Max Payne was released in 2001 and many people declared it game of the year. This third-person action adventure game has Max Payne going through the underground of New York City killing all in his wake for the murder of his wife and child. The game combines the stunts of action films with "bullet-time" and a deep noir story that makes a person remember what a great single player gaming experience can be.
Single-segment Dead on Arrival: 1:22:32 by Nigel Martin. External audio commentary is available in a .mp3 file.
Author's comments:
I first completed the game after a month and a half of attempts and despite no deaths there was definite room for improvement. I found lots of short cuts and so overall I saved almost 7 minutes on my second successful no death completion of the game. On watching that though I saw even more room for improvement, thus the final product is yet another 7-8 minutes faster than the previous run and about 15 minutes faster than my first attempt. So, it was definitely worth it! The thing I found hardest about this run was apparent lack of progress, I easily died the most in part 1, probably because that is all near the beginning and I pushed myself hard here.
When timing the run for comparisons, I was not sure exactly how much time should be subtracted for cutscenes, so I simply used the full time of recording as reference. This is from the main menu to the start of the bonus level. I do complete the bonus level, but I assume it does not count as part of the run, just there for your enjoyment.
By the time I did this latest run I was aiming for 1hr 31min (I'm a bit of a mathematician). So I was very surprised to see a time of 1hr 29mins. While it is not that simple to directly compare this with the NYM run as that was done for the best ingame time (which compensates for slow motion and rolling is faster), I did use shido's real time level times for reference on what I should be aiming for. That run was 1hr 21mins without certain cutscenes and loading screens which puts my run at approximately 2 and 3/4 minutes slower than the NYM run, so while this run is not perfect I do not think there is room for significant improvement. Also considering I make no mistakes longer than 8 seconds, the level of difficulty and the fact it is done in a single-segment.
If you are interested read on for specific in-game comments, otherwise enjoy the run!
Any questions, my steam friends is Halflife20102, fell free to add me.
///Credits:
///////////Detailed Comments///////////
Firstly note that running is quicker than rolling (but not by much) in real time and so I only roll to avoid enemies in this run (unlike the NYM run). Also note that the times by the comments indicate the moment whatever it is I am talking about started, and this commonly refers to a section or sequence of events that goes on for a few seconds, I don't give time spans.
///PART 1///
Part 1 is my specialitly, partly due to stupid amounts of times I have played it, so while I also did a hell of a lot of practise on parts 2 and 3, part 1 is the best executed.
0:00:00 Well I am very good at switching off, and that is exactly what I did for this opening cutscene as otherwise I would have gone mad! Also at this point I would like to point out my love for the deagle (desert eagle). I use it a lot as 1 head shot is a kill for most of the not too tough enemies, so I make extensive use of it in part 1 and some parts of part 2.
///pro1:
0:01:41 This first trick of rolling just before the cutscene was a bit hit and miss, its difficult to
time but makes for a good start to the run if correctly pulled off.
0:01:49 Not much more to say on this chapter, except for the very annoying jump over the bannister which
I only ever screw up when its the run that will go on to the end.
///p1c1:
0:03:37 I skip the two guys waiting on the platform, for now, it will become apparent why later.
0:03:53 I think it is slightly quicker to roll down stairs.
0:04:16 Pressing e skips these types of cutscenes and there are a fair few of them throughout the run.
0:04:27 So I kill the 2 guys from the start here while the tech guy is moving so it saves some time.
0:06:01 This went pretty well, it can screw you over health wise if you catch a stray bullet.
///p1c2:
0:06:26 First four kills went very well.
0:07:01 Oh dear god that was a shot and a half though I do say so myself, I have NEVER killed him that
quick before.
0:07:31 Again this is the fastest I have ever done this room.
0:08:21 Very unlucky here, he usually isn't ready to throw his nade, 3 seconds lost.
0:09:47 Skip them all!
///p1c3:
This level accounts for a full cemetery of deceased runs. Only for this latest run did I decide to play it
like the NYM strategy as it is not too far into the run to risk blasting through without killing everyone.
0:10:25 Despite missing the first two shots they die quickly.
0:11:06 Unfortunately I don't get the 1 deag but its very lucky if you do.
0:11:19 I take off slow-mo and it really pays off as I kill these two very quick.
Rest of the level goes very well.
///p1c4:
0:12:38 I don't think there is anyway to control how quick the guys decide to come after you, I just start
rolling as soon as I hear them shout.
0:12:44 This is risky, the shotgunner can easily kill you, and the guys behind don't make things easier but
it is near the beginning of the run.
0:12:46 Thanks very much!
0:12:21 This is a very well rehearsed boss fight (as all the boss fights are).
0:13:42 This guy dies very quick saving a few seconds.
0:14:10 You could argue I don't need the painkillers but it takes less than 2 seconds to get them and there
have been plenty of runs where I needed every last painkiller.
