Copyright 1999 by Bennett Campbell
(apparatus@juno.com)
Last updated April 30, 1999
This document is public domain and may not be used, in whole or in part, for
profit of any kind. No part of this document may be used without the express
permission of the author. If you would like to host this document on a website,
please contact me. This document may not be reproduced without this paragraph
or the header. Gran Turismo is a trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment
America Inc., copyright 1998. All manufacturers, cars, names, brands, and
associated imagery are trademarks and/or copyright material of their respected
owners. All rights reserved.
Special Thanks to:
Kenji Morishige for devoting so much time to such a great forum.
(www.granturismo.com)
Eric Nusbaum, Damnit!
My dad, for showing me just how true to life that Prelude SH is, and that being
a good driver means being in control.
Pete Landers (landers@europa.com) for delivering me from 'sin'.
Thoasiii for picking up where others left off
Everyone who has ever answered a GT question for me or anyone else.
12345678
........
If the dots don't line up with the numbers, change to a monospace font (courier)
Changes from v0.9:
Fixed various typos
Added Concept Car to 3a
Added GT-R LM to 4g
Added to 4d, 4e
Added 5g, 3d, 2e
Added section 8
Throughout this FAQ, several abbreviations are used.
GT = Gran Turismo
FF = Front Engine, Front Wheel Drive
FR = Front Engine, rear Wheel Drive
MR = Mid (rear) Engine, Rear Wheel Drive
4WD = Four (all) Wheel Drive
HP (bHP) = Horsepower (or Brake Horsepower, the true measured unit)
RPM = Revolutions per minute. What your tachometer shows you
Table of Contents:
1-About this FAQ
a-Why another GT FAQ?
b-What's so special about GT?
2-Starting out
a-I just started the game. What car should I buy?
b-These license tests are too hard! Why do I have to pass them, and is there
an easier way?
c-How do I get my AI license? This is impossible!
d-I have a couple decent cars, but winning and selling Demios and Camaros is
tedious. How can I make some fast cash?
e-Is there an ending to the game?
3-About the cars
a-What's the best car in the game?
b-Okay smart guy, then what are the best cars for each series?
c-What are all the cars I can win from each series?
d-What are all the cars I will race against in all the series?
e-I can't win a specific car/color. What do I need to do to get it?
f-I've heard of a checkered taxi looking Silvia LM. How do I get it?
g-How do I get the Dodge Concept car?
h-How do I get the Corvette Stingray in Sim mode?
i-I keep seeing a TRD 3000GT in the Normal race, but I can't find it anywhere!
j-Okay, what about the International A license?
k-Are those cars from the licenses really worth it? Those tests are hard!
l-I won the GT World Cup but didn't get a car! What kind of ripoff is this!?
m-I won a series other than the GT World Cup but didn't get a car! What kind
of ripoff is THIS!?
n-I can't find the GTO LM or the Skyline NISMO in the used lots. How can I get
these cars?
o-What cars can enter the Lightweight Challenge?
p-Why can't the CRX or Eunos Roadster I win compete in the Lightweight
challenge?
q-Why do some cars' HP differ from the dealer to my garage?
4-Tuning Info
a-What are good settings for my (GTO/Concept car/other car)?
b-How do I change the gear ratios?
c-Since you mentioned it, what's the difference between torque and horsepower?
d-The graph in my gear settings says my car can go over 300mph, but I can never
go that fast. What's up with that?
e-My car won't accelerate at low speeds, or takes a loooong time, even though
it has over 800bhp!
f-Why can I put a Stage 1 Turbo in my car even though it says Naturally
Aspirated on the spec sheet?
g-Why can't I increase the displacement of any of my cars?
h-When I go to buy parts for my car, it says 'purchased' even though I haven't
bought it!
5-Miscellaneous
a-Why can't I ever see a Mutsubishi GTO on the road?
b-How can I drive in real life like I do in GT?
c-What kinds of codes are there for GT?
d-What is the car wash for, besides a waste of 50 credits?
e-Why do all the prize cars sell for the same amount? Isn't a DB7 worth a bit
more than a Demio?
f-What's this demo disc that has an awesome GT download I've heard about?
g-What's the best controller to use for GT?
6-On-line racing
a-You're telling me I can race other people on line? How?
b-What's a Dex Drive?
7-Racing Technique
a-What is 'drifting'?
b-What is the 'inside' of a turn, the 'outside', and the 'apex'?
c-What is the 'driving line'?
d-What is 'drafting'?
8-On-line Resources
9-Contacting Me
1. About this FAQ
1a. Why another GT FAQ?
There are lots of other FAQs for GT out there. A quick look on Gamefaqs will
show you not only plenty of general FAQs, but some very specific ones pertaining
to the licenses, specific cars, and so forth. So what am I writing this for?
Well, FAQ stands for Frequently Asked Questions. In my time on several GT
message boards, I've seen some of the same questions pop up over and over, and
they are by and large not covered by any of the other FAQs. So this is a true
FAQ, a compilation of questions that I've seen and can answer.
1b. What's so special about GT?
Why is GT so special that I should feel the need to write a FAQ for it? This
has been discussed in many other places to its fullest extent, but here it is
quickly. GT is the best all-around racing game you can get for a console.
That's because not only does it have exotic cars like the Viper or the TVR's,
but it also has everyday cars you see on the road, like Civics and 180SX's. The
modification and tuning processes are very realistic, and each car has it's own
style and personality. The replay value is high, as there are cars that are
excellent for beginners and others that challenge experienced players. All in
all, it's a great game that you can come back to again and again.
2. Starting Out
2a. I just started the game. What car should I buy?
There are many cars that will be just fine for the $10,000 you have. Any
used car that you can afford will easily bring you through the Sunday and
Clubman cups, especially after it's modified a little. Buy you car before
testing for any licenses, as some good cars may rotate out of the used lots by
the time you're done. Immediately after buying your car, get your B-class
license so that you can start doing some real racing.
I suggest buying an FF car to begin with, and if you feel secure enough one
that is also allowed in the Lightweight championship. This will let you compete
in the maximum number of series possible without having to buy new cars. The
4WD and FR challenges have some tough competition for this level, and you'll
probably need to buy a more expensive car before you can compete in them.
The best FF car to buy right off is probably a used Honda Prelude Vtec. It's
an excellent all-around B-class car that can bring you as far as you need to go
at this point in the game. If you want a car that can compete in Lightweight,
try an Acura Integra, Mitsubishi FTO gpx, or a used '93 Honda Civic 3-Door Si if
any are affordable. They are all FF and lightweight cars, and will allow you to
enter three series with your B-license. Pete Landers notes that "The '93 Civic
3-door Si has hidden horsepower. Most cars when you get them into your garage
have less HP than it said at the dealer (see 3p), but this Civic shows about 40
more horsepower when you get it 'home.' Not only that but this car says it is
Normally Aspirated (NA) at the dealership, but there is a turbo available that
makes it embarrass many more expensive cars. (see 4f)" The combination of all
these factors makes the Civic a great first car, and it looks good too.
