DescentBB

Level 2, 9secs improvement. I should be able to go under 2:30 if I try more, but I'm fine with this run. I don't plan playing more this year. Maybe I will come back in future:).

Marvin wrote: ↑Tue Feb 06, 2024 8:34 amI should be able to go under 2:30 if I try more...

Realistically any time better than this has to be all RNG. That was as close to a perfect run as I can imagine.

Good RNG is a must. But since the level in general is simple, it is not unimaginable to do. Besides this 2:30 run I did twice 2:31. In comparison, improving Level 3 I posted few days ago is harder.

vision wrote: ↑Tue Feb 06, 2024 11:57 am Realistically any time better than this has to be all RNG. That was as close to a perfect run as I can imagine.

That is because you don't speedrun it. I see many small imperfections in execution in that vid, which resulted in few lost seconds.

And I actually improved it to 2:26 now:). Still not perfect, that will never happen. At least not by me. Long time ago I would say such a time has to be perfect run, but while improving you simultaneously learn that it is always improvable.

Once I was 5 secs faster than this 2:26 run while entering reactor room. That actually felt really close to perfect. Unfortunatelly last part was total mess and I finished with same time at the end..

How fast do you think you could do it if you didn't have to kill everything?

To be honest, I have never tried. But twice as fast should be doable on insane. If it is on hotshot it can be done in 1 minute, long time ago I speedrunned all levels this way.

So, I kept going, did multiple 2:25 and 2:24 runs until I did this 2:22. The start (from beginning to hostages) was close to perfect. Best pace I ever had. Rest wasn't that perfect, but there wasn't significant time lost anywhere neither. Reaching exit was a bit sloppy, I though I missed last green robot . Luckily I didn't. Usually I have nearly no vulcan ammo at the end, so I switch to laser for last 2 robots. This time I had enough, it was a mistake I didn't check it, using laser was unnecessary risk. It happened multiple times I missed here before.

Here is a question, since shielding is a resource just like any other, how often do you deliberately take damage to save time?

It happens rarelly, because usually it means instant death, but for example start of secret level 3. Most of the time it means loosing nearly all shield, but it is a must, because there is no other fast solution. Same with green platforms in level 26 (before blue key). But in most cases it is possible to go nearly as fast without taking extra damage, because you have to destroy robots. Very different story would be if there are no cloacks and invulns in the game. I think I would have to change strategy drasticaly many times.