AC2 finished in 5:10:31
[Front-paged. -stabguy]
Hello guys, here's my new and augmented run of AC2 (any%). As almost usually I will paste my general comments here. I'll be glad to get your feedback!
playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAAB3xSA3bP2sY7ajTxm8_zT53ChFPGzM
seq. 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04SqIiAVX8Q
seq. 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOeMq9vqmrg
seq. 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DEg1lYiMAU
seq. 4: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8iBW6sHhto
seq. 5: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lwE5pjmvQ4
seq. 6: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDM-phsRFn8
seq. 7: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAGTrDJk0mM
seq. 8: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBBGb8a-bcQ
seq. 9: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lr0_1NMzfJw
seq. 10: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4dyYbh-Iow
seq. 11: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CdIU-DHmo0
seq. 12: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_35fc5O2QQ
seq. 13: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JxdRgAxMjA
seq. 14: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xaGzZuq5LI
Welcome to the speedrun of Assassin's Creed II in 5 hours, 10 minutes and 31 seconds. It was recorded between April 3rd and June 22nd (2016). Also, this is my second run of this game and that category, although the first was now five years ago and did not feature any save warp.
I wish to address many thanks to MAGLX, Ectortutu, the whole team from TheHiddenBlade, the SDA team, and all people who supported me when I recorded.
Nota bene: the in-game time isn't increased during the present parts, nor everywhere you can't pause and watch the stats, for example all the loading screens. The run was recorded on PC with a Logitech controller, with almost all the settings put to the maximum (except antialiasing). The resolution I chose was 1920x1080 and I recorded at 60 frames per second thanks to an SSD (but that doesn't modify anything in the gameplay).
Category note: this run is tagged new game plus since I get extra throwing knives available (25 in total).
There are two ways to end a segment: first by quitting to Windows (only when a checkpoint is registered) and second by going to the main menu, which makes the game to save. Another possibility is to press alt+F4 but it's only worth in a few present part places, during loading times extended by some dialog or similar things.
One last thing before going into details: the hyperblending glitch. I use it a few times in the run, and it allows you to go everywhere while staying hidden from the guards. Basically, you have to blend with a group of people and get on a non-standing surface (ladders, water, horses, any climbing element, etc...). Given you stay on those non-standing surfaces, you will be hidden; if you walk (without high profile) out of the group but still trigger the glitch, it's then called superblending.
Final stats:
Overall
- synchronization (%) 61.26
- time played 05:10:31
- distance covered (m) 40284
Fight
- deaths 0
- favorite weapon double blade
- enemies killed in fight 194
- enemies assassinated with hidden blade(s) 81
- air assassinations 3
- double air assassinations 1
- disarms 3
Navigation
- height climbed (m) 968
- distance covered on ground (m) 28687
- distance swam (m) 107
- distance covered on horseback (m) 3289
- distance covered on gondolas (m) 462
- distance flown (m) 508
Villa
- Monteriggioni restored (%) 3
- Monteriggioni's value (florins) 5695
- Monteriggioni's population 132
- renovations completed (%) 0
- shops completed (%) 19
- collections completed (%) 23
- equipment collected (%) 7
Social
- money earned (florins) 194918
- money spent (florins) 28562
- time spent blended 00:02:33
- times notorious 24
- Borgia couriers killed 0
- courtesans hired 1
- mercenaries hired 3
- thieves hired 4
Because I'm too lazy to look it up, what was your previous time on this again? 7h+?
Do you think it would be possible to finally get this game under 5h? Do you have any ideas for further improvement?
In any case, great job! I probably won't watch this one soon because I have friends and family visiting (and I watched the last one).
I love that you mention hyperblending and superblending... then are only blended for 2.5 min total. hah! Must be some important blend time to get you to slow down, I guess. 
“Force has no place where there is need of skill." Herodotus
The previous any% run was 5:42:16, the 100% category was more than 7 hours.
I have no idea how to improve this, apart from actually getting the caestus and being more lucky in the fights...
That's right. I remember the 5:42 now.
Great job to take another 30 minutes off!!! 
If you would be so kind for the lazy and uninitiated... what would you say were the biggest time savers between this run and the last one, to get those 30 minutes shaved off? 
“Force has no place where there is need of skill." Herodotus
I can't seem to find one big thing... The warps save quite a bit of time, but there are also lots of small strategies that save reasonable amount of time like 10-20 seconds. Again I can't really tell.
What is your favorite part of speedrunning Assassin's Creed II? The moment (or moments) that you are the most proud of, that make you smile the most?
Congrats on the new and improved time Fed!
Very impressive.
If you would be so kind for the lazy and uninitiated
Have to admit even I don't spare the time to watch whole speedruns. It's mostly the assassination missions that catch my interest. Speaking of which, any awesome moments in this run?
Actually I can't think of special moments since this run is basically the any% optimization of what happened in the 100% category. When I see it from my point of view, every single second of this run is as much interesting as another, because you have to be patient and stay focused in the cutscenes, and also sprinting in the streets can be hard because of people there. And of course I'm not talking about the parkour/climbing tricks nor the fights.
I really liked the Antonio Maffei assassination. Reminded me of how far Ezio's air assassinations (think that was actually a high profile ledge kill) extend. And how you reached the next checkpoint after that.
Congrats on the new time,your speedruns never cease to amaze me. I watched a few of your streams on twitch, it really shows how much effort you put into these things
SDA needs you in public verification! 
https://forum.speeddemosarchive.com/post/assassins_creed_ii_available_fo...