SSSSS H H OOOOO X X S H H O O X X SSSSS HHHHH O O X S H H O O X X SSSSS H H OOOOO X X SHOX: GAME GUIDE by Jamie Stafford/Wolf Feather feather7@ix.netcom.com Initial Version Completed: March 24, 2003 FINAL VERSION Completed: April 10, 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. ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== CONTENTS Spacing and Length Permissions Introduction Getting Started Shox Zones Attaining Cars Taking on the Champion (Shox Championship) Vehicle List General Tips Shox Zones Racing Tips: Braking Racing Tips: Cornering Racing Tips: Coasting Racing Tips: Weight Shifts Contact Information ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== SPACING AND LENGTH For optimum readability, this driving guide should be viewed/printed using a monowidth font, such as Courier. Check for font setting by making sure the numbers and letters below line up: 1234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012 ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz ============================================== PERMISSIONS Permission is hereby granted for a user to download and/or print out a copy of this driving guide for personal use. However, due to the extreme length, printing this driving guide may not be such a good idea. This driving guide may only be posted on: FeatherGuides, GameFAQs.com, f1gamers.com, PSXCodez.com, Cheatcc.com, gamesover.com, Absolute-PlayStation.com, RedCoupe, GameReactors.com, ps2replay.com, InsidePS2Games.com, CheatPlanet.com, The Cheat Empire, gamespot.com, ps2domain.net, a2zweblinks.com, Games Domain, Gameguru, cheatingplanet.com, neoseeker.com, RobsGaming.com, CheatHeaven, IGN, ps2fantasy.com, gamespot.com, and vgstrategies.com. Please contact me for permission to post elsewhere on the Internet. Should anyone wish to translate this driving guide into other languages, please contact me for permission(s) and provide me with a copy when complete. Remember: Plagiarism in ANY form is NOT tolerated!!!!! ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== INTRODUCTION Shox (also known as Rally Shox in Japan) is an exciting, fun, and definitely CHALLENGING over-the-top take on rally-cross racing, in the tradition of EA Sports Big's signature titles SSX and SSX Tricky. As in those two games, the action is fast and furious, and there are plenty of things to unlock. Even once everything has possibly been unlocked at a circuit or in a given championship, it is still quite fun to go back and rerace again and again and again and again and again and again - again, in much the same way as SSX and (especially) SSX Tricky. Please note that some of the information in this guide comes from my General Racing/Driving Guide (available exclusively at FeatherGuides and at GameFAQs) and from my V-Rally 3: Game Guide (available at numerous Web sites worldwide). ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== GETTING STARTED After setting up the game and controller options to one's liking, the player jumps right in with the Compact Championship. The player's first car in the game is free; all others must either be purchased, 'won' via gambling, or received for obtaining Gold status in all three Shox Zones in a given circuit with a given vehicle IN THE SAME RACE. Initially, only the Compact Championship is available. The player can choose from amongst the six cars in this championship for the initial car: Citroen Saxo Super 1600 Ford Escort RS1800 MKII Ford Racing Puma Mini Cooper S Peugeot 106 GTI 2000 Porsche 911 SC Safari Once a car has been chosen, only one race is initially available: the first Arid race. There are three environments in Shox, each filled with numerous circuit configurations: Arid, Jungle, and Ice. Since there is no place to simply test a car, the player is forced to go to the first Arid circuit and perform as well as possible. The player must place at or above a certain position (fifth place for the Compact championship) in order to unlock the next event in that championship. ============================================== SHOX ZONES Each circuit has three Shox Zones. Each serves three purposes. The main purpose of a Shox Zone is to provide the player with an incentive to perform EXTREMELY well in that section of the circuit, to reach the end gate of that Shox Zone as quickly as possible to gain Gold status for that Shox Zone and to amass even more bonus cash (the amount of bonus cash obtained depends upon the time taken to reach the end gate of the Shox Zone). Except for the third purpose (below), the best status attained in a given Shox Zone is permanent on the player's record. The second purpose of a Shox Zone is to provide the player with an incentive to catch up to and ride the Shox Wave. In a single race, once Gold status has been attained in all three Shox Zones AND the player must pass through at least one more Shox Zone before the end of the race, the message 'Shox Wave Imminent' appears at the center of the screen. At the start gate for the next Shox Zone, a 'bubbly' wave appears and shoots off