Maxed and Improvable Times
There's been some discussion in the discord server today about which times can be considered "maxed" or "unimprovable" with our current strategies and knowledge.
There were also plenty of suggestions about which levels are possible to improve on with current strategies. The details are below:
7 agent times are widely considered to be maxed, with at least another 2 agent times probably maxed (B1, Depot). Apart from those, all SA and 00A times are improvable with just better execution rather than resorting to any esoteric TAS strategies ;).
Some of those SA and 00A levels are down as 'maybe' as they are underplayed and it is unknown if those times can feasibly be improved.
Feel free to post any suggestions, questions or comments right here.
Tier List
Retroflex has also been working on a tier list with the help of others:
(updated 7th July 2023)
The tier of each record represents the perceived difficulty of achieving each time, with Tier 1 the most challenging and Tier 8 the least.
Newer players are encouraged to start with the lower tiers first. Definitely get Runway SA 22 while you can!
Hi! So to enable the crosshair you have to go to Plugins>Input Settings in 1964 then there is a box on the right with 'Show Crosshair (GE)' which you need to tick.
For quickpausing, this simply means pressing pause quickly twice. This will start the pause animation and stop it again, but crucially this also speeds up future pauses. So the idea on B1 Agent is that you press pause 4 or 6 times at the first door while waiting so that the future pause wastes less time.
btw, if you try the discord server people are usually able to help with these kinds of questions.
Nice run, but in future please make sure to show the LTK setting after the run. Cheers!
A news post about the Community Edition (CE) rule change is here: https://www.speedrun.com/goldeneye_007xbla/news/1987
The change log can be found when installing it but to save time I have posted all logged changes below:
GoldenEye 007 XBLA Community Edition Changelog
==Mar 06 2022==
- Bunker ii: Fix disconnected stan tile on stairs [Wreck]
==Feb 13 2022==
- Surface ii: Set pointer to use Surface i stan file [Wreck]
==Feb 07 2022==
- Fix golden gun not appearing visible on respawn [Carnivorous]
- Facility/Control: Fix bullet hole decal for glass windows [Wreck]
- Basement: Tweak flag token position [Wreck]
- Library: Change flag token pad [Wreck]
==Jan 16 2022==
- Set doors to automatically close for local multiplayer [Carnivorous]
==Jan 15 2022==
- Statue: Increased objective B radius check [Carnivorous]
==Jan 09 2022==
- Implemented weapon firing sound effects for network multiplayer (shotguns are currently unsupported) [Carnivorous]
- Flash current armor on screen for single screen multiplayer [Carnivorous]
- Increased volume for grenade launcher firing sound effect [Carnivorous]
- Disable player collisions for network multiplayer [Carnivorous]
==Jan 06 2022==
- Implement character pain sound effects for remote damage messages for single screen multiplayer [Carnivorous]
- Only trigger multiplayer death tune when being killed/killing remote players for single screen multiplayer [Carnivorous]
==Jan 05 2022==
- Fix gasps triggered by remote players not using 3D position for single screen multiplayer [Carnivorous]
- Fix knife attack sound effect not using 3D position for single screen multiplayer [Carnivorous]
- Only use 2D positional audio for current player occupying viewport for single screen multiplayer [Carnivorous]
- Only allow gasps to trigger if local player dealt damage for single screen multiplayer [Carnivorous]
==Dec 29 2021==
- Fixed armor awarding logic used for networking [Carnivorous]