As FR cars go, there are quite a few that will serve you well from the start.
Beware though, as if you have little or no experience with the game, rear-wheel
drive cars are extremely hard to control. You may find yourself spinning out
repeatedly. Some of the best beginning FR cars are the Toyota MA70 Supra, the
Nissan Silvias, the Mazda RX-7 GT-X, and the Nissan R32 Skyline GTS 25 type S
(the one that's around $10,000).
2b. These license tests are too hard! Why do I have to pass them, and is there
an easier way?
Well, you could always keep running Spot Races for $1000 a pop. If this
sounds good to you, go to the Special event screen, and scroll over to the
Normal Challenge. Look at the info... and at the prize money. $50,000 for a
first place finish in one race. That's your motivation.
There is no 'easy' way to pass the license tests, and they're there for a
reason. Basically, they're a training mode for the game. You need to know what
they teach you in order to compete in the races they open up. If you can't pass
your A-tests, I can guarantee you won't be competitive in the nation vs. nation
races. There's nothing too hard about them, especially the B and A licenses,
you just have to keep at them. When I first got the game, it took me an hour to
pass B1! Just keep a good racing line and keep practicing.
2c. How do I get my AI license? This is impossible!
It's not impossible, it just seems very very hard if you aren't prepared for
it. As mentioned above, there is no easy way to pass the tests, so you'll have
to buckle down and just keep trying. A few hints to remember:
A: Practice Practice Practice! I don't know anyone who passed all their AI
tests on the first try. Keep at it, and you'll get them all.
B: If you're not ready, don't sweat it. If you can't even pass one single test,
then forget about it for now. The IA license only opens up 5 races, one of
which doesn't give you a prize car and three of which are enduros that take a
long, long time to race. Run the nation vs. nation races for a while and get
all 6 prize cars from them, as they're all very good cars. Go back and
challenge yourself on some of the other races, or try some cars you haven't
tried yet. Come back to the IA tests later, after you've gained some
experience, and they'll be easier.
C: Look at the replays in the replay theater. The racing line is the single
most important thing in the IA tests. A racing line is the path you choose
through the course, where you enter and exit each turn. The replays will show
you some very good lines you can try to copy to help you. Watch the replays
from the view you'd be using while driving, and pay attention to things like
landmarks and turn speeds. The replays are a valuable tool in passing the
tests.
D: Drive the whole test. Even if you make a mistake, finish the test to see how
long it took you and to familiarize yourself with the track. Sometimes what you
think is a mistake may not be that bad, and you can still pass. Don't watch
your time either, as it will only distract you from your driving.
E: Try them out of order. Specifically, try running all the odd races then the
all the evens, or vice-versa. Since the test car alternates between the Viper
and the Griffith 500, this will help you get used to the same car instead of
having to switch back and forth.
Pete Landers has some other suggestions as well:
"The main reason why people can't pass the AI license tests is because they are
not used to FR cars. The next most common reason is because they rely on massive
horsepower and racing bodies in races where these things are not needed. These
short cuts are allowed by the game and just about everyone uses them at first to
quickly get their trophies. The simplest solution is to race in Normal Cup with
the Viper GTS and the Griffith 500. Both cars actually can beat the NSX at Deep
Forest II. This can become tedious, however. Another more fun way to practice is
to race in GT Cup without a racing body (but take all weight reduction) and only
two stages of turbo (and no other HP mods) using any FR car that starts with 276
HP. The result should be a fairly close battle. Another reason this is better is
because the tracks are many of the same ones used in the AI license tests.
Similarly, try Clubman Cup and the FR Challenge in a B class FR car with only
two stages of weight reduction and a single stage of turbo. In this example,
however, the races are very hard but the experience will pay off."
2d. I have a couple decent cars, but winning and selling Demios and Camaros is
tedious. How can I make some fast cash?
First off, there are no codes inherent in the game that just give you money.
Now, with that out of the way, there are two ways to make lots of money in GT.
One requires a high initial investment, while the other requires a very high
initial investment.
The first, and easiest, way to make lots of money in GT is the following: Buy
a Viper from Dodge (doesn't matter which one, I like the GTS because it's extra
weight gives it some better handling for me). Take it to the Normal series (you
need your a-license, by the way). Win win win. The Viper is a shoe-in for this
series once you learn the basics of driving it (lots of countersteering), and at
10,000 per pole position, 50,000 per 1st place finish, and 100,000 for a series
win, you should be making at least 400,000 each time you enter this series. It
should take about a half hour or so to finish the series.
The second, more expensive way, is a bit less tedious. Get any high-powered
car... top of the line Skyline, GTO TT, Supra RZ, Cerbera, Viper, NSX. Tune it
to the max, go with everything. Enter the car in the Megaspeed series. Make
sure you properly tune your gears as well as the other settings (see 4b). You
should have no problem winning the series. Even though you make a bit less in
this series, it takes much shorter to run, and it's a bit more fun, even though
Normal is more challenging.
2e. Is there an ending to the game?
Technically, yes. If you just want closure and a feeling of accomplishment,
Simply win every series, and save GT World Cup for last. After winning GT World
Cup, you get to watch the 'ending movie', which is just the credits and some
music, and GT Hi-Fi mode also opens up. So, if you really just want to 'finish'
the game, then win every series.
However, the game has much more to offer than that. Anyone can win every
series with some practice and the right cars. What about collecting every prize
car? How about every prize car in every color? What about getting all gold on
all your lisence tests, and getting the cars from there? How about trying to
play a new game without buying any cars, just winning the prizes from the
lisences and going from there? There is plenty you can do even after you
'finish' the game. There are over 200 cars, try a new one. GT is one of those
games that, as long as you're interested in it, will never really end.
One of the best ways to keep the game interesting is by participating in some
of the various on-line racing leagues (see section 6). They offer some top-
notch competition and challenges that you can't get from just playing the game.
3. About the cars
3a. What's the best car in the game?
This may sound wishy-washy, but I don't think there is a 'best car'. Some
cars are all around better than others, but at the top levels, each car has it's
own unique advantages and disadvantages. Also, people define 'best' in
different ways. Some think that top speed makes a car best. However, a high
top speed won't do much for you on courses like Autumn Ring Mini. Others think
handling is most important, but even if your car handles like it's on rails, you
still need acceleration and speed. A good mixture of all abilities is what
makes a car best, but once you analyze that mixture, no one car stands out on
top overall. Also, different driving styles favor different cars, so what I
might find a great handling car, you might not be able to use at all. Here are
some of my picks for some of the better cars, in no particular order.
-Dodge Concept Car (prize model): Generally seen as the most powerful car in the
game, it's extremely quick and extremely sticky. Light and powerful, this car
will power you to a first place finish in any race it can enter, no problem.
-Dodge Viper: Either model, this is one of the cars that can pull out an
impressive Triple Crown of the three hardest series in the game: Normal, Tuned,
and World Cup. The best car in normal, hands down, and it handles excellently
once you master it.