down the circuit. If the player can catch up to the Shox Wave before it reaches the next Shox Zone gate, then the player will gain a speed boost AND amass even more cash. Each time the Shox Wave reaches either a start gate or an end gate for a Shox Zone, however, the Shox Wave will disappear if the player has not ridden the Shox Wave since the previous gate; otherwise, the Shox Wave will shoot off down the circuit again, and the player must once again catch up to it as quickly as possible in order to gain more speed and more cash. Note that Shox Zones do not offer money while a Shox Wave is active. The final purpose of a Shox Zone is to attain a platinum car. There are six cars available in each championship, and each championship is comprised of six races. Each race has a platinum car requirement associated with it, meaning that if a player can use the stated car to gain Gold status at ALL THREE Shox Zones IN THE SAME RACE at that circuit, then the player will win a platinum car (one of the 'regular' cars for that championship, only painted a shiny obsidian black and with better stats in Steering, Speed, and Stability). Fortunately, it is possible to win a platinum car in the first attempt at a circuit; even though there are other things which can be unlocked at the circuit, they can occur either in order or simultaneously. The Shox Zones certainly give a significant, fun, and challenging twist to the circuits in the game. The trick to obtaining Gold status in each Shox Zone is to use as little steering as possible in each Shox Zone, as steering inevitably means shedding the speed which is required to blast through each Shox Zone as quickly as possible. It is generally possible to obtain Bronze status at each Shox Zone without any difficulty, even if encumbered by traffic. Obtaining Silver is also fairly simply at most Shox Zones, so long as there is little or no traffic in the player's immediate area. Gaining Gold status, however, often requires pristine knowledge of a circuit as well as being either so far in front of the competition or so far behind that other cars will not be a hindrance. ============================================== ATTAINING CARS The player's first car is free. Afterwards, each vehicle must either be purchased outright, 'won' via gambling, or won as a platinum car. Purchasing a vehicle outright is definitely the most expensive method of obtaining a car. This is also the method which requires the most amount of time, as several race wins will be required to purchase even the cheapest of vehicles outright. However, there is thus none of the risk assumed with the gambling method, and none of the potential frustration of either the gambling or 'platinum' methods. Gambling is a great way to obtain the regular version of a vehicle at low cost. Here, the player must shell out a given amount of money, which is significantly lower than the amount of money spent to buy the same vehicle outright. Then, the player must win in a head-to-head competition with a rival in an identical vehicle; however, the rival gets a head start!!! The only true problem with this system is that these head-to- head competitions are on short segments of the circuits, and with the rival permitted a head start, the odds are definitely stacked against the player in these head-to-head competitions. Should the player win against the rival, the player gets the chosen vehicle, and it is added to the garage; should the player lose, however, the money spent is permanently lost, although the amount of money required to gamble for that vehicle again is reduced significantly (generally by half the previous gamble amount). Fortunately, before entering the gambling option and before actually competing for a car in this manner, the CPU prompts the player if this is indeed how the player wishes to proceed. The final method of gaining a vehicle is via the 'platinum' method. There are six cars available in each championship, and each championship is comprised of six races. Each race has a platinum car requirement associated with it, meaning that if a player can use the stated car to gain Gold status at ALL THREE Shox Zones IN THE SAME RACE at that circuit, then the player will win a platinum car (one of the 'regular' cars for that championship, only painted a shiny obsidian black and with better stats in Steering, Speed, and Stability). Fortunately, it is possible to win a platinum car in the first attempt at a circuit; even though there are other things which can be unlocked at the circuit, they can occur either in order or simultaneously. ============================================== TAKING ON THE CHAMPION (SHOX CHAMPIONSHIP) Once the Compact Championship, Sports Championship, Turbo Championship, and Power Championship have all been won, the player can then take on the Champion - the cocky guy in the silver car issuing taunts throughout the game thus far. This is the Shox Championship. Here, the player must win in four full-lap head-to-head competitions. As with gambling for cars, the champion