V V RRRR AAA L L Y Y 333 V V R R A A L L Y Y 3 3 V V --- RRRRR AAAAA L L Y 33 V V R R A A L L Y 3 3 V R R A A LLLLL LLLLL Y 333 V-RALLY 3: STAGE OVERVIEWS GUIDE by Jamie Stafford/Wolf Feather FEATHER7@IX.NETCOM.COM Initial Version Completed: February 14, 2003 FINAL VERSION 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. ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== CONTENTS Spacing and Length Permissions Introduction Stage Overviews 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, Games Domain, PSXCodez.com, Cheatcc.com, gamesover.com, Absolute-PlayStation.com, RedCoupe, InsidePS2Games.com, CheatPlanet.com, The Cheat Empire, a2zweblinks.com, Gameguru, cheatingplanet.com, GameReactors.com, RobsGaming.com, neoseeker.com, CheatHeaven, IGN, ps2fantasy.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 V-Rally 3 is the first appearance of the V-Rally series on PlayStation2. Not surprisingly, its graphics are excellent, the cars have many more tuning options, the sounds are better and more convincing, and the fun factor has been raised :-) This guide is designed to present an overview of each stage in the game, sector by sector. Granted, this runs counter to one of the main concepts or tenants of rally racing - that the driver/navigator have extremely little familiarity (if any) with each stage of a rally - but some advance knowledge about each stage can provide a 'security blanket' for some players, especially those new to rally-based racing games. However, this guide does not cover weather conditions, which are selected at random for many stages and which can obviously make a given stage 'harder' or 'more difficult.' ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== STAGE OVERVIEWS The stage overviews are presented in the order presented in Time Attack Mode. For each country (remember that this game treats all of Africa as a single 'country'), only the four forward-configuration stages are listed in this section; the player can sort things out for the reverse configuration of each stage :-) Note that driving instructions are not included in these stage overviews; that would most definitely defeat the purpose of even playing a rally-based racing game, which relies HEAVILY upon the navigator's instructions. Also, all pre-contract team vehicle tests in V-Rally Mode (the game's career mode) and all challenges in Challenge Mode use only the first four sectors of a given stage, not the full six stages. Finland Stage 1 Sector 1 This opening sector primarily runs through a wooded area; the muddy roadway is nice and wide, allowing for a good amount of recovery room should a driver overcommit to a corner. A small farmlike area and a group of excited fans are on the left of the roadway just before the beginning of Sector 2. Sector 2 Shortly beyond the farmlike area, the left side of the roadway 'opens' as the roadway passes alongside a beautiful, serene lake. After a right-hand corner, a second body of water appears on the right side of the roadway briefly before the stage runs through an area of small mounds. Sector 3 Beginning where the mounds end, the first part of the third sector sees a return of the wooded area on the right side of the roadway while a vast rolling grassy area appears on the left. About halfway through the stage, a lake appears on the right side of the roadway, and the various signs of logging appear alongside the roadway - providing extra obstacles. Sector 4 There is an abrupt transition here from mud to gravel. The roadway narrows a bit and an uphill run begins with the hairpin corner. Drivers must take care here, as a cliff face runs up against the roadway on the right, and there is a nice vehicle- damaging drop on the right-side looking out briefly over a beautiful, serene lake. The roadway quickly re-enters the woods, and throngs of fans on either side of the roadway signal the end of Sector 4 ahead. Sector 5 For this entire sector, there are woods on the left and a wide rolling grassy area on the right. Just at the end of the sector, spectators once again line the roadway. Sector 6 For this entire sector, there are woods on the left and a wide rolling grassy area on the right. Just at the end of the stage, spectators once again line the roadway. Stage 2 Sector 1 The gravel roadway is nicely wide, much like the opening sectors of Stage 1. Similar to the beginning of Stage 1, the roadway runs through a wooded area, although seemingly a bit more dense in Stage 2 than in Stage 1. Sector 2 Shortly after the beginning of Sector 2, the roadway transitions to soft gravel, which is a darker, grayish color. The woods go away, but there are still plenty of trees and spectators and other obstacles to damage wayward vehicles. Sector 3 Sector 3 transitions back to gravel. For the first half of the sector, the woods are thick on the left side of the roadway while the right side is a bit more open; the second half has the roadway flanked by the thick woods on both sides. Sector 4 With a transition back to soft gravel, the woods end and the roadway passes through a small semi-rural town