GENERAL RACING/DRIVING GUIDE by Wolf Feather/Jamie Stafford FEATHER7@IX.NETCOM.COM Initial Version Completed: July 4, 2002 Version 8.0 Completed: February 21, 2003 ==================================== ==================================== ==================================== JOIN THE FEATHERGUIDES E-MAIL LIST: To be the first to know when my new and updated guides are released, join the FeatherGuides E-mail List. Go to http://www.coollist.com/group.cgi?l=featherguides for information about the list and to subscribe for free. ==================================== SHAMELESS PLUG The General Racing/Driving Guide was recognized as Best Formatted FAQ of the Day on GameFAQs' FAQ Contributors Message Board for July 7, 2002 :-) ==================================== ==================================== ==================================== CONTENTS Spacing and Length Permissions Introduction Welcome to My World Drivetrains Braking Cornering Rumble Strips Concrete Extensions Coasting Weight Shifts Tires Drafting/Slipstreaming Wet-weather Racing/Driving Tuning Handling Flags and Boards Naviagtorspeak Turbo vs. NA Vehicles Diagrams Contact ==================================== ==================================== ==================================== SPACING AND LENGTH For optimum readability, this driving guide should be viewed/printed using a monowidth font, such as Courier. Check for appropriate font setting by making sure the numbers and letters below line up: 1234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012 ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz This guide is now nearly 40 pages in length using single- spaced Courier 12 font in the Macintosh version of Microsoft Word 98. Therefore, it may not be a good idea to print this guide in its entirety. ==================================== PERMISSIONS This guide may ONLY be posted on FeatherGuides and GameFAQs.com. Permission is granted to download and print one copy for personal use. ==================================== ==================================== ==================================== INTRODUCTION First on PlayStation and now on PlayStation2, I specialize in racing/driving games. In considering the many games I play and the number of guides I have written, I came to realize that perhaps a general guide for racing/driving games is in order, as - not surprisingly - many of the same concepts apply across the games in this genre of gaming. This guide will set forth some of the basics of safely driving at high speeds, as well as some of the tuning or adjustment options available in many racing/driving games. Whether playing a racing simulator such as F1 2002 or Gran Turismo 3, or playing an illegal street/highway driving game such as Midnight Club: Street Racing or Tokyo Extreme Racer Zero, there are general principles which dictate how to best drive at high speeds. These must be committed to memory, and the player must be able to execute these maneuvers flawlessly without thinking about the actions required to truly attain success in some racing/driving games. Certainly, the amount and placement of traffic will result in varying from these tactics but the principles need to be executed as closely as possible to their no-traffic counterparts. There has been an increase in recent years in the number of games based on road racing series. Road racing combines virtually all the elements presented in this guide. Thus, combining this guide's information with my World-famous Racing Circuits Guide, which presents detailed driving instructions to safely navigate many of the world's most famous road racing venues, may be a good idea. Both guides are available EXCLUSIVELY on FeatherSites and GameFAQs. Some information is lifted from some of my other guides, notably my Gran Turismo 3: Tires Guide and my F1 2001: Car Set-Ups Guide. Adjustments have been made where necessary to make the information less game-specific. Also, references to other games are for PlayStation and PlayStation2 games, the consoles on which I have the most experience. ==================================== WELCOME TO MY WORLD Virtually ALL the game guides I have written have been for racing/driving games (PlayStation, PlayStation2, and DreamCast). The general stereotype about racing/driving games is that players simply stand on the accelerator and turn left (and occasionally turn right as well) for X laps until the end of a race. As this guide specifically and ALL my racing/driving game guides in general can attest, this is truly not the case. Even in the most basic racing/driving games, there are still specific approaches which have been proven to work - in the real world, and in the gaming world as well. Certainly, arcade-style games (such as the Ridge Racer series) are far more 'forgiving' than simulation-style games (such as the Gran Turismo series), yet the basic principles remain the same. Simulation-style games is where the TRUE fun is located within the racing/driving genre, especially for those who are very logical and/or love considering numerous strategies. For example, F1 2002 suggests Hard Tires for use at Monza (host of the F1 Grand Prix of Italy). If I choose to use Soft Tires instead, how will that affect cornering, straight- line speed, and navigating through backmarkers? Since Monza is such a high-speed circuit, just how low can I lower the front and rear downforce to gain better speed yet still have a fair amount of car control in the corners - especially since I tend to fly through Ascari (a tight left-right-left chicane) at full-throttle acceleration? Can changing the ride height, springs, brake balance, tire pressure, etc., help to produce faster lap times and still maintain good car control throughout a hotlap? If I lower the front ride height JUST ONE MORE MILLIMETER, how much will I need to change the rear downforce to compensate - and will these changes positively or adversely affect overall car control and average lap times? How will drafting/slipstreaming affect the car in racing conditions if all these changes are implemented - especially when drafting/slipstreaming at the end of a straightaway and needing to brake for the next corner or chicane? If I try to move from one slipstream to another, will the few milliseconds my car is positioned between the slipstreams create any significant handling problems, especially if this maneuver is NOT attempted on a straightaway? If the weather begins to change - such as from a dry track to a damp track as a slow rain begins - how much longer can I stay out of Pit lane before I absolutely NEED to change tires... and should I change to Intermediate Tires or Wet/Rain Tires? How will the change in vehicle weight affect car control - especially when cornering at high speeds - as the fuel burns off during a race? Welcome to my world :-) ==================================== ==================================== ==================================== DRIVETRAINS There are four common drivetrains for cars, plus the 'RR' drivetrain: 4WD: All four wheels are drive wheels. In many forms of auto racing, 4WD vehicles are banned due to the inherent advantage of using all four wheels as drive wheels (due to the added traction advantage). FF: The engine AND the drive wheels are at the front of the car. FF vehicles are fairly easy to drive, but do not generally handle high horsepower outputs very well. This type of vehicle tends to understeer, meaning that they take a lot of effort to turn. FR: The engine is in the front of the vehicle, but the rear wheels are the drive wheels. This type of car has a great tendency for oversteering, and throttle management is VERY important when exiting corners to try to prevent the oversteer condition. NASCAR uses FR vehicles. MR: The engine is located between the axles (usually just behind the driver), and the rear wheels are the drive wheels. This type of car can be a bit tricky to drive. Typical MR cars are those used in F1, CART, and IRL. In open-wheel cars (such as those in the aforementioned racing series), there is extremely little material to absorb the shock of a front-end collision in an accident, thus providing fairly little protection for the driver (especially the driver's legs); it is truly amazing that there are not more driver injuries in open-wheel cars with MR drivetrains due to this 'non-protection' issue. RR: Both the engine and the