gets a head start before the player is permitted to get underway. Also, there are NO Shox Zones as well as NO money available to be made in the Shox Championship. In these head-to-head events, the player can choose from any of the vehicles obtained in the Power Championship, including any platinum vehicles won in the Power Championship. However, there are 'entry requirements' to unlock the four stages of the Shox Championship: Stage 1 (Arid Attack): Obtain at least two of the eleven available platinum cars Stage 2 (Jungle Fever): Obtain at least four of the eleven available platinum cars Stage 3 (Snow Sortie): Obtain at least six of the eleven available platinum cars Stage 4 (Snow Sequel): Obtain at least eight of the eleven available platinum cars Once all four stages have been won, the player receives the crown of Shox Champion and is shown one final cutscene with the (now-former) champion. ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== VEHICLE LIST These are the normal vehicles available in Shox. Note that each vehicle can only be used within the championship series to which it is assigned. Compact Championship Sports Championship Citroen Saxo Super 1600 Ford Escort RS Cosworth Ford Escort RS1800 MKII Lancia Delta Integrale Ford Racing Puma Lancia Stratos Mini Cooper S Peugeot 306 Maxi 1996 Peugeot 106 GTI 2000 Porsche Cayenne Turbo Porsche 911 SC Safari Toyota Celica GT4 ST205 Turbo Championship Power Championship Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6 Audi Quattro E2 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 7 Ford RS200 Peugeot 206 Racing 1999 Lancia Rallye 037 Porsche 911 Paris-Dakar MG Metro 6R4 Subaru Impreza 2000 Peugeot 206 T16 GRB Subaru Impreza 2002 Porsche 959 Paris-Dakar ============================================== GENERAL TIPS Buy or rent or borrow any game in the Gran Turismo series, but especially Gran Turismo 2 or 3. In one of these games, work through the License Tests, as this will teach how to approach the various elements of racing, from judging braking distances to controlling a car on a surface with little grip. Gran Turismo 2 introduced rally racing to the series, so GT2 and GT3 both include a Rally License; the time and effort spent in acquiring the Rally License in GT2 or GT3 will help with World Rally Challenge. Overall, Gran Turismo 2 is probably a better choice of the three games in the Gran Turismo series, as GT2 includes the Pikes Peak Hill Climb and Pikes Peak Downhill courses, the only point-to-point rally venues in the series thus far (all other rally events are held at actual circuits); unfortunately, both Pikes Peak stages were removed for Gran Turismo 3 :-( In rally racing, the principles of standard pavement-based racing apply. However, there is generally less tire grip in rally racing, which makes anticipation a key element in correctly holding a tight racing line at the apex of a corner, in judging braking distances on a steep downhill grade, etc. 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. (While a car may not necessarily flip in this situation, a slide or spin can still mean the difference between winning and ending up in last position at the end of a race.) The player will not be able to move on to the next championship until a win average of First Place has been attained among the six races of the current championship. At a very minimum, this means Second Place in two races and First Place in four races. As the player progresses through the championships, the circuits are longer and longer, and the competitors become more and more aggressive. Only flawless circuit knowledge combined with pristine vehicle handling skills will help the player to win races, and the player will also be forced to use 'dirty tactics' in order to win in the later championships. At most circuits, crucial corners are placed either in or just beyond the landing zones of major jumps. There are two tactics for approaching these crucial areas of the circuits. On one hand, it can be useful to slam on the brakes just before the vehicle launches off a jump, thus minimizing the time spent airborne (and the abuse of the vehicle's shocks and suspension) and maximizing the time the wheels actually contact the ground... which is obviously the only time a vehicle can possibly accelerate or (properly) turn. On the other hand, the player can begin turning in the direction of the upcoming corner JUST BEFORE the vehicle launches off the jump, so that the vehicle's momentum will continue 'turning' the vehicle in mid-air. This latter tactic has the result of the vehicle inherently sliding once contact has been regained with the ground, but at least the vehicle will already be pointed in the right direction, which does take some of the strain off the player in this situation (especially in the latter championships, where the competition is EXTREMELY fierce!!!!!). Both of the tactics presented here take on even more importance when a jump's landing zone includes a change in terrain type, such as from sand (which is relatively