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The Big Three Plus One => GoldenEye 007 => Topic started by: RWG on November 11, 2020, 12:34:41 am

Title: The Truth About Dam 00 Agent 1:55
Post by: RWG on November 11, 2020, 12:34:41 am
Dam 00 Agent 1:55, set by Marc Rützou in January 2011, is the best World Record set in the history of GoldenEye 007, at the time it was set.

It would remain untied for over 6 years; a feat only matched by Ace's Jungle SA 0:53; and, Dam 00A 1:55 was only tied by Ace himself, the greatest player in the history of the game, as a direct result of a roughly 1 second timesaver.  That timesaver was only discovered because yours truly decided to stream the level for 2 months straight, as an absolute act of madness; and the game's greatest science-minded TASer, Henrik, was watching long enough to conceive the amazing "basement door open lure" technique.

Spoiler
(https://i.imgur.com/Qmkogui.png)

Had it not been for this unlikely series of events taking place, which lead to the greatest player in the game's history, barely matching the time; Dam 00 Agent 1:55 would still be untied to this day... approaching 10 years of untied.  This would be absolutely, truly stunning and remarkable, beyond all belief.  We know this to be true, because despite a new, 1 second timesaver being discovered; only one person, yours truly, has achieved 1:56 in this time.  (Matching Clemens' amazing score from a decade ago).  Everyone else is stuck at 1:57 or lower.  Is it fear holding them back?  Uncertainty?  Lack of knowledge?  The desire to play Perfect Dark instead?  I don't know.  But I do know this to be true...

Dam 00 Agent 1:55, with current strategies & knowledge, is no longer the best world record in the game.

In fact, it's actually quite easy, in relative terms.  Probably a Tier 3, maybe even as low as a Tier 4 or 5, possibly even Tier 6.

Dam 00 Agent should be absolutely cake for some of the top players of the current day.  All it requires is a "decent" run, with the door open.  Marc's original 1:55 needed 7:0 or something insane.  Today, a simple run of 5:2, without choking, can do it, easily.  How do I know this?

Because earlier this year, I duped Dam 00 Agent 1:56, nine times.  All of which had errors, or were choked at the end.  This brings my Dam 00A 1:56 dupe total to 14 dupes, (with numerous 1:55 fails and other notable runs).

Behold;

Dam 00 Agent 1:56 (6)
April 16, 2020; approx 1:20am EDT

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCWo2YmL-b4

6:2 ratio, slower than ideal 2nd alarm, (was 5:0 to the backboosts, quite unfortunate) (no backstrafe off Dam)

Dam 00 Agent 1:56 (7)
April 19, 2020; approx 11:30pm EDT

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUE3zenVCY0

6:0, 2nd alarm could have been better, very botched 3rd door, choked after a good boost ratio, definitely cost 1:55 (also no backstrafe off Dam)

Dam 00 Agent 1:56 (8)
June 13, 2020; approx 7am EDT (lol)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YThm2AQLryc

6:2 ratio, missed warp after 3rd alarm (absolute robbery; it was played perfectly, this was the run) (no backstrafe off Dam)

Dam 00 Agent 1:56 (9)
June 17, 2020; approx 2:30am EDT

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_ymXtbwCxM

5:3 ratio, 3:3 guard boosts in fact, with 2 box boosts.  Played super well, but the boost ratio was not there (no backstrafe off Dam). 

Dam 00 Agent 1:56 (10)
June 23, 2020; approx 11:55pm EDT

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0E3TlpENcM

5:2 ratio, weird stuck on guard and a missed box boost.  I did yolo the "mainframe room entry" which is something I started to do on slower runs.  (You'll see what I mean if you watch it).  (no backstrafe off Dam).

Dam 00 Agent 1:56 (11)
June 24, 2020; approx 3:30am EDT (2nd of the night)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-3fOSc8CZQ

6:2 ratio, 2nd alarm was sloppy (shot the building wall on the first shot).  Could still have been 1:55 with a better 2nd alarm, or a +1 better boost ratio.  Also, the 2nd box boost didn't explode, thus boosting me, so slight robbery there.  (no backstrafe off Dam).

Dam 00 Agent 1:56 (12)
June 25, 2020; approx 1:50am EDT

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AnVVu_EmHQ

6:2 ratio, completely choked the run. Stuck on corner after 3rd alarm, very sloppy last alarm.  My biggest choke (among completed 1:56s) for sure.  But this proves 1:55 is possible with 6:2 ratio (which is actually not uncommon on the stage).  (no backstrafe off Dam).

