== '''What is the Fair Play Agreement (FPA)?''' ==
The Fair Play Agreement (FPA) is a system to help prevent races being decided by crashes, softlocks, power surges/outages, and other unfortunate circumstances out of the player’s control. While this system provides some protection to the players when the circumstances are outside of player control, it does not protect the player from crashes and softlocks that are known and avoidable (see [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1BKuvETuXxs9IrgQd10xFWYLEQbM1UhTLDQwP-9Ywnlg/edit?gid=0#gid=0 here] for a list).

=== '''How Does it Work?''' ===
For a tournament or league race that is covered under the FPA, a runner can invoke FPA by typing !fpa in the race chat. From this point, you may backtrack and redo any checks '''''(and only those checks)''''' that had previously been done. From the moment you invoke FPA, you have up to 15 minutes to redo checks and get back progress that was lost. If at any point you do a check that you have not previously done or gain information that you did not previously have (such as reading a new hint stone), your FPA call will immediately end. You should also try and set your inventory and time of day to as close as possible (within reason) to the point where you had crashed, and you may not use this time to give yourself an ammo refill to restart your time at a higher count than when you started. [For example, if you crashed when you only had 2 bombchus remaining, at the end of your FPA, you should burn any excess bombchus until you once again have 2 remaining]

When you have caught back up, type “caught up” in the race chat. If you need to invoke the FPA multiple times in a single race, the time used in the first call is subtracted from your total time for the second. For example, if there is a 5 minute time difference between when you first typed !fpa and “caught up” in chat, you have only 10 minutes left for the second instance. If you do not indicate that you were “caught up” in the race chat, staff will assume that you used the full 15 minutes.

If your opponent invokes the FPA, you do not need to do anything differently, just continue to play the seed. If the player that made the FPA call either loses by over 15 minutes or wins, the race results stand, otherwise, tournament staff will review the call and determine the winner as soon as possible (within 24 hours maximum).

=== What is and isn't covered? ===
Generally speaking, any '''known, avoidable''' crash or softlock is '''NOT''' covered by the FPA. An exhaustive list can be found [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1BKuvETuXxs9IrgQd10xFWYLEQbM1UhTLDQwP-9Ywnlg/edit?gid=0#gid=0 here]. Any crashes or softlocks similar to those on the above list are also not covered. If you are unsure of what anything on the list means, please ask BEFORE racing as ignorance is not a valid excuse here.

=== Restreams ===
When a race is being featured on a restream, there is a tangible benefit to having both players progress synchronized. For races featured on a restream, we will default to the “old method” of FPA. In these cases, both players must either sit in a tournament voice channel in discord or otherwise be reachable at a moment’s notice. When the FPA is called, the race monitor assigned to the race will contact the other player and ask them to pause for an FPA call. When the player who crashed is caught back up, the race monitor will first ensure that the other player is ready, then restart both runners with a countdown in race chat.

=== Behind the Scenes ===
Each race where a runner invokes FPA will be manually reviewed by tournament staff. The reviewer will ensure that:

# The reason for the FPA call was valid
# No checks or additional information were gained by the player before the crash
# The time between !fpa and "caught up" is accurate

From there, the reviewer will recalculate how the finish time needs to be adjusted and alert the race participants for a final result.

=== Team Formats ===
The FPA is enacted for an entire team, rather than for the individuals on the team. Any member of the team may call for an FPA, regardless of which member has experienced the interruption. The entire team is allotted a total of 15 minutes of recovery time. Any member of the team that is not catching up on lost progress must pause the game.

=== FAQ ===

## '''What if the runner gains information that they had not had before the crash?''' This is when the time ends. If the runner decides to gain any information that they didn’t have pre-crash, the FPA time ends. Maybe they didn’t check the Kokiri Forest gossip stone and check it again on their way past to reclaim checks. That would be the end of their FPA recovery time (for that call).
## '''What if a player tries to abuse this system?''' Since this system does not interfere with the second runner, a player who abuses the system can be removed from the FPA. Their opponents would still be covered.
## '''Can I opt out?''' No, you cannot opt out. However, you may choose not to invoke the FPA if you crash.
## '''What if I make an FPA call due to a crash that is NOT covered by the FPA? Then I spend the next 15 minutes retracting my steps instead of optimally routing in new checks while backtracking?''' This is basically the biggest problem we envision with this system. We have done our best to provide an exhaustive list of crashes and softlocks that are covered by the FPA and it is up to you to familiarize yourself with the list.
## '''Won’t the player who made the FPA call be able to metagame off of their opponent’s finish time?''' Technically, yes. But the amount of information is really minimal. The FPA covers a maximum of 15 minutes. The odds you will be able to metagame your final required item, clear your final dungeon, climb ganon’s tower and defeat ganon in 15 minutes is basically zero. So we do not think that there is any concern here.