slippery) to asphalt (which provides relatively- excellent tire grip). One nice tactic is to sweep through a championship as quickly as possible, attaining at least the minimum placing in each race to unlock the next event. Once all six events in a championship have been made available, the player can then choose to purchase outright or gamble for a car (provided the player has enough money on hand) and begin the process of attaining Gold status in the three Shox Zones of the event which is linked with the chosen car for platinum purposes. Then, if the player has yet to achieve Gold status at the Shox Zones of the other five events in the championship, the platinum car the player has just won can be used for that purpose. On the other hand, if at all possible, the player should work toward obtaining a platinum vehicle early in a championship quest. The bonus vehicle will then have generally better stats (Steering, Speed, and Stability) than the other cars in a race, and it should then be easier to rush through the remaining events in the championship with little effort, and likely without a need to rerace an event to unlock the next event in the championship. Initially, races are only held during daylight hours. To race at a circuit at night, the player must obtain Gold status at all three Shox Zones for a circuit (not necessarily in a single race). Once this has been accomplished, pressing the Square button on the Race Select screen will permit the player to toggle between daytime and nighttime racing. Racing at nighttime has the advantage of being able to use the bright beams from the competitors' headlights to know where and how close they are behind the player without the risk of quickly switching to and from the rear view and potentially losing track of where the player's vehicle is located on the circuit. Nighttime racing also brings out a different set of sounds (such as the sounds of crickets chirping in the Jungle settings), which can provide a nice change of pace in the aural backdrop of the race. While vehicles become available to be obtained gambling as soon as the player's bank account has the minimum funds required to obtain them (via gambling), it is best to wait until the player has about 1.75 times the amount of money required to gamble for the chosen vehicle. This is because it is often difficult to win a particular car the first time via gambling (especially if the head-to-head race takes place in an Ice environment). Using the '1.75x Rule,' the player can then immediately try several other times, while the layout of the (all-too-brief) circuit/segment is still fresh in the player's mind. There is SO much which can possibly be unlocked in each race that it is highly tempting to try one's hardest to obtain all of them at once at each circuit (which is indeed possible). This is not so difficult in the Compact challenge, but in the later challenges, this is virtually impossible. It is best, therefore, for the player to set a SINGLE goal per race, and to try to accomplish ONLY that single goal; to attempt to accomplish more than that SINGLE goal per event is quite likely to cause the player to try too hard, which is when the player will be most likely to make mistakes (such as using an even later braking zone than usual and then sliding too far out into a corner, thus losing valuable time and one or more race positions). Of the three environments (Arid, Jungle, and Ice), Ice is definitely the most difficult. While sand (Arid) and mud (Jungle) can be rather 'slippery' due to the lack of traction with the tires, ice (Ice) is much more prone to excessive wheelspin, and vehicles also will tend to slide much further than on sand or mud. This makes the anticipation of corners and 'early' cornering MUCH more important in an Ice environment than in an Arid or Jungle environment. Damage is subtracted from a player's earnings ONLY when the player has money (i.e., the player has yet to obtain at least Bronze status in the initial Shox Zone(s), or is participating in a head-to-head competition). With this in mind, the player is thus 'free' to incur as much damage as desired when the damage monetary penalty is not in effect. However, any vehicle damage may indeed cause handling problems, depending on the type and the severity of the damage incurred during a race. ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== SHOX ZONES Except in the Shox Championship and in gambling for vehicles, all races in Shox include three Shox Zones. This section is designed to give an overview of each of the Shox Zones in the game, to help to provide players with some 'advance warning' so that they may hopefully advance through the Shox Zones (and the game in general) a little faster. Compact Championship Race 1: Arid Shox Zone 1: The game's initial Shox Zone occurs on a long, gentle, uphill run with a few gentle corners. The Shox Zone ends just before the crest of this hill. Shox Zone 2: This next Shox Zone begins immediately before a tunnel, meaning a transition from sand outside the tunnel to asphalt inside the tunnel. Immediately on the other side of the tunnel, the terrain returns to sand and the circuit makes a sharp right turn toward the end gate for this Shox Zone. Shox Zone 3: Shox Zone 3 begins at the crest of a hill and ends just beyond the crest of the next hill. Race 2: Jungle Shox Zone 1: This opening Shox Zone is located in a sandy S-curve section. (Actually, the S-curves are more along the lines of lengthy hairpin corners.) The circuit in this section is rather wide, and water creeps along much of its length at one or both edges. Shox Zone 2: This is essentially the same as the first Shox Zone, but transitioning to mud and re-entering the jungle about halfway through the Shox Zone. Shox Zone 3: There are several corners in this final Shox Zone, but the terrain changes from mud to poor asphalt shortly after this Shox Zone begins. Race 3: Ice Shox Zone 1: Beginning on snow, this initial Shox Zone makes a gentle left-hand turn, then is quickly followed by a nasty right-hand corner leading onto ice. Shox Zone 2: This second Shox Zone begins immediately before a NASTY right-hand corner with a rapidly-decreasing radius. Shox Zone 3: Transitioning from snow to ice, this is a somewhat-lengthy Shox Zone with two perpendicular corners which can be taken at full acceleration with the proper 'early' cornering. Race 4: Arid Shox Zone 1: This Shox Zone begins on sand immediately before a tight right-hand hairpin corner. Immediately afterward, the terrain transitions to asphalt and makes a nasty left-hand hairpin turn - but at least the asphalt provides superior grip compared to the sand. Shox Zone 2: Entirely composed of sand, this second Shox Zone is comprised essentially of two wide (in both length and width) hairpin corners nestled between the mountain cliffs. Shox Zone 3: This is essentially the same configuration as the previous Shox Zone, but more attention must be given to the edges of the circuit, which protrude inward at a few key locations. Race 5: Jungle Shox Zone 1: Comprised of mud, this Shox Zone has several lengthy corners and a tunnel. Shox Zone 2: Beginning before the beautiful, LOUD waterfall, this Shox Zone is all-mud and again features lengthy, gentle corners. Shox Zone 3: This final Shox Zone primarily consists of tunnels, and transitions from asphalt to sand within the tunnels. Race 6: Ice Shox Zone 1: This Shox Zone consists of two right-hand right-angle corners on ice. Shox Zone 2: The second Shox Zone begins just before a tight right-hand corner on snow, then leads into an asphalt-paved tunnel. Shox Zone 3: This final Shox Zone of the Compact Championship begins on an icy bridge which curves gently to the left. Once off the bridge, the circuit turns gently to the left as the terrain transitions back to snow. Sports Championship Race 1: Arid Shox Zone 1: This initial Shox Zone of the Sports Championship begins immediately at the exit of a NASTY right-hand right-angle corner, coinciding with a transition from sand to asphalt at the entrance to a tunnel. At the end of the tunnel, things get much more challenging, however, as there is a moderate rise in elevation, crested by a right-hand J-turn with a steep descent opening into a much-gentler left-hand full-throttle corner. Shox Zone 2: This is a twisty all-sand S-curve section. Shox Zone 3: This final Shox Zone begins at the transition from sand to asphalt. The circuit snakes precariously between the mountain cliffs. Race 2: Jungle Shox Zone 1: All-mud, this is a lengthy section of semi-gentle S-curves. Shox Zone 2: This is similar to the previous Shox Zone, but containing more and somewhat-sharper corners. Shox Zone 3: All-mud with the exception of a brief wooden bridge, this is the shortest of the three Shox Zones in this race. There is only one corner, a right-hand decreasing- radius corner leading uphill to the aforementioned bridge. Race 3: Ice Shox Zone 1: This first Shox Zone begins at the very end of the overglorified bobsled course, at the transition from ice to snow. Almost immediately, the circuit contains a left-hand right-angle corner, after which the terrain transitions back to ice. Shox Zone 2: This middle Shox Zone begins at the transition from ice back to snow, just before a left-hand right-angle corner. Shortly afterward, the circuit transitions to asphalt as it enters a tunnel. This Shox Zone ends just beyond the end of the tunnel, just beyond the transition from asphalt back to snow. Shox Zone 3: Beginning on a gentle uphill slope covered with ice thinly layered with snow, the circuit contains a NASTY left-hand J-turn leading up a VERY steep icy slope which is again thinly layered with snow. The J-turn has a WIDE recovery area which is largely filled with snow. The best approach to this NASTY Shox Zone (one of worst in the entire game) is to brake VERY early and turn sharply, cutting to the inside of any other vehicles which might be present; in fact, this tactic will provide some resistance to the vehicle's inherent tendency to slide toward the outside of the