0
V0.35
By Michael Tham mike_tham@hotmail.com
0.35 5/7/98 Added Urban Circuit and Boom Town strategy. Added Sega Proto Car
and Boom Town codes. Additions to the lyrics.
0.30 2/5/98 Major update on Grunwald Circuit and general strategies.
0.28 24/5/98 Can also be found at http://vgstrategies.tqn.com and some
minor additions.
0.25 16/5/98 Minor updates on track strategies and general strategies.
0.20 12/5/98 Added general strategies section. More spelling corrections.
0.15 08/5/98 Minor update. Lyrics, some additions. Codes. Can now be found at
GameFAQs
0.1 28/4/98 First initial draft and release.
Index
1) Introduction
2) Car statistics
3) Race circuit info
4) Track strategies
5) General Strategies
6) Codes
7) Music
8) Posting times on the internet
9) Final word
This FAQ and future updates can be found at GameFAQs and
vgstrategies.tqn.com
Introduction
Hello and welcome to my Sega Touring Car FAQ. This is my first FAQ so please
bear with me. I must say that I'm far from being a good STC player. You can
check out my lame times for Saturn and PC. My nick is MIKTHAM. So why the hell
am I writing this FAQ when there are so many players better than me? Because
there are no FAQS out there. Actually, there is only one beginner's guide by Wes
Pringle but nothing on the tracks. I hope all the good players will start to
share their skills and strategies with the whole internet gaming community.
I own both the Saturn and PC versions but unfortunately I don't have my Saturn
with me as I am studying in Australia :(. At least I still have the PC version
to keep me company. I love fighting games, RPGs and racing games. My favourite
games are VF3, Street Fighter 3, SFZ2Gold, Grandia, DragonForce, Riglord Saga 2,
Samurai Spirits RPG, Sega Rally and of course Sega Touring Car. If you play VF3
and live in Melbourne, do mail me at mike_tham@hotmail.com . I have yet to meet
a VFer and I'm very eager for some human competition.
Enough about me. Well, what is Sega Touring Car Championship all about? Well,
it's a racer by Amusement Machines Annex based on world touring car
championships. ( I would appreciate more on what the actual races are like. )The
game first came out in the arcades. I don't think it did pretty well. Perhaps
because there are too many racers out there and its graphics were not
exceptional so people hardly gave it a second glance.
However, its release on the Saturn was greeted with much enthusiasm as it would
probably be Saturn's last racer and because you could post your times on the
internet and compare it against other racers over the world. When the game came
out, it was given negative response from the video gaming community on the net.
( I don't give s*** about the f***ing magazines cause they're always biased and
did not say s*** about the STC world ranking ). Many complained about the low
frame rate, boring graphics and hard gameplay.
Regardless, I got myself the game and was I for a big shock. ( I always pretty
optimistic about the game and regarded the bad reviews as biased. The frame rate
really hurt my eye. It really hurt. After every track I had to turn my eyes away
cause it gave me a headache. I was really disappointed. Sega Rally had such good
graphics. Probably the best racer in terms of graphics and Sega could come out
with such poor graphics. Another thing was the difficulty. I had problems
handling the car, probably because I was too used to Sega Rally's loose control.
Finally in despair, I gave out on the game and resumed playing X-men vs Street
Fighter.
But my brother did not. If he knocked the wall or something during the
Qualifying Heat or first track, he would reset and try again. He would play for
one whole day until I got so fed up with the music, especially the first track.
( it later began to grow on me) Seeing how determined he was, I thought what the
hell and began playing again. Much more positive reviews on the net starting
popping out, praising the game's depth and control.
Soon, my eyes did not hurt and I started getting better at the game. Though I've
still to improve much, I've begun to appreciate the challenge in the game and
wonder how the Japanese manage to get such good times. So, if you have not
gotten the game yet, what are you waiting for?
Besides, if you have a good PC, the graphics are actually pretty good and said
to be arcade perfect!
I've not seen nor played the arcade version so I'm not sure whether everything
in this FAQ will work. I try to keep my FAQ as accurate as possible but I will
not be responsible for anything that happens because I typed something wrong or
gave out wrong information.
So, without further ado, here are the official statistics of the 4 cars from
Sega :
ALFA ROMEO 155V6TI (my favourite car!)
Features a longitudinally mounted engine. The shift lever is near the steering
wheel, to enable rapid gear changes with just a snap of the hand.
ENGINE TYPE V6 24VALVES
CAPACITY 2499cc
MAX POWER 450bhp/11700rpm
MAX TORQUE 30.6kgm/9500rpm
TRANS. 6-SPEED SEMI-AT 4WD
LENGTH 4620mm
WIDTH 1798mm
HEIGHT 1355mm
WHEELBASE 2540mm
WEIGHT 1040kg+
BRAKES 4-CHANNEL ABS VENTILATED DISCS
TOYOTA SUPRA GT
Toyota's flagship sports car which made its mark at the Japanese Grand Touring
Car (JGTC) Drivers Championship. The car's turbo engine is the pride of Toyota's
engineers, delivering 450 bhp.
ENGINE TYPE STRAIGHT4 DOHC TURBO
CAPACITY 1998cc
MAX POWER 450bhp/6000rpm
MAX TORQUE 65.0kgm/4500rpm
TRANSMISSION 6-SPEED MT FR
LENGTH 4520mm
WIDTH 1910mm
HEIGHT 1200mm
WHEELBASE 2550mm
WEIGHT 1100kg+
BRAKES VENTILATED DISCS
AMG MERCEDES
C-CLASS
As always, Mercedes places importance on easy maintenance & safety. The
driver's
seat is positioned in the centre of the car. The car features semiautomatic 6-
speed transmission, which can be controlled by buttons on the steering wheel.
The car in the game is the D2 Privat Team silver model.
ENGINE TYPE V6 24 VALVE
CAPACITY 2499cc
MAX TORQUE 0.6kgm/9000rpm
TRANSMISSION 6-SPEED SEMI-AT RWD
LENGTH 4666mm
WIDTH 1789mm
HEIGHT 1280mm
WHEELBASE 2690mm
WEIGHT 1040kg+
BRAKES 4-CHANNEL ABS VENTILATED DISCS
OPEL CALIBRA V6
The engine of OPEL CALIBRA V6 is based on the 3165cc V6 of the OPEL Monterey.
With the adoption of a semiautomatic, 6-speed transmission, it becomes possible
to change gears in 1/5 of the time it took before. In addition, this car can
manipulate the lock and stabilizer control automatically, detecting the amount
of slip and the road traction of the tires via computer sensors.
ENGINE TYPE V6 24VALVES
CAPACITY 2498cc
MAX POWER 500bhp/11650rpm
MAX TORQUE 31.6kgm/9000rpm
TRANSMISSION 6-SPEED SEMI-AT 4WD
LENGTH 4673mm
WIDTH 1766mm
HEIGHT 1285mm
WHEELBASE 2605mm
WEIGHT 1040kg+
BRAKES 4-CHANNEL ABS VENTILATED DISCS
Race Circuit Info from Sega and some additions from myself!
