Information & Guidelines

This page documents how the Upcoming Levels List works: how records are accepted and what proof they need, which software is permitted, how levels are placed and moved, what the level colours mean, and what each staff role is responsible for.

These guidelines are adapted from, and rely heavily on, the structure and principles of the Global Demonlist Guidelines, with full credit to their original authors. They are subject to change; changes are announced in the ULL Discord server.

Level colouring

With Level Colouring enabled, level names on the list are colour-coded by decoration and verification progress:

Frequently asked questions

What is the Upcoming Levels List?
The Upcoming Levels List (ULL) is a community-maintained catalogue of upcoming Top 1–100 Extreme Demons in Geometry Dash — levels that are still in development, decoration or verification and are projected to place on the Demonlist once they are released. It also includes worthy unrated Extreme Demons that would have qualified for a rating at the time they were made.
What are upcoming levels in Geometry Dash?
Upcoming levels are Geometry Dash levels that have been announced or are visibly in development but have not been verified and published yet. In the Extreme Demon community the term usually refers to future Top 1–100 Demonlist contenders: levels still being built, decorated, or attempted by a verifier. The Upcoming Levels List tracks these levels with their creators, verifier, decoration progress, best records and projected placement.
How do I find out which Extreme Demon is coming out next?
The Future List and the Upcoming Levels page are the two places to look. The Future List holds the levels judged most likely to be verified and published soon, while Upcoming Levels ranks every unverified level by how far players have actually progressed on it, so the levels at the top are the closest to a verification.
What is the difference between the All Levels, Main List and Future List?
All three use the same positions; only the inclusion threshold changes. All Levels is the complete catalogue of everything with a conceivable chance of release, the Main List keeps only levels that meet the standards required to be considered for an official rate, and the Future List keeps only levels with a very high likelihood of imminent verification.
How are levels placed on the Upcoming Levels List?
Placements are decided by the list staff — List Moderators, Elder List Moderators, Admins and the List Leader — following the published guidelines. Staff assess a level’s difficulty relative to the levels already on the list, its quality and its likelihood of being verified, then vote on a position. Levels awaiting a decision sit on the Pending List.
How is the ULL leaderboard calculated?
Players earn points for progress on listed levels. A verification is worth twice a full record, completing a level while it is still a layout is worth 1.6 times a record, and ordinary records and runs are scored from the percentage reached and the level’s position in All Levels. A player’s total is the sum of every entry they hold.
Is the Upcoming Levels List affiliated with the Demonlist or RobTop Games?
No. ULL is an independent, community-run project and is not affiliated with RobTop Games. Its guidelines are adapted from, and credit, the Global Demonlist Guidelines.
Is the Upcoming Levels List data available as an API?
Yes. The list is served by a free public JSON API at https://d1-wrkr.ullteam.workers.dev with no authentication required — /api/list returns every level in rank order, and there are endpoints for the Main List, Future List, Pending List, staff and recent changes.

Guidelines

General

Introduction

These guidelines are directly adapted from, and heavily rely on, the structure and principles of the Global Demonlist Guidelines. We extend our full credit and gratitude to the original authors.

The following text contains information about the guidelines that explain how the Upcoming Level List (hereinafter referred to as “the list”) works in terms of accepting records, managing levels, recognizing permitted and prohibited software, establishing the duties and areas of responsibility of the list staff.

These rules are subject to change, which will be announced in the list’s discord server. Players should stay up to date with any changes to avoid unexpected problems.

Acceptance of Records

This section of the guidelines contains information about the procedure for accepting records and everything related to them, including requirements for proof of legitimacy, tolerance and leniency policies, as well as the concept of cheating and the penalty system.

As a rule, the records that are first in queue are checked first, but there are exceptions, so if another player’s later record was accepted earlier, it should not be assumed that your record was deleted or lost — it will be checked in order of queue.

