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CONTENTS
Spacing and Length
Permissions
Introduction
Arcade Mode Overview
Simulation Mode Overview
Initial Car Selection
Going Racing: The First Car
Going Racing: The Second Car
Going Racing: Major Money, Fast Cars
Tuning Basics
Tires
Tires: Selection
Tires: Care
Tires: Two Exceptions
Tires: Input from Others
General Set-ups
General Set-ups: Apricot Hill Raceway (II)
General Set-ups: Cote d'Azur/Monaco
General Set-ups: Deep Forest Raceway (II)
General Set-ups: Grand Valley Speedway (II)
General Set-ups: Laguna Seca Raceway
General Set-ups: Midfield Raceway (II)
General Set-ups: Rome Circuit (II)
General Set-ups: Seattle Circuit (II)
General Set-ups: Smokey Mountain (II)
General Set-ups: Special Stage Route 11 (II)
General Set-ups: Special Stage Route 5 (II)
General Set-ups: Special Stage Route 5 Wet (II)
General Set-ups: Super Speedway
General Set-ups: Swiss Alps (II)
General Set-ups: Tahiti Circuit (II)
General Set-ups: Tahiti Maze (II)
General Set-ups: Test Course
General Set-ups: Tokyo R246 (II)
General Set-ups: Trial Mountain (II)
Rally Racing
Rally Racing: Fast Advancement
Rally Racing: Dirt Driving
Rally Racing: Wet-conditions Driving
Rally Racing: 'Guaranteed Wins'
Rally Racing: Circuit Tips and Warnings
Endurance Races
Endurance Races: Grand Valley 300km
Endurance Races: Seattle 100 Miles
Endurance Races: Laguna Seca 200 Miles
Endurance Races: Passage to Colosseo 2 Hours
Endurance Races: Trial Mountain 2 Hours
Endurance Races: Special Stage Route 11
Endurance Races: Roadster Apricot Hill
Endurance Races: Mistral (Cote d'Azur) 78 Laps
Endurance Races: Super Speedway 150 Miles
F1 Cars
Formula GT
Formula GT: Finding Car Set-ups
Formula GT: Qualifying
Formula GT: Circuit Tips
Formula GT: General Tips
Formula GT: Suggested Car Set-Ups
Formula GT: Adjusting Car Set-Ups
Formula GT: Sample Race Performance
General Q&A
Other Guides of Interest
Thanks
Contact
SPACING AND LENGTH
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Check for appropriate font setting by making sure the numbers
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PERMISSIONS
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Permission is granted to download and print one copy for
personal use.
INTRODUCTION
This MegaGuide is essentially a combination of MOST of my
guides for Gran Turismo 3, located in one file for easy
downloading and printing. There have been some modifications
to information for those stand-alone guides which have
already been finalized, but much of the information is the
same.
Newcomers to the Gran Turismo series must first realize that
this is NOT an arcade-style game, such as the insanely-
popular Ridge Racer series. Even in GT3's Arcade Mode,
proper driving is key. There are tips on how to drive
properly in this guide, and GT3's License Tests will
certainly provide hands-on experience in this regard.
However, players may also benefit from reading my General
Racing/Driving Guide - available EXCLUSIVELY at GameFAQs
(http://www.GameFAQs.com/) and at FeatherGuides
(http://feathersites.angelcities.com/) - which covers issues
such as cornering, braking, tuning, rumble strips, concrete
extensions, and other important aspects of racing (primarily
focusing on road courses).
ARCADE MODE OVERVIEW
Gran Turismo 3 is fairly massive, so it is rather easy for
those unaccustomed with the Gran Turismo series to feel lost
initially (I felt the same way with the original Gran Turismo
when I first bought that game). The main point to consider
is that there are two main sections of the game: Arcade Mode
and Simulation Mode.
After the requisite admiring of the opening movie, Arcade
Mode is a great place for newcomers to begin, as Simulation
Mode can be daunting and frustrating at first. Free Run is
perfect for getting to learn each of the many circuits in the
game. The Gran Turismo series uses the 'II' designation to
indicate circuits run in the opposite direction from their
standard configurations, and it is important for newcomers to
experiment with the 'II' venues as well; areas of a circuit
which seem fairly easy and straightforward when run in the
standard direction can become quite difficult when run in
reverse, even if for no other reason than the necessity of a
different rhythm in driving the circuit. Once a circuit has
been selected, a vehicle can be chosen from a variety of
classes; once cars have been acquired in Simulation Mode,
they can also be used here by first loading the Garage. Of
all the circuits available in Free Run, Complex String and
Complex String II are perhaps the best to know, as many of
the hardest License Tests (in Simulation Mode) cover the
trickiest sections of these two circuits.
When ready to graduate from Free Run, Single Race allows for
racing against five CPU-controlled cars at a chosen venue.
However, only Section A (containing six circuits) is
initially available; other courses will open once a win has
been posted at every venue in Section A at every difficulty
level. A good way to 'cheat' here is to only race and win at
each venue on Hard difficulty, for which the CPU
automatically grants wins at the same venue at the lower
difficulty levels; however, to unlock all the potential cars
(available for Arcade Mode only), a player must RACE and win
at each venue at each difficulty level. Once a win has been
posted for all Section A venues, Section B opens; this
process continues until all Arcade Mode circuits have been
unlocked and won. To check the progress toward unlocking the
next Section of courses, check Clear Status.
Time Trial is a challenge of the driver against the clock.
Besting the posted time at ALL of the ten Time Trial venues
results in a bonus car which will be added to the Simulation
Mode garage.
Arcade Mode also includes 2-player Battle and iLink Battle
(for more than two players). Also, the Single Race and Tine
Trial sections MUST be completed in order to achieve 100%
game completion, which results in a bonus car added to the
Simulation Mode garage.
====================================
SIMULATION MODE OVERVIEW
Simulation Mode is where the vast majority of time is spent
in playing Gran Turismo 3. Fortunately, the main Simulation
Mode menu is much easier to navigate than in Gran Turismo 2.
After having spent at least a few hours in Arcade Mode,
players should have a good handle on the physics engine of
the game (which is very different from earlier games in the
series) and how that will impact driving; this is important
information for the License Tests.
The License Center is where players acquire the licenses
necessary for all but a few races in Simulation Mode. Six
licenses are available: B, A, IB, IA, Rally, and Super. Each
license is acquired by besting the posted Bronze Medal time
for each of eight license tests; the first seven tests for a
license MUST be successfully completed before attempting the
eighth test. The Rally License is required for Rally Events
(even for the wet-based competitions in Rally Events); an IA
License will suffice for all but a few races in the game (at
the end of Professional League), and is a requirement to
compete in the Endurance Races. At the very least, players
should work up through IA and Rally Licenses; save the Super
License tests for much later, after considerable experience
has been gained in Simulation Mode, as besting the Bronze
Medal times for the tests for the Super License requires
FLAWLESS high-speed driving of entire circuits.
Car Dealer is where cars are purchased. Initially, players
are given 18,000Cr (in the North American version) to buy a
starter car. The Car Dealer is divided into countries, with
each country further divided by manufacturer. Within a
manufacturer, cars are shown in order from lowest to highest
price; cars without prices are relegated to the end of the
list. Cars shown in a dealership without a price tag can
only be won by winning events or completing other tasks (such
as winning all races in a League); many cars WITH prices
shown may also be won or otherwise acquired as bonus cars.
Also, there are some cars - such as the ever-popular F1 cars
- which are not included in the showrooms which can be won in
Simulation Mode by winning events. Some cars are better to
win than to purchase, as they are truly not worth their high
price tags in dealerships; just two examples of these cars
are the Panoz Esperante and the Suzuki Escudo Pikes Peak
Version. Unfortunately, Gran Turismo 3 does not include used
cars, which made getting started in Gran Turismo 2 fairly
simple and hassle-free. More information on initial car
choice is included later.
Tune Shop is where parts and upgrades are purchased. When
first starting the game, it is very unlikely that enough
money will remain after purchasing a car to buy upgrades.
GT Auto is a collection of car-related services. Car Wash
will bring back the showroom shine of a car for a small fee;
some players have reported that repeated use of the Car Wash
dulls the color on darker-colored cars, but I have not
noticed such a phenomenon in the game. Oil Change will
change the oil, and is recommended before entering any long
race or series, and also before racing a car for the first
time (due to the resultant slight increase in horsepower).
Wheel Shop sells custom rims - varying by design and color -
from nine different manufacturers; once purchased, rims are
available for ALL cars in a garage, except for F1 cars (which
cannot use customized rims).
Machine Test is a good place to make adjustments and test
either top-end speed or acceleration performance. However,
to truly test how a car performs on actual circuits, it is
best to go to Run & Setting (located in Home).
Go Race is where the races of Simulation Mode are located.
The races are divided into Leagues, each further divided into
single races and/or series and/or championships. All events
offer at least one bonus car for the winner - if only one
bonus car is available, then it cannot be acquired again by
reracing and winning again; events with more than one
possible bonus car assign ONE bonus car at random, and more
cars (perhaps even the same car) can be acquired by reracing
and winning again and again and again and again and again and
again and again and again and again and again and again and
again and again and again and again and again and again and
again and again and again and again and again and again and
again and again and again and again and again and again and
again and again and again and again and again and again and
again and again and again and again and again and again and
again and again and again and again and again and again and
again and again and again and again and again and again and
again and again and again and again and again and...
Home is where the Garage is located; the Garage can hold
nearly 200 cars maximum. The Game Status area will indicate
the licenses held, game completion percentage, win
percentage, and other information. Trade allows for trading
cars to/from another memory card. Run & Setting presents
several pavement- and dirt-based venues where drivers can
test their cars and make modifications. Finally, game
progress can be saved in Save Game, and the extensive game
credits are located in Legal Credits.
Note that should a player wish to reload the last game save
on the memory card, this can only be done from the game's
main menu (where the selection between Arcade Mode and
Simulation Mode is made).
INITIAL CAR SELECTION
When first starting in Gran Turismo 3, players have 18,000Cr
with which to buy an initial car; any money remaining could
immediately be used to buy parts, or saved for later use.
There are many opinions from GT3 veterans as to which cars
should be considered for a first purchase, but it all really
comes down to player preference in drivetrain (based upon
experiences in Arcade Mode, in previous Gran Turismo games,
and in other driving/racing games) and - to a lesser extent -
what is aesthetically pleasing.
Here is a list - alphabetical by manufacturer, then by model
- of the cars players can purchase with their initial
18,000Cr (note that - except the Chrysler PT Cruise - ALL of
these 'affordable' cars are from Japanese manufacturers):
Chrysler PT Cruiser FF 17,980Cr
Daihatsu Mira TR-X Avanzato R FF 11,140Cr
Daihatsu Storia X4 4WD 13,900Cr
Mazda Demio GL-X FF 14,660Cr
Mazda Miata MX-5 FR 16,900Cr
Mazda Miata MX-5 FR 17,000Cr
Suzuki Alto Works Suzuki Sports Ltd. 4WD 12,220Cr
Toyota Sprinter Trueno GT Apex FR 13,550Cr
Toyota Vitz Euro Edition FF 12,880Cr
Toyota Vitz RS 1.5 FF 14,530Cr
Volkswagon New Beetle 2.0 FF 15,930Cr
For strategy purposes, players may wish to buy a relatively
cheap car, such as the Suzuki Alto Works Suzuki Sports
Limited (12,220Cr) or Toyota Vitz Euro Edition (12,880Cr), as
this would leave a good amount of money to immediately buy
parts or services to improve initial race performance. In
this case, a good place to begin tuning would be
Lightweight/Stage 1 (Tune Shop -> Stability Control &
Others), which costs about 5000Cr, depending on the car.
Just a little reduction in weight can make a noticeable
difference, especially when cornering. Changing the oil
immediately can also help by giving an initial boost in
horsepower, generally ten percent of the car's rated
horsepower; changing the oil costs 250Cr.
Another strategy is to begin with the Toyota Vitz RS 1.5; the
advantage of selecting this car is that it can be upgraded to
eventually participate in the Vitz Races in both Beginners
League and Professional League, thus providing extra venues
to gain more money without requiring the purchase of
additional cars later in the game (saving money in the long
run). Similarly, the Toyota Sprinter Trueno GT Apex may be a
good starting car, as it can be upgraded to race in the 80's
Sports Car Cup in Beginners and Amateur Leagues. Likewise,
the Chrysler PT Cruiser can be upgraded to race in the Stars
and Stripes Grand Championship in Beginners and Amateur
Leagues.
Another strategy - one which is likely to create extreme
frustration for many players - is to first attain Gold Medals
in ALL the tests for any one License. Achieving this
difficult feat results in a bonus car which should have an
inherent advantage over any of the CPU cars in the initial
races of Beginners League; should this happen, all of the
initial 18,000Cr can then be used to buy parts and/or
services, thus creating a significant advantage over the
competition from the very beginning of a driver's Simulation
Mode racing career. Alternatively, upon winning a bonus car,
the initial 18,000Cr can be set aside and combined with the
initial race earnings to purchase a new car sooner.
====================================
GOING RACING: THE FIRST CAR
Once a car has been chosen and any upgrades and/or oil
changes performed, it is time to hit the pavement!!! Many of
the events in Beginners League have no license requirements,
but ALL events in Beginners League will be available to those
who have attained at least the A License. Here is a list of
the Beginners League events, along with their license
requirements:
Sunday Cup None
Clubman Cup None
FF Challenge None
FR Challenge None
MR Challenge None
4WD Challenge None
Lightweight K-Cup None
Stars and Stripes Grand Championship None
Spider and Roadster None
80's Sports Car Cup B
Race of NA Sports B
Race of Turbo Sports B
Tourist Trophy B
Legend of Silver Arrow B
New Generation Sports Altezza Race B
Vitz Race None
Honda Type-R Meeting None
Mitsubishi Evolution Meeting None
New Beetle Cup B
Gran Turismo World Championship A
Of the Beginners League races, A LOT of time is likely to be
spent in Sunday Cup and Clubman Cup, racing the same venues
over and over and over and over and over and over and over
and over and over and over and over and over and over and
over and over and over and over and over and over and over
and over and over and over and over and over and over and
over and over and over and over and over and over and over
and over and over and over and over again. This is the most
frustrating part about starting in Gran Turismo 3, as the
initial races do not pay very well for the winner due to the
extremely low entry requirements. However, winning all races
in Sunday Cup and Clubman Cup results in one bonus car per
series, which can then be sold to gain additional money (or
held in the Garage for use later in the game).
