Changes

Before starting to play [[Perfect Dark]] for speed times it is important to have your game set up correctly. Many of the guidelines listed below are blindingly obvious, but many of them are subtle and worth taking into serious consideration.

Before starting to play [[Perfect Dark]] for speed times it is important to have your game set up correctly. Many of the guidelines listed below are blindingly obvious, but many of them are subtle and worth taking into serious consideration.

===Sound===

===Sound===

This should be at '''maximum'''. Being able to hear everything that's going on around you is absolutely crucial to the game, especially on [[Perfect Agent]]. What if you don't hear the guy yelling "Sound the alarm, she's here!", or the clank of a landing [[grenade]], or the alarm being set off? It's far more important to be able to hear properly than you might think.

This should be at '''maximum'''. Being able to hear everything that's going on around you is absolutely crucial to the game, especially on [[Perfect Agent]]. What if you don't hear the guy yelling "Sound the alarm, she's here!", or the clank of a landing [[grenade]], or the alarm being set off? It's far more important to be able to hear properly than you might think.

This incidentally means people with impaired hearing are unfortunately at a severe disadvantage when playing [[Perfect Dark]] for speed times.

This incidentally means people with impaired hearing are unfortunately at a severe disadvantage when playing [[Perfect Dark]] for speed times.

The two styles most commonly used are 1.1 and 1.2. In the first system you move forward and backward, and turn left and right using the main joystick, and you strafe left and right and look up and down using the C-buttons. In 1.2 you look around with the joystick and move forward and backward and strafe with the C-buttons, much like the default settings in Turok.

The two styles most commonly used are 1.1 and 1.2. In the first system you move forward and backward, and turn left and right using the main joystick, and you strafe left and right and look up and down using the C-buttons. In 1.2 you look around with the joystick and move forward and backward and strafe with the C-buttons, much like the default settings in Turok.

1.2, despite not being the default setting for PD, is by far the most popular control style. It does indeed score a few points over 1.1.

1.2, despite not being the default setting for PD, is by far the best control style. 1.1 loses alot of time in comparison and should not be used.

* With the digital C-buttons it is possible to go from a standing start to top speed faster than pushing the stick.

* With the digital C-buttons it is possible to go from a standing start to top speed faster than pushing the stick.

* Using 1.2 you can turn corners without dropping from top speed.

* Using 1.2 you can turn corners without dropping from top speed.

* Looking and aiming is much easier using just one stick instead of a combination of the stick and C-buttons

* Looking and aiming is much easier using just one stick instead of a combination of the stick and C-buttons

However, 1.2's main drawback is

* It is harder to open doors with 1.2 with full speed and strafe, but the use of "alien finger" can fix this. You should use your index finger to open doors, or if this is too hard, remove left thumb from joystick to hit b quickly. Though you have less control this way

* You can't open doors while on the run, because your right thumb is busy strafing.

If you've grown used to 1.1 it is important you stop and learn 1.2 before attempting to speedrun

 

If you've grown used to 1.1 it is generally worth switching, although it messes your head up for a few days, and you end up looking at the floor a lot.

There are a bunch of other systems you can use - 1.3 and 1.4 are basically 1.1 and 1.2 with the fire and weapon buttons reversed, not good at all because it makes shooting while running MUCH harder. The dual-controller systems are very precise, using the analogue sticks on two pads for control. But there are two big drawbacks. Firstly, once again you can't jump to full speed straight off, you have to push the stick forward. More importantly, hitting the A and B buttons from the position on the stick is very tricky. If you're not sure, stick with 1.1 or 1.2. However, a few people have experimented with 2.x and had some success.

There are a bunch of other systems you can use - 1.3 and 1.4 are basically 1.1 and 1.2 with the fire and weapon buttons reversed, not good at all because it makes shooting while running MUCH harder. The dual-controller systems are very precise, using the analogue sticks on two pads for control. But there are two big drawbacks. Firstly, once again you can't jump to full speed straight off, you have to push the stick forward. More importantly, hitting the A and B buttons from the position on the stick is very tricky. If you're not sure, stick with 1.1 or 1.2. However, a few people have experimented with 2.x and had some success.