drive wheels are in the rear of the car. These cars are fairly rare. ==================================== BRAKING The first step in driving fast is knowing when, where, and how much to slow down (braking). In some games, a brake controller can be acquired or purchased, allowing the player to customize the brake strength by axle or by adjusting the bias of the brakes toward the front or the rear of the car. The use of a brake controller will affect the braking zone, as will other factors. Specifically, the car's speed on approaching a corner, the amount of fuel in the car at a given moment, the drivetrain of the car, the weight of the car, and even the car's center of gravity can all affect the braking zone. Similarly, the driving conditions - sunny, overcast, damp, wet, icy, snowy etc. - will affect the braking zone for each corner (as well as the car's ability to attain high speeds). Except for purely arcade-style games, the braking zone will differ somewhat for each car depending upon its strengths and weaknesses. It certainly helps for the player to try a Free Run or a Time Trial (if these modes exist in a given game) to learn the circuit(s) - including the braking zones. When looking for braking zones, try to find a particular stationary object near the entry of each corner; it helps tremendously if this object is far enough away from the circuit that it will not be knocked over during a race. To begin, try using the brakes when the front of the car is parallel with the chosen stationary object. If this does not slow the car enough before corner entry or if the car slows too much before reaching the corner, pick another stationary object on the following lap and try again. Whenever changes are made to the car - whether to the brake controller or to other aspects of tuning and/or parts - it would be a good idea to go back into Free Run mode and check that the braking zones still hold; if not, adjust as necessary using the method in the paragraph above. For those races which include fuel loads, the car will become progressively lighter during a race. The lesser weight can often mean a slightly shorter braking zone; however, if tire wear is excessive (especially if there have been numerous off-course excursions), that might dictate a longer braking zone. Cars with a higher horsepower output will inherently attain faster speeds, and will therefore require a longer braking zone than cars with a lower horsepower output. Try a Volkswagon New Beetle, a Mini Cooper, a Dodge Viper, a Panoz Esperante GT-1, a Corvette C5R, and an F-2002 (all in stock/base configuration) along the same area of a circuit and note how their braking zones differ. A final note on braking: To the extent possible, ALWAYS brake in a straight line. If braking only occurs when cornering, the car will likely be carrying too much speed for the corner, resulting in the car sliding, spinning, and/or flipping. (Some games purposely do not permit the car to flip, but a slide or spin can still mean the difference between winning and ending up in last position at the end of a race.) If nothing else, players should strive to become of the 'breakers' they possibly can. This will essentially force a player to become a better racer/driver in general once the player has overcome the urge to constantly run at top speed at all times with no regard for damages to self or others. Also, slowing the car appropriately will make other aspects of racing/driving easier, especially in J-turns, hairpin corners, and chicanes. ==================================== CORNERING Ideally, the best way to approach a corner is from the outside of the turn, braking well before entering the corner. At the apex (the midpoint of the corner), the car should be right up against the edge of the pavement. On corner exit, the car drifts back to the outside of the pavement and speeds off down the straightaway. So, for a right-hand turn of about ninety degrees, enter the corner from the left, come to the right to hit the apex, and drift back to the left on corner exit. See the Diagrams section at the end of this guide for a sample standard corner. For corners that are less than ninety degrees, it may be possible to just barely tap the brakes - if at all - and be able to clear such corners successfully. However, the same principles of cornering apply: approach from the outside of the turn, hit the apex, and drift back outside on corner exit. For corners more than ninety degrees but well less than 180 degrees, braking will certainly be required. However, for these 'J-turns,' the apex of the corner is not the midpoint, but a point approximately two-thirds of the way around the corner. J-turns require great familiarity to know when to begin diving toward the inside of the corner and when to power to the outside on corner exit. See the Diagrams section at the end of this guide for a sample J-turn. Hairpin corners are turns of approximately 180 degrees. Braking is certainly required before corner entry, and the cornering process is the same as for standard corners: Approach from the outside, drift inside to hit the apex (located at halfway around the corner, or after turning ninety degrees), and drifting back to the outside on corner exit. See the Diagrams section at the end of this guide for a sample hairpin corner. If there are two corners of approximately ninety degrees each AND both corners turn in the same direction AND there is only a VERY brief straightaway between the two corners, they may be able to be treated like an extended hairpin corner. Sometimes, however, these 'U-turns' have a straightaway between the corners that is just long enough to prohibit a hairpin-like treatment; in this case, drifting to the outside on exiting the first of the two corners will automatically set up the approach to the next turn. See the Diagrams section at the end of this guide for a sample U-turn. FIA (the governing body of F1 racing, World Rally Championship, and other forms of international motorsport) seems to love chicanes. One common type of chicane is essentially a 'quick-flick,' where the circuit quickly edges off in one direction then realigns itself in a path parallel to the original stretch of pavement, as in the examples in the Diagrams section at the end of this guide. Here, the object is to approach the first corner from the outside, hit BOTH apexes, and drift to the outside of the second turn. FIA also seems to like the 'Bus Stop' chicane, which is essentially just a pair of quick-flicks, with the second forming the mirror image of the first, as shown in the Diagrams section at the end of this guide. Perhaps the most famous Bus Stop chicane is the chicane (which is actually called the ŒBus Stop Chicane¹) at Pit Entry at Spa- Francorchamps, the home of the annual Grand Prix of Belgium (F1 racing) and the host of The 24 Hours of Spa (for endurance racing). Virtually every other type of corner or corner combination encountered in racing (primarily in road racing) combines elements of the corners presented above. These complex corners and chicanes can be challenging, such as the Ascari chicane at Monza. See the Diagrams section for an idea of the formation of Ascari. However, in illegal street/highway racing, the positioning of traffic can 'create' the various corners and corner combinations mentioned here. For example, weaving in and out of traffic creates a virtual bus stop chicane (see the Diagrams section at the end of this guide). Slowing may be necessary - it often is - depending on the distance between the vehicles. See the Sample Circuit Using Some of the Above Corner Types Combines in the Diagrams section at the end of this guide; note that this is a diagram for a very technical circuit. At some race venues, 'artificial chicanes' may be created by placing cones and/or (concrete) barriers in the middle of a straightaway. One such game which used this type of chicane is the original Formula1 by Psygnosis, an F1-based PlayStation game from 1995, which used this at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve along Casino Straight (shortly after passing the final grandstands at the exit of Casino Hairpin). One thing which can change the approach to cornering is the available vision. Blind and semi-blind corners require ABSOLUTE knowledge of such corners. Here is where gamers have an advantage over real-world drivers: Gamers