produced with RCA or even RG6 (cable TV style connectors) are also acceptable.

For The UK, generic RF/SCART connections are usually available as inputs. Most systems come with a Component-to-SCART or SVideo+RCA-to-SCART connector & the frame size is 576 lines.

*Note: these are suggestions for recording DVDs. Players are welcome to record them in any resolution that is available to them, but remember that the final video show should be of sufficient quality to show the game play and screen details clearly. If you have any questions, please contact the referee for your regions and they will be glad to help.

• For HD-DVD and Blu-Ray recordings, progressive scan recordings are preferable to interlaced recordings. Progressive scan recordings (commonly referred to by such terms as 720p and 1080p) are of higher video quality than interlaced recordings (commonly referred to as 720i and 1080i). Again, this makes the quality of the recording much clearer and brighter, both of which are benefits when you are sending in a video to a referee as proof of your arcade score. Of course, you can record your HD-DVD or Blu-Ray disc with a standard video cable, but you’ll be losing the benefit of the high-definition signal input and your disc is not likely to look any better than a standard DVD. Also, please understand that few referees have access to HD-DVD or Blu-Ray at this point, so please contact the referee you intend to send your recording to prior to recording the DVD so that you’ll know whether or not the referee can view the high-definition disc.

Computer File Submissions

Twin Galaxies also accepts computer files recorded to CD and DVD as a means of submitting game video recordings. There are certain parameters that must be met, and they are:

• Only the following types of videos can be accepted: Quicktime .mov and .mp4 files, Microsoft Windows Media Video .wmv files, Audio Video Interleave .avi files and Moving Picture Experts Group .mpeg files. These types of files are generally easily played on any modern PC and the necessary players can be downloaded free of charge.
• Minimum video resolution must be 640x480 – no exceptions.
• Frame rate should match the native frame rate for the type of video source you are recording from/to. What this means is that frames should be allowed to naturally record to the video and no frames should be digitally removed or edited.
• Minimum audio rate must be 44.1kHz (CD Quality) – no exceptions. The audio can, however, be produced in surround, stereo or monaural quality at the discretion of the gamer.
• You must explain to the referee you send the file to what codec you used to make the video. It would also be advisable to make the codec that you used to create the video available to the referee. Please consider that it is the responsibility of the gamer/producer of the video to create a video that a referee can watch on their computer. It is highly recommended that you create your video in a format that is PC friendly and can easily be viewed in either Windows Media Player or the Quicktime Viewer.

Digital Camcorder Submissions

Twin Galaxies now accepts digital camcorder submissions from both hard disk drive (HDD) based recorders and DVD-based camcorders. Here are some important points to consider:

• Hard disk drive camcorders typically record video/audio in a proprietary file format that cannot be read on a PC without being converted first. If you send the raw video/audio file to a referee without first converting it, it is unlikely that they will be able to view it. Please consider converting raw camcorder files into one of the user-friendly file formats above so that they can be readily viewed on any PC. You can also record the camcorder file to DVD/HD-DVD/Blu-Ray so that it can readily be viewed on a TV or computer with DVD capabilities. Again, SVHS is preferred unless you are recording to a high-definition format.

A special note about digital video submissions: Twin Galaxies employs referees with many years of experience with both video gaming and technology. Among the many resources we have at our disposal is the ability to analyze video submissions on a frame-by-frame basis. Digital video submissions that are fraudulently altered for the purpose of cheating will easily be detected, the score disqualified and the gamer banned from making further submissions. That having been said, we encourage all gamers to submit their scores and welcome these modern technologies as means of finding the newest champions!

Do you accept scores in formats other than NTSC?
Yes, we accept scores in formats other than NTSC, however, please check with the referee you are submitting a score to prior to sending the tape as not all referee's have the ability to view your tapes. Special arrangements may be necessary.

IMPORTANT - When recording in PAL, PAL-M or M-SECAM formats, be aware that when the Twin Galaxies referees watch and authenticate your performance, it is very difficult for an NTSC referee to do so when recorded in slow-play (6-hour speed, "SLP", "EP") due to the change in hertz rates, and that's even when viewed through a converter. Therefore, gamers submitting in one of these formats are politely requested to record in slow-play, or 2-hour speed, commonly referred to as "SP" mode on most video cassette recorders.