///p1c5:
Very easy level, easiest in part 1 in my opinion.
0:15:51 I select the sawn-off to take out both gas cylinders quickly.
0:16:19 Wow, this is the fastest those two have ever died, 5-8 seconds saved!
0:16:42 Just skip these guys and roll my way to the end of the level.
///p1c6:
0:17:10 I have to be a bit careful at the start here because you can die if you try and rush this. You can
get crushed somehow, I would guess its because the game thinks you are trapped between the dumpster
and the fire escape ramp.
0:17:22 I sneek a roll in here again to save precious milliseconds!
0:18:47 Very happy with this, I roll in there quicker than.... well shido in his NYM run :D
0:19:19 This is totally random, I get shot jumping through this window, no way I have found to avoid it
without wasting time, sometimes you get hit others you don't. Anyway I make the best of bad luck
and again kill these too unusually quickly.
0:21:02 Like in shido's run I use this ledge to jump off as it means you can get on the train slightly
earlier.
///p1c7:
One of my favourite levels this, very memorable level.
0:22:11 Not rolling here can result in death by deagle in the back.
0:22:19 Bit of luck here, you can get hit.
0:22:29 Notice my roll just before the cutscene again, this sets me up for the fight and so is actually
very important. Otherwise by the time they get down the stairs, all the enemies will be in
position.
0:22:56 If you roll before you go through the door, the dual ingram wielding guy ignores you until you
either enter slow-mo or shoot at him.
0:23:46 Not killing this guy will probably result in him shooting you a few seconds later and as he has a
deagle that can very quickly lead to death.
0:24:32 This hall caused me to fail a few runs, this is carefully planned.
0:25:07 Rather than diving straight in like in shido's run I get rid of all the incoming guys then go in.
0:25:26 I got good at hitting guys who are moving by knowing how far infront/behind to aim. It looks cool as
I sort of circle round him, like I am bending the bullet.
///p1c8:
Loads of runs ended here, mainly right near the end due to a couple of shotgun wielding *****. As
we all know, 1 shotgun cartridge spells the end of Max's vendetta, as you will see later :[
0:26:07 OK I have never killed these two that fast.
0:26:15 Damn after the perfect start I somehow manage to miss this guy, I lose a few seconds.
0:26:26 Noooooooo, I don't get the double kill, it looks so cool when you do.
0:27:19 More moving target shooting with the deagle.
0:27:50 I know your tired of hearing that this is the fastest I have ever done so and a so a section so lets
just say I usually have to reload the deagle to kill them all (I get the last kill with the last
bullet here.)
0:28:39 pew! pew! pew! Die!!!
0:28:46 Really should have made that first shot, I think him hitting me put me off a bit.
0:29:05 This right here is where I have previously been shot through the metal stairs resulting in
instant death by that shotgunner.
0:29:21 More than once I have been one shotted here, you have to time the rolling perfectly to dodge the shot.
///p1c9:
This level can ruin a good run's time due to some dodgy enemy placement, but it did not happen here. Not much to
say on this level its all standard killing. Note that killing the guys on the second floor can be annoying as
they like running around in circles so its really hard to aim on them, you could wait for them to jump down but
that would of course be slower.
0:30:49 The best shot of the run?!? A bit lucky of course but it looks so cool!
0:31:10 Well that wasn't pretty, he took everything I threw at him, apart from the THIRD shotgun shot of course.
0:31:23 Stand still bitch!
0:31:27 The fun doesn't stop with that deagle shot, a 1 shotgun shot from long range :D
0:31:36 And again!
I have a theory that the bosses aren't so easily fooled by rolling so you have to be mid roll when they shoot as
opposed to thinking you are safe for a second or so after a roll. This theory has plently of experimental proof
of course as I have died in many a boss fight including this one.
0:31:14 Argh! He rolled, he sometimes stays still and so dies a bit quicker.
I was aiming for 33:30 for part 1 so 32:24 just shows how well this went and its a new record for me.
///PART 2///
The prologue goes OK, as does the first chapter but then chapter 2, mainly because it took a bit of time to get the death out of my mind, is definitely the worst chapter in the run. I don't think its too slow, just a bit sketchy, mainly the two points where I nearly die again! However, I pull it together and chapters 3-5 are well executed I think.
///pro2:
0:32:39 Rolling is faster than running in pro2 and pro3.
0:33:50 This is a small sequence break, I trigger a later cutscene (which is a couple of seconds
shorter than the one I missed) but I have to listen to it twice as I don't think its possible to roll
to the door before it is triggered. So in summary, I save a few seconds.
///p2c1:
For me this chapter was the biggest run killer from here onwards (so excluding part 1). You start off so
fragile, one bad roll or decision costs you your life, and the boss battle took a lot of perfecting.
0:35:24 I accidentally took off slow mo and so missed the shotgun, while it looks careless it saves time later
as you will see.