filled with eager spectators. Sector 5 Still on the soft gravel, the town gives way and it is somewhat open on both sides of the roadway, but the fans on the left side are held back by fencing. Eventually, the roadway re-enters the wooded area, makes a sharp turn, and crosses a wooden bridge over a small river, remaining in the woods on the other side of the river. Sector 6 The woods suddenly give way and the final sector runs past several barns. There are a number of eager spectators on both sides of the roadway. Stage 3 Sector 1 This all-gravel stage begins with a thick wooded area to the left of the roadway and a short grassy area leading toward a large lake to the right. About two-thirds of the way through the stage, the signs of logging are visible, providing a few extra obstacles for wayward vehicles. Sector 2 The wooded area to the left side of the roadway gives way to a more open area. Shortly into this second sector, there is a long fence on the left side of the roadway, followed by cheering fans kept back behind barriers. Just before the end of the sector, the roadway passes between some tall dunes. Sector 3 Passing through more dunes, the roadway soon runs along the shore of a lake (to the left side of the roadway); there is also a short bridge, so drivers must take care to not hit its edges. Sector 4 Sector 4 begins shortly beyond the bridge and features the lake on the left and the thick wooded area on the right of the roadway. A barn signals the end of the sector. Sector 5 Beginning parallel with the red barn on the right side of the roadway, the first half of Sector 5 is located within the thick wooded area. The remainder of the sector returns to the shore of the lake. Sector 6 The final sector begins by running alongside the lake (with some signs of logging), then turns away from the lake and heads into the wooded area, with the trees becoming thicker and thicker. Stage 4 Sector 1 The entire opening sector takes place in a wooded area. The roadway is fairly wide, so drivers should not have too much trouble recovering from any mistakes. Sector 2 The first part of this second sector has a sheer cliff face directly against the roadway on the left, and a significant drop on the right side; the roadway will quickly come down to the bottom of this drop. Shortly afterward, the roadway is flanked on the left side by thick woods, whereas the right side is a bit more open and offers glimpses of yet another lake. Sector 3 Shortly into Sector 3, the woods appear on the right side of the roadway with the left side being a bit more open. This sector is greatly littered with evidence of logging, which can cause problems in several corners. Sector 4 The woods return again on the left side of the roadway while the lake makes another appearance on the right side. The last half of the sector takes place entirely in the woods. Sector 5 The first half of this penultimate sector runs through the woods. The final half opens up a bit, then passes between some dunes. Sector 6 This final sector is shorter than the others. The sector opens with the roadway running through a small rural community, then finishes in the woods. France Stage 1 Sector 1 Stage 1 begins high up on a mountain, so this opening sector is largely a downhill run. The roadway has essentially been chiseled out of the mountain stone, so there are often tall rock faces flush against the roadway - however, there are brief moments when one or both sides of the roadway will open up a bit with a small grassy area. There is also a rock tunnel near the end of this opening sector. Sector 2 Continuing the long downhill trajectory of the stage, large rock formations flank the roadway in the initial portion of this sector. The roadway then passes through a small town, where an ascent begins. Sector 3 Beginning just after leaving a French village, this sector begins with an uphill slope which runs through an even smaller village. About halfway through the stage, a descent begins anew, with the roadway flanked by tall rock formations. Sector 4 This sector runs around two bays while maintaining a downhill trajectory. To some extent, it is possible to see where the roadway is far ahead on the other side of the bay. Tall rock formations flank the roadway on the left; to the right is the water (the bays), and there is not usually a guardrail to keep vehicles from flying off the mountain and into the water below. Sector 5 A slow, long ascent begins with Sector 5. Much of this sector is more open, with grass on either side of the roadway. However, the sector eventually runs through yet another French town. Here, it is important to keep off the sidewalks, as there is no gentle slope or lip to them as there are with the rumble strips at actual race circuits (such as Circuit Dijon-Prenois); therefore, hitting a sidewalk at high speed (especially with a hard suspension setting, which is generally recommended for asphalt surfaces) will quite likely result in the vehicle bouncing into the air, meaning a loss of control and significantly increasing the chances of an accident. Sector 