How do I record an Arcade Game?
Twin Galaxies Arcade Platform Video Taping Guidelines [March 6th, 2007]

Purpose:
While some of these guidelines may seem to be a little overboard, there is no telling what will be needed in the future. Having more detail and information available is always better than having too little. Please keep this in mind when making preparations for a recorded record run.

Equipment:
Follow the guidelines for “What video formats are acceptable for submissions?” Note that for arcade submissions a direct feed from the arcade PCB is not accepted.

Location:
There are a few different types of locations that you may be making recordings. Some players are fortunate to have home arcades or have friends with arcade machines. Public arcades may be available to you but please contact the arcade management first to be sure they are willing to let you record at their location. Also be sure that the arcade would be willing to open the machine to show the machine settings, board sets, and any other details that may be needed in your recording. Tournaments may also be a fine place for record attempts as you also allow the public to witness your achievement. Locations where a TG referee can be present during the recording may also lend even more credibility to your achievement.

Before You Play:
If you plan to attempt an arcade record attempt it is highly suggested that you contact the appropriate Twin Galaxies referee well in advance of your attempt to ensure you understand exactly what is expected of you in order to have your achievement recognized by Twin Galaxies. While every effort will be made by Twin Galaxies personal to give you the proper information it is possible that some unexpected detail may arise which would nullify your performance. These may include detection of an illegally modified board, a ROM set version that is different than that of the one Twin Galaxies tracks scores for, use of illegal game play tactics such as point scabbing (or leeching) which may have already been identified as illegal (or maybe be determined to be against the spirit of the game). When in doubt about tactics it's always better to describe the tactic before hand and get a ruling before you actually take the time to play to avoid wasting your time.

Setup:
First the video arcade machine should be powered off for the start of recording. The camera should be pointed at the machines monitor and record the game as the power is applied. A rug pattern is usually displayed during game startup. This rug pattern should be clearly seen. Some older arcade machines have capacitors which can dry out and take more time to fully charge before the screen image is displayed. If you find a machine where you feel the rug pattern was not shown well in the recording you may wish to turn the machine back off and back on again as the capacitor will likely charge quickly if power is reapplied shortly after power was removed. Record all the way until the game attract screen is seen.

At this time, without stopping the recording, my may wish to show the machine settings or the board sets. This is fine but it requires the machine to be opened which may not be easy to do. It may be easier to do that recording after you have completed a game you wish to submit (but before you stop recording). Unfortunate events such as power outages or malicious behavior by other gamers may end your games before you can record the required elements that would help ensure your achievement being recognized. Waiting to record such elements at the end of the game is something you will need to decide for yourself if your willing to take the risk. Details of what is needed from inside the game cabinet will be listed later in this document. But can be done at this point (or both points) if you wish.

The camera should be positioned in such a manner to show the complete screen (in focus). It is desirable to clearly see the score. It would also be good to clearly show any level indicators but the score is more important if both can not be shown clearly (such as if they are on opposite corners of the screen). It is also desirable to show some portion of the control panel such that the players movements can be seen to correspond to the game play. In some cases certain games may absolutely require that some or all of the control panel be shown during the entire performance (as your Twin Galaxies referee what is required for your recording).

The recording should not be a direct feed of the video being fed to the arcade monitor. While this sort of recording may be desired for presentation purposes, it does not meet the minimum requirements needed for video taped submissions. But there is no reason why this type of recording can't be done in addition to the remote recording being requested in this document.

You should try to show yourself on the film and state the date and time as well as your name. This helps preserve the performance for posterity reasons. If you camera allows you to constantly show a time stamp it should be turned on for the entire performance and positioned in where it will not cover up important portions of the game play or scoring. Some newer cameras try to save this detail outside of the video footage and you might be unable to provide the time stamp. Some camcorders will turn off automatically after a certain period of time if they are not in recording mode. If you are using your camcorder to feed a video footage to a VCR you may find that removing the tape from the camcorder may allow your camcorder to provide a video feed without turning off. It is the players responsibility to figure out the logistics of the recording process.