0:36:17 Like I said before, I was forced to use the deagle here which is quicker than the shotgun, unless of
course you get 3 kills with 3 shots from the shotgun but that is pretty rare. Also there is a deagle
here to collect so I still have enough ammo for my strategy.
///p2c2:
Not much to this level but lots of baddies, sounds easy right?
0:37:33 Here it is, easily the biggest and worst mistake of the run. How the hell did he not die!?! After
the second shot I took him for dead but he wasn't having any of it and did the famous one shot kill
on me, meh whatever it was my fault I had a concentration lapse. I reload on autopilot and decided to
keep on playing. As you may notice this death causes me to take risks I would not normally do which more
than make up for it. I am very pleased that I managed to hold it together and actually complete this run
as obviously the death took some getting over.
Interestingly, you might think I wish more than anything that I had aimed a bit more carefully or
rolled again and not died right? Well I don't actually, had I done that I could well have died later in
the run, you just don't know what would have happened. It made me much more relaxed dieing here and I
believe that played a crucial role in me not screwing up later and so it may even be a blessing in
disguise, though some of you may claim it was a very good disguise.
0:38:06 This guy can take a lot of shots to kill, he doesn't here but it does cost me health.
0:38:13 Well, with the death still ringing in my mind, I get careless here. While I certainly don't gain any time
I don't really lose any either as I keep moving.
0:38:25 It doesn't get any closer than that folks! I hope this adds some more interest to the run as I at least
find it more interesting when someone is close to death in a run. It was careless but I will refer to it
as wrecklessly bold.
0:38:35 This allows me to get 4 painkillers and get to the door without wasting any time.
0:38:44 The ingram bullets go all over the place, takes a good second too long to kill him.
0:39:29 I discovered this trick in preparation for this lastest run and not the preceding ones. It is not done in
the NYM run and overall it saves about 15 seconds.
0:39:43 Brilliant, 3 shots 3 kills.
0:39:58 I roll straight to the next two guys, risky as you can see by the shotgun bullets flying past me but it
paid off.
0:40:32 It is critical to get the sniper ammo here for the next chapter and I love that quote from Max.
0:40:41 If there is one lesson I never learned it is never to take an enemy for dead, its not always easy to hear
them scream as there are a million and one things to think about and if you don't take them for dead and
they are you waste time. Anyway, here it costs me again and I am still not sure how I did not die. Clearly
the game loves me! Either that or crucially one too many of the bullets from the shotgun shell missed me.
0:41:00 I will be honest this was less than ideal!
///p2c3:
0:41:44 I go straight into this, I developed my strategy of killing all these guys recently, it is as quick
as the NYM run and not too dangerous as long as you can play with low health.
0:42:05 Guy nades himself, rarely happens and saves as long as it would take to kill him with a deagle.
0:42:23 My work around instead of risking the jump around the box which is way to risky for a single
segment run.
0:42:35 OK.... So it takes 5 shotgun shots to kill enemies now.
0:43:19 In this section I save a few seconds by sniping the snipers in the tower without zooming
meaning I don't have to watch cutscene of the bullet's perspective. I take the risk of the third shot
(and it is a risk as he is a long way a way, its easy to miss and if I use up too much sniper ammo I am
screwed for my boss strategy, as you will see I use every last bullet).
0:44:21 A fairly dodgy section this if not properly executed you will die as I did on a very recent attempt! Not
exactly a short amount of time to have to repeat.
0:45:38 Behold! The next SIX kills are all one deagle headshots and I must say they are friggin beautiful. Do I
really need to tell you that thats the first time I have done that and that kill number four is so lucky!
0:46:09 A recent boss strategy, done as I saw the flaws with my 1hr 37min run strategy, I cannot afford a single
miss here though or I will need to load up another gun to finish him off which will result in quite a few
seconds lost or even death. My 1hr 37min run illustrated it best but that guy is one tough mother f****r.
///p2c4:
Completely standard, nothing went off the rails, infact it was all rather boringly on the rails.
///p2c5:
Very standard level this, does not usually cause me any problems.
0:49:13 Stupidly missed the first few shots.
0:49:19 My prediction shots (shooting while the enemy is moving) don't get any better than that.
0:49:24 That was close! More than once the dual ingrammer has killed me!
0:50:24 I fail to kill him on my first try, I think I rolled too quickly, wasted four seconds.
0:50:47 :) That is all.
0:51:24 It works out very nicely to kill the killer suits with the sniper rather than using up an entire ingram
clip and spending a lot longer doing it.
///PART 3///
The first three chapters are very well planned and are completely routine, chapter four can be very variable and after that for some unknown reason I get very nervous, ahhh to do a segmented run (haha).
///pro3:
0:53:17 I roll along these blood lines, it is ever so slightly faster.
0:53:45 I don't quite shoot him in the right place here so he takes maybe a second longer to die. Note if
he hits you just once with that flimsy beretta you are dead. Bit realistic for a game no?