As money accumulates, there are two strategies which come
into play. One strategy is to keep upgrading the current car
(especially if it is a Vitz, Trueno, or PT Cruiser, as these
cars can enter car-specific events in the latter half of
Beginners League) to increase the likelihood of winning, thus
gaining more money for more upgrades, and moving on to other
races which provide a higher payout; when the chosen car can
go no further in upgrades and cannot be viable in new races,
save money to buy a second car, or upgrade a car won in
earlier series. The second strategy is to NEVER perform
upgrades, and buy a second car as soon as possible; this is
really only a viable option for those who won a car by
attaining all Gold Medals in the tests for any one License -
otherwise, drivers can expect to spend A LOT of time reracing
the same low-paying events.
====================================
GOING RACING: THE SECOND CAR
Eventually, the initial car cannot enter new races and be a
viable contender to win, and cannot handle any more upgrades.
Fortunately, by the time this occurs, a driver should have
received multiple bonus cars for winning various series. One
of these cars can be selected and upgraded, then taken to new
events; or, if a driver has enough money, a brand-new car can
be purchased from the dealerships (again, Gran Turismo 3 does
NOT include used cars).
If possible, the second car should be able to handle Dirt
Tires. With possession of a Rally License (one of the easier
licenses to acquire), the second car can then be taken to
Rally Events. If upgraded enough, the second car can sweep
through Rally Events, thus amassing 350,000Cr and a total of
eleven bonus rally cars - which can either be kept in the
Garage or sold to gain more money. For this purpose, I
always use the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VII GSR(J) as my
second car; this 4WD car costs 29,980Cr from the dealership
and is available in seven colors.
Even if the chosen second car cannot handle Dirt Tires, Rally
Events can still be a good place to race. The final two
events in Rally Events are wet-based events: Super Special
Route 5 Wet (run counterclockwise) and Super Special Route 5
Wet II (run clockwise). While a Rally License is still
required to participate in these events, Dirt Tires are not
used, so ANY car in the game can compete here - even the F1
cars. Winning all three races in each of these two events
results in two bonus rally cars - which automatically come
with Dirt Tires, so they can be upgraded to compete in any of
the other events in Rally Events (rally cars also come with
Medium Tires as standard equipment, so they can also compete
in the many pavement-based events in the game).
====================================
GOING RACING: MAJOR MONEY, FAST CARS
One of the keys to success in Gran Turismo 3 is earning
money. Money can be used to buy cars, certainly, but most of
the cars a driver is likely to use in the many races can be
won from various events; therefore, money may be best spent
on upgrading the cars in the garage.
As alluded to previously, Rally Events is a great place to
gain money. Sweeping through Rally Events results in
350,000Cr total and eleven rally cars, including the
insanely-fast Suzuki Escudo. Here are the rally cars which
can be won (listed alphabetically by manufacturer), along
with their resale values should more money be needed later in
the game:
Citroen Xsara Rally Car 87,500Cr
Ford Escort Rally Car 87,500Cr
Ford Focus Rally Car 87,000Cr
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI Rally Car 75,000Cr
Peugeot 206 Rally Car 87,500Cr
Subaru Imprezza Rally Car 75,000Cr
Subaru Imprezza Rally Car Prototype 87,500Cr
Suzuki Escudo Pikes Peak Version 250,000Cr
Toyota Celica Rally car 75,000Cr
Toyota Corolla Rally Car 75,000Cf
Another tip for fast money as well as fast cars is to tune a
car in the garage to complete laps at Super Speedway with a
maximum time of forty seconds. Then, add Super-slick Tires
(approximately 10,000Cr) and go to the Super Speedway 150
Miles Endurance Race. This 100-lap event requires an IA
License, and results in 200,000Cr for winning, plus one of
four good bonus race cars: F090/S, Chevrolet Corvette C5R,
Renault Clio Sports Race Car, or Tickford Falcon XR8 Race Car
(remember that the bonus car is assigned at random). Of
these four, the F090/S is the best, as are ALL the F1 cars in
the game. The reason this race is suggested is because it is
one of the shortest Endurance Races in the game, requiring
approximately fifty minutes to complete with a REALLY fast
car (any F1 car, Toyota GT-One Race Car, Mazda 787B, etc.) or
up to eighty minutes with a slower car. Using Super-slick
Tires allows a car to stay on the racetrack much longer
between Pit Stops to change tires, but at the sacrifice of
pavement grip. The Seattle 100 Miles Endurance Race is also
a fairly short race; its forty laps can be completed in
approximately fifty minutes to complete with a REALLY fast
car (any F1 car, Toyota GT-One Race Car, etc.) or up to
eighty minutes with a slower car, but the Seattle venue is
FAR more complex than Super Speedway (and beware the right-
angle turn at the top of the steep three-tiered uphill
climb).
====================================
TUNING BASICS
Logic dictates that higher levels of parts or services
provide better performance; this certainly holds true in Gran
Turismo 3. However, extreme care is required in tuning a car
to ensure it performs admirably at each venue. Therefore, it
is important to remember that THERE IS NO 'GLOBAL' TUNING
SETTING FOR ALL CARS AT ALL VENUES. (The closest 'global'
setting that exists is not a setting at all; except for Like
the Wind and Formula GT - the final events in Professional
League - the F1 cars are unbelievably quick and agile due in
large part to their low center of gravity, and can easily
outclass the competition at virtually any event for which F1
cars are legal entries, thus they are virtually a 'guarantee'
for winning.)
Set-ups for each car can be saved for use later in the game.
Especially for those cars which may be entered into non-tuned
events (such as the Trial Mountain 2 Hours Endurance Race),
saving the default set-up of the car immediately following
purchase or receipt can be very helpful later in the game,
thus eliminating the need to manually reset all parts and
their settings to default status before entering a non-tuned
event.
At the final screen before entering an actual race, there are
a number of yellow boxes at the bottom of the screen
signifying menu selections; only Qualify and Settings are
important for tuning. Selecting Settings produces another
menu; selecting Change Parts allows the player to add or
remove parts to the chosen vehicle, while Settings allows for
customization of the various parts (the more important
settings will be discussed in a moment). Once any adjustment
to parts and/or settings have been completed, they can be
tested for that same venue by returning to the pre-race menu
and selecting Qualifying; after an out-lap, the stopwatch
begins to function, allowing the driver to test the most
recent modifications and compare lap times. If the changes
are not acceptable, they can be reworked in Settings; or, if
the changes produce agreeable results, they can be saved in
Save Settings. Should a previously-saved file of settings be
needed, they can be performed instantly by using Load
Settings.
Some important settings in tuning:
Brake Controller: This controls the power of the brakes
for both the front and the rear of the vehicle. Using
a high value (20+) for both front and rear brakes
allows the car to drive deeper into a corner or braking
zone before the brakes are actually needed to slow
properly for the corner. Conversely, a low value to
the front and rear brakes results in a much longer
braking zone, which allows competitors to easily pass
for position on corner entry.
Downforce: Not all cars can handle downforce; those that
do generally have wings (such as the F1 cars) or have
spoilers. Raising downforce slows the car by using
airflow to help push the vehicle onto the ground, a
very important consideration for lighter cars such as
the Toyota GT-One Race Car; cornering can be safely
done at higher speeds, but top-end straight-line speed
is sacrificed. Conversely, lowering downforce allows
for faster top-end straight-line speed, but at the
sacrifice of cornering ability. If managed properly,
oversteer and understeer can be induced and corrected
using downforce. For Test Course, only absolute
minimum downforce should be used, especially in the
Like the Wind event.
Gearbox: Only by purchasing a Full Racing Transmission
(included as standard equipment on race cars) can
gear customization be performed. The easiest way to
customize the gear selection is to use the auto-setting
slider at the bottom of the gearbox screen. Moving the
slider toward Wide results in faster top-end speed, but
at the sacrifice of acceleration; moving the slider
toward Sport results in great acceleration, but a lower
top-end speed. However, DO NOT position the slider at
full-Wide, as the engine may not be able to rev enough
to climb into the higher gear(s) and stay there; this
condition, however, can be remedied to some extent by
lowering downforce as much as possible. A general rule
for gear customization is for the rev limiter to take
effect (the car's speed suddenly drops from maximum by
5-10MPH/KPH) just at the very end of the longest
straightaway of a given circuit.
Ride Height: While downforce controls airflow over a car,
ride height handles airflow underneath a car by varying
the distance between the racing surface and the car's
undertray. Raising ride height allows for more air to
pass beneath the car, thus slowing the car due to
aerodynamic friction, and assisting with cornering.
Lowering ride height reduces the amount of air passing
underneath the car, thereby reducing aerodynamic
friction and assisting in attaining faster speeds.
Stabilizers: As the name suggests, stabilizers are meant
to keep the vehicle from spinning or flipping. By
raising the value of the stabilizers, spins and flips
are more difficult to perform, but cornering becomes
more difficult; reducing the value of the stabilizers
makes cornering much easier, but also increases the
likelihood of spinning or flipping the vehicle. (Note
that it is theoretically impossible to flip a car in
Gran Turismo 3.) Stabilizers are available for most
cars at both the front and the rear; playing with the
stabilizers can induce or correct oversteer and
understeer.
Tires are officially a part. Race cars come with Medium
Tires as standard equipment; rally cars come with both Dirt
Tires and Medium Tires as standard equipment; all other cars
use Normal Tires as standard equipment. In the beginning of
the game, upgrading from Normal Tires to Sports Tires
provides better grip, but Sports Tires are still far inferior
to the racing compounds. The racing compounds vary in
durability and the amount of grip they provide, with Super-
slick Tires providing maximum durability and minimum grip,
and Super-soft Tires providing maximum grip and minimum
durability; Medium Tires are the middle-ground option
concerning durability and grip. In races of five or more
laps, tire selection is key to Pit Stop Strategy, as the
tires are the only serviceable parts in a race.
====================================
TIRES
As a 2001 Michelin commercial (shown in the States) states,
the tires are the only safety features on the road which
actually TOUCH the road. Implicit in this commercial is the
message that special care must be given to tires. In the
case of Michelin, this means that choosing Michelin tires is
far safer than choosing any other brand of tires (note that
this series of commercials has been running since LONG before
the Firestone/Ford controversy erupted in 2000).
In the case of Gran Turismo 3, this same implicit message -
that the tires are the only safety features on the road which
actually TOUCH the road - means that special care must be
given to the tires to keep them from wearing out too quickly.
This is especially important given that the only reason to
enter Pit Lane in GT3 is to change tires - fuel, damage
repair, etc., are not at issue in GT3.
Of course, there are instances where tire wear is never an
issue. None of the Arcade Mode races use tire wear, unless
you specifically induce Professional League races (codes
available elsewhere). Similarly, the Beginner races and some
Amateur races are simply too short for tire wear to become an
issue. Tire wear is also not involved in any of the Rally
races, as - again - those races are too short for tire wear
to become a factor. Many Amateur and ALL Professional and
Endurance races, however, do include tire wear as one of the
'features' of each race.
====================================
TIRES: SELECTION
Tire selection is very important. This is the first variable
in race performance (if based on tires alone).
For non-racing cars intended for mundane street use, Normal
tires are standard issue. While Normal tires may work well
on the highway and on city streets, they are virtually
worthless in an actual racing situation. Normal tires do not
provide adequate grip to be effective in racing. This is
most noticeable when trying to corner at relatively high
speeds with a vehicle with Normal tires.
Simulation tires supposedly give a more accurate feel of what
it is like to drive a racing-tuned car.
Sports tires are a little better than Normal tires. When
first playing Gran Turismo 3, one of the best things you can
do to improve your chance of success is to upgrade to Sports
tires as soon as possible. This will improve your cornering
ability, and provide a little more grip for acceleration
(especially from a standing start).
Dirt tires are required for dirt-based Rally events. All
rally-intended cars come with Dirt tires. Many non-racing
cars can also be equipped with Dirt tires. For example, I
used a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VII GSR(J) equipped with
Dirt tires - with a lot of money spent on parts and time
spent in tuning - to compete in and win ALL the dirt-based
Rally events. (The same car also won in ALL the wet-based
Rally events.)
Racing tires come in an array of 'flavors,' with each tire
compound giving a varying level of grip countered by an
inverse level of durability.
Super-slick Least grip, maximum durability
Slick
Medium-slick
Medium* Average grip, average durability
Medium-soft
Soft
Super-soft Maximum grip, least durability
* For F1 cars, Medium Tires are the ONLY tire option
available (likely due to the lack of an FIA license for GT3).
All race-dedicated cars (including F1 cars) come equipped
with Medium Tires.
A very important issue in tire selection actually involves
horsepower. The chosen tires need to have some measure of
durability, or else you will be stopping in Pit Lane to
change tires after virtually every lap of the race. For
example, a maxed-out Suzuki Escudo Pikes Peak Version
(1841HP) will be putting down so much power on the road that
Super-soft tires will almost instantly become worthless. In
other words, don't allow the car's horsepower to overdrive
the tires' ability to function properly.
In the event that the chosen tires wear out too much (orange
or red tire indicators), cornering at any respectable speed
will be virtually impossible, instead causing a nearly-
uncontrollable slide into a barrier or into another vehicle.
Strong acceleration will likely cause the vehicle to spin. A
good driver will not let this happen very often; an expert
driver will NEVER let this happen.
Choose your pitting strategy so that your tires never become
too worn. A set of tires needs to last AT LEAST 5 laps in
order to give you a chance of winning a race. Of course, the
greater the durability of a set of tires, the longer you can
stay out of Pit Lane, thereby reducing your number of Pit
Stops in a race; however, greater durability means less grip,
which in turn means that you are quite likely to slide more
often unless you take VERY good care of the tires.
====================================
TIRES: CARE
At the beginning of a race and immediately after a Pit Stop,
the tires are brand new ('stickers') and need to be brought
up to temperature as quickly as possible so that they can
provide the best possible grip. This is noted by dark blue
tire indicators. During this period, sharp turns or
extremely-fast cornering will almost certainly cause the car
to slide, and perhaps even spin. However, slides and spins
will bring the tires up to optimum temperature even faster,
so you may wish to purposely induce slides when entering
corners, IF the tire indicators are dark blue.
