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'''<span style="font-size:x-small">by LostThePirate</span>'''
This guide will help you get set up for your first race. <!-- There are currently two popular websites we use for racing. You should be prepared to race on either one, so be sure to follow the guides for both to get set up ahead of time.
The first is [[#SpeedRunsLive|SpeedRunsLive]] which requires a bit of unconventional setup. You must use an IRC client to set up a SpeedRunsLive account for racing. [https://speedrunslive.com SpeedRunsLive] profiles are ''not'' created by filling out text bars on a website like you might on Facebook, Twitter, Twitch, etc. The SRL guide on this page is for the [http://www.speedrunslive.com/channel/ SpeedRunsLive Web Chat]. If you have another IRC program with which you are already acquainted, feel free to use that one. -->
Community races and many privately organized races use [[#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.<!-- This website is a lot more conventional to get set up on so you'll probably find the guide for it easier to understand.
Once you have set up an account with both services you can then join races using [[#LiveSplit|LiveSplit]] if you find it more user-friendly than an IRC client for SRL, or the website for racetime. Just be sure you are able to log into the SRL IRC or racetime quickly if LiveSplit fails to load a race channel or crashes in the middle of a race. -->
Races can be joined using [[#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.


= '''So You Wanna Race…?''' =
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.


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


{{TOClimit|4}} &nbsp;
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.


== Instructions ==
'''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.


=== Step 0: Get your Rando working properly. ===
== 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.


Get your Emulator or Everdrive behaving; get your controller/key bindings set; get your Tracker of choice downloaded/installed and learn how to use it. Get everything ready so that you can play all by yourself without outside help.
=== 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.


''NOTE: RetroArch and Bizhawk are the recommended emulators for OoTR. In regards to race participation, Project64 2.x is banned from all SRL races. If you use Project64 2.x, you _cannot_ join an official race. Use of all cheats is also prohibited. If you need to use a cheat code to address pause lag in Project64 v1.7, you _cannot_ join an official race.''
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.


=== <br/> Step 0.5: Get your stream set up. ===
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.


Get acquainted with your streaming software; get your broadcast settings ready; get your scene layout(s) the way you want; get your Twitch channel how you'd like it. You can add Randomizer, Competitive, and/or Racing to your Twitch tags on your dashboard to let viewers know what kind of OoT you'll be playing.
=== 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.


Getting registered with SRL, so you can participate in official 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.


To do this, you must use an IRC client. SRL profiles are *not* created by filling out text bars on a website, like you might on Facebook, Twitter, Twitch, etc. This guide will show how to do this using mIRC. There are other options, and other tutorials elsewhere on how to use those options. This one is for mIRC. If you have another IRC program with which you are already acquainted, feel free to use that one.
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.


&nbsp;
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.


=== Step 1: Download mIRC ===
== LiveSplit ==


The installer can be downloaded from [https://www.mirc.com/get.html https://www.mirc.com/get.html]. Click the big, green button. Run the installer. &nbsp;
[[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.]]


[[File:Race 01 test.png|RTENOTITLE]]<br/> &nbsp;
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].


''<span style="font-size:x-small">(Steps 2 – 4 are paraphrased/simplified from the explanation found at [http://www.speedrunslive.com/faq/ http://www.speedrunslive.com/faq/])</span>''
The instruction video linked there is ''very helpful'' and I recommend you check it out to learn a lot more about LiveSplit.


=== Step 2: Navigating mIRC to the SRL channel<br/> [[File:Race 02.png|270x351px|Race 02.png]] ===
=== Join a Race ===


2.1 - Open up mIRC. mIRC will ask you to please Register; if you do not wish to register, click Continue, wait briefly, and then Continue will become a selectable option to click a second time. (You need to click Continue twice, with a bit of a delay in between – mIRC would really like you to register, please and thank you, and will make you wait a bit if you don't want to register.)
With LiveSplit open, right-click within the Timer, select racetime.gg Races, and choose from the available races that are currently accepting Entrants.<!-- OoTR races are labeled under the category "The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Hacks" on SRL – there are other OoT ROMhacks besides Item Randomizer, so double check with folks if you are uncertain if it is a Rando race.--> On racetime.gg, the Ocarina of Time Randomizer has its own category, so you shouldn't have any confusion.


2.2 - Upon startup, mIRC will display its Options menu. On the Connect tab, select what Nickname you would like to show up as – I recommend using your '''Twitch '''or '''Discord nickname''' to keep things simple. (This step '''is not '''the same as registering your nickname – we'll get to that shortly. But this ''is'' the nickname that <u>will be</u> registered when you get to that step, so '''choose wisely'''.)<br/> [[File:Race 03.png|RTENOTITLE]]<br/> <br/> 2.3 – BEFORE clicking the big OK button, first select the Servers subcategory, and Add the SRL server.<br/> ''NOTE: If you live in North America, use '''irc.speedrunslive.com'''; if you live in Europe, use '''irc2.speedrunslive.com'''.''<br/> [[File:Race 05.png|RTENOTITLE]]<br/> Click Add, then click OK.
Upon selecting a race to participate in, you will be prompted to log into the website for racetime.gg races.