///p3c1:
0:56:10 One of two small mistakes in this chapter is me slightly missing the prefire on this guy.
0:56:18 pew!
0:56:28 Barely costs me anytime but he should have been dead on the first burst.
///P3C2:
0:56:51 The second biggest mistake of the run and its totally my fault (as every mistake can be avoided).
I should have rolled quicker after running to the pillar. This means the deagler gets too far to
the left for me to just quickly kill him, 7 seconds wasted.
0:57:43 Eek, he is normally crouching and an easy kill.
0:57:45 Slight modification of the trick in shido's run.
0:57:49 Pretty much straight from shido's run again.
0:58:01 Very unluckily some of the explosive got on the door and set a bit on fire, I play it carefully
and manage to sneek past the fire, if I had not I reckon I would have died as I had low health.
Don't really lose any time either.
0:59:22 Very quick here, I normally roll through the gap but I managed to prefire the shotgunner this time.
1:00:26 I knew exactly when the doors would open by listening to the music and learning what part they
opened on.
///P3C3:
Easiest level in the game in my opinion.
1:03:08 I rarely get the first shot as a kill or even a hit, so that saves some time.
1:03:18 Yes! The scientist runs straight to the next set of doors instead of literally running around in
circles like he sometimes does wasting seconds with nothing you can do about it.
1:04:11 This is arguably very slightly slower than Shido's method of going inside and shooting the laser,
it is slower in the amount of time it takes to run to the door as from the time the door opens he
is at the door and I am a few steps away. It just feels safer this way, I'm not worried about
nano seconds where theres the possibility of over an hour to replay if I die.
///P3C4:
This chapter can be standard but you always have to improvise as there are just that many enemies that it
is bound to not go exactly according to plan. Its chapters like this where you have to follow a safe route
though, even rolling to the right straight at the start more often than not results in you using 2/3 of
your health before you even get on the first ramp.
1:05:21 Very annoyingly it takes an entire clip to kill these two. He should have been dead at 26 seconds
so I lose about 3 seconds here.
1:05:37 Well apart from this slightly sketchy opener, the rest amazingly actually goes according to plan!
1:05:51 Apart from him taking 3 close range shotgun shots to die!
1:08:04 The m79 ammo is VERY important to my strategy.
1:08:37 What am I waiting for? Theres normally a dual ingrammer who more often than not survives that fire
but when he doesn't you can usually see him die, not here though but its still much quicker than
having to kill him when that pillar typically gets in the way.
1:09:34 You have to go slightly to the left here to trigger the three guys to come at you otherwise they
errrr don't.
1:09:36 Double kill! Not that amazing as its with an m79 but still nice.
1:09:45 Another new boss strategy which works out nicely.
///P3C5:
The home stretch! Chapter 5 went very much according to plan, it is a very short level and I feel I do get
through it very fast.
1:10:47 I get so lucky with this deagle shot, any other time I swear it would have hit the guy in front.
1:11:29 I don't stick around here as there are a lot of guys to kill otherwise.
1:11:51 This took some getting right, this strategy works perfectly to dodgy their bullets while moving
and providing the opportunity to kill them fast.
1:12:27 This took loads of practise to work out how to get rid of the laser and kill the 2 guys without
consistently running a serious risk of dieing. If you aren't in position when that m79 blast goes
its end of run.
///P3C6:
Yes yes now I am close to the end of the run, its crunch time. Chapter 6 is another short level but theres
a few places to mess up including the battle at the end but I would say the start is the hardest and most
important to get right.
1:13:26 I always dread this part of the run, it is critical to take care of the 2 guys on the second floor
quickly so there is enough time to make the jump before the 3rd guy comes along. This is the
first time I make the jump first time in a single segment run, its a fair few seconds wasted if you
have to try again.
1:15:08 Oh yes I have died here from a sniper bullet, but that was on single segment practise attempts at
just part 3, and it was painful enough then!
1:15:30 The third biggest mistake of the run. Something so simple as a bad roll almost completely ruins my
end of chapter battle by leaving me at a bad angle to kill the three guys here, it doesn't look too
bad but it could be faster.
///P3C7:
The longest level, and in many ways the most difficult. Recently I modified my strategy for the final fight
it is much more riskly but much quicker (like the NYM run strategy). Took ages to perfect.
1:16:21 I get unlucky here, the nade was thrown at the right time but only killed one of them.
1:16:35 This is nerve wrecking, if you don't hit every shot with a kill here you can waste a fair bit of time
in rolling out of the way of the m79 grenades and re-aiming. I focus carefully on the previous shot
when aiming for the next to check they are dead. I have tried doing unscoped shots here but the main
problem is you cannot really see if your target is dead or not and its kind of a bit late to find out
by getting naded.
1:17:10 This took some perfecting, I jump on a precise point on the rail so the shotgunner does not start
shooting.