Once the tire indicators are green, the tires have reached
their optimum performance temperature, thus providing you
with the best possible grip for that set of tires. The
amount of time the tire indicators remain in the green color
range depends on your driving style, the amount of time off-
course (in the grass or sand) or banging the barriers (or
other cars), and the initial selection of tire compound.
As the tire indicators switch to yellow, you need to start
taking better care of your tires. You may experience slides
when cornering.
Orange tire indicators are a warning to get to Pit Lane to
change tires as soon as you possibly can. You will be
sliding around a lot more.
Red tire indicators are effectively Game Over. Unless you
have a HUGE (multi-lap) lead or a significant horsepower
advantage over your competitors, you will not have a chance
of winning the race, especially if you stop to change tires.
Essentially, you are driving on pure ice, and the only way to
'reliably' get around the circuit is to ride the rails -
which is inherently more difficult with the open-wheel F1
vehicles.
Note that not all four tire indicators will not be the same
color at all times. If even ONE tire shows a red indicator,
you need to limp back to Pit Lane to change tires as soon as
possible.
Traction Control affects tire durability. With a low
Traction Control setting, the tires will spin for a while
(especially on a standing start or when under strong
acceleration) before they actually grip the pavement; the
friction of the pre-grip spinning wears away at the tires.
With a high Traction Control setting, wheel spin is reduced
or even eliminated, thus extending the durability of the
tires.
One of the best ways to reduce the durability of the tires is
to corner at high speeds. The GT3 manual gives an excellent,
detailed description of what occurs with the tires when
cornering. In short, cornering at high speeds causes a high
percentage of the tire to be used for speed, and a low
percentage to be used for the actual cornering. To combat
this and thus extend the durability of the tires, try to
brake in a STRAIGHT line before reaching a turn, thus
reducing overall speed and providing a lower percentage of
the tires to be used for speed, and a greater percentage used
for cornering.
Note that if the percentage of the tires used for speed is
too high compared to the percentage used for cornering, the
car will slide and/or spin.
Perhaps one of the best things to do to learn to take care of
the tires is to play a racing game (such as the recently-
released F1 2001) in which vehicle damage of available.
Playing with the damage option on will certainly make the
effects of worn tires quite visual. As tire grip wears away
(due to a long run, multiple off-track excursions, etc.),
your car may begin sliding around, potentially resulting in
car damage (broken and missing parts), which REALLY makes
driving a nightmare at high speeds. The Gran Turismo series
does not make this visibly clear, so it is easy to
underestimate the condition of the tires; similarly, without
any car damage (due to licensing concerns), cars in the Gran
Turismo series can simply "ride the rails" around corners
when tire conditions are less than optimal.
However, all of this CAN be thrown out the window, and you
CAN win even an Endurance Race with red tire indicators and
never stopping to change tires. I myself did this is the
Trial Mountain 2 Hours Endurance Race using a Zonda C12S and
Normal (street) tires. The only reason I won, however, was
that I had superior horsepower to the other cars in the race.
While it CAN be done, I very strongly suggest AGAINST
attempting such a feat!!!!!
====================================
TIRES: TWO EXCEPTIONS
There are two circuits where tire wear need not be an issue:
Test Course and Super Speedway. For both circuits, the car
should be tuned for maximum speed, which usually means a high
gear ratio, and low downforce and ride height. If you can
select the tires you want (which means you are not driving an
F1 car), you may as well go with Super-slick tires, as they
will last the longest.
For Test Course, the two banked turns are so extremely gentle
that if you slide at all, the banking will usually prevent
you from sliding up into the outer barrier. Even if you do
hit the outer barrier, simply ride the rails until you can
regain control of the car.
For Super Speedway, simply ride the rails if necessary. In
the Endurance race at Super Speedway (100 laps), you may wish
to stop once or twice to change tires, but with a really fast
and powerful car (such as a maxed-out Suzuki Escudo Pikes
Peak Version), you will EASILY win - in my case (two
Endurance races, one with the Suzuki Escudo, one with an F1
car), I won by more than 30 laps over the second-place car.
For both circuits, change parts to gain maximum horsepower
output and speed off. In my own experience, virtually any
car above 650HP will either be in contention to win the race,
or will simply leave everyone else in the choking on exhaust
based on horsepower alone.
====================================
TIRES: INPUT FROM OTHERS
I received a pair of e-mails from PJ (e-mail address
withheld) concerning tires and braking. His information is
rather technical, but is definitely useful to know:
From: "pj"
To:
Subject: gt3 braking & ford racing
Date: Fri, 3 Aug 2001 06:31:23 -0400
enjoy all of your writings which i've read thus far.
most recently read your gt3 tires faq. good stuff.
having had some road racing experience (decades ago when
it was less expensive to race), i would like to share some
info on braking with you.
haven't read the skip barber portion of the gt3 manual yet
so don't know if what i'm about to say is included in it.
perhaps i read your tire faq too fast & didn't notice it
there. if so, please excuse me.
if gt3 is a real sim, then braking should be performed
just as an actual road racer would.
typically, for most turns, approximately 85% of your
braking is performed in a straight line. obviously, this
% varies depending upon the unique characteristics of each
turn. the remaining approx. 15% is performed while
entering the turn, before apexing the turn. this is known
as "trail braking". its purpose is to continue to
transfer weight to the front tires, thus increasing the
tire's contact patch which results in greater cornering
ability. get on the gas too soon and weight transfers to
the rear wheels resulting in the car "pushing" (under-
steering) off-line and perhaps off the course as well or
into a barrier.
i've found that proper "trail braking" allows for carrying
higher speed through the corners, just as it would in real
life. this is a very difficult skill to master.
braking technique & tire management are perhaps, in my
humble opinion, two of the most important aspects of gt3
racing (as they are in real life). Car setup while
extremely important in real road racing, does not seem to
be as important in gt3. it certainly helps, and can help
a great deal, but it is not necessary to winning a race
even with an under powered car. besides, if one doesn't
know what they're doing, they can sure mess up the
handling of a car. the "stock" or standard suspension
settings seem to work just fine with few exceptions.
proper braking allows for carrying higher exit speeds
out of corners and for the most prevalent passing maneuver
in real racing (and in gt3 also), viz. "overtaking under
braking".
while this rarely happens unless i don't select a good pit
strategy, if it's late in a race & pitting might cause me
to lose or i don't want to run 2 laps on super-slick cold
(blue) tires, then i just finish the last lap or two on
orange or red tires. just as in real life, this increases
the braking distance, so the driver (player) must adjust
the braking points accordingly. with care and somewhat
slower lap times (usually 3-4 seconds per lap for most
courses), one can run several laps on red tires. Handling
is very mushy and it's easy to exceed the worn tire's
limits, and the car is twitchy at high speed, but it can
be done.
====================================
From: "pj"
To: "Wolf Feather"
Subject: Re: gt3 braking & ford racing
Date: Mon, 6 Aug 2001 03:26:18 -0400
forgot to mention that with a close ratio gear-box,
downshifting and pulling high revs can produce "engine
braking" which can be used for "trail braking". this is
especially easy to do in GT3 with a manual transmission
especially since there is no risk of over-revving the
engine and "blowing" or "grenading" it, and since
repeatedly bouncing the engine off of the rev-limiter does
NOT produce the real-world vibrations that can, over time,
damage an engine or crack headers.
GENERAL SET-UPS
The purpose of this section is to provide players with a
general idea of the tuning requirements for virtually any car
used at a given circuit in Gran Turismo 3. Some of the
tuning suggestions presented here require specific parts,
which may or may not be standard equipment and which may or
may not be available for a given car in the Tune Shop. Also,
tires are specifically not discussed here, as tire choice
(other than Dirt Tires) is dictated more by the length of a
race and each player's driving style than by the
configuration of a circuit.
In the Gran Turismo series, a 'II' designation indicates that
a race will be held in the reverse configuration for that
circuit. The 'II' designation is not used for all circuits.
However, car set-ups for a reverse-configuration race will
generally be the same as for a regular-configuration race at
the same venue.
On a very important note, these suggestions can largely be
discarded when using F1 cars, due to their inherent
advantages in acceleration, top-end speed, and cornering
ability. Also, variances must be allowed for a car's weight,
drivetrain, horsepower, etc.
GENERAL SET-UPS: APRICOT HILL RACEWAY (II)
Apricot Hill Raceway is generally a rather fast circuit; even
many of the corners can be taken at a medium or high rate of
speed; however, the hairpin behind the Paddocks and the final
chicane are both very slow corners (about 50MPH), which makes
a high-speed set-up a bit precarious in these areas. There
should not be much need to ride the rumble strips here,
although it can be quite useful in the final chicane.
Ride Height: Medium-low, to keep from
bottoming out in the slow
sections (which are located
at the lowest part of
valleys
Stabilizers: Low, to make up for the lack
of downforce
Brake Balance : Medium to high
Gear Ratio (Auto Setting): Medium-Wide
Downforce: Relatively low
====================================
GENERAL SET-UPS: COTE D'AZUR/MONACO
This is by far the most technical circuit in Gran Turismo 3.
Not only is this circuit narrow, there are virtually NO
straightaways here, so top-end speed is not an issue. The
benefit to using longer gear ratios (closer to 'Wide') is
that there will be less chance of wheelspin, which will
unnecessarily accelerate tire wear; on the other hand, using
shorter gear ratios (closer to 'Sport') will provide the
acceleration needed to power out of corners and pass a
competitor before the next corner. Expect to ride the rumble
strips at several locations here, notably the chicane just
beyond the exit of The Tunnel.
Spring Rate: Soft
Ride Height: High
Shock Absorbers: Soft
Stabilizers: As soft as a player's driving
style and comfort level
will allow
Brake Balance : VERY high (20+)
Gear Ratio (Auto Setting): Medium-Sport
Downforce: High, to assist in cornering
====================================
GENERAL SET-UPS: DEEP FOREST RACEWAY (II)
Perhaps the most scenic race venue in Gran Turismo 3, Deep
Forest Raceway has only one long straightaway (Pit Straight),
although lack of traffic and good reflexes can make the
section from the low area up through the tunnels a good place
to attain top speeds as the circuit continually fades from
side to side. The place where the most clock time can
potentially be lost is the first third of the circuit, with
its hairpin corner at the end of Pit Straight and its tight,
twisty corners running through the forest and into tunnels.
Players can expect to use the rumble strips and to drop
wheels off the pavement fairly regularly.
Spring Rate: Soft
Ride Height: Medium
Shock Absorbers: Soft
Stabilizers: As soft as a player's driving
style and comfort level
will allow
Brake Balance : Medium-high
Gear Ratio (Auto Setting): Medium-Wide
Downforce: Medium
====================================
GENERAL SET-UPS: GRAND VALLEY SPEEDWAY (II)
The longest circuit in Gran Turismo 3, Grand Valley Speedway
is also fairly scenic. Due to its length and the tricky
final sector (when run in the forward configuration), tire
management is key here, or else too much time will be lost in
trying to keep the car on the pavement.
Spring Rate: Medium
Ride Height: Medium-low
Shock Absorbers: Medium
Stabilizers: Medium
Brake Balance : Medium-high
Gear Ratio (Auto Setting): Medium-wide
Downforce: Medium
====================================
GENERAL SET-UPS: LAGUNA SECA RACEWAY
This is the home of the world-famous Corkscrew (Turns 8A and
9), the tight left-right chicane on a steep downhill slope
beginning just beyond the crest of the circuit. Safely
navigating the Corkscrew as well as the final corner (a tight
perpendicular left-hand turn) can result in low lap times.
using the rumble strips is almost certainly a must for most
corners, but the rumble strips are fortunately not very tall,
which means the car is not very likely to jump when rolling
onto them.
Spring Rate: Medium
Ride Height: Medium
Shock Absorbers: Medium
Stabilizers: Medium-low
Brake Balance : Medium-high
Gear Ratio (Auto Setting): Medium-Wide
Downforce: Medium-low
====================================
GENERAL SET-UPS: MIDFIELD RACEWAY (II)
This circuit is in a figure-eight formation and contains many
types of corners, which makes this a somewhat-technical venue
despite the high speeds attainable on several of the
straightaways. Rumble strips are very important here.
GENERAL SET-UPS: ROME CIRCUIT (II)
This street circuit provides many high-speed runs (some with
straightaways, some with fades) and four notable slow
corners. This circuit is also almost entirely flat.
Spring Rate: Medium-high
Ride Height: Lowest possible setting
Shock Absorbers: Medium-high
Stabilizers: Medium-low
Brake Balance : Medium-high
Gear Ratio (Auto Setting): Medium-Wide
Downforce: Medium-low
====================================
GENERAL SET-UPS: SEATTLE CIRCUIT (II)
This is perhaps the most scenic street circuit in Gran
Turismo 3; unfortunately, the famous Space Needle is only
seen far in the distance between the old buildings. This is
a fairly technical circuit, especially the upper portion of
the circuit (where most of a lap is spent) and the final
chicane at Pit Entry. The multi-tiered uphill climb (in the
forward configuration) is extremely treacherous, as the very
top of the incline contains a right-hand right-angle corner
with little swing-out room. Also, beware of the railroad
tracks, especially when entering the chicane between the old
and new stadiums.
Spring Rate: Medium-low
Ride Height: Medium-high
Shock Absorbers: Soft
Stabilizers: As low as a player's comfort
level and driving style
will allow
Brake Balance : High
Gear Ratio (Auto Setting): Medium-Wide
Downforce: Medium
====================================
GENERAL SET-UPS: SMOKEY MOUNTAIN (II)
This is one of the four dirt-based Rally Events circuits in
Gran Turismo 3. Those who have played Gran Turismo 2 will
notice that this circuit has been given pavement along the
entire front stretch. This circuit can easily send cars
airborne, especially at either end of the paved sections in
either the forward or reverse configuration.
Spring Rate: Soft
Ride Height: High
Shock Absorbers: Soft
Stabilizers: Medium-high
Brake Balance : Medium
Gear Ratio (Auto Setting): Medium
Downforce: Medium-high
====================================
GENERAL SET-UPS: SPECIAL STAGE ROUTE 11 (II)
This nighttime street circuit has returned from the original
Gran Turismo, with a few noticeable changes. This is also a
highly-technical circuit, although passing is far easier than
at Cote d'Azur/Monaco. Cornering ability is key here, even
if it means hitting the rev limiter on the straightaways
(especially on Pit Straight).
