<![CDATA["Mania Creative"™ Forum - Driving School]]> http://forum.mania-creative.com/ Thu, 09 Sep 2010 13:10:15 +0000 MyBB <![CDATA[F-1 driving tips]]> http://forum.mania-creative.com/thread-2183.html Thu, 08 Apr 2010 20:25:21 +0000 http://forum.mania-creative.com/thread-2183.html 1. use the brake on sharp turns
2. if the sever require you to go to the pits, go when your tires or fuel are low
3.dont push the backspace button
4.dispite you need to go on the inside of turns dont go past the green(or what ever color)kurb

if you got some tips share them too Smile]]> 1. use the brake on sharp turns
2. if the sever require you to go to the pits, go when your tires or fuel are low
3.dont push the backspace button
4.dispite you need to go on the inside of turns dont go past the green(or what ever color)kurb

if you got some tips share them too Smile]]> <![CDATA[Tech Warrior - Coast Guidebook]]> http://forum.mania-creative.com/thread-1643.html Sun, 05 Jul 2009 20:14:57 +0000 http://forum.mania-creative.com/thread-1643.html Tech Warrior - Coast Guidebook
First Edition by WailTale



Hello and welcome to the Coast addition of Tech Warrior driving guide. This a very resourceful driving assistance archive dedicated to the training, preperation, and alleviation of one's fears when faced with this truly amazing racing platform. Some of you may remember the older Coast Driving School that once resided in this very forum. Due to an accidental deletion, I have been assigned to replace the lost knowledge with an improved addition. Don't go freak out because it was deleted by me and now I've finally decided to put it back. But for everyone who is new to reading this, don't click anywhere else. So, let's cut the introductions and get to the point.

Overview

Some of you may think that Coast is the brainchild of a twisted programmer, but I must state otherwise. The Coast environment is much more than a lush island. An island that resides in the pearly mediterranean blue, set off by colourful ambience and the common quarrel of the sea birds above. No. Coast is a demon. It is a demon that cries out for those who seek the adrenaline of "think is second priority" action. Never underestimate the terrors that rest on the edge of a skilled mapper's fingertips. Over the next few pages I hope that you will understand the basic premise of conquering Coast and overcoming the beast.


2-Dimensional Driving

Just like it implies, two-dimensional driving is narrowed down to a flat surface. The only possible trajectories on a flat surface are curves and straight stretches. It is always best to identify your simplest challenges first, thus you set the building blocks for more challenging techniques down the road (no pun intended).

Let's begin.

When you approach a simple ninety-degree turn in the road, what do you do? Do you shout, "oh my god, oh my god, I'm gunna die!"? Well, I sure hope not. Mostly because death is not possible in Trackmania. Duh. But simply put, many people do not have the knowledge required to surmount even the simplest challenges in Coast conditions. "The tires are slippery", "I can't accellerate", "There's too much dirt", yadda yadda yadda.

Before you reach that turn, analyze it. Now I don't mean whip out a pad of paper and a fresh pen, but look at it. There's a breach in the straight road up ahead and somehow you have to get around it. Well, tip number one: Never apply brake and turn at the same time unless you want to bust out a drift. If you were capable of pulling one off, you certainly wouldn't be reading this right now, so no drifts. Brake before you turn, not while you're in it. The uncontrolled slide is a common mistake among amateurs. Unlike other environments, grip is a luxury you do not have, so don't shoot yourself in the foot by saying otherwise. If you can master this enormously difficult concept, it's all uphill from here.

Once your speed is manageable (it's a relative term, I know...so just keep it below a hundred for my sake) you are clear to adjust your heading. Do not continue to apply the brake. The least you could do is let go of the button while you're hyperventilating.

Fine tune the throttle, and keep the turning/acceleration ratio even for best results, depending entirely on the size and location of the kink in the road. This means more speed and less turn the bigger the bend is. If you have too much speed you'll overshoot and nail the big ugly wall across the road and say to yourself, "Dang...that sucked." But if you have too little speed, however, you won't hit anything except your clock. But let's leave time out of the equation for a little while longer. Too much turn: you're drifting. Too little turn: same effect as too much speed. It all rests on the balance and control that you have over your vehicle. Experience yields knowledge, and knowledge yields the above; so you'll just have to bear with me for a little while longer before you hit the road all pampered and excited.

To conclude 2-Dimensional driving: just know your speed, angle of approach, and turning requirement. Never favour one key over the other when you're driving with a board. Slow in and fast out, and with a little practice, you'll be able to handle those little turns with ease. Be sure to tap the turning key, and never hold it down. Too much pressure and you're technique will go the way of the dodo. Keep it optimized. It takes a considerable amount of skill to even control the vehicle on a regulatory bend in the road. I'm sure you've probably already figured this out.


3-Dimensional Driving

You got it; loops, jumps, ramps, and big bumps. They all come free with any evil Coast-mapper's tracks. You'll need to get used to them eventually, so why don't we cover them right here and now?

There are many ways a track-maker will attempt to deter you off course or even hinder your ability to obtain the speed necessary for another section of the track. So when you're faced with these obstacles, you need to know how to overcome them - and fast.

You probably have quite a bit of experience in three-dimensional track sections. But if logic serves, you've never really made it past them when luck wasn't doing it for you. Not a problem. We can still make a driver out of you yet.

Most mappers will design a track for awards, so if you're on a pro's challenge, you shouldn't have any trouble with 3-D segments because they've been designed with flow in mind. If you keep your speed where they want it to be, they'll reward you with a good race and possibly even a tolerable time. But time is also an enemy. We don't want to submit to the beast and his minions. The mapper want's you to get the time, not beat it. And to beat it, you need to work.

Usually, you will have run through the track at least half a dozen times before you reach the point where you feel that higher glory is necessary. I won't argue with a greedy spirit, so I've devised a way for you to overcome them on your own - in any environment. However, this is provided that you are able to maintain grip on the road with your unstable tires (As you will experience in Island, as well).

Loops

Loops aren't the toughest things on the block (haha laugh at my puns --.) but they can be tricky at times. This is especially directly after a turn, in which you have little speed and control; or after a drop, where you will have likely no visibility. If the mapper has any sense at all, they'll probably insert an auto-camera change to Camera 3, so you won't have to bend over backwards to see what the heck you're doing.

When tackling a loop, just pretend it's a straight piece of track. If a loop were two-dimensional, it would appear to be a slightly crooked S-Bend. Keep your speed above three-hundred (at least).

Jumps

Don't be a noob and honk every time you hit a ramp because it's "funny." They'll only be laughing when you fall off and hit the leading edge of the other ramp across the river. Nonetheless, most tracks have smooth flowing ramps, so you won't have to worry much about undershooting. However, when one acquires more speed than required for such a leap, one will find out the perils of an over-jump. It's a big concept, I know, so just hang on tight (I'm getting good at this, hehe). Lame jokes aside, it is necessary to evaluate the situation and the consequences of landing.

Thanks to the advanced control surfaces that Nadéo installed on all of their vehicles, you have access to physically impossible aerial manuevers that could not be performed under normal circumstances. By tapping the brake mid-air, you can lock the vehicle's pitch during its descent. This will prevent it from angling downwards due to its uneven centre of gravity. By holding the brake, you can greatly reduce the vehicle's airspeed and reduce its landing distance. This is imperative to prevent over-jump. On the other hand, by resuming your hold on the throttle, the vehicle will magically begin to accelerate and gain airspeed. But, unlike that of a fixed-wing aircraft, your spoiler will not generate lift (truly disappointing, I know). Use this slight increase in speed to counter the over-braking that you just did because you were too busy screaming to let go of the reverse key.

Once we've maintained a nice approach over the asphalt, we can drop the landing gear and jettison the drogue chute. Granted, we have no chute or landing gear, so you'll just have to grin and bear it because gravity will be slamming you into the road at about 9.81 metres per second squared. Just remember to align your pitch with the surface of the road you intend to land on. If exact landing coordinates appear to be incorrect, feel free to continue screaming because the impact could - and will quite likely - hinder your "clean" landing.

