Hi Jamie! yes, the basic S&E and game load times count toward running total. If you take a pause between runs for muling, etc., that time doesn't count though.
I've been playing where I do a run. Add the time up for that run and then go to GoMule and move stuff off. Basically a slow method. I'm using the clock/timer and getting as close to on the dot as I can. I'm a very, very slow player, so I don't think I am going to hurt anyone on my times. My first four runs are 15, 11, 10 and 14 minutes in that order.
So I start the time as soon as I join the game and then once I leave the game, I mark down my run time on my notebook for that run and usually go to GoMule, because I pick a ton of things up and identify basically anything that can be extremely good, although extremely rare chances for it. I am picking up Flawless Rubies and Amethysts and any viable rare, all ethereal rares and occasionallty blues that can spawn good character mods or like a Monarch, Tiara, Diadem, etc.
Is what I am doing okay? I'm not doing a running clock on the main menu page, but I'm not joining back in immediately either. Also you can clearly see I am going to average 80-100 runs over 20 hours, so I'm not going to be pushing the top time limits, LOL. I am just casually doing Cows and figured in case I find a HR, Cows never pan out for me, I can share it here.
Please let me know if I need to change my ways, because I am currently and thought just timing start of game to end of game was what I needed to do. And so far, I'm not speed running, so I take at least somewhat of a break after every run to move things around or just because I am a slow player. Maybe I'll adopt a speed run session where I cycle through games quickly and then I'll keep a running clock if I am going game after game after game without any rests or constant GoMule sessions. If I do that, I will keep the time running until I close D2 and use GoMule when needed, if I get a good pattern down, stop picking up everything and actually get the flow down after realizing I want to speed grind.
Right now, I just very rarely go from one game to the next instantly. And if I did, I would add that time to it as it would just be a negligible amount of time. Right now, I am wasting a ton of time between games, even when I don't go to GoMule, I tend to take a break, look at the TV or phone and then get back into a game with a minute or two break. So I didn't think that time was really necessary to add, since I am not actually doing anything helpful to my running.
And I know rules are rules and I never want to cheat and I hate unfair competition, but my 15 minute runs probably aren't scaring people off, lmao. I just don't think I am really cheating, as I take time to write down my time and check the comparison to others, regroup, often GoMule and I feel I am not actually a part of the runs while i am doing all of this.
I guess if you could tell me exactly how you want me to do it or if you are okay with what I am currently doing, that'd make me feel better to know I am not doing something wrong! Thanks! And if/when I get comfortable enough to start speed running and leaving a one in a million chance items on teh ground, I will just keep a running timer going, assuming you are okay with my current time keeping until then.
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