The video recording should not stop for any reason from the recording of the rug pattern through the end of the game and recording of all necessary details. When you are prepared to start your game make sure that the coin drop (credit appears on the screen) is captured and that only one credit is shown (some games may require more than one credit to start the game but only the required credits should be present to start a single game. Free Play or additional credits may nullify your performance as they can sometimes effect game play behavior.

It is helpful is you make verbal references from time to time that will be captured on the audio of the recording such as score, level, etc.

It is also helpful is you can provide evidence in some manner that you yourself were the only player during the recording. It has sometimes been suggested that a small mirror might be place in such a manner that a portion of the reflection of the player may be seen. Some game monitor bezels have mirror like qualities that show a portion of the player in recordings. Others have also suggested that having an analog clock or watch in the picture lends to more credibility that the video has not been edited. While some of these extreme measures may not be required they may go a long ways to making your submission “rock solid” and will likely be recognized by the referee as going above and beyond the call of duty.

If for some reason you leave the machine for any amount of time during the recording it is important to ensure that nobody besides you may touch the controls of the game during your recording. Control panel contact by someone other than the player may void the submission.

Game Over:
When your game is completed you will want to restate your name, score, date, location, game title, level number if known, and any other useful information. The video should zoom in on the score to ensure it can clearly be seen and then zoom back out. You may also wish to capture level number or other information visible on the screen in the same manner.

Whats Inside:
Once this portion of the recording is completed you will want to ensure that the required information from inside the game cabinet has been captured. This could have been done before the start of the game but you may find it's easier to have someone open the cabinet for you only after you are sure you were able to reach a score that you had hoped for.

The camera, without being turned off, should be used to record needed information from inside the game cabinet. It might be possible on some machines to gather the needed information through the front of the machine. In other cases you may need to move the camera around to the back side of the machine. If you move the camera you should attempt to keep the machine in the recording at all times.

The back door (or front door/panel) should be opened in sight of the camera. Beware that it is typical for doors on arcade machines to be equipped with interlock switches that remove power when the door is opened. Once the machine is opened, the power can sometimes be turned back on by pulling the interlock switch into the outward position. Please beware that a shock hazard maybe present inside an arcade machine. The interlock switch is there for safety reasons but even with the machine being turned off there is electric charges present that can injury or kill you under the right circumstances. Twin Galaxies is not responsible for any injury sustained while trying to obtain the needed information for a submission.

The external doors to the machine should not be removed during the game play recording portion and should only be opened at such time as needed to obtain the needed internal information.

What Should I Show?:
It's very important to show the entire board set. Some games require multiple boards and others only have one. It's not necessary to remove the board(s) from the cabinet in most cases. Show as much detail as possible. Zoom in on important parts such as dip switch blocks and ROM chips and labels. Game board serial numbers would also be an important thing to show. Once the board(s) are shown in detail, show a general view of the entire inside of the cabinet. Include showing all the wiring by following it around inside the cabinet to show that no external wires or cables enter or exit the cabinet. One notable exception may be that of an external wire used to record a direct feed from the video monitor as described earlier in this document (although direct feed video is not sufficient evidence for Twin Galaxies recognition it maybe recorded for presentation purposes only). If external wires do exist footage should show exactly what they go to and what they are used for. It is also important to show all the wiring running to the monitor and control panel and where it comes from.

The inside of the game cabinet may be somewhat dark and may require you to provide some additional lighting to properly show the information requested above. If you do so you should be aware that game board sets sometimes contain EPROMS which can be erased when exposed to ultra violet light. It is possible to partially erase one of these chips in such a way that makes the game no longer work. EPROMS usually have a small glass window which should be covered by a small sticker designed to prevent light from entering and erasing data. Some game manufacturers neglected to cover these windows (Nintendo has been known to leave windows uncovered in Donkey Kong, DK Jr., and other titles). Using a high powered spot light or something producing UV light may cause damage so please be careful and limit the direct light exposure to as little as possible.

Some games can show dip switch settings through a menu available when the game is placed in service mode through switches inside the coin door. These dip switch settings often override those of the dip switches present on the game boards (which are used only as defaults should the menu dip switch settings not be properly backed up by the on board battery. Both sets of dip switches should be shown if present.