Country Circuit: Beginner Level
Easy to drive because of the width of the road. But if you want to win the race,
you have to be precise - even the smallest mistake could cost you the race.
Grunwald Circuit: Intermediate Level
This circuit is located in the mountains, so you get to see a fair share of
nature. However, this is no time for bird watching - you've got plenty of
treacherous curves to concentrate on.
Brickwall Town: Advanced Level
You may be a smoothy on purpose built circuits, but have you got street smarts?
Precision handling and speed control are essential if you want to get to the
finishing line.
Urban Circuit
This circuit is located in the city. You can see tall building all around. The
road is paved very well and there all walls on both sides. The roads are
narrower but not as narrow as Sega Rally's lakeside course. There are also a
tunnel, something which is absent from the other 3 tracks.
It's a very simple stage, the backgrounds are basically repetitive. However it
is better than having just 3 stages. Still, AM Annex should have put more effort
into making the stage much more interesting and at the same time thrown in some
more extra tracks as well.
Ok. Now to business. Which car is better? I recommend you check out Wes
Pringle's beginner's guide. He gives quite a few thoughts one each car's
performance as well as some driving tips. But for me, I believe Alpha Romeo is
the best, especially the handling. But still, its better to experiment and find
the car that suites you the most. All my tips will be based on AUTOMATIC. I
don't use manual because :
1) There are people who use auto with much better times than mine. I think
there's a Japanese in the top 20 Saturn world ranking who uses auto
2) Playing with the keyboard is hard enough as it is. I don't want to complicate
things further.
If you have something to say in regards to using manual in the game, please mail
me and I'll put it up.
THE TRACKS
QUALIFYING HEAT
COUNTRY CURCUIT
1 LAP = 2.045km
Ok. This is of course the easiest course in the whole game. You don't even have
to use the brake. However, its pretty difficult to get a really good time.
Positioning and how you take a turn can cost you seconds.
For starting the Qualifying Heat, I recommend pressing the accelerate button
after the countdown to 1 and before go. There may be a better way to start so if
anyone knows of any, please mail me. Its is no good to hold accelerate all the
way before starting. You can also choose to keep it at about 100km/h or so.
Since there are no other computer controlled cars here, its only you and the
track so try to get the best time possible.
After starting, you'll drive along a straight road for awhile. Its better to
drive around the center of the road. The first turn is a pretty long right turn.
As the road slowly starts bending right, hold right until the road straightens.
If you are moving too close to the wall at the right, let go of right but DO NOT
TAP or PRESS LEFT. When you are sure you won't hit the wall continue turning. A
better way to take the turn is to hold right, release, hold right, release until
you come to the straightway. But if you started turning too late, its better to
hold all the way. Time your turn properly so it will be one smooth motion and
try to keep your car a little bit to the left side of the road. After
negotiating the first turn, you're car will jump a bit and here comes the 2nd
turn.
Its best to meet this turn driving a bit to the left side of the road but turn
early at the right turn. Turn by tapping right lightly to prevent the tires from
screeching. Be sure not to hit the walls or run into the grass. If you meet
another car here, stay on its right side when you turn. Its best to stay on the
left side of the road but don't get too close to the wall.
For the next turn which is to the left, just stay in the middle of the road. As
the bend comes, hold right and release right when you are in the middle of the
road. Another way of taking this turn is to hold left for awhile, release while
waiting for the road ahead to come into view and press left again to align
yourself. This prevents over steering. The road will be a bit bent but if you
are in the middle, you will be able to move straight at high speed until the
next turn. If you over steer and are on the grass just continue forward unless
you are in danger of hitting a wall. It is important to do this turn well as it
the stretch is pretty long and.
Treat the next turn like the 2nd turn, tapping to turn. If you are going to move
out of the road, by all means hold in the correct direction to bring yourself
back. It's a very short turn. Try to stay to the left side of the road.
Ahhh, finally, the last turn of the game. Stay at the left . As the turn is
coming out, hold right. Your car should move closer to the wall at the right as
it turns but not touch it. As the road straightens, left go of right and move
straight to the finish line. If your car is not moving parallel to the road,
straighten its course by tapping in the correct direction.
As a general rule for track one, do not stay too close to the edge when you take
a corner to keep your speed up. Try to follow the black marks on the road for
maximum speed but be sure to keep your eyes on the road!
ROUND 1
COUNTRY CURCUIT
1 LAP = 2.045km
2 LAPS = 4.090km
This is the same track as the Qualifying Heat except for one minor/major
difference depending on how you look at it ; there are 7 other CPU-controlled
cars to wreck you day!
After starting, you'll drive along a straight road for awhile. Its better to
drive around the center of the road. The first turn is a pretty long right turn.
During this straight run you have the opportunity to take over two or three
cars. Minimise any left or right movement unless it is to avoid a car in front
of you. As the road slowly starts bending right, hold right until the road
straightens. If you are moving too close to the wall at the right, let go of
right but DO NOT TAP or PRESS LEFT. When you are sure you won't hit the wall
continue turning. A better way to take the turn is to hold right, release, hold
right, release until you come to the straightway. But if you started turning too
late, its better to hold all the way. Time your turn properly so it will be one
smooth motion and try to keep your car a little bit to the left side of the
road. After negotiating the first turn, you're car will jump a bit and here
comes the 2nd turn.
It is best to meet this turn driving a bit to the left side of the road but turn
early at the right turn. Turn by tapping right lightly to prevent the tires from
screeching. Be sure not to hit the walls or run into the grass. If you meet
another car here, stay on its right side when you turn. Its best to stay on the
left side of the road but don't get too close to the wall.
For the next turn which is to the left, just stay in the middle of the road. As
the bend comes, hold right and release right when you are in the middle of the
road. Another way of taking this turn is to hold left for awhile, release while
waiting for the road ahead to come into view and press left again to align
yourself. This prevents over steering. The road will be a bit bent but if you
are in the middle, you will be able to move straight at high speed until the
next turn. If you over steer and are on the grass just continue forward unless
you are in danger of hitting a wall. It is important to do this turn well as it
the stretch is pretty long and.
Treat the next turn like the 2nd turn, tapping to turn. If you are going to move
out of the road, by all means hold in the correct direction to bring yourself
back. It's a very short turn. Try to stay to the left side of the road.
Ahhh, finally, the last turn of the game. Stay at the left . As the turn is
coming out, hold right. Your car should move closer to the wall at the right as
it turns but not touch it. As the road straightens, left go of right and move
straight to the finish line. If your car is not moving parallel to the road,
straighten its course by tapping in the correct direction.
As a general rule for track one, do not stay too close to the edge when you take
a corner to keep your speed up. Try to follow the black marks on the road for
maximum speed but be sure to keep your eyes on the road!