corner. Race 4: Arid Shox Zone 1: This all-sand Shox Zone is essentially a pair of very wide (in length and in width) hairpin corners. Shox Zone 2: This all-asphalt Shox Zone snakes between the mountain cliffs. Straightlining as many corners as possible will shave off valuable time here. Shox Zone 3: This is a lengthy Shox Zone with numerous corners. The circuit here is comprised entirely of sand. Race 5: Jungle Shox Zone 1: Beginning on mud, this initial Shox Zone heads into a tunnel, which is lined with asphalt. The asphalt remains on exiting the tunnel, but there is a NASTY right- hand J-turn requiring SEVERE braking. The circuit then turns gently back to the left, transitioning back to mud about halfway along the corner. Shox Zone 2: Back on the wide twisting sandy road along the shore, this Shox Zone comprises several long hairpin corners and water at the edges of the circuit. Shox Zone 3: This final Shox Zone begins as the circuit leaves the water area, but the landing zone for the jump sports a NASTY right- hand J-turn with NO room for error on a poor-asphalt roadway. The terrain transitions back to mud before this Shox Zone comes to an end. Race 6: Ice Shox Zone 1: This opening Shox Zone begins on snow, then transitions to ice shortly before a right-hand near-perpendicular corner. The Shox Zone comes to an end immediately at the exit of a left-hand right-angle corner. Shox Zone 2: Beginning on snow immediately before a bridge curving to the right, the terrain quickly transitions to ice for the bridge, then transitions back to snow on the other side of the bridge as the circuit turns semi-gently back to the left. Shox Zone 3: Beginning immediately before a left-hand right-angle corner, the circuit transitions from snow to asphalt as it enters a tunnel. On the other side of the tunnel, the terrain returns to snow, then transitions to ice again following a right-hand right-angle corner. Turbo Championship Race 1: Arid Shox Zone 1: This Shox Zone is seemingly all-corners with a major crest about one-third of the way through this section of the circuit. Shox Zone 2: This is a moderately-lengthy Shox Zone with several corners. At the entry to the final corner of this Shox Zone, the left-side barrier can be a problem, as it is positioned so that it is possible to ram into its front end, thus bringing the player's vehicle to a complete standstill or perhaps causing a spin or a flip. Shox Zone 3: The first one-fifth of this Shox Zone is on asphalt, while the rest is run on dirt. There are numerous corners here, many of them rather tight. Race 2: Jungle Shox Zone 1: Beginning on mud (except for a brief wooden bridge), the circuit soon heads out onto the white sand encountered in the previous challenges. Shox Zone 2: The first half of this Shox Zone is run on white sand, similar to that used in the beach area. The second half of this Shox Zone is then conducted in asphalt (which includes a tunnel), but transitions back to mud immediately before the end gate of this Shox Zone. Shox Zone 3: Beginning near the waterfall, this all-mud Shox Zone has several jumps and quite a few semi-gentle corners. Race 3: Ice Shox Zone 1: This Shox Zone begins on snow, then quickly transitions to ice. It is important to brake before cresting the icy hill, as the landing zone is in the middle of a left-hand right-angle ice- covered corner; failure to brake properly will result in the vehicle sliding across the ice and into a barrier. Shortly after this corner, the terrain transitions first to snow, then to ice with a thin layer of snow upon it. Shox Zone 2: This Shox Zone coincides with the overglorified bobsled course. Shox Zone 3: This final Shox Zone begins in a snowy section with several significant jumps. Following a gentle right-hand corner is a transition to ice, followed immediately by the first of three left-hand right-angle corners. Race 4: Arid Shox Zone 1: This S-curve section begins on dirt, and transitions to asphalt for the final third of this Shox Zone. Shox Zone 2: This Shox Zone begins on asphalt, and transitions to dirt halfway between the tight consecutive hairpin corners. Shox Zone 3: Beginning with several wide corners on dirt, the circuit transitions to asphalt and enters a tunnel. On the other side is the NASTY J-turn from Race 1 of the Sports Championship. Race 5: Jungle Shox Zone 1: All-mud, this Shox Zone features lengthy semi-gentle corners and a few jumps. Shox Zone 2: Again on mud, this Shox Zone begins immediately before a nasty left-hand J-turn. A jump leads onto a wooden bridge, with the end gate to this Shox Zone shortly beyond its end. Shox Zone 3: This is similar to Shox Zone 2 of Race 2 of the Turbo Championship. Race 6: Ice Shox Zone 1: This Shox Zone has several semi-tight corners. Except the final few meters (run on snow), the terrain here is entirely ice thinly layered with snow. Shox Zone 2: Beginning with a pair of jumps on snow, the terrain transitions to ice immediately before a left-hand right-angle corner. Shortly after the right-hand right-angle