When the internal recording is completed the camera should be moved back to the front of the machine to show the monitor again. If the game did not lose power show your final score again if possible. If the game did lose power from opening the door please note that on the recording. At this point remove game power and power it back on again to show the start up rug pattern one last time.

What If I Need More Than One Tape?:
If your game will last longer than your available tape, you should attempt to minimize what goes on during tape changes. In general it should be a quick swap with little or no scoring changes. It would be best to have an additional camera record a few moments of game play before the swap and then zoom out to show you and the whole machine while you swap tapes to show nobody else touches the machine during the swap. Then when you return to play the extra camera should show another minute or two of game play. Extra footage should be added at the end of the normal recording on the last tape. Please advise the referee to the presence of the extra footage at the end of the last tape. Please make a backup copy of all tapes in case they are lost and send a copy to your friendly Twin Galaxies referee for record consideration.

Good Luck!

How do I hook up my console or computer to a VCR?
Step 1: You'll need to make sure your VCR is hooked up to your TV set. If it isn't already hooked up, all you need to do is grab a coaxial cable and connect it to the "out to tv" screw-jack on the back of your VCR. Then connect the other end to the "in from antenna" screw-jack on the back of your TV set. Now set the VCR's channel switch on the back to either channel 3 or 4 and set the TV channel to the same. Presto! Now you can watch movies or other video tapes on your TV.

Step 2: Now you need to be able to record your video gameplay directly onto the video tape. To do this, you will need to grab the composite A/V cables that come packaged with your console. You might already be using these for your console hooked directly into your TV set. If such is the case, disconnect them from your TV set. You'll notice they have color codes. Yellow for video, Red for the right sound channel, and White for the left sound channel. It is very important that you do not mix the colors up when you go to connect the cables! In any case, make sure the other end of the cable is firmly connected to your video game console.

Step 3: Next, we are going to connect the cables to the VCR. Locate the composite input jacks on your VCR. Older models usually have these jacks located on the back, while newer models have them on the front. Wherever they are, make sure they are labeled as "Input". You'll notice each jack is color-coded to match the same colors as the A/V cables. Simply connect each cable to the corresponding color on the input jacks. If you happen to have a really old or dirt-cheap VCR, it may only have the Yellow and Red input jacks. Simply leave the White cable unhooked if such is the case.

Final step: Now that your cables are hooked up to the VCR, you must change the input mode on the VCR. This is usually done using your remote, though some really old models may have a manual switch on the VCR itself. In any case, set the input mode on the VCR to "Line-In". Some VCR's will call it "Line-Input" or just simply "Line". My VCR has a button the remote that allows me to switch to line-in, but other models may have you do this though an onscreen menu. Consult your VCR's instruction booklet for details.

So now it's all hooked up and ready to record your gameplay. Pop a blank tape into the VCR and press record with the power to your gaming console off. Record about 10 seconds of "dead air," then, while the recorder is taping, turn on your gaming console, and get that new world record! That's all there is to it. If your tape runs out of room, you can just rewind and start recording again. Just be sure to turn off the console first and then start recording before you turn it on again. Also, if you set a good record but want to try for a better one, you can eject the tape and put another blank one in to start fresh. That way, you never have to worry about recording over your best run.

What should I be recording? [Consoles/Computers]
You MUST record your entire game, from before you power on your console/computer to the point where you enter your name in (if appropriate). It is very important to record this to prevent the disqualification of your record attempt.

In general, use the following as the basis for starting but note that you must check for any machine-specific rules also (which should also be present on this page).

1. You should record at least 5 seconds of "dead-air" before powering on your machine. Dead-air is simply the "nothing" that exists before powering on.
2. Allow the machine to boot normally. For more modern systems with ejectable media (CDs or DVDs for example), it is often a wise precaution to boot without the media inserted and for some systems this is a requirement.
3. Once the game is loaded, proceed through the menu structure of the game (if applicable) at a leisurely pace, setting up the game as per the rules of the variation.