6 This sector begins in the sidewalked village, but quickly leaves the village for a downhill run flanked closely by rock formations on both sides of the roadway. Stage 2 Sector 1 The all-asphalt roadway is wide enough for two-way traffic under normal circumstances, but high-speed cornering could be a problem for those drivers unable to keep a tight racing line. The right side of the roadway is lined with rock formations. The left side is mostly open, but there are a number of rock formations, trees, and other obstacles - usually in key areas - to provide problems for 'wandering' vehicles. Sector 2 This sector features a roadway closely bounded on both sides, either by rock outcroppings or by steep embankments. The very end of the sector hosts 'The Castle,' which features several SHARP corners and a very narrow passageway/tunnel right where Sector 2 meets Sector 3. Sector 3 There are a few more SHARP corners, then the roadway heads back into the mountains. The roadway is again closely bounded on both sides, so precision cornering is key to success here. Sector 4 Again, the roadway is closely bounded on both sides for much of the sector. However, on the right side just before Sector 5, there is a gap in the fence which holds back the spectators; this gap is just large enough for a vehicle to slip through if the preceding corner is taken too wide and too quickly. Sector 5 While there is plenty to wreck a wayward vehicle on either side of the roadway, the right side does open up a bit to provide some nice scenic views... but admiring the scenery will result in the near-total destruction of the vehicle :-( The right side is often - but not always - blocked by some sort of guardrail. Sector 6 This extremely-short sector is essentially just like Sector 5. Stage 3 Sector 1 Starting high up on a mountainside, Sector 1 begins by running through a small French village. The second half of this opening sector features a guardrail on the right side of the roadway and large mountain cliffs on the left side. Sector 2 This is identical to the second half of Sector 1, but with more sharp corners. Sector 3 This is much like Sector 2, but with even MORE sharp corners and a tiny village near the end of the sector. The descent also seems a little steeper overall in this sector. Sector 4 This is one long, steep descent with mostly-gentle corners, so those using a high gear ratio can make use of its higher top-end speed here - so long as all cornering is EXTREMELY precise. Sector 5 The sector begins with a bridge over a stream, then the roadway begins a long uphill run among twisty corners. There is NO room for error in this sector. Sector 6 This continues the pattern begun in Sector 5. The stage comes to an end about 300 meters beyond the second tunnel. Stage 4 Sector 1 This stage begins in a mountain village; drivers must try to keep off the sidewalks, as hitting them at high speeds is quite likely to send the vehicle airborne, meaning a loss of control and a greater possibility of an accident. Once out of the small village, there is even less room for error with cliffs and trees and other obstacles flanking the roadway. Only precision driving will provide success here!!! Sector 2 Continuing down the mountainside, there is not much room for error at all, much like the end of the opening sector. After the second hairpin corner, the right side is guarded only by a guardrail, but even then it is still possible to miss the beginning of the guardrail and plunge toward the bay far below. Sector 3 With the bay to the right and rock walls to the left, the descent continues for just a moment before the elevation essentially levels. There are a few rock tunnels in this sector. The view out across the water is definitely beautiful, but any attempts to enjoy the scenery will result in the destruction of the vehicle!!! Sector 4 The first half of the stage is fairly level, then the overall elevation begins to drop again. The roadway leaves the first bay and then runs along a second bay, much like Stage 1. Sector 5 Transitioning to poor asphalt, the second bay is quickly left behind as the roadway runs along the mountainside. Trees, rock formations, and other obstacles await wayward vehicles. The corners here are generally not very tight, so good speeds can be attained here. Sector 6 Once past the waterfall, the roadway ascends slowly. There is still no room for error. The stage ends as the second bay far below again comes into view. England Stage 1 Sector 1 This all-mud stage can be tricky due to the lack of traction, especially when attempting strong acceleration out of tight corners or at the start of the stage. This opening sector runs through the woods. At the end of the sector, a building in a clearing can be seen just ahead. Sector 2 Sector 2 begins in a clearing, passing by a building on the left. This area is used for logging; as such, there are plenty of logs, trucks, and other obstacles scattered about. The roadway will curve around all this, then return to the woods momentarily to emerge with a farm on the left (protected by a long