Driving time in Knoxx, timed it

Borderlands General Discussion
#1

I was wondering how much time I actually do waste aimlessly driving in the Knoxx DLC. So I timed it.
This is with a level 59 character in PT2.5, so the enemies along the road and the Lance vehicles and drones are all level 50-51 so I didn’t do combat with any of them and none of them caused any noticeable damage or delay time.
This is with pausing the timer during zone transitions. It also is with save/quitting/launching to get back to T-Bone Junction when possible (though that really doesn’t save much time on console). Boosted as soon as the boost meter read full.
Did 1/2 in the Monster, half in the Runner, which makes less difference than you think, the runner boosts faster but runs out of boost sooner.
Total drive time from when you first get in a Monster to when you’re at the gate to the Armory;
14 minutes and 5 seconds
Waaaaay too much drive time. While you’re driving you’re not doing anything, just moseying along.
BL2 had fast travel in DLCs to overcome this, of course BL3 will also, right?
–RoA

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#2

I recently did a similar test. I started a timer while transitioning to T-Bone, grabbed a runner and drove to the Armory, ignoring everything except a half-dozen Lance right before the armory, killed Knoxx and got to the Armory door in 9 minutes 35 seconds. All in a runner, and I drive like crap. I’m pretty sure that a better driver with Lilith could do that run in 8 minutes.

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#3

I’m confused - where are you driving from, and where to? You reference save/quit when possible, and I"m not sure where that fits in your calculation. How much time between when you exit the vehicle and when you actually get to the Road’s End/Armory transition?

@Scottes time sounds much more reasonable to me.

#4

I’m the only one that actually just enjoys driving around tbone junction. It centers me. Also…idt the runner is actually faster. There’s so little area to make use of Its boost…the normal speed is the same as the monster it seems to me. Not to mention you blow up if you’re shot like twice. Idk. I could be wrong but I’m a monster man for life.

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#5

Using a Monster is your biggest issue here. I see that it’s your personal preference, but the difference in speed with a Racer is more than significant.

That said, you’re not wrong. Back in the old days, PC players used a mod called The Nexus to fast travel around Knoxx. Lowly console players like myself always had to make the drive.

#6

See here - not an outrageous difference, but the racer is faster by about 25% overall.

#7

I have to wonder about Racer vs Monster.

With the Racer, there are very few places where one can fully benefit from a full boost. There’s like 1 road long enough to last a full boost. There are many places where I can boost a monster but have to non-boost a racer.

I, personally, can barely control the racer at tricky times - like corners and coming out of boost. I have learned that the best way (for me) to stop boosting is to ram into something, then backup and continue without boost. I freely admit that I might suck at driving this thing, or I might just be out of practice since I haven’t played in 6 years.

Overall, as my old speed test post shows, there’s not a ton of difference between the Racer and Monster after averaging boost and non-boost speeds.

Also, if you read the original thread of that post (https://web.archive.org/web/20110815143117/http://forums.gearboxsoftware.com/showthread.php?t=109129) there is a trick from L3VIATH4N:

The DLC3 Racer gets even better. You’re assuming a single vehicle is used. However, the vehicle stations are positioned almost exactly one afterburner cycle apart. By starting, boosting, then bailing when it ends, followed by spawning the opposite numbered vehicle (as the boost appears to be tied to the car number, not the car itself), you can greatly increase your average speed on the Highways of Knoxx. Works even better if you combine A Defiler, Intuition, and Phasewalk. When you bail, fire a shot at the car, then sprint to the next station.

#8

I’m speed running to armory many times a day, but never timed it.
Today just for this thread I’ve timed it with my Brick and I was at the door to the armory map in
5.50 minutes without firing a single bullet…and I bet my Lilith can do it even faster.
Using racer obviously, monster just sucks for speed running’s.
Normally I would do about 4 armory runs in an hour including killing Ajax and some drifters on the way, when I’m not killing Ajax I can do easily 5-6 runs in an hour. Lance chests only!
I always use a racer, you just have to know your route and when to boost.
15 mins to the Armory…hmm? My Lil could phasewalk there quicker…

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#9

To be clear, what I timed is the total time driving in the DLC until you get to the last fight. Not just the time from T-Bone to Knoxx, but the total driving time required in the DLC from the start, and anything over 10 minutes is annoying. Obviously I’m not the best driver, but it’s still excessive.
–RoA

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#10

Yes I get that, and I mean that roughly in 6 minutes I’m standing infront of the General Knoxx. 1-2 minutes on killing him and then the looting spree…:crazy_face:

#11

You Sir or Madam, are a much much better better driver than me. However, don’t get too prideful about it cuz I’m a lousy video game driver :slight_smile:
Someday I’ll stream my attempts to play Forza so many many people can fall out of their chairs laughing at my incompetence.
–RoA

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#12

I’m definitely a bit shocked that fast travel wasn’t added to the DLCs with the release of the BL1 remaster.

#13

Everybody hoped for, but it ain’t happening I’m afraid…