Ramps

Ramps are quite self-explanatory. As mentioned in Jumps, keep you vehicle aligned in the direct centre (unless instructed otherwise). Just know that a small mis-calculation on the ramp means a major mis-calculation upon landing - especially at high speeds.

The ramp can also be used to focus the inertia of the car. To spin your vehicle in the air, hit the ramp on the desired angle and slam the opposite direction key (or other side, as used with a wheel or joystick). This will send you spinning, but the speed and rpm depends entirely on ramp entry speed and turning power before airborne. Aerial rotation can be prevented by angling the other direction once in mid-air. Like pitch but with different controls, pressing the opposite directional key will counter the vehicle's spin. You cannot, however, change the rotation direction or speed; you can only end its current spin. Once stopped, the vehicle can no longer be controlled and will continue to fall unaffected by direction until landed.

Should you land perpendicular to the direction your vehicle was travelling before it landed, inertia will drag you sideways and will probably flip you over in the meantime. Use the above ramp directional effect only when entering a hard turn or technical road piece. One is not advised to angle their rotation at all unless they "get that itch and they really, really have to."

Big Bumps

When you're faced with large, uneven sections of roadway such as off-road segments and damaged driving surfaces, it is always best to maintain a linear trajectory until the conditions have been restored. Should you encounter a heavy off-road bend, I advise you not to over-endulge on the brake. You will soon find that the brake is obsolete on grass and that all that time you wasted sent you over into the drink. May I remind you to stop screaming so loudly or you'll be evicted.

Braking over LORC (Lack of Optimal Road Conditions) is an extremely common mistake among beginners. You will be wasting your time trying to diagnose the problem. Moreover, ignore the only lifeline you hold dear and continue on a manageable path. If you wish to slow down, let off the throttle or rotate your car. This rotation method will act against inertia and will slow your vehicle considerably (provided you are not travelling at too high of speed) and allow you to keep full control over the tires.

However, if you do not wish to reduce speed while executing a turn, simply tap the direction in which you wish to go. Although off-road driving actually requires little effort, it can often be overlooked as uncontrollable. This is primarily because most drivers believe that LORC maneuverability and physics differ little from on-road driving. It is best to take into account that dirt is far less forgivable than pavement. Feather the throttle in the direction you wish to travel so that neither speed nor maneuverability receives more of your attention. When surface conditions deteriorate further, you must employ optimal control.

Optimal control is achieved when the velocity of the vehicle is at the centre margin, and allows for the best possible maneuverability. Any more or less speed and you will tend to understeer. Optimal speed can only be determined through practice, and many people have different opinions on their most ideal technique of driving. You will have to discover for yourself your personal optimal speed and incorporate that into your technique.

As I said, when surface conditions weaken and become as rigid as you feared, the optimal speed is perfect for your control over the vehicle and your reaction time. If you blaze through a rough section too fast, neither you nor the car will have time to recover should panic strike.

Just keep everything you've learned in mind. Finally, this concludes three-dimensional driving. I hope that you have gotten a lot out of this. As much as I put into it, at least.


Recovery

When things don't go as planned, recovery is the only solution. There are many stages and forms of recovery, and some of which I am not about to get into. But put simply, vehicle recovery can be achieved primarily by the following. I will present three scenarios and describe - in detail - how I would recover from them.

Problem #1
Q:
I've got too much speed over a small asphalt bend coming up and I'm running out of driving space. What do I do, and fast?

A:
Keep the vehicle straight. Do not turn or change your angle until your speed is manageable. When your trajectory is linear, hit the brake with full force. As mentioned previously, braking within a turn is as useless as drowning a fish. So, if you keep your car straight on a collision course while braking, reducing your speed becomes surprisingly easy. Don't sacrifice race time, though, and if you feel that you can still make the turn, don't hesitate to attempt it. Risk is reward. But don't bother braking mid-turn if you happen to overshoot it, though, as you'll just dig yourself down deeper. Hit the wall at a good angle, and your vehicle's energy will bounce you off straight again.

Problem #2
Q:
I've tried a winding road segment that ends with a ramp a dozen times and I still haven't cleared the jump. What went wrong?

A:
In simple: momentum. As you race through those windy bends preceeding the ramp, you will probably shed rubber. This is extremely harmful to one's speed and can greatly reduce your chances of clearing a jump should you bleed treadmarks constantly. To prevent this, never juice the throttle completely. The Coast vehicle isn't a Formula, and it takes much more effort to move it around than the reputable Stadium circuit racer or Island supercar. Just feather the throttle and share it with the directional keys / wheel. Never favour one and always keep your vehicle as close to the inside edge as possible. If you weave to the outside, you'll find yourself reducing speed just to get back into the optimal angle of approach.

Problem #3
Q:
There are two consecutive jumps; one is right after other. I have the speed, but whenever I clear the first one I always slam into the ramp that begins the second jump. Is it possible to perfectly land the first one without altering my course prior to the first leap?

A:
The answer is yes. It is very easy, too. As mentioned before, air control is a key asset in desperate times of need. Hit the first ramp normally, keeping your vehicle in the centre. But as you reach the asimuth (highest point) of your flight, start applying the necessary forces that will align you for landing. Tap the brake when you have pitched down far enough so that your car is parallel in degrees to the landing surface. Once fixed, apply the required braking pressure to fully allign the vehicle for contact. Should you hit the end ramp directly, your inertia will be carried into the second jump allowing you to clear it with the speed that you already obtained. Use this technique for the second landing if necessary.

Conclusion

You're probably quite familiar with the functions of the Coast vehicle by now, and I hope that you apply the maneuvers I mentioned above to your everyday Coast driving. If you need any further assistance regarding Coast or would like more information about recovery, send me a message on TM Creative or via in-game to username, 'nitro_x'.

Enjoy the wonderful world of the mediterranean. Please leave feedback if this guide was of any help to you.

- พλĭLŢ4Łε]]> Tech Warrior - Coast Guidebook
First Edition by WailTale



Hello and welcome to the Coast addition of Tech Warrior driving guide. This a very resourceful driving assistance archive dedicated to the training, preperation, and alleviation of one's fears when faced with this truly amazing racing platform. Some of you may remember the older Coast Driving School that once resided in this very forum. Due to an accidental deletion, I have been assigned to replace the lost knowledge with an improved addition. Don't go freak out because it was deleted by me and now I've finally decided to put it back. But for everyone who is new to reading this, don't click anywhere else. So, let's cut the introductions and get to the point.

Overview

Some of you may think that Coast is the brainchild of a twisted programmer, but I must state otherwise. The Coast environment is much more than a lush island. An island that resides in the pearly mediterranean blue, set off by colourful ambience and the common quarrel of the sea birds above. No. Coast is a demon. It is a demon that cries out for those who seek the adrenaline of "think is second priority" action. Never underestimate the terrors that rest on the edge of a skilled mapper's fingertips. Over the next few pages I hope that you will understand the basic premise of conquering Coast and overcoming the beast.


2-Dimensional Driving

Just like it implies, two-dimensional driving is narrowed down to a flat surface. The only possible trajectories on a flat surface are curves and straight stretches. It is always best to identify your simplest challenges first, thus you set the building blocks for more challenging techniques down the road (no pun intended).

Let's begin.

When you approach a simple ninety-degree turn in the road, what do you do? Do you shout, "oh my god, oh my god, I'm gunna die!"? Well, I sure hope not. Mostly because death is not possible in Trackmania. Duh. But simply put, many people do not have the knowledge required to surmount even the simplest challenges in Coast conditions. "The tires are slippery", "I can't accellerate", "There's too much dirt", yadda yadda yadda.

