Explain Timing
4 years ago
England

Hello, I recently submitted a run and although it was accepted, I can see the time was changed to how I originally timed it. I was wondering if this was because I got the start and / end timings wrong. I’m still new to Speedrunning and would like someone to explain to me the right definite time when each chapter starts and ends as I don’t understand what is meant by “circle at the beginning is biggest after being pressed”.

United States

Oh, right. The circle at the start you press to begin the chapter. I didn't know how else to explain it so I'm open to suggestions for wording. It might seem a bit vague but a lot of the timing for specific levels is vague because not all have consistent endings, but all (minus Prologue) have a consistent start, which is the circle at the beginning. So it makes the timing easier to be consistent in how it's timed.

Edited by the author 4 years ago
England

Do you mean the circle you press to get past the Chapter introduction? I don't know how you would consistently time this correctly. I don't know if it's different for other runners of the game but I'm using the Floating Speedrun Timer and I don't think it's possible to press the timer and the circle at the same time. It's always going to be a few milliseconds off if done in real time, unless there's someway to automatically start the timer without pressing it that I don't know about. I've seen other runners start on the first movement or just before, I don't know if this is right. Would is be the timing for Chapter 1? What is the end timing by the way? Is this the last made movement or the part where the character kneels at the end, as sometimes they happen at different times? For example; Chapter 2's last movement is after finishing the dialogue however the character kneeling cutsceen don't happen until about ten seconds after this. I did notice that other chapters have the same problem of inconsistent timing at the end and I think it would be better to have definite timings instead of vague.

United States

The circle you press at the beginning, yes. For every applicable chapter the timing ends the frame whichever's characters feet stop walking in the animation. The end feet timing is consistent for nearly all chapters and the same as MV1. For chapters like The Orchard it's vague because it has to be (in the sense that you can't really know when someone stops doing inputs so I try to be more visual therefore making it easier). Doing a more visual approach is kind of what you have to do when timing by the frame anyways. I do time consistent every time though. I don't expect anyone to have accurate manual timing. I only retime if it's significantly different. So if the timer is close enough I leave it (which admittedly is a little lazy but only 2 people run the game until recently and it hasn't been a problem thus far). As for other runners, we're in the process of changing the timing rules for Prologue and editing the rules to have better wording, but LeftistTachyon has taken a week off so I'm waiting until he gets back to start working on it because having a verbal discussion about it would be easier than just text.

Edited by the author 4 years ago
England

I understand, sorry. Is it better for me to wait for you to sort all the rules out then? I don't know if what runs I've put already are good but I'll delete and redo them if they are inaccurate.

United States

It's not necessary to delete your old runs. Shaman and I will just retime your runs.

By the way, Shaman, I still think timing should start at first input and end at the last movement of the protagonist. That way, most unnecessary cutscenes are cut out, and timing rules are the same with Monument Valley 1.

United States

Also, evreninhizi, I found that in my experience, the initial delay between the first input and starting the timer cancels out with the delay between the end of time and stopping the timer. However, care needs to be taken to reduce both delays as much as possible.

United States

So...🤔

England

Sorry but can one of you reply back on the forum once you get the rules sorted.

LeftistTachyon likes this
United States

For sure, evreninhizi. It seems that Imaproshaman and I have an inherent dispute on timing in our hands. Just some wording that would change lots of times if my timing rules are accepted. (Which, by the way, if you're wondering, is from the first input to last input.)