So tonight I found an awesome way to skip the narration on the Skyway before RL (in new route). Normally, when you go to RL, Rucks says "City tried to use the shard to stake out the Wilds. So much for that plan." This wastes like 4 seconds and is dumb. HOWEVER - if you handle your buildings in the right way, you can skip this.
First, there's a slight change to the route I posted above. After HG, build the Memorial, but DON'T claim the Valediction yet. Normally, when you open the Memorial, Rucks wants to tell you all about the building, and you can't claim any vigils until he finishes talking. However, if he's already talking when you open the Memorial, you get to skip that. When you claim the vigil, Rucks also wants to tell you all about it. However, if he's still talking when you claim it, you get to skip that too. There's no way you can accomplish either of these skips claiming the vigil after HG.
Instead, go directly to CF. After completing CF, deposit your cores. As quickly as possible, go upgrade the Memorial. Rucks will start talking about how the shards can give new life to the old buildings. While he's doing this, open the Memorial. He won't tell you about it. As soon as the game lets you, claim the vigil. He should still just barely be talking, and you'll skip his second narration as well. Now exit the Memorial and go build the Lost and Found. Because Rucks isn't currently talking, he'll start telling you something about the Lost and Found. Now book it to the Skyway (don't fall!). He should still be talking when you get there, and you will bypass his text.
This surprisingly complex sequence of events saves about 4 seconds, and it only works out so well in the new route because you're using buildings. In the old route, you can do it, but it'll require some needless waiting in the Bastion, which cuts into the time savings.
When you combine this skip with the removal of Werewhiskey and possible optimizations in PB+WO, I think the new route comes out either tied with or faster than the old route. My sum of best splits is 15:41 now.
First, there's a slight change to the route I posted above. After HG, build the Memorial, but DON'T claim the Valediction yet. Normally, when you open the Memorial, Rucks wants to tell you all about the building, and you can't claim any vigils until he finishes talking. However, if he's already talking when you open the Memorial, you get to skip that. When you claim the vigil, Rucks also wants to tell you all about it. However, if he's still talking when you claim it, you get to skip that too. There's no way you can accomplish either of these skips claiming the vigil after HG.
Instead, go directly to CF. After completing CF, deposit your cores. As quickly as possible, go upgrade the Memorial. Rucks will start talking about how the shards can give new life to the old buildings. While he's doing this, open the Memorial. He won't tell you about it. As soon as the game lets you, claim the vigil. He should still just barely be talking, and you'll skip his second narration as well. Now exit the Memorial and go build the Lost and Found. Because Rucks isn't currently talking, he'll start telling you something about the Lost and Found. Now book it to the Skyway (don't fall!). He should still be talking when you get there, and you will bypass his text.
This surprisingly complex sequence of events saves about 4 seconds, and it only works out so well in the new route because you're using buildings. In the old route, you can do it, but it'll require some needless waiting in the Bastion, which cuts into the time savings.
When you combine this skip with the removal of Werewhiskey and possible optimizations in PB+WO, I think the new route comes out either tied with or faster than the old route. My sum of best splits is 15:41 now.
