Revision (current)
Last Updated by feos on 3/12/2024 10:12 AM
This site was founded in early December of 2003, shortly after [user:Bisqwit] discovered [user:Morimoto]'s [668M|Super Mario Bros. 3] tool-assisted speedrun on the Internet.
%%TOC%%
!! Official Site History
! 2003
__2003-11-26__%%%
Bisqwit found Super Mario Bros. 3 on the Internet. It was a low-quality Windows Media Video file (wmv). The video contained the text ''"super mario bross 3 time attack video"'' in the beginning and ''"Played by もりもと ＠やるきなす http://soramimi.egoism.jp/ http://homepage3.nifty.com/nura/ " '' in the end.
Intrigued, Bisqwit went to the websites mentioned in that video and discovered that Morimoto had created more videos for games such as [5M|Rockman], [6M|Rockman 2], and [19M|Gradius]. Knowing some Japanese, Bisqwit studied how to play those movies, and the trails lead to the [EmulatorResources/Famtasia|Famtasia] Famicom emulator.
__2003-12__%%%
After finding that Famtasia could play those movies, Bisqwit discovered that those movies were not shown anywhere in the Internet, but that people would probably be interested in them. He was also bothered about the bad quality of the Windows Media Video file of Super Mario Bros. 3, so he started creating a [http://bisqwit.iki.fi/source/xgetimage.html|toolset] that would enable him to record those videos into AVI files and publish them.
As soon he got it working, he created the website, !http://bisqwit.iki.fi/jutut/nesvideos.html (an archived copy can be seen here: [http://bisqwit.iki.fi/jutut/backup-nesvideos.html]) where he published those movies together with the AVIs, made downloadable with BitTorrent.
__2003-12-06 onwards__%%%
Bisqwit spent a lot of time tracking sites that were linking to the newly created NESVideos site, and seeing what was being talked about there. He registered on boards and tried to correct misconception about the movies. He created and refined the sections on the site explaining those concepts, such as the "Myths and Facts" section.
In the meantime, he expanded the content from more of Morimoto's videos, and put an invitation for users' submissions. He also started creating a few movies on his own, such as [679M|Super Mario Bros. 2], [665M|Super Mario Bros] and [674M|Castlevania].
Videos from the [http://www.planetquake.com/qdq/ddqr.html|Doom Done Quick project] were also processed and published.
! 2004
__2004-01-11__%%%
Bisqwit noticed [user:Arc] had formed a site [http://nes.greatstreamingvideo.com/], and that it linked directly to some files provided by the NESvideos server. Bisqwit contacted him and thus began some cooperation between these two sites.
__2004-01-15__%%%
The first user submission was received from [user:Arc]. It was [606M|Ghosts 'n Goblins]. It was encoded and published the same day.
__2004-01-19__%%%
The second user submission, not counting Arc's improvements to Ghosts 'n Goblins, was [675M|Contra] by Mathieu Pronovost.
From here, the submission rate started increasing, soon attracting later prolific players such as Michael Fried and Jean-François Durocher (aka. Genisto).
__2004-02__%%%
The amount of documentation on the site had grown so much that the site had to get a dedicated URL instead of a single {{.html}} page. Bisqwit moved it to [http://bisqwit.iki.fi/nesvideos/] (an archived copy can be seen here: [http://bisqwit.iki.fi/jutut/nesv-old/]).
__2004-06-25__%%%
The site was re-written using a wiki-engine.
! 2006
__2006-11-26__%%%
Previously the NESVideos website had been under the domain of Bisqwit's personal website, [http://bisqwit.iki.fi/]. To improve the profile of the site, Bisqwit purchased a dedicated domain name for the site, [https://tasvideos.org/]. Despite the different address, it still ran on the same server.
Also, the name of the site changed. When before it was NESVideos, now it became TASVideos. The name change was mostly motivated by the increase of published movies on systems other than NES.
! 2008
__2008-11-18__%%%
Bisqwit finds a higher calling and purpose, and decides to follow it. In an act of great humility, he states that he wants to see the community continue and thrive without his presence. He calls upon the long-time members to volunteer and take charge of the site over the coming year.
! 2009
__2009-06-09__%%%
Bisqwit enacts a final deadline of September and states that the site must be moved by the end of the summer for tasvideos.org to continue.