Definition of a World Record

World records are categorized into two distinct types, each with specific criteria:

Version Relevance & Record Validity

The validity of a record is intrinsically tied to the relevant version of the level. The following rules apply:

Requirements for proof of legitimacy

Before submitting a record, you must familiarize yourself with the list of mandatory proof of legitimacy, as well as the requirements for it, to ensure that the record you are submitting complies with them, otherwise it will be immediately rejected, even before the verification stage:

  1. A video recording of the record attempt that:
    • meets or exceeds the preferred minimum quality – at least 480p 50 FPS;
    • is posted on a public video hosting site accessible to people of all ages (YouTube, Twitch, BiliBili, RuTube, Medal, and similar sites), where access via a link is allowed;
    • does not violate the rules of the video hosting service itself, as well as the laws of the country in which it is based;
    • belongs to the account owner and is not satirical/humorous;
    • may contain editing elements (cuts, blurring, etc.) designed to conceal the player’s personal information or various types of prohibited symbols; in this case, the player is obliged to upload the original recording with access via a link and attach it in the notes field (the unedited raw footage file is also accepted, see point 4), while the list staff do not have the right to disclose any information that the player has decided not to show;
  2. The sound of clicks/taps that:
    • is clearly audible throughout the entire record attempt;
    • is recorded with a physical microphone (using Click Sounds and similar tools is considered proof tampering and may result in a ban!);
    • can be partially or completely cut from the video recording of the record attempt, in which case the player is obliged to upload the original recording at least with access via a link and attach it in the notes field (the unedited raw footage file is also accepted, see point 4);
  3. If the record was performed after July 5th, 2024, and any mod menu is used, be it Mega Hack, QOLMod, GDH, or another, display the cheat indicator (Indicate No Cheats) in the corner of the screen throughout the entire record attempt;

It often happens that this evidence is insufficient for one reason or another, for example, in cases of suspected cheating, so there is a list of additional proof:

  1. Frames per second (FPS) counter in the corner of the screen (available in the Steam overlay, vanilla version of the game, or mod menu used by the player);
  2. Clicks per second (CPS) counter in the corner of the screen (available in free mod menus);
  3. Real-time display in the corner of the screen (available in free mod menus or when playing in windowed mode);
  4. Show Hitboxes on Death (available in free mod menus);
  5. A handcam (a webcam pointed at the player’s hand, usually superimposed on the video where it does not cover any indicators);
  6. Input Overlay (an overlay displaying button presses, usually superimposed on the video where it does not cover any indicators, available in OBS and other recording programs);
  7. The unedited raw footage file, which:
    • contains two (or more) audio tracks – one with clicks/taps, another with system sounds, the order does not matter (this requirement does not apply to mobile devices due to the technical impossibility of such recording);
    • uploaded to a cloud storage (Google/Yandex Drive, MediaFire, but not YouTube or any other public video hosting!), with access open to anyone who has the link;
    • preferably lasts 3–7 minutes longer than the level; however, if the file is too large, the list staff can provide their own Google Drive account with an extended limit; just contact a list staff member.
  8. Stream with individual conditions set by the list staff member.

The list staff have the right to request and/or require the provision of any of the above proof on an ongoing basis, if deemed necessary, so it is recommended to always be prepared for this. Refusal to provide additional proof usually results in the rejection of the record, and in rare cases, the player being banned for interfering with the operation of the website.

Tolerance and leniency policy

There are many different ways to record a record, third-party software for the game, and even some in-game conventions, but not all of them are recognized as acceptable for inclusion in the record list.

The following list provides a clear distinction between what is permitted and what is prohibited, and in order to avoid unexpected problems, players are strongly advised to read it carefully and ensure that the record being submitted has been set without the use of prohibited means.

Section I. Acceptable recording options

  1. Classic screen recording using software (OBS, Bandicam, NVIDIA ShadowPlay, Radeon ReLive, and similar) is the recommended option and is accepted for any level in the list.
    • In this case, the unedited raw footage file is taken as the complete recording, from start to finish, as well as an instant replay — the main thing is that the entire record attempt must be recorded, with the exit to the main menu and at least 2–3 attempts before that (although this is not mandatory).
    • If the software used cannot save a file with more than one audio track and/or saves them only as a separate file (such as Radeon ReLive), then it will not be accepted as the unedited raw footage file — it is recommended to use other software that does not have this problem, such as OBS.
  2. Liveplay (recording the screen on a third-party camera, acceptable if what is happening on the screen is clearly visible, including the necessary indicators) is a suitable option if the player has a low-performance device on which the recording level according to option 1 does not exceed 120 FPS.
    • The requirement for audio tracks in the unedited raw footage file does not apply to this option due to the technical impossibility of such recording.
  3. A stream recording may be accepted as a video recording of a record attempt (preferably with a timecode), but not as the unedited raw footage file — the player must save the file to the device’s memory while streaming and then upload it to a cloud storage.