can (usually) change their viewpoint (camera position), which can sometimes provide a wider, clearer view of the circuit, which can be especially important when approaching semi-blind corners; real-world drivers are obviously inhibited by the design of their cars and racing helmets. Great examples of real-world blind and semi-blind corners would be Mulsanne Hump at Le Mans, Turns 14 and 15 at Albert Park, and each of the first three corners at A1-Ring. Also important to cornering - especially with long, extended corners - is the corner¹s radius. Most corners use an identical radius throughout their length. However, some are increasing-radius corners or decreasing-radius corners. These corners may require shifting the apex point of a corner, and almost always result in a change of speed. Decreasing-radius corners are perhaps the trickiest, because the angle of the corner becomes sharper, thus generally requiring more braking as well as more turning of the steering wheel. Increasing-radius corners are corners for which the angle becomes more and more gentle as the corner progresses; this means that drivers will generally accelerate more, harder, or faster, but such an extra burst of speed can backfire and require more braking. See the Diagrams section at the end of this guide for sample images of a decreasing- radius corner and an increasing-radius corner. For traditional road racing circuits, increasing-radius and decreasing-radius corners may not be too much of a problem; after several laps around one of these circuits, a driver will know where the braking and acceleration points are as well as the shifted apex point (should a shift be required). However, for stage-based rally racing, where the roads are virtually unknown and the driver knows what is ahead only because of the navigator¹s instructions (which - based upon notes - may or may not be absolutely correct), the unknown can cause drivers to brake more often and/or more heavily. For rally-based games, such as the Need for Speed: V-Rally series (PlayStation/PSOne/PlayStation2) or for World Rally Championship (PlayStation2), there is often specialized vocabulary used: Œtightens¹ generally designates that a corner has a decreasing radius, whereas Œwidens¹ or Œopens¹ indicates that a corner has an increasing radius. This need for Œextra¹ braking is also tempered by the fact that in much of rally racing, corners are either blind or semi-blind, due to trees, buildings, cliffs, embankments, and other obstacles to clear vision all the way around a corner. One particularly interesting aspect of cornering is one which I honestly do not know if it works in reality (I am not a real-world racer, although I would certainly LOVE the chance to attend a racing school!!!), but which works in numerous racing/driving games I have played over the years. This aspect is to use the accelerator to help with quickly and safely navigating sharp corners. This works by first BRAKING AS USUAL IN ADVANCE OF THE CORNER, then - once in the corner itself - rapidly pumping the brakes for the duration of the corner (or at least until well past the apex of the corner). The action of rapidly pumping the accelerator appears to cause the drive wheels to catch the pavement just enough to help stop or slow a sliding car, causing the non-drive wheels to continue slipping and the entire car to turn just a little faster. Using this rapid-pumping technique with the accelerator does take a little practice initially, and seems to work best with FR cars; however, once perfected, this technique can pay dividends, especially with REALLY sharp hairpin corners, such as at Sebring International Raceway or those often found in rally racing. ==================================== RUMBLE STRIPS Depending on car set-up and weather conditions, rumble strips (sometimes also called 'alligators') can be either useful or dangerous. The purpose of rumble strips is to provide a few extra centimeters of semi-racing surface to help keep cars from dropping wheels off the pavement, which can slow cars and throw grass and other debris onto the racing surface (which makes racing a little more dangerous for all involved, especially in corners). Generally, rumble strips are found on the outside of a corner at corner entry and corner exit, and also at the apex of a corner - these locations provide a slightly better racing line overall. If a car is set with a very stiff suspension (i.e., there is not much room for the suspension to move as the car passes over bumps and other irregularities in the racing surface), hitting rumble strips can cause the car to jump. Even if airborne for only a few milliseconds, at speed, it could be just enough so that the driver loses control of the car. Obviously, if one or more wheels are not in contact with the ground, the car is losing speed, which could be just enough of a mistake for other cars to pass by, and the lack of contact with the ground could result in excessive wheelspin which risks to flat-spot the tire(s) when contact is regained with the ground. When the racetrack is damp or wet, however, it is generally best to avoid using the rumble strips. Since rumble strips are painted (usually red and white), ANY amount of moisture will make the rumble strips extremely slick as the water beads on the paint, so that hitting a rumble strip in the process of cornering (especially at the apex of a corner) will cause the tire(s) to lose traction and often send the car spinning. ==================================== CONCRETE EXTENSIONS Similar to rumble strips are concrete extensions. These are generally (much) wider than rumble strips, and may or may not be painted (at FIA-approved F1 circuits, for example, these are generally painted green). Also, whereas rumble strips protrude slightly above the level of the racing surface, concrete extensions are at the same level as the racing surface. Concrete extensions can be used in the same manner as rumble strips. However, if painted, concrete extensions should be avoided for the same reasons listed above for rumble strips n the event of wet or damp racing conditions. Players should note that in some games - especially where challenges or license tests are involved - concrete extensions are often NOT designated as part of the official track, resulting in an ŒOut of Bounds¹ designation. This is true, for example, in EA Sports¹ F1-based series (F1 2000, F1 Championship Season 2000, F1 2001, and F1 2002) and in the Gran Turismo series. ==================================== COASTING Some players may believe that a good racer is ALWAYS either accelerating or braking. However, this is not always the best way to approach a given section of a circuit or rally stage. Coasting can sometimes be beneficial. First, consider standard street or highway driving. Street- legal cars are designed for the same foot to be used for both acceleration and braking (with the other foot used for operating the clutch if the vehicle uses a manual transmission). There is always a slight delay between acceleration and braking as the driver moves the foot from one pedal to the other; during this time, the vehicle is essentially coasting - that is, the vehicle's current momentum is the only thing moving the vehicle. In real-world racing, there are a number of drivers who use 'left-foot braking.' In other words, one foot is used for the accelerator, while the other foot is used for the brake pedal. Yet even in left-foot braking, a driver must take care to NOT be pressing both the accelerator pedal AND the brake pedal simultaneously, as this could cause the engine revs to spike and/or cause undue tire wear. Therefore, even though for a much shorter duration (perhaps best measured in hundredths of a second) than in standard 'right-foot braking,' there is always a short period of coasting. In many racing games, I find that coasting through tight corners (including tight chicanes) can sometimes be the best method to safely navigate these difficult sections - and this is true in both pavement-based games and in rally-based games. Certainly, braking properly (i.e., in a straight line BEFORE reaching the corner or chicane) is key to successfully coasting. However, using NEITHER the accelerator button NOR the brake button will cause the vehicle to coast, thus using the natural momentum of the vehicle to perhaps swing the vehicle around the