Changes

A time or score is called '''maxed''' if it is considered that it cannot be beaten. It is based on the word "maximized", but doesn't always carry this exact meaning, for example for time-based records.

A time or score is called '''maxed''' if it is considered that it cannot be beaten. It is based on the word "maximized", but doesn't always carry this exact meaning, for example for time-based records, where a maxed record would correspond with a ''minimized'' time.

Maxed records come in two varieties:

Maxed records come in two varieties:

Clearly the physical max is always better than or equal to the human max.

Clearly the physical max is always better than or equal to the human max.

In general, the longer the game, the harder it is to accurately determine the max record for that game. This is because the "maxed records" for any set of challenges are often highly subjective. What one person considers impossible can be easily within the reach of a player who knows more about the game or is simply better at it. For example, when the record on [[Chicago]] [[Agent]] in [[Perfect Dark]] was 0:16, the majority of the Perfect Dark community considered a time of 0:15 to be impossible, until [[Randy Buikema]], believing otherwise, attained this very time on July 18, 2002.

The "maxed records" for any set of challenges are often highly subjective. What one person considers impossible can be easily within the reach of a player who knows more about the game or is simply better at it. For example, when the record on [[Chicago]] [[Agent]] in [[Perfect Dark]] was 0:16, the majority of the Perfect Dark community considered a time of 0:15 to be impossible, until [[Randy Buikema]], believing otherwise, attained this very time on July 18, 2002.

However, equally often the maxed records are very, very well-defined. For example, the maximum possible score difference at the end of a four-player cooperative game of [[PD Challenge 30]] is 34-0, and this can be very easily proven. (Get to 29-0 and win a five-person hill.)

However, equally often the maxed records are very, very well-defined. For example, the maximum possible score difference at the end of a four-player cooperative game of [[PD Challenge 30]] is 34-0, and this can be very easily proven. (Get to 29-0 and win a five-person hill.)

===Useful examples===

===Useful examples===

Usually this only ever happens with a massive change in strategy.

Usually this only ever happens with a massive change in strategy.

For the longest time it was thought that the maximum possible time on [[Defection]] in [[Perfect Dark]] was 0:33, or possibly 0:32. However, the discovery of the [[Defection glitch]] lowered this record to 0:06 in a matter of days, thus providing an example of a physical max which was actually ''beaten''.

For the longest time it was thought that the best possible time on [[Defection]] in [[Perfect Dark]] was 0:33, or possibly 0:32. However, the discovery of the [[Defection glitch]] lowered this record to 0:06 in a matter of days, thus providing an example of a physical max which was actually ''beaten''.

[[Category:Terminology]]

[[Category:Terminology]]