-Subaru Impreza/Impreza Rally Edition: Great handling, however this car suffers
from a lack of top speed. With a few minor gear changes, that can be fixed to
make this car extremely competitive. Another car that can run a Triple Crown.
-TVR Cerbera/Cerbera LM Edition: Another Triple Crown winner, this car is good
all around. Excellent handling, great top speed, great acceleration, this car
really has it all. In it's LM edition, a top-class car.
-Mitsubishi GTO TwinTurbo/GTO MR: nearly the same car, however the MR doesn't
always show up in the used car lot. The MR is a bit lighter but harder to
handle. One of the fastest cars in the game, the GTO has serious handling
problems that can't be completely overcome through tuning. Its impressive power
still gives it an honorable mention
-Mitsubishi FTO LM edition: An extremely light, fast, agile car. 4WD gives it
great handling, and its light weight makes it an excellent contender for the
300km enduro and All Night I. An all around great car that can be easily tuned
for speed or acceleration, and fits with many different driving styles.
-Honda Del Sol LM edition: Another very light, very fast car. This car is so
well-balanced, that it might have perfect handling. Once you get the feel of
this pocket rocket down, nothing will be able to stop you.
I could keep going on with a few more cars, but I'll stop there. All of
these cars are pretty evenly matched, and as you can see by their descriptions,
they are all very different and excel in different areas. Again, I don't really
think there is a best car in the game, though there might be best cars for the
differing series...
3b. Okay smart guy, then what are the best cars for each series?
There are many cars that can win each series, but here are my picks for the
best of each one.
-Sunday Cup: almost any car can win this. The higher-powered cars don't need
any modifications, while the lower powered ones will need slight mods unless
you're an expert driver.
-Clubman Cup: a bit harder than Sunday Cup, but any car can still win, though
the lower powered cars now need more modifications.
-GT Cup: I've won this one with an [R] Demio A-spec, so I'd say that any car can
win this one too, however it's hard in many of the C-class cars. Fully modded
B-class cars shouldn't have a problem.
-World Cup: This race isn't too special, as it doesn't give you a prize car.
However, any of the top-level cars can win this easily when fully modded, and
many of the B-class cars can in the hands of a good driver.
-FF challenge: Any FF car can win this, though all will need to be at least
slightly modified. The FTO GPX, Preludes, and Integras are your best bets for
this one.
-FR challenge: You'll need a high powered FR car for this one, but nothing too
drastic. Any fully modded C-class car will take it, and any of the top level FR
cars can win when somewhat modified. Try a Cerbera, Viper, NSX, or any of the
FR LM cars for best results.
-4WD challenge: Any 4WD car will do, but weaker ones like the Pulsar will need
to be heavily modified. Best bets are Impreza, Impreza Rally Edition, GTO
Twinturbo, and FTO LM.
-Lightweight challenge: any of the cars listed as allowable can win. Best car,
hands down is the FTO GPX, with the Integra Type-R running a close second.
-US vs. Japan: there are many cars that can compete, but the high-level cars are
best. For the US, the Viper and Corvette are top picks. GTO twin Turbo, NSX,
FTO LM, and Del Sol LM are the best Japanese picks
-US vs. UK: the US cars listed above are best again, and add the Cerbera,
Cerbera LM, and Griffith to the UK side.
-UK vs. Japan: See above for top contenders from each side.
-Normal: Only a handful of cars can win this series, but the Viper (either
model) is the best, hands down.
-Megaspeed: Most of the top-level cars can win this one as well, but two of the
best are the Supra RZ and GTO Twin Turbo. Most other high-class cars can be
easily tuned to win this, including the Viper, Cerbera/Cerbera LM, Del Sol LM,
FTO LM, and the list goes on.
-Tuned: plenty of cars can win this as well, but the Viper, Cerbera, GTO
Twinturbo, various Skylines, and Impreza are best.
Grand valley 300km: I used the FTO LM for this 1+1/2 hour race. It's light
weight and handling make it excellent. The Impreza rally edition, Del Sol LM,
and Cerbera LM are other good picks because of their combination of light weight
with good handling.
All Night I: same as above
All Night II: Same as Tuned
3c. What are all the cars I can win from each series?
Probably one of the most asked questions. Here's a rundown. Note that the
following series have three colors of two different prize cars (total 6
different prizes): FF, FR, 4WD, Lightweight, Megaspeed, and Normal challenges.
Note that the following have two different colors of two prize cars (total 4
prizes): US vs. JP, UK vs. US, UK vs. JP. Note that the following have 2 colors
of one single prize car (total 2 prizes): All Night 1, Grand Valley 300km
-Sunday Cup
Demio A-spec
Silver
-Clubman Cup
Camaro 30th Anniversary Edition
White with orange stripes
-GT Cup
Chaser LM
Black
-FF Challenge:
CRX EF-8 SiR
Purple with red rims
Black with red rims
Yellow with red rims
Celica SS-II
Green
Yellow
Purple
-FR Challenge
Sil Eighty
Purple
Blue
Yellow
S13 Silvia Q's 1800
Green
Burgundy
Yellow
-4WD Challenge
Lancer GSR Evo.IV
Green
Purple
Yellow
Alcyone SVX S4
Light Blue
Dark Blue
White
-Lightweight Challenge
EK Civic Type-R
Yellow with black trim
Blue with black trim
Pink with black trim
Eunos Roadster
Gold Metallic
Light Purple
Yellow
-US vs. Japan
Viper GTS-R
White with blue stripes
White with green stripes
FTO LM
Black
Green
-UK vs. Japan
Del Sol LM
Red with white stripes
Black with white stripes
Cerbera LM
White with green trim
White with crimson trim
-UK vs. US
Concept Car
Purple
Yellow
RX-7 LM
Green
Purple
-Megaspeed
DB7 Coupe
White
Purple
Red
Soarer 2.5 GT-T VVT-I
Yellow
Purple
???
-Normal
Impreza Sedan WRX v.III
Light blue
Copper Metallic
Yellow
Supra RZ
Purple
Sky blue
Copper Metallic
-Tuned
AE86 Sprinter Trueno GT Apex
Pink
Blue
Green
'91 Skyline GT-R
Red
Yellow
Blue
-Grand Valley 300km
Castrol Supra GT
Black/red/blue
Black/red/green
-All Night I
S14 Silvia LM
Red
Green
-All Night II
Skyline GT-R LM
Silver
3d. What cars will I race against in each series?
The following should be a complete list of AI cars in each series. If I
missed any, please let me know. Included also are HP/weight figures and the
power/weight ratio, for comparative purposes. By comparing the power/weight of
your car to those of the AI cars, you can get an approximation of how
competitive your car is.
3d. I can't win a specific car/color. What do I need to do to get it?
Everyone seems to have their own tricks to getting specific cars. Sometimes
they work, but usually they only work for the person who comes up with them
(sounds a bit fishy). The truth is, the way the game assigns you a prize car is
random, so there is no surefire way to guarantee a specific car/color.