Before you reach that turn, analyze it. Now I don't mean whip out a pad of paper and a fresh pen, but look at it. There's a breach in the straight road up ahead and somehow you have to get around it. Well, tip number one: Never apply brake and turn at the same time unless you want to bust out a drift. If you were capable of pulling one off, you certainly wouldn't be reading this right now, so no drifts. Brake before you turn, not while you're in it. The uncontrolled slide is a common mistake among amateurs. Unlike other environments, grip is a luxury you do not have, so don't shoot yourself in the foot by saying otherwise. If you can master this enormously difficult concept, it's all uphill from here.

Once your speed is manageable (it's a relative term, I know...so just keep it below a hundred for my sake) you are clear to adjust your heading. Do not continue to apply the brake. The least you could do is let go of the button while you're hyperventilating.

Fine tune the throttle, and keep the turning/acceleration ratio even for best results, depending entirely on the size and location of the kink in the road. This means more speed and less turn the bigger the bend is. If you have too much speed you'll overshoot and nail the big ugly wall across the road and say to yourself, "Dang...that sucked." But if you have too little speed, however, you won't hit anything except your clock. But let's leave time out of the equation for a little while longer. Too much turn: you're drifting. Too little turn: same effect as too much speed. It all rests on the balance and control that you have over your vehicle. Experience yields knowledge, and knowledge yields the above; so you'll just have to bear with me for a little while longer before you hit the road all pampered and excited.

To conclude 2-Dimensional driving: just know your speed, angle of approach, and turning requirement. Never favour one key over the other when you're driving with a board. Slow in and fast out, and with a little practice, you'll be able to handle those little turns with ease. Be sure to tap the turning key, and never hold it down. Too much pressure and you're technique will go the way of the dodo. Keep it optimized. It takes a considerable amount of skill to even control the vehicle on a regulatory bend in the road. I'm sure you've probably already figured this out.


3-Dimensional Driving

You got it; loops, jumps, ramps, and big bumps. They all come free with any evil Coast-mapper's tracks. You'll need to get used to them eventually, so why don't we cover them right here and now?

There are many ways a track-maker will attempt to deter you off course or even hinder your ability to obtain the speed necessary for another section of the track. So when you're faced with these obstacles, you need to know how to overcome them - and fast.

You probably have quite a bit of experience in three-dimensional track sections. But if logic serves, you've never really made it past them when luck wasn't doing it for you. Not a problem. We can still make a driver out of you yet.

Most mappers will design a track for awards, so if you're on a pro's challenge, you shouldn't have any trouble with 3-D segments because they've been designed with flow in mind. If you keep your speed where they want it to be, they'll reward you with a good race and possibly even a tolerable time. But time is also an enemy. We don't want to submit to the beast and his minions. The mapper want's you to get the time, not beat it. And to beat it, you need to work.

Usually, you will have run through the track at least half a dozen times before you reach the point where you feel that higher glory is necessary. I won't argue with a greedy spirit, so I've devised a way for you to overcome them on your own - in any environment. However, this is provided that you are able to maintain grip on the road with your unstable tires (As you will experience in Island, as well).

Loops

Loops aren't the toughest things on the block (haha laugh at my puns --.) but they can be tricky at times. This is especially directly after a turn, in which you have little speed and control; or after a drop, where you will have likely no visibility. If the mapper has any sense at all, they'll probably insert an auto-camera change to Camera 3, so you won't have to bend over backwards to see what the heck you're doing.

When tackling a loop, just pretend it's a straight piece of track. If a loop were two-dimensional, it would appear to be a slightly crooked S-Bend. Keep your speed above three-hundred (at least).

Jumps

Don't be a noob and honk every time you hit a ramp because it's "funny." They'll only be laughing when you fall off and hit the leading edge of the other ramp across the river. Nonetheless, most tracks have smooth flowing ramps, so you won't have to worry much about undershooting. However, when one acquires more speed than required for such a leap, one will find out the perils of an over-jump. It's a big concept, I know, so just hang on tight (I'm getting good at this, hehe). Lame jokes aside, it is necessary to evaluate the situation and the consequences of landing.

Thanks to the advanced control surfaces that Nadéo installed on all of their vehicles, you have access to physically impossible aerial manuevers that could not be performed under normal circumstances. By tapping the brake mid-air, you can lock the vehicle's pitch during its descent. This will prevent it from angling downwards due to its uneven centre of gravity. By holding the brake, you can greatly reduce the vehicle's airspeed and reduce its landing distance. This is imperative to prevent over-jump. On the other hand, by resuming your hold on the throttle, the vehicle will magically begin to accelerate and gain airspeed. But, unlike that of a fixed-wing aircraft, your spoiler will not generate lift (truly disappointing, I know). Use this slight increase in speed to counter the over-braking that you just did because you were too busy screaming to let go of the reverse key.

Once we've maintained a nice approach over the asphalt, we can drop the landing gear and jettison the drogue chute. Granted, we have no chute or landing gear, so you'll just have to grin and bear it because gravity will be slamming you into the road at about 9.81 metres per second squared. Just remember to align your pitch with the surface of the road you intend to land on. If exact landing coordinates appear to be incorrect, feel free to continue screaming because the impact could - and will quite likely - hinder your "clean" landing.

Ramps

Ramps are quite self-explanatory. As mentioned in Jumps, keep you vehicle aligned in the direct centre (unless instructed otherwise). Just know that a small mis-calculation on the ramp means a major mis-calculation upon landing - especially at high speeds.

The ramp can also be used to focus the inertia of the car. To spin your vehicle in the air, hit the ramp on the desired angle and slam the opposite direction key (or other side, as used with a wheel or joystick). This will send you spinning, but the speed and rpm depends entirely on ramp entry speed and turning power before airborne. Aerial rotation can be prevented by angling the other direction once in mid-air. Like pitch but with different controls, pressing the opposite directional key will counter the vehicle's spin. You cannot, however, change the rotation direction or speed; you can only end its current spin. Once stopped, the vehicle can no longer be controlled and will continue to fall unaffected by direction until landed.

Should you land perpendicular to the direction your vehicle was travelling before it landed, inertia will drag you sideways and will probably flip you over in the meantime. Use the above ramp directional effect only when entering a hard turn or technical road piece. One is not advised to angle their rotation at all unless they "get that itch and they really, really have to."

Big Bumps

When you're faced with large, uneven sections of roadway such as off-road segments and damaged driving surfaces, it is always best to maintain a linear trajectory until the conditions have been restored. Should you encounter a heavy off-road bend, I advise you not to over-endulge on the brake. You will soon find that the brake is obsolete on grass and that all that time you wasted sent you over into the drink. May I remind you to stop screaming so loudly or you'll be evicted.

Braking over LORC (Lack of Optimal Road Conditions) is an extremely common mistake among beginners. You will be wasting your time trying to diagnose the problem. Moreover, ignore the only lifeline you hold dear and continue on a manageable path. If you wish to slow down, let off the throttle or rotate your car. This rotation method will act against inertia and will slow your vehicle considerably (provided you are not travelling at too high of speed) and allow you to keep full control over the tires.

However, if you do not wish to reduce speed while executing a turn, simply tap the direction in which you wish to go. Although off-road driving actually requires little effort, it can often be overlooked as uncontrollable. This is primarily because most drivers believe that LORC maneuverability and physics differ little from on-road driving. It is best to take into account that dirt is far less forgivable than pavement. Feather the throttle in the direction you wish to travel so that neither speed nor maneuverability receives more of your attention. When surface conditions deteriorate further, you must employ optimal control.

Optimal control is achieved when the velocity of the vehicle is at the centre margin, and allows for the best possible maneuverability. Any more or less speed and you will tend to understeer. Optimal speed can only be determined through practice, and many people have different opinions on their most ideal technique of driving. You will have to discover for yourself your personal optimal speed and incorporate that into your technique.

As I said, when surface conditions weaken and become as rigid as you feared, the optimal speed is perfect for your control over the vehicle and your reaction time. If you blaze through a rough section too fast, neither you nor the car will have time to recover should panic strike.

Just keep everything you've learned in mind. Finally, this concludes three-dimensional driving. I hope that you have gotten a lot out of this. As much as I put into it, at least.