corner or through the chicane. This is actually somewhat tricky to explain in words, and is really something that each player should try several times (especially on tight, technical circuits, such as Monaco and Bathurst, or virtually any stage of a rally-based game) to truly understand this technique. Once learned, however, players may easily find themselves adding this technique to their gaming repertoire :-) ==================================== WEIGHT SHIFTS Modern racing games are especially adept at simulating a vehicle's weight shift in a variety of situations. This section assumes that a vehicle is moving in a forward direction. When cornering, a vehicle's weight shift is to the opposite direction; in other words, if a vehicle is turning to the left, its weight will be shifted to the right (and vice versa). If the player attempts to corner too quickly, the resultant weight shift risks to slide the vehicle toward the outside of the turn; in extreme cases, the vehicle could lift and have only TWO wheels actually touching the ground, or potentially the vehicle could even flip onto its side or its roof!!! While it is certainly fun to see a vehicle on two wheels or on its side or roof, this is obviously counter- productive, especially in a close race or in a time trial mode. Tires and downforce play a role in helping to keep the vehicle on the ground during cornering, but once a given speed is surpassed for the type, radius, and angle of the corner in question, the player will have limited - if any - control of the vehicle. During acceleration, the vehicle's weight will naturally shift toward the rear. In most situations, this is not a particularly crucial phenomenon. However, if the vehicle is moving fairly slowly and the player suddenly slams on the accelerator, or especially if a race has a standing start (such as F1, TOCA, and rally races), this weight shift should be crucial. As the vehicle weight shifts to the rear of the vehicle, the rear suspension and tires could potentially take a lot of punishment. This is especially important for the tires, as the extra weight will require an appropriate amount of 'extra' acceleration (especially if the vehicle uses rear- wheel drive, which is true of many racing vehicles) to compensate and get the wheels to turn enough for the tires to adequately grip the racing surface to help to propel the vehicle forward. However, overcompensation could result in excessive wheelspin, which is quite likely to create undue tire wear. While braking, a vehicle's weight will shift toward the front of the vehicle. If the player brakes too late to corner safely yet still attempts to take the corner even semi- normally, the weight will load to the front outside wheel (in relation to the corner; i.e., to the front-left wheel if taking a right-hand corner) and risk causing the vehicle to slide off the course in the direction of the front-outside wheel. Even if not attempting to corner, the weight shift to the front during braking requires a little extra care to ensure that the front wheels do not lock (in those games which support wheel-lock, such as Pro Race Driver). In rally racing especially, the trick to successfully navigating many of the tight corners on the various stages is to use the vehicle's natural weight shifts to help successfully clear each section of the stage. This requires excellent knowledge of each rally car's capabilities and limitations, as well as superb anticipation and planning for each corner. Obviously, since most rallies are held on point-to-point stages, there is only one chance to successfully navigate each twist in the raceway, and using a vehicle's natural weight shift is crucial to 'getting it right' the first (and only) time!!! ==================================== TIRES As a 2000/2001 Michelin commercial campaign (shown in the States) stated, the tires are the only safety features on the road which actually TOUCH the road. Implicit in this series of commercials is the message that special care must be given to tires. In the case of Michelin, this means that choosing Michelin tires is far safer than choosing any other brand of tires (note that this series of commercials had been running since LONG before the Firestone/Ford controversy erupted in 2000). In the case of racing/driving games, this same implicit message ­ that the tires are the only safety features on the road which actually TOUCH the road ­ means that special care must be given to the tires to keep them from wearing out too quickly. Of course, some games (usually arcade-style games, such as the Ridge Racer series) do not use tire wear. Other games do offer an array of tires, but simply to provide higher levels of pavement grip as higher levels of tires are acquired or purchased (such as Tokyo Xtreme Racer Zero). Other games have races which are simply too short to make tire wear a viable issue; an example of this type of game would be Downforce. In general, tire wear is not an issue in rally racing games. Some games simply provide Levels of tires. Here, the assumption is that Level 1 tires provide the least amount of pavement grip, with higher levels providing more pavement grip than previous levels. However, many games (especially simulation-based games such as Le Mans 24 Hours and the Gran Turismo series) offer several choices of actual tire compounds. For non-racing cars intended for mundane street use, Normal tires are standard issue. While Normal tires may work well on the highway and on city streets, they are virtually worthless in an actual racing situation. Normal tires do not provide adequate grip to be effective in racing. This is most noticeable when trying to corner at relatively high speeds with a vehicle with Normal tires. Simulation tires supposedly give a more accurate feel of what it is like to drive a racing-tuned car. Sports tires are a little better than Normal tires. When first playing a racing/driving game which offers Sports Tires, one of the best things you can do to improve your chance of success is to upgrade to Sports Tires as soon as possible. This will improve cornering ability, and provide a little more grip for acceleration (especially from a standing start). Racing tires come in an array of Œflavors,¹ with each tire compound giving a varying level of grip countered by an inverse level of durability. Not all racing games offer such a variety of tire compounds from which to choose. Super-slick Least grip, maximum durability Slick Medium-slick Medium Average grip, average durability Medium-soft Soft Super-soft Maximum grip, least durability Note that in some games, Slick and Super-slick are more likely to be called Hard Tires. Dirt Tires are required for dirt-based rally events. In some racing games (primarily Gran Turismo 2 and Gran Turismo 3), some non-racing cars can also be equipped with Dirt Tires - and in some cases can easily outperform rally-dedicated vehicles if given proper tuning considerations. Intermediate Tires are often used in games with varying weather effects, such as Le Mans 24 Hours. Whereas Normal, Sport, Super-soft, Soft, Medium-soft, Medium, Medium-slick, Slick, and Super-slick Tires are designed specifically for dry racing conditions, Intermediate Tires are generally used when the pavement is damp. A good indicator as to whether Intermediate Tires or Wet Tires (see the following paragraph) should be used is whether there is a large spray of water - often called a 'rooster tail' - coming up from underneath the car at high speeds on the straightaways. If there is not a rooster tail, or if the rooster tail is fairly small, then Intermediate Tires should be a good choice. Unfortunately, EA Sports has never included Intermediate Tires in its F1- based games, despite the fact that Intermediate Tires are used in real-world F1 racing; Intermediate Tires very much came into play, for example, at the 2002 Grand Prix of Great Britain. Wet Tires are designed for truly wet conditions. A good indicator as to whether Intermediate Tires (see the preceding paragraph) or Wet Tires should be used is whether there is a large spray of water - often called a 'rooster tail' - coming up from underneath the car at high speeds on the straightaways. If there is a large rooster tail, then Wet Tires are definitely needed. Some racing games have an on-screen tire indicator. This can range from a set of brackets