To go into a bit more depth, you have to understand what the word 'random'
means to a computer. A computer can't actually come up with anything completely
random, as all computers do is what you tell them. Many programs call for
randomness, windows solitaire for example. It needs to randomize the deck each
time you play. So if a computer can't really do anything at random, how does it
do that? To generate randomness, a computer needs a random number 'seed', which
the program in question processes to generate the randomness desired. Computers
generally take the time, down to fractions of seconds, as random number seeds,
and since you'll never have exactly the same time twice, that works pretty well.
The Playstation, however, has no internal memory or battery backup, and thus
doesn't keep track of the time or date. That leaves very few ways for GT to
generate the random number seed needed to give you a prize car. The best bet is
that the seed comes off of some data on the memory card. What data exactly is
not known, but it could be one of many things; your garage data, the game day,
top time data, license data, or a combination of many of these. That's why
you'll keep getting the same car very very often if you keep playing the same
series over and over; you're not changing the data on the card, so the odds are
pretty high that you'll get that car. What you need to do is even out the odds.
There are two ways to do this; changing the data on the card, and loading the
game without the memory card in.
By changing the data on the card, you're potentially changing the seed data.
However, if you actually change the seed and how it's changed will be unknown...
you may not change it at all, and if you do the change may not make that much of
a difference. Loading the game without the memory card in seems to have better
effect of evening the odds, bringing them to almost exactly equal chances for
each outcome (1 in 4 chance to get a specific color of car in the US vs. JP
series, for example). Just load your game from the load screen.
Of course, you could always just find someone who has that car and buy it off
their memory card as well. If you have a Dex Drive (see 6b), there are game
saves on various web sites that have all the prize cars in all colors.
3e. I've heard of a checkered taxi looking Silvia LM. How do I get it?
There have been no confirmed reports that this car exists, but if it does,
you should be able to get it in the All Night I race.
3f. How do I get the Dodge Concept car?
There are two ways. You can get a non-sellable, stock version by getting all
gold on your B-class license tests. This car cannot be [R] modified, and it's
engine can only take a stage 1 NA tune. You can get a modified, really good
version from the UK vs. US series.
3g. How do I get the Corvette Stingray in Sim mode?
You can't. It's only available in Arcade mode. You can sometimes see it in
spot races (you'll never race against it on a series). You can use a Gameshark
to get it in sim mode, but you can't modify it, and I'd at least want some
stabilizers, if not a new suspension and tires.
3h. I keep seeing a TRD 3000GT in the Normal race, but I can't find it anywhere!
How do I get this car?
You get the TRD 3000GT by getting all gold on your a-class license tests.
3i. Okay, what about the International A license?
You get a Nismo 400R from all golds on the IA license.
3j. Are those cars from the licenses really worth it? Those tests are hard!
None of them are anything that you need to play the game, though they are all
nice as 'trophy' cars. The concept car is a nice free car to get if you're just
starting out. It's a good car to start with since it's free. Did I mention you
don't pay for it? If you think you can get it right away, go for it. Don't get
frustrated over it, though. The TRD is generally said to not be worth the
trouble of getting gold on A-4. The Nismo 400R, however, is a great car, and if
you can do it, get it. If you do the get the TRD or the Nismo 400R, you should
save your game immediately. You can then buy copies of the cars in stock form
by putting your memory card in slot two. This way, you can have a stock, tuned,
and racing modified version of each car, since you can only win these cars once.
3k. I won the GT World Cup but didn't get a car! What kind of ripoff is this!?
Winning the GT World Cup gives a prize that is (supposedly) more important
than a car. It unlocks GT Hi-Fi mode. Go to special events, and continue
hitting next until you come to the GT Hi-Fi mode screen. You can race a time
trial on any of the three night racks in Hi-Fi. The difference between Hi-Fi
and normal GT is the framerate; it's nearly doubled in Hi-Fi mode. You'll also
notice some improvement in the replays, especially if you wash your cars. The
reflections on your car will really look great.
3l. I won a series other than the GT World Cup but didn't get a car! What kind
of ripoff is THIS!?
You can only have 100 cars in your garage at a time. If you have 100, you
can't win any new ones. Better sell a few, if it's really that important.
3m. I can't find the GTO MR or the Skyline NISMO in the used lots. How can I
get these cars?
Some cars are 'rare', and won't always show up in the used lots. The two
most asked-about are the GTO MR and the Nismo, but there are other, lower class
cars that nobody cares about that are rare too. They will show up eventually;
no car ever disappears forever, you just have to keep looking. The used lots
change on every tenth day (every day that ends in a 0), so check then.
3n. What cars can enter the Lightweight Challenge?
This is answered on pages 52-53 of your Reference Manual.
3o. Why can't the CRX or Eunos Roadster I win compete in the Lightweight
challenge?
I don't know, they just can't. Apparently, the game treats them as different
cars, even though they are no heavier than the ones you can buy. That really
pissed me off too, because I really like that gold metallic roadster, damnit!
The game also treats prize cars as different models for modification parts
purposes, so you can't use the lifetime supply of parts from your bought Impreza
WRX on your prize one. (see 4h)
3p.Why do some cars' HP differ from the dealer to my garage?
Most of the cars in the game will have a different HP number when you bring
them home (not just used cars, as many think). There are various theories about
why, the most popular being this: the japanese government limits production cars
to 276bHP. The difference is supposed to mask the real HP value of the car. I
don't believe this to be true, for two reasons. One, the majority of the cars
in the game experience this phenomena, not just the very powerful ones. I can't
understand why it would be illegal to buy an 81bHP Demio but not a 77bHP one.
Two, why would those laws affect a video game?
The most reasonable answer is because the programmers either had to or wanted
to, simple as that.
The following is a list of cars whose HP values differ from the dealer to
your garage. If a car isn't listed, it's either a prize car or the numbers
don't change.
Dlr. Gar. Dlr. Gar.