Recovery

When things don't go as planned, recovery is the only solution. There are many stages and forms of recovery, and some of which I am not about to get into. But put simply, vehicle recovery can be achieved primarily by the following. I will present three scenarios and describe - in detail - how I would recover from them.

Problem #1
Q:
I've got too much speed over a small asphalt bend coming up and I'm running out of driving space. What do I do, and fast?

A:
Keep the vehicle straight. Do not turn or change your angle until your speed is manageable. When your trajectory is linear, hit the brake with full force. As mentioned previously, braking within a turn is as useless as drowning a fish. So, if you keep your car straight on a collision course while braking, reducing your speed becomes surprisingly easy. Don't sacrifice race time, though, and if you feel that you can still make the turn, don't hesitate to attempt it. Risk is reward. But don't bother braking mid-turn if you happen to overshoot it, though, as you'll just dig yourself down deeper. Hit the wall at a good angle, and your vehicle's energy will bounce you off straight again.

Problem #2
Q:
I've tried a winding road segment that ends with a ramp a dozen times and I still haven't cleared the jump. What went wrong?

A:
In simple: momentum. As you race through those windy bends preceeding the ramp, you will probably shed rubber. This is extremely harmful to one's speed and can greatly reduce your chances of clearing a jump should you bleed treadmarks constantly. To prevent this, never juice the throttle completely. The Coast vehicle isn't a Formula, and it takes much more effort to move it around than the reputable Stadium circuit racer or Island supercar. Just feather the throttle and share it with the directional keys / wheel. Never favour one and always keep your vehicle as close to the inside edge as possible. If you weave to the outside, you'll find yourself reducing speed just to get back into the optimal angle of approach.

Problem #3
Q:
There are two consecutive jumps; one is right after other. I have the speed, but whenever I clear the first one I always slam into the ramp that begins the second jump. Is it possible to perfectly land the first one without altering my course prior to the first leap?

A:
The answer is yes. It is very easy, too. As mentioned before, air control is a key asset in desperate times of need. Hit the first ramp normally, keeping your vehicle in the centre. But as you reach the asimuth (highest point) of your flight, start applying the necessary forces that will align you for landing. Tap the brake when you have pitched down far enough so that your car is parallel in degrees to the landing surface. Once fixed, apply the required braking pressure to fully allign the vehicle for contact. Should you hit the end ramp directly, your inertia will be carried into the second jump allowing you to clear it with the speed that you already obtained. Use this technique for the second landing if necessary.

Conclusion

You're probably quite familiar with the functions of the Coast vehicle by now, and I hope that you apply the maneuvers I mentioned above to your everyday Coast driving. If you need any further assistance regarding Coast or would like more information about recovery, send me a message on TM Creative or via in-game to username, 'nitro_x'.

Enjoy the wonderful world of the mediterranean. Please leave feedback if this guide was of any help to you.

- พλĭLŢ4Łε]]> <![CDATA[How Skilled Are You]]> http://forum.mania-creative.com/thread-1464.html Thu, 02 Apr 2009 22:39:36 +0000 http://forum.mania-creative.com/thread-1464.html <![CDATA[Freestyle Tips?]]> http://forum.mania-creative.com/thread-1211.html Thu, 15 Jan 2009 17:04:48 +0000 http://forum.mania-creative.com/thread-1211.html Well, I saw in the topic description that this was a Stadium driving tutorial topic, but I see threads in here for the other enviros, so I thought I'd ask a question in here, hopefully warranting an answer. XD I posted this in the TM forum, but the results were nil...I was wondering what tips the TMC team could give me on Freestyling...I've got the basics down...now I'm looking for something a little more advanced.]]> Well, I saw in the topic description that this was a Stadium driving tutorial topic, but I see threads in here for the other enviros, so I thought I'd ask a question in here, hopefully warranting an answer. XD I posted this in the TM forum, but the results were nil...I was wondering what tips the TMC team could give me on Freestyling...I've got the basics down...now I'm looking for something a little more advanced.]]> <![CDATA[[Stadium] Technical Education Track Project]]> http://forum.mania-creative.com/thread-1207.html Wed, 14 Jan 2009 15:38:04 +0000 http://forum.mania-creative.com/thread-1207.html
Copied over from the thread on TMNF-X (please note that when it says "this thread" it means the one on TM-X)
reknaw Wrote:This is the discussion thread for the Technical Education Project. The Track Release thread is now up in the Your Tracks forum.

This is an open project, anyone can participate without the need to ask permission or sign up. Please however read and follow the rules as laid out below if you wish to make a track.

Concept
There are lots of really great tutorials and videos on the net aimed at teaching people how to do tech elements in Track Mania, and these can help a lot when first trying to learn tech, but it can be difficult converting what is seen in the videos to actually performing it in real tracks. The Idea behind this project is to have people create very short educational tracks that are aimed at teaching the person playing them one specific tech move. The tracks would contain MT work (as a GPS and Intro) that would play like the tutorial videos, and would have the added advantage allowing the "student" to immediately try out what they just learned on the track they just saw it performed on.

Rules
o Tracks will be released on tmx under a special account called Technical Education. The tracks themselves will still show up as the correct author in game but will appear as being that account on tmx.
o There should be a GPS (and Intro if you like) that contains a clear description of what you have to do to perform the tech move along with the replay of it being performed.
o Tracks should be short, about 10-30s long, with the tech element being taught being near the end of the track. This is so that people actually have to drive a little before the important bit, it will be more helpful if they don't just have to drive a straight line before it.
o You may have several different examples of the same tech element in each track, but they all must be variations on the same one.
o Track names should be a very short description of the tech move they teach, tagged with [TechEd]. So for example if your track was teaching basic sliding, it would be named "[TechEd] Basic Sliding". This will help people chose which tracks they need to play to help them learn.
o You may create tracks that cover a tech element that has already been done, a second (or third) perspective on a move is always welcome.

Submitting Tracks
When you're ready to release you track, put it in the beta area on your account and send a PM with the track link to one of the project operators, we will check the track to make sure it follows the rules, then post the track on the project account and send you a PM telling you it has been released. Then you can delete the track from your beta area.

Project Operators
reknaw
I'm looking for one or two people to volunteer to be ops for this along with myself. Post your interest in this thread. Smile

Links:
Discussion/Rule Thread
Track Release Thread

Example tracks:


Cheers,
rek.]]>
Copied over from the thread on TMNF-X (please note that when it says "this thread" it means the one on TM-X)
reknaw Wrote:This is the discussion thread for the Technical Education Project. The Track Release thread is now up in the Your Tracks forum.

This is an open project, anyone can participate without the need to ask permission or sign up. Please however read and follow the rules as laid out below if you wish to make a track.

Concept
There are lots of really great tutorials and videos on the net aimed at teaching people how to do tech elements in Track Mania, and these can help a lot when first trying to learn tech, but it can be difficult converting what is seen in the videos to actually performing it in real tracks. The Idea behind this project is to have people create very short educational tracks that are aimed at teaching the person playing them one specific tech move. The tracks would contain MT work (as a GPS and Intro) that would play like the tutorial videos, and would have the added advantage allowing the "student" to immediately try out what they just learned on the track they just saw it performed on.

Rules
o Tracks will be released on tmx under a special account called Technical Education. The tracks themselves will still show up as the correct author in game but will appear as being that account on tmx.
o There should be a GPS (and Intro if you like) that contains a clear description of what you have to do to perform the tech move along with the replay of it being performed.
o Tracks should be short, about 10-30s long, with the tech element being taught being near the end of the track. This is so that people actually have to drive a little before the important bit, it will be more helpful if they don't just have to drive a straight line before it.
o You may have several different examples of the same tech element in each track, but they all must be variations on the same one.
o Track names should be a very short description of the tech move they teach, tagged with [TechEd]. So for example if your track was teaching basic sliding, it would be named "[TechEd] Basic Sliding". This will help people chose which tracks they need to play to help them learn.
o You may create tracks that cover a tech element that has already been done, a second (or third) perspective on a move is always welcome.