In the event that such a game attempt, or a game in progress, is going to exceed the capacity of the videotape, you have 2 options;

1st - Try and find a spot to sit in the game [if possible] or if a game loops after the credits and doesn't require input, keep recording for a good 10-15 seconds or longer during this, stop recording and swap to a new videotape/dvd-r, start recording while your game is still going. If you're in a safe spot, give it a good 10-15 seconds before continuing on... if possible. [You will not be penalized for this time] If the game in question offers you no break, you will have to swap out the tape/dvd-r as quickly as possible, even at the risk of lives. This is not fun if in the latter case, but this is to maintain integrity across all platforms.

2nd - If you know in advance that a record attempt will exceed the 6-hour capacity of a standard 2 hour tape at slow-record mode, contact the platform referee in advance of your game attempt and discuss the situation, and they will advise you with their decision on how to proceed.

We apologize for any inconvienience this may bring forth in your gaming endeavours and understand that sometimes you have the game of your life and can't forsee if you're going to break past the recording limits of your media. While we will work as best as we can around this issue with you, please understand we do not have these 2 guidelines as a matter of distrust, but only to ensure everyone plays on a fair and level playfield in this regard.

In addition, marathon games lasting over 8 hours and resulting in a world record score can be subject to drug testing as the discretion of Twin Galaxies.

Can I submit a replay of my attempt?
No, Twin Galaxies accepts only the original game play footage as the submission. Replays in any form will be disqualified.
Note that for some emulator submissions the submission format itself is termed Replay: please see the relevant guidelines for the emulator for clarification.

How do I record games for my Nintendo Entertainment System [NES]?
For more information on this platform, please feel free to read the guidelines in our Forum via the link below. While you do NOT have to have an account on the forums to view this, you will need one to reply.

Nes Submission Guidelines

How do I record games for my Nintendo GameBoy, GameBoy Color, GameBoy Adanced?
For more information on this platform, please feel free to read the guidelines in our Forum via the link below. While you do NOT have to have an account on the forums to view this, you will need one to reply.

Game Boy Advance Submission Guidelines

How do I record games for my Nintendo DS?
Until the day someone comes out with a TV tuner (or if the Wii will play DS games on the TV in the future) you do need a video camera for this system. Unless the rules state otherwise you must record both screens, but there are games/variations in wich you only need to record either the top or bottom screen.

1. Start recording.
2. Power up the DS. You must have the DS set to the Manual Mode start-up. This can be set up in the DS options.
3. Choose the DS game.
4. Play till you've set that record.
5. Zoom your video camera in for a close-up of your score. You can also state your score verbally.

How do I record games for my Xbox?
Briefly, the requirements for the Xbox are as follows:

1. With your Xbox turned off, start recording the requisite dead-air time.
2. Start your XBOX with no game inserted in it. Note: you can press the eject button to both switch on the Xbox and eject the disc if a disc is in the drive.
3. Wait for the Xbox logo to disappear & allow the main menu to appear.
4. For PAL gamers, enter the Settings section and then the Video section inside there. Ensure the PAL-60 setting is set to "No".
5. Insert the game disc. Wait for it to show the game title on the screen, and then you can choose it to start the game. Alternatively, you may have your Xbox set to auto-play when the game disc is inserted, that is okay too.
6. Follow the rules for the variation.

1. You should begin recording with some dead air (5 seconds).
2. Then boot up the XBOX 360 with no game inserted in it.
3. Log in to your XBOX account (unless it is set to auto-log-in).
4. Go to My XBOX and insert the game disc. Wait for it to show the game title on the screen, and then you can choose it to start the game. It might auto-play when the game disc is inserted, that is okay too.

Virtual Console games require one additional step. After the game has loaded you must press the Home button on the Wii remote and reset the software. Failure to do so will disqualify your record.

For more information see the Virtual Console video tutorial.

For the Commodore Amiga, submissions MUST begin with at least 10 seconds of dead air time. This is to ensure that some known exploits are "lost" from RAM.

Can I install the games to my hard drive?

Wherever possible, the game must be submitted for using the original floppy disc version. If you believe the game only contains a hard drive install option, contact the referee.

