Ontario, CanadaUpdate, a modded xbox is the only way to play the Hurricane Pack on og console. So no change here. Currently Xemu has FPS stutter issues with transparency effects but it's still playable.
With the update to Insignia, the Hurricane Pack is now fully playable on original xbox. So now you just need to softmod your xbox and follow the Insignia install guide.
On a side note, I encountered some errors on my install.
Error 21: This just means you need to reinstall the MS Dashboard files. Ftp them over to C:
Xbox Live can't connect: Manually setting DNS servers helped resolve
I had another error saying something about my account not having an active subscription, just clear the ticket cache from the Insignia installer to fix that.
We've been talking on discord and found this emulator has been remarkably accurate. There are some minor texture issues and shader compilation stutters but overall, the game is extremely playable to the point that it's almost on par with the xbox 360 version.
In terms of graphical fidelity, it's quite close to xbox series quality with the increased 3d resolution. Though the emulator is very cpu heavy, especially with OBS using x264 software encoding. GPU wise, my old potato RTX 2070 Super had no problem.
After a lot of discussion, we've chosen to have a vote on if Xemu should be allowed for runs and it is. The NG speedrun crew is a small bunch so we're pretty open to getting more people in on the game.
Just quick observation between run times based on console.
It seems xb360 is about 39sec slower on compared to the new xboxes (xb one/series whatever). I arrived at this conclusion by subtracting the rta and igt times of various runs.
All runs will still be judged off real time (rta). IGT is just there to see if someone is being lazy on mashing out of cutscenes.
Edited and corrected the times of the submission.
Start time in the highlight was at 0:50. Fiend Murai was killed at 2:50:45. So the RTA is 2:49:55. IGT is 2:31:26 as shown at 2:51:15 in the highlight.
Just watch jtb's ngb videos. He does a lot of commentary and there is lots to learn. It's the best place to start from.
The best versions of the game to play is either on xb360/xbone. Though those versions have some rare softlock bugs -_-
Also check the guide link on the sidebar for more stuff.
The thing with Ninja Dog is that you need to start that difficulty from loading a save file. It gives you weaker and dumber enemies, free ribbons that have the same function as armlets. But it's a joke difficulty which is why you have to die three times then you can make the save. Plus the game also changes the title screen to Ayane as an added insult. Showing that Ayane is the master ninja, not Ryu.
Someone in the ngb leaderboards made the suggestion that modded original xbox runs be allowed for submissions.
Since the og xbox hard disk does have a limited life span and you need it to play the game, yes. You need to mod the xbox to install a replacement hard disk.
Modded runs are allowed from games that are installed on the hd. The main thought for this post was just plain ng04 but extends to the hurricane pack. The og xbox will still fall behind xb360 because framerate slowdowns during effect heavy fights (especially during Emperor phase 1).
As the title states, should modded original xbox runs be allowed?
This question was asked by PvtCb for the purpose of improving his times since the loading speed will be faster vs running the game off the DVD.
I think modded original xbox runs should be allowed but not for that reason. It's that the original xbox comes with its factory 4gb hard disk that is a decade and a half old. Eventually that will fail and that means softmodding your console first so that you're even allowed to install a replacement hard disk.
Having a fresh new hard disk won't improve his framerate during the Emperor phase 1 fight or during any effect heavy UTs so there's no clear advantage versus newer xb360/xbone versions.
And with that in mind, replacing the hard disks on the xb360/xbone with an SSD is also allowed. Now all console versions have the same rules applied to them.
Chapter 10 staircase door skip is ok? Good question, but you are reaching an area that is normally out of bounds to enable the skip. Like walljump off the side onto those pillar of rocks to get the extra wallrun over the door.
When I say trickjumps, I mean bypassing a fight trigger without going oob to do it like after the second forced fight in ch1 or this one in ch3 in the ng2 no damage run.
Fight despawns are sorta questionable imho. It seems to abuse the memory saving/loading techniques of the game engine to force fight despawns like this in the ng2 no damage run. I haven't started doing glitchless runs yet so I haven't put much thought into the subject.
So what counts as a glitch?
Does looping Zedonius in his stagger count?
What about fight despawns or trick jumps to not trigger encounters?
In going through the previous areas of chapter 1, FamedMovie forgot to pick up a great spirit elixir in the cave tunnels. So you're allowed to go back and get it and make another save with it in your inventory as well as fill your life up from blue essence from the bats.
Timing still starts from the chapter 1 screen after loading from the new save with the great spirit elixir and refilled health.
Hurricane pack category rules have been updated with this note.
The hurricane pack expansion can only be played from a previous made save file in the save room of chapter 1, so that's where the run starts from.
The original Xbox live service is long gone and so you can't start normally anymore.
I was thinking of restricting the start to only FamedMovie's save 9 slot file but there are some people who will actually have their own save file for the Hurricane Pack.
However I have no idea of anyway of tracking previous accumulated essence as the save timer still counts on it during practice runs where you do not save over it.
So I figured placing an arbitrary restriction on your end of chapter 1 essence count to 7000. FamedMovie's save starts at 4084 essence and the first forced fight has 6 grey ninjas so that gives an ok buffer for collecting extra essence. Also stuff in the expansion is super pricey so 7000 essence isn't as helpful as it seems.
If someone does have their own unique save file and it does exceed that then I guess I'll have to up the chapter 1 essence limit.
Among the old ngb players from Iberian's realm and Ninja Archives, the original release of ninja gaiden on xbox was referred to as ng04. Referring to the year of it's release.
Which is why I chose to name this particular version as Ninja Gaiden 2004.
It's quite different from Ninja Gaiden Black and has its own share of boss strats, glitches, and secrets.
Also included in the categories for the extremely hardcore is the hurricane pack category which requires a modded xbox and a lot of technical skill.
Getting the Hurricane Pack DLC is a challenge on its own but it comes with a unique combat mechanic not found in NGB, the intercept move. Which is basically like a parry but with the ability to cancel in whatever move you want.
I figured I'd try my hand at an MN segmented run to see if I could beat the old 2:09:42 set by jtb years ago. The run is in 1:59:07.
Didn't realize it would go this low below the sub 2 hour mark.
Single video all edited together
MN segmented playlist
Hopefully this gets him back to speedrunning again >:D
*And yes, the point of these forums is single segment. Not segmented.
You do not need to consume the life upgrade in order to beat the game. For the subweapons, you cannot beat the game without refilling them.
It's possible to beat the tank with the warhammer (UTs can hurt it) but the helicopter can't be beat without the use of either explosive or afsds arrows. And then there's the tower which requires arrows to destroy. So you have to allow refilling of subweapons in that case.
Of course, that could be another argument, allow only refilling of the arrows but not incendiary since you don't ever need to use incendiary except twice in the game but at that point it begins to feel like an arbitrary condition that youtube commenters would nitpick on.
Just because you pick something up doesn't mean it's mandatory to use it. The Lives of the Thousand Gods on Smaugan doesn't need to be consumed in order to unlock the door.
The goal of Low% is to beat the game with as little collecting or upgrading to Ryu's stats, weapons, and useable inventory as possible.
It does say "No life upgrades". Will update to say No life upgrades consumed.