Submitting Tracks
When you're ready to release you track, put it in the beta area on your account and send a PM with the track link to one of the project operators, we will check the track to make sure it follows the rules, then post the track on the project account and send you a PM telling you it has been released. Then you can delete the track from your beta area.

Project Operators
reknaw
I'm looking for one or two people to volunteer to be ops for this along with myself. Post your interest in this thread. Smile

Links:
Discussion/Rule Thread
Track Release Thread

Example tracks:


Cheers,
rek.]]> <![CDATA[Dirt/offride]]> http://forum.mania-creative.com/thread-760.html Tue, 16 Sep 2008 15:21:49 +0000 http://forum.mania-creative.com/thread-760.html It would be nice if you can make a tutorial how to make fast curves in offride (grass) and dirt. Victory]]> It would be nice if you can make a tutorial how to make fast curves in offride (grass) and dirt. Victory]]> <![CDATA[Island Tips?]]> http://forum.mania-creative.com/thread-567.html Mon, 23 Jun 2008 16:51:55 +0000 http://forum.mania-creative.com/thread-567.html
Any help would be great.

Oh, and I'm just using arrow keys]]>
Any help would be great.

Oh, and I'm just using arrow keys]]> <![CDATA[Rally Driving]]> http://forum.mania-creative.com/thread-311.html Fri, 18 Apr 2008 13:24:19 +0000 http://forum.mania-creative.com/thread-311.html IF you can drive the rally-car right

Rally Drool

[Image: 180px-Rally006.jpg]

Done The Rally Environment

The rally environment is easily the most beautiful - specially now when tmf is here - but people doesnt seem to be able to drive this right and finds it boring. That results in that they are not playing it very much and therefore never learns to drive it either.

Rally can be very boring. if you do a bad turn you dont get much speed and the straight after seems to last forever.

Done Preparations

First thing you need to do is to get something analog. Like a pad, joystick, steering wheel, etc.
Me myself drives with pad and it works ok but all my pads start to steer to the right or left after a while even if i recalibrate them. then you have to apply some awful deadzone to stop the car from turning by itself. (WARNING) this makes some stuff later in this tut harder to do (WARNING)
I have tried to drive with steering-wheel but it didnt feeel good.
Joystick i've never tried but i know some very good drivers use this so it seems to work good

Now you're ready for the track! Big Grin

Done Driving

When driving in rally its important to slide as little as possible. in island you should drive without sliding completeley but thats almost impossible in rally, specially with KB.
To slide as little as possible just tilt the stick and adjust the speed to the turn (you didnt think you could get away with fullspeed did you? ^^ ) its important that the car never goes too much sideways, this is no drift-contest!
a little drift can be ok and you usually see the difference betwen little controlled one and lots of sideways-driving. you usually only see skidmarks but not really any sideways-driving.

Done Lines

in rally lines are very important to get a good time (like in all enviroments). but if you just look at the turn from above and takes what optimum for a flat turns usually isnt good enough. you see, many rally-blocks have twists and tilts and hills in the middle of them. these makes rally ven more fun and quite interesting to drive too. sometimes you cant use your normal driving line but need to think of the height elevations and maybe go more with the elevations than the actual lines. The long asphalt S-turn placed on ground is a good example.

Done Surfaces

the roads in rally all feel pretty much the same so no need to really go in to that. but it might be good to think of that the normal grass makes you slow down to 150 something/something and that the new fields you can draw in tmu-forever is very rough.

Done Tips and Tricks

there are some tricks you can use in rally to go faster. one is that sometimes you shouldnt brake, instead do a wide slide through the turn to slow down a little (this is mainly for coming with big speed into a turn you need to slow down quite a bit on). OLDA_X track "Rainbow" is a good example of this. though i'm not sure this is faster but its way faster for me than going normal in those kind of turns, usually there comes another turn soon after the first one.


Now have loads of fun out there! Big Grin


Feel free to add something to this and tell me if i'm wrong Itwasntme]]> IF you can drive the rally-car right

Rally Drool

[Image: 180px-Rally006.jpg]

Done The Rally Environment

The rally environment is easily the most beautiful - specially now when tmf is here - but people doesnt seem to be able to drive this right and finds it boring. That results in that they are not playing it very much and therefore never learns to drive it either.

Rally can be very boring. if you do a bad turn you dont get much speed and the straight after seems to last forever.

Done Preparations

First thing you need to do is to get something analog. Like a pad, joystick, steering wheel, etc.
Me myself drives with pad and it works ok but all my pads start to steer to the right or left after a while even if i recalibrate them. then you have to apply some awful deadzone to stop the car from turning by itself. (WARNING) this makes some stuff later in this tut harder to do (WARNING)
I have tried to drive with steering-wheel but it didnt feeel good.
Joystick i've never tried but i know some very good drivers use this so it seems to work good

Now you're ready for the track! Big Grin

Done Driving

When driving in rally its important to slide as little as possible. in island you should drive without sliding completeley but thats almost impossible in rally, specially with KB.
To slide as little as possible just tilt the stick and adjust the speed to the turn (you didnt think you could get away with fullspeed did you? ^^ ) its important that the car never goes too much sideways, this is no drift-contest!
a little drift can be ok and you usually see the difference betwen little controlled one and lots of sideways-driving. you usually only see skidmarks but not really any sideways-driving.

Done Lines

in rally lines are very important to get a good time (like in all enviroments). but if you just look at the turn from above and takes what optimum for a flat turns usually isnt good enough. you see, many rally-blocks have twists and tilts and hills in the middle of them. these makes rally ven more fun and quite interesting to drive too. sometimes you cant use your normal driving line but need to think of the height elevations and maybe go more with the elevations than the actual lines. The long asphalt S-turn placed on ground is a good example.

Done Surfaces

the roads in rally all feel pretty much the same so no need to really go in to that. but it might be good to think of that the normal grass makes you slow down to 150 something/something and that the new fields you can draw in tmu-forever is very rough.

Done Tips and Tricks

there are some tricks you can use in rally to go faster. one is that sometimes you shouldnt brake, instead do a wide slide through the turn to slow down a little (this is mainly for coming with big speed into a turn you need to slow down quite a bit on). OLDA_X track "Rainbow" is a good example of this. though i'm not sure this is faster but its way faster for me than going normal in those kind of turns, usually there comes another turn soon after the first one.


Now have loads of fun out there! Big Grin


Feel free to add something to this and tell me if i'm wrong Itwasntme]]> <![CDATA[[Stadium] Lesson 1 - Simple Slide]]> http://forum.mania-creative.com/thread-281.html Fri, 11 Apr 2008 13:42:25 +0000 http://forum.mania-creative.com/thread-281.html
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Going Slide


Start approaching to the turn by going left , and just before the beggining of the turn
press RIGHT key. As you start making the corner, you now need to press BRAKE, which means you will be pressing 3 keys at the same time : GAS, RIGHT, BRAKE. You will now be sliding accross the turn.
And what to do next?? simply release brake button, the car will continue to slide even if you
are not pressing the BRAKE key.

In this demonstration, i release at middle of the turn both GAS and BRAKE key.
but the RIGHT key stays pressed all the time till the finish!!

Important : It doesnt mean that you will always have to release the GAS key. I just did that to control the speed of the car, wich can also be compensated by pressing longer on the BRAKE key instead of releasing GAS. It always depends on the angle of the turn, total speed you were driving, and preparations for approach on a possible next turn.

To drive against the replay, put it in your replays directory, chose it in the replay menu and click "play".]]>
Share this video on other forums
http://www.tm-tube.com/mediadetails.php?...esson+1%29


Going Slide


Start approaching to the turn by going left , and just before the beggining of the turn
press RIGHT key. As you start making the corner, you now need to press BRAKE, which means you will be pressing 3 keys at the same time : GAS, RIGHT, BRAKE. You will now be sliding accross the turn.
And what to do next?? simply release brake button, the car will continue to slide even if you
are not pressing the BRAKE key.