ROUND 2
GRUNWALD CIRCUIT
1 LAP = 2.605km
2 LAPS = 5.210km
For this circuit also I do not use the brakes. However my time seems pretty bad
so I guess that there may be some places where it better to brake. Maybe.
Of course you start with a rolling start. From the beginning, stay in the
middle. Wait for the turning in front. You will see a blue sign way up ahead.
I'm not really sure about the timing but you'll get it after a couple of tries.
One way is to wait for the blue sign to be fully visible before turning right.
Make sure you do it IMMEDIATELY after you see the end of the blue sign. Again,
this depends on your position. Try not to stay too much to the right. Hold right
and you will negotiate the bend pretty close to the wall at the right. Don't
worry if it looks like you are going to knock the wall on the right. Most of the
time you don't. This turn's pretty hard and depends on the timing of your turn.
What pisses me off is when there's a bloody car on my right when I turn. Can
anyone tell me how to turn this without sliding to the right?
The 2nd turn is a right turn. Just hold right at the turn. Again, try to stay a
bit to the left side of the road. After another stretch of straight road hold
another right. The important thing about these two turns is the correct moment
to hold right. Do it too early and you'll meet the wall on the right. Turn too
late and you'll kiss the right wall. If you turn too much to one side, don't
hold at the other direction. Rather, don't press any directions until you hit
the wall or else you will experience the 'yo-yo' effect where your car 'bounces'
from the left wall to the right or vice versa.
Your 3rd turn is another right turn. Take it as you took the 2nd.
The next turn is pretty steep so approach it a bit to the right side of the road
cause the road's pretty narrow. Hold left even after clearing the turn to avoid
the wall at the left. The best way to take this turn is to keep to the left side
of the road before the turn. This will give you more space to negotiate the
turn. Did I mention that you don't need to use your brakes for this track?
This turn looks simple but it isn't. Approach it with your car in the middle of
the road. Staying too much to the left or right will cause you to knock the
walls. As, the turn comes, press and hold right. Because the road is pretty
narrow, turn early and keep your car away from the wall on the left coming to
meet you.
After that tap right a bit cause this road is a bit crooked. The 2nd last turn
is more than 90 degrees but there is more room for you to turn. Approach the
turn by staying in the middle or a bit to the left. At the turn, hold right and
hear your tires screech. Your car's speed will drop dramatically. When you have
nearly cleared the turn, let go of right and move ahead! Be sure that your car
has cleared the hill on the right before letting go of right. A better way of
taking this turn would be to make the turns with short, repeated holding of
right. This doesn't slow down your speed as much as holding right all the way.
Again, make sure that when you are taking this turn there are no cars near you
or else you will be bounced around like beach ball!
The next turn is an easy left turn to the finish. It may be easy but you still
have to make the best of it. A millisecond can go a long way in the STC charts!
Keep a bit to the right before turning left to minimise the friction on your
tyres. When approaching the finish line, it is best to keep the car parallel to
the walls on both sides to minimise the time needed to reach the finish. Also,
keep the car in the middle of the road as a precaution against fouling up and
having your car drifting to either side....
ROUND 3
BRICKTOWN WALL
1 LAP = 2.277km
2 LAPS = 4.554km
All right. The last track. The beginning is very, very crucial. Because the road
is very small, DO NOT KNOCK ANY CAR AT THE BACK. This will slow you down a lot
and you might as well reset the race. It is best to stay in the middle of the
road in the beginning. Also try to ignore the music, which is pretty fast and
can cause you to panic and foul up your race!
You will meet two consecutive left turns. At the first turn just hold left for a
while and for the next, held left again until you get to the wide straight road.
Time it right and you'll breeze through the two turns easily. Its just like
going through two turns in one go. If there is a car directly in front of you,
it is better to knock the wall than ram into its back as it will reduce your
time a lot.
Now this turn is the first time I use my brakes. As you meet this turn, its best
to be on the very left side of the road. You don't have much time to prepare for
this turn so move to the left side after the 2nd turn. When you are about one
and a half cars away from the sharp bend, hold right and brake. How much braking
you need depends on your position and speed. Just remember that there is little
room on the left side of the road after you turn so if you are unsure of how
much braking you need, its better to play it safe and brake a little more than
you anticipate. Your car will turn sharply to the right and miss the wall. Be
sure to stabilise your car straight after the turn and swerve pretty early. If
you can't brake in time or are on the right side of the road, do not brake. Its
better to just hit the wall and get ready for the next turn. Braking only slows
you down and you will hit the wall all the same.
The next turn is pretty much the same. Stay to the very left side of the road
and turn right and brake lightly to the right. (the more to the left you are,
the less braking you need). Most of the time, when I turn, I'm very close to the
wall on the right so that I can move in a straight line as soon as possible. If
possible, stay very much to the left as you meet the turn. That way, you only
need to press your brakes for a while as you have more room to manoeuvre. For
this turn, there is some room on the left side of the road after you turn so if
you cannot brake in time or are too much to the right, there is still hope. Just
remember to get back to the main road as soon as possible. If you eat into the
extra space in the left, keep holding right until you get back on the main road
as the momentum of the turn will push you slightly to the left and slow you
down. You must get of the extra space before the road narrows to its original
width.
I don't really know how to negotiate this pretty long right turn, so someone
please mail me. I've done it with braking but it slowed the car quite a lot and
I think it is faster for me to knock the wall on go on. Or maybe I'm wrong?
The next is a left turn. I don't brake for this one but its pretty hard cause
the position and timing must be right. Stay in the right-middle side of the
road. As the bend approaches, hold left. You'll slide left as you turn, almost
meeting the grass to the left. If you stay in the middle or to the left, your
car is sure to slide helplessly to the wall on the right. Now, get ready for the
next turn.
This turn is a very long right turn and I've done it a few times without
braking. I guess it has to do with positioning and when to hold right. I'll get
more info on this when I can. Can anyone help me with this?
The next turn is very easy. Just stay to the right side of the road and hold
left a small fraction of a second before the turn appears. You will 'go with the
flow'. Its sort of like floating with the turn. Make sure you take this turn
pretty early or else you will meet the wall on the right.
Here comes the last turn. Unfortunately, you have a pretty narrow road to get
this 90 degrees turn. Keep to the left but do not knock on the wall. I'm not
pretty sure of this turn and I hope someone will mail me about it. After that
turn, its straight all the way! Remember to keep your car parallel to the road
to minimise time. Tap at the correct direction to keep it straight.
Since I can't do this turn, what I basically do is to hit wall as early as
possible by braking a bit so I can get back on the road immediately. If you hit
the wall further down the turn, it will take you longer to get back on the road
and longer to accelerate.
BONUS TRACK
URBAN CIRCUIT
1 LAP = 2.105km
2 LAPS = 4.210km
You can only get this race after you have placed first in the overall category.
