I see that the website has added a check box for DLC. Are we supposed to check that box or add the DLC as a separate game? I don't understand what is right. For example TMNT: Shredders Revenge has one DLC listed as a separate game I can catalog as a play through, but this website is missing the other DLC. Are you guys cataloging DLC as separate completion or just adding it as a check box on the completion of the original game? If the latter is true I would have to go back and change a few things from my database.

I always use my own stopwatch. I start it when I start the game, and I stop it when I exit the game. That simple.

I don't like how some games built-in timers work. I always give the same example where I completed Metroid Prime in roughly 35 hours, but the in-game timer says 24 hours because it does not add the time during cutscenes or when you look at the map. And Metroid games do require to look at the map quite often.

Yeah Cut scenes is a big deal. Especially in Crysis 3 where there are a lot of cut scenes. I just want my times to be the aggregate of normal times out there.

Origin rounds the time by the hour which is annoying. I will try the timer and see how it works.

Alternatively though - a lot of in-game times don't include time spent in menus, time lost reloading a checkpoint, even time spend on loading screens - it's a bit of a balance to try and determine what time is closer for you.

For example, if I have a game open, it's because I'm focused on it and playing it one way or another, so something like Steam's tracked time is very accurate for me. However, if you are the kind of person who will walk away for a long period of time, then it wouldn't be so useful. For games that don't have a reliable timer that suits my playstyle, I use a time-tracking application that I use for work, so I find it easy to remember to track time for games as well.

Really it's about finding what suits you. As with most things on the site - there are many answers that are all correct. I also favour adding in some details to the note field - you could say something like "actual play time - XX - lot's of restarts" or whatever. =)

The reason I posted this thread was because I currently have the shortest time on the site for Main Story Only. When I saw I had the shortest time in the world without trying to speed run, something felt off. Maybe it was just an accident. Regardless I will try using a third party timer.

I just beat Crysis 3 in 2h 57min 47 seconds according to the game, but Origin said's I played the game for around 4 hours and I feel like it was more around 4 hours. Is the Campaign time given not including the cut scenes in the game? What data do I enter on HLTB for Main Story?

Ive actually seen this in a few different games. It's usually always shorter than the actual game time, but I'm not sure. What's the correct time to implement for data completions?

You guys bring up some valid points. I'm trying to think of the most streamline way to submit completions without it being it complex for the average gamer. As GamerAim said Shadow Warrior Classic Redux is a compilation game. So the times that are submitted should be for all the "main" content in the game (Main game and expansions) I guess that rule applies for all compilation games for that matter. Since the games in the compilation are technically not DLC anymore they don't need to be added in the additional content area so it's correct on HLTB.

One more note I would like to address in this matter. When beating a DLC or additional content, it's treated as a separate game on this site which i'm not a fan of because I'm trying to keep track of the games I play each year and it adds more titles to my stats then there should be. For example I beat Mafia II and the 3 expansions, and now I have beat 4 games, when In my opinion its only one game.

From what I can tell, this is not a bug. Shadow Warrior Classic Redux seems to be a compilation of Shadow Warrior and its two expansions. Compilations are listed separately from their parts on HLTB (e.g. the much-debated The Last of Us Remastered is a separate entry from both The Last of Us and The Last of Us: Left Behind). The base game and its expansions are listed.

While opinions differ on whether you should record times for a compilation or its components, if you're recording a compilation, it is always implied that you played all parts of it, including the expansion packs. If you want to record each separately, you should record the base game (linked above) and its expansions.

If this is the case, and the expansions are included in the compilation then why is the time to beat a lot shorter across the board for Redux? Same thing could be said with the Last of US remastered. The times don't seem to add up. That's why I was confused in this spot to begin with.

My guess what would be happening is that people that are beating the compilation of Redux are adding it in the Main+ category and the completionists category. People that just beat the main game and not the expansions are submitting the data in (main story only) This can create a catalog problem. Maybe HLTB should add another category or two?

Main Story Only, Optional Content Ignored

Main Story + Expansions , Optional Content Ignored

Main Story + Extra Quests/Unlockables

100% Complete, All Optional Content

100% Achievements

If expansions aren't shown then I'm guessing it means no one has cataloged them. Although it might just be a bug considering how many people have cataloged the base game.

I think it's a bug. I guess I will catalog them all together into the base game with a note attached, but this will not be the accurate time because there is no way I can beat the game and both expansions in 8 hours. Do I add it to main story only? or Main + Extras?

I am currently playing Shadow Warrior Classic Redux. I am about half way through , but I don't see the expansions under additional content? Do I submit a completion for the expansions under the base game with a note? I just don't get how the time to beat this game is less than the original if the expansions are included with the time to beat.

Any help much appreciated as I want to catalog this game correctly.