__2009-06-28__%%%
[user:Nach] and [user:adelikat] take over the server and IRC channel, and begin the transfer progress.
__2009-07-02__%%%
With the help of [user:ShinyDoofy], adelikat and Nach have the new server up and running. tasvideos.org has a new home, and a new future ahead of it.
! 2012
__2012-03-03__%%%
[BizHawk] is unveiled by [user:adelikat], as a purpose-built TAS emulator for a variety of platforms - the first emulator built from scratch to support TAS features, with development led by TASVideos staff and administration. This marks a shift away from only using open-source emulators forked to add TAS tools, allowing new TAS tool development (such as TAStudio) in a more unified way.
__2012-10-28__%%%
[user:adelikat] sets the groundworks for the [=Forum/Topics/13395|tiered publication proposal], categorizing every publication in one of 3 tiers (Stars, Moons, Vault), and marking a fundamental shift in site goals from publishing only notable or entertaining TASes, to publishing any TAS speedrun record of any suitable game.
The switch to the [LegacyPages/Tier|tier system] is implemented in the site over the course of the next few weeks, and dozens of submissions are unrejected and re-judged in consideration for Vault eligibility.
! 2014
__2014-01-05__%%%
For the first time, TASVideos and TASing were represented at [GamesDoneQuick|Games Done Quick] with a 45-minute TAS showcase at [GamesDoneQuick/AGDQ2014|AGDQ 2014], featuring [user:dwangoAC], [user:micro500] and [user:Weatherton], and introducing [TASBot] for the first time. The showcase was so popular that the TASVideos site servers overloaded and briefly went offline during the block.
Many more appearances at GDQs and other speedrun/tech/charity conventions would follow.
! 2017
__2017-02-23__%%%
TASVideos [Forum/Posts/449286|introduces] an official [DiscordServer|Discord server], set up by [user:Fog]. At the time, it was only set up as an alternative option to the IRC channel, which was still the main hub for direct chat.
! 2019
__2019-06-22__%%%
Following a general decline in activity, [user:Fog] hands over administration of the [DiscordServer|Discord server] to [user:Noxxa].
! 2021
__2021-05-27__%%%
Due to [Forum/Topics/22647|controversies] surrounding freenode, the IRC server which TASVideos' IRC channel resided on since 2005, the IRC channel was moved to Libera Chat. While the IRC channel had already long been overtaken in activity by the Discord server at this point, it effectively marked the end of using IRC as the "official" direct chat channel, with the Discord server becoming the primary official chat hub instead.
__2021-08-14__%%%
The tier structure is overhauled and replaced with a [Class|class system], with the Standard class for main category speedrun records and Alternative category for esoteric goals, replacing the Vault and Moon tiers respectively. Other than Stars, movies are no longer classed by entertainment value.
__2021-11-03__%%%
[Forum/Posts/509610|A change in site adminstration], as Nach is no longer Site Admin.
! 2022
__2022-01-01__%%%
[user:adelikat] and site staff relaunch the website with a new open source architecture, maintaining the site's legacy by importing all existing wiki articles, forum posts, movies, submissions, and user files but with a redesign focused on modern web standards and accessibility.
__2022-04-21__%%%
[user:adelikat] announces his stepping down as admin in favor of [user:feos] and [user:Memory] taking up the Site Administrator role.
__2022-06-30__%%%
With [user:Noxxa] relinquishing several staff duties, [DiscordServer|Discord server] ownership is transferred to [user:fsvgm777].
! 2023
__2023-04-25__%%%
TASVideos gains a third Site Administrator, as [user:Samsara] joins the administration team.
----
!! Emulator History
! Famtasia (NES)
__2004-04-18__%%%
[user:blip] devises a [Forum/Topics/146|patch] to get Famtasia to display video at 60fps instead of its normal 20.
__2004-04-20__%%%
blip writes [Forum/Posts/2068|another patch], this one to display all 240 scanlines (instead of the 224 normally displayed by NTSC consoles).
__2004-second half__%%%
As FCEU becomes accepted on the site and gradually swells in use, Famtasia starts to fall out of favor due to FCEU's superiority.
__2006-03-12__%%%
[user:Bisqwit]'s [498M|Solomon's Key] is published, which turns out to be the final Famtasia movie published on the site.
__2008-04-03__%%%
Famtasia is officially no longer allowed for submissions.