Racing

2025-08-02T21:25:27Z

Natheirean: Added additional language to the emulator rules to clarify that emulator settings, while preferably are shown before the race starts, may be shown before the emulator is closed at the end of the race.

'''<span style="font-size:x-small">by LostThePirate</span>'''

This guide will help you get set up for your first race. 

Community races and many privately organized races use [[Racing#racetime.gg|racetime.gg]]. Previously [https://speedrunslive.com SpeedRunsLive] was used, and some people still organize races there, but the community has largely transitioned away from it.

Races can be joined using [[Racing#LiveSplit|LiveSplit]] or through the racetime website. If using LiveSplit, make sure you can log into racetime quickly should LiveSplit fail to load a race channel or crash in the middle of a race.

''We have compiled [https://wiki.ootrandomizer.com/index.php?title=Common_Softlocks_And_Crashes a list of known softlocks and crashes] (WIP). It is recommended to read it through to potentially save you from frustration later.''

{{TOClimit|3}}
== Before You Ready Up ==

Please read the [[Racing#Racing Rules| Rules]] and be familiar with the allowed and banned techniques for the particular ruleset of the race beforehand.

If you are joining a community race it is best to set everything up nice and early. Community race rooms are opened 1 hour ahead of time so you have plenty of time to get everything set up before they start. You'll certainly run into issues and it is easier to help you long before the race starts rather than struggling to hurry to fix everything just 5 minutes before everyone has to ready up.

If you are just playing a pickup race in one of the race planning channels ({{discord|standard-race-planning}}, {{discord|ddr-race-planning}}, {{discord|rsl-race-planning}}, {{discord|bq-race}}, or {{discord|other-racing-formats}}) the people you are racing with should be patient and be able to help you anywhere you get stuck as there is no set starting time there.

Ensure everything is working before you ready up in the race channel. Get your [[Setup#Emulators|emulator]] or console behaving; get your controller/key bindings set; get your [[Trackers|tracker]] of choice downloaded or installed and learn how to use it. Get everything ready so that you can play all by yourself without outside help.

'''Note''': [https://wiki.ootrandomizer.com/index.php?title=Project64 Project64 v3.0+], [[Retroarch]] and [[Bizhawk]] are the recommended emulators for Ocarina of Time Randomizer. In regards to race participation, Project64 v2.0, v2.1, v2.2, and v2.3 as well as ModLoader64 are '''not allowed''' for official racing. Use of all cheats is also prohibited. If you need to use a cheat code to address pause lag in Project64 v1.7 or v1.6, you '''cannot''' join an official race as long as that cheat is active. Use of texture packs to modify the game's appearance is also prohibited by the Ocarina of Time Randomizer community for official races.

Get acquainted with your streaming software; get your broadcast settings ready; get your scene layouts the way you want; get your [https://twitch.tv Twitch] channel how you'd like it. You can add Randomizer, Competitive, and/or Speedrun to your Twitch tags on your dashboard to let viewers know what kind of OoT you'll be playing.

'''Note''': Unless you are a Twitch partner or having ensured quality options, especially in restreamed races it can be detrimental to stream at resolutions and bitrates that will cause lags on your end or for volunteers, so streaming at 1080p or at a bitrate over 4000 kbps is not recommended. We recommend a resolution of 720p (1280x720), and a framerate of 30 frames per second. If you want to go higher, please do not exceed a bitrate of 3500 kbps. For a normal stream of 720p30, 2400 kbps is more than enough for streaming OoTR.

== racetime.gg ==
[https://racetime.gg racetime.gg] is a modern, sleek and user-friendly system that lets anyone and everyone race video games online, and is an open source, community driven site.

