Physical and Digital loading times are different
6 years ago
Haute-Normandie, France

Recently, GameXplain published a video about Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on Switch load times comparison against the Mario Kart 8 on Wii U, both digital and physical versions.

It makes me realise how much the digital version of games are way faster than physical ones.

Loading times are important in speedrunning in my opinion because, now, we count the run times in real game time.

At Speedrun.com we make difference beetween official games and emulation games, and that's good. We also notice when it's a 3DS/WiiU Virtual Console game, and that's good.

But I think we need to add the option of indicate if our run is played on physical or digital version ; If it's a CD/cartridge oooooor if it's a dowloaded game on the eShop.

In my opinion, it's a good thing to add when it's about 3DS, Wii U and Switch games, and also every other console that allow to have games both digital and physical.

What do you think ?

Edited by the author 6 years ago
France
xDrHellx
He/Him, It/Its
6 years ago

While this seems like a good idea, i'm not sure if it's actually needed ? Mostly because in general, games communities already know about the physical / digital loading times differences.

Like, usually if you know digital is faster, then everyone just gets digital, so at that point the option to indicate wich version you're using (physical / digital) becomes kinda... unecessary ?

It's just my opinion, though.

Edited by the author 6 years ago
HowDenKing likes this
England

Even then, there's the option of using variables to show Digital/Physical if it was needed anyway.

British Columbia, Canada

thatgrape i think you're missing the point of what he's saying completely

I mean it wouldn't hurt, but as my boy xDoctorHelixx said, it's pretty well-known that downloaded games will run faster than a physical copy of the game. This is something that is probably better to be brought on with specific communities for whatever game you want to run, though personally I think it's pretty pointless to add such a variable for runs.

England

It's a mixed bag because a digital copy can also be on a HDD or SSD where some games (like arkham asylum) load several times faster, consoles vary with an SSD but they tend to show improvements too.

If you are serious about getting the best times you would most likely buy the best version for the job, seperating a game by pal and ntsc is a something that has been going on since the beginning of gaming, digital is still rather modern.

Bavaria, Germany

this is why you cut loads. nuff said.

yellowlabb likes this