Car: HP HP Car: HP HP
Starlet Glanza V 133 131 Corolla Levin BZG 162 158
Sprinter Trueno BZG 162 158 Celica GT-Four 251 245
Mark II '92 Tourer V 276 266 Mark II '92 Tourer S 177 175
Chaser Tourer V 276 286 Chaser Tourer S 197 192
Soarer '95 2.5 GT-T 276 269 Soarer 2.5 GT-T VVT-i 276 269
MR2 G-Limited 177 167 MR2 GT-S 241 243
Supra '95 SZ-R 221 213 Supra SZ-R 221 213
Supra RZ 276 300 MA70 Supra GT Turbo Limited 236 230
JZA70 Supra Twin Turbo R 276 268 AE86 Corolla Levin GT-APEX 128 133
AE86 Sprinter Trueno GT-APEX 128 133 Fairlady Z ver.S 2 by 2 226 225
Fairlady Z TwinTurbo 2 by 2 276 272 Fairlady Z ver.S 2-seater 226 225
Fairlady Z ver.S TT 2-seater 276 272 R32 Skyline '89 GT-R 276 303
R32 Skyline '91 GT-R 276 303 R32 Skyline GT-R Vspec 276 303
R32 Skyline GT-R Vspec II 276 303 R32 Skyline GT-R NISMO 276 303
R32 Skyline GTS-t Type M 212 208 R32 Skyline GTS25 Type S 187 181
R32 Skyline GTS4 --- --- R33 Skyline GTS25t Type M 246 237
R33 Skyline '95 GT-R 276 303 R33 Skyline '95 GT-R Vspec 276 303
R33 Skyline GT-R 276 303 R33 Skyline GT-R Vspec 276 303
S14 Silvia Q's 157 152 S14 Silvia K's 216 208
S14 Silvia '95 Q's 157 152 S14 Silvia '95 K's 216 208
S13 Silvia '91 Q's 2000cc 138 133 S13 Silvia '91 K's 2000cc 202 198
S13 Silvia '88 Q's 1800cc 133 129 S13 Silvia '88 K's 1800cc 172 168
Primera '90 2.0Te 147 142 Primera '95 2.0Te 147 142
180SX '95 Type X --- --- 180SX Type X 202 198
180SX Type S 138 133 Pulsar '91 GTi-R 226 222
GTO '92 SR 221 214 GTO '92 Twin Turbo 276 310
GTO '95 SR 221 214 GTO '95 Twin Turbo 276 311
GTO '95 MR 276 311 GTO SR 221 214
GTO Twin Turbo 276 311 Galant VR-G Touring 147 142
Galant VR-4 276 272 Eclipse GT 226 216
FTO '94 GR 167 161 FTO '94 GPX --- ---
FTO GR 177 171 FTO GPX 197 189
FTO GP version R 197 189 Lancer EvoIII GSR 266 259
Lancer EvoIV GSR 276 268 Mirage Asti RX 172 167
Mirage '92 Cyborg R 172 167 Prelude '93 Si 160 152
Prelude '94 VTEC 190 205 Prelude 195 188
Prelude SH 195 208 Civic Sedan 127 164
Civic 3-Door 106 164 Civic (racer) 182 175
del Sol '93 S --- --- del Sol '93 Si 125 159
Civic '91 CR-X Si 108 152 Civic '93 3-Door Si 125 164
Civic '93 Sedan 125 164 Accord Sedan 170 181
Accord Wagon 145 181 NSX '91 170 268
NSX '93 270 268 NSX 290 285
NSX Type S 276 285 NSX Type S Zero 276 285
Integra GS-R 170 171 Integra Type R 195 189
Eunos Cosmo 13B Type-SCCS 226 220 Eunos Cosmo 20B Type-ECCS 276 270
Lantis Coupe 2000 Type-R 167 169 Eunos Roadster '89 Normal 118 114
Eunos Roadster '90 V-special 118 114 Eunos Roadster '92 S-special 118 114
Eunos Roadster Normal 128 127 Eunos Roadster V-special 128 127
Eunos Roadster S-special 128 127 FD Efini RX-7 '91 Type-R 261 256
FD Efini RX-7 Type RZ 261 256 FD Efini Rx-7 Type RB 261 256
FD Efini Rx-7 Touring-X 261 256 FD Efini Rx-7 A spec 261 256
FC Savanna RX-7 GT-X 202 199 FC Savanna RX-7 Efini III 212 204
Demio GL-X 98 94 Demio GL 98 94
Demio LX-G package 81 77 Alcyone SVX Version L --- ---
Legacy Touring Sedan RS 276 270 Legacy Touring Wagon GT-B 276 270
Legacy '93 Touring Sport RS 246 239 Legacy '93 Touring Wagon GT 246 239
Impreza WRX-Sti Type-R 276 270 Impreza '96 Sedan WRX 276 268
Impreza '96 Sed. WRXSti vIII 276 270 Impreza '96 Wag. WRXSTi vIII 276 270
Impreza '95 Sed. WRXSTi vII 256 250 Impreza '95 Wag. WRXSTi VII 256 250
Impreza '94 Sedan WRX 256 250 Impreza '94 Wagon WRX 256 250
DB7 Coupe 335 328 DB7 Volante 335 328
Viper RT/10 449 440 Viper GTS 449 440
Cerbera 350 343 Griffith 500 340 333
Griffith 4.0 335 327 Camaro Z28 285 279
Corvette '96 Coupe 330 323 Corvette '96 Grand Sport 330 323
4. Tuning Info
4a. What are good settings for my (GTO/Concept car/other car)?
Listing what settings do what is another FAQ entirely. There are plenty of
places on the net to find good settings info.
Kenji Morishige has lots of car settings at:
http://www.granturismo.com/tuning/index.html
Bob Chmilnitzky's Tuning FAQ can be found at:
http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/psx/faq/gran_turismo_tuning_stop_it.txt
The GT Driver's Guide can be found at:
http://members.xoom.com/thoas_iii/gt_guide.html
One thing I will touch on though are gear ratios, because they're easy to do
and understand, and everyone should have a grasp on how to tune your gears to
get the most out of your car.
4b. How do I change the gear ratios?
Gear ratios are the easiest way to customize you car for a specific track or
series. Basically, changing the gear ratios changes your car's acceleration and
top speed, with the acceleration having an inverse relationship to top speed.
Increasing acceleration decreases top speed, and vice-versa. Here are some
basic tips on tuning your gears. Gear ratios are especially important for those
who use automatic transmissions, as they dictate where and when the car will
shift. Altering the gear ratios in an automatic can help you keep the car in
the gears you want around key corners and on the straights.
Note that there is no 'right' gear ratio for any given car. Gear ratios are
simply a way to customize the car's power output for a specific track and
driver. Everyone will have different preferences as to what works best for them
depending on their driving style, so what one person uses may not be great for
another. You just have to experiment with them and find out what works best for
you.
First, go into either your boost level setting or your engine parts change
from the pre-race menu. You'll see a graph of your power output and some
numbers. The important numbers are your max horsepower and max torque output.
You'll see them displayed like this, for example: 350HP @ 5200rpm and 225lb/ft @
5000 rpm. In some cars, the rpm numbers are the same, in others they aren't.
You want to keep both numbers in mind, but I consider torque more important than
HP for this application.
Now go into your gear ratio settings. You'll see some slider bars and some
yellow lines on a graph. The closer the lines are together, the faster
acceleration, and the further the last line reaches to the right, the higher top
speed you'll have. You'll have a slider bar for each gear, plus one for final
drive; the final drive bar will change the properties of all the gears at once.
As you scroll down each slider, you'll see numbers appear to the left of the
graph and one of the yellow lines will be highlighted. The lower number you see
is the rpm that the highlighted gear will start at (for an automatic
transmission; manuals you can shift at will, but this all still applies). If
you look to the left, you'll see mph numbers next to each gear. That's how fast
the car will be going at the lowest rpm value of that gear, where the gear will
begin with an automatic transmission. Also, if you follow the top of the
highlighted line straight down, you'll see the maximum speed this gear will
reach.
