Submission Guidelines

Website

Submissions for a BSG marathon event are done through Oengus. Oengus is an online tool we use for tracking submissions, availability and more! For more info on how to use Oengus and our recommendations on submitting using Oengus, make sure to check out the guide here (click)

Requirements

A video showing the run or showcase in its entirety

Exceptions can be made on a case by case basis. Examples include but are not limited to:

Newly released games with an unoptimised route. While you must submit a video, we are open to changes to the route or updated category names for these games after the submission period closes.
If you are unable to provide a video of your showcase (i.e. a boardgame showcase), you are allowed to provide other resources to present your submission. Please do contact the Scheduling Team to provide additional context and information.

Runs do not require you to beat the game! We also allow categories that partially showcase the game. Examples:

Ring Fit Adventure | €10% Speedrun by heinki
Board Games | Betrayal at the House on the Hill by tricrow

Your video must be of your gameplay
Your video must be freely accessible and does not require to be downloaded
All members of a race or co-op submission must submit a video showing the run or showcase

You are allowed to edit a video of all perspectives and submit the video for each race/co-op submission

The run estimate should represent an average no-reset run, with extra time to account for potential mistakes

The estimate should always be given in RTA timing
The estimate must be met in your submission video. If there is no proof of your run being within the submitted estimate, you either must provide proof or readjust your estimate
Please do not overly pad your estimate - there is no penalty for going over estimate
If your estimate improves or needs extra time for any reason, please inform the Scheduling Team. Estimates can still be changed by the Scheduling Team after the submission period has closed

Tips & Tricks

A submission video does not need to be a PB. Any video of a more average attempt or the run being performed at other events are acceptable submissions.
Commentary is not required for your submission video, however commentary in your video is recommended. Post-run commentary is allowed.
It helps the Scheduling Team & Games Selection team to include any timestamps for your run.

Event Constraints

Not all submissions are eligible to be submitted to BSG. While we do allow more mature games, we do have guidelines mature games should follow:

Limited amount of mature language.

There is no strong guideline on how much is too much. If you are unsure, please contact the Scheduling Team.
If possible, turn off potential subtitles or arrange with the audio/tech crew to find a way to obscure mature language.

Limited amount of blood and gore.

Your game submissions will never be accepted if they meet any of these conditions:

Any game prohibited on Twitch.
Any game promoting sexual content regarding minors.

For guidelines regarding the eligibility of rhythm and games with licensed music, please refer to the Miscellaneous & FAQ section of this page!

Incentives

You can submit incentives for your run using the Google Forms link on Oengus. This link is found on the submission page and on the event page of Oengus. Each incentive will have to be submitted separately. An incentive can be of different types:

Goal - most common type of incentive. Examples are:

You show off something after/during the run
You show off an impressive skill
You modify the run by increasing difficulty.

Bidwar with preset choices - an incentive where donors can choose which of the options will be chosen. The choices are predetermined and can not be added to.
Open Bidwar - a bidwar without preset choices. Donors can add options, or donate towards already submitted options

When submitting an Open Bidwar, you must submit the amount of characters that can be used for the options given
Additionally, you must share the special characters that viewers can use. For example, if your game only allows you to add “?” and “!” as special characters, you fill in ?! in the special characters field

Backup Runs

Sometimes we may run ahead of schedule and might need another run to fill the time. In this case, the Scheduling Team can decide to add a backup run to the schedule.

How do I submit a Backup Run?
Upon submitting a game to the marathon, it is possible for your run to be chosen as a backup run. This means the Scheduling Team believes your game would be a perfect fit for the Schedule in case we run ahead of time.

When a submission is picked as a backup run, the Scheduling Team will confirm with you that you want your game to be a Backup Run. If you accept, you are expected to have the game with you at the event. This means you must bring the hardware, game and other peripherals you need to run the game with you.

After the submission period, if you would like to submit a run as a backup run a Google Form will be shared in the announcements channel through which you can submit backup games. All runs submitted through here will be considered a backup run. Once you submit a backup run through the form, you are expected to have the game with you at the event. This means you must bring the hardware, game and other peripherals needed to run the game with you.

When are backup games added to the schedule?
A backup game can be slotted in before the event or during the event. When a runner informs us prior to the event that they are no longer able to perform their run, the Scheduling Team will look at the list of backup games to fill the slot. This could mean the schedule and runs will shift around to accommodate the backup runner’s availability.

While at the event, the Scheduling Team starts looking at slotting a backup game when we are ahead of the schedule by a certain amount.

How long ahead of time do I get a notice my game will be slotted in at the event?
Backup games can be added in at any time during the event. In general, the Scheduling Team will contact you about adding a backup game 1 or 2 games in advance. You are allowed to decline to run your backup game at any time!

Special Accommodations

The Scheduling Team defines Special Accommodations as reasonable adjustments needed for individuals to perform their run.

If you have questions regarding accommodations like a table for a board game, wheelchair accessibility for the runner PC setup, space for a fitness game, etc., please contact the Scheduling Lead (NaomiiiPlays, @squirtlenova on Discord)
If you have questions regarding technical accommodations or special use-cases, for example a rhythm game setup, laptop or consoles, please contact the Tech Lead blastermak (blastermak, @blastermak on Discord)

Miscellaneous & FAQ

Am I allowed to submit games run on an emulator? Yes, you are allowed to submit games run on emulators! For your emulator submission to be eligible, you must follow these guidelines:

Submissions must comply with leaderboard rules regarding emulation.
We do not allow emulators that emulate current-gen consoles. Additionally, we do not allow emulation of consoles of the generation before current-gen
Do try to not make it apparent that you're playing on an emulator on stream. (i.e. disable the "saved to memory card" pop-up)

Graphics enhancements like rendering games in 4x resolution are fine however

What are the rules regarding submitting rhythm games or other games with licensed music? In general, you are allowed to submit rhythm games and other games with licensed music, however, they must follow these rules:

We will never accept games that are known to get unavoidable copyright strikes

We define unavoidable as games where muting the audio is impossible to do without severely affecting the viewer experience. For example, if GTA: San Andreas would not have the ability to turn off the radio at all, it would not be accepted as it would affect the viewer's experience too much to mute the game every time we enter a vehicle.
We do allow mods, patches and other adjustments to the game to be used to remove copyrighted music, for example the Silent Patch in GTA: San Andreas. Please specify when this is done in your submission.

You must inform the Scheduling Team there is copyright music that must be muted in your run with a given timestamp or indication when

For example, GTA: San Andreas has a mission with copyrighted music which can not be turned off. The runner should let the Scheduling Team know about this. We will track this internally and communicate this to the production team
Additionally, you must inform the volunteer on audio for your run about this during the setup of your run. They will be responsible for muting the audio for you at the moment you specify. While it is likely they will know and ask you about it first due to the internal communication, we do still ask to be mutually vigilant