My Diaries

A Lurid Tale of Obsession, Depravity, Wits and Attempted Wit

Thu Jan 28, 1999

Finally achieved Hi-Res GT mode

Based on mail to Nick.

As you may recall, the last red dot I needed to get was Deep Forest Racing Way "B". I finally did it last night (early this morning actually).

I used the Toyota Soarer. I finally realized that I was shifting it too late. By shifting earlier I could get more speed up that backstretch (the curving straight on the varied tarmac through the two tunnels). This allowed me to pass computer cars there, and pass the leader on the turn coming out of the second tunnel.

The time I won with (1:28.xx) was not my fastest (I did 1:26 a few times before changing my shifting strategy).

But the trouble seems to be that if you are leading, the computer cars get really mad and start driving really fast, and bashing past on the inside, etc. Since they do occasionally miscalculate turns and end up losing time on the grass, it can be the case that they go by on your inside "too fast", and use you to slow themselves down. In the process, of course, your car gets messed up one way or another. You either slow down too much, or go off onto the grass, or both.

So the key to winning in arcade mode seems to be a strong finish. On Deep Forest Racing Way you need to get the last corner just right so you exit fast and right on the outside edge. The time I won the second place car actually did rear-end me but did not attempt to pass.

Most other courses have easier ways for a human to achieve a strong finish. Trial Mountain has that esse that the computer cars take completely wrong, for instance. And Grand Valley has the diddly hairpin esse where all sorts of fun things can be done. But the last corner on Deep Forest Racing Way seems to suit the computer algorithms better than people.

Another observation I've made is that different fields of cars behave very differently. The cars are automatons. If you keep retrying with the same field, if you drive the same line, they will make the same movements. After a few sessions you can use this to determine how to get to the front early. To win, you seem to need to get near to the front, but should not lead the entire way. You need to get to the front to keep the cars grouped close together, but they get too vicious if you stay out in front, so you want them close together so you can drop back and pass towards the finish. Until I discovered the proper shift pattern for the Soarer, however, I did not think I could pass close enough to the finish. But eventually when I won, I pass the second place car for the last time just coming out of the last tunnel.

In some fields of cars, one car consistently zooms to the front and stays there. I don't think one should persist with such a field. (Or I shouldn't, anyway). You seem to have a better chance in a field where lead among the other cars changes consistently.

Are white computer cars always fastest? At times it seems so.