Spring Rate: Medium-high
Ride Height: Medium
Shock Absorbers: Medium-high
Stabilizers: As low as a player's comfort
level and driving style
will allow
Brake Balance : VERY high (20+)
Gear Ratio (Auto Setting): Medium-low
Downforce: Medium-high
====================================
GENERAL SET-UPS: SPECIAL STAGE ROUTE 5 (II)
This is another nighttime street circuit. SSR5 is not quite
as fast as SSR11 (above), but good speeds can still be
attained, primarily on Pit Straight.
Spring Rate: Medium-high
Ride Height: Medium
Shock Absorbers: Medium-high
Stabilizers: As low as a player's comfort
level and driving style
will allow
Brake Balance : High
Gear Ratio (Auto Setting): Medium
Downforce: Medium-high
====================================
GENERAL SET-UPS: SPECIAL STAGE ROUTE 5 WET (II)
This is the same as SSR5 (above), but the circuit is full of
water. This creates some nice visual effects and shows the
graphics prowess of the PlayStation2, but it means that
hydroplaning is a very real possibility. Because of the vast
amount of water on the pavement, any hard or fast changes in
speed or direction severely raise the risk of losing car
control - and once car control is lost, regaining control
within the concrete canyons is virtually impossible until the
car cones to a complete standstill. Do not plan on attaining
a lot of speed here.
Spring Rate: Medium
Ride Height: Medium
Shock Absorbers: Medium
Stabilizers: Medium
Brake Balance : High
Gear Ratio (Auto Setting): Medium-Sport
Downforce: Medium-low
====================================
GENERAL SET-UPS: SUPER SPEEDWAY
This is one of the easiest circuits for finding optimal car
set-ups.
Spring Rate: Medium
Ride Height: As low as possible
Shock Absorbers: Medium-high
Stabilizers: Medium-low
Brake Balance : Medium-high
Gear Ratio (Auto Setting): Medium-Wide
Downforce: As low as possible
====================================
GENERAL SET-UPS: SWISS ALPS (II)
This is another dirt-based track in Rally Events. This is a
rather tricky venue, with many blind and semi-blind corners.
Also, the circuit narrows for the wooden bridge on its back
side, but this narrowing is VERY difficult to spot,
especially in the reverse configuration as the entry to the
bridge is shrouded in dark sunset shadows.
Spring Rate: Soft
Ride Height: High
Shock Absorbers: Soft
Stabilizers: Medium-high
Brake Balance : Medium
Gear Ratio (Auto Setting): Medium
Downforce: Medium
====================================
GENERAL SET-UPS: TAHITI CIRCUIT (II)
This is another dirt-based track in Rally Events. This is a
fairly quick circuit in terms of speed, although the
consecutive hairpins can be tricky.
Spring Rate: Soft
Ride Height: Medium-high
Shock Absorbers: Soft
Stabilizers: Medium-high
Brake Balance : Medium
Gear Ratio (Auto Setting): Medium
Downforce: Medium-low
====================================
GENERAL SET-UPS: TAHITI MAZE (II)
This is another dirt-based track in Rally Events, and is the
absolute trickiest Rally Events circuit. This circuit very
much feels like a maze, as there are multiple consecutive
hairpins in multiple sections of the circuit. Due to the
importance of cornering and the very short straightaways, do
not expect to attain high speeds.
Spring Rate: Soft
Ride Height: Medium-high
Shock Absorbers: Soft
Stabilizers: Medium-low
Brake Balance : Medium
Gear Ratio (Auto Setting): Medium-low
Downforce: Medium-high
====================================
GENERAL SET-UPS: TEST COURSE
This is one of the easiest circuits for finding optimal car
set-ups. There is absolutely NO reason to use the brakes
here at all.
Spring Rate: As hard as possible
Ride Height: As low as possible
Shock Absorbers: As hard as possible
Stabilizers: As high as possible
Brake Balance : Does not matter - the brakes
are not needed at all
Gear Ratio (Auto Setting): VERY close to Wide, but NOT
fully-Wide (or else the
engine will likely not be
able to rev high enough to
climb into and remain in
the car's highest gears)
Downforce: As low as possible
====================================
GENERAL SET-UPS: TOKYO R246 (II)
Set in Tokyo surrounding the grounds of the Imperial Palace,
Tokyo R246 is a fun, fast, mostly-flat, semi-technical
circuit which is very reminiscent of Ridge Racer V on Pit
Straight (those familiar with RRV may well wonder why Fukami
Ai is not standing in the middle of Pit Straight). The back
section of the circuit features fast consecutive blind and
semi-blind corners, so intimate knowledge of the circuit is
required to perform well here.
Spring Rate: Medium-high
Ride Height: Low
Shock Absorbers: Medium-high
Stabilizers: Medium-low
Brake Balance : High
Gear Ratio (Auto Setting): Medium-Wide
Downforce: Medium-low
====================================
GENERAL SET-UPS: TRIAL MOUNTAIN (II)
The Trial Mountain venue is largely contained within tall
rock cliffs, which means that there is very little run-off
room in case a player makes a mistake and leaves the
pavement. This is a moderately-technical circuit, with
impressive speeds attainable on Pit Straight and the back
stretch (in and emerging from the tunnel).
Spring Rate: Medium-high
Ride Height: Medium
Shock Absorbers: Medium-high
Stabilizers: Medium-low
Brake Balance : Medium-high
Gear Ratio (Auto Setting): Medium-Wide
Downforce: Medium-low
RALLY RACING
Rally racing in the Gran Turismo series is ALMOST exclusively
dirt-based, unlike games exclusively devoted to Rally racing.
Those who have played the Rally Events in Gran Turismo 2 will
certainly recognize almost all the Rally circuits in GT3, and
will certainly appreciate the exquisite detail paid to the
visuals. However, as in the rest of GT3, the new physics
engine makes it virtually impossible to drive the same car
(perhaps a Peugeot 206 Rally Car) the exact same way in both
GT2 and GT3. Also, some of the returning circuits have much
more pavement than before, although the majority of these
circuits are still dirt-covered.
The major change in Rally racing from GT2 to GT3 is in the
actual racing format itself. In Gran Turismo 2, you compete
against a ghost version of a particular vehicle for only one
lap around a circuit, therefore dust is not an issue.
However, GT3's Rally format uses multiple laps per race,
against an actual (non-ghost) opponent. Further, GT3's
maniacal attention to detail includes large clouds of dust
(for dirt-based races) to greatly obscure your vision if you
are not in the lead. Fortunately, the spray issue in the
wet-conditions races is only slightly annoying, and does not
truly obscure your vision.
An important notation used in Gran Turismo 3 is the II
designation. The name of a circuit followed by II means that
the race is actually run in reverse of its standard
direction. For example, Tahiti Challenge of Rally is run
clockwise, while Tahiti Challenge of Rally II is run
counterclockwise.
Unfortunately, GT3 does not include the two Pike's Peak
courses from GT2's Rally mode. However, the Suzuki Escudo
(THE car of cars!!!!!) is still a part of the game - it can
be purchased for 1,000,000 credits, or received as a bonus
car by winning EVERYTHING in Rally Events (so save your money
and work on winning it - details provided later in this
section). Actually using the Escudo at any venue but Test
Course, however, is extremely difficult, as the Escudo's
handling in Gran Turismo 3 is virtually nonexistent.
====================================
RALLY RACING: FAST ADVANCEMENT
One of the best tips concerning the Rally Events is actually
part of a larger plan for GT3 as a whole. Winning the Gold
Trophy in ALL tests for a given level in the License Tests
will give you a high-powered car which can then easily win
virtually any race, thus amassing cars and money rather
quickly. However, some people (myself included) are quite
content enough with achieving a Bronze Trophy for each of the
License Tests.
This is where Rally comes in. Take the time to acquire a
(standard) car and keep adding parts, entering the same
vehicle in as many races as you can win. During this
process, as you win cars, sell them, and use the money for
more parts for your dedicated car - unless you win a car
which can give you a much greater horsepower output when
maxed out. In my case, I routinely use a Mitsubishi Lancer
Evolution VII GSR(J), maxed out to 565HP (details below).
Once you have all the horsepower your chosen vehicle can
accommodate, buy dirt tires and head for Rally Events!!! You
will likely need to spend time seriously thinking about
tuning your car (done in the Settings menu), but once you
find the right settings for your vehicle, you can compete on
virtually all the circuits in Rally mode and have a very good
chance at winning each race.
In terms of fast advancement, sweeping Rally Events results
in 350,000Cr total and eleven rally cars, including the
insanely-fast Suzuki Escudo. Here are the rally cars which
can be won (alphabetical by manufacturer), along with their
resale value:
Citroen Xsara Rally Car 87,500 Cr
Ford Escort Rally Car 87,500 Cr
Ford Focus Rally Car 87,000 Cr
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI Rally Car 75,000 Cr
Peugeot 206 Rally Car 87,500 Cr
Subaru Imprezza Rally Car 75,000 Cr
Subaru Imprezza Rally Car Prototype 87,500 Cr
Suzuki Escudo Pikes Peak Version 250,000 Cr
Toyota Celica Rally car 75,000 Cr
Toyota Corolla Rally Car 75,000 Cf
====================================
RALLY RACING: DIRT DRIVING
After completing a number of races on pavement, driving on
dirt can be a radical change for newcomers to Rally racing.
As in standard pavement racing, speed, braking, and racing
line are all important, but - in my opinion - they all take a
back seat to steering in Rally racing. Dirt is much more
difficult for the tires to accurately grip to povide the
traction necessary to brake, accelerate, and turn cleanly.
Essentially, everything comes down to anticipation, even
moreso than dry-conditions pavement driving because of the
element of severely-reduced traction. Learning to control a
sliding vehicle is key - the direction of the slide, the
speed of the slide, the positioning of the wheels, and other
factors all influence how you can get around a corner or how
you can either hold or get back on the optimal racing line.
Without question, Rally racing can be frustrating at first,
especially the mostly-dirt and all-dirt circuits. Of course,
the Rally License Tests will give you a chance to learn how
to control your vehicle on various Rally circuits in
differing situations. Even after the Rally License has been
acquired, it may be beneficial to complete each Rally License
Test several more times - both to reinforce the driving
techniques, and to become more familiar with these courses.
Dirt Driving Payout:
Race Credits
1 5.000
2 10.000
3 20,000
Winning all three races at a given circuit in the given
direction results in winning a Rally car.
The number of laps per race (varies by circuit):
Circuit Race Laps
Tahiti Challenge of Rally (II) 1 2
2 3
3 5
Tahiti Maze (II) 1 2
2 3
3 5
Smoky Mountain Rally (II) 1 3
2 5
3 7
Swiss Alps (II) 1 3
2 5
3 7
I was able to win ALL the dirt-based Rally competitions using
a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VII GSR(J) with these
parameters and parts:
Ride Height 117mm front, 117mm rear
Shock Absorbers Level 9 front, Level 9 rear
Camber Angle 1.0 front, 0.5 rear
Stabilizers Level 3 front, Level 3 rear
Gear Ratio Auto Setting: Level 22
Downforce 0.19 front, 0.41 rear
Active Stability Level 14
Management
TCS Controller Level 7
Parts Acquired Suspension/Semi-racing, Sports
Brakes, Muffler and Air Cleaner/
Racing, Port Polish, Full-engine
Balancing, Racing Chip, Clutch/
Triple Plate, Flywheel/Racing,
Driveshaft/Carbon, Transmission/
Full-racing, Limited-slip/1.5-way,
Turbo Kit Stage 3, Intercooler/
Racing, Sports Tires, Dirt Racing
Tires, Lightweight Stages 1-3
Unfortunately, once you win a dirt-based Rally event, if you
return to the same circuit, you will not have Active
Stability Management or TCS Controller available to you; this
occurs with both Rally-specific cars (such as the Subaru
Imprezza Rally Prototype) and more 'mundane' cars. I prefer
to believe this was deliberate, to keep players from gaining
'easy money' from races already won, but this could well be a
legitimate bug in the game.
====================================
RALLY RACING: WET-CONDITIONS DRIVING
One (extremely dirty) word: hydroplaning.
The biggest problem in these wet races is sliding. While you
obviously need to put down A LOT of power to try to win the
races, that power constantly risks to slide you out of
control. Should a slide ever make you completely spin
around, you may as well just quit the race and start over,
because you will NEVER be able to catch up with your
opponent.
Fortunately, if you are following closely behind your
opponent, spray from the other vehicle is not such an issue
that your vision is truly obscured. Granted, the spray of
water is rather annoying, but you can still generally see
what is ahead.
If you have a powerful enough car, you can use it for the
dirt AND wet-conditions Rally races. However, take care in
coming out of the slow chicanes, as using too much power can
cause a spin.
A very special thanks goes to PJ Man for pointing out an
oversight to me: Dirt tires are NOT required for wet-
conditions Rally races. Therefore, ANY car in GT3 can be
used for the wet-conditions races.
Wet-conditions Driving Payout:
Race Credits
1 5,000
2 10,000
3 20,000
Winning all three races at a given circuit in the given
direction results in winning a Rally car.
The number of laps per race:
Circuit Race Laps
Super Special Route 5 (Wet) (II) 1 2
2 3
3 5
I was able to win ALL the wet-conditions Rally competitions
using a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VII GSR(J) with these
parameters and parts:
Ride Height 117mm front, 117mm rear
Shock Absorbers Level 9 front, Level 9 rear
Camber Angle 1.0 front, 0.5 rear
Stabilizers Level 3 front, Level 3 rear
Gear Ratio Auto Setting: Level 27
Downforce 0.19 front, 0.41 rear
Active Stability Level 14
Management
TCS Controller Level 7
Parts Acquired Suspension/Semi-racing, Sports
Brakes, Muffler and Air Cleaner/
Racing, Port Polish, Full-engine
Balancing, Racing Chip, Clutch/
Triple Plate, Flywheel/Racing,
Driveshaft/Carbon, Transmission/
Full-racing, Limited-slip/1.5-way,
Turbo Kit Stage 3, Intercooler/
Racing, Sports Tires, Dirt Racing
Tires, Lightweight Stages 1-3
Another personal favorite is to use one of the F1 cars in the
game (offered in Formula GT and each of the Endurance Races)
for the wet-conditions races. However, F1 cars put down A
LOT of power and are inherently much more agile than any
other car in the game, which makes controlling the open-wheel
monsters much more difficult in wet conditions.