__2011-05-04__%%%
Last current Famtasia movie [498M] is obsoleted by [1795M].
! Snes9x (SNES)
__2004-06-02__%%%
The first SNES movie was submitted (and unofficially published) by Phil & Genisto. It was [98M|Contra 3: The Alien Wars].
__2004-07-11__%%%
A new rerecording version of Snes9x v1.43 was published and officially accepted on the site.
__2007-04-30__%%%
Snes9x v1.51 was released, but desync issues were not fixed until later.
__2013-04-12__%%%
Runs made on Snes9x v1.43 are no longer accepted.
__2022-01-28__%%%
Runs made on any version of Snes9x are no longer accepted.
! Gens (Genesis)
__2004-05-27__%%%
Jyzero [Forum/Posts/4576|announces] a version of Gens with movie recording. The following day, basic rerecording support is added.
__2004-06-07__%%%
Bisqwit [Forum/Posts/5431|declares] that Gens runs will be accepted on the site.
__2004-06-10__%%%
A run of [97M|Contra - The Hard Corps] is accepted as the first Gens run on the site.
! FCEU (NES)
__2004-09-17__%%%
Although it was not an officially accepted emulator at the time, [191M|a Legend of Zelda movie by Phil] made using FCEU, a new emulator at its time, is published; Bisqwit rules that FCEU submissions may be accepted on a case-by-case basis.
__2004-10-10__%%%
FCEU submissions are officially declared to be accepted on the site. Soon after, it was judged to be superior to Famtasia in every way, resulting in Famtasia's eventual obsoletion.
__2016-12-31__%%%
FCEU submissions in the form of .fcm movies are no longer accepted. However, they can still be accepted as converted FCEUX movies (.fm2).
! VisualBoyAdvance (GBx/GBA)
__2005-01-12__%%%
Volkov [Forum/Posts/20591|announces] an initial rerecording version of VisualBoyAdvance. It eventually proves to be unreliable for sync purposes.
__2005-03-27__%%%
[user:nitsuja] [Forum/Posts/26218|announces] a new largely rewritten rerecording version of Visual Boy Advance in the hopes that it meets Bisqwit's requirements for rerecording capabilities.
__2005-04-07__%%%
Bisqwit [Forum/Posts/27628|announces] that the site is prepared to accept VBA submissions.
__2005-04-12__%%%
The first VBA movie is published: [319M|Metroid: Zero Mission by BoltR].
__2022-05-17__%%%
Game Boy/Game Boy Color movies made with VBA are no longer accepted.
! Mupen64 (N64)
__2005-10-16__%%%
[user:nitsuja] [Forum/Posts/44444|announces] an initial rerecording version of Mupen64.
__2005-10-28__%%%
Bisqwit [Forum/Posts/45640|sets out requirements] for Mupen64-rr runs to be accepted on the site which are quickly met.
__2005-11-21__%%%
The first N64 run to be published is [436M|spezzafer's famous 16-star Super Mario 64 run], which goes on to prove immensely popular and draw many new contributors to the site.
__2015-07-10__%%%
With the release of the Mupen64Plus core of BizHawk years prior, Nach [=Forum/Topics/16899|declares] Mupen64-rr to be obsolete. This proves to be a divisive decision.
__2016-12-31__%%%
Movies made in the .m64 format, the movie format used by Mupen64-rr, are no longer accepted. However, movies made with Mupen64-rr for compatible games (i.e. Super Mario 64 and Mario Kart 64) and then converted into BizHawk's .bk2 format are still accepted.
__2022-03-18__%%%
Thanks to encoding improvements from a fork called Mupen64 Lua, the .m64 format is now accepted again.
! Dega (SMS/GG)
__2007-06-24__%%%
[user:pcc] adds [Forum/Posts/134649|basic movie recording support] to Dega; later that day, a [Forum/Posts/134668|build with rerecording capabilities] is released.
__2007-09-05__%%%
Bisqwit [Forum/Posts/142126|declares] SMS runs acceptable (this goes unnoticed for some time due to the [Movie Rules] page not being updated then).
__2007-12-01__%%%
The first published SMS run is [1010M|Kenseiden by AngerFist].
__2016-12-31__%%%
Movies made with Dega are no longer accepted.
! ZSNES (SNES)
__2008-07-07__%%%
The first (and thus far only) run using ZSNES to be published is [1141M|Run Saber by Solon].