Dam 00 Agent 1:56 (13)
July 8, 2020; approx 3:15am EDT

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCTECuctbjE

5:4 ratio, but played pretty much perfectly.  Clutched ending.  I thought this had a chance, even with the 5:4 ratio.  (did backstrafe off Dam).

Dam 00 Agent 1:56 (14)
July 9, 2020; approx 2:20am

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKDeP-A3sBc

5:3 ratio, apparently the start was quite slow (gate & first alarm), but then it was played super well.  I thought this had a chance too, despite all that, and a weak boost ratio.  (did backstrafe off Dam).

BONUS

Dam 00 Agent 1:55 (failed) (2nd alarm hit 4/5 bullets with a lagging pp7)
June 23, 2020; approx 7:45am (lol)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyMm2pWXcXw

the boosts were weird, but I think it was only a 4:3 ratio, also didn't backstrafe off the Dam.

Dam Secret Agent 1:55 (all 00 Agent objectives completed)
June 18, 2020; approx 1am

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lY0_kmhBk6k

5:1 ratio, sometimes you just gotta do this to prove to yourself mentally that you can pace the time.  Would have died on 00A though since I got two neutral hits in the mainframe room.  (no backstrafe off Dam).

For the sake of completion, here are my previous Dam 00A 1:56s;

Spoiler
Dam 00A 1:56 (1) https://www.twitch.tv/videos/151341152
Dam 00A 1:56 (2) https://www.twitch.tv/videos/151536478
Dam 00A 1:56 (3) https://www.twitch.tv/videos/154037185
Dam 00A 1:56 (4) (never highlighted nor made)
Dam 00A 1:56 (5) https://www.twitch.tv/videos/156490472


--

Some tips to guide you along on your quest;

• getting the kf7 from the first guard musn't lose time.  Or if it does, it's negligible.  This greatly increases chances you'll have 20 bullets for the basement.  I showed this on stream back in June, and it seems like most people laughed at it.  But the proof is in the pudding.  Given my paces and corresponding boost ratios, this is absolutely, 100%, worth doing.

• you should switch weapons as you cross the 2nd area of boxes, after returning from the mainframe in the basement.  This can help "warp" a guard who gets stuck in there sometimes.  Pay close attention to when I switch back to kf7 in the basement on my returns.  In the few Dam 00A streams I've seen, I often see players get frustrated by getting stuck in here.  Just warp it!

• as far as the late box boost(s) go; the first, common one can almost never be survived with ghost health.  With 0.5 bars, I'd give it around a 50% survival rate.  The later box boost, which I did sometimes, was just more of a feel thing.  You need at least 1 bar of health to confidently go for this one.  And even then, you might sometimes pass away.  I'm not entirely convinced it saves time over just going full lookdown and a precise line.  Plus, the last guard can sometimes boost you here; and chaining that boost + this later box boost is tough, and might not be ideal.  There's still some knowledge to be sorted out on this one, I suppose.

• there's this whole metagame surrounding the first guard you encounter after passing back through the "open" basement door.  Sometimes you want to quickly turn and shoot him 2-3 times; sometimes you 'sense' you can just ignore him.  He ruins a lot of runs, and taking that 1 backboost of damage really hurts.  You begin to form a kind of strange, spiritual relationship with this guard as you play Dam 00 Agent.  I'm still not exactly sure to what to do with him, and I would play it on a run by run basis.

• use of 2.x should still save time here.  Watching too much cutscene means the basement guard who opens the door, will have cycled further a way, and thus won't open the door.  But there is almost certainly a specific amount of time to watch the cutscene, which is "just enough", to start the level at full speed, and still make the cycle for the basement guard to be successfully lured to open the door.

• backstrafing off the Dam definitely saves time; about 0.2 seconds, or 7 frames, last I calculated it.  See this comparison video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXq7TrqwsBI

--

So there's my knowledge dump about Dam 00 Agent.  Kill the very first guard for a kf7, go for box boosts, figure out 2.x if you can.  I mean, jeeze, if I could pace 1:55s with nearly neutral boost ratios, I have no doubt that better players than me could pace 1:55 with literal 3:3 neutral ratios.  1:55 is now "cake" in a conventional sense.  It just meant too much to me, I would get too nervous and choke every run that had a chance.

I suppose looking at this all now, I was on the right track to get 1:55, had I just stuck with it through July.  Backstrafing off the Dam is a huge help.  It only technically seems to save 0.2, but looking at the boost ratios of my 1:56s, it clearly was a big help.  I just couldn't stick with it.

I hereby BOLD PREDICT that either, someone new will tie Dam 00A 1:55 before the end of November; or Marc will get 1:54 before the end of November; or perhaps, multiple people will get 1:55 or 1:54 before the month is through.