The TCS/Stability issue mentioned in the Dirt Driving section
(above) does not apply for wet-conditions racing.
====================================
RALLY RACING: 'GUARANTEED WINS'
There is a way to essentially have 'guaranteed wins' in Rally
Events. This concerns BUYING the Suzuki Escudo Pikes Peak
Version, which costs 1,000,000Cr in Gran Turismo 3 (half its
prize in GT2).
Even at stock configuration, the Suzuki Escudo will have a
far higher horsepower output than any competitors in Rally
Events. The problem is that in GT3, the Escudo is absolutely
atrocious in terms of handling. In my opinion, the Escudo is
really only good for use at Super Speedway (by riding the
walls to force cornering) and especially at Test Course, but
some players may wish to buy and use the Escudo in Rally
Events nonetheless. Using the Suzuki Escudo in Rally Events
will require 'riding the walls' to clear corners, although
intense countersteering will likely be required upon corner
exit, especially in the wet-based events (where throttle
management on corner exit will also be key to success).
====================================
RALLY RACING: CIRCUIT TIPS AND WARNINGS
Tahiti Challenge of Rally: Be careful when transitioning
between pavement and dirt. About halfway around the circuit,
the set of three jumps can easily cause you to find yourself
sideways and smashing against a barrier, so it may be a good
idea to position yourself NEAR a barrier so that if you do
start to go sideways, the barrier will 'tap' you back in the
right direction.
Tahiti Maze: Perhaps the best thing to do here is simply ride
the rails, especially if you are trying to catch up to the
leader. Be careful when transitioning between pavement and
dirt.
Smokey Mountain Rally: In contrast to Gran Turismo 2, the
'front stretch' is now entirely pavement; however, it would
be wise to slow just before cresting the final paved jump.
There are a number of jumps all around the circuit which are
quite likely to send you first airborne, then into a barrier
or mountainside.
Swiss Alps: This long, winding circuit has numerous hairpins
which can either help you to catch up if you are behind, or
can quickly put you behind if you are in the lead. Beware
the transition to and from the bridge.
Tahiti Challenge of Rally II: Be careful when transitioning
between pavement and dirt. About halfway around the circuit,
the set of three jumps can easily cause you to find yourself
sideways and smashing against a barrier, so it may be a good
idea to position yourself NEAR a barrier so that if you do
start to go sideways, the barrier will 'tap' you back in the
right direction.
Tahiti Maze II: Perhaps the best thing to do here is simply
ride the rails, especially if you are trying to catch up to
the leader. Be careful when transitioning between pavement
and dirt.
Smokey Mountain Rally II: In contrast to Gran Turismo 2, the
'front stretch' is now entirely pavement. Especially in this
(clockwise) direction, there are a number of jumps all around
the circuit which are quite likely to send you first
airborne, then into a barrier or mountainside. Take care to
slow down just before cresting the hill in the first turn;
failure to do so will certainly launch you airborne and into
a barrier, allowing your opponent to slip past you and gain a
hefty lead before you can regroup.
Swiss Alps II: This long, winding circuit has numerous
hairpins which can either help you to catch up if you are
behind, or can quickly put you behind if you are in the lead.
The evening sun casts dark shadows over virtually ALL of the
circuit, so intimate knowledge of the course is required to
even have a chance of winning here. Beware the transition to
and from the bridge; on approach, the dark shadows greatly
mask the narrowness of the bridge opening, so a flawless
racing line here is absolutely essential, and it may also be
beneficial to quickly switch to Front Bumper View if
necessary.
Super Special Route 5 (Wet): Of course, the wet conditions
will have you sliding around the circuit at almost all times,
so the real trick is to control your sliding and make the
vehicle slide in a manner conducive to winning. Be careful
coming out of Turn 7 and heading into Turn 8 (the first
timing point), as the vehicle will naturally want to slide
out into the open area to the left on exiting Turn 7, and a
barrier suddenly narrows the entry into Turn 8. To the
extent possible, ride the rails.
Super Special Route 5 (Wet) II: Of course, the wet conditions
will have you sliding around the circuit at almost all times,
so the real trick is to control your sliding and make the
vehicle slide in a manner conducive to winning. To the
extent possible, ride the rails. Do not let yourself get
distracted by the beautiful moon, but please inform me ASAP
if you happen to glimpse the Moon Kingdom!!! As you come out
of the tunnel (the final turn), take care not to slide off
into Pit Lane or ram the Pit Lane barrier on exit.
ENDURANCE RACES
For all but a handful of Endurance Races, ANY car in Gran
Turismo 3 is a legal entry. For these races, I much prefer
to use an F1 car. I am certainly not a physicist, but I
assume that the lack of vertical height makes an F1 car's
center of gravity much lower, thus allowing it to both
respond better to steering and corner at higher speeds
(averaging about 30MPH/50KPH faster, and up to 70MPH/110KPH
faster at some venues). For my personal driving style, I
also find it much easier to both induce and recover from a
slide when taking tight corners with an F1 car. Ultimately,
this means - in my opinion - that the F1 cars are a nearly-
sure bet for winning a race. For the races for which an F1
car IS a legal entry, the superior cornering and powerful
acceleration will usually result in impressive leads over the
rest of the field, allowing a stop to change tires without a
loss of position. Yet the response to steering could lead to
turning just a little too much just a little too soon, thus
rubbing a wheel against a barrier, and potentially bringing
the car to a standstill if this occurs at the right (or,
depending on point of view, wrong) angle.
====================================
ENDURANCE RACES: GRAND VALLEY 300KM
Unfortunately, much of the area's beautiful scenery is
obscured by the elevation of the circuit itself and by the
tunnels. Like most of the Endurance Races, Grand Valley
300km does not have restrictions on cars or tuning. An F1
car is a great pick for this race, although as the tire
indicators turn orange and red, expect an F1 car's inherent
slide-ability to make handling extremely tricky through
hairpins and especially when navigating the nasty chicane
after the final (semi-open) tunnel. Plan on about 2 hours,
15 minutes to complete this sixty-lap race.
An IA license is required for this race.
====================================
ENDURANCE RACES: SEATTLE 100 MILES
The scenery has changed a little since GT2 (primarily the
stadiums at the end of the circuit), but this is still a
wonderful and challenging racing venue. At forty laps, this
race can be completed in approximately one hour. There are
plenty of good passing opportunities here, especially on the
front stretch, the long four-tiered uphill climb, and the
bridge over the railroad tracks approaching the stadium area.
There are no car restrictions here, so an F1 car's inherent
agility provides a good advantage here, especially in
navigating the final segment of the circuit (the bus stop
chicane between the two stadium sites and the tight left-
right chicane at Pit Entry); however, an F1 car is so light
that safely navigating the steep uphill climb can be
difficult, especially when trying to slow and corner at the
top of the climb.
An IA license is required for this race.
====================================
ENDURANCE RACES: LAGUNA SECA 200 MILES
This is the circuit with the world-famous Corkscrew. The
Corkscrew tends to cause problems for all sorts of cars, but
the aerodynamic problems seem to be especially great for F1
cars. This 90-lap race takes place in the evening, so there
is an orange glow cast over the circuit. The glow produces
severe shadows in some areas, which may make it difficult to
quickly spot dark-colored cars; for this reason, an F1 car
will automatically have its single red taillight illuminated.
Plan on a little over two hours to complete this race.
An IA license is required for this race.
====================================
ENDURANCE RACES: PASSAGE TO COLOSSEO 2 HOURS
This event is patterned after TRUE endurance races: The
winner is the car which completes the most laps in the
allotted time. With an F1 car, I have always completed at
least 75 laps in two hours; I could probably complete 100+
laps, but I tend to play around with the other cars and try
to knock the cones ALL the way around the circuit :-)
The trickiest part of the Rome circuit is entering Pit Lane;
the Pit Lane Entry is immediately to the right AFTER
navigating the final tight right-hand corner. Because of the
barrier, Pit Lane is unsighted approaching the final corner.
After the initial laps, always be mindful of slow cars in
this corner; if you cut the corner too sharply, you may
accidentally ram a car entering Pit Lane.
An IA license is required for this race.
====================================
ENDURANCE RACES: TRIAL MOUNTAIN 2 HOURS
Like the Passage to Colosseo race, the winner here is the car
which completes the most laps in the allotted time. Only
Normal (non-racing) cars are permitted for this race.
Trial Mountain is a shadowy circuit due to the tall mountain
cliffs, the long tunnel on the back stretch, and the many
trees. Therefore, it may not be wise to use a dark-colored
car here if you prefer to drive in Chase View; a lighter-
colored car will make cornering easier, as you will not have
as much difficulty in spotting the front end of your own
vehicle. Also due to the many shadows, keep alert if there
are dark-colored CPU-controlled cars in the race.
This is also a somewhat technical circuit, with some corners
between the mountain cliffs requiring a maximum speed of
65MPH/105KPH, and even this may be excessive. One great
place to pass is the wide left-hand corner after exiting the
long tunnel; instead of braking, slide along the guardrail on
the outside of the corner - friction will certainly slow you
down, but not as much as other cars braking normally to your
left.
Two cars I can personally recommend for this race are the
Chevrolet Corvette Z06 with Medium-slick Tires and the Jaguar
XJ220 Road Car with Super-slick Tires. In two races here
with the Z06, I have won by approximately fifty seconds due
only to the fewer required pit stops (using Medium-slick
Tires). The XJ220 Road Car, however, has an impressive stock
horsepower of 516HP; cornering at high speeds is difficult
(especially with Super-slick Tires), but the high horsepower
output results in excellent speeds along the straightaways,
enough to quickly gain the lead and keep extending that lead
by at least five seconds per lap. While the XJ220 Road Car
is far faster than any other in the race, the Z06 has far
better handling when cornering with its stock configuration.
An IA license and a Normal car are required for this race.
====================================
ENDURANCE RACES: SPECIAL STAGE ROUTE 11
One of the original circuits of the Gran Turismo series,
SSR11 was missing from GT2, and has returned with some
modifications in GT3. This is a nighttime race, which is a
very different experience from racing in the daylight. An F1
car is a good choice here to better navigate the tight
corners and chicanes (especially in the first half of the
circuit); because of the generally poor visibility at night,
an F1 car will have its single red taillight on. Plan on a
little over two hours to complete this race.
An IA license is required for this race.
====================================
ENDURANCE RACES: ROADSTER APRICOT HILL
This is one of the Endurance Races with restrictions on
appropriate cars. Further, only factory-stock, NON-TUNED
cars can be used; the only permitted change to the cars can
be the tires.
Concerning the tires, I suggest buying two sets of tires:
Soft or Super-soft Tires for qualifying, and Medium-slick
Tires for the actual race. While not truly necessary,
qualifying with Soft or Super-soft Tires will give you a good
chance to start the race at the front of the pack, as these
tires will provide superior grip with the pavement during the
few laps necessary for qualifying.
The Mazda MX-5 Miata LS will be your strongest competition
here in the initial laps, and will play psychological warfare
with you as it leaps out to a big lead, unless you have the
flawless racing skills to keep pace. However, the Miata LS
stops for tires every three laps, so if you are falling
behind initially, just wait for the Miata LS to go to Pit
Lane once or twice and you should have the lead. The other
cars in the race are much slower, and you will likely lap the
backmarkers at least once.
As for race strategy, many of the corners at Apricot Hill are
rather tight, so use of the rumble strips - especially at the
apex and exit of each corner - is key. However, be careful
not to drop a wheel off the rumble strips and into the sand
lining the inside of most corners (especially in the initial
S-turns), as that will both slow you down and accelerate tire
wear.
Plan on about ninety minutes to complete this race.
An IA license is required for this race. Also, only three
cars are permitted for this race: Mazda MX-5 Miata LS, Mazda
MX-5 Miata 1.8 RS(J), and Mazda MX-5 Miata (J).
====================================
ENDURANCE RACES: TOKYO R246
This 100-lap race in Tokyo combines fast speeds with tricky
technical corners. In a way, this circuit recalls Ridge
Racer V, especially on the front stretch approaching Turn 1.
Care must be taken entering Pit Lane, which narrows
significantly upon entry. Plan on a little over two hours to
complete this race. An F1 car is a safe bet for an easy win
at this venue.
An IA license is required for this race.
====================================
ENDURANCE RACES: MISTRAL (COTE D'AZUR) 78 LAPS
This race takes place at the Monaco circuit used in real-
world F1 races. Unfortunately, this version of the Cote
d'Azur circuit places a blindingly-bright sun directly at the
top of Beau Rivage, the long uphill climb at the beginning of
the circuit >:-( Extreme care must be taken when entering
Pit Lane, which narrows significantly upon entry.
Since this circuit is used (exclusively) by real-world F1
cars, an F1 car is the best possible choice here. However,
tuning any car is key here on this tight, technical circuit.
One area which warrants tuning attention is the gearbox;
since there is really only one 'long' area in which to
accelerate (The Tunnel), change the gearbox toward 'Sport' to
gain faster acceleration out of the many corners (at the
sacrifice of top-end speed, which is definitely NOT a
priority at Cote d'Azur). Second, raise the Front and Rear
Downforce close to maximum; while this also sheds top-end
speed, cornering will be rendered easier. Adjusting Ride
Height to maximum will increase aerodynamic friction
underneath the car, slowing the car slightly to also assist
in cornering. Finally, use high brake settings to hold
maximum speed heading into the tight corners, a good strategy
for passing on braking (where the circuit is wide enough to
allow such a maneuver).
Passing at Cote d'Azur is extremely difficult because the
circuit is so tight (although GT3 presents a generally wider
circuit than the actual streets of Monaco). Therefore, it is
to your advantage to first qualify on Pole if at all
possible; this will keep you ahead of the logjam at the first
corner (Sainte-Devote) and help you to gain a larger lead as
the rest of the competitors try to squeeze through the tight
right-hand corner. If you are not using an F1 car (which can
only use Medium Tires in GT3), make sure to use Soft or
Super-soft Tires to qualify; the extra grip will help in the
tight corners and in acceleration. Plan on about two hours
to complete this race.
An IA license is required for this race.
