Editorial standards
Claims need evidence, proper provenance, byte-level proof, and easy-to-understand presentation.
TVGEP evaluates a finding by the evidence behind it, regardless of the tools used. The person publishing a claim remains responsible for checking it.
Show where it came from
Section titled “Show where it came from”Identify the game, platform, region, and examined release. Record source hashes, file paths within the game, offsets, and relevant tool versions so another investigator can work from the same material. Keep original files separate from patched copies and derived outputs.
Match the proof to the claim
Section titled “Match the proof to the claim”For a binary claim, show the bytes and how they were interpreted. For a runtime claim, record the conditions and observation. For an audio or visual comparison, explain extraction and transformations. A compelling screenshot cannot substitute for a missing code path; a code path cannot prove that a player actually encounters it.
Keep evidence types visible
Section titled “Keep evidence types visible”| Evidence | What it establishes |
|---|---|
| Static inspection | What exists in the examined files and recovered code paths. |
| Runtime observation | What happened under recorded test conditions. |
| Human observation | What a named observer saw, heard, or recognized. |
| Measurement | What a stated method measured on identified inputs. |
| Inference | An explanation supported by evidence, with its limits stated. |
An asset’s presence does not prove it is unused. A debug menu reached with a patch does not establish an unmodified access method. A remembered detail is a useful lead, not an automatic conclusion.
Make it reproducible and readable
Section titled “Make it reproducible and readable”Explain the finding before the machinery. Provide enough detail for an independent check: the relevant bytes, a minimal procedure, measurements, and the expected result. Label modified media and distinguish confirmed findings from open questions.
Generated output is not evidence of the original game’s behavior. Tool-assisted interpretations must be checked against source material. Fabricated citations, invented traces, and generated images presented as game captures have no place here.
Correct the record
Section titled “Correct the record”When evidence changes a conclusion, update the article and explain the material correction. Preserve the history of changes. Credit other researchers and distinguish their work from our own observations.