The Elite Forum
The Big Three Plus One => Perfect Dark => Topic started by: SamSim on September 22, 2002, 07:07:00 pm
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The following is all known already. I merely state it here so we have some kind of reference to point people towards when they ask. I hope to add it to the the-elite.net knowledge base somehow.
When you play a level in Perfect Dark, an in-game timer running at a constant 100Hz records your mission time to a hundredth of a second accuracy. The mission timer is constant and never speeds or slows.
If you turn on the Mission Timer option, this time is also displayed in minutes, seconds and hundredths of a second in the lower left corner of your screen. However, the SCREEN does NOT update at 100Hz, but at 30Hz or lower. This means that the time displayed on the screen is frequently NOT the actual mission time, but merely the mission time from the last instant the screen was updated, which can be anything from a thirtieth of a second ago upwards.
As indicated earlier, the framerate in Perfect Dark is variable. Typically, it runs at 30fps but when large numbers of enemies or explosions are onscreen, this can drop dramatically to 10fps or even lower on large levels. It also takes a massive drop at the end of all levels, because this is the moment, by definition, at which the game must load the closing cinema and stats screen.
Suppose we finished in about 0:59 but the level rounded up to 1:00. When you finish a level, here is what happens.
0:57.02 (say) - you do the last thing which triggers the end of the level. "Objective Completed" message flashes up briefly.
0:59.00 - start of the last second of play. If the level ends between now and 0:59.99 inclusive, the recorded level time is 0:59.
Now suppose the framerate at this point is 10fps, so that the screen updates every 0.1 seconds. The mission timer isn't necessarily exactly on the 0.1 so let's say the frames come at
0:59.08 - frame
0:59.18 - frame
0:59.28 - frame
0:59.38 - frame
0:59.48 - frame
0:59.58 - frame
0:59.68 - frame
0:59.78 - frame
0:59.88 - frame
0:59.98 - LAST FRAME before level ends. Since the level ends before the next frame has time to come up at 1:00.08, this is the last frame. However, note that THE LEVEL AIN'T DONE YET. Although the last FRAME has come up, the clock is still ticking in the gap between frames!
0:59.99 - Last frame REMAINS on screen. Timer keeps counting.
1:00.00 - Timer rolls over to 1:00.00. The next second boundary has been passed but the screen still shows 0:59.98. A second boundary has been passed. If the level ends between now and 1:00.99 inclusive, the recorded level time will be 1:00.
1:00.01 - no frame
1:00.02 - no frame
1:00.03 - no frame
1:00.04 - LEVEL ENDS. Screen still shows 0:59.98 but the TIMER has passed 1:00.00. Game loads closing cinema.
(1:00.08 - next frame is due)
Level stats screen pops up, with 1:00 the recorded time. However the last time YOU saw onscreen was 0:59.98. You assume the game rounded up, and hurl the controller at the screen in disgust. But it didn't. The SCREEN, thanks to lousy framerates, rounded DOWN. Your time really was 1:00. Blame yourself.
If you finish the level in a low-framerate situation such as an explosion (Chicago A) or a crowd of guards (Infiltration), you will get more drastic rounding than in other situations. Some levels are more notorious than others. You can reduce the amount of rounding that occurs at the end of levels by reducing the amount of stuff onscreen at that moment. This can be done (though only on some levels) by looking at a handy blank wall or the floor. You won't get faster times, but the final frame won't lie to you quite so much.
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well put, guess the covers it all. (i had no idea)
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and this will be the exact reason why we don't register decimals in the elites time.
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yes, very well explained.
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Well since I was looking somwhat at the ground when i got .89, maybe the framerate was a little faster. I realized that the frames are slowed alot when you have explosions or alot of guards, which is kind of annoying. It is sometimes faster to look away from comotion when your going for a time...
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elite gamer you suck, looking down does NOT make you go faster, you gay arse hole.
-K..
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No, it just improves the framerate...
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well explained, sam
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um, I think Streets has proved enough that looking down does save time there. I think the same counts for PD (not saying it is, but that I think it is) but you might not recognize the difference because it might be so little. which would also differ per level. I think you should really try every level out looking down as much as possible, possibly the entire level, and after that come to conclusions.
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Nicely said Sam.
Karl, be nice the the nub.
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Yes , I know it doesnt allow you to go faster, but it does improve the frame rate, as sam said. This would anable the end screen to come up faster, since the game never slows down, but frames do...
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It doesnt save mission time at all... You may see an extra time decimal if you look away or something, but weither there are a million explosions or nothing at all you will get exactly teh same time...
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Wouter, looking down so your run faster and looking down to try and make the level finish quicker are 2 different things.
-K..
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Slayer: yes, but at least looking away means the timer is less given to lie.
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PD levels are too complex to look down. GE are a lot more simple and you can afford to look down.
-K..