==Dec 27 2021==
- Frigate: Set water texture to use mipmaps [Carnivorous]
==Dec 26 2021==
- Frigate: Restored water and added new skyrome [Carnivorous]
==Dec 22 2021==
- Fixed watch's music/fx volume sliders range not reaching 100% [Carnivorous]
==Dec 21 2021==
- Tweaked 3D audio position code for single screen multiplayer [Carnivorous]
- Fixed doors sync for multiplayer [Carnivorous]
- Tweaked GUN_RIFLECOCK/EMPTY_GUN_FIRE sound effects [Carnivorous]
==Dec 19 2021==
- Tweaked CART_SPENT sound effect [Carnivorous]
- Lowered volume of multiplayer death music track [Carnivorous]
- Increased audio listening distance from 50 meters to 65 meters [Carnivorous]
- Improved 3D audio positioning for single screen multiplayer [Carnivorous]
- Implemented armor sync for networking [Carnivorous]
==May 17 2021==
- Egypt: Fix glass doors for golden gun room [Wreck]
==May 07 2021==
- Resolved z-fighting for console1/console2/tuningconsole1 models [Wreck]
- Library/Stack/Basement: New skydome [Carnivorous]
- Made sky bank always use P2 for multiplayer [Carnivorous]
- Tweaked screen position for console1 model [Wreck]
==May 06 2021==
- Tweaked screen position for consolesev2b model [Wreck]
==May 05 2021==
- Tweaked screen position for consolesevb model [Wreck]
- Tweaked screen position for TV model [Wreck]
- Frigate: Resolved portal culling errors [Wreck]
==May 02 2021==
- Silo: Resolved portal culling errors for shuttles [Wreck]
- Silo: New sky settings [Wreck]
- Bunker i: New sky settings [Wreck]
- Dam: Tweak intro camera sky setting [Wreck]
- Dam: Fix intro cameras showing level culling [Wreck]
- Tweak wooden table prop vertex colors [Wreck]
==May 01 2021==
- Created level entry structure for easy modding (xex offset 84AF90-84B7DF) [Carnivorous]
==Apr 30 2021==
- Tweaked vertex colors for woodlgcrate1/woodsmcrate5/cardbox2 [Wreck]
==Apr 29 2021==
- Control: Added new skydome [Carnivorous]
- Fixed internal cheat table not resetting on stage load [Carnivorous]
==Apr 26 2021==
- Silo: Added new skydome [Carnivorous]
- Remove vaseline-o-vision from original graphics mode [Carnivorous]
==Apr 25 2021==
- Surface i/ii: Added portals for new fencing areas [Wreck]
- Tweaked button B/Y icons for UI [Wreck]
==Apr 24 2021==
- Tweaked rocket launcher and timed mine textures [Flargee]
==Apr 23 2021==
- Added new icons for mines and gold bullet [Wreck]
==Apr 22 2021==
- Applied DC offset adjustments to weapon fire sound effects [Carnivorous]
==Apr 21 2021==
- Added new Doak head to original graphics mode [Carnivorous]
- Tweaked multiplayer point of view heights and swapped a few character heads [Wreck]
==Apr 20 2021==
- Fix flight recorder showing up in watch [Wreck]
- Remove graphics mode switching during intro [Carnivorous]
==Apr 19 2021==
- Fix yale key watch position [Wreck]
==Apr 18 2021==
- Tweaked cheat active message in menu [Wreck]
- Depot: New train door model [Wreck]
- Fixed all new briefcase models [Carnivorous]
==Apr 17 2021==
- Lowered volume of watch laser firing sound effect [Carnivorous]
- Control: Set Natalya to drop magnum on death [Wreck]
- Jungle: Set Natalya to drop magnum on death [Wreck]
- Fix bolt key, circuitboard and clipboard watch positions [Wreck]
- Streets: Tweaked sky settings [Carnivorous]
- Remade Cougar Magnum texture [Carnivorous/Flargee]
- Jungle: Fix guards detecting Bond before intro swirl has finished [Carnivorous]
- Tweak hand textures for weapon models [Flargee]
==Apr 15 2021==
- New clipboard model [Wreck]
- Fixed new sevdoor3 prop texture [Wreck]
- Fix various inventory items showing up in watch [Wreck]
==Apr 14 2021==
- Added new Doak head over missing head slot [kholdfuzion/Carnivorous/Flargee/@PalfreyLewis]