====================================
ENDURANCE RACES: SUPER SPEEDWAY 150 MILES
This race has no restrictions concerning tuning or acceptable
cars, which means that fast, high-powered cars can be used
here for an extremely easy win in under 60 minutes. As with
many of the other Endurance Races, the F1 cars are a good bet
here. Also, a fully-maxxed Suzuki Escudo (over 1800HP) can
be used here, although it will have so much power that it
will be scraping the walls in the corners. Another good
possibility is the Mazda 787B; again, it will have so much
power that it will be scraping the walls in the corners, but
if Super-slick Tires are used, the tires will last
approximately 45 laps before the tire indicators turn red,
meaning that only two trips to Pit Lane are needed in the
race.
Interestingly, Pit Lane both starts and ends on the back
stretch of Super Speedway. This is much better than the
track's appearance in Gran Turismo 2, in which Pit Lane was
extremely short and difficult to use as both Pit Entry and
Pit Exit were actually on the front stretch.
There has been some discussion on the Internet concerning a
rubber band trick which can be used at Super Speedway. While
I have not tried it and have not really read the details of
the trick, I do know that it requires using a rubber band to
position the left (steering) analog stick and using a clamp
or other item to keep the accelerator button held down. Once
this is done, simply walk away and return in about an hour.
The Suzuki Escudo is supposedly the best car to use for this
rubber band trick.
F1 CARS
There are six F1 cars in Gran Turismo 3. Most can only be
acquired by winning specific Endurance races. Even then,
they are assigned at random, so those trying to win a
specific F1 vehicle will likely face the frustration of
running the same Endurance race multiple times. (Of these,
the Super Speedway race is the fastest to win if you have a
fast car already. An excellent vehicle for this race is the
Suzuki Escudo, maxed out to over 1800HP with super-slick
tires; simply ride the walls for about 50 minutes and change
tires once or twice to win the race.) Fortunately, once you
win an F1 car, it can be used in almost all the Endurance
races (and almost all other events in the game), instantly
giving you a huge advantage over the rest of the competitors
(except in Formula GT).
Upon winning ALL the Endurance races, you will be rewarded
with another F1 car. Therefore, it is possible to collect
all six F1 cars available in Gran Turismo 3.
So, what are the F1 cars and how can you get them?
Car Acquisition* History**
F094/H Trial Mountain 2 Hours, 10-cylendar driven
Tokyo R246; win ALL by Damon Hill
Endurance races
F090/S Grand Valley 300km, Super 1990 McLaren with
Speedway Honda Power
F686/M Laguna Seca 200 Miles; Nigel Mansell's 1986
Win ALL Professional Williams
League races
F686/S Mistral/Cote d'Azur **
F687/S Seattle 100 Miles, Ayrton Senna's 1987
Special Stage Route 11 Lotus
F688/S Passage to Colosseo, 1988 McLaren
Roadster Apricot Hill
* Thus information is partly derived from personal progress
in Gran Turismo 3, and partly from the excellent Gran
Turismo 3 Event Guide [J-spec] compiled by Xombe
(available on GameFAQs).
** This information is from the August 2001 issue of PSM
(page 83). However, there appears to be a misprint,
which potentially affects the car history information and
the entry for the F686/S.
====================================
FORMULA GT
Of all the race series in Gran Turismo 3, Formula GT is
without question the most difficult set of races in
Simulation Mode. In all other races and series, even when
restrictions on acceptable cars exist, it is still possible
to find at least one car which can outclass the competition
to allow for relatively easy wins.
However, with the Formula GT competition composed entirely of
F1 cars - by far the best cars in Gran Turismo 3 - Formula GT
is ROUGH at best. With all six cars so closely matched, a
player's driving skill must be at an EXTREMELY high level in
order to even have a chance at winning each race - this means
that proper braking zones, judicious acceleration, flawless
racing lines, expert cornering, thoughtful pit strategy, and
rapid reflexes are absolutely crucial to success in Formula
GT. Also, the series becomes more and more difficult with
each race; this is largely due to the very noticeable
decrease in horsepower (and top-end speed), since there are
NO opportunities to change the oil during the series.
This section presents how I was able to win the Formula GT
series using the F686/M (Nigel Mansell's Williams car from
the 1986 F1 season). What is presented here may or may not
work for others, depending on chosen car, driving style,
level of concentration, positioning of the planets, etc.
Also, I play with a standard controller; these suggested car
set-ups may need to be modified for those using racing
wheels.
====================================
FORMULA GT: FINDING CAR SET-UPS
Like other series races in Gran Turismo 3, each race can be
entered as part of a series or individually. To find car
set-ups, it is best to enter each race event individually,
work on car set-ups, save appropriate set-ups for each
circuit, and move on to the next individual race venue.
Once any desired changes have been made to car set-up, they
can be tested by going into Qualifying mode. This is great,
because one's personal best lap time will be displayed along
with the current Pole Position time, providing incentive to
continue trying to attain the fastest possible lap times. If
more changes need to be made, simply exiting Qualifying and
returning to Settings will permit making more changes to the
car set-up.
Gear ratios can be adjusted to fit one's personal driving
style, and this can be one of the best things to change in
terms of car set-up in order to maximize car performance at a
given venue. For most circuits, a fairly low gear ratio is
best, providing excellent initial acceleration for the
standing starts, and excellent acceleration exiting tight
corners. However, for Test Course and Super Speedway, a
rather high gear ratio (combined with the lowest possible
settings for both Ride Height and Downforce) is best to
provide a faster top-end speed; in this case, riding the
walls or purposely bouncing off the walls to force cornering
may be necessary at Super Speedway, especially if the tires
are very worn (orange tire indicators) or practically non-
existent (red tire indicators).
Downforce is also extremely important in car set-ups.
Raising downforce will assist with cornering, but will also
lower top-end speed. Lowering downforce will increase top-
end speed, but cornering will be more difficult. For F1
cars, downforce can be adjusted for both the front and rear
of the car. Ride height also works in the same manner as
downforce, although its effects are generally minimal in
terms of cornering and top-end speed.
Later in this section, a suggested car set-up is presented
for each race venue. The presented set-ups may or may not
work for everyone, depending on chosen car, driving style,
level of concentration, positioning of the planets, etc.
For those concerned about keeping a car's mileage as low as
possible, try this tip for finding car set-ups. Set-up files
are saved independent of the game progress file. Therefore,
use the chosen car to work on car set-up for a specific
course, save the car set-ups when satisfied with it, then go
back to the game's main menu (where the selection between
Arcade Mode and Simulation Mode is made) and reload game
progress. In this manner, the car 'will not have been used,'
but a saved car set-up will still be available :-)
====================================
FORMULA GT: QUALIFYING
In the original Gran Turismo, players had a tremendous
incentive to qualify for races, as players could earn extra
money (which was especially important when first beginning
the game) by qualifying on Pole Position (P1). This was
discontinued in Gran Turismo 2, and still had not been
reinstated for Gran Turismo 3. For this reason, it generally
is not advantageous to qualify in Gran Turismo 3, especially
if using a car which outclasses the competition in a race.
However, in Formula GT, qualifying is important, especially
in the latter races in the series. If at all possible, it is
important to qualify P1 (Pole Position), or at least on the
front row, to get ahead of the pack as quickly as possible,
as there is usually a traffic jam at the first corner of each
venue (this is especially true at Cote d'Azur/Monaco).
Qualifying begins from Pit Lane, with players forced to make
an Out Lap (a.k.a. Warm-up Lap) before qualifying actually
begins. At most race venues, players will exit Pit Lane in
front of the competition as they prepare to qualify; at other
venues, it is best to leave Pit Lane, pull aside, and wait
until the other five cars have safely passed and created some
distance, to ensure that players will have as little traffic
as possible to try to place as high on the starting grid as
possible.
There is no time limit nor lap limit for qualifying in Gran
Turismo 3. However, the longer a player attempts to improve
lap times, the better and better and better the CPU-
controlled cars perform in qualifying. Therefore, once a
player qualifies on Pole Position, it is best to immediately
quit qualifying to ensure that other cars cannot best that
lap time; continuing to run laps to gain an even lower lap
time could very well result in one or more of the CPU-
controlled cars besting the player's Pole Position time.
====================================
FORMULA GT: CIRCUIT TIPS
Here are some tips for driving each circuit in Formula GT:
Midfield Raceway: Take extreme care with the accelerator on
exiting the sharp left-hand J-turn
entering the lower tunnel. Too much
acceleration here will produce wheelspin,
which in turn will unduly accelerate
tire wear.
Seattle: The long three-tiered climb can be fun
for sending cars airborne, but it is very
dangerous due to the sharp perpendicular
right-hand turn at the top. As tire
wear increases, this corner in particular
becomes more and more dangerous,
requiring earlier and earlier braking.
Grand Valley: Grand Valley is the longest race venue in
Grand Turismo 3. As such, keep a close
eye on the tire indicators; if a tire
shows red early in a lap, it will be a
long and heart-stopping drive back to Pit
Lane to change the tires. Also, be very
gentle on the throttle exiting the final
chicane (just after the final tunnel), or
else wheelspin will cause undue
acceleration of tire wear.
Super Speedway: Use the walls to force the car to turn;
however, countersteering will likely be
necessary in order to keep the car from
spinning, especially as tire wear
accelerates.
Rome: This is a somewhat long venue as well, so
if a tire shows red early in a lap,
expect a lot of trouble getting back to
Pit Lane to change the tires. On the
final corner, be constantly on the
lookout for VERY slow cars, as they are
making the hard right-hand J-turn into
Pit Lane (Pit Entry is very poorly
placed at this venue).
Test Course: Once the lights turn green, stand on the
accelerator for twenty-five continuous,
non-stop laps without ever stopping to
change tires. The Test Course venue is
sufficiently wide and the corners
sufficiently gentle that there is NO
reason to bump other cars or the inside
or outside barriers.
Laguna Seca: The trick to a fast lap time is to
safely get through the Corkscrew AND the
final corner (extremely tight left-hand
right-angle corner with steep rumble
strips on the inside and a wide patch of
kitty litter on the outside). It is
perhaps best to slow greatly for both
areas, and accelerate quickly when the
sectors have been safely cleared.
Apricot Hill: The hairpin behind the Paddock is a VERY
slow corner; any speed above 60MPH is
certain to cause the car to slide and/or
spin. The final chicane MUST NOT BE
SHORTCUTTED, as the sand on the inside of
each of its tight corners will very
quickly wear down the tires, thus making
it extremely difficult (if not absolutely
impossible) to stay ahead of the
competition.
Tokyo R246: The front portion of the circuit is quite
wide, but the back portion is rather
narrow. It is very easy to bump a wheel
on a barrier or against another car while
on the back portion of the circuit.
Precision driving as well as patience are
very important on the back portion of the
Tokyo R246 venue.
Cote d'Azur/Monaco: Gran Turismo 3 presents a version of the
real-world Monaco circuit (used annually
for the F1 Grand Prix of Monte Carlo)
which is generally a little wider than
in reality and in most other racing
games. However, having visited Monaco, I
can state that the 'feel' of the city has
been captured quite well.
While GT3's version of this circuit is
a bit 'wide,' the circuit is still VERY
narrow. There is really no place to
attain high speeds, and passing is
extremely difficult even in the best
circumstances. Even expert drivers will
certainly bump barriers and other cars
rather consistently - which will increase
tire wear with each bump.
High downforce and ride height
settings combined with shot gear ratios
and A LOT of patience are required at
Cote d'Azur/Monaco. If at all possible,
wait to pass competitors as they go to
Pit Lane.
====================================
FORMULA GT: GENERAL TIPS
If this has not yet been done, players should save the
default/stock set-up of the chosen vehicle before changing
car set-ups. This is a good practice for ALL cars in GT3, as
some races require only non-tuned vehicles. This is also a
good idea in case - while fiddling with car set-ups - a
player really adversely changes the car's set-up, and
reverting back to the default set-up allows the player to
start over.
For those concerned about keeping a car's mileage as low as
possible, try this tip for finding car set-ups. Set-up files
are saved independently of the game progress file, which can
be used to a player's advantage. Therefore, use the chosen
car to work on car set-up for a specific course, save the car
set-ups when satisfied with it, then go back to the game's
main menu (where the selection between Arcade Mode and
Simulation Mode is made) and reload game progress. In this
manner, the car 'will not have been used' as far as the CPU
is concerned, but a saved car set-up will still be available
for use later :-)
Unfortunately, F1 cars can only use Medium Tires (and are the
only cars in Gran Turismo 3 which are limited to just Medium
Tires). This means that the tires will usually wear out
after six or seven laps. Therefore, pit strategy is very
important for each race. It is necessary to try to make the
tires last as long as possible between pit stops, thus
resulting in fewer pit stops. In general, a pit stop will
cost 20-25 seconds (shorter at Test Course, since Pit Lane is
essentially non-existent; longer at Super Speedway, since Pit
Lane - including Pit Entry and Pit Exit - is essentially a
full lap long), so if a player can make one or two fewer pit
stops than the CPU-controlled cars, that will certainly give
the player a significant advantage time/distance. It is
possible to use non-F1 cars in Formula GT, with the advantage
that ANY tire compound can be used, including the longest-
durability/lowest-grip Super-slick Tires; however, there are
NO other cars in Gran Turismo 3 which are inherently as fast
AND agile as the F1 cars, so success through the Formula GT
series with non-F1 cars is very slim (some individual races,
such as the Test Course race, can easily be won with non-F1
cars, such as the 1,000,000Cr Suzuki Escudo Pikes Peak
Version).
On the Out Lap (Warm-up Lap) in qualifying, it helps to
purposely drive off the pavement and/or slide the tires a
bit, especially on the shorter circuits such as Super
Speedway. This will raise the tire temperature faster, so
that the tire indicators should show all four tires as green
by the time qualifying begins; this will provide maximum tire
grip. Since most players should only need one or two
qualifying laps anyhow to attain Pole Position if they have
followed the strategy of pre-determining car set-ups before
entering the Formula GT series, tire durability is not really
an issue in qualifying, so it is best to make use of this
fact to attain the best possible pavement grip for
qualifying. Note that the off/slide tactic is not needed at
Test Course, where tires are not an issue.
