This page describes the proper tagging of movies with movie classes. It is required reading for all users with access to movie class assignment (admin / halfadmin / publisher / movie editor).
Additional reading
Overview
The goal of classes is to categorize movies based on game genre, movie goals, and various aspects of TASing (that may or may not be entertaining to an audience member). This gives them the freedom to group movies based around their particular interests. Therefore proper tagging is critical to the usefulness of this feature.
Non-fastest completion goals
Playaround
Used for movies where speed, 100% kills, Maximum score are not primary goals. This is for entertainment based movies that "play around". Runs which aim for fastest time under a preset number of goal choices should not be tagged with this.
Examples:
Aims for maximum score
Used for movies that aims for the highest score possible at the expense of fastest completion time. This is an acceptable tag even if the author aims for fastest completion time as a secondary goal.
Examples:
Maximum kills
Used for movies that aims for the killing all (or all that is possible) enemies at the expensive of fastest completion time. This is an acceptable tag even if the author aims for fastest completion time as a secondary goal.
Examples:
Aims for in-game time instead of real-time
Used for movies that aim for fastest time based on an in-game timer. This tag should be used only when the in-game timer is in direct conflict with aiming for the fastest real time completion.
Examples:
- Super Metroid in-game any%
- Punch-out
- Super Punch-out
- Sonic the Hedgehog series
Demonstration
This should be used for movies that demonstrate something other than these examples or fastest completion time. This can be used for single-level/track movies, unusual goal choices (like walkathon), or any movie that demonstrates an unusual TAS concept.
For this tag to be appropriate either the game must not be completed (based on traditional definitions) or completed with a goal choice other than one of the standard categories.
Examples:
- F-Zero 1-track – only completes 1 track.
- Top Gear 1-track – likewise.
- SMB – Walkathon – unusual goal choice (banning the run button).
- SMB – -3 Stage Ending – unconventional game completion.
Contains speed/entertainment tradeoffs
This is not a goal choice per se. This tag should not be used for movies where speed is a secondary goal. Instead it should be used for movies that primarily aim for fastest time but make some (small) time sacrifices for the sake of entertaining the audience, avoiding repetition, or avoiding doing something that would be uninteresting. It may also be to collect an item or show off a part of the game that increases entertainment value.
Examples:
- Harmony of Dissonance – deviates from the fastest path to collect an item that displays damage (allowing the screen to be flooded with critical hit messages in boss fights).
- Paperboy – plays the final training course.
Categories
Best ending
Used for movies that achieve some kind of "best ending" when choosing another one would prove to be faster. However, if the best ending is achieved solely by getting 100% completion then use that tag instead.
Examples:
100% completion
Different games have different criteria for what defines 100%. Regardless of the definition, this should be used if the movie falls in a 100% category. Do not use this if the fastest completion results in a 100% completion.
Examples:
Low% completion
Used for runs which aim to collect as few items as possible. Do not use this if the fastest route uses the fewest items. It is used only on games where item collection is not mandatory (or became non-mandatory due to tricks or glitches).
Examples:
Uses a sub-optimal character
Used in games that have multiple playable characters. This class is used when a movie uses a character that results in a slower completion time. This is based on completion time, not whether or not the character itself is faster/slower. In some cases, it is a better character, but their superior abilities do not compensate for the extra time it takes to unlock them.
Note: this tag is only applicable in case the fastest character is not available during the initial playthrough. This means that default characters are not rendered suboptimal if a faster character requires the game be completed at least once (see Second quest/Post-game completion).
Examples:
- Super Mario Bros 2 (J) – Luigi – a slower character who results in a slower completion time.
- Castlevania 3 – Grant – the superior character in the game TAS-wise but can not make up for the lost time getting to him.
- Rondo of Blood – Maria – a character who is faster and completes levels the quickest, but unlocking her is overall slower due to cutscenes.
Uses warps
This tag should be used when a movie uses (time-saving) level warps. Typically these are intentional warps (such as the SMB warp zones) but has been used for glitched warps.
Examples:
Forgoes warps
Used for movies (typically full completion movies) of a game that contains built-in or glitched warps.
Examples:
Pacifist version
Used for movies that explicitly avoid killing enemies (or only killing as few as possible) when it is unnecessary for game completion, even at the expense of completion time. In games where avoiding unnecessary kills does not postpone completion it can be used as a stylistic choice, and should still be tagged.
Examples:
- Contra "pacifist" – delays completion time.
- Yo! Noid – stylistic choice.
Uses easy difficulty
For games with adjustable difficulty we usually suggest using the hardest setting. In some cases this makes the completion time much longer, or have other adverse effects, so instead the easiest mode can be used. Do not use this tag if the easiest mode is also the default one. Likewise, don't use it if the game is played on a mode that is neither the hardest nor the easiest.
Examples:
Uses hardest difficulty
For use with games that have difficulty modes. Do not use this for difficulties that aren't the hardest.
Examples:
Additional Goals/Categories
Multiple games in one movie
This is a category for movies that complete several different games with the same input file.
Examples:
- Mega Man X & X2 – two games in one movie.
- Mega Man 3,4,5 & 6 – four games in one movie.
- Adventures of Lolo – two games in one movie, but as an easter egg.
Single level
Use for movies that only complete one level/race of a game. These types of runs are generally incomplete, and thus discouraged.