or an image of the car with the tires highlighted in a particular color to a small line with an arrow indicating the condition of the tires. If the color system is used with a bracket or an image of the car with the tires highlighted, then the following colors are often used to indicate tire conditions: At the beginning of a race and immediately after a Pit Stop, the tires are brand new (Œstickers¹) and need to be brought up to temperature as quickly as possible so that they can provide the best possible grip. This is noted by dark blue tire indicators. During this period, sharp turns or extremely-fast cornering will almost certainly cause the car to slide, and perhaps even spin. However, slides and spins will bring the tires up to optimum temperature even faster, so you may wish to purposely induce slides when entering corners, IF the tire indicators are dark blue. Once the tire indicators are green, the tires have reached their optimum performance temperature, thus providing you with the best possible grip for that set of tires. The amount of time the tire indicators remain in the green color range depends on your driving style, the amount of time off-course (in the grass or sand) or banging the barriers (or other cars), and the initial selection of tire compound. Note that in some games, new tires put on in a Pit Stop and tires on the car at the beginning of a race start with green indicators (bypassing the 'stickers' condition mentioned above). As the tire indicators switch to yellow, you need to start taking better care of your tires. You may experience slides when cornering. Orange tire indicators are a warning to get to Pit Lane to change tires as soon as you possibly can. You will be sliding around a lot more. Red tire indicators are effectively Game Over. Unless you have a HUGE (multi-lap) lead or a significant horsepower advantage over your competitors, you will not have a chance of winning the race, especially if you stop to change tires. Essentially, you are driving on pure ice, and the only way to Œreliably¹ get around the circuit is to ride the rails (barriers) alongside the circuit. Note that not all four tire indicators will be the same color at all times. If even ONE tire shows a red indicator, you need to limp back to Pit Lane to change tires as soon as possible. Even if a game does not have a tire wear indicator, players will inherently KNOW when the tires are worn due to the amount of slipping around, primarily when cornering and during extreme braking and acceleration. Some games, such as F1 2002, will have team radio communications which state that the tires are wearing down. If available in a given game, traction control affects tire durability. With a low traction control setting, the tires will spin for a while (especially on a standing start or when under strong acceleration out of a corner) before they actually grip the pavement; the friction of the pre-grip spinning wears away at the tires. With a high traction control setting, wheel spin is reduced or even eliminated, thus extending the durability of the tires. One of the best ways to reduce the durability of the tires is to corner at high speeds. The game manual for Gran Turismo 3 gives an excellent, highly-detailed description of what occurs with the tires when cornering; this explanation should be read at least once by EVERY serious gaming racer. In short, cornering at high speeds causes a high percentage of the tire to be used for speed, and a low percentage to be used for the actual cornering. To combat this and thus extend the durability of the tires, try to brake in a STRAIGHT line before reaching a turn, thus reducing overall speed and providing a lower percentage of the tires to be used for speed, and a greater percentage used for cornering. Note that if the percentage of the tires used for speed is too high compared to the percentage used for cornering, the car will slide and/or spin. Perhaps one of the best things to do to learn to take care of the tires is to play a racing game (such as F1 2002) in which vehicle damage is available. Playing with the damage option on will certainly make the effects of worn tires quite visual. As tire grip wears away (due to a long stint, multiple off-track excursions, etc.), the car may begin sliding around, potentially resulting in car damage (broken and missing parts), which REALLY makes driving a nightmare at high speeds. Many racing/driving games do not make this damage visibly clear, so it is easy to underestimate the condition of the tires; similarly, without any car damage (generally due to licensing concerns, but also because damage modeling requires MUCH more from the game programmers), cars in these games can simply 'ride the rails' around corners when tire conditions are less than optimal. ==================================== DRAFTING/SLIPSTREAMING One very useful racing technique is drafting, also known as slipstreaming. In some forms of motorsport, especially in oval track racing such as NASCAR and IRL, drafting is essential to making passes; NASCAR even raises drafting to an art form at its restrictor plate races by forcing cars to draft off each other simply to stay in contact with the leaders. Drafting works because of the aerodynamic vacuum which occurs behind a vehicle moving at a high rate of speed. As air flows around Car A, there is an area around which the air is forced as it flows off Car A's rear end. If Car B can get close enough to Car A, its front end can get into this vacuum area. Since vacuums prefer to fill their void with anything possible, Car B is drawn closer and closer to Car A. If the driver of Car B does not do anything or does not react fast enough, then Car B will eventually crash in to the back of Car A. However, once sufficient vacuum-assisted momentum has been gained, Car B can pull out to the side, exiting the vacuum with added momentum/speed, and rocket past Car A. By using Car A's natural high-speed vacuum in this manner, Car B will emerge from the draft with a major advantage in terms of speed without ever pressing harder on the accelerator. Often, drafting results in an additional 5MPH/8KPH over Car A; while this may not seem like a lot of extra speed, it is often enough to make a successful pass. Drafting is a great tactic for oval and tri-oval courses. However, its effectiveness at road racing venues is essentially limited to just long straightaways. In this case, it is highly important that Car B safely make the drafting pass well before the braking zone for the next corner, as the added speed will require earlier and/or stronger braking. Also, cars with variable downforce - especially cars with wings, such as CART and F1 cars - seem better able to make use of the draft. Specific to F1 2002, there is a draft/slipstream meter on the right side of the screen during races and other events (such as challenges) in the game. This can be useful, with the meter lighting up from bottom to top as Car B approaches the rear end of Car A. When the meter is fully lit, the player should quickly pull out of the draft/slipstream or risk an accident. ==================================== WET-WEATHER RACING/DRIVING Almost everything written to this point in the guide focuses solely upon dry-weather racing/driving conditions. In fact, most racing/driving games deal ONLY with dry-weather conditions. However, simulation-based games will include at least a few wet-conditions situations. This can range from Gran Turismo 3 - which uses two circuits (hosting a total of eight races between Simulation Mode and Arcade Mode) where the roadway has A LOT of standing water, as if the races take place just following a major prolonged downpour - to F1 2002 - where in most situations, players can purposely select the desired weather conditions for a given race. In wet-weather racing/driving conditions, it is IMPERATIVE to use tires designed for wet-conditions usage. For example, in F1 2002, in a full 53-lap race at Monza, I purposely tried running as long as I could with Dry Tires, then switched to Rain Tires when I could no longer handle the car's inherent sliding about... and my lap times instantly dropped by more than five seconds. In games which offer Intermediate Tires, such as Le Mans 24 Hours, the period when the racing circuit is simply damp (at the start of a period of rain, or when the circuit is drying after