The most important thing to keep in mind is to keep the lowest rpm number of
each gear lower than the rpm number of your maximum torque output (and your max
HP output as well if possible). Make sure this is always the case, or you will
not get the most power out of shifting your gears, making it essentially futile.
The higher your gear is, the closer the starting number will be to your max
torque output, and that's good. In fact, your last gear should start just
barely below your max torque, so that you can still accelerate at such a high
speed. Also, it's important to make sure that each gear's starting speed (mph)
is higher than the last's, or else you'll skip gears and have some strange
shifts.
Once you've set up each gear individually, you can alter the final drive gear
to suit your taste. More acceleration is good for tracks with lots of twists
and few straights, and more top speed is good for things like the Megaspeed
series. You can always break the rules I've mentioned above, and you should, in
order to better understand gear ratios. Some cars need unique combinations of
gear ratios. One of my favorite examples is the Subaru Impreza. It has an
excellent power band, but is somewhat limited in it's top speed. I like to set
up the first four gears normally, then lengthen out the fifth gear so it can
travel a much further range... say from 4500rpm on up. This gives me the
acceleration I need in my first four gears out of turns, and the fifth gear
kicks in on the long straights when I need it.
4c. Since you mentioned it, what's the difference between torque and horsepower?
Torque and horsepower are both measures of power in a car, just different
ways of measuring that power. HP (actually Brake Horsepower, or bHP, because of
the way it's measured) is a measure of the total output of the car's engine.
Torque is a measure of twisting force, and you've probably heard of it if you've
taken any Physics classes. The torque rating of a car is often a more accurate
than the bHP rating, as it can measure the actual force of the tires against the
road. This is a basic description, doing a search on the web can turn up some
more detailed information if you're interested.
4d. The graph in my gear settings says my car can go over 300mph, but I can
never go that fast. What's up with that?
You car would eventually go that fast if you had an indefinitely long, flat,
straight surface to drive on, and a planet with no atmosphere. Since you
eventually have to turn, and we have air on Earth, you can't always reach that
speed. The actual top speed of you car is a function of not only the listed top
speed, but also of the car's acceleration ability at high speeds. If your car
can't accelerate well at 240+mph, then it'll be hard to reach 250. Sometimes,
raising the final drive gear so that you have increased acceleration can help
your top speed as well, because it increases your car's acceleration abilities
at all speeds. At high speeds, you also fight against air resistance, which
will ultimately limit every car.
4e. My car won't accelerate at low speeds, or takes a loooong time, even though
it has over 800bhp!
Your car is suffering from Turbo Lag. A turbocharged engine is no different
from a naturally aspirated engine except that it has a turbine that pushes air
into the chambers (that's why naturally aspirated engines are called just that;
to 'aspirate' means to breathe... not to be confused with the Ford 'Aspire',
which is just a shitty car). This helps the car pump out more horses. However,
it takes a while for the turbine to get up to speed and pump that air in, and
until it does, the engine performs very poorly. So the reason your car takes so
long to rev up is that the turbocharger has to kick in first.
Generally, the higher the horsepower, the longer the lag (depending on the
car). If you have a Skyline with 910bhp, for example, you're going to have
quite a bit of turbo lag. Try changing the engine to a Stage III Turbo, and
dropping the car to around 600-700bhp. You don't need any more than that to win
a race, and you'll notice a drop in the lag. Also, the car will be more
handleable, since if you floor it with 900 ponies under the hood, you're going
to have a tendency to spin the tires and you'll have some serious handling side
effects.
4f. Why can I put a Stage 1 Turbo in my car even though it says Naturally
Aspirated on the spec sheet?
There are a few NA cars that can take a Stage 1 Turbo instead of an NA tune.
These cars are generally fairly weak, low-class cars. In these cases, you have
to make a choice on how you want to build the car. A turbo will give the car
more power, but doing so will give the car a noticeable amount of turbo lag (see
4e). Going with the NA tune won't allow you to have the same amount of HP as
the Turbo, but low-end acceleration will be increased. The following is a list
of cars which are naturally Aspirated but can take Stage 1 Turbos.
4h. When I go to buy parts for my car, it says 'purchased' even though I haven't
bought it!
You have already owned this car and bought those parts for it. Parts that
are added on to cars are bought in a lifetime supply, so to speak. When you buy
a Muffler or a Tuned Rom, you're buying it for all the cars you have and ever
will have of that same exact make and model. Even if you sold the old car and
bought one again, you'll still have the parts. All you have to do is put them
on in the settings menu from the pre-race menu. This works only for parts that
are actually added to the car, not modifications like weight reductions or Port
Polishing.
5. Miscellaneous
5a. Why can't I ever see a Mutsubishi GTO on the road?
While many of the cars in GT are pretty common, and you can see lots of them
on the road, there could be two reasons you'll never see certain cars on the
road. Keep in mind that the game was made in Japan, with many Japanese cars.
If you live in the US, there are lots of cars that just don't make it over to
our shores, a prime example being the Skyline. Other cars, like the GTO, are
under a Japanese name, and are called something else in the states. The GTO,
for instance, is the 3000GT (not to be confused with the Toyota TRD 3000GT).
5b. How can I drive in real life like I do in GT?
Don't. All you'll end up doing is damaging your car at best, and hurting
yourself or someone else at worst. I've already paid nearly $1000 fixing my car
after trying stupid GT stunts, so just don't do it. I also consider myself
lucky that I'm all right after doing things like driving up a mountain sideways
for 60 or so feet. If you really want to race a car, I suggest contacting your
local chapter of the Sports Car Club of America (if you live in the US), visit
www.scca.org for more info. Get involved in autocrossing, which is low-risk
single-car time trials, where you compete against other people's times in your
class.
5c. What kinds of codes are there for GT?
There are no codes inherent in the game. None whatsoever. There are
gameshark codes however, which can do things like give you lots of money, all
your licenses, and free cars. That isn't as much fun as actually accomplishing
these things though. Any search engine should be able to pull up some codes for
you.
5d. What is the car wash for, besides a waste of 50 credits?
If you notice, when you buy a new car it's all nice and shiny. In the
showroom it will reflect the floor lights, and in race replays you'll see the
reflections of other cars. As you race your car, it'll lose that luster, and
look a bit dull and oxidized. The car wash simply restores it to that nice
shiny new brilliance. Some colors, oranges and some of the duller reds
especially, look kind of cool oxidized though.
5e. Why do all the prize cars sell for the same amount? Isn't a DB7 worth a bit
more than a Demio?
Yes, the Aston Martin is worth more than the Demio, and is worth plenty more
than $12,000. All the cars sell for the same amount ($10,000, or $12,000 at the
dealer that makes the car) for a very specific reason, but only the designers
know that reason. We can guess though. The most probable reason is for game
balance. The designers most likely wanted to give you enough money to make it
matter in the early stages of the game, but not too much later on. If they
actually gave you what each car was worth compared to the others, the value of
the cars in the nation vs. nation races would exceed the value of the cash
prizes by a dozen times or more. So, in order to give interesting prizes and
make selling the early prize cars a decent way to make money, they chose the
$12,000 magic number.
