ARCHIVES: Textbook Play

Even More GoldenEye Homework...

Examining the path of a particular guard in the Archives Mission.

Bond hits the books to better his odds in the Military Intelligence Archives

This patrolling sentry is a deciding variable that will make or break a successful speedrun.
The goal is to finish within the Target Time of 1:20 as a 00 Agent (hardest difficulty).

Have previously commented that Super Mario Bros 3 is like a Pinball machine...
GoldenEye 007 is more like a game of Poker.

Even if you play your cards right - The unpredictability of other characters will make the whole run a total bust.

It's possible to finish the mission without even seeing this problem guard...
At the same time, he could be in the worst possible place - And there's absolutely nothing you can do about it.


The patrolling guards in the Facility are predictable (can almost set Bond's watch by it).
Most of the Facility patrollers don't travel through doors...

Computer-controlled characters often get stuck behind doors in the Archives, turning in circles until the door closes... At which point, they try again.

If the guard in the Archives navigates his course properly, he should arrive at a particular spot at a certain point in time - This seldom happens. If things go well, you might not even see him.

Interestingly enough, he's the same guard who patrols during one of the opening Intro Cameras.
(The angle that shows an outdoor area with other guards stationed around)

This area is just down the hall from where Bond stops to meet Mishkin (to complete OBJECTIVE C)



Exploring with Bond Invisible (the very same Cheat that's unlocked in this level with a successful run).

Not quite background ambience or random character animation, exactly...

The Russian Soldier guard can even get stuck in the corner with Mishkin before Bond even arrives in the room.

Get there quick enough, and the guard might just be leaving the room with his back to you.

Sometimes Bond gets to the meeting room, and the far door is wide open - Indicating the guard has just left.




After hundreds of playthroughs of this mission, and I saw something I'd never seen before...

It's Ajar.
(Normally there's a door here)

After exiting the meeting room with Mishkin (obtaining the bloody safe key & flight recorder), I raced down the hall to find the last door wide open...

There really should be "Push" and "Pull" signs on these Archives doors...

The only logical explanation is that the patrolling guard must have just finished passing through it.
He must have been stuck turning in circles behind the door while the meeting was in progress.


On another playthrough, the guard happened to catch sight of me just as I was sneaking by the basement bookcases... He technically passes through there for just a brief moment, as he travels from a hallway to enter the "big room".




Being harassed by other guards: Just as the patroller can cause problems, Bond might have a couple other guards that follow downstairs while the important meeting with Mishkin is underway.

Very few of them will manage to track you that far... But a couple of them might (occasionally even one of the black-coated guards who was holding Natalya).





On a separate but related note, all the GoldenEye speedrunning experts will use the additional strategy of looking down at the ground as they run and strafe...

Bond's always curious if the curtains match the carpet...

Apparently this speeds up the framerate, as the game is required to load fewer textures.
The Archives is an excellent mission to practice this technique.
Fewer guards to deal with, and straight, easy tiles and lines on the floors to follow.

While I definitely need more practice to be effective with this method, it's undeniably a time-saver that can shed a few additional seconds.

Pirate Gold

A Fast Ship...

The French Frigate "LA FAYETTE" is overrun with Janus Marines, who are holding the crew at gunpoint.

(Janus Pilot Xenia Onatopp is not on this boat just yet - She's on another vessel, exercising her thighs in the Admiral's Quarters)

Can add the Frigate mission in GoldenEye 007 to the list of levels that can be completed in just over 20 seconds on Agent difficulty...

Planting the Tracker Bug on the aircraft was traditionally done by approaching the chopper and sticking the device to it...

Thinking outside the box, players have managed to recklessly toss one of Q's priceless gadgets
from the top deck of the ship.

With the proper angle (and a bit of luck), it's possible to hit that helicopter without traveling aft to the lower deck. This saves an entire round trip to the ship's helipad, practically cutting the mission time in half.

Rescue a few hostages and stick the Tracker Bug on the Pirate helicopter.
(Then put away the proper gun and fix your tie...)

---

"Q BRANCH: As for the Tracker, you only get the one, so do be careful how you handle the thing."

-Official Player's Guide

Just love the complete and total disregard for the Q Branch equipment.
This instantly becomes yet another classic Bond moment.