The roads in this stage are pretty narrow with walls on both sides and no 90
degree turns but still its pretty difficult as it is sometimes hard to tell what
the next turn will be. No matter what position you get here has nothing to do
with your ending, I think.
Since you've managed to reach here, you should be in 1st or second position. As
usual, it's a rolling start. Then the road will shift a bit to the left but
don't let that bother you. Keep to the right side of the road and turn left when
you see the next left turn coming. Make sure to turn early to avoid the wall on
your right.
After your first turn, the road will narrow into a tunnel. Position yourself so
that you are in the middle. Most important thing to remember is that when your
car is sliding inevitably towards a wall, don't touch any direction button until
after it hits.
Your first tunnel turn is a medium left, just don't hold on left for long. Hold
lightly, release and hold. The tunnels don't allow much room for sliding. Next
is another left turn. Start turning right towards the end of your previous turn.
A sudden turn will cause the tail of your car to hit the wall.
You will come out of the tunnel. Remember to position your car in the middle for
maximum safety. You will encounter a long right turn. Short holds on right will
do the trick.
Next is a steep 90 degree turn that does not require brakes. Just remember to
hold left early. If you hold left too early, release, wait for your car to
steady and hold again.
Once again, you will enter another tunnel. First is a short right turn, followed
by a left. As you leave the tunnel, position your car on the left side of the
road and turn left. If you keep you car in the middle of right, you will meet
the wall on your right as there is little room to turn. Keep holding left until
you get to straight lane to the finish line.
SECRET TRACK
BOOM TOWN CIRCUIT (only available in Saturn/PC mode)
1 LAP = 2.771
2 LAPS = 5.542
This track is a bit like the first one : there are no really difficult turns and
how you take those turns make a very, very big difference. You may be able to
drive the track without knocking the walls but your time could lose to someone
who took 2-3 knocks. A lot of the turns are pretty long and its best to take
them at as high a speed as possible.
The track starts of like any other : a rolling start. From the beginning,
position your car at the right side of the road, awaiting the big turn to the
left. As you see the turn coming, hold left. When you feel your car losing
control, release left for 1/4 a second and hold left again. You can do this
again if necessary. If you let go of left for more than 1/4 second, brace
yourself for the wall on your right. Make sure you take all the turns in the
game early as any hesitation will cause your car to slide to the wall on the
opposite side of the turn. After this the track will turn a bit to the right so
quickly adjust your car in the middle.
The second turn left is similar but it is shorter. When you start to lose
control of your car, again let go of left a while but this time you can let go
for much longer, depending on your position.
The third left turn is the same as the first except for one important thing :
you must prepare for a long, hard right turn. Do exactly like the first except
don't straighten your car : bank right immediately.
The road will straighten as you approach another right turn.
After that is a right turn. Stay at the left side of the road and turn early.
Immediately move to the middle for the last, left turn. Again, make sure you
turn early.
The next is a pretty long left turn. Like all turns stay in the middle/right
side of the road and hold left when the turn approaches. Immediately after that
hold right for the final turn. Don't bother to straighten or stabilise your car
as its pretty steep. If you've done a good turn, your car will be in the middle
of the road, approaching the finish line.
GENERAL STRATEGIES
Forget about all the racing games you have played before this. STC is very much
different from all the other racers out there. The best way to play the Saturn
version of the game is using the analog pad. The analog pad is so sensitive that
whether you pressed a button hard or soft makes a difference. With a normal
joypad, in order to brake lightly, you have to tap quickly or hold the button
for a short time. With the analog pad, all you have to do is to press the button
with minimal pressure. When driving, you have more control over your movements
and the degree you turn the 'wheel'. First timers may find the sensitive control
frustrating but after some practice, you will find that you will never want to
go back to the basic controller for racers.
For PC, the best controller is of course a joypad or joystick, depending on your
preference. I do not know whether there are analog joypads for PC.
Unfortunately, I am force to play with my keyboard. And man, is it hard. At
least Sega added two buttons for light braking and light acceleration. Light
braking is self explanatory but light acceleration? What the hell is it good
for?
STC has only two views to choose from unlike Daytona's four. But then, who uses
the other two views? The first view is a behind the car view. The camera is not
very far behind and a bit above the car. A lot of people prefer this view as it
gives a longer field of vision and allows you to anticipate turns and
approaching cars as well as cars in front better. The bad thing about the first
view is that you don't really 'feel' your car especially during turns. Its not
that you can't control your car well but it just doesn't seem like driving. I
also find it a bit difficulty judging distances between cars and when
approaching turns.
The second view which is my favourite sits you in the drivers seat. Granted, the
first view gives you a better field of vision but you don't have to worry about
turns after memorising the tracks. The second view also gives you a much better
sense of speed which is one of the best things about the game. Control over your
car is much better. In the end, which view you use depends on taste.
Technically, the first view has a slight edge but practically, the second gives
a more accurate representation of driving and that's what the game is all about,
isn't it? Its best to try both, see which one you prefer better. Changing the
viewpoints all the time makes it harder for you to improve your times.
Most important thing is to memorise the tracks. This isn't Sega Rally where the
announcer tells you what type of turn is coming up. Because of the speed of the
game it is much better if you can anticipate any coming turn. Be sure to try the
time attack modes first of all to get used to the tracks. Why do you think F1
drivers practice on a tracks a few days before the actual race starts?
Another thing, the car really controls like a car unlike some other games out
there ( A certain game with the initials RR comes to mind ) and driving these
type of cars on these tracks is not easy. If it were, everybody would be into it
and you wouldn't be paying the winners huge sums of money.
First basic thing is when you press accelerate, press it all the way, unless you
wanted to slow down. This is racing, not driving your car in a city. If you are
using manual, you do not have to worry about the clutch. You just change gears
using the up and down buttons. Manual is a better way of driving as you have
better acceleration and better control of the car. In real life I much prefer
manual because automatic is boring but since the game is exciting enough, I
prefer to have to worry about the least things as possible.
Try to keep your cars going straight forward when running in a straight lane. It
is important to know when and where to stop turning after taking a corner or
turn. You do not want to slow your car by trying to position your car. Learn how
to keep your speed as high as possible during the game. Since all three tracks
start with a rolling start, don't press left or right until you have control
over your car.
When taking corners, the rule of the thumb is to stay at the side of the road
opposite to where you are turning. If the turn is to the right, stay at the left
side of the road before making the turn. This makes the turn more rounded.
Though the distance is longer than taking the right or inner lane, you do not
have to slow down much and thus can reach top speed quicker at the straightway.
If possible, tap continuously when taking as easy turn. This avoids the car from
making a screeching sound and eating away at the tires. It also reduces the drop
in speed.