Section II. Third-party interference in the gameplay

Any software that distorts the essence of the gameplay is prohibited. These include:

Software that makes any cosmetic changes should not simplify the game or affect the operation of gimmicks. Thus:

Any software that does not create an unfair advantage and is intended only to increase the comfortability of the gameplay is allowed:

Changing the level by the player on their copy or on the original level using Level Edit (whether for bug fixes or enhancing Low Detail Mode) is allowed as long as it does not make the level significantly easier. The general provisions are as follows:

Section III. In-game conventions

Currently, only records set on the current version of the game (2.2) are accepted. As for old records on older versions, they may be accepted if there is convincing evidence that the version used at the time the record was set was current (e.g., the date the video was uploaded).

Any features available in the vanilla version of the game, such as No Shake, Disable Gravity Effect, and others, are allowed for use, except when used for purposes other than their intended use. Thus, the use of Ignore Damage is prohibited if the player sets a record on their copy of the level (equivalent to using Noclip), and setting a record directly in the level editor is not considered equivalent to setting a record.

Records set using the following game vulnerabilities are not accepted:

The following situations are considered equivalent to setting a record:

Any paths available in the current version of the level, whether they are color modes provided by the level creator or various strategies, skips, are allowed for use, except for those that bypass entire parts of the level.

Changing (updating) the level by the creator entails:

Cheating and penalties

Cheating is understood to mean the abuse of software that distorts the essence of the game process (see above), as well as any act of tampering the proof of legitimacy, whether it be superimposing clicks/taps, cutting the footage, stealing someone else’s video, or any other manipulation designed to pass off a hacked record as a legitimate one.

If a player is suspected of cheating, the list staff has the right to reject the record and request and/or require additional proof of legitimacy on an ongoing basis (see above). If the suspicion of cheating is confirmed or not disproven for some reason, a decision is made to punish the player.

The penalty system is as follows:

There are other grounds for banning a player: suspicious activity, unacceptable nickname (containing profanity, racist remarks, insults, threats, etc.), mass promotion of cheating, or interference with the website’s operation (troll records, etc.) — such cases are investigated individually.

Level Placement

This section of the guidelines covers the rules for adding levels to the list and determining their rank. It explains how levels are selected, positioned, and periodically reassessed.

Furthermore, it defines the distinction between the three core categories: “All Levels”, the “Main List”, and the “Future List”.

List Structure

The Upcoming Level List is organized into three distinct tiers: All Levels, Main List, and Future List. While the relative positioning of levels is consistent across all tiers, each tier employs different inclusion standards, creating a hierarchy of probability and quality.

All Levels

This tier serves as the most comprehensive catalogue, featuring the largest number of levels and the lowest inclusion threshold. Its purpose is to list every level that has a conceivable chance of being verified and published, providing a broad overview of the upcoming landscape.

Main List

Serving a similar purpose as the “All Levels” tier but with more stringent criteria, the Main List highlights levels that meet the fundamental standards required to be considered for an official rating by the developer (“Rate”). It acts as a curated filter for higher-potential candidates.

Future List

This tier maintains the highest standards of the three. It functions as a focused preview, listing only levels with a very high likelihood of soon verification and publication. It represents the most immediate and probable future additions to the demonlist.

Level Selection

This section defines the standards that determine a level’s eligibility for inclusion in the Upcoming Level List and its placement within specific tiers. Levels that pass the selection process are placed in the Pending List. There you can also find information about the approximate position of a particular level. It will be added to the list as soon as its exact position is determined.

1. Universal Standards

All levels, regardless of the target tier, must satisfy the following fundamental conditions:

2. Tier-Specific Standards

Beyond the universal prerequisites, each tier enforces additional filters:

All Levels Tier

Main List Tier

Future List Tier

3. Standards for Verified Levels

All officially rated levels are deemed to have met all criteria and are automatically included in all list tiers.

Among unrated but verified levels, only those that comply with the Global Demonlist Guidelines are considered. Such levels are also added to all tiers of the list. In addition to levels present on the Global Demonlist, unrated levels that have accumulated 5 or more sends are also eligible for consideration.