[[File:Race 06.png|226x116px|Race 06.png]]
[[File:Livesplit-oauth.png|frameless]]


2.4 – Click on SpeedRunsLive in your leftside tray if it is not already selected, and click the lightning bolt-looking icon to Connect to it. (Don't be surprised if mIRC beeps at you several times in quick succession.)<br/> mIRC will pop up a Favorites menu. Type in '''#speedrunslive''' and click join.<br/> [[File:Race 07.png|RTENOTITLE]]<br/> <br/> &nbsp;
== Entering and Readying ==


&nbsp;
To actually enter a race you'd like to participate in, [[#LiveSplit|Join a Race via LiveSplit]] or [[#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.


=== Step 3: Register your nickname on SRL ===
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.


Make sure that the nickname you selected in Step 2.2 is the one you ''really'' want to have as your SRL nickname, to use for all future races. In the text bar, type <code>/nickserv register password e-mail</code>.<br/> This will register the nickname you logged in during Step 2.2 with to the SRL server, along with a corresponding email and password.
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.


(It is important that you enter your actual e-mail address, in case you need to retrieve your password in the future.)
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.


Example: If your email address was GodGamer123@gmail.com and your password was coolestDud3, then you would type this into the text bar at the bottom of the window:<br/> [[File:Race 08.png|RTENOTITLE]]
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.


When logging onto the IRC, you can log in by signing on to your nick, and typing <code>/nickserv identify password</code>.
== Finishing A Race ==


<br/> 3.1 - (Optional): Set up automatic login within mIRC. First, go to Options, then the Connect menu, then the Options menu. Click Perform, and type <code>/nickserv identify password</code>. This way, mIRC will automatically enter your password when you join in the future.<br/> [[File:Race 09.png|RTENOTITLE]]
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.


[[File:Race 10.png|389x174px|Race 10.png]]<br/> [[File:Race 11.png|RTENOTITLE]]
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.


=== <br/> Step 4: Set your stream on SRL's IRC ===
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.


Type <code>.setstream twitch/name</code> in the '''#speedrunslive''' channel to link your stream to SRL. For our hypothetical GodGamer account, he would type in<br/> [[File:Race 12.png|RTENOTITLE]]
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.


to let the SRL servers know that that login broadcasts to that Twitch channel.
== 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 [[#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.


&nbsp;
''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''.


=== Step 5: Get LiveSplit ===
== 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'''.


LiveSplit is a convenient Timer program that has IRC integration – it lets you participate in official SRL races without having to deal with mIRC ever again! It can be downloaded from [http://livesplit.github.io/downloads/ http://livesplit.github.io/downloads/]
Some options may not be available unless you are currently running an [[Setup|Ocarina of Time Randomizer ROM]].


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


''(The instruction video linked there is '''very helpful''' and I recommend you check it out to learn a lot more about LiveSplit than I'm including here.)''
=== Project64 ===


&nbsp;
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.


=== Step 6: Join a Race via LiveSplit ===
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>.


With LiveSplit open, right-click within the Timer, select Races, and choose from the available races that are currently accepting Entrants. OoTR races are labeled under the category "The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Hacks" – there are other OoT ROMhacks besides Item Randomizer, so double check with folks if you are uncertain if it is a Rando race.<br/> &nbsp;
'''Lowering the VI refresh rate to 1488 is also required for racing with Project64.'''


Upon selecting a race to participate in, you will be prompted with a login. Use the nickname and password you registered with SRL via their IRC channel.<br/> [[File:Race 15.png|RTENOTITLE]]<br/> &nbsp;
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|1488}}. 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>1488</samp>. If not, change it accordingly and click {{kbd|Apply}}


=== Step 7: Entering, Readying, and Finishing ===
Keep in mind that '''you must show your VI Refresh Rate''' in both the <samp>Defaults</samp> section and the <samp>Config: The Legend of Zelda - Ocarina of Time (U) (Randomizer)</samp> section '''before the race starts'''.


To actually enter a race you'd like to participate in, first find and log into the Race's IRC as described in Step 6. Then, click Enter Race or type ".enter" to join 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}}


Type .goal to receive a link to the Patch-File to be used for the race. Note: This is not set well in advance of a race's start time, to prevent cheating. During Weeklies, for example, the .goal is set (and the link to the Patch-File&nbsp;distributed) approximately 10 minutes before the scheduled start time of the race.
The allowed versions of Project 64 are version 3.0 and newer stable versions.


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 livestreaming to become available to that bot. Budget the time accordingly.
=== 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}}.


Once you have EVERYTHING ready to begin your run, select Ready or type .ready. Only do this after you have downloaded the seed, set your file name (and changed your Z-Targeting preference, if the default for the seed is not to your liking), 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 10 second countdown.
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}}, 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.