Another way is by following the black tyre marks on the road. Use it as a
guideline of the best way to take a turn. If you find that following the black
tyre marks causes you to crash, etc, don't. A wise man once said the path
tr
By Michael Tham mike_tham@hotmail.com
0.35 5/7/98 Added Urban Circuit and Boom Town strategy. Added Sega Proto Car
and Boom Town codes. Additions to the lyrics.
0.30 2/5/98 Major update on Grunwald Circuit and general strategies.
0.28 24/5/98 Can also be found at http://vgstrategies.tqn.com and some
minor additions.
0.25 16/5/98 Minor updates on track strategies and general strategies.
0.20 12/5/98 Added general strategies section. More spelling corrections.
0.15 08/5/98 Minor update. Lyrics, some additions. Codes. Can now be found at
GameFAQs
0.1 28/4/98 First initial draft and release.
Index
1) Introduction
2) Car statistics
3) Race circuit info
4) Track strategies
5) General Strategies
6) Codes
7) Music
8) Posting times on the internet
9) Final word
This FAQ and future updates can be found at GameFAQs and
vgstrategies.tqn.com
Introduction
Hello and welcome to my Sega Touring Car FAQ. This is my first FAQ so please
bear with me. I must say that I'm far from being a good STC player. You can
check out my lame times for Saturn and PC. My nick is MIKTHAM. So why the hell
am I writing this FAQ when there are so many players better than me? Because
there are no FAQS out there. Actually, there is only one beginner's guide by Wes
Pringle but nothing on the tracks. I hope all the good players will start to
share their skills and strategies with the whole internet gaming community.
I own both the Saturn and PC versions but unfortunately I don't have my Saturn
with me as I am studying in Australia :(. At least I still have the PC version
to keep me company. I love fighting games, RPGs and racing games. My favourite
games are VF3, Street Fighter 3, SFZ2Gold, Grandia, DragonForce, Riglord Saga 2,
Samurai Spirits RPG, Sega Rally and of course Sega Touring Car. If you play VF3
and live in Melbourne, do mail me at mike_tham@hotmail.com . I have yet to meet
a VFer and I'm very eager for some human competition.
Enough about me. Well, what is Sega Touring Car Championship all about? Well,
it's a racer by Amusement Machines Annex based on world touring car
championships. ( I would appreciate more on what the actual races are like. )The
game first came out in the arcades. I don't think it did pretty well. Perhaps
because there are too many racers out there and its graphics were not
exceptional so people hardly gave it a second glance.
However, its release on the Saturn was greeted with much enthusiasm as it would
probably be Saturn's last racer and because you could post your times on the
internet and compare it against other racers over the world. When the game came
out, it was given negative response from the video gaming community on the net.
( I don't give s*** about the f***ing magazines cause they're always biased and
did not say s*** about the STC world ranking ). Many complained about the low
frame rate, boring graphics and hard gameplay.
Regardless, I got myself the game and was I for a big shock. ( I always pretty
optimistic about the game and regarded the bad reviews as biased. The frame rate
really hurt my eye. It really hurt. After every track I had to turn my eyes away
cause it gave me a headache. I was really disappointed. Sega Rally had such good
graphics. Probably the best racer in terms of graphics and Sega could come out
with such poor graphics. Another thing was the difficulty. I had problems
handling the car, probably because I was too used to Sega Rally's loose control.
Finally in despair, I gave out on the game and resumed playing X-men vs Street
Fighter.
But my brother did not. If he knocked the wall or something during the
Qualifying Heat or first track, he would reset and try again. He would play for
one whole day until I got so fed up with the music, especially the first track.
( it later began to grow on me) Seeing how determined he was, I thought what the
hell and began playing again. Much more positive reviews on the net starting
popping out, praising the game's depth and control.
Soon, my eyes did not hurt and I started getting better at the game. Though I've
still to improve much, I've begun to appreciate the challenge in the game and
wonder how the Japanese manage to get such good times. So, if you have not
gotten the game yet, what are you waiting for?
Besides, if you have a good PC, the graphics are actually pretty good and said
to be arcade perfect!
I've not seen nor played the arcade version so I'm not sure whether everything
in this FAQ will work. I try to keep my FAQ as accurate as possible but I will
not be responsible for anything that happens because I typed something wrong or
gave out wrong information.
So, without further ado, here are the official statistics of the 4 cars from
Sega :
ALFA ROMEO 155V6TI (my favourite car!)
Features a longitudinally mounted engine. The shift lever is near the steering
wheel, to enable rapid gear changes with just a snap of the hand.
ENGINE TYPE V6 24VALVES
CAPACITY 2499cc
MAX POWER 450bhp/11700rpm
MAX TORQUE 30.6kgm/9500rpm
TRANS. 6-SPEED SEMI-AT 4WD
LENGTH 4620mm
WIDTH 1798mm
HEIGHT 1355mm
WHEELBASE 2540mm
WEIGHT 1040kg+
BRAKES 4-CHANNEL ABS VENTILATED DISCS
TOYOTA SUPRA GT
Toyota's flagship sports car which made its mark at the Japanese Grand Touring
Car (JGTC) Drivers Championship. The car's turbo engine is the pride of Toyota's
engineers, delivering 450 bhp.
ENGINE TYPE STRAIGHT4 DOHC TURBO
CAPACITY 1998cc
MAX POWER 450bhp/6000rpm
MAX TORQUE 65.0kgm/4500rpm
TRANSMISSION 6-SPEED MT FR
LENGTH 4520mm
WIDTH 1910mm
HEIGHT 1200mm
WHEELBASE 2550mm
WEIGHT 1100kg+
BRAKES VENTILATED DISCS
AMG MERCEDES
C-CLASS
As always, Mercedes places importance on easy maintenance & safety. The
driver's
seat is positioned in the centre of the car. The car features semiautomatic 6-
speed transmission, which can be controlled by buttons on the steering wheel.
The car in the game is the D2 Privat Team silver model.
ENGINE TYPE V6 24 VALVE
CAPACITY 2499cc
MAX TORQUE 0.6kgm/9000rpm
TRANSMISSION 6-SPEED SEMI-AT RWD
LENGTH 4666mm
WIDTH 1789mm
HEIGHT 1280mm
WHEELBASE 2690mm
WEIGHT 1040kg+
BRAKES 4-CHANNEL ABS VENTILATED DISCS
OPEL CALIBRA V6
The engine of OPEL CALIBRA V6 is based on the 3165cc V6 of the OPEL Monterey.
With the adoption of a semiautomatic, 6-speed transmission, it becomes possible
to change gears in 1/5 of the time it took before. In addition, this car can
manipulate the lock and stabilizer control automatically, detecting the amount
of slip and the road traction of the tires via computer sensors.
ENGINE TYPE V6 24VALVES
CAPACITY 2498cc
MAX POWER 500bhp/11650rpm
MAX TORQUE 31.6kgm/9000rpm
TRANSMISSION 6-SPEED SEMI-AT 4WD
LENGTH 4673mm
WIDTH 1766mm
HEIGHT 1285mm
WHEELBASE 2605mm
WEIGHT 1040kg+
BRAKES 4-CHANNEL ABS VENTILATED DISCS
Race Circuit Info from Sega and some additions from myself!