5f. What's this demo disc that has an awesome GT download I've heard about?
The Playstation Underground Jampack Winter '98 disc is the one you're talking
about. It's a demo disc that has a few game downloads on it, one of them being
a GT download. It has all the gold license cars plus some other hard to get
cars, and just shy of three billion dollars. It's about $4 and you should be
able to find it at any department store like Target or Wal-Mart. Make sure you
get the Winter '98 CD.
5g. What is the best controller to use for GT?
Many of the best racers I know use the standard digital controller that came
with the older Playstations, and it works just fine for them. Many others use
the Dual Shock with great results. There are also a variety of wheels and
specialty controllers on the market that will work with GT. Below I'm going to
go through each different controller and people's opinions about them (if thy
aren't attributed to anyone, they're my own). Remember, these are just opinion.
If something sounds interesting, go ahead and try it, but noone is making any
promises here.
Sony Digital Controller: This is the standard "d-pad" controller that came
with all Playstations up until the Dual Shock model was marketed. This
controller works just fine for many people, even though all the controls are
digital, which means they're either 'on' or 'off'. That means that when you
press the gas button, you're always flooring it, and when you press the brake,
you're always hitting it as hard as possible. This can be offset with the
'feathering' technique of rapidly tapping the buttons.
Sony Dual Shock Analog Controller: This is the controller that comes with all
new Playstations, and it has two mushroom-shaped analog sticks. Generally, one
stick is assigned to steering and the other to both acceleration and brake.
This is advantageous because, unlike the digital controller, you can now vary
your steering through it's full range, along with your acceleration and braking.
Personally, I use it because of the advantages to accel/brake moreso than the
steering, which is still extremely sensitive. Being able to accelerate slowly
out of turns helps to make a much smoother racing line and helps keep high-
powered RWD cars under control.
Interact V3 racing Wheel: This is a wheel/pedal setup. Matt Lazarowitz has
the following comments on it:
"The wheel is sturdy and it has a great set of adjustments, both for sensitivity
of the electronics, and also for the physical set up of the wheel. However I
have rather large hands and size 15 feet and I find it difficult to use the
setup ( I will jam on both the gas and brake accidentally) or the wheel is not
wide enough for me to do a good hand over hand turn but my friends find it easy
to use and like it a lot."
I would appreciate any feedback that anyone has on any other controllers for GT.
6. On-line racing
6a. You're telling me I can race other people on line? How?
There have been many racing series with various rules and regulations on line
since the game was released. Most of these series and competitions use the
honor system: you record your best time, send it to the person running the
series, and they tally it all up. Of course, people could lie about their
times, but that's why it's called the honor system. Most of the races are run
on Time Trials, two laps, alone. This helps each driver to concentrate on
proper technique and driving line, instead of the random factors that computer
cars represent.
Many series have begun using Dex Drive data to validate driver times. This
way, each driver can send a replay of their Time Trial to the person running it.
This not only ensures that drivers are submitting correct times, but drivers can
download replays to view each other's techniques and driving lines, and race
against each other's ghosts in time trials.
Most on line competitions can be divided into two categories: series and spot
races. A series is just that, a series of races, usually with points given for
rankings each race and points totaled up in the end. Each series has different
rules, some using only one car, some combating different cars or manufacturers
against each other. Each driver submits their times on a deadline to the
moderator, who compiles them all at once. This helps to reduce sandbagging.
A spot race on line is just like a spot race in GT. You run a single race,
usually with a specific theme, like station wagons, FF cars, or cars from a
specific manufacturer. Each driver is free to submit their times whenever they
choose (spot races are often held on message boards, with drivers adding their
times to the thread). Spot races are more for fun than competition, so cheating
and sandbagging usually isn't too much of a worry.
Series can be found on many various websites. A good starting place would be
http://granturismo.inc2000.com/New_Folder/linkspage.htm. There are links there
to many popular racing series. A search engine should be able to turn up many
more.
6b. What's a Dex Drive?
The Dex Drive is a device made by Interact (makes of the GameShark), which
connects to your computer via a 9-pin serial cable. It has a slot, like on the
front of your playstation, for a memory card. It simply takes the information
off of your memory card and backs it up on your computer, saving as a file with
the extension .gme. This allows you to do two things: First, you can copy your
save games from your memory car to your computer. This means that, not only can
you safeguard against file corruption, but you never have to buy another memory
card again! You have, in effect, as many memory cards as you have space for on
your hard drive. Secondly, the Dex Drive allows you to send and download game
saves over the internet and through e-mail. This way, you can trade information
with your friends about your favorite games, and download cool game saves.
What does this mean for GT? Well, as mentioned in 6a, you can use it to
compete in on line racing and be sure everyone knows you're telling the truth.
You can also download other people's replays to learn from them and race against
their ghosts. Also, you can trade garages with other people to get hard-to-find
cars. The Dex Drive costs around $40, and can be found at any good store where
you can find Playstation games.
7. Racing technique
7a. What is 'drifting'?
Drifting is a cornering technique which is described very well in your
Reference Manual, pages 22-29. I suggest you read that before going any
further. What I'm going to go over here is why you would want to drift, and
it's most popular counterpart, grip racing.
Generally, drifting is a method of sliding the rear end of your car around a
turn, while keeping your front end generally pointing toward the inside of the
turn. Drifting gives you three distinct advantages: first, it allows you to
achieve a higher entry speed (the speed at which you begin turning) on a turn.
By braking late and hard to initiate the drift, you're essentially giving
yourself more straightaway to drive on. Secondly, it helps you achieve a higher
apex speed as well. Instead of simply driving around the apex slowly, you're
sliding past it very very quickly. Thirdly, when used properly, you can set
yourself up for your next turn at the end of your drift. Once you're done
sliding, your car should ideally be aligned properly for your next turn, either
giving you a good start on the straightaway or helping you to better navigate
the next turn ahead.
Grip racing is the almost exact opposite of drift racing. In grip racing you
slow down slightly earlier, either by braking or shifting to a lower gear, and
take a smooth, controlled turn, almost as if you were driving on the road
(except going 130mph and using 4 lanes!). Grip racers try to take a
theoretically perfect line through each turn, beginning each turn high to the
outside at a controllable speed, apexing at the exact spot, and accelerating up
and out of the turn. Grip racing gives you two distinct advantages over grip
racing. The most important is control of your car. No matter how good a driver
is, drifting is a hard maneuver to do, and many things can go wrong when you're
intentionally letting your tires slide. Grip racing, on the other hand, is very
controlled, and in the hands of an intermediate driver, there is very little
chance of fatal error. Also, grip racing achieves much higher exit speeds from
a turn. A drift will slow the car down as it goes through the turn, making the
point where they begin to accelerate, most often near the end of the turn, the
slowest point of the turn. The slowest point of a gripped turn is the apex,
usually near the middle of the turn, and the car will accelerate out from the
apex.