For each race, I have specified the laps on which I made my
stops to change tires. However, this often means that the
last 1-2 laps before stopping will be very harrowing, as the
tires will be EXTREMELY worn. This pit strategy is largely
based upon trying to either stop on the same laps as the
toughest competitors, or one lap LATER than the fastest
competition. Those with extensive experience driving with
Super-slick Tires will likely have less difficulty with these
final laps before stops, as they will already be quite
familiar with driving with severely-reduced pavement grip;
those without extensive experience driving with Super-slick
Tires may wish to delay participating in Formula GT until
they feel comfortable driving at high speeds with the lowest-
grip tire compound.
Just prior to entering the Formula GT series, it is important
to change the oil and wash the car. Changing the oil will
provide a temporary boost in horsepower (thus delaying the
time at which horsepower reduction due to dirty oil begins),
while washing the car should help slightly with the
aerodynamic flow around the vehicle (thus assisting with
acceleration and top-end speed).
There is a formula which dictates when it is possible to
cancel out of Formula GT and still win the bonus money and
one of the bonus cars. If the player's lead is AT LEAST (10
x the remaining number of races) + 1, then the player can
safely cancel out of the remaining races and still win the
series. Should a player and a competitor both end the series
tied for the points lead, the player WILL NOT receive the
bonus money and one of the bonus cars; therefore, the 'extra'
one point is a crucial advantage, one which players must take
strides to achieve. This also means, however, that if only
the final single point is required to guarantee winning the
series, then a player need only participate in and COMPLETE
one of the remaining races, as finishing in last place in
Gran Turismo 3 still results in attaining a single point
(this is not the case in some other racing games, such as
Newman-Haas Racing).
====================================
FORMULA GT: SUGGESTED CAR SET-UPS
These are the car set-ups which worked for me in Formula GT
using the F686/M. Note that only the default/stock parts
were used. In most cases, I was able to qualify on Pole
Position (P1).
FORMULA GT: ADJUSTING CAR SET-UPS
Gran Turismo 3 allows for significant car customization.
However, I find that there are just a few things which will
provide great changes in car handling when adjusted:
Brake Balance: Brake strength for each axle can be adjusted
independently. I personally like strong
braking ability (Level 20 or higher), to
allow for late braking zones to pass other
cars on corner entry.
Downforce: This is the single most important item which
can affect car handling in corners. Downforce
on an F1 car makes use of the front and rear
wings; thus, downforce can be adjusted for the
front and rear of the car independently.
The downforce can be raised to improve
cornering ability, but this will result in
lower top-end speed and slower acceleration.
Conversely, lowering downforce will make
cornering at high speeds more difficult (thus
requiring slower cornering speeds), while
improving acceleration and top-end speed.
Gear Ratios: Gran Turismo 3 provides two methods for
adjusting gear ratios: the auto setting (the
lowermost slider on the Gear Ratios screen)
and manual setting (the smaller sliders on the
Gear Ratios screen). In general, using the
auto setting slider is good enough; experts
may prefer to fine-tune each gear using the
smaller manual setting sliders above.
Raising the gear ratios (moving a slider
toward the right) will result in higher
speeds before gear changes, and thus a higher
top-end speed overall; however, acceleration
will be slower. Lowering the gear ratios
(moving a slider toward the left) will result
in lower speeds before gear changes, and thus
a lower top-end speed overall; however, this
creates faster acceleration. Those using the
smaller manual setting sliders can essentially
mix-and-match gear ratios; perhaps the lower
gears can be set for faster acceleration while
the higher gears can be set for faster top-end
speed. Note that Final Gear affects all the
other gears in addition to how each individual
gear has been set.
Caution: Using too high a gear ratio in the
higher gears can cause a car to have some
difficulty climbing into the highest gear,
and/or drop from the highest gear to the
next-lowest gear very quickly. This is due
to the engine not being able to keep up
enough revs to climb into or stay in the
highest gear. If such a high gear ratio is
important, try lowering the front and rear
downforce and ride height as much as possible
while still attempting to maintain car control
in cornering; if this does not work, then the
gear ratio will need to be lowered.
Ride Height: Ride height is adjustable for both the front
and rear axles. Whereas downforce controls
the flow of air over the car, ride height
handles airflow underneath the vehicle. As
with downforce, raise ride height to improve
cornering at the sacrifice of acceleration and
top-end speed; lower ride height to improve
acceleration and top-end speed while
sacrificing high-speed cornering ability.
Often, making adjustments in one aspect of a car's set-up
will require adjusting other aspects as well in order to
maintain a good balance for car handling. Adjustments will
almost certainly be necessary; the set-ups provided in this
section are simply suggestions based upon my rather-
aggressive driving style, and will likely require some fine-
tuning for use by others.
====================================
FORMULA GT: SAMPLE RACE PERFORMANCE
Here is my sample race performance in Formula GT. For Start
and Finish, I designate positions in FIA style: P1 for First
Place/Pole Position, P2 for Second Place, P3 for Third Place,
P4 for Fourth Place, P5 for Fifth Place, and P6 for Sixth
Place. Also, points are awarded in FIA style: ten points for
P1, six points for P2, four points for P3, three points for
P4, two points for P5, and a single point for P6; in order to
receive points, a car must finish a given race (in other
words, canceling out of a race is not permitted).
* For the 25-lap Test Course race, it is best to NEVER make
any stops to change tires. The course is so wide that
there is always enough room to make passes (especially
when drafting), and the banked turns are so incredibly
gentle that there is to reason to worry about needing
tires for braking and cornering. However, with the
suggested car set-up for Test Course, the left-rear tire
will wear down far faster than any of the other tires,
meaning that for three or four laps, the car will
constantly want to edge to the left until the other three
tire indicators also show red; near-continuous
countersteering will be required for the straightaways,
and extra care will be needed if running high on the
banking.
** Entering the race at Tokyo R246, I only needed one more
point in order to guarantee winning the Formula GT
series (the next closest car in the series was exactly
20 points behind entering the penultimate race of the
series). Therefore, I did not bother truly trying to
compete, as finishing in last place would grant me the
single point I needed. This accounts for finishing in
last place and making so many pit stops in comparison
with the length of the race (25 laps); going six or seven
laps between stops would have made driving rather
difficult on the back side of the course with its many
high-speed twists and corners.
*** Since the series was won following the penultimate race
(at Tokyo R246), I purposely canceled out of Cote
d'Azur/Monaco. The series having been won, I instead
intend to complete this race as an individual race at a
later date. This will also allow me to participate in
the Cote d'Azur/Monaco race with a car fresh from the
Car Wash and with fresh oil.
GENEAL Q&A
This section focuses upon questions that newcomers to Gran
Turismo 3 often ask, as reflected on the GameFAQs Gran
Turismo 3 message board. These questions are not presented
in any particular order.
Q: What is the best car to start with in GT3?
A: Check the section Initial Car Selection above.
Q: Can I change the car's oil during a series or
championship?
A: No. Therefore, it is important to change the oil BEFORE
entering a series or championship, to ensure that the oil
will last as long as possible before it begins to degrade
the car's horsepower output. For the series and
championships in Beginners League, it may be possible to
not change the oil before entering, and not suffer any
loss of horsepower as the Beginners League races are quite
short; however, in this case, if the oil is already rather
dark or murky, change the oil anyway before entering the
series or championship.
Consider this: An oil change only costs 250Cr. Except
for the Beginners League events and Rally Events, even
finishing in last place will result in gaining more money
than was spent on an oil change.
Q: Are there codes for ?
A: There is only one true code in Gran Turismo 3, and it
adds another difficulty level to Arcade Mode events. To
enter Professional difficulty, go to Arcade Mode and
select Hard difficulty. Hold the L1 and R1 buttons
simultaneously, and Hard will switch to Professional.
While not a code per se, there is a 'trick' that can be
used with an automatic transmission. To keep the car from
automatically shifting gears, press and hold either the
shift-up or shift-down button (which buttons are assigned
to these functions will depend on how you have set your
controller). This may or may not be very useful,
depending on driving style.
All other codes are actually GameShark2 codes, and
require GameShark2 version 1.4 or greater. These codes
are available on appropriate GameShark2 discs, and at the
GameShark Web site (http://www.gameshark.com/).
Q: What is the best car in the game?
A: This is largely an inherently idiosyncratic question. For
pure speed, the Suzuki Escudo Pikes Peak Version is by far
the best when given maximum turbo parts, resulting in over
1800HP. However, in great contrast to Gran Turismo 2, the
Escudo is virtually impossible to control in GT3. Thus,
there are really only two places where the Escudo is a
viable car choice. At Super Speedway, the Escudo can be
forced to corner by bouncing off the walls; this tactic
can be used at any other circuit, obviously, but most
other venues are so tight and twisty that this tactic then
backfires. However, the best place to use the Escudo is
at Test Course, where the corners are so incredibly gentle
and the banking steep enough that there is really no
reason for touching the barriers at all.
Overall (meaning great turning capabilities AND fast
speeds), any F1 car is the best option. The low center of
gravity combined with the light weight of the F1 cars make
them a prime choice; however, car control can be quite
twitchy for the same reasons. See my Gran Turismo 3: F1
Guide for details on the F1 cars.
Beyond the Escudo and the F1 cars, the 'best car' in
the game depends upon several factors. The primary factor
is the level of comfort with a given car's drivetrain;
myself, I really dislike FR cars, but love 4WD and FF
drivetrains. Another issue is horsepower; in other words,
how well can a player handle cars with 100HP, 300HP,
800HP, and 1800HP? Finally, how well a player can TUNE a
given car will definitely affect which cars are the 'best'
in the game.
Q: How does Gran Turismo 3 compare to Gran Turismo 2?
A: The first difference (other than the console for which
each game was designed) is in the area of graphics. In
general, GT3 uses very photorealistic graphics, which made
it a groundbreaking game when initially released. Of
course, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within was supposedly a
photorealistic film, but there were really only a few
scenes which truly seemed photorealistic.
Not surprisingly, some new circuits have been added to
GT3, while some circuits from GT2 have been removed. All
returning circuits have received cosmetic facelifts to
become photorealistic.
However, the biggest chance is in the cars themselves.
Not only are there just 1/3 the number of cars compared to
GT2, there are also NO used cars in GT3. This makes the
initial car selection both much more limited and much more
important than in GT2. Finally, there are no racing
modification options available in GT3.
Q: Which races offer F1 cars?
A: Every Endurance Race offers an F1 car as one of four
potential bonus cars. Polyphony Digital Cup and Dream
Car Championship also offer F1 cars. However, in these
cases, there are non-F1 cars offered as well; since
bonus cars in these events/series/championships are
assigned at random, there is a 25% change that you will
actually win the F1 car.
To guarantee receiving an F1 car, win Formula GT, for
which ALL bonus cars are F1 cars. Alternatively, winning
ALL Endurance Races results in receiving the F094/H.
Note that this information is for the NTSC (Never Twice
Same Color) version of GT3. The PAL version (primarily
used in Europe, and in some other parts of the world)
only has two F1 cars, Polyphony 001 and Polyphony 002. I
would assume that for the sake of consistency, the game
developers would make F1 cars in the PAL version available
in the same manner as in the NTSC version, but this is
simply a guess on my part as I do not have access to a
PAL console/game.
Q: Can I choose which bonus car I want?
A: For those series or events with only one potential bonus
car, no. Further, once the bonus car has been acquired,
it cannot be won again. For those cars which are not
available in the car dealerships, this means that there is
only one chance to acquire those cars.
For series or championships with more than one possible
bonus car, there is a memory card trick which can be used
to acquire a specific car. After the penultimate race of
the series or championship, save game progress. Then,
either compete in the final event or (if you already have
a lead of at least eleven points) skip the final event.
Once the final race has been cleared, collect the bonus
money, and wait to see which bonus car you are given. If
it is a car you want, then you are done; if you do not
want/like the car assigned, go back to the Main Menu
(where the selection between Simulation/GT and Arcade
Modes is made) and reload game progress to be taken back
to the end of the penultimate race and try again.
Each Endurance Race offers four potential bonus cars.
However, if you do not receive a car you are trying to
acquire, your only option is to rerace. To that end,
the Endurance Races at Seattle and Super Speedway are the
easiest, as they can be won in under sixty minutes with a
fast car (the F1 cars are especially adept at these two
Endurance Races).
Q: How are the final events in Professional League unlocked?
A: These events - Dream Car Championship, Polyphony Digital
Cup, Like the Wind, and Formula GT - are unlocked upon the
acquisition of a Super License (S-License).
Q: Can I have multiple game saves for Gran Turismo 3 on a
single memory card?
A: No. 'Multiple game saves' requires two different memory
cards. However, when the game is initially loaded, the
game data in Memory Card Slot #1 is the game data which
will be automatically loaded; to instead use the game
data from another memory card, either swap memory cards
in Memory Card Slot #1, or insert a second memory card
into Memory Card Slot #2 - in either case, then use the
Load Game option from the main menu, select the
appropriate Memory Card Slot, and press OK to load.
Q: Can Arcade Mode cars be used in Simulation/GT Mode, and
vice versa?
A: Arcade Mode cars are only available for Arcade Mode.
However, completing the Complex String Time Trial in
Arcade Mode will add a bonus car to the garage for
Simulation/GT Mode; this is the only exception.
Simulation/GT Mode cars, however, CAN be used in
Arcade Mode, except for Time Trials. This is accomplished
by selecting an event, then at the Car Select screen,
loading the Garage present on the memory card (look for
the memory card icon to load the garage). Any car in the
garage which can be used at the chosen venue can then be
selected; the only time in Arcade Mode that cars from the
garage cannot be used is if a dirt-based venue has been
selected (such as Swiss Alps or Tahiti Maze), in which
case only those cars from the garage which have Dirt Tires
(standard equipment on rally-intended cars; purchased
specially for other cars) can be used.
Q: How do I acquire cars which are shown in the car
dealership but are not available for purchase?
A: These cars can be won by winning certain events in
Simulation/GT Mode. Also, some of these cars are awarded
for reaching 50%, 75%, and 100% game completion; for
winning ALL events in a league; and for completing certain
difficult tasks (such as attaining ALL Gold Medals in the
tests for any one license).
Q: My car reaches a given speed, then drops in speed before
climbing again, and this happens repeatedly. How can I
fix this?
A: Most likely, the car does not have a Full Racing
Transmission. Buying this part (approximately 11,000Cr)
allows for gear customization, and also often adds another
gear to the transmission. Adjusting the gears should
resolve the problem, unless racing at Test Course.