a period of rain) can be tricky in terms of tires. Intermediate Tires are certainly best for these racing conditions, but the time in Pit Lane spent changing to Intermediate Tires can mean losing numerous race positions, especially if the weather conditions change again a short time later and require another trip to Pit Lane to change tires yet again. Tires aside, simulation-style games simply will not allow a player to drive a circuit the same way in wet-weather conditions as in dry-weather conditions. The braking zone for all but the gentlest of corners will need to be extended, or else the car risks to hydroplane itself off the pavement. Throttle management is also key in wet-conditions racing. Due to the water (and perhaps even puddles) on the circuit, there is inherently less tire grip, so strong acceleration is more likely to cause undue wheelspin - which could in turn spin the car and create a collision. If a car has gone off the pavement, then the sand and/or grass which collect on the tires provide absolutely NO traction at all, so just the act of getting back to the pavement will likely result in numerous spins. In general, cornering is more difficult in wet conditions than in dry conditions. To help ease this difficulty in cornering, simulation-style games will sometimes allow the player to change the car's tuning during a race (if not, the player will be forced to try to survive using the tuning set- up chosen before the beginning of the race). Tuning is covered in more detail in another section below, but the main aspect to change for wet-weather conditions is to raise the downforce at the front and/or rear of the car; this will help improve cornering ability, but will result in slower top-end speed and slower acceleration. If the car's brake strength can be adjusted, it should be lowered, as strong braking will raise the likelihood of hydroplaning off the pavement; lowering brake strength will also mean an additional lengthening of the braking zone for all but the gentlest corners of a given circuit. When the circuit is damp or wet, rumble strips and concrete extensions (which are usually painted) should be avoided as much as possible. The water tends to bead on the paint used for rumble strips and concrete extensions, making them incredibly slippery, especially if a drive wheel is on a rumble strip or concrete extension while the player is in the process of turning the car; this will cause undue wheelspin in that particular drive wheel, usually resulting in the car spinning. ==================================== TUNING Many racing games (primarily arcade-heavy games such as CART Fury, or arcade favorites such as Pole Position and Pole Position II, and Outrun and Turbo Outrun) can be played with absolutely no concerns about car set-ups; other racing games (such as Le Mans 24 Hours or Sports Car GT) have so few set- up options that changing anything really does not have much effect, especially at lower levels of difficulty. However, games such as F1 2002 and Gran Turismo 3 present a number of set-up options, and the novice can easily become lost in trying to discern how to change the set-up options to induce or correct certain handling characteristics of a given car. While I am certainly NOT a car expert (in a real car, I can just barely find the accelerator and the radio buttons), I can present some of the basics of various parts to help tuning novices. Note that often, when one part's setting has been changed, at least one other part's setting will also need to be changed to maintain some semblance of handling. For example, if the gearbox is changed to use long gear ratios, the aerodynamics settings will likely need to be lowered to make use of the long gear ratios (otherwise, the car will have difficulty climbing into its highest gear at the appropriate speed). For another example, if the tire pressure is increased, the car will likely require soft tires to help to keep the car on the pavement when cornering (especially at high speeds). Aerodynamics (Wings) The wings are important for downforce, the use of airflow over the front and rear of the car to keep cars from taking off like an airplane and doing a backflip like the Mazda at Le Mans. A low downforce/wing setting can produce faster speeds but decreases cornering ability, while a high setting will help tremendously with cornering at the sacrifice of straight-line speed. Brakes Brake Bias Brake bias controls the percentage of braking power going toward the front and rear of the car. A setting of 50 will provide equal braking power to the front and rear of the vehicle. A setting lower than 50 will progressively favor the front of the car in braking ability; a setting higher than 50 will progressively favor the rear of the car in braking ability. In general, brake bias should be kept within the range of 40-60. Brake Controller Unlike brake bias, the brake controller will allow for the customization of brake strength by axle. If a brake controller is available, then brake bias and brake strength are not needed. Brake Strength Independent of brake bias, brake strength controls the response of the brakes relative to the amount of pressure applied to the brake button. A low setting produces little (slow) response, while a high setting produces great (fast) response. Therefore, assuming that equal pressure is always applied to the brake button, a low setting requires that braking begin earlier than the same car and corner using a high setting in the exact same racing conditions. Gearbox Some games allow players to customize gear settings, or they provide three preset gear ratios: short, medium, and long. A short gear ratio provides impressive acceleration while sacrificing top-end speed. A long gear ratio provides excellent top-end speed (especially in a straight line), but far slower acceleration. A medium gear ratio provides the best of both extremes. Note that for racing games with a standing start, a short gear ratio will allow a car to get off the line very quickly, allowing for the player to immediately gain one or more race positions. Conversely, a high gear ratio will almost certainly cause the player to lose one or more positions at the start of a race due to the slow acceleration inherent to long gear ratios. Suspension Ride Height Like aerodynamics, ride height can help or hinder a car's performance through airflow. A low ride height setting allows less air underneath the vehicle, resulting in less aerodynamic friction to slow the car. Conversely, a high ride height setting allows more air to pass underneath the car, thus increasing air friction and slowing the car (which assists in cornering). However, car performance is NOT the only consideration when setting ride height. If ride height is set too low, the car may bottom out, especially at the top or bottom of hills or when rolling over rumble strips. For short races (4-8 laps), bottoming out may not be a significant concern. However, in longer races (especially at 32+ laps), bottoming out the car could cause mechanical problems. Bump Stop The bump stop indicates the point at which the suspension will stop its vertical travel as the car speeds around the circuit. Rumble strips, debris, and generally bumpy sections of pavement will inherently cause the car's suspension to move as the vehicle passes across non-even surfaces and obstructions. If bump stop settings are identical, the car will have no vertical movement of the suspension, meaning that any required vertical movement for different surfaces will cause the entire car to rise as the tires pass over the obstruction(s). Spring Rate A high spring rate setting will make the springs stiffer, assisting in cornering; however, if set too high, the car is likely to jump when running over rumble strips. A lower setting will keep the car from jumping, but the vehicle will have trouble when cornering. Anti-roll Bar The anti-roll bar can be stiffened to keep the car from flipping, but this will make cornering more difficult. The setting can be lowered to accommodate cornering ability, but the car will then be easier to flip in an accident. Tires Type See the Tires section above for specific information on the types and compounds of tires often seen in racing/driving games. Pressure High tire pressures result in more- rounded tires, meaning that less tire surface will actually be touching