Here I will explain the different types of completions and how to log them all accurately. I will also cover the steps involved with updating the user's collection data to properly represent games that are finished or still incomplete. Logging a completion will not contribute to your collection's completion stats. In order to do so, the status of the game must be changed in the collection.

Completions are not directly linked to playthroughs, however it is strongly recommended that a Playthrough be utitlized in order to gain visual aids and gather an accurate time representation of progress. For a tutorial on playthroughs, please refer to this guide -> http://completionator.com/Article/View/10

This data is not only reflective on an individual level, but will also benefit the community of users who wish to gauge an accurate time sink of a particular game. For completionists, this type of data proves invaluable while deciding which adventure to tackle next for the long haul. Guaranteeing accurate information is placed in the hands of the user, so use this and other guides as a reference point to help with logging accurate completions.

What is a Completion?

A "completion" is just as the name implies, the act of the user "beating" the game. Viewing the game's end scene or credits roll is a good indicator of a completion, but depending on the genre of the game, this can vary. Fighting games could be an Arcade Mode win, but other modes could also apply, such as a more modern Story Mode. Sandbox and / or open world type games can be a little more difficult to determine the "end point". Without a clear-cut path, it would be wise to utilize the Goals feature in order to reach a personal milestone instead.

Different Types of Completions

Here on Completionator, there are 4 different types of completions. They are:

• Speed Run: The main story path has been finished as fast as possible. All subsequent tasks have been ignored for time's sake. This will be the shortest time submitted for the game. Log this type of completion by tracking play time from beginning to end without breaks in between. Each completion time should be it's own time entry from the starting point of 00:00:00.
• Core Game (+A Few Extras): The main story path has been finished. "A few extras" constitutes to any subsequent tasks completed. A handful of rarities could become obtained / unlocked along the way. Log this type of completion by tracking play time based on playthrough progress of the main story line. Each completion time should be it's own time entry from the starting point of 00:00:00.
• Core Game (+Lots of Extras): The main story path & many (if not all) unlockables have been obtained. All that would be left at this point is a single elite playthrough, or a couple of goals that could not be obtained in other playthroughs. Log this type of completion by adding the total amount of play time from all of the playthroughs involved up to this point.
• Completionated: Everything has been unlocked / finished 100%! Congratulations! Log this type of completion by adding any additional time in between this state and the previous Core Game (+Lots of Extras). The total time value should represent how long the game took to finish from 0-100% and be as accurate as possible.

Each one will allow you to showcase how long it took to reach a particular milestone within the game. Please note that it is acceptable, if not encouraged, to input multiple entries / types of completions for a single game in order to track progress per user.

Guidlines for Completion Types

Here are a few reference tips for determining what category of completion your game falls into:

For Speed Run types...

• An initial playthrough should not be considered a Speed Run, especially when all cutscenes were watched and continues were used.
• A physical stop watch is highly recommended in order to maintain precise values.
• While logging a Speed Run, it pays to be as descriptive as possible in order to relay to users the goal of the run (i.e. amount of damage taken, enemies destroyed, etc.).

For Core Game (+A Few Extras) types...

• Progressing through the main story line is the ultimate goal for this type, so it will be your initial playthrough that is logged here. It is important to keep up with progression from start to finish in order to be able to provide an accurate time (My Playthroughs makes this an easy task).
• Making notes for start -> finish times can be the easiest way to maintain an accurate playthrough time. With this method, the user only needs to worry about finishing the game.
• It is up to the user to decide how much information is logged for the completion entry, but it is typical to see what difficulty, amount of continues, or even a small opinion of the experience.
• For fighting games, creating a separate entry for each character's Arcade Mode win is encouraged.

For Core Game (+Lots of Extras) types...

• This could be your initial playthrough, but it is more likely it will be a replay for backtracking purposes. Use your best discretion here to determine how much will constitute as "lots of extras".
• It will typically (not always) be the sum of a few playthroughs that lead up to a large majority of completion.
• For fighters, it is acceptable to complete Arcade Mode with the full roster and log the total sum of all characters
  into this section.
• The line between this and Completionated can be very thin, so assess the remaining tasks carefully.

For Completionated types...

• For most games, the total time logged will be the sum of all playthroughs leading up to this point (this will be the longest time entry).
• For RPGs, this could be your initial playthrough if the user meticulously progresses through the game without missing anything. This is very unlikely, but for completionists it can be common practice.
• Affirm that true 100% has been achieved. If it is a trophy or achievement-based game, determine if there is anything else outside of the main tasks that still requires completion.
• As with all completion logs, it pays to not provide any spoilers in the description. This can be more threatening for this category considering there is a lot more information that could potentially be revealed.

Updating Completion Status in My Collection

Once a completion type has been logged, it is then applicable to update the collection stats to represent the new progress.

In order to do so, access the My Collections tab and find the desired game. From there, clicking 'Quick Edit' on the left column of the page will bring up the Game Details page. In a drop-down window, options for the game's status will be displayed as Incomplete, Finished, and Completionated. Select the appropriate choice to update your game.

Before confirming, locate the progress bar underneath. This progress bar can be ticked to display the desired completion ratio. If the user has been using playthrough resources along the way, then an accurate percentage of completion can be obtained from the goals section. This is a secondary task that only acts as a visual aid, but it is encouraged because of the additional information displayed.

Completion Review

The importance of logging accurate completions benefits not only the user, but the entire community as well. Viewing misleading or inaccurate information can discourage users who wish to gauge the duration of a particular game.

Because of potential inconsistencies, all completions that are logged are put under "Completion Review" for Curators to verify as authentic or not. All entires of 00:00:00 will not generate points and will be automatically deemed invalid. The null times will also not display on the Game Stats page for others to see. Hopefully this process will give users the incentive to maintain accurate completion times.

I hope this guide has proven resourceful for users who wish to maintain an accurate overview of completion progress throughout their entire collection.

Please feel free to leave feedback on how helpful this guide was. Best of luck, Completionators!