- Increased unlocked multiplayer characters [Wreck]
==Apr 13 2021==
- Jungle: Tweaked sky settings [Carnivorous]
- Bunker ii: Replaced skydome [Carnivorous]
- Archives: Tweaked sky settings [Wreck]
- Train: Tweak sky settings [Wreck]
==Apr 10 2021==
- Control: Fix blast door flags [Wreck]
==Apr 06 2021==
- Complex: All railings can be fired through [Wreck]
- Added surround sound 5.1 xex build [Carnivorous]
- Tweak MP level names in menu [Wreck]
==Apr 04 2021==
- Tweaked menu briefing model for 21:9 widescreen [Wreck]
- Tweak MP level names in menu [Wreck]
- Rename MP dev characters [Wreck]
- Tweaked extra multiplayer characters [Wreck]
- Caves: Set new hit file to use all dirt surfaces [Wreck]
==Apr 03 2021==
- Complex: Tweak railings can be shot through [Wreck]
- Recreated all bullet ricochet sound effects from original sources [Carnivorous]
- Caves: Set original hit file to use all dirt surfaces [Wreck]
- Complex: Set original hit file to use all metal surfaces [Wreck]
==Apr 02 2021==
- Frigate: Allow firing through cockpit window [Wreck]
- Dam: Allow firing through grate [Wreck]
==Apr 01 2021==
- Locked near clipping plane to 2 [Carnivorous]
==Mar 31 2021==
- Fixed door audio glitch [Carnivorous]
- Set audio output to stereo [Carnivorous]
==Mar 29 2021==
- Tweaked weapon prop sizes for MP [Wreck]
- Tweaked Natalya's character scale and POV [Wreck]
- Fixed character unlock extension not working for system link [Wreck]
==Mar 27 2021==
- Tweak texture on original siloliftdoor prop [Wreck]
==Mar 26 2021==
- Complex: Restored railings and added new skydome [Carnivorous]
- Cradle: Tweaked skydome texture [Carnivorous]
- Increased unlocked multiplayer characters [Wreck]
==Mar 25 2021==
- Tweak texture on siloliftdoor prop [Wreck]
- Aztec: Corrected shading for original dooraztec prop [Wreck]
==Mar 24 2021==
- Allow firing through gasplantcleardoor/sevdoorwood/sevtrislide/traindoor2/sevdoorwind doors [Wreck]
- Frigate: Fixed doordest2 prop [Wreck]
- Tweaked UVs for doorroller4 prop [Wreck]
- Allow firing through the glass of the Bunker electronic sliding doors [Wreck]
- Surface i/ii: Fixed cabin door not opening [Wreck]
- Control: Replaced old placeholder texture in first area [Carnivorous]
- Bunker ii: Removed low resolution dirt patch in starting cells [Carnivorous]
- Fixed steeldoor1 not retaining the original yellow stripe [Carnivorous]
==Mar 23 2021==
- Surface ii: Set half armor to be in Secret Agent difficulty [Wreck]
- Frigate: Move hidden armor [Wreck]
- Silo: Changed armor model to match amount given [Wreck]
- Silo/Statue/Jungle: Set armor to load in 007 difficulty [Wreck]
- Tweaked all new skydome models/textures [Carnivorous]
- Surface ii: Reduced fog distance to closer match N64 [Carnivorous]
- Surface i: Fixed bookshelves from corrupting graphics [00action]
- Temple: Resolved incorrect ammo crate types for weapon spawns [00action]
==Mar 22 2021==
- Dam/Cradle: New skydome models [Carnivorous]
- Archives MP: Shift stacked ammo crate position [Wreck]
- Control: Set Trevelyan to hold DK5 in right hand [Carnivorous]
- Statue: Fixed guard holding weapon incorrectly for end cutscene [Carnivorous]
- Runway: Fixed drone gun vertex colors [Wreck]
- Surface i/ii: Fixed pad link for exterior railing [Wreck]
- Surface ii: New skydome model [Carnivorous]
- Dam: Fixed padlock not dropping after being exploded [Wreck]
- Egypt MP: Fixed ammo box pad not spawning in basement [Wreck]
- Tweaked shading for ammo box prop [Wreck]
- Fixed jail cell door vertex colors [Wreck]
- Egypt: Fixed doors not drawing correctly [Wreck]
- Surface i/ii: Split internal filenames [Carnivorous]
- Statue: New skydome model and sky setting tweak [Carnivorous]