Country Circuit: Beginner Level
Easy to drive because of the width of the road. But if you want to win the race,
you have to be precise - even the smallest mistake could cost you the race.
Grunwald Circuit: Intermediate Level
This circuit is located in the mountains, so you get to see a fair share of
nature. However, this is no time for bird watching - you've got plenty of
treacherous curves to concentrate on.
Brickwall Town: Advanced Level
You may be a smoothy on purpose built circuits, but have you got street smarts?
Precision handling and speed control are essential if you want to get to the
finishing line.
Urban Circuit
This circuit is located in the city. You can see tall building all around. The
road is paved very well and there all walls on both sides. The roads are
narrower but not as narrow as Sega Rally's lakeside course. There are also a
tunnel, something which is absent from the other 3 tracks.
It's a very simple stage, the backgrounds are basically repetitive. However it
is better than having just 3 stages. Still, AM Annex should have put more effort
into making the stage much more interesting and at the same time thrown in some
more extra tracks as well.
Ok. Now to business. Which car is better? I recommend you check out Wes
Pringle's beginner's guide. He gives quite a few thoughts one each car's
performance as well as some driving tips. But for me, I believe Alpha Romeo is
the best, especially the handling. But still, its better to experiment and find
the car that suites you the most. All my tips will be based on AUTOMATIC. I
don't use manual because :
1) There are people who use auto with much better times than mine. I think
there's a Japanese in the top 20 Saturn world ranking who uses auto
2) Playing with the keyboard is hard enough as it is. I don't want to complicate
things further.
If you have something to say in regards to using manual in the game, please mail
me and I'll put it up.
THE TRACKS
QUALIFYING HEAT
COUNTRY CURCUIT
1 LAP = 2.045km
Ok. This is of course the easiest course in the whole game. You don't even have
to use the brake. However, its pretty difficult to get a really good time.
Positioning and how you take a turn can cost you seconds.
For starting the Qualifying Heat, I recommend pressing the accelerate button
after the countdown to 1 and before go. There may be a better way to start so if
anyone knows of any, please mail me. Its is no good to hold accelerate all the
way before starting. You can also choose to keep it at about 100km/h or so.
Since there are no other computer controlled cars here, its only you and the
track so try to get the best time possible.
After starting, you'll drive along a straight road for awhile. Its better to
drive around the center of the road. The first turn is a pretty long right turn.
As the road slowly starts bending right, hold right until the road straightens.
If you are moving too close to the wall at the right, let go of right but DO NOT
TAP or PRESS LEFT. When you are sure you won't hit the wall continue turning. A
better way to take the turn is to hold right, release, hold right, release until
you come to the straightway. But if you started turning too late, its better to
hold all the way. Time your turn properly so it will be one smooth motion and
try to keep your car a little bit to the left side of the road. After
negotiating the first turn, you're car will jump a bit and here comes the 2nd
turn.
Its best to meet this turn driving a bit to the left side of the road but turn
early at the right turn. Turn by tapping right lightly to prevent the tires from
screeching. Be sure not to hit the walls or run into the grass. If you meet
another car here, stay on its right side when you turn. Its best to stay on the
left side of the road but don't get too close to the wall.
For the next turn which is to the left, just stay in the middle of the road. As
the bend comes, hold right and release right when you are in the middle of the
road. Another way of taking this turn is to hold left for awhile, release while
waiting for the road ahead to come into view and press left again to align
yourself. This prevents over steering. The road will be a bit bent but if you
are in the middle, you will be able to move straight at high speed until the
next turn. If you over steer and are on the grass just continue forward unless
you are in danger of hitting a wall. It is important to do this turn well as it
the stretch is pretty long and.
Treat the next turn like the 2nd turn, tapping to turn. If you are going to move
out of the road, by all means hold in the correct direction to bring yourself
back. It's a very short turn. Try to stay to the left side of the road.
Ahhh, finally, the last turn of the game. Stay at the left . As the turn is
coming out, hold right. Your car should move closer to the wall at the right as
it turns but not touch it. As the road straightens, left go of right and move
straight to the finish line. If your car is not moving parallel to the road,
straighten its course by tapping in the correct direction.
As a general rule for track one, do not stay too close to the edge when you take
a corner to keep your speed up. Try to follow the black marks on the road for
maximum speed but be sure to keep your eyes on the road!
ROUND 1
COUNTRY CURCUIT
1 LAP = 2.045km
2 LAPS = 4.090km
This is the same track as the Qualifying Heat except for one minor/major
difference depending on how you look at it ; there are 7 other CPU-controlled
cars to wreck you day!
After starting, you'll drive along a straight road for awhile. Its better to
drive around the center of the road. The first turn is a pretty long right turn.
During this straight run you have the opportunity to take over two or three
cars. Minimise any left or right movement unless it is to avoid a car in front
of you. As the road slowly starts bending right, hold right until the road
straightens. If you are moving too close to the wall at the right, let go of
right but DO NOT TAP or PRESS LEFT. When you are sure you won't hit the wall
continue turning. A better way to take the turn is to hold right, release, hold
right, release until you come to the straightway. But if you started turning too
late, its better to hold all the way. Time your turn properly so it will be one
smooth motion and try to keep your car a little bit to the left side of the
road. After negotiating the first turn, you're car will jump a bit and here
comes the 2nd turn.
It is best to meet this turn driving a bit to the left side of the road but turn
early at the right turn. Turn by tapping right lightly to prevent the tires from
screeching. Be sure not to hit the walls or run into the grass. If you meet
another car here, stay on its right side when you turn. Its best to stay on the
left side of the road but don't get too close to the wall.
For the next turn which is to the left, just stay in the middle of the road. As
the bend comes, hold right and release right when you are in the middle of the
road. Another way of taking this turn is to hold left for awhile, release while
waiting for the road ahead to come into view and press left again to align
yourself. This prevents over steering. The road will be a bit bent but if you
are in the middle, you will be able to move straight at high speed until the
next turn. If you over steer and are on the grass just continue forward unless
you are in danger of hitting a wall. It is important to do this turn well as it
the stretch is pretty long and.
Treat the next turn like the 2nd turn, tapping to turn. If you are going to move
out of the road, by all means hold in the correct direction to bring yourself
back. It's a very short turn. Try to stay to the left side of the road.
Ahhh, finally, the last turn of the game. Stay at the left . As the turn is
coming out, hold right. Your car should move closer to the wall at the right as
it turns but not touch it. As the road straightens, left go of right and move
straight to the finish line. If your car is not moving parallel to the road,
straighten its course by tapping in the correct direction.
As a general rule for track one, do not stay too close to the edge when you take
a corner to keep your speed up. Try to follow the black marks on the road for
maximum speed but be sure to keep your eyes on the road!