1:17:17 This fight goes VERY smooth, especially the final guy (to the m79).
1:17:40 I get a horrible laser field sequence but maybe it could have been avoided by jumping the second
set of lasers immediately, after that there is nothing I can do.
1:19:45 This fight went badly, normally they are all dead by the time I exit the door, its very hard to aim
through the shutters though.
1:20:29 I practised carefully on this room and it all went according to plan.
1:20:29 This is a very long ride and my throat is dry as hell, I'm so close!
1:21:44 A VERY well rehearsed section this, but since when does that mean it could not all go horribly wrong?
Thankfully here that is not the case, I do get a bit worried on the very last guy, he was not at all
far off one shotting me, or at least it didn't seem like it when I was playing.
///P3C8:
Very well rehearsed level this, I don't plan on making it this far and dieing! Mainly the first four kills
are important to pull off quickly.
1:23:16 Well I have a very solid strategy for bringing down the shutters quickly. Fire 10 bullets at the
heli (does not matter where on the heli) in bullet time, then fire the remaining 20 in normal time
and the shutters start coming down :D
1:24:30 Aah! How lucky was that?! That would have been 2/3 - 3/4 of my health right there, which would have
caused me to have to be careful and waste time (it happened on my previous 0 death run!).
1:24:49 Sometimes he comes out quickly, if not like here I just keep on running and don't waste any time!
1:25:04 Wow, my mouse went mad for a second there!
1:25:13 Just plain bad luck here, he goes the wrong way round the pillar. Wastes about 3-4 seconds.
1:25:20 I fire a sniper shot off in anger!
1:26:07 The last point at which it can all go wrong!
1:26:10 Is that a killer suit trying to get through the door I just came through? Too bad its locked mate, try
going around, of course by then it will all be over, oh well.
1:26:14 Don't even think about shooting me through that door!
1:26:21 A nice finish to the run I think.
1:26:25 Its all over! Well, not quite, I left the final comic strip the play out. Also I played the secret bonus
level for fun. Turns out the strategy I came up with AGES ago when I first got to the level worked pretty
well. THAT makes for a nice finish to the run, I would not have been happy at all if I had died on the
bonus level given that I should be pretty good at the game by now, even if I didn't practise the level at
all.
1:30:38 While I haven't thought about other strategies for this level I think mine works well, the only mistake I
can see is using up the ammo too much from 1:30:38 meaning I have to waste about 10 seconds rolling to
cover to reload. I give you all a brief glimpse of the secret room at the end, enjoy!
Well thank you for your enthusiasm if you actually read all of that, now enjoy the run if you haven't seen it already!
New York Minute 0:29:22 by Nigel Martin, done in 29 segments. A bloopers file is also available.
Note: The in-game time displayed at the end of the run is incorrect due to a redone segment and save penalties.
Author's comments:
First off please don't just assume that this run is simply cleaner than the previous IL run. I use LOADS of new strategies and, most importantly, the application of the "super jump" which I discovered about halfway through the run. Therefore, if you even have a vague interest in max payne or have played it yourself please watch this and see levels cut in half with big skips! Its about time Max Payne had interesting skips to use in a speedrun and I am glad to be the one to present them to you.
This run was originally intended to be an IL run but this game it is clearly not suited to this as weapons, health and even the bullet time meter carry over on levels meaning there is no defined inventory for most of the levels. I did however still do each level as one segment as I believe that, with enough attempts, this is optimal bearing in mind the save penalty. There are 3 exceptions to this, p2c2 is done in 3 segments, p3c6 and p3c7 are both done in 2 segments. The reasoning for this is written below.
If you want the most information on the run and get the most out of it then listen to the audio commentary on track 2. Theres a lot of useful things noted in these comments as well.
Using my not insignificant amount of experience from the DoA run I managed to significantly improve all of the old times. Then, my discovery of the super jump after I had got to p2c2 meant I could absolutely decimate the old records. It is a pretty revolutionary discovery for max payne speedrunning. I had virtually zero tolerance for errors, always carrying on attempts until bringing the level down by another second looked impossible. All of these times are the results of hundreds of attempts. The old run times were a very vague guide and I often beat them after only about 10-15 attempts.
I would like to finally say that it is my intention to redo my SS DoA run at some point (no hurry though). Given these skips I can decimate my old run and do it without a death this time!
Note: The game does record 10ths and 100ths of a second for all the level times even though it only shows seconds at the start of each level.
For more information on each segment and the tricks read on otherwise enjoy the run!
/Credits/
Thanks to all the following:
Radix - For creating such a great website with a great community.
Mike - For being of invaluable help with the submission process, especially verification and timing.
Nate - For taking the time to encode people's runs and doing all the encoding stuff required for submitting.
Daniel 'Shido' Lee - Gave me some great ideas with his NYM run.
The verifiers - For taking the time to scrutinize this run and provide good feedback.