---

The Tracker Bug device seems to fly further when Bond is actually running (as opposed to standing still). This gives the extra push necessary - Otherwise, I just don't believe it's possible to get enough momentum for the toss to clear the lower deck.

Adjusting the trajectory is the hardest part. Run fast, and you don't have to angle up as high. Run slower, and you'll have to pitch the thing higher in the air.

Without a running start, the Tracker Bug hits the very edge of the upper deck...
The target helicopter sits on the helipad just below.

Missing the target will produce a FAILED Objective...
However, with the MAXIMUM AMMO code, Bond can subsequently (attempt to) plant (another) bug on the chopper to change the objective status to COMPLETED.

Definitely wanted to figure out how to pull off this stunt. A few practice sessions using the Maximum Ammo push-button Cheat... This gives TEN attempts without having to restart. (Enter the code again for ten more!)

Still need some practice to pull it off reliably during an actual run.

Especially on Agent difficulty, being a relatively short mission, with just a few precise moves to master, this adds yet another fun twist to an old favorite.


Anyone competing for a World Record will commit to tossing the device in the air,
immediately turning around and racing in the opposite direction...

The "OBJECTIVE B: COMPLETED" message will appear as the player is racing for the exit.

Rescue 411...

The Next Variable... OBJECTIVE A: Rescue the hostages
Gotta rescue 5 of 6 on 00 Agent (the hardest difficulty).
The easy Agent mode is much more lenient.

A record setting performance not only requires slick rescues and a perfect toss of that Tracker Bug - But also a bit of luck in the random "Hostage escaped" messages that appear...

(Something similar happens with the game planting Dr. Doak in a random spot in the Facility)

Save a hostage, and a "Hostage released" message appears.
Once that hostage safely reaches their random exit destination, they'll fade away and disappear with the text  "Hostage escaped" appearing on screen.

Once enough hostages reach their randomly chosen safe point, the text OBJECTIVE A: COMPLETED will appear.

With that Tracker Bug securely on the chopper, it's now safe to exit the level - Regardless of how many green-clad Naval Officers are still shaking at gunpoint...

Gotta be good to be lucky, and lucky to be good.

Time it right, and can fill this guy full of lead without putting the hostage in (much) danger.
Gotta make it back to the beach bar in time for Martini hour.

A "clean" headshot would be best in a hostage situation...
But Bond has places to go and things to do (and lovely French women to seduce) so it could get a little messy!

00 Agent Facility in 1:54 - ZERO DAMAGE!

I AM INVINCIBLE! (And Apparently Bulletproof)

Managed to do the unthinkable.
Cleared the 00 Agent Facility in GoldenEye 007 without taking so much as a scratch.
Still with perfect health, finishing within the Target Time.

 

Absolutely incredible. Couldn't believe it.
How on earth was this even possible?

Whoa.
"I'm not the one. I'm just a regular guy."

 

No Damage Clear

Wasn't even consciously aware that my health was full.
Knew I had done well, but it wasn't until pausing to access the Door Decoder that I realized my health meter was fully intact.

 

Perfect Bond Indeed...

With practice, I've been able to make it upstairs to the lab in excellent health.
On this particular run, Doak was in the side lab. No good for setting a new personal best time, but still needing some practice in the Bottling Room, I'm always up for it.

Half of Everything is Luck...

Ducked in to start the conversation with Dr. Doak and one of the Russian Soldiers pulls a grenade in the hallway.

Wipes out all of his comrades (without more than 2 Non-Military Personnel).
(Have FAILED the mission many times because of guards killing Scientists!)

Suddenly surrounded by silence, I proceed to waltz right out like I own the place.
Doesn't even feel like it really happened.
Somehow, it made me put down the controller, walk away and reflect...

Like something out of Pulp Fiction...
Sam Jackson wonders how the hell he didn't get shot and killed by those motherfuckers.

 

Other Factors:

It was on console, not the ROM.
Recently started using the technique of a tiny piece of paper on the screen to aim while running.
Nailed a few crucial guards with perfect headshots using the Silenced PP7.

Had just hit new best times for the Facility on Agent, Secret Agent, and 00 Agent.
Hit a new personal record for 00 Agent Facility just hours earlier.

Without a doubt, I've never been this good at GoldenEye before. Hadn't played in ten years.
After three months of practice, definitely in the zone.