=== Create an account ===
Head to the rt.gg website. In the top right corner of the page you should see a <samp>Log in / Create account</samp> button. {{kbd|Left Click}} that button. On the right side is the log in form. You'll use that to log in to your account in the future, after you create it. On the left side is the <samp>Create an account</samp> form. You'll see a link to the [https://racetime.gg/about/faq rt.gg FAQ] and fields for your <samp>Email</samp>, <samp>Name</samp>, and <samp>Password</samp> and its confirmation.

Fill out these fields. The email address will need to be valid so that you can confirm the account. The name field should be the username you like to go by. Ensure you type the same password into both password fields. At the bottom of both forms is a reCAPTCHA you'll need to interact with to prove you're human. Usually, you can just click the checkbox and that is enough.

Once you have filled out the form and proven you're not a robot, click {{kbd|Create account}}. You should get an email shortly with a link to click to validate your account.

=== Connect with Twitch ===
Once you are logged into your rt.gg account, head to the top right of the screen again. {{kbd|Left Click}} the <samp>Settings</samp> button. On this page, select the {{kbd|Twitch & connections}} tab, then on the following page press the {{kbd|Connect your Twitch.tv account}} button. You'll log into your Twitch account if you're not already, then {{kbd|Authorize}} the connection. Your racetime.gg account and your Twitch account are now linked together. You're now ready to join Ocarina of Time Randomizer races.

=== Joining a Race ===
Generally a race room will be provided in one of the announcements channels ({{discord|racing-announcements}}, {{discord|freaky-friday-races}}, {{discord|standard-announcements}}, {{discord|league-announcements}}, {{discord|ddr-announcements}}, {{discord|rsl-announcements}}, {{discord|bq-announcements}}) for official races, or one of the other race planning channels ({{discord|standard-race-planning}}, {{discord|ddr-race-planning}}, {{discord|rsl-race-planning}}, {{discord|bq-race}}, or {{discord|other-racing-formats}}) for pick-up games and you can just click on that link to be dropped right into the correct room on the website. You can also see active races and races currently waiting for participants in the {{discord|current-races}} channel or on the [https://racetime.gg/ootr Ocarina of Time Randomizer] page on racetime.gg You'll probably see <samp>Current races</samp> above a bunch of <samp>Past races</samp>. You can generally join any race that is accepting entrants, so click on the one you're interested in joining.

On the race page, you'll see details of the race, including the goal, a link to the seed page if one has been generated already, and the entrants to the left, and you'll see chat and a timer to the right. Above the timer is a <samp>Join</samp> button. {{kbd|Left Click}} that button to join the race. It will then split into two buttons. <samp>Ready</samp>, which you should click once you have your seed, emulator, and stream set up, and <samp>Quit</samp> which you can click if you decide you don't wish to race. Once you've readied up, a <samp>Not ready</samp> button will appear if you actually aren't ready yet.

Once the race has been started, the timer will begin to countdown. Once it reaches 0, begin to race. During an active race you have two buttons again. <samp>Done</samp>, which you will press once you finish the seed, and <samp>Forfeit</samp> which you may need to press if you find yourself no longer able to complete the race. Both of these actions can be undone if needed, so don't worry if you accidentally hit one. Just make sure by the end of the race you aren't "Done" when you haven't finished, or that you haven't "Forfeit" if you have actually finished. The very last action you can do after having done one of these is <samp>Add comment</samp> on the race. This will be displayed in a tooltip next to your name and in the chat and is viewable by everyone. Be sure not to leave any spoilers in the comment.

== LiveSplit ==

[[File:Livesplit-race-view.png|thumb|Ensure you are using the latest version of LiveSplit for the best experience. If being in a race does not look like this screenshot, be sure to update.]]

LiveSplit is a convenient Timer program that has racetime.gg integration (as of version 1.8.8). It can be downloaded from [http://livesplit.github.io/downloads/ LiveSplit's GitHub page].

The instruction video linked there is ''very helpful'' and I recommend you check it out to learn a lot more about LiveSplit.

=== Join a Race ===

With LiveSplit open, right-click within the Timer, select racetime.gg Races, and choose from the available races that are currently accepting Entrants. On racetime.gg, the Ocarina of Time Randomizer has its own category, so you shouldn't have any confusion.