the pavement, thus inherently reducing the amount of available pavement grip (regardless of the type or compound of tire used) and producing a slightly faster car due to less friction. Low tire pressures create 'flattened' tires, putting more rubber on the pavement and creating far more friction to slow the car and assist in cornering. ==================================== HANDLING Independent of any tuning options, many racing games use Handling to differentiate performance among cars. A common misperception is that cars with better a higher Handling are inherently better than cars with a lower Handling score. This is not necessarily the case. ALL aspects of a car's performance need to be varied from person to person. For example, the exact same car set-ups I offered for F1 2001 and F1 2002 work fine for me, but terribly for many others (although they are generally good benchmarks for others to use to begin tuning the cars to their needs). The reason is that driving styles vary from one person to another; even for the same person, driving style is likely to vary as more and more experience is gained within the racing/driving genre. Handling is no different from tuning, horsepower, etc., when it comes to driving style. A car which has a high Handling score will be much easier to turn in general... but for someone with a REALLY fine sense of cornering and D- pad/analog-stick/racing-wheel control, a car with a high Handling score may actually corner TOO well. On the other hand, a young teenager playing racing/driving games in preparation for learning how to drive real cars may in fact need or prefer cars with a higher Handling score BECAUSE they are easier to turn. Handling is ESPECIALLY important in those racing/driving games which do not have (m)any tuning options. Tuning can generally be used to make a 'bad' car 'acceptable' or a 'good' car 'great' in terms of handling (tuning can be used conversely as well). For example, raising the front and/or rear downforce on a car will improve cornering, which can make a car with a moderate Handling score perform much better at more-technical racing venues. If tuning options do not exist (such as in games in arcades), Handling scores become VERY important. ==================================== FLAGS AND BOARDS Auto racing presents a number of flags and boards to quickly convey information to drivers as they speed around a circuit. Many of these flags are shown by corner workers, track-side personnel who display the various flags to warn drivers if there is potential trouble ahead or behind them. Boards are generally shown only at the Start/Finish Line. Boards Safety Car (SC): What is called the Safety Car in many countries is better known as the Pace Car in American motorsports. When this board is displayed at the Start/Finish Line (the board is painted white with the letters 'SC' painted in large black font), there is a significant incident somewhere on the circuit warranting that all cars at all areas of the circuit must slow down and follow the Safety Car. The main reason a Safety Car may be used is to allow safety personnel to get to areas of the track which are otherwise not easily accessible when cars pass at full speed; this situation usually means that there has been a collision or mechanical problem which has left one or more cars sitting idle in a vulnerable situation. The Safety Car board may also be displayed in the event that the weather does not permit full-speed racing. Flags Black Flag: Generally shown only at the Start/Finish Line, a driver is shown this flag when her or his car has suffered severe damage which the race marshals deem MUST be repaired immediately, or when a driver has committed an infraction of the racing rules. Depending on the form of motorsport, a Black Flag may also mean automatic disqualification from the event, especially if it is being displayed due to an infraction of the racing rules. Blue Flag: The Blue Flag is generally displayed by the corner workers to indicate that a slower car must pull aside to allow a faster car to pass. This generally means that the slower car is not on the lead lap, as many forms of auto racing allow for drivers to fight to remain on the lead lap, especially in oval-track racing. Checkered This flag looks like a checker board in Flag: small black and white squares. This signals the end of a race. Green Flag: The Green Flag means that full racing conditions are in effect. If a driver is coming out of a Yellow Flag area of a track, this flag indicates that the car can at least be brought back to full racing speed. Mechanical This is a black flag with a small orange Flag: circle at its center. Accompanied by a car number, this flag indicates that the race marshals are ordering the driver to go to Pit Lane as quickly as possible to repair one or more mechanical problems. However, a smart driver will ALWAYS recognize when there is a problem with the car and return to Pit Lane without any prompting from the race marshals. Oil Flag: This flag is characterized by numerous vertical red and yellow stripes. While this often is known as the 'Oil Flag,' it really designates that the next section of the circuit is slippery; oil is usually the cause of slippery track conditions, but other fluids (coolant, gasoline/fuel, etc.) may also cause the circuit to become slippery. Red Flag: Generally shown only at the Start/Finish Line, the Red Flag indicates that a race has been suspended temporarily. The rules regarding what can take place during a Red Flag period vary by the form of motorsport in question. For example, NASCAR parks all cars behind the Safety Car/Pace Car on the track and all drivers must remain in their cars unless NASCAR officials (usually at Race Control) grant drivers permission to leave the vehicles (this usually only occurs in inclement weather). In F1 racing, if a race is Red Flagged, the race essentially begins again once the condition creating the Red Flag situation has passed or has been remedied. Unsportsman- This is a flag bisected diagonally with like Flag: the uppermost triangle black and the lowermost triangle white. A driver is shown this flag for engaging in dangerous or rule-breaking behavior, such as purposely knocking a competitor into a barrier or off the circuit (which will usually result in accidents). White Flag: Shown at the Start/Finish Line, the White Flag indicates that there is only one more lap remaining in a race. Not all forms of motorsport use the White Flag. In some endurance races, the white flag is displayed when it is calculated that the official race duration (in terms of time) will expire by the time the lead car completes one more lap of the circuit. Yellow Flag: A Yellow Flag means that drivers must slow due to a potentially-dangerous situation. On oval tracks, a Yellow Flag covers the entire circuit, although some forms of oval-track racing (such as NASCAR) permit drivers to race back to the Start/Finish Line to 'take' the Yellow Flag there. On road courses, the Yellow Flag usually only applies to a specific section of the circuit, which allows for full-speed racing elsewhere; should a full-course Yellow Flag situation be warranted, a Safety Car or Pace Car will be used to collect all the competitors and lead them slowly around the race venue. One of the STRANGEST Yellow Flag situations took place in 2000 at the F1 Grand Prix of Germany at the high-speed Hockenheim circuit. A local Yellow Flag was issued for one of the long, insanely-fast straightaways (where cars can easily achieve 180MPH... or more) because a spectator somehow made his way out of the grandstands and onto the track itself. Fortunately, this EXTREMELY dangerous situation did not result in any injuries or accidents, and the imbecile was quickly grabbed, hauled off the track, and arrested. ==================================== NAVIGATORSPEAK In most rally-based games, the navigator will give instructions to inform the player of the many twists and bumps in the road ahead. Many times, these instructions are spot-on, although at times they are given just as the player reaches the specific corner or caution mentioned. Sometimes, however, the instructions are not quite exact, so it is important to take care to NOT follow the instructions to the letter without questioning. If the sign panels at the top-center of the screen are activated, these will