In a way,  it breaks my heart to write this post.  Because I know it condemns me personally into never achieving the full redemption arc on Dam 00 Agent.  The divine release of catharsis will not happen for me.  I hoped I could get 1:55, and reveal it in the grand finale of SpeedLore, or perhaps even in some other hoard project.  It would have been epic to show all the failed runs, and 1:56 dupes; leading up to a completed 1:55 as some kind of hoard finale.  But this will no longer be the case.  By sharing this knowledge, I am guaranteeing that 1:54 will become the record soon; or at the very least; 1:55 will become much more common, and thus not as "significant" should I ever tie the record.

Someone else, a more skilled, younger, sharper player will take the record to a place where it is not within my grasp.  But at the same time, I know sharing this knowledge was the right thing to do.  Dam 00 Agent was never meant to be my journey.  I was simply a plot device in the story of Dam 00 Agent.  The real story belongs to someone else; a perhaps unknown hero, on their own journey towards greatness.

I will end this post with an excerpt from the poem, "In Flanders Fields (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_Flanders_Fields)".  This poem was written by Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, fighting in World War I, after he had just presided over the funeral of a friend, who died in the second battle of Ypres.  Perhaps fitting, as this post will be made here on Remembrance Day; and this poem, and the poppies which the poem describes, have both become prominent symbols of Remembrance Day, memorializing soldiers who fought and died in conflict.  This particular excerpt is also written in the locker room of the storied Montreal Canadiens ice hockey team, as a message to future generations, to carry on the legacy of those who have gone before them.  Likewise, my story on Dam 00 Agent has come to an end, and it's time to pass it along...

To you from failing hands we throw
  The torch; be yours to hold it high.
Title: Re: The Truth About Dam 00 Agent 1:55
Post by: tharixer on November 11, 2020, 02:25:10 am
Wow, good stuff goose, hope you keep going for 1:55
Title: Re: The Truth About Dam 00 Agent 1:55
Post by: Joris on November 11, 2020, 05:08:07 pm
I don't believe it will be over for you Goose until Marc unties 1:54, you have one last chance to get 1:55 and it is now.
So please, pick up your controller and fight for your last battle.
Title: Re: The Truth About Dam 00 Agent 1:55
Post by: AZ on November 11, 2020, 05:24:54 pm
I concur with Joris.

Great post btw
Title: Re: The Truth About Dam 00 Agent 1:55
Post by: Alka Maass on November 11, 2020, 06:45:14 pm
maybe Marc will smash his console again  :nesquik:

but seriously, I'd still go for 1:55, even if it wasn't world record still just because it's a legendary time either way.

very good knowledge dump though, I'd love to see one for bunker 1 00 running strat (i know there's a tutorial but seems like a level with a ton of details and knowledge)
Title: Re: The Truth About Dam 00 Agent 1:55
Post by: Jimbo on November 11, 2020, 07:06:42 pm
Being able to claim a world record on Dam 00A in your lifetime is insane, do it!
Title: Re: The Truth About Dam 00 Agent 1:55
Post by: rhakiath on November 11, 2020, 07:27:01 pm
Get WR or die trying. Fight till your last breath.
Title: Re: The Truth About Dam 00 Agent 1:55
Post by: DYM on November 12, 2020, 04:04:27 am
Let's face it, you would have achieved this time by now if you had streamed your attempts. It's hard to power through a grind for what was formerly the BEST world record in the game's history without the healthy support of your mates.

There's still time.
Title: Re: The Truth About Dam 00 Agent 1:55
Post by: RWG on November 12, 2020, 04:27:48 am
I am planning on returning to streaming in 2021; simulcast streams on a brand new Twitch channel, and a DLive.tv channel.  However, I need a new logo designed for a slight rebranding I will be doing in 2021.  My logo designer sadly has just informed he is too depressed to make logos currently, and I don't really want to risk going to Fiverr for some, possibly shoddy, work.  So this has thrown a slight wrench in things.