Of course I'm nowhere near as good as the best players in the world.
Still, it's an unforgettable GoldenEye moment that I was lucky enough to achieve.

 

Took a break after several dozen runs in the afternoon. Picked it up in the evening, and it happened several attempts in. Had also gone for a nice long relaxing nature walk before dark.

Also cranked down the music - Which I still enjoy, and somehow am not sick of yet...
But it is a bit of a distraction, and I'd rather be in tune with the SFX.

And finally, just switched up to a (slightly) better N64 controller.

 

Also realized that it was on my original GoldenEye 007 game cart - So worn out that it won't load if fully inserted. Definitely has sentimental value.






For the actual strategy pages, see Blog Posts:
"Speedrun For Invincible" and "Earning Invincible - It's Infuriating!".

Open Sesame!

Baiting and Luring...

The strategy for unlocking the GoldenEye Facility Cheat was turned upsidedown with an alternate method...

Not only is it possible to hit the Target Time by tricking one of the guards to unlock the Bottling Room door, but with some fine-tuning, it's even good enough to earn a record-setting performance.

Of course, speaking with Doak is a requirement to actually pass the mission on the higher difficulties - But actually using the Door Decoder on the door itself takes up precious time...

Having to pause the game, select the decoder, and wait a few more precious seconds for the door to open...

This "outside of the box" strategy involves proper timing. One of the guards on the other side can be "tricked" into opening the Bottling Room door for you.

Requires Bond to enter the biggest lab (of three, where Doak can sometimes be found). If Bond fires his gun while running into the far corner, it can be loud enough for the guard to hear through the walls.

It costs a bit of time, but if done right, that time is more than made up when you arrive at the Bottling Room door just as the guard is opening it.

While it seemed a bit ludicrous, it was definitely fun to play around with.

A very quick map illustrating Bond's route towards the Bottling Room, with an "X" marking the guard who ultimately opens the door:

FACILITY
Partial Map
(Upstairs Lab Areas & Bottling Room)

Objective B is to locate Dr. Doak

At first, it was pretty much just something to try on a botched run - After going all that way upstairs to not be rewarded with a Dr. Doak encounter.

It seemed like just a fun way to proceed with the mission, getting another round of practice with the Mines in the Bottling Room.

Seeing is believing. After watching a few videos, this method is undeniably here to stay.

Understandably, it took quite a long time to catch on as a solid strategy... Until someone actually set a World Record using this method. (The YouTube video is undeniably impressive... And dare I say that yet another second could possibly be saved in the Bottling Room - But placement of the two mines to destroy ten tanks is so crucial that it takes a second to ensure it's done perfectly. The person who eventually breaks this record will no doubt plant the mines while still running...)


After fooling around with this tactic on Secret Agent and pulling it off, definitely encouraged to eventually trying it as a 00 Agent.

The tradeoff is that it seems to require Bond to sacrifice yet another Remote Mine to deal with the increasing volume of guards that will inevitably catch up at this point...

Killing them all with a Remote Mine just as you enter the Bottling Room, so you can go to work without them shooting at you. This leaves just 2 Mines in the inventory for use on the tanks.

Impeccable placement of the Remote Mines in the Bottling Room (laid on the floor between the tanks, while Bond is looking directly downward) can have Bond destroying all ten tanks with just two bombs - Leaving three other Remote Mines to use on the legions of Russian Soldiers that will otherwise ruin your speedrun.

Definitely want to play around with this one some more.

With so many variations on technically finishing the Facility mission, what will they come up with next?

Also wondering how many N64 controllers have been worn out on this mission alone.
Definitely on the hunt for yet another official Nintendo 64 controller.

BUNKER 2: Speedrun

Blazing through the Bunker at "Ludicrous Speed"...