ROUND 2
GRUNWALD CIRCUIT
1 LAP = 2.605km
2 LAPS = 5.210km
For this circuit also I do not use the brakes. However my time seems pretty bad
so I guess that there may be some places where it better to brake. Maybe.
Of course you start with a rolling start. From the beginning, stay in the
middle. Wait for the turning in front. You will see a blue sign way up ahead.
I'm not really sure about the timing but you'll get it after a couple of tries.
One way is to wait for the blue sign to be fully visible before turning right.
Make sure you do it IMMEDIATELY after you see the end of the blue sign. Again,
this depends on your position. Try not to stay too much to the right. Hold right
and you will negotiate the bend pretty close to the wall at the right. Don't
worry if it looks like you are going to knock the wall on the right. Most of the
time you don't. This turn's pretty hard and depends on the timing of your turn.
What pisses me off is when there's a bloody car on my right when I turn. Can
anyone tell me how to turn this without sliding to the right?
The 2nd turn is a right turn. Just hold right at the turn. Again, try to stay a
bit to the left side of the road. After another stretch of straight road hold
another right. The important thing about these two turns is the correct moment
to hold right. Do it too early and you'll meet the wall on the right. Turn too
late and you'll kiss the right wall. If you turn too much to one side, don't
hold at the other direction. Rather, don't press any directions until you hit
the wall or else you will experience the 'yo-yo' effect where your car 'bounces'
from the left wall to the right or vice versa.
Your 3rd turn is another right turn. Take it as you took the 2nd.
The next turn is pretty steep so approach it a bit to the right side of the road
cause the road's pretty narrow. Hold left even after clearing the turn to avoid
the wall at the left. The best way to take this turn is to keep to the left side
of the road before the turn. This will give you more space to negotiate the
turn. Did I mention that you don't need to use your brakes for this track?
This turn looks simple but it isn't. Approach it with your car in the middle of
the road. Staying too much to the left or right will cause you to knock the
walls. As, the turn comes, press and hold right. Because the road is pretty
narrow, turn early and keep your car away from the wall on the left coming to
meet you.
After that tap right a bit cause this road is a bit crooked. The 2nd last turn
is more than 90 degrees but there is more room for you to turn. Approach the
turn by staying in the middle or a bit to the left. At the turn, hold right and
hear your tires screech. Your car's speed will drop dramatically. When you have
nearly cleared the turn, let go of right and move ahead! Be sure that your car
has cleared the hill on the right before letting go of right. A better way of
taking this turn would be to make the turns with short, repeated holding of
right. This doesn't slow down your speed as much as holding right all the way.
Again, make sure that when you are taking this turn there are no cars near you
or else you will be bounced around like beach ball!
The next turn is an easy left turn to the finish. It may be easy but you still
have to make the best of it. A millisecond can go a long way in the STC charts!
Keep a bit to the right before turning left to minimise the friction on your
tyres. When approaching the finish line, it is best to keep the car parallel to
the walls on both sides to minimise the time needed to reach the finish. Also,
keep the car in the middle of the road as a precaution against fouling up and
having your car drifting to either side....
ROUND 3
BRICKTOWN WALL
1 LAP = 2.277km
2 LAPS = 4.554km
All right. The last track. The beginning is very, very crucial. Because the road
is very small, DO NOT KNOCK ANY CAR AT THE BACK. This will slow you down a lot
and you might as well reset the race. It is best to stay in the middle of the
road in the beginning. Also try to ignore the music, which is pretty fast and
can cause you to panic and foul up your race!
You will meet two consecutive left turns. At the first turn just hold left for a
while and for the next, held left again until you get to the wide straight road.
Time it right and you'll breeze through the two turns easily. Its just like
going through two turns in one go. If there is a car directly in front of you,
it is better to knock the wall than ram into its back as it will reduce your
time a lot.
Now this turn is the first time I use my brakes. As you meet this turn, its best
to be on the very left side of the road. You don't have much time to prepare for
this turn so move to the left side after the 2nd turn. When you are about one
and a half cars away from the sharp bend, hold right and brake. How much braking
you need depends on your position and speed. Just remember that there is little
room on the left side of the road after you turn so if you are unsure of how
much braking you need, its better to play it safe and brake a little more than
you anticipate. Your car will turn sharply to the right and miss the wall. Be
sure to stabilise your car straight after the turn and swerve pretty early. If
you can't brake in time or are on the right side of the road, do not brake. Its
better to just hit the wall and get ready for the next turn. Braking only slows
you down and you will hit the wall all the same.
The next turn is pretty much the same. Stay to the very left side of the road
and turn right and brake lightly to the right. (the more to the left you are,
the less braking you need). Most of the time, when I turn, I'm very close to the
wall on the right so that I can move in a straight line as soon as possible. If
possible, stay very much to the left as you meet the turn. That way, you only
need to press your brakes for a while as you have more room to manoeuvre. For
this turn, there is some room on the left side of the road after you turn so if
you cannot brake in time or are too much to the right, there is still hope. Just
remember to get back to the main road as soon as possible. If you eat into the
extra space in the left, keep holding right until you get back on the main road
as the momentum of the turn will push you slightly to the left and slow you
down. You must get of the extra space before the road narrows to its original
width.
I don't really know how to negotiate this pretty long right turn, so someone
please mail me. I've done it with braking but it slowed the car quite a lot and
I think it is faster for me to knock the wall on go on. Or maybe I'm wrong?
The next is a left turn. I don't brake for this one but its pretty hard cause
the position and timing must be right. Stay in the right-middle side of the
road. As the bend approaches, hold left. You'll slide left as you turn, almost
meeting the grass to the left. If you stay in the middle or to the left, your
car is sure to slide helplessly to the wall on the right. Now, get ready for the
next turn.
This turn is a very long right turn and I've done it a few times without
braking. I guess it has to do with positioning and when to hold right. I'll get
more info on this when I can. Can anyone help me with this?
The next turn is very easy. Just stay to the right side of the road and hold
left a small fraction of a second before the turn appears. You will 'go with the
flow'. Its sort of like floating with the turn. Make sure you take this turn
pretty early or else you will meet the wall on the right.
Here comes the last turn. Unfortunately, you have a pretty narrow road to get
this 90 degrees turn. Keep to the left but do not knock on the wall. I'm not
pretty sure of this turn and I hope someone will mail me about it. After that
turn, its straight all the way! Remember to keep your car parallel to the road
to minimise time. Tap at the correct direction to keep it straight.
Since I can't do this turn, what I basically do is to hit wall as early as
possible by braking a bit so I can get back on the road immediately. If you hit
the wall further down the turn, it will take you longer to get back on the road
and longer to accelerate.
BONUS TRACK
URBAN CIRCUIT
1 LAP = 2.105km
2 LAPS = 4.210km
You can only get this race after you have placed first in the overall category.
