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MIDNIGHT CLUB: STREET RACING for PS2
"Capture the Flag" Guide
FINAL VERSION - May 3, 2001
Copyright (C) 2000 Jamie Stafford
This guide may ONLY be posted on FeatherGuides, GameFAQs.com,
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Permission is granted to download and print one copy for personal
use
0.) About This Guide
1.) Introduction
2.) Rules
3.) Tips for Beginners
4.) Advanced Challenges
5.) Good All-around Vehicles to Use
6.) Is Rockstar Games Reading This?
7.) Thanks
8.) Contact Information
First, I humbly apologize if this guide reads like an academic paper
:-( I know I have been in Academia too long!!!
The information contained in this file is primarily based upon one
player versus the CPU, the way I usually play "Capture the Flag."
Thanks to those who have e-mailed me with questions and notes of
appreciation. That has really meant a lot to me, especially as this
was the first game guide I wrote.
MIDNIGHT CLUB: STREET RACING has two main modes of play: Career and
Arcade. The Arcade mode contains "Capture the Flag." Also, any
bonus vehicles unlocked in the Arcade mode (in "Head to Head" and
"Waypoint") are available in "Capture the Flag." Other guides for
this game (as well as PS2 magazines) contain information concerning
the availability of bonus vehicles; suffice it to say that winning
Waypoint races at #10 or above for both New York City and London,
and finding the pink beams of light in each city in "Cruise,"
unlocks bonus vehicles.
"Capture the Flag" pits the player against one or more CPU opponents
in the chosen city. Each match begins with the player and the CPU
opponent(s) in the same location each time; however, the placement
of the flags and the delivery points are all randomized. The rule
is to grab each flag (drive through or very near to the green
searchlights containing the flag) and deliver it to the delivery
point (by driving through or very near to the larger mass of green
searchlights).
Fortunately, one is not required to be the first to grab each flag
in order to gain maximum points at the delivery area. If a CPU car
has a flag, the player need only ram the CPU vehicle to gain
possession of the flag. On the other hand, a player can lose the
flag if rammed by a CPU vehicle.
Ramming can also have other consequences. Any vehicle (CPU- or
player-controlled) can lose a flag by ramming anything with
sufficient velocity. This can be disastrous when driving against
traffic, or through a grove of trees.
In a single-player versus single-CPU-vehicle match, the CPU vehicle
will be the same as the vehicle chosen by the player; if color
options are available, the CPU vehicle will be of a different color.
In any case, the CPU vehicle is always designated by a down-pointing
red triangle, to help the player to distinguish the opponent; this
is especially useful at a distance, to "see" the opponent far down a
long straight road or sometimes even "through" buildings and other
obstacles.
The first tip to achieving success in "Capture the Flag" is to
simply roam around each city first in "Cruise." This allows the
player to discover various shortcuts, obstacles, etc. Cruising with
varying amounts of traffic also helps the player to better identify
the strategies needed for high-speed racing in both thick and thin
traffic. (This tip helps not only in "Capture the Flag," but in
other Arcade and Career segments as well.)
Initially, only four vehicles are available: a standard taxi cab,
the Crusero Bueno (a slow "boat"), the Jones J400 pick-up truck, and
the Piranha PDQ (a tiny car). My personal favorite of these four is
the Jones J400, as it is easy to control, responds well to
cornering, and has fairly good brakes. This version of the Jones
does not have any Nitrous (turbos). At 218bhp, it is fairly
powerful and can achieve impressive speeds when driving in a
straight line. Overall, the Jones J400 is a good car to begin with:
challenging yet relatively easy to control.
While the temptation to mow down pedestrians is great (a fabulous
side-effect of the game), pedestrians will slow the vehicle, albeit
slightly. If driving side-by-side with a CPU opponent at breakneck
speed, hitting a pedestrian may cause the vehicle to lose just
enough ground for the CPU vehicle to take advantage in some way.
Also, hitting a pedestrian can alter the trajectory of the vehicle,
which at high speeds can be disastrous.
In the first "Capture the Flag" sessions, playing with no or little
traffic may seem like a good idea, but can actually lead to failure.
With no or little traffic to navigate, the CPU vehicle has just as
easy a time flying down the streets and highways as does the player.
This makes high-speed cornering and knowing the respective city's
streets and shortcuts a top priority. The first sessions should be
played with medium traffic.
Amazingly, driving AGAINST traffic can be beneficial, especially if
playing in rainy or foggy conditions. By driving against traffic,
the headlights of other vehicles make it easier to see the traffic
ahead.