Fellow Speedrunners - For helping to inspire me with some really great runs.
Forum members - Especially honorableJay who helped me immensely with utilising the super jump to its fullest extent.
/Tricks/
Super jump: Discovered by me about halfway through the run causing me to have to redo p1c4-p2c1! I came across a good explanation from Maddieman on the Alanwake forums after posting the discovery; "C_jump() commands stack, so I think what's happening is the jump animation is being triggered twice (very quickly, because of the weapon switch), effectively doubling or tripling your jump height." For a full explanation of how to perform the trick see this video -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuH3gfvnhPk . Also note that this trick is VERY hard to do consistently as it requires frame perfect timing.
Applications of the super jump: Big thanks to honorableJay, me and him discovered loads of places to use the jump. It was not always at all obvious where it could be really utilised. Without honorableJay's help a lot of these skips would probably have been missed by me.
Rolling through fire: Probably discovered by lots of people. A lot of the flames are just special effects and so don't harm you if you know where to go. As the fire builds up though, it will start to burn you. On p2c4 I found a very good way of using this trick.
Quick roll: No idea who discovered this, I just came across it while playing. It can only be done after a cut scene is triggered showing you a slow-mo view of the deaths of certain enemies you kill, if you roll immediately after the cut scene as the game is transitioning from slow to normal play you roll really fast with the timer still going as normal. This occurs in p1c8 for example, also in p2c4 but in p2c4 it is not after a cut scene, but after a slow-mo sequence.
Speed boosts: I'm making this sound bigger and cooler than it is. Basically, while rolling if you clip the edge of something it will push you off at a faster speed than normal, happens in the run at a few points.
Glitching into/through walls/floors: The only way you can do it as far as I'm aware is by super jumping, if you manage to get into a wall you will die instantly (the game physics does not like it). At one point I do go through the floor without dieing however; part 3, chapter 6, the second super jump I do I go through the floor, I don't quite understand how or why. Notice in the outtakes I don't super jump high enough (slightly wrong angle) and end up going through the floor and on top of the wall of the floor beneath. I enter the wall and die. I have only done this in one other place; on part 1, chapter 4 I did it into the wall of the 2nd door but have not been able to repeat it.
/Specific Segment Comments/
pro1: Unless some new trick is found (very doubtful) I don't see how 0:13 is possible. This is the result of many hundreds of attempts believe it or not, you literally can't make any form of a mistake.
p1c1: Make or break on this level is the first kill and the control room kills.
p1c2: I pulled off a run out of no where that was 2 seconds faster than any previous attempt. One of those runs that you look and think it shouldn't be that fast but it was. I redid it however as I saw a few errors, I think this is cleaner with sicker shots. Again all kills are crucial and must be pretty much one shot kills.
p1c3: I knew it was possible to start the next level with 4:14! I did a run which started with 4:15 after only 30-50 attempts but I thought it had about a seconds mistake, a bit of optimising and I finally got this. Killing the Finito brothers by 1;14;42 is the fastest I have done that and I restart until I get about this time. I kill minimally on this level and utilize the shotgun and deagle.
p1c4: First segment with a super jump! My record was 0:57 before discovery of the super jump over the fence at the end. This skip improved my time by 10 seconds to 0:47. I also found quicker ways to kill people and while I remembered this level very well, it still took a tonne of attempts to get this. The jump at the end first try was obviously sought after but VERY hard to do.
p1c5: I was stuck on 0:59 for AGES, a good 100+ attempts later however and I finally got this as I knew it was possible. Virtually no errors are allowed. I realised while playing this level that rolling in Max Payne is the equivalent to bunny hopping in FPS's, both are required to go fast and it can be difficult going round corners etc and difficult to time exactly. You have to know the level inside out to do it, there are some pretty cool speed boosts when you go from higher to lower areas rolling as well. 0:58 is pretty damn optimal for this level.
p1c6: The 2 jumps I do off the fire escape at the start I discovered while trying to find a fast way down to the ground. I Spent way too long on this level, 800+ attempts.. well that was until the super jump was discovered, another 1000+ attempts later and I nailed this! One missed super jump = 1 second lost, so unacceptable to me. Had I allowed 1 missed jump to go by I would have finished this after like 500 or less attempts but thats the nature of the perfectionist inside me.
p1c7: I didn't need as many attempts as the previous level but keep in mind it probably took longer to do due to the fact that each attempt was fairly long, I almost always got to the first cut scene with a half decent time. It was between the first and 2nd cut scene that I needed to restart the most, tonnes of problems on the stairs, not killing the guys in the park first time etc. and of course the super jump was a run killer as well. I somehow, FINALLY managed to put it all together and get 1:26. Note the roll I do right before the final cut scene kicks in; this I found by accident on an attempt. You need to get the correct speed and angle to roll right over the wall in the cut scene I start off at the bottom of the stairs and can complete the fight in record time. The grenade I throw to the right kills everyone, NOT EASY!