Determining and adjusting level positions

This section outlines the methodology for assigning and updating a level’s rank within the list.

1. Position Acquisition

The source of a level’s position depends on its official status:

Given the frequent lack of concrete data, any relevant information (e.g., gameplay footage, creator statements, tester feedback) shared in the #list-discussion or the #level-update-reporting channel will be reviewed and may lead to a position reassessment.

2. Placement Timing & Position Updates

Verified Levels (Rated & Unrated): Most verified levels are added to the list shortly after verification, based on preliminary community estimates, even before their formal inclusion in official demonlists. Once they receive a final position on Pointercrate or the Global Demonlist, their rank in this list will be updated accordingly. Subsequent changes in the official demonlists will be mirrored here.

Upcoming Levels: These levels are only assigned a position once tangible information about their difficulty emerges, which may take a considerable amount of time. Their position is subject to change based on new difficulty information, adjustments to the level’s layout during verification, or other relevant circumstances.

Content Policy

This section of the guidelines contains information about the list’s policy regarding the placement, storage, and removal of content, including records, proof of their legitimacy, and levels.

First of all, the concept of the game’s competitive scene is introduced as a metaphorical space in which players compete with each other. The entire policy of the list regarding content is built with the aim of reflecting, as much as possible, without neglecting property rights, the objective state of the competitive scene. This is the main principle that guides the list staff when making decisions regarding content on the site.

List records

Until reviewed by list staff, a player’s records are considered the property of the player. Once a record is accepted, ownership is transferred to the list staff and they decide not to delete records at the player’s request. The only exceptions are when a player is proven to be cheating, or when proof of legitimacy is unavailable due to suspicion of cheating, or if the account is a bypass.

Proof of the legitimacy of a record, whether it is a video recording of the record attempt posted on a video hosting site or the unedited raw footage file uploaded to a cloud storage, is always considered as the property of the player and can be freely deleted by them. However, it should be understood that in the future, during a possible review, records may be rejected due to the unavailability of proof. It is also possible to replace the video recording of the record attempt in case of reposting it to another link or rebeating the level as a whole, but only after the record has been reviewed again by list staff.

It should be noted that, guided by the main principle (see above), most records of players on the levels from the list may be added without their knowledge if the legitimacy of these records has been proven in one way or another.

Levels and thumbnails

Levels published on the game’s official server are considered the property of the game developer, and therefore the list staff has decided not to remove levels from the list at the request of the creators. The only exceptions are cases where a level is removed directly from the game servers, or if it no longer meets the selection criteria, for example, as a result of an update without verification.

Technical Support

This section of the guidelines contains information about technical support for the site, including the roles and areas of responsibility of the list staff, as well as ethical standards that list staff must adhere to when interacting with the community and responding to player inquiries.

Staff roles and their areas of responsibility

List staff members are assigned the following roles:

  1. List Moderator / Elder List Moderator
    • Determining Level Positions
    • Placing Levels
    • Participating in quality control
    • Keeping the website up to date
  2. Admin
    • Determining Level Positions
    • Placing Levels
    • Participating in quality control
    • Keeping the website up to date
    • Managing one of the list’s sectors of work:
      • Server management — Exiled_shade
      • List managment — QwidziT
  3. List Leader
    • Overall management of the list and its staff team

The primary (main) activity of staff members with this role is indicated in underlined font. If the most important thing is to get the best answer to a question, it is better to write to those whose activity overlaps with the indicated type of activity.

Ethical standards of list staff

Since the members of the list staff are representatives of the project, there are strict rules regarding their behavior:

If any of the above points are violated, the player may report this to an Admin or directly to the List Leader.

In response to compliance with these rules, players are also asked to show respect and tolerance towards the list staff — any kind of insults or provocations may result in a justified refusal by the staff member to respond to the player’s requests, and they have the right to do so.

Contacts

Official Channels
Upcoming Levels List
Announcements, placements and list updates
List Leader
QwidziT
Overall managment of the list
Admin
Exiled_shade
Server management
Elder List Moderator
Niroi
Elder List Moderator
Keres
Elder List Moderator
ItzDel1ghtfuL
Elder List Moderator
LukeLGamer
List Moderator
Terra
List Moderator
Vantevia
List Moderator
TheCatAstronaut
List Moderator
Qponn
List Moderator
Blaster1337
Website Coder
Prometheus

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