Update #1: The PSP 2000 series can be connected directly to a TV using component cables. With a video camera on a tripod, the TV screen can be easily recorded.

Update #2: The PSP 3000 series can be connected directly to a VCR or DVD recorder using composite cables.

Start Up Process:
1.With the PSP turned off, start recording. (5 seconds)
2.Power up the PSP without a game in the drive.
3.Navigate to the Game Menu before inserting the game.
4.The game must be inserted while the Game Menu is displayed.

If you choose to use a video camera:
The full PSP screen must be on camera at all times. When your game is over, zoom the camera in for a close-up of your score. You can also state your score verbally. You'll need to convert the game footage to either a dvd or video tape - No 8mm tapes.

* Banned glitches/tactics are not allowed. If you're unsure about a method you're using, please ask the PSP referee.

* Strict TG policy is, NO pausing. Accidental pausing is determined at the discretion of the TG referee. Over 5 seconds is not an accident. There are exceptions, such as where the Start Button brings up menus, or is needed to access certain items.

* When you're ready to submit your recordings for verification, don't forget to submit a hardcopy of the Twin Galaxies submission form along with it. If you have a wide variety of submissions, you may submit just the main submission form (The one that requires your signature) and a piece of paper detailing all your records, or you may submit online and send the printed submission form.
Twin Galaxies Submission Form

How do I record games for my Vectrex?

***ONLY the original Vectrex controller is allowed.***
***Check game rules for any banned tactics.***

Your gameplay must be recorded using a video camera. Follow the recording process listed below, to ensure your score isn't disqualified.

RECORDING PROCESS:
* Turn on your video camera and clearly record your Vectrex system, showing the ENTIRE cabinet and attached controller. You can insert the game cartridge at this point as well.
* Set your video camera in the position it'll be in for recording gameplay. The FULL game screen, from top to bottom, must be visible at all times.
* Turn on your Vectrex. Sit in a position so that you're not blocking the game screen in any way.
* Play your game. If you achieve a score you would like to submit, zoom your camera in for a close-up of the score. You can also state your score verbally. The recording process is complete.

* Copy the game footage from your video camera to either a DVD or video tape. (No 8mm tapes)

* When you're ready to submit your recordings for verification, don't forget to submit a hardcopy of the Twin Galaxies submission form along with it. If you have a wide variety of submissions, you may submit just the main submission form (The one that requires your signature) and a piece of paper detailing all your records, or you may submit online and send the printed submission form.
Twin Galaxies Submission Form

How do I record games using MAME?
For MAME, a VCR is not necessary as MAME has its own recording function that produces an Input File (INP) that records all the pertinent information required. BUT! There are some necessary guidelines that need to be followed despite this. Most importantly, only the first attempt in the INP will be accepted. For more information, please kindly consult the current Guidelines at the following link; Mame Submission Guidelines

How do I record and submit a score for the arcade version of Donkey Kong?
There are a separate set of rules for submitting scores for the arcade version of Donkey Kong. Click here to go to the official rules for submitting a score for the arcade version of Donkey Kong.

How do I record games using the C64 VICE Emulator?
VICE 2.0 is the official Twin Galaxies approved Commodore 64 emulator.

A new development has created concern over the integrity of the VICE in-game recording method. As of February 27th 2009, Twin Galaxies will no longer be accepting VSF submissions. All future VICE submissions must be made using a video camera to record your PC screen.

UPDATED RULES:
VICE Settings Each of the following must be adhered to regardless of the method used below.
* VICE must be running in PAL-G Video Standard.
* Game Speed must be at 100%.
* The FPS must be at 50.
* Autofire is NOT allowed. Joystick settings MUST be shown before loading the game. The Refresh Rate (Auto) and default "Options" must also be shown.
* True Drive Emulation must be enabled.
* The Video Cache must be enabled (this may appear beneath the VIC-II settings on some versions of the emulator).
* Load the game.
* If the game image being used includes a list of cheats, ALL cheats must be disabled.

METHOD 1
* Set your camera in a position so that the FULL PC screen is in view.
* Start recording, then start VICE.
* Follow the VICE Settings as above. * After your game has ended, zoom the camera in for a close-up of your score.
* Convert your file to DVD format, or at least 640x480 (AVI) with a QUALITY Frame Rate.