In this demonstration, i release at middle of the turn both GAS and BRAKE key.
but the RIGHT key stays pressed all the time till the finish!!

Important : It doesnt mean that you will always have to release the GAS key. I just did that to control the speed of the car, wich can also be compensated by pressing longer on the BRAKE key instead of releasing GAS. It always depends on the angle of the turn, total speed you were driving, and preparations for approach on a possible next turn.

To drive against the replay, put it in your replays directory, chose it in the replay menu and click "play".]]> <![CDATA[[Stadium] Lesson 3 - Not enough speed to Drift?]]> http://forum.mania-creative.com/thread-280.html Fri, 11 Apr 2008 11:39:42 +0000 http://forum.mania-creative.com/thread-280.html
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Drifting with not enough speed


The demonstration seems very easy to perform. And it is, but you will need to get used and pratice it.

When the car is going slow, you wont be able to drift, and most of the times
you think that making the turn in F1 style is the only Option. NOT ANYMORE!
As you can notice, as i start attacking the curve,
there is a little "blinking" on the RIGHT key, as i stop pressing it for
a milisecond. So you have to try to double hit RIGHT key, and hit BRAKE at the same time u hit the 2 time the RIGHT key.
The car wil slide and the obstacle its overtaken the best way.

To drive against the replay, put it in your replays directory, chose it in the replay menu and click "play".]]>
Share this video on other forums
http://www.tm-tube.com/mediadetails.php?...esson+3%29

Drifting with not enough speed


The demonstration seems very easy to perform. And it is, but you will need to get used and pratice it.

When the car is going slow, you wont be able to drift, and most of the times
you think that making the turn in F1 style is the only Option. NOT ANYMORE!
As you can notice, as i start attacking the curve,
there is a little "blinking" on the RIGHT key, as i stop pressing it for
a milisecond. So you have to try to double hit RIGHT key, and hit BRAKE at the same time u hit the 2 time the RIGHT key.
The car wil slide and the obstacle its overtaken the best way.

To drive against the replay, put it in your replays directory, chose it in the replay menu and click "play".]]> <![CDATA[[Stadium] Lesson 4 - Multi Sliding]]> http://forum.mania-creative.com/thread-279.html Fri, 11 Apr 2008 11:00:12 +0000 http://forum.mania-creative.com/thread-279.html
Share this video on other forums
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Multi Sliding

I will show how to perform multi sliding, which is a very usefull tool and ability.
As you can see by demonstration, this track has 2 turns, and the second turn has
a very tight angle to drive.
After you have made proper approach to the first turn ( going left) start turning right
and hit the brake just a moment after going right. You are now already sliding on
the first turn and getting closer to the hard corner. Thats when you press BRAKE key
again and you will see the car's tail giving a little kick to left and prepare itself positioning for the last turn. The GAS and RIGHT key will be pressed all time during sliding.

You can do as many multisliding as you wish.It dependes on how many times you press BRAKE
key during the slide. In this situation, double sliding is enough.

Now remember, dont let the time between the first slide( first brake pressing)
and the second one be too long, as you will see that the car wont make the second slide at all.
This happens very often, even when sometimes your car pass by the track margins,
you can see skidmarks coming from the car, and when car is skidmarking, making drifts over it
its really not easy.

To drive against the replay, put it in your replays directory, chose it in the replay menu and click "play".]]>
Share this video on other forums
http://www.tm-tube.com/mediadetails.php?...esson+4%29

Multi Sliding

I will show how to perform multi sliding, which is a very usefull tool and ability.
As you can see by demonstration, this track has 2 turns, and the second turn has
a very tight angle to drive.
After you have made proper approach to the first turn ( going left) start turning right
and hit the brake just a moment after going right. You are now already sliding on
the first turn and getting closer to the hard corner. Thats when you press BRAKE key
again and you will see the car's tail giving a little kick to left and prepare itself positioning for the last turn. The GAS and RIGHT key will be pressed all time during sliding.

You can do as many multisliding as you wish.It dependes on how many times you press BRAKE
key during the slide. In this situation, double sliding is enough.

Now remember, dont let the time between the first slide( first brake pressing)
and the second one be too long, as you will see that the car wont make the second slide at all.
This happens very often, even when sometimes your car pass by the track margins,
you can see skidmarks coming from the car, and when car is skidmarking, making drifts over it
its really not easy.

To drive against the replay, put it in your replays directory, chose it in the replay menu and click "play".]]> <![CDATA[[Stadium] Lesson 2 - WallHit Slide]]> http://forum.mania-creative.com/thread-278.html Fri, 11 Apr 2008 10:33:37 +0000 http://forum.mania-creative.com/thread-278.html
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WALLHIT


Sometimes turning the usual way its not the best choice.
In some occasions when the car is going too fast, and you have to make
a hard turn, this option will make loose less time.

Its easy to perform, simply hit the wall when
you are only some few meters away from the turn and just after you hit it,
press direction of the turn, combined with a little braking to help you control the drift.
The braking is not always necessary, it dependes on how much speed and angle of turn we
are talking about. As well as sometimes the braking needs to be pressed longer than
in this demonstration.

Now remember, this demonstration is not "mathematical"! Each player has is own way to drive,
and key combinations or timing can have little diferences than the ones i presented here.

To drive against the replay, put it in your replays directory, chose it in the replay menu and click "play".]]>
Share this video on other forums
http://www.tm-tube.com/mediadetails.php?...esson+2%29

WALLHIT


Sometimes turning the usual way its not the best choice.
In some occasions when the car is going too fast, and you have to make
a hard turn, this option will make loose less time.

Its easy to perform, simply hit the wall when
you are only some few meters away from the turn and just after you hit it,
press direction of the turn, combined with a little braking to help you control the drift.
The braking is not always necessary, it dependes on how much speed and angle of turn we
are talking about. As well as sometimes the braking needs to be pressed longer than
in this demonstration.

Now remember, this demonstration is not "mathematical"! Each player has is own way to drive,
and key combinations or timing can have little diferences than the ones i presented here.

To drive against the replay, put it in your replays directory, chose it in the replay menu and click "play".]]> <![CDATA[Tech Warrior - Coast Guidebook (En Francais)]]> http://forum.mania-creative.com/thread-164.html Fri, 14 Mar 2008 16:40:30 +0000 http://forum.mania-creative.com/thread-164.html
Version Englais]]>
Version Englais]]> <![CDATA[A Beginners Tutorial to Stadium Driving]]> http://forum.mania-creative.com/thread-116.html Fri, 29 Feb 2008 03:25:29 +0000 http://forum.mania-creative.com/thread-116.html my thoughts on the subject:

Input device: Keyboard vs gamepad
My point of view is that you can get very good at playning TMN using both a keybord or a pad. It just comes down to how much you practice and learning the tricks of the trade.

If you drive with a keyboard you should imidiately allocate a second key for braking so that you don't have to use the down-arrow.
When I used a keyboard I set "W" as a second brake because it left my hand in a comfortable position.
The thought of using an extra brake button is to make powersliding/sliding much easier (the term varies from community to community). Powersliding is when you come to a turn and you corner using the accelerator-, turn-, and brake keys simultainiously to throw the car into a controlled slide. This way you can take the corner at a higher speed that if you brake in a "normal" (old) fashion.

Keep pressing the accelerator, and as you begin the turn, press the brake key. If you loose control of the slide you can release the accelerator to reduce your speed and regain control. Just remember to start turning BEFORE you press the brake.
You need a certain amount of speed to get the car to slide so it won't work on every corner.

I bought a gampad two weeks ago and I find it much more relaxing to drive with it that with a keyboard. It's also much easier to correct mistakes using a pad, and powerslides come much more naturally. I'm using a Logitech Chillstream, but any pad that connects to a pc will do. Though I recomend going for one with analog sticks since it will make your cornering much smoother.
What key configuration to use on the pad is most certainly a personal preferance. I use my right thumb on the accelerator and my right index finger on the brake button. On a PlayStation pad this translates to X for accelerator and R1 for braking.