Upon selecting a race to participate in, you will be prompted to log into the website for racetime.gg races.

[[File:Livesplit-oauth.png|frameless]]

== Entering and Readying ==

To actually enter a race you'd like to participate in, [[Racing#LiveSplit|Join a Race via LiveSplit]] or [[Racing#Joining a Race|Join a Race on the website if racing on racetime]]. Then, click Enter Race or type {{kbd|.enter}} to join the race.

Click the link in the header below the ruleset name for a link to the seed to be used in the race. Note: This is not set too early before a race's start time, to prevent cheating. During Weeklies, for example, the seed is generated (and the link posted) approximately 15 minutes before the scheduled start time of the race.

Race participation requires streaming your run. Be sure to start your broadcast at least 5 minutes before the expected start time of the race. A bot will verify if you are live, and it can take up to 5 minutes for the fact that you are live streaming to become available to that bot. Budget your time accordingly.

Once you have ''everything'' ready to begin your run, select Ready or type {{kbd|.ready}}. Only do this after you have downloaded the seed, set your file name, had your final bathroom break before the race, gotten your cup of water, etc. Ready means '''ready''', and once everyone has indicated that they are ready, there is a 15 second countdown on racetime.

Once the countdown reaches 0, your LiveSplit timer will start automatically, if linked. '''Do not''' start your game file (and load into your house in the forest) before the Timer starts! Do not attempt to Pause your timer during a race, either - LiveSplit will interpret a Pause as completion of the race.

== Finishing A Race ==

When you are finished with a race depends on whether the goal is to ''Defeat Ganon'', ''Collect All Triforce Pieces'' in Triforce Hunt, or in casual races some other goal. The timing of finishing for defeating Ganon is the start of cutscene after you press B for the final swing. For Triforce Hunt in the Random Settings League it is once the screen is completely black, and in general Ocarina of Time racing is finished either at the last input or once the item you collected is above your head.

Once you achieve your goal, stop your timer using whatever keybinding you have set for it, click Done or type {{kbd|.done}} to complete the race. You can look in the race room to see who has finished and with what times.

If something comes up, you can click Forfeit or type {{kbd|.forfeit}} to forfeit a race. You will lose points and standing on racetime, but sometimes it can't be avoided. Be aware of the penalties for forfeiting, and try to budget plenty of time for a race.

If you think you have to quit, click Forfeit, then realize you were mistaken, you can resume the race (including all the time that has elapsed) by clicking Undo Finish or typing {{kbd|.undone}} – the race timer will continue and will include the time you thought you were out of the race.

== Racing Rules ==
{{race rule|These are several of the most important rules you must follow while racing.}}
# You must follow the [[Rules]] the current race has chosen to follow. The most common ruleset is [[Standard]], however this is not used for all races. Always confirm which ruleset a race is using if it is not in the race goal.
# You can play on [[Everdrive|the Nintendo 64 with a flash cart]], [[Wii Virtual Console]], or [[Setup#Emulators|Emulators]]. Project64 v2.x, ModLoader64, and Dolphin versions older than Beta 5.0-13963 are not allowed for racing. Note that [https://www.pj64-emu.com/public-releases Project64 v3.0+] is race-legal.
#* If playing on emulator, you must also follow the [[Racing#Emulator Settings Requirements|Emulator Settings Requirements]].
# You may not modify the ROM in any way outside of patching it on the [https://ootrandomizer.com Randomizer website] or the Ocarina of Time Randomizer software on your computer.
#* This means changing cosmetics using the randomizer is fine. Adding stuff like models or changing textures is not. Editing RAM is also not allowed.
# Generally there are no rules for streaming except that you must do so, however Tournament races often have additional requirements.
# Spoilers should only be discussed in the relevant "results" channels on the Discord. Do not discuss them in other Discord channels or the race chat channel, and do not put them in race comments.

''The restreaming team also requests that if you use custom music, you try to keep it to only Zelda tracks if they ask you if you want to be restreamed''.

== Emulator Settings Requirements ==
{{race rule|These settings are either useful for identifying a cheater, or preventing an emulator from exceeding the capabilities of the actual Nintendo 64}}
Playing on an emulator for races requires a little bit more setup. Namely, you need to enable an FPS display. If you cannot provide this, you are required to capture the entire emulator window. '''Texture packs are not allowed during races'''.