BUNKER 2, AGENT: SPEEDRUN (2X THROWING KNIVES)  [Clearing Bunker 2 within the Target Time of 1:30]  AGENT FIELD REPORT: Completing the second Severnaya Bunker mission in 1:30 unlocks the 2X Throwing Knives Cheat. Simple enough that it's possibly one of the first Cheats that many players will unlock. There's no stopping James Bond (I don't know why this guard even tries). Competitive speedrunners have managed to finish the mission in 20 seconds - Which is downnright amazing. Gotta watch the YouTube video to believe it. It all hinges on a smooth escape from the jail cell. Gotta spring Natalya before leaving - And then dash through the rest of the mission. Some players can even perform a glitch to escape the jail cell without using the Watch Magnet Attract... "Piggy Back Ride" (Incidentally, the guard in the distance carries KEYCARD B - Which isn't overly useful Agent difficulty) Outside the detention area, the first set of sliding doors are locked - But one can "piggyback" through by being quick enough to follow a patrolling guard. Gotta be fast to get there before the door closes. Another patroller will be along shortly... But to snag a speedy time, you want through that door ASAP. The distant guard might even see you and (eventually) open the door - But those seconds count. Just a few bursts of fire, and a few "clean kills". Gotta collect just enough ammo to finish this mission. It's nice to tag them all with a perfect headshot... But sometimes going so fast that it's easy to miss. It's more important to get to the destination quickly - These guys will never catch up. Guy "guarding" the CCTV tape will open the door a few seconds after he hears gunfire. Time it so he opens the door for you. A few quick bursts to eliminate the necessary guards - But not too loud or things won't end well... Time to shoot in and out... Drive-By Movie... After several clean kills on a mad dash for the CCTV tape, it's time to obtain the correct keycard to escape... Time to Play It Loud... The trick is to fire the KF7 Soviet to attract the attention of one of the patrolling guards (with 2X Klobbbs) who carries KEYCARD A (which unlocks the glass doors towards the exit). If you've been fast, by the time you reach the round shaft room, any shots fired will cause the patrolling guard to run towards your previous location. The patrolling Keycard guard is identifiable by the sight (and sound) of the 2X Klobbs that he carries. He also has a different hat. (There are a few patrolling guards that match this description) Can sometimes encounter the guard right outside the doors when you return to the main hallway... But running through him from behind before he has a chance to react is ideal. It all happens so fast, but you develop a "feel" for where he should be based on how quick you've been. The map offers a visual on the best route - And where the guard will be walking. That little stretch between the doors and the stairs is where you'd like to be ambushing him. The map illustrates where that crucial guard is to start the mission. He's on a set course, and will pass through a set of doors between the 15-20 second mark... Once he's beyond the doors, he won't be back around for another 40 seconds or so. Seems like a VERY short distance - But he's walking, and Bond is running (or strafing) full out. Make enough noise, and he'll abandon his patrol to go searching for you. Ideally, Bond collects the CCTV Tape and goes out the far door - Just in time to shoot him in the back as he's running towards that previous hallway (where you just came from). Going through the set of rooms (in either direction) will confuse the guards - And get them running the wrong way. Takes a bit of experimenting on WHEN to fire those random bursts of gunfire. Get him chasing a bit too soon, and he'll "double back" too far (to where you were several seconds ago). Too much gunfire and you'll also alert an undesirable number of guards... The ideal spot to lure the guard with the Keycard is before the stairs - Ambushing him and taking his keycard on the fly.  KEYCARD A: The target is the guard who carries "KEYCARD A". Look at that keycard fly! Keycard in hand, it's time to bolt for the exit. Grab that keycard and run! Now it's really time to kick it into high gear... Getting blasted down the stairs as bullets hit Bond in the back... Plenty of health to spare on Agent difficulty. Flying through the Main Control Room without any objectives to complete there. Natalya will even skip the step of checking the computer terminal and follow you out. At the exit, and the bullets still pushing Bond forward. Getting shot in the back several times can actually shave a couple seconds off your time. Whenever you've finished the mission as quickly as possible, a major variable that can yet again save valuable seconds of   time... Completely smashing that target time, this is a rather enjoyable speedrun. The fact that it takes less than a minute is encouraging because there's little invested if you mess something up and have to restart. Surely the developers never imagined that people would be playing this game a quarter century later - Or that someone would finish Bunker 2 in just 20 seconds.

Bunker 2 Mission - KEYCARD A

MARKED MAN
Altered the intro camera to take a look at our guard.

GoldenEye Homework...

Studying the Bunker 2 mission to learn exactly what's going on.

Wanted to figure out the timing of the guard carrying KEYCARD A, to find the optimal point to intercept him and get his access key.

Also altered the intro text to clearly mark this guy...
Obtaining his card is the quickest way out of the building.