fence) and eventually passing through a small village. Sector 3 Once past the few buildings of the village, the roadway returns to the woods. The sector ends at the next clearing. Sector 4 The fourth sector is somewhat open, although tall embankments and trees generally line the roadway. There are many fans perched along the roadway in this sector. Sector 5 The first part of this sector runs through the woods, with a building and a group of spectators on the right side of the roadway early in the sector. Once across the wooden bridge, the right side of the roadway is flanked by a long semi-steep grassy embankment. Sector 6 The final sector is quite open on both sides, but with numerous tight corners, some of which have obstacles at the apex to thwart any attempts at shortcutting. There are numerous spectators along this last sector, all protected by fencing or other barriers. Stage 2 Sector 1 This opening sector runs through the woods. The roadway is fairly wide, providing plenty of room for recovery in case of a minor mistake. The entire sector runs slowly downhill, but there are too many corners to allow for much high-speed driving. Sector 2 The long downhill run continues, with even tighter corners (in general) than in the opening sector. The end of the sector is another logging area, so any off-course excursions could result in vehicle damage. Sector 3 Still in a semi-wooded area, there are a number of spectators along much of this sector. Drivers must beware the barriers on the stone bridge at the end of this sector. Sector 4 This semi-wooded area is also characterized by tight corners. Fencing in the last two-thirds of the sector protects many spectators and also prevents any shortcutting possibilities. Sector 5 The roadway continues winding through the semi- wooded area. The main 'obstacle' here is a river crossing; those using lower-than-default Ride Height settings will definitely need to slow for the river crossing, or else the vehicle will bottom out and potentially create a loss of control. Sector 6 The woods thicken as the final sector runs uphill. The right side of the roadway is initially protected by a long guardrail. Near the end of the stage is another building (on the left) surrounded by signs of logging, and a nice throng of spectators await the drivers at the end of the stage. Stage 3 Special Weather Note At least in Time Attack Mode, this stage is run in foggy conditions, which makes clear visibility almost impossible. This can make it quite difficult to correctly judge distances between a navigator's call and the associated corner or obstacle. Therefore, special caution must be made here; however, this is one of the best stages in the game to truly attack and gain a major lead over the competition in V-Rally Mode. Sector 1 Stage 3 opens in the woods, although the roadway is fairly wide at most points. Near the end of this initial sector is a river crossing; it is best to slow for the river crossing to avoid a loss of vehicle control. Sector 2 Heading uphill, the roadway gains more tight twists and turns. Sector 3 This third sector is more open on either side of the roadway, but there are still plenty of trees and rocks (as well as some fans) to provide incentive to remain firmly ON the roadway. Sector 4 This sector transitions from woods to clearing and back to woods, with a bridge thrown in. About halfway through the sector is a think-log fence on the right side; this fence is breakable, and it is thus possible to have a collision with something normally protected by the fence. Sector 5 The first half of this sector has the woods on the right side of the roadway, with an open area on the left side; the left side also sports a few buildings and several groups of spectators. The second half of the sector is run fully in the woods. Sector 6 This final sector emerges from the woods into a logging area, with several groups of stacked logs near the roadway. The roadway then re-enters the woods for the final run to the end of the stage. Stage 4 Sector 1 This opening sector is wide open on both sides of the roadway, but there are still a number of trees and rocks near the roadway on either side. The sector ends near the top of a crest. Sector 2 This second sector slowly climbs the mountainside. There are several tall rock embankments and stone guardrails in this sector. However, the main danger is the steep ditch on the left side of the roadway at one point; slipping into this ditch will DEFINITELY create vehicle damage. Sector 3 Running through the woods, there is a small logging area early in the sector, and many lengthy guardrails throughout the sector. Near the end of this third sector, the woods on the right side of the roadway give way to a view of the countryside. Sector 4 The first half of the sector returns to the woods, then the second half of the sector opens to grassy plains to the right side of the roadway. This is a relatively-short sector overall. Sector 5 The first half of this penultimate sector runs through the woods, emerging to the woods on the left side of the roadway and a logging