Some options may not be available unless you are currently running an [[Setup|Ocarina of Time Randomizer ROM]].

=== BizHawk ===
To enable the FPS display, go to {{kbd|View|Display FPS}}. You can configure it further in {{kbd|Config|Messages}}.

=== Project64 ===

To enable the FPS Display (shown as DL/s), launch Project64 and load your ROM. Next, navigate to {{kbd|Options|Settings...}} or press {{kbd|Ctrl+T}} to open the Settings menu.

In the Settings menu, expand the <samp>Options</samp> list on the left-hand side and look for an <samp>Advanced</samp> section. If the <samp>Advanced</samp> section isn't showing, click <samp>Options</samp> and untick <samp>Hide advanced settings</samp>. Afterwards, click <samp>Advanced</samp> and tick the <samp>Speed Display</samp>. The <samp>Speed Display</samp> box must show <samp>VI/s & DL/s</samp>. Click <samp>Apply</samp>.

'''Lowering the VI refresh rate to 1490 is also required for racing with Project64.'''

While in the Settings menu, look for a <samp>Defaults</samp> section. If the <samp>Defaults</samp> section isn't showing, click {{kbd|Options}} and untick {{kbd|Hide advanced settings}}. Afterwards, click {{kbd|Defaults}} and change the <samp>VI refresh rate</samp> from <samp>1500</samp> to {{kbd|1490}}. Click {{kbd|Apply}}.

Finally, in the Settings menu, click on {{kbd|Config: The Legend of Zelda - Ocarina of Time (U) (Randomizer).}} Your <samp>VI refresh rate</samp> should display <samp>1490</samp>. If not, change it accordingly and click {{kbd|Apply}}

Keep in mind that you ''should'' show your VI Refresh Rate in both the Defaults section and the Config: The Legend of Zelda - Ocarina of Time (U) (Randomizer) section before the race starts. If you do not show settings before the race, we ask that you make a note in your Racetime comment at roughly what time you show settings. This should be done before you close your emulator at the end of the race.

==== Allowed Versions ====
{{race rule|Older versions of Project 64 have problematic settings, either overclocking by default or just don't work right with Ocarina of Time Randomizer}}

The allowed versions of Project 64 are version 3.0 and newer stable versions.

=== RetroArch ===
To enable the FPS display, go to {{kbd|Settings|On-Screen Display|On-Screen Notifications}} and switch <samp>On-Screen Notifications</samp> to {{kbd|ON}} if it is not already. Then, change <samp>Display Framerate</samp> to {{kbd|ON}}.

You must also show that you are using the <samp>Framerate</samp> option {{kbd|original}}, as well as having the <samp>VI Refresh (Overclock)</samp> option set to {{kbd|auto}}, ''ideally'' before a race starts. To do this, press {{kbd|F1}} to open the <samp>Quick Menu</samp> and choose {{kbd|Options}} and scroll down to the <samp>Framerate</samp> option. This is required for the Mupen64plus Next core and the ParaLLEl core. If you are using the old mupen64plus core, this option will not appear and the text in the bottom left that displays what core you are using will be proof that you are following this rule. If you do not show these settings before the start of the race, they must be shown before closing your emulator. We also ask that you make a note in your Racetime comment at roughly what time the settings were shown.

=== Dolphin ===
To enable the frame display, go the settings under {{kbd|Options|Graphics Settings|General}} and check the box which says Show FPS.
Refer to the [[Dolphin]] for setup help to make sure your settings are race legal.
Be aware that you need to show your settings menu to prove that your {{kbd|Speed Limit}} setting is set to 100% and that your {{kbd|Clock Override}} setting is disabled. This should happen before the race starts. If settings are shown after the race starts, it must be done before the emulator is closed at the end of the race and we ask that you leave a Racetime comment at roughly what time your settings are shown.

==== Allowed Versions ====
{{race rule|Older versions of Dolphin did not emulate loading the ROM from the WAD properly and skipped the Classic Controller text}}

The allowed versions of Dolphin are Beta 5.0-13963 and newer. The newest beta is almost always recommended.

[[index.php?title=Category:Racing Rules]]