Question about Challenge Mode Times

[Sitka]

In looking at the guide "Challenge Mode Times," I see three columns for each stage:

Stage Optimum Time Clear Time Time Attack

Clear time is self-explanatory. Time attack is understandable, if a bit daunting.

My question is regarding the column: "Optimum Time."

What is Optimum Time? Is this the fastest time ever recorded? The time achievable if perfect map, excellent player, ideal weapons/mats/fluids drop?

Or, is the time a known standard by which truly excellent players should be able to achieve and better times have been recorded by the best of the best?

I didn't consider myself that bad until I looked at those times - anyone know?

[Mixfortune]

Well, the optimum time total seems to be about 2 hours, 56 minutes, and 16 seconds, whereas the TA times come out to be at about 3 hours and 21 minutes. Make of that what you will, I suppose, but I would think that the optimum time is the lowest time anyone has ever achieved on that stage.

It's a bit old, though, so I'm not sure if those times are even lower now, or what.

Not, that there's no real way to estimate the lowest possible time ever, without taking times of people who have actually completed it with such a low time. So, it could be possible that you could get under that amount, although not easily.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Mixfortune on 2004-07-16 17:12 ]</font>

[Sitka]

Well, if those are the times that should be achievable by a good player - shit!

Makes me want to get out Pong - a game I truly mastered.

Or maybe Joust.

[Mixfortune]

It can't really be said that those times should be achievable by a good character. It's like saying the world record for the mile should be achievable by a good runner. It's not really a fair implication.

And of course it's based on team performance. You can be the best C-Moder to ever be known in all the universe, but it won't save you one bit if your team is not in synch, and with a little bit of luck on your side as well.

Basically, I would assume that Optimum time refers to what was (at the time) the lowest time ever achieved (and known to others, nothing says there can't be a person with a better legitimate time that just hasn't shared it). There would only necessarily be 4 characters that even have that Optimum Time, provided they aren't deleted or recreated.

[Sheik1]

mm...here are some TA times...more like genkai times though.
These are very good.

C1 06:28 +2 wave 2HUct 1HUcl 1FOnl 1Monest
C2 16:11 +13 wave 1HUct 3FOnl
C3 16:46 +14 wave 1HUct 1HUcl 2FOnl
C4 17:17 +19 wave 1HUct 1HUcl 2FOnl 10PanArm
C5 14:33 +17 wave 1HUct 1HUcl 2FOnl
C6 19:14 +20 wave 2HUct 1HUcl 1FOnl 3Dub
C7 23:15 +25 wave 2HUct 1HUcl 1FOnl
C8 21:40 +23 wave 2HUct 1HUcl 1FOnl
C9 25:33 +21 wave 1HUct 1HUcl 1FOnl 36 Belra
*2:40:57*

There are more details about each stage...but I do not want to type them here...exhausting... The other detils describe items/weapons found, etc.

These are credit to player "Tetsu"
These are the player's FOnl's times.

If you are interested I can give the source of the information...

Edit: Also, please realize that usually it takes 12-24 hours for each stage in order to find the map, run though it enough to know it (and the enemies) and finish it...except for maybe C1...which maybe only 6 hours need...still very long and you must have patience to do this...very very few players here have the patience to do this...I have found by experiance.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Sheik1 on 2004-07-17 20:16 ]</font>

[SLON]

For most players, I would say a decent time to aim for is 5 hours or under. This is because, in my experience, you often have to join teams consisting of either newbies, people who speak different languages, or poor character combinations. It is fairly easy to get an S rank time of over 6 hours, but that isn't really a Challenging time!

[Sitka]

I found Sheik 1's post very interesting.

Having improved a bit in my c-mode play, given a decent team and decent map, I can get Ep1, s1 in about 8-9 minutes and many of the other stages around 30 minutes. I don't consider myself a good player, but I am improving and actually wouldn't mind getting together with a hard-core c-moder to run each of the stages multiple times to get a better feeling for the maps.

Most of the guys that I've been able to play with know the maps fairly well and can tolerate the fact that I don't, but I'm not running into any real TA guys (maybe one).

Made me go to EB on the whim that maybe they would have an old copy of the Gamecube PSO, so that I could resurect my characters there and try finding some Gamecube c-mode teams. No disc though. Maybe in August if/when + comes out - we'll see.

Thanks Sheik 1, et al, for the posts. Gives me a better idea of what to shoot for.