METHOD 2
A Screen Capture program may also be used. Do NOT use Frame Skip associated with your screen capture program. The recording MUST be at least 640x480 (AVI) with a QUALITY Frame Rate. The screen capture must be set to record the FULL PC screen. Try to match the size of your screen in the recording so the submission is a 1:1 image of your screen.
* Start the Screen Capture recording, then start VICE and follow the necessary rules given in the VICE Settings above.

Submitting your score:
The file shouldn't be larger than 10 MB to use the online submission. If your file is larger than 10 MB, copy it to a CDR or DVD, fill out a Twin Galaxies Submission Form and send both items to the C64 referee by regular mail. Another option is to upload your file to a file sharing site, like the recommended: YouSendIt Please note, the file must remain 640x480 with a quality frame rate. This method should be used for relatively quick games, so the files aren't huge.

How do I record games using the ZX Spectrum Spectaculator Emulator?
The official emulator of choice is that of Spectaculator (Windows 32-bit), but the format of submission (RZX files) is supported by multiple emulators, including RealSpectrum for DOS and FUSE for the *nix & Mac OS X platforms. The RZX format was designed from the ground-up to be cross-platform compatible (providing the emulator has correctly implemented the format & emulation directives of the format).

Rules for submission

* The recording must start from the rebooted screen of the ZX Spectrum.
* The recording must show the entirety of the loading of the tape/disc/microdrive, etc.
* Tournament mode must be used.
* Rollback RZX performances (popularised by the SPIN emulator) are not acceptable (verification will occur in an emulator without rewind support).
* To be submitted, the RZX file must be Zipped (a requirement of the web site, not the RZX rules).
* Multiple performances within a single RZX are acceptable as with normal submission processes, but the submission must fit the current 10MB submission limit (a requirement of the web site, not the RZX rules).
* If a performance exceeds the 10MB limit, even zipped (which won't be much different anyway as RZX files are compressed), please contact the referee for an alternative submission transport or follow the 3 alternative methods for the C64 platform.

Guide to setting up Spectaculator: Once opened, use the Tools menu's Options to begin setting up Spectaculator. On the Hardware tab, use a model of "48K ZX Spectrum" for most games and ensure the CPU Speed is 3.5MHz. On the Cassette Recorder tab, disable the following options: "Enable auto loading"; "Stop at end of tape"; "Flashloading"; "Edge detection". Still on the Cassette Recorder tab, enable the followng options: "Auto play / stop"; "Enable Fast loading". For your own sanity, you may wish to disable the "Generate loading noise" option.

Guide to recording Spectaculator: Use the File menu's Open option and locate the tape/disc image of the game - open it. From the Control menu's Action Replay (RZX) option, choose Record. In the new window, click on the Action Replay (RZX) option; enter a name into the File Name; and set the Location it will be recorded into; click OK. In the next window, ensure "Current position" and "Tournament mode" are selected; enter a numeric sequence into the week code and click OK. You are now recording.

In the 48K Spectrum mode, press the J key to enter the word "LOAD" and then hold the right-shift key down and press P twice for the "" characters. In any of the 128K Spectrum modes, use the cursor keys to highlight the Tape Loader option (note that for some games, the 48K Spectrum mode is required). Finally, press enter or return to begin loading. With the "Enable Fast loading" option enabled from the Cassette Recorder tab above, the game should load fairly rapidly and you can begin playing. To stop the RZX recording, click on any of the menu options of Spectaculator. Optional extra: take a snapshot of your score using the File menu's Save As option - set the "Save As Type" field to "Spectrum Screenshot (.bmp)" before click Save.

Submission process of your RZX file: Please ensure your recording plays back for yourself before submitting. The original tape/disc image is not required for this to work as the input is embedded in the RZX file. Locate your RZX file from the location you set up previously. For the purposes of the Twin Galaxies web site, compress the RZX file into PKZip-compatible format and submit the zipped version.

Still having trouble? Try reviewing the Twin Galaxies' Guide to Spectaculator - a visual guide through the necessary steps.