operation on the right side. Sector 6 This final sector runs slowly uphill and is fairly open on both sides of the roadway. The stage comes to an end just beyond the wooden bridge. Sweden Special Border Note Virtually every millimeter of roadway in the Sweden stages is bounded on both sides by a bank of snow from where the snowplows have 'cleared' the roadway. In some sectors, these snow banks are taller than in other sectors. Thus, for the most part, it is virtually impossible to leave the roadway, as these snow banks will almost always force the vehicle to bounce back across the roadway toward the other snow bank. Stage 1 Sector 1 This opening sector is mostly wide open on both sides of the roadway, with plenty of spectators in the first half of the stage. Sector 2 This second sector runs entirely through a lightly- wooded area. Sector 3 The trees thin somewhat in this sector, which features some tight corners to slow the vehicle's average speed. Sector 4 The roadway passes alongside a farming area in this sector. Sector 5 The area slowly opens on either side of the roadway to provide a nice panoramic view of the surroundings. Sector 6 While the sector begins in the vast clear panoramic area, the roadway quickly returns to the woods, where the corners become tighter and tighter. Stage 2 Sector 1 There are A LOT of spectators at the start of this very short sector. The area is mostly clear and open, providing a nice distant view to either side of the roadway. Sector 2 The first two-thirds of this second sector is nice and open, with a significant throng of spectators about one-third of the way through this sector. The roadway then re-enters the woods. Sector 3 The first half of this sector runs through the woods, with A LOT of spectators lining the left side of the roadway. The final segment of the sector opens up on either side of the roadway. Sector 4 The first half of the fourth sector is in a wide open area, with the second half taking place back in the wooded area. Sector 5 This somewhat-short penultimate sector runs entirely through the woods. Sector 6 This final sector runs entirely through the woods and features some tricky corner combinations. Stage 3 Sector 1 The opening sector of Stage 3 is rather lengthy, and the snow banks on either side of the roadway are rather high. Trees line the roadway throughout much of the sector, but there is a brief moment of openness to either side of the roadway about halfway through the sector. Sector 2 For much of the second sector, the left side of the roadway is immediately bounded by rock embankments. A pair of 'jumps' ends the sector, with Sector 3 beginning at the crest of the second 'jump.' Sector 3 This is a rather easy, high-speed sector, with plenty of trees and spectators along the roadway. One section has the roadway bounded by more rocks. Sector 4 Sector 4 is mostly open, and is a great place for a full-throttle high-speed run. Telephone poles line the left side of the roadway, and can therefore be used as a great device for anticipating the placement of the upcoming corners. Sector 5 Again, this is a high-speed sector, with telephone poles available for corner anticipation. A large red covered bridge appears about halfway through the stage, just after the telephone poles move from the left side of the roadway to the right side. Sector 6 This final sector runs through wide-open farmland, with plenty of spectators lining the roadway (on the opposite side of the snowbanks). The final sector also transitions quickly to ice. Stage 4 Sector 1 Spectators spectators everywhere!!!!! This opening sector is wide open on both sides of the roadway, with hordes of spectators seemingly as far as the eye can see, especially near the Starting Line. Sector 2 This is essentially like the first sector, but with tighter corners and fewer spectators. Sector 3 This is essentially like the second sector, but with even tighter corners. Sector 4 This is essentially like the third sector, but on snowy gravel. Sector 5 The roadway keeps transitioning between snowy gravel and deep snow. Sector 6 The trees and the spectators both become much more numerous in this sector as the corners get tighter and tighter. Germany Stage 1 Sector 1 Beginning on snowy asphalt, this stage primarily has tall rocks on the right side of the roadway and either guardrails or trees on the left side. The sector ends halfway through the tunnel. Sector 2 This is much the same as the opening sector, but without the snow on much of the roadway and some rock barriers on the left side of the roadway. Sector 3 This is much like Sector 2. Sector 4 Here, the rocks give way to trees on either side of the roadway for the first half of the sector, then the mountain rocks and a tunnel return in the second half of the sector. The sector ends just beyond the tunnel. Sector 5 This is much like the opening sector, but without the snow on the asphalt. About two-thirds of the way through the sector, the roadway passes underneath a ski lift :-) Sector 6 This final uphill run sees snow lightly covering the roadway. This is in many