Once the countdown reaches 0, your LiveSplit timer will start automatically. '''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.
=== 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|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.


Once you Slay The Pig, stop your timer (using whatever keybind you have set for it) or type .done to complete the race. The exact timing is the start of the cutscene, after you take your final swing at his face. GG! You can look in the Race IRC to see who has finished and with what time(s).
==== Allowed Versions ====
{{race rule|Older versions of Dolphin did not emulate loading the ROM from the WAD properly and skipped the Classic Controller text}}


If something comes up, you can .quit to forfeit a race. You will lose points and standing on SRL, but sometimes it can't be avoided. Be aware of the penalties for forfeiting, and try to budget plenty of time for a race.
The allowed versions of Dolphin are Beta 5.0-13963 and newer. The newest beta is almost always recommended.


If you think you have to quit, submit .quit, then realize you were mistaken, you can resume the race (including all the time that has elapsed) by typing .undone – the race timer will continue and will include the time you thought you were out of the race.
[[Category:Racing Rules]]

Latest revision as of 12:48, 26 May 2023

by LostThePirate

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

Community races and many privately organized races use racetime.gg. Previously SpeedRunsLive was used, and some people still organize races there, but the community has largely transitioned away from it.

Races can be joined using 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 a list of known softlocks and crashes (WIP). It is recommended to read it through to potentially save you from frustration later.

Before You Ready Up

Please read the 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 (#standard-race-planning, #ddr-race-planning, #rsl-race-planning, #bq-race, or #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 emulator or console behaving; get your controller/key bindings set; get your 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: 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 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

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 Log in / Create account button. 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 Create an account form. You'll see a link to the rt.gg FAQ and fields for your Email, Name, and Password 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 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. Left Click the Settings button. On this page, select the Twitch & connections tab, then on the following page press the Connect your Twitch.tv account button. You'll log into your Twitch account if you're not already, then 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 (#racing-announcements, #freaky-friday-races, #standard-announcements, #league-announcements, #ddr-announcements, #rsl-announcements, #bq-announcements) for official races, or one of the other race planning channels (#standard-race-planning, #ddr-race-planning, #rsl-race-planning, #bq-race, or #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 #current-races channel or on the Ocarina of Time Randomizer page on racetime.gg You'll probably see Current races above a bunch of Past races. 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 Join button. Left Click that button to join the race. It will then split into two buttons. Ready, which you should click once you have your seed, emulator, and stream set up, and Quit which you can click if you decide you don't wish to race. Once you've readied up, a Not ready 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. Done, which you will press once you finish the seed, and Forfeit 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 Add comment 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

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 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.

Entering and Readying

To actually enter a race you'd like to participate in, Join a Race via LiveSplit or Join a Race on the website if racing on racetime. Then, click Enter Race or type .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 .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 .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 .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 .undone – the race timer will continue and will include the time you thought you were out of the race.

Racing Rules

This is an important racing rule! If you do not follow it, you may be disqualified from a race.

Reason: These are several of the most important rules you must follow while racing.

  1. 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.
  2. You can play on the Nintendo 64 with a flash cart, Wii Virtual Console, or Emulators. Project64 v2.x, ModLoader64, and Dolphin versions older than Beta 5.0-13963 are not allowed for racing. Note that Project64 v3.0+ is race-legal.
  3. You may not modify the ROM in any way outside of patching it on the 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.
  4. Generally there are no rules for streaming except that you must do so, however Tournament races often have additional requirements.
  5. 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

This is an important racing rule! If you do not follow it, you may be disqualified from a race.

Reason: 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 Ocarina of Time Randomizer ROM.

BizHawk

To enable the FPS display, go to View ⇒ Display FPS. You can configure it further in Config ⇒ Messages.

Project64

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

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

Lowering the VI refresh rate to 1488 is also required for racing with Project64.

While in the Settings menu, look for a Defaults section. If the Defaults section isn't showing, click Options and untick Hide advanced settings. Afterwards, click Defaults and change the VI refresh rate from 1500 to 1488. Click Apply.

Finally, in the Settings menu, click on Config: The Legend of Zelda - Ocarina of Time (U) (Randomizer). Your VI refresh rate should display 1488. If not, change it accordingly and click Apply

Keep in mind that you must 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.

Allowed Versions

This is an important racing rule! If you do not follow it, you may be disqualified from a race.

Reason: 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 Settings ⇒ On-Screen Display ⇒ On-Screen Notifications and switch On-Screen Notifications to ON if it is not already. Then, change Display Framerate to ON.

You must also show that you are using the Framerate option original, as well as having the VI Refresh (Overclock) option set to auto, before a race starts. To do this, press F1 to open the Quick Menu and choose Options and scroll down to the Framerate 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.

Dolphin

To enable the frame display, go the settings under 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 Speed Limit setting is set to 100% and that your Clock Override setting is disabled.

Allowed Versions

This is an important racing rule! If you do not follow it, you may be disqualified from a race.

Reason: 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.