corner, the terrain transitions back to snow. Shox Zone 3: The final Shox Zone of Turbo Championship coincides with the overglorified bobsled course. Power Championship Race 1: Arid Shox Zone 1: This opening Shox Zone begins with a steep uphill climb on a right-hand turn, followed by a steep descent into a left-hand turn whose exit leads up a semi-steep climb. The rest of this Shox Zone is a long, gentle downhill run with several corners, some of which can be moderately straightlined to save time. Shox Zone 2: Beginning on dirt, this Shox Zone runs through the now-famous double-hairpin section, transitioning to asphalt between the hairpin turns. The circuit winds through the mountain cliffs. Shox Zone 3: Beginning on asphalt, this final Shox Zone winds past the waterfall between the mountain cliffs, then transitions to dirt. The circuit continues winding between the mountain cliffs with a few hills thrown in. Race 2: Jungle Shox Zone 1: Beginning at the transition from wooden bridge to mud, this Shox Zone quickly moves to the winding white sand beach area encountered in previous Jungle circuits. Shox Zone 2: Except for a wooden bridge, the entire Shox Zone is mud. The Shox Zone comes to an end immediately at the exit of a NASTY and NARROW right-hand right-angle corner. Shox Zone 3: This all-mud Shox Zone is a number of semi-gentle corners with a few hills and minor jumps. Race 3: Ice Shox Zone 1: This initial Shox Zone begins on snow in the VERY brief straightaway between the overglorified bobsled course and a right- hand right-angle corner. The rest of this Shox Zone is comprised of gentle corners. Shox Zone 2: Beginning on ice, this second Shox Zone quickly transitions to snow, with a semi- significant jump about halfway through this Shox Zone. The final third transitions to ice for the bridge, then back to snow just before the end gate. Shox Zone 3: After a VERY brief snow section, the terrain transitions to ice, with a left- hand right-angle corner following a minor jump. The Shox Zone ends shortly after transitioning back to snow. Race 4: Arid Shox Zone 1: This Shox Zone is mostly sand, but ends on asphalt. The circuit here winds between the tall mountain cliffs. Shox Zone 2: The second Shox Zone begins on dirt and has two significant jumps, the landing zone for the second jump being asphalt in a right-hand turn. The asphalt continues for the rest of the Shox Zone as the circuit snakes around. Shox Zone 3: Entirely dirt, this final Shox Zone has a few hills and A LOT of twists and turns. Race 5: Jungle Shox Zone 1: Entirely mud except for a wooden bridge, this Shox Zone has several jumps and A LOT of high-speed turns. Shox Zone 2: Beginning at the transition from wooden bridge to mud, this Shox Zone quickly moves to the winding white sand beach area encountered in previous Jungle circuits. Shox Zone 3: Beginning on the beach, this final Shox Zone heads back into the jungle and ends after a narrow and difficult left- hand right-angle corner. Race 6: Ice Shox Zone 1: Beginning with ice thinly layered with snow, this Shox Zone transitions later to snow and then to pure ice. There are several corners, including a tricky right-hand right-angle corner. Shox Zone 2: The middle half of this Shox Zone is snow, with the opening and final fourths icy. There are numerous corners, several rather tricky. Shox Zone 3: The game's final Shox Zone begins on snow, then makes a sharp left-hand turn into the overglorified bobsled course. ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== RACING TIPS: 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; in other games, this is part of the 'stock' feature of the cars. 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. ============================================== RACING TIPS: 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 roadway. On corner exit, the car drifts back to the outside of the roadway 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. There are chicanes of various types in rally racing, but they are not necessarily considered as such because the competitors tend to think corner-by-corner, and not complex- by-complex like circuit-based competitors. 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 stage, which can be especially important when approaching semi-blind corners; real-world drivers are obviously inhibited by the designs 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, each of the first three corners at A1-Ring, and many forest-based stages in rally racing. 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. ============================================== RACING TIPS: 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 :-) ============================================== RACING TIPS: 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!!! ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== 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/ ============================================== ============================================== ==============================================