! FCEUX (NES)
__2008-08-04__%%%
adelikat [Forum/Posts/174296|announces] the initial release of FCEUX, intended to merge together several divergent branches of FCEU with useful TASing features (having been in development since at least [Forum/Posts/167449|2008-05-11]).
__2008-08-16__%%%
Bisqwit updates the site rules to allow for FM2 submissions.
__2008-08-17__%%%
The first published FCEUX run is [1179M|Double Dragon II by adelikat].
__2012-11-27__%%%
With the release of FCEUX 2.2.0 containing [=EmulatorResources/TASEditor|TAS Editor 1.0], the site now accepts FM3 submissions.
! PCSX (PSX)
__2007-04-01__%%%
[user:DeHackEd] [Forum/Posts/122716|announces] work on a rerecording version of PCSX. Development eventually stalls.
__2008-05-28__%%%
[user:mz] [Forum/Posts/168793|announces] a new effort to add rerecording support to PCSX; the following day an extremely early build of PCSX-rr is released.
__2009-01-17__%%%
PCSX-rr v0.0.6 is released. Bisqwit [Forum/Posts/189393|declares it acceptable] for runs.
__2009-01-24__%%%
The first published PCSX-rr movie is [1246M|Castlevania - Symphony of the Night by zggzdydp].
__2015-07-15__%%%
With the release of the Mednafen PSX core of BizHawk, adelikat [Forum/Postsosts/412377|declares] PCSX-rr to be obsolete.
__2016-12-31__%%%
Movies made with PCSX-rr are no longer accepted.
! Mednafen (PCE)
__2009-04-06__%%%
adelikat [Forum/Posts/196096|announces] a rerecording variant of Mednafen. The same day, the first submission using it appears in the queue: [2226S|Dragon Egg by adelikat].
__2009-04-26__%%%
The Dragon Egg submission [1281M|is published], forming the first TurboGrafx 16/PCE run.
__2021-01-01__%%%
Movies made with Mednafen-rr are no longer accepted.
! DeSmuMe (NDS)
__2009-04-29__%%%
adelikat submits [2241S|a New Super Mario Bros.] run using a new rerecording variant of DeSmuME, which he fails to announce until [Forum/Topics/8008|the following day].
__2009-05-02__%%%
adelikat's submission [1283M|is published], forming the first Nintendo DS movie on the site.
! FinalBurn Alpha (Arcade)
__2004-07-11__%%%
blip [Forum/Posts/7817|announces] a build of FinalBurn Alpha with rerecording support. Development stagnates quickly.
__2008-08-31__%%%
mz [Forum/Posts/176912|revives] blip's project with a new version of FBA-rr.
__2009-06-02__%%%
FBA-rr movies are declared approved for the site.
__2009-06-14__%%%
The first FBA run to be published is [1298M|Ghouls 'n' Ghosts by xipo].
! Yabause (Saturn)
__2009-05-15__%%%
adelikat [Forum/Posts/200116|announces] Yabause-rr, immediately acceptable for submissions.
__2009-06-25__%%%
The first Yabause run to be published is [1313M|Castlevania - Nocturne In The Moonlight by arukAdo].
__2018-06-30__%%%
Movies made with Yabause-rr are no longer accepted.
! JPC-RR (DOS)
__2010-04-22__%%%
Version 10 of JPC-RR is released.
__2010-04-30__%%%
[user:sgrunt] submits [2649S|Commander Keen 5: The Armageddon Machine "glitched"] which also serves as an announcement that the emulator is now considered acceptable for submissions.
__2010-05-03__%%%
The [1508M|Commander Keen 5 "glitched" run] is published as the first DOS run.
! openMSX (MSX)
__2010-10-17__%%%
[user:Vampier] submits [2884S] which also serves as an announcement that the emulator is now considered acceptable for submissions.
__2010-11-11__%%%
The first published MSX run is [1674M|Sylvester Stallone in Rambo by nitrogenesis].
! Dolphin (GC/Wii)
__2011-02-18__%%%
Dolphin's [http://code.google.com/p/dolphin-emu/issues/detail?id=502|issue 502], tracking implementation of rerecording features, is marked as fixed by Dolphin developer skidau, signifying an implementation of rerecording considered to be adequate for site purposes.