In any manner, Dam 1:55 is likely to have been tied or improved by January 2021, after having written this post.  So it probably won't matter.  It's in God's hands now.  Streaming is just a huge distraction, and even when I do return to streaming, I don't really want to have mega-gaming sessions.  Maybe like 1-2 hours of gameplay, and 1-2 hours of hanging out with chat.  The fact of the matter is, I'm just too old and washed up.  I'm like a Phil Mickelson.  Still quite good, in a general sense.  But he just cannot compete anymore with the top talent of the current day.  Goose getting Dam 00A 1:55 on stream in early 2021, would be akin to Phil Mickelson winning the 2021 United States Open, to complete his career grand slam.  It would be truly remarkable to see, but it's really nothing more than a pipe dream.
Title: Re: The Truth About Dam 00 Agent 1:55
Post by: mw on November 12, 2020, 11:55:19 am
Quote from: RWG on November 12, 2020, 04:27:48 am
However, I need a new logo designed for a slight rebranding I will be doing in 2021.  My logo designer sadly has just informed he is too depressed to make logos currently, and I don't really want to risk going to Fiverr for some, possibly shoddy, work.  So this has thrown a slight wrench in things.

Why get something DESIGNED when clip art exists?

(https://forums.the-elite.net/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fclipart-library.com%2Fdata_images%2F294803.jpg&hash=9bdeb9928b71ce9e179637368fad4d979c29855e)
Title: Re: The Truth About Dam 00 Agent 1:55
Post by: Alka Maass on November 12, 2020, 03:06:06 pm
only a slight redesign but I think it's a good improvement :nesquik:

Spoiler
(https://i.imgur.com/7gBeXbB.png)

being serious, I can possibly help out with making a logo next month, I'm majoring in 3D Graphics Design, could even make it be an animation as well
Title: Re: The Truth About Dam 00 Agent 1:55
Post by: Herppa on November 12, 2020, 04:28:03 pm
LMAAOOOOOO
Just noticed the Soulja Boy goose lol
Title: Re: The Truth About Dam 00 Agent 1:55
Post by: Worlds-One on November 14, 2020, 01:51:41 am
Quote from: RWG on November 12, 2020, 04:27:48 am
I am planning on returning to streaming in 2021; simulcast streams on a brand new Twitch channel, and a DLive.tv channel.  However, I need a new logo designed for a slight rebranding I will be doing in 2021.  My logo designer sadly has just informed he is too depressed to make logos currently, and I don't really want to risk going to Fiverr for some, possibly shoddy, work.  So this has thrown a slight wrench in things.

In any manner, Dam 1:55 is likely to have been tied or improved by January 2021, after having written this post.  So it probably won't matter.  It's in God's hands now.  Streaming is just a huge distraction, and even when I do return to streaming, I don't really want to have mega-gaming sessions.  Maybe like 1-2 hours of gameplay, and 1-2 hours of hanging out with chat.  The fact of the matter is, I'm just too old and washed up.  I'm like a Phil Mickelson.  Still quite good, in a general sense.  But he just cannot compete anymore with the top talent of the current day.  Goose getting Dam 00A 1:55 on stream in early 2021, would be akin to Phil Mickelson winning the 2021 United States Open, to complete his career grand slam.  It would be truly remarkable to see, but it's really nothing more than a pipe dream.

Well said GL on your journey streaming in 2021 - You're about as washed up with me however 1-2 hour sounds manageable for us being moved on from the game however still wanting to compete - Looking back it is a tough game to put down however how cool would streaming be...have fun! - As far as your logo if its strictly for 007 streaming possibly some golden goose eggs for 0 0 7 could be in the cards for you? GL on the 1:54 DAM OOA as well as your GE/Chat streams - Keep up all your good work around here
Title: Re: The Truth About Dam 00 Agent 1:55
Post by: OHMSS on November 14, 2020, 08:11:27 pm
Quote from: RWG on November 11, 2020, 12:34:41 am
That timesaver was only discovered because yours truly decided to stream the level for 2 months straight, as an absolute act of madness; and the game's greatest science-minded TASer, Henrik, was watching long enough to conceive the amazing "basement door open lure" technique.

You're not telling the full story mate. Whose idea was it?



https://forums.the-elite.net/index.php?topic=19414.msg409041#msg409041
Quote from: ohmss on August 07, 2014, 03:08:32 pm
On Dam 00A, is there really no feasible way to lure a guard to open the door to the mainframe room to save a sec? Like shooting a full Kf7 clip near the last crates (can't test anything myself atm)?

https://forums.the-elite.net/index.php?topic=19414.msg446878#msg446878
Quote from: Wyst3r on June 03, 2017, 07:02:32 am
I dismissed this idea by OHMSS a few years ago, but with some help from the Lua map today I managed to find a way to do it

That's right :glasses: Cheers!
Title: Re: The Truth About Dam 00 Agent 1:55
Post by: sealC_evaD on November 15, 2020, 07:15:20 am
Quote from: Joris on November 11, 2020, 05:08:07 pm
I don't believe it will be over for you Goose until Marc unties 1:54, you have one last chance to get 1:55 and it is now.
So please, pick up your controller and fight for your last battle.

