Post
Shaving frames by preventing the game from slowing down, because lag frames still count on the timer.
Many older games (and even some newer ones) slow down when too much is happening on screen: too many sprites, too many particles, too many physics calculations. Since speedrun timers count real time, lag frames are wasted time. Runners actively minimize lag by manipulating what's on screen: killing enemies before they crowd a room, avoiding certain attacks that spawn excessive particles, scrolling the camera to despawn off-screen entities, or routing through areas in ways that minimize entity counts. In some games, lag reduction across an entire run can save 30 seconds or more.
Example
In GoldenEye 007 on N64, runners look at the ground or face walls during explosions to reduce the number of particles the console has to render, minimizing frame drops. This 'stare at the floor' strategy looks ridiculous but saves measurable time across the full game.
Why it matters
Lag reduction shows how deeply runners understand hardware limitations and rendering pipelines. It's also a reminder for developers that performance isn't just about player comfort; in competitive contexts, frame drops become measurable disadvantages.
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