Modern tools to dissect things of the past. Enjoy your spreadsheeting, then. But please, don't lie to newcomers.
You're talking alone a bit aren't you? because it doesn't seem you really heard me. Again those who need these tools and analysis are long past beyond discovering the games and beating them, they aim for incredibly high scores and these tools are for them.
You need to distinguish between the normal/average player newcomer and the sportsman. Nobody's lying (aren't you extreme!), nobody's telling newcomers to aim for the olympics from the start, and even though it's true that in recent years a number of the heights-chasing players are new to the world of arcades, it was their own choice to jump in this way and I doubt anyone or any emulator manipulated their minds into approaching the games like that, it's the mentality of the times that's all. Yet again they're not cheating, just optimizing their growth with what's allowed in the discipline, exactly like in most competitive discipline these days. The high-scoring community these days is made of both veterans and younger players, yet they get along very well because I believe there's not much fighting over any ambiguïty regarding the learning methods.
And aside from them no matter the epoch I believe the main flow of players who have more than a vague interest will always discover the games mostly by themselves, going for a one credit clear before thinking of score, because this is what everyone does anyway, that's the common culture and you're wrong if you think it's ignored or forgotten. Really I don't remember hearing much new players say they'd binge-watch replays and use savestates for the sole achievement of a 1cc, and would they have it'd come as obvious to them rather quickly that these tools and videos aren't useful for that, since once again I'm telling you they're conveniences addressing the needs of the competitive tier.
Tell them that the game is, first and foremost, about the suspense of only seeing the next stage if it's thanks to their very own merits. About the magic of thinking and learning the techniques by themselves instead of mimicking some youtuber. About understanding that clearing it is possible without any previous dissection or profanation. And that only when they achieve that, and if they still like the game enough, it's time for score competition, but that it will always be a failed one at that, since there are not universal rulesets/conditions and therefore, some will always have an advantage over others.
As I've just wrote I think people who aren't just giving an arcade game genre are quick look, are aware of the interest and fun of clearing a game by themselves, yet it's natural that they'd talk with other players and gather advice and tips while they do. But if you also see that simple communication as cheating then I think you're fantasizing an ideal a pure ascetic/virgin initial relationship bectween the player and the game. Gamers new or veteran have always been exchanging about the games contents and techniques, long before the internet, before emulators, when there were only magazines, tv shows, meeting in arcades, or at home.
Nothing about exchanging on the contents, the gameplay, tips'n tricks etc ever spoiled the games, it was always part of the experience, games are not some kind of fundamentalist religion or shaolin monk trip. Sure the otakus with extreme ways have always existed in parallel but their views are not the majority nor law.
AAAAANYWAY
back on topic I'd sure love to know how to write that custom autofire LUA plugin myself but after looking a bit into what the deal is, well, there's unfortunately no way I can do it (in this lifetime at least)