respects just like the opening sector. Stage 2 Sector 1 The stage begins in a lightly-wooded area, but eventually a guardrail on the right side of the roadway prevents vehicles from falling off the short but sheer drop into the river below. Sector 2 Now away from the river, there are rock embankments along much of the roadway in this second sector, as well as many signs of logging - some of which are rather close to the roadway. Sector 3 The rocks give way to a lightly-wooded area. Soon, a rail line appears on the right side of the roadway, and there may be a railroad engine used for logging slowly moving along. However, the roadway soon turns away from the rail line, ending this third sector. Sector 4 Beginning bounded by rocks and trees, this sector turns back toward the rail line, then turns away again. The sector ends just before reaching the town ahead. Sector 5 Much of this penultimate sector runs through a fan-filled town. The entryway to the town is a minor tunnel, and there are sidewalks along the roadway which could cause a vehicle to bounce and lose control if hit at high speeds. The roadway eventually leaves the town, heading back out into the woods (with a brief segment bounded on both sides by tall rock embankments). Sector 6 This is a fairly-open sector, with mostly gentle corners conducive to a high-speed run. There are also numerous fans (in groups) along the roadway in this final sector. The stage ends shortly beyond the building on the left. Stage 3 Sector 1 This stage begins in a lightly-wooded area, but then the trees give way to rock embankments. The sector ends just before the pile of logs on the left side of the roadway. Sector 2 Primarily trees bound the roadway in this sector, but there are also a significant number of steep embankments (primarily rocks). Some fans can be seen in this sector, and the few signs of logging are fortunately well away from the roadway itself. Sector 3 This is primarily a light-wooded sector, with some steep embankments (primarily grassy) in some areas. Sector 4 This is primarily a light-wooded sector, with some steep embankments (primarily rocky) in some areas. The roadway transitions to icy asphalt at the end of the sector. Sector 5 The first half of this penultimate sector is lined with tall rock embankments or even cliffs, and the corners are many and somewhat sharp. The second half of the sector opens up a bit, but there are still A LOT of trees lining the roadway. Sector 6 This final sector begins the way Sector 5 ends, but then returns to rocky cliffs. There is also a tunnel near the end of the stage. Stage 4 Special Weather Note At least in Time Attack Mode, this stage is run in foggy conditions, which makes clear visibility almost impossible. This can make it quite difficult to correctly judge distances between a navigator's call and the associated corner or obstacle. Therefore, special caution must be made here; however, this is one of the best stages in the game to truly attack and gain a major lead over the competition in V-Rally Mode. Sector 1 The opening sector of this stage runs through vineyards and is LOADED with nasty, sharp corners. Those drivers who can deftly handle these corners will have a great advantage over the competition (in V-Rally Mode) heading into Sector 2. Sector 2 This second sector runs initially through more vineyards with tight corners, then heads into the woods. Those drivers who can deftly handle these corners will have a great advantage over the competition (in V-Rally Mode) heading into Sector 3. Sector 3 As this sector progresses, there are more and more rock embankments flanking the roadway, with each embankment seemingly taller than the one before it. Sector 4 The fourth sector opens up a bit, then passes by several buildings and groups of spectators. The second half of the sector runs between tall rock embankments. Sector 5 The roadway here runs through a lightly-wooded area, with spectators in the small clearings. There are also some more rock embankments. Sector 6 This final sector is much like Sector 5, but ending at another vineyard. Africa Special Visibility Note Most of the Africa stages are extremely sunny, and do not have much (if anything) nearby to block the sunlight from shining upon the roadway. This can produce severe visibility problems when heading toward the sun, and adjusting the camera view will not usually provide better visibility. In this case, it is best to try to use tall trees near the roadway to anticipate upcoming corners. Stage 1 Sector 1 There are A LOT of spectators lining the roadway in this initial sector. While the corners are not at all difficult, the apexes often have small rises which are just tall enough to knock the vehicle out of control. Some apexes are flat, but just sandy enough to seriously slow the vehicle. Sector 2 The first two-thirds of this sector are essentially like the opening sector, although the embankments alongside the roadway tend to get progressively taller. However, the final third of the sector has some nasty corners between these tall embankments, which can