Examples:
Using/Avoiding time-saving techniques
Heavy luck manipulation
This category should be used when significant luck manipulation occurs. Ideally the luck manipulation is obvious to the viewer. This is ideal for movies where many enemy drops are manipulated, or many critical hits scored.
Examples:
Heavy glitch abuse
This is used when significant glitches are used that alter the look/feel of the game, the gameplay, or create significant time savers. Small bugs in the programming do not warrant this category.
Examples:
- Mega Man
- Super Mario World "small only"
- River City Ransom "playaround"
- Super Metroid "glitched any%"
Forgoes time-saving glitches
This is to be used for "low glitch" runs that intentionally avoid time saving glitches.
Examples:
Uses death to save time
Self-explanatory. Movies that take advantage of death for time saving purposes.
Examples:
Forgoes time-saving death
Used for movies where players could have saved time with death but intentionally chose not to.
Example:
Takes damage to save time
Self-explanatory. Movies that take damage for time-saving purposes.
Examples:
Forgoes time-saving damage
Used for movies where players could have saved time by taking damage but intentionally chose not to.
Examples:
Corrupts save data
Used for movies that take advantage of glitching SRAM in some way. This can be done by resetting or suspending a game during the saving process, or by taking advantage of a glitch that causes data to overflow.
Examples:
Forgoes save data corruption
Used for movies where players could have saved time by save data corruption but intentionally chose not to in order to make the movie longer (and less glitched).
Uses a game restart sequence
A game restart sequence includes pressing reset, power-on, or using a built-in game restart such as pressing a certain button combination on the second controller.
Examples:
Forgoes a time-saving restart sequence
Used for movies where players could have taken advantage of a game restart sequence to save time but intentionally chose not to.
TODO: Examples.
Number of characters
2 players
3 players
4 players
For movies that control 2, 3, or 4 characters simultaneously. Note that the amount of authors involved in making the movie is irrelevant.
Examples:
- Double Dragon 2 – 2 player
- Lost Vikings – 3 player
- Nightmare on Elm Street – 4 player
One player in multiplayer game
Used for movies where players could have used more than one character at a time but chose not to.
Examples:
Passwords, predefined saves, and codes
Second quest/Post-game completion
Used for movies that start in a mode that is normally only unlockable after completing the game at least once. These modes are usually accessed by game codes/passwords or by starting from SRAM or saved state.
Examples:
- Legend of Zelda "2nd Quest"
- Harmony of Dissonance "Maxim no warps"
- Super R-Type – second (hardest) loop accessed by a password.
Starts from a saved state or SRAM
Generally movies started from savestates and SRAM are not allowed for publications but certain exceptions are made. The most common is for unlocking a gameplay mode not accessible otherwise (without completing the game or certain events first).
Examples:
Uses a level password
Generally passwords / stage selection are not allowed. Exceptions are usually made to unlock entertaining characters, gameplay modes, or skip straight to the most entertaining level(s).
Examples:
Genres
(Note: some content is paraphrased from moozooh; see original forum post.)
TODO: add examples.
Action
Action is a broad term for games where various forms of violence are the main way for the game to interact with the player (and, more often than not, vice versa). This is usually indicated by the player's character having one or more weapons or melee attacks which are used to traverse the game environment and deal with the enemies on the way.
There are genres that are, by this definition, subsets of "Action":
- Fighting;
- Shooter.
(Do not use "Action" for these.)
Adventure
This genre commonly gives the player secondary goals and allows him/her to revisit earlier locations with no hard time limit.
There are genres that are, by this definition, subsets of "Adventure":
- RPG;
- Storybook.
(Do not use "Adventure" for these.)
Fighting
This tag is used for versus fighters (1-on-1 or similar) and brawlers (where several enemies are let on the screen in packs, only allowing the player to progress when every one of them is defeated).
Platform
Not a genre per se, "Platform" indicates that the game environment is primarily composed of platforms (forgoing logic or realism in their placement) that force the player to traverse them using jumps or similar ways of movement.
This is the most typical genre for TASVideos by far.
Puzzle
This genre encompasses all games where logic and puzzle-solving is the main idea.
RPG
Role-playing games are a subset of adventure games that are notoriously hard to describe and discern. Usually they have at least two of the following characteristics:
- massive nonlinearity – the player can revisit most (or all) of the earlier visited locations and make choices that affect the game's continuity at several parts of its progression;
- [nearly-]direct control of the character development – depending on the game it may mean everything from player character's equipment and personal attributes to morality and outlook on the game world;
- ability to handle in-game situations in several different ways – for instance, by fighting, reasoning, or deceit/bribery.
Shooter
A subset of action with large emphasis on shooting and dodging enemy projectiles (or killing enemies before they can shoot them). For 2D games this more often than not implies single-hit-deaths.
Sport
A genre that encompasses all sport games, including racing games and, currently, all board/card games.
Storybook
A subset of adventure with a menu-driven interface. Most or all of the interaction is turn-based and is done on a fixed screen by the means of a cursor.
Strategy
A well-established genre where the player has to manage their combat forces and/or economical resources in real-time or by taking turns. The objective is to achieve certain goals (more often than not being the elimination of the opposing parties). "God simulation" games are also covered by this tag.