How to Contribute to TASVideos

Updated

TASVideos accepts contributions from regular players in two main forms: finished tool-assisted movies submitted for publication, and work-in-progress (WIP) files shared with the community. The site's homepage has a dedicated Contribute section, and submitted content surfaces in the Newest Submissions and Newest User Files/WIPs areas. Before submitting anything, spend time watching published movies and reading their author notes — the community's standards for quality and documentation are visible in those examples.

What you can contribute

Contribution type Where it appears What it is
Finished TAS movie Newest Submissions → publication queue A completed tool-assisted run submitted for review and possible publication
WIP / user file Newest User Files/WIPs An unfinished or experimental run shared for feedback
Author notes Attached to a submission or publication Written explanation of the techniques, glitches, and routing decisions in your run

The homepage's Contribute section is the entry point for these. The distinction matters: a submission is a formal claim that your movie meets publication standards, while a WIP is a work in progress that invites comment rather than judgment.

Before you submit: learn the house style

The published movies on the site double as a reference standard. Reading them tells you what reviewers expect.

  • Read author notes. The monthly recap on the homepage points readers to author notes for insight into technique — for example, the recap notes that Walgrey's Ghosts 'n Goblins run "shows a lot of nice tech in this movie, so read the author notes to get some of her insights." That is the level of explanation expected alongside a submission.
  • Look at how improvements are framed. The recap describes longbao's Rockman 2 MIN as "a significant improvement of 43 seconds over the previous publication thanks to several optimizations." If your run improves on an existing publication, say so and quantify it.
  • Note the range of accepted platforms and genres. Recent publications in the recap span PC (Unity and Undertale), N64, GBC, NES, and Genesis, across platformers, pinball, and RPGs. The welcome page states the site covers "adventure, platformer, puzzle, shooter or sports" — so genre is not a barrier.

Steps to contribute

  1. Start with the welcome page and Newcomer Corner. The homepage explicitly directs newcomers there: "visit our welcome page for an introduction, or check out our Newcomer Corner for some hand-picked recommended videos to watch." This gives you the community's own framing before you post anything.
  2. Pick a game and produce a run. The site's premise is stated plainly: "If you've ever wanted to see how a superhuman would beat your favorite video games, you've come to the right place." Your job is to produce that kind of run — playing slowly and precisely, then playing it back, as the recap's author puts it.
  3. Decide between WIP and submission. If the run is incomplete or you want feedback first, share it as a user file/WIP. If it is finished and you believe it meets publication standards, submit it.
  4. Write author notes. Explain the route, the glitches or exploits used, and any optimizations. The recap's examples show this is where reviewers and viewers learn what makes the run interesting — Twisted_Eye's Dino Land run is described as "an interesting case of finding just the right exploit in the design of a pinball table," which is exactly the kind of thing author notes should make explicit.
  5. Watch where it lands. Submissions appear under Newest Submissions; WIPs under Newest User Files/WIPs. From there the community reviews and discusses.

Common sticking points

  • Skipping the reading phase. The site's own onboarding path (welcome page → Newcomer Corner → published movies with author notes) exists because the standards are learned by example, not from a rulebook.
  • Submitting without notes. Every example in the site's own recap pairs a movie with an explanation of its technique. A run with no notes gives reviewers nothing to evaluate beyond the video itself.
  • Confusing WIP with submission. If your run is not finished, the WIP area is the right place. Submitting an incomplete run as a formal submission misuses the queue.
  • Assuming a niche game won't be accepted. The published catalog covers everything from Super Mario Bros. and Sonic the Hedgehog to Pokémon and Final Fantasy, plus pinball and Unity indie titles. Obscurity is not disqualifying.

A realistic first contribution

A practical path: pick a game you know well, produce a short run, post it as a WIP, and ask for feedback in the community. Use the response to refine your technique and your author notes, then submit the finished version. This mirrors how the site presents its own content — a debut movie like IntangibleMatter's Psycholonials run is celebrated as a first TAS, with the recap noting that "diving into an Unity game as your first TAS" is not easy. First contributions are expected to be learning experiences, not flawless ones.