So i'm in a current predicament looking for some kind of list online of games that are must plays on high end PC's. The reason is because I know there are some bad PC ports out there, and if it plays better on console I would rather just play it on console. An example of this was Assassin's Creed Odyssey, and Seikro. I was going to play these games on console until someone told me that PC is the best experience due to the possible graphic capabilities. Any one else run into this problem? Do I sacrifice better graphics for a possibility of more bugs?

I would start by removing MMO's or exclusive multiplayer games complete from your backlog. You can play those on the side and they will be continuous games. Another thing you can do is retire games and/or remove games from your backlog over 30 hours. Last thing to do is stop buying games until you catch up!

So... I haven't played any AC games yet, but I know I need to because they're the type of game I feel I'd like to play. Since I'm a AC virgin I don't really care about starting from the first one and following a chronological story order; I'm more interested in a smooth gameplay and a story that works without any previous context (or just minimal context).

I understand that Brotherhood, Syndicate, Odyssey and Origins are my best possible choices. I'm thinking of starting with Odyssey and Origins since they're newer and maybe they'll offer the smooth experience that I'm looking for, but at the same time it feels wrong to be skipping games that are considered great. I don't believe there is right or wrong in this case, but am I making sense or am I missing something here?

I'm not sure if starting with Odyssey and Origins is the best way to go if you are virgin to the series.. I heard those games are grindy, and take 30-40 hours to complete each. Don't want to see you get burned out early on. Since the Odyssey/Origins/Valhalla are very different AC games than the previous titles, it might be a cool idea to run them co-currently to each other with a regular AC title. No way is correct ,but just a thought.

Looking back my experience with AC1 was extremely unique and inspiring at the time I played it during it's release year. There was really nothing else like it at the time. The story/graphic/setting were all great. The last hour of the game was truly memorable, and a great gaming experience! Like someone mentioned before AC1 gives you a feel for the story and the templars I wouldn't skip it personally.

It will never end unless your tastes change or stop buying games.There are just too many games released now a days. A Backlog was maybe feasible to complete in the 80's. After the Video game boom it's nearly impossible. If you are determined to finish your backlog just hope that the current Pandemic will delay game releases so you can catch up.

I came in late to the AC franchise. I played AC for the first time in 2017. Then I played AC2 last year and it only convinced me to continue. I played Brotherhood last winter and will probably play Revelations in a few months.

Including Valhalla, there are 12 main AC games. I figured that if I keep enjoying them and I play at least one of them per year, I am almost always behind, but my goal is not to catch up anyways. I'll keep playing them in order of release.

And yes, Rogue is a mainline AC game, was released on the same day as Unity too so that people without the new PS4 and XboxOne could still get their AC fun on previous gen consoles. Still impressive that they released two major titles at the same time. Two different Ubi studios obviously.

I'm glad you are enjoying the AC titles. It's impressive how Ubi Studios can pump out these games with so much content. I will look into each AC Main title and go from there. I was just concerned to play rehashed DLC. I feel like my concern was granted considering the release of a game every year. I want every title to be unique and a breath of fresh air. This is will help with fatigue in the series.

Brotherhood and Revelations are definitely full games in their own rights. I actually liked Brotherhood a lot more than I did AC2 to be honest. Rome is beautifully rendered and the missions were a lot more diverse and fun. It continues the story of Ezio and the story starts litterally at the final scene of AC2.

Edit:

According to most databases on the web, including Wikipedia, these are the mainline AC games in the order of release:

AC
AC2
Brotherhood
Revelations
AC3
AC4
Rogue
Unity
Syndicate
Origins
Odyssey
Valhalla

Then you have:

Altaïr's Chronicles which is a prequel to AC
Bloodlines which takes place between AC and AC2
Discovery which takes place between Sequence 12 and 13 in AC2
Liberation which takes place alongside AC3
Pirates which is some kind of spin-off of AC4
Freedom Cry which is set 20 years after AC4
Chronicles (China, India and Russia) which are mostly spin-offs or have wierd connexions to the main games
Identity which seems to take place at the same time of AC2/Brotherhood/Reveleation but with a different assassin
Rebellion which is a spin-off F2P strategy game

From what I've heard from a friend who's played them all, he says that the mainline games are definitely the best. As for the others, looks like Freedom Cry and Liberation are the best. But I have not played them personally. Those are his words, not mine. ;)

Wow AC Rogue is considered a main game? I understand Revelation and Brotherhood are fan favorites, but there is no way I can play every AC game to come out. I don't think many people can. At the same time I don't want to feel like i'm missing out on some great AC experiences. I did stop at AC3 for a reason. Maybe AC fatigue? are most people in my shoes?

I started playing Assassins Creed games when AC1 was released. Then I started to realize with all the games coming out so fast I just couldn't keep up with all the games... I've been looking for some information online about what the Main AC games are to follow the story, but I can't find enough information to move forward. I doubt most AC fans have played every game in the series + the all the DLC so players have to make decisions.