In both New York and London, busses can be both a curse and a
blessing. As a curse, busses are BIG, incredibly bulky, and
practically immovable. As a blessing, a bus in an intersection can
be useful for making a quick turn around a corner, by ricocheting
the vehicle at just the right angle. This latter maneuver takes
practice, and "Capture the Flag" may not necessarily be the time to
practice it; try this first in "Cruise."
What appears to be the quickest route to a particular point in the
city may in actuality NOT be as quick as it appears. This is
especially true if that route requires a lot of tight cornering.
Instead, look for a long stretch of straight or gently-curving road,
especially one with few stop lights (less stopped traffic to
navigate through; stopped traffic is essentially a brick wall).
Alternatively, drive through a park, but avoid trees, the occasional
building, fountains, ramps, and boulders.
While the initial placement of flags and delivery points is always
random, each occurs in only ten or so places in each city. Learning
where the flags and delivery points are usually located will help in
deciding whether to concede a particular delivery in hopes of being
nearer to the next flag.
Amazingly, the CPU-controlled vehicles can and do make mistakes!!!
These vehicles will crash into buildings, other vehicles, trees,
etc. In London, they will occasionally even fall into the Thames
River!!! Taking full advantage of these situations can mean earning
more points.
Learning the intricacies of the chosen four-wheeled weapon is a
must. Each vehicle handles differently, which affects straight-line
speed, cornering, etc.
Knowing when and when not to use the Nitrous (if available on the
chosen vehicle) is of great importance. For example, if the vehicle
is sliding while cornering, it may be beneficial to hit the Nitrous
milliseconds before broadsiding a wall or other obstacle, to help
keep up the vehicle's speed and to help swing the back end of the
vehicle through the turn.
The best tip of all is "clean" driving. "Clean" is purposely used
here in quotes, as the premise of "Capture the Flag" forces all
opponents to break virtually every traffic law in existence.
Nonetheless, fast reflexes, judicious use of the Nitrous (if
available), immaculate cornering, and avoiding obstacles (including
streetlights, trash, pedestrians, and especially brick and stone
walls) can all help to reach the flags and the delivery points
first. "Clean" driving also means keeping vehicle damage to a
minimum, especially in vehicles with poor handling and/or low damage
tolerance. Finally, "clean" driving is greatly aided by near-
flawless knowledge of each city. And above all else, do not drink
and drive!!!
MIDNIGHT CLUB is certainly much more than just "Cruise" and "Capture
the Flag." However, learning the cities in "Cruise" and honing the
racing techniques playing "Capture the Flag" can greatly prepare the
player for the other games and modes of MIDNIGHT CLUB.
As more vehicles are unlocked, the challenges for "Capture the Flag"
can become greater based simply upon the chosen vehicle for each
match. Some vehicles are slower than snails and easy to control but
essentially damage-proof (such as the busses), while other vehicles
are incredibly quick but hard to handle and extremely damage-prone
(such as the Kuruma Fasuto GT). Carefully selecting the vehicle to
use in a "capture the Flag" match can greatly affect the outcome.
5.) Good All-around Vehicles to Use (highly subjective):
*Standard Taxi (for those who are not necessarily looking for great
speeds)
*Jones J400, J420, and J450 (the J450 has 4 Nitrous)
*Amata Crescendo (outstanding braking and acceleration, with an
incredible 15 Nitrous; this is a bonus car)
*London PD Police Car (learning the intricacies of using this car is
VERY helpful for the "Head to Head" and "Waypoint" races; this is a
bonus car)
Some things to consider for future incarnations of MIDNIGHT CLUB:
*More cars available at the beginning of gameplay
*More (or at least different) cities across the world - this would
also help the marketability of the game (personally, I would like to
race through Tokyo, Chicago, Paris, and Sydney)
*Add levels of difficulty, with fewer CPU "mistakes" at higher
levels
*More female characters in Career mode
*Add motorcycles and cyclists
*In CTF, busses are rare in New York City; add more busses,
please!!!
*Have people in select phone booths in London and New York City
*More and higher ramps in both cities, hopefully with the
possibility of traversing (most of) a city from rooftop to rooftop
*Add police cars which chase the CTF participants
*When a pedestrian gets hit or one or more vehicles have an
accident, bring out the ambulance and/or police
*List stats for cars available at beginning in game booklet
*Select a particular opponent from the Career mode (Keiko, Emilio,
etc.) as the CPU opponent in "Capture the Flag," complete with
verbal taunts
Sony: The PS2 is absolutely AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rockstar Games: This game is great :-)
Entertainment Software Ratings Board: For a game which essentially
promotes lawbreaking and creating collateral damage, the "Teen"
rating almost seems tame