Drift and grip racing are two different styles, and neither is strictly
better than the other. Often, a particular course or car will be suited to one
style or the other, so it's good to be proficient with both, no matter what your
preference. 4WD and FF cars, for example, are often more suited to grip racing
because of their excellent handling and maneuverability, while high-powered
rear-drive cars are often suited to drifting because the extreme speeds they
reach can make those extra hundredths of a second on the straight make a real
difference. Courses such as High Speed Ring with long straights and gentle
turns make for excellent grip racing, while courses with lots of sharp or s-
turns make drifting more important. It generally comes down to driver prefrence
and what each individual can tun out their best lap times with.
7b. What is the 'inside' of a turn, the 'outside', and the 'apex'?
These are all terms used to describe the parts of a turn. By this point, you
should be realizing that the turns play a huge role in the kind of racing seen
in GT.
The inside of a turn is the edge of the road that is on the side to which you
are turning. For example, if you're turning left, the inside is the edge of the
road on the left. If you're turning right, it's on the right. It's also
referred to as the 'low' point of the turn, so references to 'down' in the turn
will mean the inside.
The outside of the turn is exactly the opposite; the edge of the road on the
side opposite that to which you're turning. You're turning left, the outside is
on the right. Also referred to as the 'high' point of the turn, so refrences to
'up' will mean the outside.
The apex is an imaginary point on the turn where your car should be as close
to the inside of the turn as possible. Generally, the apex is in the middle of
the turn, but it may be moved forward or backward depending on the driver's
style. Wherever it is, the apex divides the turn into two parts: the turn entry
is anywhere before the apex, and the turn exit is anywhere after the apex. You
should always be either slowing down or maintaining speed on the turn entry, nd
you should always be accelerating on the turn exit.
The apex is generally in the middle of the turn, as I noted above. However,
if a driver wants higher speed at a specific point in the turn, the apex may be
moved. For higher entry speed, the apex may be moved forward, earlier in the
turn, but this greatly reduces exit speed. For higher exit speed, the apex may
be moved further back in the turn, which decreases entry speed, but not as much.
There are some good illustrations of this on pages 18-19 of your Reference
Manual.
7c. What is the 'driving line'?
The driving line, more commonly referred to as simply the line, is an
imaginary line along the track that a car should follow to achieve the highest
lap time possible. There are some general rules that the line follows on every
track, but it is unique to each track because of the shape and placement of
turns and curves, length of straights, placement of rises and depressions in the
road, and width of the road.
The line is briefly mentioned in your Reference Manual, pages 18-19, but I'll
explain it a bit here as well. The line exists only to help you achieve maximum
speed throughout every turn in the course. If there are no turns, the line is
straight (as in drag racing), and therefore unnecessary. It follows that the
line is most important through the turns then.
In general, the line should start at the outside of each turn, touch the
inside of the turn at the apex, and come back to the outside of the turn at the
end. This allows for the shortest distance through the turn and the highest
entry and exit speed possible. However, this is only for a single turn. If you
have another turn coming up after a short straight, you need to align yourself
for that turn. If the turn is going the same direction as the one your just
took, you have no problem and will already be set up for it, as the outside of
both turns will be the same side of the road. More frequently the next turn
will be going in the opposite direction. If the straight between then is
relatively short, you may want to stay closer to the inside of the first turn so
you can place yourself correctly at the outside at the beginning of the second
turn. If it's relatively long, you might be able to take a diagonal line across
the straight to place yourself correctly.
Two turns that go in opposite directions with no straight between them are
called 's-turns' or 'esses'. S-turns take a different approach to them. The
beginning of the first turn is taken normally, but once you reach the apex, head
for the apex of the second turn in as straight a line as possible. Don't worry
about going back to the outside. Once you reach the apex of the second turn, go
to the outside of that turn to exit. If there are more than two turns involved,
simply travel as straight as possible from apex to apex until you can move the
outside of the last turn for the exit.
These are all, again, general rules for the racing line. It will be affected
by distinctions in the course, and by each driver's personal style. Each person
has their own apex points and turn entries and exits that they prefer, and which
give them the best lap times.
7d. What is 'drafting'?
Drafting is a method that is used very often in professional stock car
(NASCAR) and formula 1 racing. The basic idea is to get behind the car directly
in front of you to get in their slipstream (it's also termed 'slipstreaming')
and use their displacement of air to help you go faster and pass them. Thoasiii
explained it much better than I ever could have:
"I don't have my Fluids text book in front of me, and it's been four years
since I have thought about fluid dynamics, but here it goes...
"Drafting is based on the following: When an object moves through a fluid
(air being the fluid here), it makes a kind of hole. The fluid just in front of
the object (or car) and around the object must move out of the objects way. The
reason the fluid must get out of the object's way is because the fluid has a
lesser velocity relative to the object's velocity. The fluid getting out of the
object's way is dragging on the object. Drag is due to the friction of the
fluid passing over the object's surface. The larger the difference in velocity
between the object and the fluid the greater the friction, thus the more drag.
This friction acts against the objects driving force.
"As the object passes, the fluid must fill up the space that object just
left. If the object is moving fast enough it creates a vacuum just behind,
becuase the fluid can not fill the space up fast enough. This vacuum will cause
the fluid to 'follow' the object. This area of fluid 'following' the object now
has some of the object's velocity following the same vector as the object.
"Let's say a second object is following the first object. The second object
has the same velocity vector as the first. Let's call it object 2. If object 2
is close to the first object, then object 2 is in the fluid 'following'.
Because the fluid 'following' the first object has some velocity in the same
vector as object 1 and object 2, it causes less friction to object 2, thus less
drag. Less drag means that it takes less power to keep object 2 moving at the
same velocity as object 1."
8. On-line resources
The following are good springboards to find plenty of GT info on the web.
www.granturismo.com: Kenji Morishige's site. Frequently updated, lots of
info and links, and THE Gran Turismo Message Board on the web.
Granturismo.inc2000.com: Thoasiii's site. Several active leagues, plus links
to many more. Also hosts another great Message Board.
www.graphicxs.com/ezgt/: The home of EZGT, one of the best on-line racing
leagues. Also has a chat room.
members.xoom.com/thoas_iii/gt_guide.html: The GT Driver's guide. Lots of
specific info on each car in the game, includes setups and gear ratios.
You may also find some people to chat with in the EZGT IRC channel. You
must connect to the sever irc.ram-page.com. The channel is #EZGTchat.
Please DO NOT send me the address for any personal GT web sites. There are too
many too list here. You may, however, contact Thoasiii or Kenji, who should
gladly provide a link to you on their links page. Go to their websites for more
info.
9. Contacting me
If you have any suggestions, comments, questions, corrections, or especially
additions, please let me know. I can be reached at apparatus@juno.com or
oriole@capital.net.
Topics desired for inclusion in next version:
Different controller types
'Hybrid' cars
Differences between US, European, and Japanese versions of GT