- Jungle: Fixed Xenia triggering early due to sky setting change [Carnivorous]
==Mar 21 2021==
- Runway/Surface i: New skydome models [Carnivorous]
- Fixed Surface i guards dropping non-dual flagged klobbs [00action]
- Tweaked menu briefing model for widescreen [Wreck]
- Silo/Aztec: Resolved portal culling errors for shuttles [Wreck]
- Archives: Increased far clipping sky setting [Carnivorous]
- Archives/Streets/Depot/Train: New skydome models and sky setting tweaks [Carnivorous]
- Cuba: Replaced background/pads with one from Jungle [Wreck]
- Cuba: Added 360 remaster team credits [Wreck]
- Fixed metalchair1/stool1 prop vertex colors [Wreck]
- Fixed watch laser cuff models [Wreck]
==Mar 20 2021==
- Temple/Egypt/Caves: Renamed missing skydomes [Wreck]
- Jungle: Adjusted sky data [Wreck]
- Fixed tuningconsole1 prop wheels [Wreck]
- Bunker door decal fixed [Wreck]
- Shotgun prop chrautoshot muzzle error fixed [Wreck]
- Runway: Fixed incorrectly scaled doors [Wreck]
- Runway: Fixed guards not spawning with weapons [Wreck]
==Mar 19 2021==
- Fixed GoldenEye 007 logo ring [Wreck]
- New audio file that resolves a number of volume issues [Carnivorous]
- Restructured Fyodorovna hacks at end of RAM [Carnivorous]
Welcome! Zee answered the first two questions but on the other questions:
-
Reshade is fine, several of us use it although it seems to create some issues with framerates on certain setups. If you have a gaming monitor they often have inbuilt crosshair overlays you can use which don't involve the use of external programs.
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Yes you can turn off gun sway, most players prefer it off as it can be distracting (set ge_gun_sway = false in the xenia settings file).
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You can use any version of the Xenia emulator. The later versions are much smoother in general so people tend to use those. The grenade launcher bug is the only real reason to use an earlier version.
Hello. The point of this thread is to share information on tricks/techniques which are specific to the XBLA version of Goldeneye.
You should already be familiar with the basics which apply to the N64 version, if not then go here: https://forums.the-elite.net
Here is a list of what is known for XBLA:
1. The D-pad trick
This is the biggest difference to the N64 version which has been found so far. It is possible to accelerate twice as quickly by using the L-stick and D-pad simultaneously. This saves 0.17 seconds for each time you lose full speed, including at the start of the level.
More details of this (including how to set this up) are mentioned in this thread: https://www.speedrun.com/goldeneye_007xbla/thread/inzzd
2. Backstrafing in full speed
You can run full speed in backwards strafe if you use the D-pad and L-stick in combination. The trick works for the same reason that the D-pad trick works. When the game detects that you have held forward for a certain number of frames it applies a speed boost (aka 'full speed').
However, the game takes inputs from the L-stick and D-pad simultaneously which means you can build the full speed bonus by holding the L-stick forwards but simultaneously hold the D-pad down. Luckily the D-pad input seems to override the L-stick when determining the direction so you can move backwards while still at full speed.
This means you can build full speed going backwards and also maintain it if you switch from forwards to backwards strafing.
This might be useful for controller players who want to perform tight 180 degree turns as they can just back strafe out and maintain full speed. This requires custom button binds for the controller.