The games I have finished so far are as follows:

AC1, AC2, AC3, AC Chronicles (China, India, Chronicles)

The next one would be AC4 right? Which is Blackflag? AC5 would be Unity? What is 6? 7? 8?

I heard some of the games like Brotherhood or LIberation are just repackaged DLC as a new game. I don't want to run into that problem due to time constraints.

With the telltale games I would personally use the main entry and not the episodes. When the games were being released, episodes would have made more sense than now all the games have been finished.

Thanks. In the "Walking Dead" 400 Days is technically a DLC and not part of the base game. So I will catalog that separate.

I've hit another road block yet again. For the game Assassins Creed III under the DLC's we have Assassin's Creed III: The Tyranny of King Washington and then all the sub DLC's episodes from that logged as well. Do I put just the full Assassin's Creed III: The Tyranny of King Washington or each episode individually?

Well I was commenting only on Mafia II, since that is the game you brought up.

Main and Extras is intended for optional content within the base game. So for example doing sidequests in an RPG. Adding DLC times here on the base game would be counter productive to the dataset.

I'm not really sure what to suggest beyond that, it's not a problem I have much experience with. The number of DLC/expansions you complete is counted separately at the bottom of your completion list, but doesn't seem to apply to the yearly stats page. However you mentioned monthly completions so I think any solution would require an option or display to be implemented.

I have begun to catalog the DLC separate which is I feel is correct for aggregate data like you said. I have come to a roadblock with the Telltale games though. For example Walking Dead or Back to the Future has all the episodes individually. What do I do with the Telltale games for catalog purposes?

One thing to consider is that the site offers the choice of using the base game or the "complete" edition if one exists. So what you could do is move your time and date to the collection version, and then include your dlc times in that figure. I would advise against adding DLC times to the base game page because this defeats the purpose of the timing aggregates. If you included a note, that wouldn't prevent the times from being mixed with the others.

Not all games have complete edition's. So you want me to go back to all my games with DLC and create separate play through's for each DLC if applicable? Isn't that was Main+ Extras is for? Extras for extra content AKA DLC?

To be clear the DLC aren’t listed as separate games, they are all tagged on their respective pages as DLC/Expansion just like say, the FFXIV patches.

They are presented as separate entries, but not as full games.

If you submit times to the dlc page, it will be reflected in the main game page as well. It’s a technical/presentation solution.

I am little confused by this because I trying to keep track of the games I play per month in my stats page, and when I add a completion time to the DLC it adds it as another play through/completion. I don't consider beating DLC that's part of a main entity a new completion. If this is the case should I just not add the completion? Should I just make a note in the base game that I beat the DLC? Adding the extra hours to Main + or 100% completion?

I Beat Mafia II years ago. After noticing I did not get to play the DLC. I noticed Mafia 2 has the DLC as 3 separate completions. Is it better that I add it to the hours to base game (Main+) with a comment? Or add the DLC games separately? I guess this question goes for all other future games with DLC as well. Why does this site add the DLC as separate games?

Cheers!

Thanks for the answers everyone. Last predicament and we are probably about done here. I played Shinobi (1987) on Xbox One, but it's through Xbox 360 Live arcade, but this is Shinobi the Arcade game. So what platform is it on? Xbox One, Xbox 360 , Arcade? ,Emulation?

I would enter PS4 as the platform - however this is always up for debate and others would rather put the original. At the end of the day though, I always say that adding more detail in the comment field for your submission is a good way to highlight these things. So if you did log with Sega Genesis as the platform, you could put in a note that stated how you played the PS4 port/emulation version. I think either way is correct, but I always like to see more details when there are little nuances like this that may or may not change how your submission is interpreted. =)

Ok ill do that and put the in the note. While we are on the same topic of beating games on PlayStation Now. Do I enter the PlayStation Now Or PS4 title? or the game the title was originally on? God Of War (2005) for example? PS Now, PS2, PS4?? I now have 3 options on platforms to catalog this game on.

I have been playing the Sega Genesis Classic Collection games on PS4 , and logging my completions. I would like to know for data purposes when logging the game what platform is this technically under? Do I log it under PS4 or Genesis/Mega drive? Since this is technically an emulator i'm not sure what to do, and I want the data on the site to be relevant. Thanks.

I actually completed the Red Alert 2 Campaign and Yuri's Revenge a few months ago. The game holds it's own. I don't think you need to wait for a remaster unless you want to play multiplayer. Besides it's all speculation when the next remaster series could come out. It could take years.

After watching the Rainbow Six Siege Documentary on Prime. I started to really get into Rainbow Six Siege Esports, and I don't even play the game! I also watch Overwatch and SC2.