Hi ___,
So... I talked to the director of the game and our lead tester, and they decided that they want to keep the details of the in-game timer hidden. I'm afraid it's something speedrunners are going to have to experiment with on their own. Sorry I couldn't be more help, but I hope you guys continue to work on those times.
Best regards,
-___
I mean I'n pretty sure I covered it before so it doesn't matter that much. I just decompiled the source code and found their timer script
Ecdycis, I spoke to Skateman who has ran Shantae games and he also mentioned that IGT in those are bonkers, hence why they are forced to go with RTA. Something about the world map or something stopping IGT so you can ultimately just farm currency.
Also you did, Axmos, but I just finally got the email back and felt it was something that should be shared, especially with how they want it kept "hidden" for some odd reason. Knowing the information doesn't hurt anything, so maybe they know it's a bit wonky or they don't know either.