Various playthrus, therefore the guard's face is different.
When the mission starts, the guard begins in the dark "maze" near the drone guns. He begins his patrol, soon walking into the brightly-lit hallway...

Looking down the hall... At the very end are the stairs leading to the "big Control Room".
Ideally, Bond will ambush this guy somewhere in this short stretch, just second later...

More exploration with the Bond Invisible Cheat turned ON.
Can see exactly where the guard with Keycard A makes his turn away from the main hallway - And why it's so important to get him running at just the right moment.

Bond Invisible.
Playing "Super-Spy": Doing some reconnaissance before playing the mission...

During the speedrun, Bond will be exiting the door (visible in the left of the frame). Get the guard to abandon his route and come looking for you, instead of the other way around...

Once he gets past the next set of doors, it can be difficult to make enough noise (without rousing too many other guards).

Alert him too soon and he'll run back towards the start of the mission, which is even worse.

For more on the guard who carries Keycard A (including an overhead map with his route), see Blog Post: Bunker 2: Speedrun



Luring this guard to the proper spot is pretty much essential to setting a fast time...

The GoldenEye World Record for the Bunker 2 mission on Agent currently stands at 20 seconds!
Less than twenty players in the world have accomplished this feat.

World Records often stand for a few years before they are broken...
In April of 2021, Speedrunner Carl-Magnus Wall managed to set a few new benchmarks in a short timreframe.

With three new records in the span of a week, Wall bested his own time by a single second each time.
(Going from 23 seconds, 22 seconds, 21 seconds, and ultimately hitting 20 seconds on April 27, 2021)

Evolution of the Bunker 2 World Records:
https://wrs.the-elite.net/goldeneye/recordlevel.php?level=9

Bunker Busters...

Bunker 2 on Agent difficulty is a fun, fast-paced mission.
Save the girl, grab the tape, swipe a key - And get the hell out of there.

Absolutely had to watch the video to see how someone could complete GoldenEye's Bunker 2 in 20 seconds... (The 9th stage of the game)

Exploiting a "glitch" to clip through the jail cell door (saving valuable seconds instead of using the Watch Magnet to obtain the key).

Thought I knew all of the game's little tricks...
Was previously unaware that a player could force their way out the door.

Apparently the method involves "strafing while aiming".
Also unsure exactly when that trick was discovered...

(Definitely waste a good five seconds selecting the watch magnet and grabbing the key)

A total of sixteen players share the GoldenEye World Record for a 16 second speedrun through Bunker 2
(first set by Carl-Magnus Wall in 2021).

Every few years, someone seems to set a new, previously unfathomable time...
Clearing the level in 15 seconds seems downright impossible - But someone's bound to do it someday.

Back in 1998, the GoldenEye World Record for Bunker 2 was 34 seconds (held by Glen McDiarmid).
It was reduced to 27 seconds (by Patrick Wessels).
https://wrs.the-elite.net/goldeneye/recordlevel.php?level=9
The GoldenEye and Perfect Dark World Record Database

Normally, speedrunners will keep besting one another by a second or two.
The fact that the quickest time jumps 7 whole seconds - I'm going to speculate that's when the glitch was first exploited.

As for the glitch itself - Still can't pull it off, and many players can't.




After escaping from the jail cell with Natalya, one of the patrolling guards has the key to escape - Unlike the random Dr. Doak variable in the Facility, this guard is on a set path. Depending how you play the game will dictate where you encounter the Klobb-wielding key carrier.

Definitely don't wanna backtrack on a speedrun.

The crucial guard who carries Keycard A.
Make just enough noise and he'll abandon his patrol - So you can ambush him in the hallway.

The guard will run towards where the shots were fired. After collecting the CCTV Tape, you can cleverly duck into the middle room and intercept him. Once that crucial KEYCARD A  is collected, there's no need to stay - Strafe for that exit as quickly as possible, hopefully with a few bullets pushing you forward.

(May also encounter the guard with Keycard B, normally found patrolling near the start of the level. KEYCARD B grants access to documents required only on higher difficulty levels)



My own best time for the Bunker stands at 37 seconds on console (45 seconds on the PC ROM).

It's quite a thing to finish with your fastest time ever... Being simultaneously satisfied - AND well aware of the segments of that particular run where you could have saved even more time.