p1c8: It took an ungodly long time before I finally got a 1:51 then using the "super jump" I had the fun of redoing it :[ . I got a 1:33 with both jumps done first time but there were some small improvements to be made. Then I got a 1:30 but I botched the second jump. *Several hundred attempts later* I worked out a 1:28 was optimal after I kept finding time savers and I persisted until I got... a 1:27, phew! Note the shotgun shot I do right at the start, I found the deagler retreats and gets out of the way when this is done so saves me having to kill him, little things like that add up. Also I worked out how to save a lot of time by rolling onto the scaffolding!
p1c9: Upon finding and using the super jump on this level the luck factor of the enemies coming after you quickly is eliminated and it is simply a matter of killing then all as quickly as possible. Except its not simple at all! I got a 0:42 fairly early on but cut that right down to 0:37, then a 0:34 and finally a 0:33.
pro2: I decided to redo pro2 and p2c1 again as well so that the in-game timer is consistent with the improvement I did to p1c4-p1c9. It didn't take too long to nail this again as I had already done it, I actually improved the run by about 0.3s as well.
p2c1: The main challenge (INITIALLY) for this level was working out the fastest route. I could either get the guns at the start or not, it turns out quicker to get them, you kill the guys after the elevator quicker and don't have to waste 0.5-1s in the final fight switching guns. I realised I only need the ingrams though, not the sawn-off so I lose virtually no time and save a lot. I got a 1:05 fairly early on and thought a 1:01 would be optimal. I kept finding time savers as you do when you play a level loads and so I got it all the way down to a 1:00!
p2c2: Upon getting to p3c6 I looked back and was very happy with the optimisation of everything and the level of gameplay, but I did not like the 3 or so seconds I lost in p2c2. I previously got 4 out of 6 super jumps first time and the other two second time. I decided to split this level in half, the first 3 jumps, then the last 3.
p2c2-part1: Oh god how annoyingly difficult this level is. Even splitting it in two, it is still a nightmare. I could manage the 1st and 3rd super jump without much trouble, but the 2nd was really difficult for some reason. One REALLY annoying thing was I have to keep stats consistent, that means I can't get hit at all and I have to use a certain number of ingram and shotgun bullets, constraints like this just made it so much harder.
p2c2-part2: The supposedly easy half turned out to be fiendishly tricky, about 80-90% due to having to keep the stats consistent. I need to take a certain amount of damage from the first fall (HARD!) I need to then not get hit (this ruined many good runs right at the end). I need to shoot 3 ingram bullets (actually turned out not too difficult) and finally, I need to use a certain amount of the bullet time meter. I finished this but forgot about the focus meter, then I realised it is possible to finish another second quicker! I had consistent stats multiple times but it always seemed to be a second slow, or I would get hit by the f*****g shotgun guy at the end. Due to it being so hard to get the health and bullet time meter exact I had to add another segment in, I save just before the final super jump.
p2c2-part3: Not much to say, getting all the stats completely consistent was a painstaking effort. In a very related topic; I hate shotgunners with a passion. If any enemy ever causes me SERIOUS problems its always a shotgunner! I really can't express just how....AGGREVATING THEY CAN BE.
p2c3: Possibly my favourite level. It took a lot of planning as there were several problems to overcome. Firstly how to get through the first door quickly given the guy blocking it does not come to you. Next and the bigger problem was the matter of weapons and ammo. Due to the much faster new route I don't get the sniper rifle. It turns out you can use ingrams to great effect if I get ammo from a container and it only costs a second. The boss is incredibly tough so it is key to force him to the back and blow the cannisters to kill him in any reasonable time. On top of all this, 3 super jumps to nail! Note at the end I get minimal stuff from the guns and ammo room. The painkiller is very helpful but I find that unless you grab something sometimes the ending is not triggered, so thats why I did that.
p2c4: BITCH! (This level, not you). This level turned out to be a nightmare; reason? Originally there were two super jumps to perform and a treacherous exit. I found several shortcuts in this level (one of which results in a race against a cardboard box!) and tried using the super jump in various areas. I was slightly in despair after several hundred attempts of failure. My success rate on super jumps on this level was nothing short of manically depressing. My health was also a big problem near the end. I found a very neat skip in one area through the fire which is not only quicker but you can keep ALL your health! This was the saving grace that enabled me to finally finish this level with a very good time. You have to make the most of the cut scene when the two guys above the sewers are killed (rolling blind is HARD!), then you have to hope you don't die in the sewers.
p2c5: At this chapter I realised I should probably have got the sniper rifle at the end of p2c3. It would have been about 0.3s slower on p2c3 but could save about 0.40 seconds here even if I execute this level flawlessly (mainly the boss fight). Theres really nothing in it but using the deagle makes this level a whole lot harder. I have to hit a super jump after this fight, then a jump up onto the 2nd floor. So this level was extremely nasty and the worst part is I made it so hard by a bit of a bad assumption. I got a 0:37 which I actually kept and went on to do prologue 3 but then looked back and being the perfectionist I am could not stand the 1 second or so of errors and got a 0:35!