__2011-05-24__%%%
[user:diggidoyo] submits [3157S], the first Wii submission.
__2011-05-28__%%%
The run is accepted and published as [1812M], marking the first Dolphin publication for the site.
! Hourglass (Windows)
__2011-06-25__%%%
[user:NitroGenesis] submits [3193S], the first Windows submission.
__2011-11-12__%%%
The first published Windows run is [1917M|Cave Story by nitsuja].
! BizHawk ([BizHawk|multiplatform])
More information about BizHawk's own release history can be found [BizHawk/ReleaseHistory|here].
__2012-03-03__%%%
With his [3484S|submission of an improvement to the Zanac run], adelikat [Forum/Posts/305929|announces] BizHawk and that it is now acceptable for site submissions. On the same day, he rules that [Forum/Posts/221303|PCEjin] and Dega are now deprecated.
__2012-03-18__%%%
adelikat's submission is published as [1990M].
__2012-09-22__%%%
BizHawk 1.1.0 is released, with SNESHawk (BSNES v87), GBHawk and GBCHawk (both Gambatte r344) as new cores.
__2012-10-06__%%%
Support for Super Game Boy is added in version 1.1.1.
__2012-10-20__%%%
Atari2600Hawk is added in version 1.2.0 as a new core.
__2012-12-01__%%%
ColecoHawk is added in version 1.3.0 as a new core.
__2012-12-23__%%%
A7800Hawk (Emu7800) is added in version 1.4.0 as a new core.
__2013-08-22__%%%
N64Hawk (Mupen64Plus v2.0) and SaturnHawk (Yabause 9.2) are added in version 1.5.0 as new cores.
__2014-02-18__%%%
Genplus-gx (r850) is added in version 1.6.0a as a new core.
__2014-06-08__%%%
Cygne (for WonderSwan and WonderSwan Color) is added in version 1.7.0 as a new core. QuickNES is also added as an alternative to NESHawk and becomes the default NES core.
__2014-08-26__%%%
GBAHawk (VBA-Next, not to be confused with [user:Alyosha]'s [EmulatorResources/GBAHawk|emulator]) is added in version 1.8.0 as a new core.
__2014-11-22__%%%
LynxHawk (Handy) is added in version 1.9.0 as a new core.
__2015-06-15__%%%
Virtu (Apple II) and mGBA are added in version 1.10.0 as new cores.
__2015-07-15__%%%
OctoShock (PSX) is added in version 1.11.0 as a new core.
__2017-02-21__%%%
IntelliHawk is added in version 1.12.0 as a new core.
__2017-06-03__%%%
C64Hawk is added in version 1.13.0 as a new core.
__2017-06-25__%%%
BizHawk 2.0 is released, the first version to support x86-64 exclusively, with NeoPop and Virtual Boyee as new cores, and with the Yabause core replaced with Saturnus. Versions of Windows older than 7 are no longer supported. A separate branch of 1.13 is maintained for backwards compatibility.
! lsnes (SNES)
__2012-03-19__%%%
[user:Ilari] submits [3500S], the first lsnes submission.
__2012-03-23__%%%
Ilari's submission is published as [2000M].
! libTAS (Linux/Multiplatform)
__2018-09-16__%%%
[user:lexikiq] submits [6099S], the first libTAS submission.
__2018-10-08__%%%
The first published libTAS run is [3800M].
__2022-03-31__%%%
[user:rythin] submits [7368S], the first Flash submission, using libTAS running [EmulatorResources/Ruffle|Ruffle].
__2022-04-10__%%%
Flash submissions using libTAS become officially acceptable after several other submissions prove reliability.
! Citra (3DS)
__2022-02-24__%%%
[user:benstephens56] adds support for [https://citra-emu.org/download/|Citra] movie files to the site and submits [7342S], the first Citra submission.
! Other
[TODO]: Write about
* heroes such as Blip and Nitsuja
* features of this site at magazines, Slashdot etc.
* some milestone movies such as [100M|Legend of Zelda by Sleepz & co], [306M|Rockman 2 by Finalfighter & Morimoto].
----
See also:
* [Interviews]
* [user:Bisqwit]
* [user:adelikat]
* [user:Nach]
* [user:Memory]
* [user:feos]
* [SMB3 TAS History]
* [SM64 TAS History]
* [Site History/Morimoto About SMB Movie]
* [Site Technology]