exactly mimic visually what the navigator is saying. Further, two panels are generally shown; the bottom panel represents the current instruction, whereas the top panel (grayed slightly) indicates the following instruction. The top panel will slide down to the bottom when appropriate. Some of the terminology may change, depending on the rally- based game being played. Direction: The navigator will indicate whether the upcoming turn is to the left or the right. Distance: The navigator will sometimes indicate distance. This is measured in meters (remember that one meter is slightly longer than thirty-nine inches). '50' and '100' are the most common distance calls, although distances as long as '350' is also used on occasion. '1' and '2' Corners: These are the turns with the slightest angles, and can generally be taken at flat-out acceleration. '3' Corners: These are moderate corners. Braking may be required, depending on the surroundings and the car's speed entering these corners. '4' and '5' Corners: These turns have the harshest angles, and almost always require braking. A '5' corner is ninety degrees or greater in total angle. ŒAnd:¹ This is the rally-racing equivalent of a conjunction, used to daisychain two instructions together due to a complex section ahead. ŒBad:¹ These are the tightest corners, for which severe braking will be required. Often, ŒBad¹ corners are hairpin turns. 'Care:' This catch-all call indicates a dangerous section ahead. This could include steep embankments, deep ditches, a narrowing of the road, a minor jump or crest, or other potential problems. 'Caution:' This catch-all call is stronger than the 'Care' call. Some slowing may be in order here. 'Crest:' This call indicates a rise in the road ahead which will obscure the view if using one of the in-car cameras. 'Don't Cut:' Perhaps the most important utterance from the navigator, this call indicates that shortcutting the apex of the upcoming corner will produce extreme danger. This can range from large rocks or boulders at the apex to an unprotected cliff drop-off. This call takes on added importance when on a steep uphill or downhill grade during a turn, especially in hairpin corners. ŒFast:¹ These are the slightest of bends in the road, and can generally be handled at full throttle. 'Hairpin' Corners: Interestingly, many so-called 'hairpins' are actually U-shaped, double-apex corners. ŒInto:¹ Like ŒAnd¹ above, this is the rally-racing equivalent of a conjunction, used to daisychain two instructions together due to a complex section ahead. 'Jump:' This call indicates a rise that will send the car airborne if taken at full speed. ŒJunction:¹ This is a divergence point in the road. However, this is more or less a misnomer, as only rarely can a player choose to take either fork, so it is important to slow greatly and look for which fork is NOT blocked by barriers. 'Long:' The upcoming corner is long. ŒMedium:¹ Light or moderate braking will be required for these corners. 'Narrows:' The road ahead will narrow. 'Opens:' The upcoming corner has an increasing radius. Use caution in accelerating, as accelerating too soon could result in hitting obstacles or flying off cliffs. 'Straight:' Listed in the game manual but not actually used in the game, this call indicates to go straight through the upcoming (slight) turns. 'Tightens:' The upcoming corner has a decreasing radius. Slowing will almost certainly be required before exiting the corner. 'Very Long:' The upcoming corner is extensive and will seem to go on forever. ==================================== ==================================== ==================================== TURBO VS. NA VEHICLES This section is provided thanks to someone who simply wants to be known as 'James from Australia.' This information has only been edited for formatting purposes. Firstly, turbocharged cars and their uniqueness. You see, the way a turbo engine makes power more easily than it's NA counter-part is by using a large propeller like wheel to force air into the engine, this allows for faster delivery of fuel, and faster power production. Many other things play a part, like an intercooler (A device the charged air goes through before entering the engine to cool inlet temperatures) and better exhaust systems and waste-gates (A system with less restriction will lessen backpressure, which can reducing turbo pressure, and even create vacuum with negative effects.) To work properly, a turbo will have to spin to it's maximum efficiency level. In a small turbocharger like a Mitsubishi/Trust TD06 25G, that is around 1.5 bar, whereas a larger turbocharger like a Trust T88H 34D, there is efficiency right up to 2.5 bar. To spin to these maximum pressures takes some time, which can be affected by things like camshaft timing (Higher numbers for both intake and exhaust can speed up the boost process) or higher internal capacity (The larger Bore diameter aids boosting, as does the lengthened stroke.) This is where GT3 comes into play, you see, putting a large turbo like the one that would be in the Stage 3 kit, on an engine like the 2 litre 4G63 that resides in a late model EVO lancer, means the turbo will take a long time to spool up. This may mean power does not start rising until 5000rpm, when the turbo has reached full-boost, and then make peak-power at around 7000rpm, where gear change would soon occur. This sharp power band means that much time has to be spent/wasted waiting for turbo spool and power, only to fall soon after the revs rise past the turbos effiency level. For an engine like the 4G63, which has a bore larger than it's stroke, which means that it cannot rev as fast as an engine that is the other way around/square, such a large turbo is good only in events such as 1/4 mile racing (Where large turbos are ideal, as all power can be loaded onto the clutch before take-off) or perhaps the 'Test-course' in GT3. In events with many corners, where revs will stay around the 3-5000rpm level, a smaller faster spooling turbo would provide less power, but that power would be available much more quickly, and for longer periods (A flatter power-band.) Also, gear ratios may be changed to efficiency a larger slower turbo, but only so much can be done for a huge turbo. ==================================== ==================================== ==================================== DIAGRAMS This section contains the diagrams referred to earlier in the guide. Ascari Chicane (at Monza): * * * * * *** * ***************** Bus Stop Chicane (Variant I - Wide Chicane): ******************* ******************* * * ********* Bus Stop Chicane (Variant II - Narrow Chicane): ******************* ******************* *********** Decreasing-radius Corner: ->******************* * * * * * * <-************************* Hairpin Corner: ->***************** * <-***************** Increasing-radius Corner: ->********************** * * * * * <-******************* J-turn ******************* * * * * Quick-flicks (Variant I - Wide Chicane): ************* * ************* Quick-flicks (Variant II - Narrow Chicane): ************* ************** Sample Circuit Using Some of the Above Corner Types Combined: ******|****** ***** * |-> * * * * ** *** * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * * ******** * ** * * * * * ************ ******* * ******* Standard Corner: ******************* * * * * * * * * U-turn: ->***************** * * * <-***************** Virtual Bus Stop Chicane: +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Car #1 ->->->->->-> Car #3 Player Path: ->->->->->->-> Car #2 ->->->->->->-> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ==================================== ==================================== ==================================== CONTACT INFORMATION For questions, rants, raves, comments of appreciation, etc., or to be added to my e-mail list for updates to this driving guide, please contact me at: FEATHER7@IX.NETCOM.COM; also, if you have enjoyed this guide and feel that it has been helpful to you, I would certainly appreciate a small donation via PayPal (http://www.paypal.com/) using the above e-mail address. To find the latest version of this and all my other PSX/PS2/DC/Mac game guides, visit FeatherGuides at http://feathersites.angelcities.com/ ==================================== ==================================== ====================================