When switching between two different input devices, expect to have a decline in driving skill since it takes time to learn how to use the new equipment. I've used my pad for two weeks, and I'm just now starting to set new personal bests on tracks. It takes at least a month of regular play to get proficient with a new device, so hang in there! Naughty

Point of View
You can change your view while driving by using Num pad 1, 2 and 3.
View 1: Raised chase-cam.
View 2: Close-up chase-cam.
View 3: Bumper cam/internal cam.

When I started driving I was using view 2 alot and it worked just fine. However when I came back after a three week long brake during last summer I somehow ended up using view 1, and I've stuck with it ever since. I find that it's easier to drive using view 1 because since the camera is raised higher off the ground it gives you a much wider view of the track and you can see "over" obstacles and corners. This will help you to anticipate each turn more easily and get a more correct line through the turn.
I've never used view 3 much unless I'm driving a track with loops that have no MT (Media tracker). I know, though, of very good drivers that use this view with success, so again it comes down to personal preferance.

Graphics settings
When it comes to graphics you yourself know your pc best. I recommend setting the detail level of the graphics so that you have at least a frame rate of 30+. Don't use a higher setting just because it looks nicer. You won't be able to judge corners at high speeds if you have a fps below 25. You can see your fps by pressing "0" (zero).

Driving with lots of cars around you may also cause lag and fps-drop. You can prevent this by limit the number of cars shown simultainiously.
You do this by clicking "Option" and then "Advanced" in the game laucher. On the last tab you'll find an option to limit the number of cars shown. The lowest value you can set here is 8. There is a way to hack this information so that you don't se any cars but I don't know the procedure. Anyway, TMN is an online game. What fun is there to drive online and not see other cars? Naughty

[continued below]]]> my thoughts on the subject:

Input device: Keyboard vs gamepad
My point of view is that you can get very good at playning TMN using both a keybord or a pad. It just comes down to how much you practice and learning the tricks of the trade.

If you drive with a keyboard you should imidiately allocate a second key for braking so that you don't have to use the down-arrow.
When I used a keyboard I set "W" as a second brake because it left my hand in a comfortable position.
The thought of using an extra brake button is to make powersliding/sliding much easier (the term varies from community to community). Powersliding is when you come to a turn and you corner using the accelerator-, turn-, and brake keys simultainiously to throw the car into a controlled slide. This way you can take the corner at a higher speed that if you brake in a "normal" (old) fashion.

Keep pressing the accelerator, and as you begin the turn, press the brake key. If you loose control of the slide you can release the accelerator to reduce your speed and regain control. Just remember to start turning BEFORE you press the brake.
You need a certain amount of speed to get the car to slide so it won't work on every corner.

I bought a gampad two weeks ago and I find it much more relaxing to drive with it that with a keyboard. It's also much easier to correct mistakes using a pad, and powerslides come much more naturally. I'm using a Logitech Chillstream, but any pad that connects to a pc will do. Though I recomend going for one with analog sticks since it will make your cornering much smoother.
What key configuration to use on the pad is most certainly a personal preferance. I use my right thumb on the accelerator and my right index finger on the brake button. On a PlayStation pad this translates to X for accelerator and R1 for braking.

When switching between two different input devices, expect to have a decline in driving skill since it takes time to learn how to use the new equipment. I've used my pad for two weeks, and I'm just now starting to set new personal bests on tracks. It takes at least a month of regular play to get proficient with a new device, so hang in there! Naughty

Point of View
You can change your view while driving by using Num pad 1, 2 and 3.
View 1: Raised chase-cam.
View 2: Close-up chase-cam.
View 3: Bumper cam/internal cam.

When I started driving I was using view 2 alot and it worked just fine. However when I came back after a three week long brake during last summer I somehow ended up using view 1, and I've stuck with it ever since. I find that it's easier to drive using view 1 because since the camera is raised higher off the ground it gives you a much wider view of the track and you can see "over" obstacles and corners. This will help you to anticipate each turn more easily and get a more correct line through the turn.
I've never used view 3 much unless I'm driving a track with loops that have no MT (Media tracker). I know, though, of very good drivers that use this view with success, so again it comes down to personal preferance.

Graphics settings
When it comes to graphics you yourself know your pc best. I recommend setting the detail level of the graphics so that you have at least a frame rate of 30+. Don't use a higher setting just because it looks nicer. You won't be able to judge corners at high speeds if you have a fps below 25. You can see your fps by pressing "0" (zero).

Driving with lots of cars around you may also cause lag and fps-drop. You can prevent this by limit the number of cars shown simultainiously.
You do this by clicking "Option" and then "Advanced" in the game laucher. On the last tab you'll find an option to limit the number of cars shown. The lowest value you can set here is 8. There is a way to hack this information so that you don't se any cars but I don't know the procedure. Anyway, TMN is an online game. What fun is there to drive online and not see other cars? Naughty

[continued below]]]> <![CDATA[[Poll] Environment Help Poll]]> http://forum.mania-creative.com/thread-75.html Sun, 10 Feb 2008 17:23:28 +0000 http://forum.mania-creative.com/thread-75.html ]]> ]]> <![CDATA[[Stadium] Lesson 0 - Preperations]]> http://forum.mania-creative.com/thread-18.html Sat, 26 Jan 2008 16:06:33 +0000 http://forum.mania-creative.com/thread-18.html
First of all, there is a very big doubt about the controls needed to play the game.
There is a global idea that a GAMEPAD is needed to be able to play this game better, and that all top players use a gamepad.
This is not TRUE! Gamepad is not necesarily better then keyboard. Lots of top players dont play with a pad.

Some of the keyboards dont accept 3 keys at the same time. In this case, you really are in disavantage.
This is because you will need very often to use GAS+BRAKE+TURN at the same time.
OK, but lets imagine you already have a nice keyboard. You should prepare to use both hands to drive with a keyboard, unless u can manage to hit 3 keys at the same timewith one hand.
I know this looks obvious, but must of the players tend to use only the directional
keys, being very hard to press BRAKE at same time as turning LEFT and pressing FORWARD.
So i recommend defining a new key for function BRAKE to use with other hand. ( for example X)


In a gamepad, there is not a special or common button configuration for it. You should define the keys as you like and feel comfortable with.
I personally play with L1 and R1 for braking and gas( playstation pad). you should also define sensitivity and try it
some times with different values to see what is the best sensitiveness suitable for you.


Other main aspect in the game, is its fluidness, i mean, its a racing game, and good graphics arent necesarily needed if
your objective is to have a nice performance on tracks. SO i STRONGLY recommend that you should give the video configuration,
the minimum needed for you to run the game fast. Off course in cases that you have a powerfull computer, you should enjoy it and have pretty graphics as well. But its very important your game runs Fluid with frames per second maximized. ( you can see the fps by tapping 0)



Ok this was a little introduction, in basis about the game.
This wont be usefull for you if you are already an advanced player.

Soon i will post some driving skills needed and best way to develop and improve your gameplaying.]]>
First of all, there is a very big doubt about the controls needed to play the game.
There is a global idea that a GAMEPAD is needed to be able to play this game better, and that all top players use a gamepad.
This is not TRUE! Gamepad is not necesarily better then keyboard. Lots of top players dont play with a pad.

Some of the keyboards dont accept 3 keys at the same time. In this case, you really are in disavantage.
This is because you will need very often to use GAS+BRAKE+TURN at the same time.
OK, but lets imagine you already have a nice keyboard. You should prepare to use both hands to drive with a keyboard, unless u can manage to hit 3 keys at the same timewith one hand.
I know this looks obvious, but must of the players tend to use only the directional
keys, being very hard to press BRAKE at same time as turning LEFT and pressing FORWARD.
So i recommend defining a new key for function BRAKE to use with other hand. ( for example X)


In a gamepad, there is not a special or common button configuration for it. You should define the keys as you like and feel comfortable with.
I personally play with L1 and R1 for braking and gas( playstation pad). you should also define sensitivity and try it
some times with different values to see what is the best sensitiveness suitable for you.