And the 1:54 is in...
Title: Re: The Truth About Dam 00 Agent 1:55
Post by: RWG on November 15, 2020, 09:27:26 am
Thanks for digging that up OHMSS! Very interesting to find the original post; obvoiusly this is something that had been suggested over the years, but it's cool to see an early post itself.  Hard to believe that the time distance between 2014 (when the post was made) and 2017 (when the strat was sorted) is just as long as between 2017 and now.  And yet, in that entire time, literally NO ONE was able to get 1:55, or even 1:56!

Another very interesting facet is that, I made this post around 1am on Nov 11.  Marc claims he got the 1:54 on Nov 11, "in a 5 minute session, just before work."  This post would have been made at 7am CET, so perhaps Marc got 1:54 before this post was made; or within an hour or two of the post being made.  Perhaps he woke up and got the time without reading this post.

An act of cosmic synchronicity?  Or perhaps it was just very obvious to me that Marc was going to get 1:54, and I wanted to get this info out there before it was too late.
Title: Re: The Truth About Dam 00 Agent 1:55
Post by: OHMSS on November 17, 2020, 07:53:28 am
Happy to help on some good old lore! I agree that the lure idea seems rather trivial in hindsight, but that's the case for many innovative ideas (like the 2015 P2 Agent warp or Tesla interior). Still, it was just a wild hunch and 100% credit goes to Henrik for crunching out the technicalities.
Title: Re: The Truth About Dam 00 Agent 1:55
Post by: RWG on December 05, 2020, 09:11:26 pm
a nice Danish gentleman translated what he could hear of the background conversation from the 154 "session" video.  For the record, I'll repost the translation here;

Spoiler
They are allowed to travel across the whole country...
They will get free wine and alcohol...
And all that kind of stuff...
Some are considerable more...
What do you think?
You have to eat vegetarian meals twice a week...
What do you think?
This has been mentioned...
This is the government's canteens...
It is their own canteens...
You can be vegetarian and a flexitarian...
There has to be strict rules...
It is better if we have our own rules as opposed to simply doing what someone tells us to do...
That's why I am not fond of politicians...
It looks cosy and it looks like good food...
You are standing there staring at the menu...
He looks at me and then goes "don't eat this"...
Don't eat any meat - don't look at the burgers...
So you are clearly a guy who likes meat...
I have a story to share...
They have established 10 new "diversity goals"...
It is very special...
Nexus bar at Copenhagen Business School...
Haha - shut up!
CBS - the television and movie producing company - has established diversity goals that half of the employees working with scripted shows must be...
If you originate 1/16 from Greenland...
Anyways, anybody should be allowed to work wherever they want...
However, now enforcing that there should be room for everybody and not only the highly skilled workers...
This is not the best way to handle it...
I don't know if you know...
Their ridiculous ideas...
It has just been announced that Sweden will ban sales of alcohol after 10 pm from November 20th...
The prime minister supports...
Previously, you could continue to go out. Things were under control and the number of guests were counted...
You had to maintain a safe distance to other guests...
It has been handled very professionally...
Title: Re: The Truth About Dam 00 Agent 1:55
Post by: Worlds-One on December 06, 2020, 11:32:34 pm
Hey guys

Does it make sense in DAM OOA when you reach the basement after 2nd alarm elimin to switch to LEFT strafe on your first backwards boost - Thinking the strategy would be shooting down early coming down to the last set of guards/boxes before the closed door

Instead of eliminating the left guard by shooting him aim for the RIGHT box while shooting leading up to it for a potential box boost and luring the door guard all in LEFT strafe - Any Merit to trying this?

The way back will be more clear in this "area" (box will be gone which we tried to acquire the box boost prior to the door) That last set of guards will be in the way which hopefully theres a path between them on the way back down through the basement which were hoping for a boost here from one of them

Also is there any merit to gauging and luring the LAST tower guard when were "coming up the stairs by shooting bullets" which intern would lure the tower guard to opening the last tower door himself - We would just have to find the ideal spot on the stairs coming up to shoot alarm but also stopping in the precious area so the guard ends up in the "middle of the room" for his animation (or at least out out of the way of the OPENED door) Going to assume this could save .2-.4 potentially - Im sure this idea has probably floated around
Title: Re: The Truth About Dam 00 Agent 1:55
Post by: JDBlack21 on December 06, 2020, 11:50:21 pm
You don't really get backboosted by that first guard as often as other guards, because you're also getting boosted a lot of runs by the guard facing the fence door, plus you need to look down at that section to improve your open door odds