Boost

Boosting is a term used in GoldenEye 007 to describe when an enemy shoots you, causing you to "boost" in the opposite direction in which you were shot, or a nearby explosive has the same effect. Many GoldenEye WRs require a decent number of boosts (of both types) at certain points during the run. You can also boost yourself in some levels, using Grenades, Mines, Grenade Launchers, or Rocket Launchers. Self-boosting does not save as much time as the optimal boost by an enemy, but it is still a very important method for getting better times.

Overview

When an enemy hits you head-on, it's called a backboost. This is called a backboost because it impedes your forward progress, usually costing .2-.4 of a second.

When an enemy shoots you sideways or at an angle, it is called a side boost. Sometimes these don't interrupt the speed of a run and is neutral. Other times you can lose time or be pushed off course into a wall or other object resulting in major time loss.

Boosting still exists as a phenomenon but is not as significant a factor in Perfect Dark, as they don't knock you very hard. Boosting is almost never relied upon as part of the strategy for PD levels, the exceptions being the Skedar Jump and the entirety of War Agent.

Technical Details

All boosts including:

• Turret
• Mines
• Boxes
• AR33
• ZMG (& twin)

... are exactly the same size.

The direction of a boost is fixed relative to Bond from the moment it is applied.

Your current combined boost decays linearly. A single boost lasts 0.5s.

Box (and turret) explosions are centered on where the bullet landed which caused the explosion.

Explosion Boosts

Low damage explosion boosts should be preferred over high damage explosion boosts. The key point is that explosion boosts are directed from the center of the explosion towards Bond. Suppose you are very close to the explosion center. Then unless your line that you've taken is perfectly through the middle of the explosion, your boost will be at a steep angle to the direction you are traveling in. Because of point (1) above, a boost at a steep angle isn't going to speed you up very much, and will throw you off your line. Even if you correct your angle instantly you won't get much of a speed boost.

Whereas if you are very far from the explosion, a small error in your line either side of the center of the explosion has a much lesser effect on the angle of the boost, which will be similar to the direction you are traveling, and so you'll pick up "all of the boost".