Proof Policy
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This document outlines the full list of policies that must be followed in order to be given a rank on theabsolute.plus. This policy first took effect on and there is a two-week grace period where the old proof methods will still be accepted. Runs submitted before will not be removed from theabsolute.plus unless they are determined to be fraudulent. That is, old runs will not be held to the current proof standards.
Proving Runs
To maintain the integrity of the leaderboards on theabsolute.plus, there are requirements on the way a run should be exhibited. The higher the echelon a run appears to be in, the more strict the proof requirements are. The following is a complete list of rules that need to be followed when submitting to the leaderboards, otherwise the run will be rejected by a moderator.
For "at home" setups
- Any run that will be awarded 60 or more points on a or mode leaderboard requires video proof.
- Any run claiming 5th place or better on any other mode leaderboard requires video proof.
- Any run that is awarded the Grand Master grade requires video proof, with the exception of TGM1 where 12+ minute times only require picture proof.
- Any run that does not fall into the above categories requires image proof.
- The run must be played within one of the three games: "Tetris The Grand Master", "Tetris The Absolute The Grand Master 2 Plus", or "Tetris The Grand Master 3 Terror-Instinct".
- Do not modify the games in a way that changes gameplay, menus, appearance, etc. Do not use external tools that let you see more than the game tells you (visible grade, etc). Exceptions can be made for accessibility (e.g. changing piece textures for colourblindness). When in doubt use common sense and ask a Proof Moderator.
- Any submitted run that is NOT a personal best will not be as scrutinized and does not require video proof.
- If the claim of an "Orange Line" is made, then the orange line on the in-game leaderboard needs to be displayed in a video or picture.
- If requested, the player must be able to demonstrate that the game was played at an accurate frame-rate: 60 frames per second for TGM1 and TGM3, and 61.68 frames per second for TGM2+.
For example, "Tetris The Grand Master 2 Plus" must be run at 61.68 frames per second.
For "arcade" setups
- If you are unable to record at an arcade, then a picture clearly showing the time the run finished (as opposed to the Mastering Time), and a picture of the arcade cabinet is required as proof.
- If the claim of an "Orange Line" is made, then the orange line on the in-game leaderboard needs to be displayed in a picture.
Other
- Any run not falling into one of the previous categories requires picture proof, either of the game screen taken with some form of screen capture, or a picture taken of the monitor.
Proof Standards
Video
- The video has a quality of at least 360p
- The video frame rate is at least 30 fps if captured directly through a capture card or screen recording, or the standard frame rate for VHS/DVD recording of the country recorded in.
- If captured from a hand camera, such as a phone, then it needs to clearly show the game play at least 90% of the time, and clearly show the ending time of the run. Any invisible gameplay must be shown in full.
- No cropping the game screen unnecessarily. For example, some overlap with a stream overlay is acceptable, but the other player’s field needs to at the very least be partially visible if playing in two-player mode.
- The entire run needs to be in the video, from no later than "Ready" until at least the "Game Over" screen or "Continue" screen.
Picture
- Pictures coming from a screen capture may not be cropped and must display the entire game, but like with videos, a small overlap with a stream overlay is acceptable.
- The picture must clearly show the time the run finished.
- If taking pictures in an arcade, be respectful of other people's privacy.
Proof Challenges
If a player is suspected of cheating, then the leaderboard moderators have the right to challenge a player on their run and request additional proof that the player is capable of such a run. This is likely to be in the form of doing another run with both the game screen and the player's hands in the video.
The additional proof only needs to demonstrate your stacking and general speed. It does not need to be a new personal best, it just needs to demonstrate your general skill. It does need to be done as soon as possible, but the given time limit will be discussed on a per challenge basis for each player's specific situation.
Once this video is submitted, the Moderation Team will decide if the player who submitted the additional proof could have played the original video.
Cheating
Any player caught cheating and hence breaking the integrity of the leaderboard will be permanently banned from the leaderboard and their scores revoked with no recourse. A non-exhaustive list of examples of cheating follows:
- Trying to pass a TAS run as a run played by themselves.
- Playing with a predetermined seed if the mode does not allow it (Sakura being the only mode with a fixed seed so far).
- Faking what frame rate the run is being played on. Honest mistakes are okay, just do not try to pass off an incorrect frame rate as correct. Own the mistake and adjust your setup.
- Using the player two field to display the play field in an invisible portion of the game.
- Splicing a video of a main game and an invisible portion of the game together.
theabsolute.plus Moderators
The moderators are here to resolve disputes related to rankings and to update and clarify any of theabsolute.plus' rules should that need to happen.
Members
How to contact us
If you have any questions about theabsolute.plus' proof policy, contact information can be found on the about page.
Removal of a moderator
Should a moderator be found to be lacking integrity in their decision making, they will be removed from their role as a moderator. Any discussion surrounding the removal of a moderator will happen in a public setting.