Changes

Unlike many games, including [[Perfect Dark]], the act of pausing is far from instant, taking around 3.65s initially. The level is still active (and in particular the mission timer is still running) throughout the animation as Bond enters / leaves the watch. The game is only actually paused while the watch fills the entire screen, though you can do nothing useful except wait during the watch animations, or press pause again to start unpausing.

 

Unlike many games, including Perfect Dark, the act of pausing is far from instant, taking around 3.65s initially. The level is still active (and in particular the mission timer is still running) throughout the animation as Bond enters / leaves the watch. The game is only actually paused while the watch fills the entire screen, though you can do nothing useful except wait during the watch animations, or press pause again to start unpausing.

Also relevant to runs are the control style / screen settings but because of the time cost these are never the sole reason for pausing.

Also relevant to runs are the control style / screen settings but because of the time cost these are never the sole reason for pausing.

Quick Pausing is a method used in [[GoldenEye]] to speed up pauses.

Quick Pausing is a method used in [[GoldenEye]] to speed up pauses.

By design, subsequent pauses get exponentially faster, until the 7th which peaks at around 2.4s for both of the animations. All further pauses then take the same amount of time.

By design, subsequent pauses get exponentially faster, until the 7th which peaks at around 2.40s for both of the animations. All further pauses then take the same amount of time.

However the 'pause counter' is incremented when you '''start''' entering a pause. A ''quickpause'' involves pressing pause twice in quick but precise succession (though some people triple-tap just for timing). The 1st starts the pause, and the 2nd registers just after the lag spike, causing you to unpause immediately. A good quickpause doesn't dip the camera at all, and the ammo counter will disappear only briefly, if at all.

However the 'pause counter' is incremented when you '''start''' entering a pause. A ''quickpause'' involves pressing pause twice in quick but precise succession (though some people triple-tap just for timing). The 1st starts the pause, and the 2nd registers just after the lag spike, causing you to unpause immediately. A good quickpause doesn't dip the camera at all, and the ammo counter will disappear only briefly, if at all.

=== Pause Duration ===

=== Pause Duration ===

The initial pause from a [[good angle]] takes around 3.65 seconds. There are several stages to the pause and the end of each of these is effected by lag, so there is some variation. However the savings from previous (quick)pauses only effect one stage, so can be stated precisely:

The initial pause from a [[#Pause angle|good angle]] takes around 3.65 seconds. There are several stages to the pause and the end of each of these is effected by lag, so there is some variation. However the savings from previous (quick)pauses only effect one stage, so can be stated precisely:

{| class="wikitable"

{| class="wikitable"

|2||0.86s||0.86s

|2||0.86s||0.86s

|-

|-

|2||1.26s||1.26 - 0.86s = 0.40s

|3||1.26s||1.26 - 0.86s = 0.40s

|}

|}

At the end of both of these levels you are just waiting for a timer to finish running in one of the [[level scripts]]. During a game tick, these scripts run before the mission time is incremented. As such, as far as we are concerned, the level ends '''the frame before''' the timer expires. The longer (laggier) this last frame is, the more time is saved.

At the end of both of these levels you are just waiting for a timer to finish running in one of the [[level scripts]]. During a game tick, these scripts run before the mission time is incremented. As such, as far as we are concerned, the level ends '''the frame before''' the timer expires. The longer (laggier) this last frame is, the more time is saved.

The best method seems to be to simply press Start once before the fadeout, with good timing. The earlier you press it, the more time you save. But if you press it too early you'll not save anything. This is obvious because you'll see the start of the pause animation: So assuming you were looking straight down, your angle will have changed upwards if it failed, or bonds arm might be visible. You want your angle/view to be the same before/after fadeout starts.

The best method seems to be to simply press Start once before the fadeout, with good timing. The earlier you press it, the more time you save. But if you press it too early you'll not save anything. It's obvious if this has happened because you'll see the start of the pause animation: the camera angle will have jumped or bonds arm might have spawned in (if you are looking down). You want your angle/view to be the same before and after fadeout starts.

In theory you can create more lag on train by using the smoke generated from dual guns (potentially around 0.06s more saving), but the pause trick is far more practical and reliable.

In theory you can create more lag on train by using the smoke generated from dual guns (potentially saving around 0.06s more), but the pause trick is far more practical and reliable.

The trick is not applicable to any other levels e.g. Egypt. In the endings of those levels you want as low lag as possible.

The trick is not applicable to any other levels e.g. Egypt. In the endings of those levels you want as low lag as possible.