In the 2 seconds it takes to fly across the room while strafing, this guard is often too busy swatting flies
(or scratching his ass) to even muster a shot.

(It's been a long, boring shift)

ANOTHER FUN CHALLENGE:  Attempting to complete BOTH Bunker missions (Bunker 1 & Bunker 2) with a combined time of less than a minute. Still gotta save three seconds somewhere, off either mission...

Been trying to reduce the time by a second or two every day... Few weeks ago, was 20 seconds away from the goal. Now down to the last few seconds, and it's getting really tight - Need a bit of luck - In Bunker 1, Sometimes the Special Forces guys totally block the door, other times they scatter.

Also gonna have to get shot in the back several times to save those couple seconds...

Fun Run...

Bond bolts out of the Bunker...

Always found it fun to shave seconds off my best times in Mario Kart...
The levels in GoldenEye 007 also offer a wide variety for potential speedruns.

With the black-clad Janus Special Forces troops, the "Bunker 1" mission is more exciting than Runway.

Inspired to return to the Satellite Control Bunker (aka. Bunker 1, the game's fifth mission) after reading a few thoughts by Wouter Jansen (who set a good number of records for both GoldenEye and Perfect Dark back in the day).

Other missions around the 20-second mark include Runway, Frigate , Bunker 2 and Archives.
(Can barely mix up a vodka martini in that timeframe...)

Wouter Jansen also commented that it's required to take damage in order to set a world record...
It seems absurd at first - But Bond getting "pushed" by enemy bullets saves approximately .25 second (provided the hits send you in the direction you're heading).


His 17-second tear through Bunker 1 (Agent difficulty) in 2003 stood for a decade and a half.
(Others would tie the record... Eventually, Karl Jobst accomplished the feat of 16 seconds in 2018).

Photograph the screen and copy the GoldenEye Key...
For a seasoned veteran, the first Bunker is such a quick mission that it's like a lap around the racetrack.
But it's amazing what you can do to shed even more seconds of your best time.

While I'll never take my speedruns to the extreme, can always pick up a few tips and tricks to up your own game - And to get into the mindset of what it takes to go for the gold.

World Records
GoldenEye 007 - Bunker 1
16 seconds
(fifteen players sharing the record)

https://wrs.the-elite.net/goldeneye/rankings.php
https://wrs.the-elite.net/goldeneye/recordlevel.php?level=5

Not one bullet fired during the mission.
(MI6 is definitely cutting their budget these days)

Spontaneously picked up the controller and beat my previous best time by 2 whole seconds on the first attempt. Although I'm not a speedrunner, could maybe hit 22 seconds, eventually...

(Never thought I'd try to deliberately get shot in the back, but Bond flies down the stairs or hallway much quicker that way...)

My own best time for Bunker 1 on Agent is 25 seconds on the console (29 seconds on the ROM).
Relatively happy with it - But definitely room for improvement, considering the best players can finish the mission in practically half that time...

Will anyone ever hit 15 seconds???

Half of Everything Is Luck...

Wasting precious seconds to find Doak hiding in one of the upstairs labs...
James Bond can only hope to make it to the bottling room alive...

FACILITY, 00 AGENT: SPEEDRUN FOR "INVINCIBLE"  [Clearing the Facility within the Target Time of 2:05]  00 AGENT FIELD REPORT: Estimating that it's ten-times more difficult to unlock the "Invincible" Cheat in GoldenEye 007 than it is in Perfect Dark. Took a few weeks to get back into game form - Approximately ten days of practice runs (about an hour per day) before finally unlocking the game's most difficult Cheat.  POST-MISSION VITAL STATISTICS: Attempts 307 Aborted Missions 129 Curse Words Uttered 27,604 Times Shot to Death in Upstairs Laboratory Area 41 Guards Slapped to Death 4 Times Dr. Doak Failed to Appear Upstairs 141 Green Soldier Hats Picked Off 65 Successful Door Decoder Handoffs 23 Times Shot to Death Opening Bottling Room Door 11 Times Shot to Death in Bottling Room 3 Number of Times Alec Trevelyan Dies in Explosion 2 Female Scientists Seduced 0 Dr. Doak Look-Alikes Encountered 44 Flasks of Vodka Swiped 9 Grenades Collected 3 Number of Q Gadgets Returned From The Field Undamaged 0