Other main aspect in the game, is its fluidness, i mean, its a racing game, and good graphics arent necesarily needed if
your objective is to have a nice performance on tracks. SO i STRONGLY recommend that you should give the video configuration,
the minimum needed for you to run the game fast. Off course in cases that you have a powerfull computer, you should enjoy it and have pretty graphics as well. But its very important your game runs Fluid with frames per second maximized. ( you can see the fps by tapping 0)



Ok this was a little introduction, in basis about the game.
This wont be usefull for you if you are already an advanced player.

Soon i will post some driving skills needed and best way to develop and improve your gameplaying.]]> <![CDATA[Tips & Tricks]]> http://forum.mania-creative.com/thread-14.html Fri, 25 Jan 2008 14:26:38 +0000 http://forum.mania-creative.com/thread-14.html Basics:
The basics of racing applies to TMN as well as the real world.
To get around a track in the shortest ammount of time you want to brake enough before the turn to take it smoothly and get maximum acceleration out of the turn. The quicker you're on the accelerator the faster your car will go. So; slow in, fast out!

I'm no master in driving loops and wallrides but the theory is quite simple.
In wallrides you want to go as low as possible and if possible without losing contact with the driving surface. Try imagining the wallride as lying flat on the ground and drive the shortest distance between the two lowest corners. The same applies to loops and cork screws. Set up the car so that you don't have to turn/correct much while in the loop. The shortest distance between two locations is always a straight line, or as straight a line as you can manage.

Jumping:
When you hit a jump and fly through the air your car will start to pitch forward. To stop this pitching motion tap the brake and the car will "freeze" in mid air. Try judging the angle of the landing so that all four wheels of your car hit the ground at the same time. This will minimize the ammount of bounce the car gets from hitting the ground and increase your control.

Sometimes a jump is constucted that you have to brake hard to be able to make the next turn. Try anticipating the turn and angle your car by turning your car at the last moment before you leave the ramp. This will make your car go straight into a slide when it lands. If you need to lengthen the slide, press the brake and/or the accelerator as you land.

Also, if you for some reason need to adjust the length of a jump, do so in the begining of the jump rather than at the end. You should have the maximum acceleration possible when landing. You can reduce the length of a jump by just releasing the throttle or by using the brake. Yes, TMN-cars come with air brakes, or flaps. Naughty Good thing this isn't a drivng simulator but an arcade game.

Powerslide/sliding
[see above for description on how to perform a powerslide]
When you want to powerslide through a turn you need to anticipate the turn and start the slide well ahead of the turn so that you slide into the turn. I find that if I start across the center line of the track when I start my slide I usually get a good "hit" when coming into the turn.

High speed driving:
On tracks that are designed for speed, really high speed, you want to keep your car from sliding at all! Sliding on a speed track will make you lose time. To avoid sliding, release the throttle a bit at the start of a turn you know your car tends to slide, and accelerate through it. Again; slow in, fast out. Though here it prbably is better to say fast inn, faster out Smile

Learning a track
There's no use in being the best driver in the world if you don't know the track you're driving. And learning a track can be a pain in the b-hind.
It takes many runs to get every curve right. Breaking points, jumps, landings all have to be memorized.
If you want to learn a track faster I suggest that you join a server online and go into spectator mode (Esc --> Spectator) and watch how the best drivers drive the track. Some players may start to complain about being specced, but I wouldn't pay them much attention. It's a part of the game and they should in my opinion accept it. But if you want to be nice you can ask before speccing someone or sitch between who you're speccing. Naughty
Select who you're watching by holding down "Tab" and clicking any nickname.
Be aware of the fact that speccing can be forbidden on some servers.

Another way to learn a track is to download replays uploaded for each track here on TMX and to view them in the ingame editor. You can even drive against the replays and that way see where you are losing time on a track.


I hope this little tutorial will help many of you into becoming better drivers. As in all things it takes time and practice to become better.
I'm not the best in the world at playing TMN, but I've played this game since February 2006 and have picked up some nifty things here and there.

I will add more to this post when I remember more. I'm currently at work but had nothing else to do, so I thought I'd write a guide to help you newcommers discover how great Trackmania Nations is.

Copy/Paste ]]> Basics:
The basics of racing applies to TMN as well as the real world.
To get around a track in the shortest ammount of time you want to brake enough before the turn to take it smoothly and get maximum acceleration out of the turn. The quicker you're on the accelerator the faster your car will go. So; slow in, fast out!

I'm no master in driving loops and wallrides but the theory is quite simple.
In wallrides you want to go as low as possible and if possible without losing contact with the driving surface. Try imagining the wallride as lying flat on the ground and drive the shortest distance between the two lowest corners. The same applies to loops and cork screws. Set up the car so that you don't have to turn/correct much while in the loop. The shortest distance between two locations is always a straight line, or as straight a line as you can manage.

Jumping:
When you hit a jump and fly through the air your car will start to pitch forward. To stop this pitching motion tap the brake and the car will "freeze" in mid air. Try judging the angle of the landing so that all four wheels of your car hit the ground at the same time. This will minimize the ammount of bounce the car gets from hitting the ground and increase your control.

Sometimes a jump is constucted that you have to brake hard to be able to make the next turn. Try anticipating the turn and angle your car by turning your car at the last moment before you leave the ramp. This will make your car go straight into a slide when it lands. If you need to lengthen the slide, press the brake and/or the accelerator as you land.

Also, if you for some reason need to adjust the length of a jump, do so in the begining of the jump rather than at the end. You should have the maximum acceleration possible when landing. You can reduce the length of a jump by just releasing the throttle or by using the brake. Yes, TMN-cars come with air brakes, or flaps. Naughty Good thing this isn't a drivng simulator but an arcade game.

Powerslide/sliding
[see above for description on how to perform a powerslide]
When you want to powerslide through a turn you need to anticipate the turn and start the slide well ahead of the turn so that you slide into the turn. I find that if I start across the center line of the track when I start my slide I usually get a good "hit" when coming into the turn.

High speed driving:
On tracks that are designed for speed, really high speed, you want to keep your car from sliding at all! Sliding on a speed track will make you lose time. To avoid sliding, release the throttle a bit at the start of a turn you know your car tends to slide, and accelerate through it. Again; slow in, fast out. Though here it prbably is better to say fast inn, faster out Smile

Learning a track
There's no use in being the best driver in the world if you don't know the track you're driving. And learning a track can be a pain in the b-hind.
It takes many runs to get every curve right. Breaking points, jumps, landings all have to be memorized.
If you want to learn a track faster I suggest that you join a server online and go into spectator mode (Esc --> Spectator) and watch how the best drivers drive the track. Some players may start to complain about being specced, but I wouldn't pay them much attention. It's a part of the game and they should in my opinion accept it. But if you want to be nice you can ask before speccing someone or sitch between who you're speccing. Naughty
Select who you're watching by holding down "Tab" and clicking any nickname.
Be aware of the fact that speccing can be forbidden on some servers.

Another way to learn a track is to download replays uploaded for each track here on TMX and to view them in the ingame editor. You can even drive against the replays and that way see where you are losing time on a track.


I hope this little tutorial will help many of you into becoming better drivers. As in all things it takes time and practice to become better.
I'm not the best in the world at playing TMN, but I've played this game since February 2006 and have picked up some nifty things here and there.

I will add more to this post when I remember more. I'm currently at work but had nothing else to do, so I thought I'd write a guide to help you newcommers discover how great Trackmania Nations is.

Copy/Paste ]]> <![CDATA[Driving is fun.]]> http://forum.mania-creative.com/thread-4.html Thu, 17 Jan 2008 23:26:26 +0000 http://forum.mania-creative.com/thread-4.html new players Smile.


Lesson number 1 will be posted soon Bleh basic configurations and controls]]> new players Smile.


Lesson number 1 will be posted soon Bleh basic configurations and controls]]>