The roads in this stage are pretty narrow with walls on both sides and no 90
degree turns but still its pretty difficult as it is sometimes hard to tell what
the next turn will be. No matter what position you get here has nothing to do
with your ending, I think.
Since you've managed to reach here, you should be in 1st or second position. As
usual, it's a rolling start. Then the road will shift a bit to the left but
don't let that bother you. Keep to the right side of the road and turn left when
you see the next left turn coming. Make sure to turn early to avoid the wall on
your right.
After your first turn, the road will narrow into a tunnel. Position yourself so
that you are in the middle. Most important thing to remember is that when your
car is sliding inevitably towards a wall, don't touch any direction button until
after it hits.
Your first tunnel turn is a medium left, just don't hold on left for long. Hold
lightly, release and hold. The tunnels don't allow much room for sliding. Next
is another left turn. Start turning right towards the end of your previous turn.
A sudden turn will cause the tail of your car to hit the wall.
You will come out of the tunnel. Remember to position your car in the middle for
maximum safety. You will encounter a long right turn. Short holds on right will
do the trick.
Next is a steep 90 degree turn that does not require brakes. Just remember to
hold left early. If you hold left too early, release, wait for your car to
steady and hold again.
Once again, you will enter another tunnel. First is a short right turn, followed
by a left. As you leave the tunnel, position your car on the left side of the
road and turn left. If you keep you car in the middle of right, you will meet
the wall on your right as there is little room to turn. Keep holding left until
you get to straight lane to the finish line.
SECRET TRACK
BOOM TOWN CIRCUIT (only available in Saturn/PC mode)
1 LAP = 2.771
2 LAPS = 5.542
This track is a bit like the first one : there are no really difficult turns and
how you take those turns make a very, very big difference. You may be able to
drive the track without knocking the walls but your time could lose to someone
who took 2-3 knocks. A lot of the turns are pretty long and its best to take
them at as high a speed as possible.
The track starts of like any other : a rolling start. From the beginning,
position your car at the right side of the road, awaiting the big turn to the
left. As you see the turn coming, hold left. When you feel your car losing
control, release left for 1/4 a second and hold left again. You can do this
again if necessary. If you let go of left for more than 1/4 second, brace
yourself for the wall on your right. Make sure you take all the turns in the
game early as any hesitation will cause your car to slide to the wall on the
opposite side of the turn. After this the track will turn a bit to the right so
quickly adjust your car in the middle.
The second turn left is similar but it is shorter. When you start to lose
control of your car, again let go of left a while but this time you can let go
for much longer, depending on your position.
The third left turn is the same as the first except for one important thing :
you must prepare for a long, hard right turn. Do exactly like the first except
don't straighten your car : bank right immediately.
The road will straighten as you approach another right turn.
After that is a right turn. Stay at the left side of the road and turn early.
Immediately move to the middle for the last, left turn. Again, make sure you
turn early.
The next is a pretty long left turn. Like all turns stay in the middle/right
side of the road and hold left when the turn approaches. Immediately after that
hold right for the final turn. Don't bother to straighten or stabilise your car
as its pretty steep. If you've done a good turn, your car will be in the middle
of the road, approaching the finish line.
GENERAL STRATEGIES
Forget about all the racing games you have played before this. STC is very much
different from all the other racers out there. The best way to play the Saturn
version of the game is using the analog pad. The analog pad is so sensitive that
whether you pressed a button hard or soft makes a difference. With a normal
joypad, in order to brake lightly, you have to tap quickly or hold the button
for a short time. With the analog pad, all you have to do is to press the button
with minimal pressure. When driving, you have more control over your movements
and the degree you turn the 'wheel'. First timers may find the sensitive control
frustrating but after some practice, you will find that you will never want to
go back to the basic controller for racers.
For PC, the best controller is of course a joypad or joystick, depending on your
preference. I do not know whether there are analog joypads for PC.
Unfortunately, I am force to play with my keyboard. And man, is it hard. At
least Sega added two buttons for light braking and light acceleration. Light
braking is self explanatory but light acceleration? What the hell is it good
for?
STC has only two views to choose from unlike Daytona's four. But then, who uses
the other two views? The first view is a behind the car view. The camera is not
very far behind and a bit above the car. A lot of people prefer this view as it
gives a longer field of vision and allows you to anticipate turns and
approaching cars as well as cars in front better. The bad thing about the first
view is that you don't really 'feel' your car especially during turns. Its not
that you can't control your car well but it just doesn't seem like driving. I
also find it a bit difficulty judging distances between cars and when
approaching turns.
The second view which is my favourite sits you in the drivers seat. Granted, the
first view gives you a better field of vision but you don't have to worry about
turns after memorising the tracks. The second view also gives you a much better
sense of speed which is one of the best things about the game. Control over your
car is much better. In the end, which view you use depends on taste.
Technically, the first view has a slight edge but practically, the second gives
a more accurate representation of driving and that's what the game is all about,
isn't it? Its best to try both, see which one you prefer better. Changing the
viewpoints all the time makes it harder for you to improve your times.
Most important thing is to memorise the tracks. This isn't Sega Rally where the
announcer tells you what type of turn is coming up. Because of the speed of the
game it is much better if you can anticipate any coming turn. Be sure to try the
time attack modes first of all to get used to the tracks. Why do you think F1
drivers practice on a tracks a few days before the actual race starts?
Another thing, the car really controls like a car unlike some other games out
there ( A certain game with the initials RR comes to mind ) and driving these
type of cars on these tracks is not easy. If it were, everybody would be into it
and you wouldn't be paying the winners huge sums of money.
First basic thing is when you press accelerate, press it all the way, unless you
wanted to slow down. This is racing, not driving your car in a city. If you are
using manual, you do not have to worry about the clutch. You just change gears
using the up and down buttons. Manual is a better way of driving as you have
better acceleration and better control of the car. In real life I much prefer
manual because automatic is boring but since the game is exciting enough, I
prefer to have to worry about the least things as possible.
Try to keep your cars going straight forward when running in a straight lane. It
is important to know when and where to stop turning after taking a corner or
turn. You do not want to slow your car by trying to position your car. Learn how
to keep your speed as high as possible during the game. Since all three tracks
start with a rolling start, don't press left or right until you have control
over your car.
When taking corners, the rule of the thumb is to stay at the side of the road
opposite to where you are turning. If the turn is to the right, stay at the left
side of the road before making the turn. This makes the turn more rounded.
Though the distance is longer than taking the right or inner lane, you do not
have to slow down much and thus can reach top speed quicker at the straightway.
If possible, tap continuously when taking as easy turn. This avoids the car from
making a screeching sound and eating away at the tires. It also reduces the drop
in speed.
Another way is by following the black tyre marks on the road. Use it as a
guideline of the best way to take a turn. If you find that following the black
tyre marks causes you to crash, etc, don't. A wise man once said the path
tr