3. Rapid fire trick
It is possible to fire certain weapons (e.g. PP7) quickly by binding ‘Y’ to mousewheel up and mousewheel down and then scrolling while holding fire.
It is also possible to do this on controller. More details can be found here: https://www.speedrun.com/goldeneye_007xbla/guide/56vmn
4. R-warps
Warping is less useful on XBLA compared to other versions. The r-warp technique only appears to work over very short distances and so far it only seems useful in a couple of situations.
The exit door on Bunker 1 and Bunker 2 is one example. A short video tutorial on how to do this on Bunker 1 is here:
It is also possible to warp ladders using the r-warp.
5. Mine through door
Explosions do not seem to damage objects through walls as easily on XBLA (e.g. on Surface 2) however they can still be thrown through doors if doors are ‘unloaded’.
For some reason this is most successful when the mine/grenade is aimed towards the bottom of a door and you turn away quickly to unload it. If this is successful you will hear the mine ‘skip’ as it lands.
A short video tutorial on how to do this on Surface 2 Agent is here:
6. Leaning shots increase accuracy
When standing still Bond’s aim ‘bobs’ around which makes precise shots more difficult at long distances. However, if you r-lean to the side then the bobbing stops after half a second or so which allows for more accurate long-distance shots (e.g. for camera shots on B1/B2/S2).
This is something which would be incredibly helpful for the game I moderate. For Goldeneye XBLA we mostly run individual levels but there are different control schemes.
As far as I know it is not possible to switch between versions of the 'all level' leaderboard based on different categories (as you can with full game runs). Maybe someone out there knows otherwise?
If not it would be amazing to have this added!
A quick post here about the d-pad trick for people who are not on the discord server or don't know about it:
It was recently discovered that using the d-pad in addition to the L-stick to move can make Bond reach full speed more quickly. This can be achieved by binding the d-pad and L-stick to the same keys.
If you are a mouse and keyboard player like me then you need to go to the bindings.ini file in your Xenia mousehook directory and change your keybinds to the following:
W = LS-Up + Up
We've been using it for around a week and this is what we know so far:
-
The time save you get is around 0.17 seconds for each time you lose full speed, including at the start of the level.
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You only need to bind 'Up' on the d-pad to your forward L-Stick to benefit. Binding right and left from the d-pad do not seem to affect your acceleration, but it may slightly alter the direction of your strafing.
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It looks like you reach full speed by around 1.7 seconds rather than 3.4 seconds. This suggests that the game is double counting the inputs from the d-pad and L-stick in the acceleration phase.
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Your max speed, backwards speed and the speed loss from a strafe change do not seem to be affected.
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This is unique to the XBLA version of the game, doesn't work on n64 ;)
The trick also works with a controller, but you will need to use Steam big picture mode to perform the binding.
In case people do not know, the new ranking site is here: https://www.ingametime.com/
All of the posted runs use a trick called the 'train shot'. You can see us all shooting the train from one of two specific angles (either before or after the wall prior to entering the building). This gets the guards inside the train to open the doors early, which completes Objective A. It saves around 2 seconds from opening the doors yourself.
I will give my thoughts on why this is ultimately the right decision:
-
The elite has 20+ years of experience and expertise in verifying and ranking console runs for goldeneye. Any runners who have the ability to competently verify runs will already be members of that community and naturally they will prefer verification to be done using the same system and standards as the elite. If other communities have two or more ranking systems then good for them, but it doesn't make it beneficial or optimal to do so.
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There is no reason to fragment the community. The elite has a wealth of resources and experience to help new runners learn how to tackle each level. It is beneficial to pool all that knowledge in the same place.
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Inactive or barely active rankings give a misleading picture of the true state of each record. Many new untied and tied WRs are achieved each year but most runners will not post them here. Rankings and times pages should be about celebrating and recognising the achievements of people who push the boundaries of these games, not just ego stroking.