potentially cause some trouble. Sector 3 There are fewer embankments in this third sector, and the corners are not quite as sharp as before. However, it is still easy to stray off the roadway and damage the vehicle. Sector 4 The second corner of this sector is by far the most difficult in all of the Africa stages, with a cliff face essentially protruding into the roadway from the right side, and a unguarded catastrophic descent on the left side of the roadway. Once past this nasty corner, the roadway tends to run along the plateau, with embankments and spectators on both sides of the roadway. Sector 5 This penultimate sector is really one super-lengthy straightaway, with only one true corner; with precision steering, even this corner can be safely cleared at full-throttle acceleration. This sector ends just before the wooden archway. Sector 6 This short sector is a high-speed run to the Finish Line. However, straightlining the many gentle corners is not a good idea, as the grass at the apex of each corner will slow the vehicle significantly. Stage 2 Sector 1 Many embankments and trees line the roadway throughout this opening sector. Sector 2 The many corners come fast and furious in this sector. There is also a railroad crossing, almost directly underneath the point where the telephone lines cross over the roadway. Sector 3 Much of this sector runs along a twisty, narrow plateau. There is NO room for error, as the tall cliff face bounds the roadway on the left side, and the right side is a severe drop to the valley floor far below. There are also trees and embankments strategically placed on the left side of the roadway to create more concern for those drivers who slide to the outside in the left-hand corners. Sector 4 Now off the plateau, the roadway is primarily bounded by more embankments, although the corners are not quite as severe here. Sector 5 The corners are more gentle here as the roadway leads up to a wooden bridge. Once across the bridge, the roadway winds through a tiny village filled with spectators. Ahead is a second railroad crossing, but a vehicle with sufficient speed and the correct suspension setting can easily speed up the slight slope and jump over the railroad crossing without any need to slow to more safely cross the tracks. Sector 6 Embankments and minor ditches characterize this closing sector, which is also heavily lined with cheering spectators. Stage 3 Sector 1 Until the very end of the sector, this is a very high-speed run with only the gentlest of corners. Embankments and trees line the roadway in this sector. There is also a shallow river crossing quite early in the sector, but it can easily be cleared at full acceleration. Sector 2 This is another very high-speed run, with more embankments and trees lining the roadway. Sector 3 Here, the roadway runs along a shallow lake bed. There are the usual trees and embankments. Sector 4 In this short sector, the roadway climbs up a rather narrow plateau. There is a sheer cliff face bounding the roadway (and sometimes protruding slightly into it) on the right side, and some unprotected drops on the left side of the roadway. Sector 5 In this short sector, the roadway descends back to the valley floor and also contains a wider shallow river crossing. Sector 6 The first half of this final sector runs along the shallow lake bed again, then heads away from the lake. The corners are rather gentle, making this sector a rather high-speed run to the Finish Line. Stage 4 Sector 1 With the exception of one corner, this is yet another high-speed run through the desert. However, care must be taken to not slide off the roadway, as the grass will significantly slow vehicles. Sector 2 This is yet another high-speed run, but with some embankments and trees closer to the roadway. Sector 3 This is YET ANOTHER high-speed run, with some taller embankments and more trees. Some spectators await by the building on the right side of the roadway about halfway through this sector. Sector 4 The weeds on either side of the roadway are taller now, slowing stray vehicles even more quickly. Sector 5 Except for one 'chicane,' this is another high-speed run. Sector 6 There are practically no embankments here, but still plenty of trees and grass along this rather short final sector. The Finish Line is about halfway along the final corner called by the navigator. ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== 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/ ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== ======================================================================= Wolf Feather Jamie Stafford ======================================================================= Just as there are many parts needed to make a human a human, there's a remarkable number of things needed to make an individual what they are. - Major Kusanagi, _Ghost in the Shell_ ======================================================================= What isn't remembered never happened. - _Serial Experiments Lain_ =======================================================================