Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots released in 2008 exclusively to Playstation 3. A Guinness World Record holder for longest cutscene sequence in a video game, MGS4 brought the major plot of the Metal Gear series to a close. Its fanservice and ratio of cutscenes to gameplay caused controversy among some Metal Gear fans.

Here is a collection of guides by srgtsilent:

• Getting Started with MGS4 & Terminology: MGS4 & You
• Knowing Your Weapons: Weapons
• Knowing Your Items & Camo: Equipment

For Common MGS4 terms see: MGS4 Term Gallery

What is IGT & How does it work?
In MGS4, IGT is a measure of the time that passes in game during selected segments of gameplay. Simply put, during any cutscene or moment where you control Snake the IGT is ticking.

• Notable points of this include, the intro commercials, in action (gameplay) menus and pausing, the MGS1 segment, the ending cutscenes with Big Boss, the ending dialogue with Otocon, and the ending cutscene with Sunny.
• Notable points where IGT is not ticking would be both Credits 1, Credits 2, any Black PMC Load Screens, or a Save Screen.

What is RTA Then?
In MGS4, RTA is the time that passes from the moment you load your save file (or select a difficulty) to the moment Sunny's final line of dialogue cuts off the screen.

What is SS & MS?
SS or Single Segment is a run where RTA is recorded throughout the entirety of the run, and the run is recorded from start to end, without ever quitting out to the main menu for any reason.

MS or Multi Segment is a run where RTA is not recorded throughout the entirety of the run, and the run is usually a spliced together collection of the Runner moving Snake through each and every room in an optimal way. For this reason quitting to the main menu is allowed, no RTA must be shown, and footage can exclude anything where the IGT is paused.

What is the major difference then? How does this relate to IGT?
In MGS4, IGT begins ticking the moment you enter a room. If you save MGS4 at any point in a room, the save records not your current position, but the IGT, weapons, position, equipment, ammo, etc. from THE MOMENT you entered the area you saved in. Any room where the word 'checkpoint' appears on the lower right is a room where this will happen. MS takes advantage of this and manipulates the IGT to allow for multiple runs of the same area, until the Runner is content with the run and traverses into the next area, thus saving the IGT for the run.

Another interesting note of a MS run is a trick called Resistance Skip. While in essence this does not skip the escort itself, it does manipulate the game into saving the Resistance member in the next area, without adding to the IGT, thus saving about 14 minutes while increasing the RTA by about 6 minutes.

• In most cases the order of the weapons is irrelevant, it's what you have in your Cycle that matters as MGS4 has a tendency to “force swap” weapons into your cycle wheel (and inventory if they aren't there already).
• Specifically speaking, the order for weapon override is USUALLY: Open Hand > Pistol > SMG > … > Other > M4C > Operator > Equipped Weapon, though places such as Frogs (Act 1) elevator and Raven (Beast) can behave differently.
• Whenever possible, try to menu in a minimum of two things at a time if you choose to customize this.

1. In Act 1, its fastest to menu in the P90 over the S. Knife and the MGL over the AK
   1. Don't equip either to your cycle until AFTER you acquire the M4C, but do before you enter Advent Palace
   2. Make sure the P90 follows the operator so the game force switches that for the M4C (punch Johnny w/ OP)
2. In Act 2, its fastest to menu in the Rail over the P90, the M82A2 over the MGL, and javelin over M4C (if recommended)
   1. Be sure to equip the former two of these into your cycle before octopus and the latter after you meet Drebin
3. In Act 3, If you go into Raven w/ MK 2, Vz.83, and Nothing, YOU MUST equip the Rail Gun over the M4C or the game will remove your M82A2