pro3: I knew a 0:46 was possible! Everything has to go virtually perfect in order to get it though; I roll everywhere possible, especially on the blood lines. The fight at the end also seemed to go very quick :).
p3c1: This is a very technical level; lots of precise maneuvers and aiming. After planning and practising exactly what I was doing it took 264 attempts before I nailed a 0:56 when I thought earlier a 0:58 would be very good so I am very pleased with this result.
p3c2: I despise levels with one super jump; my success rate is always shocking. In a practise run I segmented this and got a 1:47, that was after about 100 practise attempts; a few hundred proper attempts later and I got a 1:48. Finally I got a 1:46 which is pretty damn optimal for such a bitch of a level.
p3c3: Nothing especially difficult, or so I first thought. 500 attempts later..... I promise I will never underestimate a level again. It needs perfect execution and that is actually very difficult! From practise a 2:15 seemed roughly optimal but I got it down to a 2:14 here.
p3c4: I am held back on this level at 3 points. You can see me rolling sideways to dodge bullets but not progressing, this is because of an invisible barrier, if I cross it I die instantly. Believe me I have tried to get past it by super jumping and trying to find a gap in it but it is not possible. I discovered that if you superjump over the fence on the bottom level, it is quicker in terms of killing the boss and getting to the phone by about 2 seconds. I got a 1:25 in practise knowing it was optimal but it requires very difficult play in places. I kept getting slower times even with both super jumps done first time. I was so close to keeping the 1:26 but I just wasn't happy with it. Finally I got a 1:25 which was a milestone in this run as this is such a hard level.
p3c5: I tried all sorts of ways of getting up to the 2nd floor where the laser scoped rifler is. I even tried to get an extra boost by super jumping over a grenade. I saved in mid-air and put on slow-mo and finally managed to jump over the banister by tapping jump and forward alternately, eventually I made it over. I realised you are on the ledge for a few frames and can jump if you jump at the right time, but its difficult to do.
p3c6: If this had just been 4 super jumps I would have done it in one segment but there is a VERY tricky landing and roll after the 4th super jump, down to the 2nd floor as well.
p3c6-part1: Main thing worthy of note in this segment is the super jump I do through the ceiling which causes me to rise out of the floor as if it was just liquid. I'm not quite sure how this works, in the outtakes you can see what happens if you superjump into a wall... I did this jump by accident after misreading, or misremembering honorableJay's notes on the super jump here. His method is simply jumping and hugging the wall to the right. I tried to find a way to jump to the left so you go straight for the door and then this happened... Its about 0.5s quicker than the other method.
p3c6-part2: After finding the first part quite straight forward I was intent on really optimising this segment. It seemed like 0:40 would be impossible but I managed to get it. Things to note are the quick roll I do on landing, if you land on the light, just off from the ledge you don't have a "slow" landing where you crouch to take the impact, you just roll straight away. This is crucial to a quick time but also very difficult. Then you have to half land on the pillar ledge and use it to boost you underneath and over the railing. After that it is fairly straight forward rolling. Took at least 700-800 attempts, 99% decided on the super jump and roll.
p3c7: I did a ton of practise for this level before I started attempting so it didn't take too long before I got this. Again I split it into 2 parts because getting up to the 3rd floor at the start is very hard as well as the server room.
p3c7-part1: Despite the practise it took a long time to get to the 3rd floor. I realised before too long that another super jump up the cables is faster than multiple jumping up there by 0.5s or more. I got part 1 done but when compared with my practise run I realised it could be 0.6s or more quicker. I redid it and before too long got one that was almost a second quicker than the practise run. I save just before the server room section as you can VERY easily die there and it appears to be random.
p3c7-part2: I finally got past the server room and started to fail on the final super jump, then out of no where I got one that landed without the guy in my way!! That has never happened before and I held it together for the rest of the level. A lot of the time he gets in the way big time and wastes time so this was very lucky and would be very hard to replicate.
p3c8: There isn't much more I can improve on from the last run for this level. Worthy of note is the first 4 kills, anything less than 1:29:55 at the cutscene and I restart. Next I fire 8 bullets in slow-mo then empty the rest of the clip into the helicopter. This is optimal and anymore bullets in slow-mo and the shutters don't come down early, any less and its a bit slower firing. Note the door opening here and the door opening after the guys come out of the elevator. These doors can't open any quicker than they do here, resulting in a record time. The vast majority of the time at least one of them takes ages to open and results in a restart. In many hundred attempts this is the only time both opened straight away for me... The outside section with the cables is much harder than it looks as I need to be so accurate. I leave everything to play out for completeness...
So, until next time!