Using automatic transmission, a trick which works with
some cars is to press and hold either the Shift Up or
Shift Down button before the transmission climbs into the
car's highest gear. In some cases, this will allow for a
higher top-end speed than if the car were to climb into
its highest gear. This trick, as mentioned in a previous
question, prevents the transmission from shifting up or
down, which is what creates the higher sustained speed.
In reality, this would likely cause a massive engine
failure; fortunately, that aspect of reality is missing
from Gran Turismo 3.
Q: How do I get ?
A: In the Tuning Shop, parts are shown only if they can be
purchased for the current car. Therefore, if a car
cannot handle Level 4 Turbo, then Level 4 Turbo will not
be offered.
Note that if you acquire a racing-dedicated car, many
parts cannot be 'added' or are listed as 'Purchased'
because they come standard with that car. Along those
lines, all racing-dedicated cars come with Medium Tires
as standard equipment; rally-dedicated cars also include
Dirt Tires as standard equipment.
Q: What is the best car for ?
A: There are a number of factors which affect which is the
'best' car for a given event. If there are no limitations
on horsepower, drivetrain, or car model, then the F1 cars
are generally a good bet, except for the Like the Wind
event (in this case, the Suzuki Escudo is likely the best
car to use). Otherwise, factors such as tire compound,
comfort level with a given drivetrain, horsepower, and
driving style will influence the decision of a 'best car.'
If there are restrictions beyond the acquisition of a
specific license, things obviously change. Ask friends or
post on Gran Turismo 3 message boards for opinions, but
take the responses with several grains of salt; what works
well for one player - especially in the area of car
set-ups - could be an absolute nightmare for another
person.
Q: Which is better, automatic or manual transmission?
A: Automatic transmission is 'easier' in that there is no
worry about shifting gears; as such, it may be the best
choice for those just starting with Gran Turismo 3, and
is definitely the best choice for young children.
However, manual transmission provides an extra measure of
control over the car by choosing exactly when to shift
gears.
While not a code per se, there is a 'trick' that can be
used with an automatic transmission. To keep the car from
automatically shifting gears, press and hold either the
shift-up or shift-down button (which buttons are assigned
to these functions will depend on how you have set your
controller). This may or may not be very useful,
depending on driving style and race venue.
Q: Are there any cars with seven gears in Gran Turismo 3?
A: No. Although there are slots for customizing seven gears
with the Full Racing Transmission, no car in GT3 has seven
gears. This appears to be a holdover from previous games
in the series. It is also possible that there were plans
to include at least one car with seven gears, but that
such cars were removed in the development phase (likely
due to licensing issues).
Q: How do I qualify? Is qualifying necessary?
A: Once a race has been selected, qualifying is done by
choosing the Qualify button (second from the left) at the
bottom of the Pre-race screen. For qualifying, players
begin in Pit Lane, and must make one complete lap and come
back around to the Start/Finish Line to begin the actual
qualifying attempt. There is no limit to the number of
qualifying laps permitted; however, the more qualifying
laps you make, the better the CPU-controlled cars
qualify, so once you attain Pole Position, exit Qualifying
immediately to ensure that you keep Pole Position.
Those who do not choose to qualify automatically start
each race from P6 (the last slot on the grid). Qualifying
is never 'necessary,' but starting on the front row can be
especially advantageous at Cote d'Azur/Monaco due to the
massive bottleneck which often occurs at Turn 1.
Unfortunately, there is no bonus money awarded for
qualifying on Pole Position, as there was in the original
Gran Turismo. For this reason, many players may wish to
simply skip Qualifying and start each race from P6.
Q: What is the purpose of the Car Wash?
A: Aesthetically, as you use a car, it loses its showroom
shine, dulling the color. Washing the car will return the
showroom shine to the vehicle. This really only affects
how light sources are rendered in relation to the car.
In terms of car handling, there is a slight aerodynamic
advantage to having a newly-washed car. As a car is used,
it gets dirty, which disrupts the optimum flow of air over
and around the car. A newly-washed car, however, provides
a much smoother surface, thus allowing better airflow and
thus faster acceleration and higher top-end speed.
Some players have reported, however, that repeated use
of the Car Wash can slowly change the color of the car.
While I have not encountered this phenomenon; any such
color change would be purely aesthetic and not affect car
handling.
Q: Where can I save my game progress?
A: There is a Save Game option on the Main Menu, and another
in Home; once in Simulation/GT Mode, players will likely
use the Save Game option in Home. However, once entered
in a series or championship, game progress can be saved
following all but the final race; in this case, reloading
game progress or restarting the console will result in
automatically being returned to the point at which the
game progress was last saved.
Q: What is involved in attaining 100% game completion?
A: In Arcade Mode, all Single Race events must be won and all
Time Trials must be passed with a Bronze Medal or better.
In Simulation/GT Mode, players will need to have
attained ALL licenses (B, A, IB, IA, Rally, and Super) in
order to sweep through every event, series, and
championship. However, simply acquiring all six licenses
does not result in a higher game completion percentage.
In Simulation/GT Mode, there is a 'shortcut' to gaining
100% game completion. Series and championships have a
given number of individual races; to gain 100% game
completion, ALL series/championships AND ALL individual
races must be won. However, winning a race within a
series or championship also grants a win for that same
race on the individual scale, thus killing two stones with
one bird. (However, for long series/championships, once
a significant points lead has been attained and the
series/championship can be won even with canceling out of
the remaining races, it helps the oil situation to cancel
out of the rest of the races. The win for the series or
championship will be used toward game completion
percentage, as will the individual wins for the races
won within the series/championship. Once having exited
the series/championship, save game progress and change the
oil to prevent any further loss of horsepower, then go
back and INDIVIDUALLY complete the rest of the races in
the series/championship. This is also a good way to
selectively skip races within a series/championship where
the current car may not perform well enough to be very
competitive, thus allowing a return later with a different
car which will have a better chance of winning at a
specific venue.)
Similarly, in Arcade Mode, each Single Race event must
be won at all three difficulty levels (Easy, Medium, and
Hard) to attain 100% game completion. Winning a race at a
given venue on Hard difficulty also grants wins for that
same venue on both Easy and Medium difficulties. This is
another time-saving 'shortcut.'
In the effort to attain 100% game completion, a bonus
car is awarded for beating all events in Arcade Time
Trials, as well as the 50%, 75%, and 100% milestones of
game completion percentage. Bonus cars are also awarded
for winning ALL events in each of Beginners League,
Amateur League, Professional League, Rally Events, and
Endurance Races. Therefore, it is possible to win
multiple bonus cars at once; for example, upon winning the
Super Speedway 150 Miles Endurance Race, a player could
win one of its four potential bonus cars, PLUS the F094/H
for defeating all Endurance Races with that win, PLUS
another bonus car for attaining 50%, 75%, or 100% game
completion with that win.
Q: How many sets of tires do I need to purchase?
A: One nice and somewhat-unrealistic element in GT3 is that
once a type or compound of tire has been purchased, THAT
CAR has an unlimited supply of those tires. Therefore, it
is possible to NEVER buy tires for racing-dedicated cars,
which all come with Medium Tires as standard equipment;
likewise, there is no reason to buy tires for rally-
intended cars, which include Dirt Tires as standard
equipment. Note that F1 cars can ONLY use Medium Tires.
For non-racing cars, Normal Tires (street tires) are
standard equipment, and are utterly useless for racing
purposes. Sports Tires are better, and generally cost
around 7,000Cr, but even these are far interior to the
racing compounds. Therefore, if using non-racing cars,
it is best to buy at least one tire compound; of these,
Super-slick Tires are the cheapest at approximately
11,000Cr, but it takes extreme skill to safely drive a
car with Super-slick Tires at high speeds, especially
when cornering. Obviously, non-racing cars will require
Dirt Tires for the dirt-based Rally Events.
Q: The F1 cars are SO good, is it 'cheating' to use them in
races?
A: This is an inherently subjective question. My opinion:
WHY would it be 'cheating' to use F1 cars in any event
for which they are legal entries (i.e., not non-tuned-
only events, etc.)? Certainly, some feel that because
the F1 cars are so fast and agile, they should not be used
except in select races (primarily the Formula GT series)
where the competition is much tougher, or at F1 circuits
(such as Cote d'Azur/Monaco), but there is absolutely
nothing prohibiting players from using F1 cars to work
through Beginners, Amateur, and Professional Leagues - as
well as the Endurance Races. F1 cars can even compete in
Rally Events, but only in the six wet-based races.
There are also players like myself who simply adore F1
racing, so the possibility of using F1 cars as often as
possible is great. Also, Gran Turismo 3 (North American
version) presents some historic F1 cars, which are
unavailable in the F1-dedicated games currently on the
market. See my GT3: F1 Guide for details on the F1 cars
and their histories.
Q: What is the rubber band trick used at Super Speedway?
A: I have never tried this myself, but there has been plenty
of discussion on the Internet about easy ways to complete
the Super Speedway 150 Miles Endurance Race. Granted,
this is the easiest of the Endurance Races, but apparently
some are not content with running 100 laps on their own.
The rubber back trick steps in to make the chosen car
continually run laps until the race has ended; the best
car for this is the Suzuki Escudo Pikes Peak Version.
The following is from TIME X's post on instructions
for the rubber band trick, as posted on the GameFAQs GT3
message board on May 31, 2002:
OK, This is how you do the RUBBERBAND TRICK!!!!! There are
2 ways.
TAPE and RUBBER:
1. Just get a rubberband and a piece of tape. At the
countdown screen, tape down the accelerator button and
wrap the rubberband over the TWO analog sticks. Now just
leave it alone for one hour. You WILL crash into the wall
but that's okay. You will just 'ride the wall' to win.
ONLY RUBBER:
1. Go to Options and go to the Controller Setup Screen.
2. Go to the Accelerator and set the accelerator so that
if the RIGHT ANALOG STICK is push to the LEFT, then it
will accelerate.
3. Go to Super Speedway Endurance with an Escudo.
4. Get a rubberband and wrap it around the TWO analog
sticks at the countdown.
When you start, your car WILL crash to the right wall but
that is OKAY! You will then RIDE the wall and pass
everyone. Just stay for a little bit for like 2-5 laps and
make sure nothing happens so that your car gets stuck.
If it goes well without getting stuck, then turn off the
TV, put your controller in a safe spot, and take a ONE
HOUR sleep. When you wake up and check it, then you would
have won and lapped the CPUs about 20 times.
Q: Is it possible to cancel out of a series or championship
and still win the bonus money and one of the bonus cars?
A: It is definitely possible to cancel out of a series or
championship and still win the bonus money and one of the
bonus cars. This is because series and championships in
Gran Turismo 3 use the FIA-style points system, so that in
each race, finishing first grants 10 points, finishing
second grants 6 points, finishing third grants 4 points,
finishing fourth grants 3 points, finishing fifth grants
2 points, and finishing sixth (last) grants a single
point. Armed with this information, there is a formula
which dictates when it is possible to cancel out of a
series or championship and still win the bonus money and
one of the bonus cars. If the player's lead is AT LEAST:
(10 x the remaining number of races) + 1
then the player can safely cancel out of the remaining
races and still win the series or championship. Should a
player and a competitor both end a series or championship
tied for the points lead, the player WILL NOT receive the
bonus money and one of the bonus cars; therefore, the
'extra' one point is a crucial advantage, one which
players must take strides to achieve. This also means,
however, that if only the final single point is required
to guarantee winning the series or championship, then a
player need only participate in and COMPLETE one of the
remaining races, as finishing in last place in GT3 still
results in attaining a single point (this is not the case
in some other racing games, such as Newman-Haas Racing).
Canceling out of a series, however, can have negative
consequences for those attempting to attain 100% game
completion. Each race won in a series is also considered
an individual race win, thus requiring less overall work
from the player. Canceling out of a series or
championship will mean that the player must come back at
a later time/date to win the individual races not
completed during the series or championship.
On the other hand, canceling out of a series or
championship can be of great benefit. Gran Turismo 3 does
not allow for a car's oil to be changed once a series or
championship is underway, which means that as the events
wear on, the car's oil becomes dirtier and dirtier and the
car's performance decreases noticeably; this is especially
important in the super-difficult Formula GT series, where
car performance is a top priority, especially in the
latter races of Formula GT. Should a player attain enough
points to safely cancel out of remaining races in a series
or championship, car performance degradation can be
terminated and the car's oil changed. This still requires
returning to complete the individual races not won during
the series or championship itself; however, the car will
be able to perform at its best, and will not be hampered
by poor performance due to extremely dirty oil.
However, there is no easy way to cancel out of a
series or championship in GT3. Using the Exit button will
cause the player to leave the series or championship
outright, with no bonuses given if appropriate. Instead,
players are forced to go to each of the remaining races,
enter each race as normal, and then press Start, then
select Exit and confirm. The player is then presented
with the post-race results screen, and the player MUST
select Next to either go to the next race (if any remain
in the series or championship) or the bonus money/car
screens.
Remember that once a series or championship is won, it
is possible to 'select' the bonus car desired. See the
question 'Can I choose which bonus car I want?' above.
OTHER GUIDES OF INTEREST
There are numerous other guides for Gran Turismo 3 available
on the Internet. Here are some of my favorite guides - plus
my own GT3-related guides - available from GameFAQs
(http://www.GameFAQs.com/); some are also available elsewhere
on the Web. The guide title/topic is followed by the
author(s) in parentheses.
Advertisers Guide (Jamie Stafford/Wolf Feather)
This guide will not help with gameplay in any way.
However, for those who wonder what the various
advertisers do - the products they make or the services
they offer - this guide can provide some useful
information.
Arcade Mode FAQ (Jim Phillips)
Arcade Mode is simpler and has relatively less to do than
Simulation Mode, but there are still MANY aspects to
Arcade Mode. This guide covers the many race venues
(most which must be unlocked), hidden/unlockable items,
strategies, and information on iLink competitions.
A-License Guide (Dallas)
This guide presents strategies and even maps for the
successful completion of the tests for the A License. A
monowidth font is EXTREMELY important due to the included
maps.
B-License Guide (Dallas)
This guide presents strategies and even maps for the
successful completion of the tests for the B License. A
monowidth font is EXTREMELY important due to the included
maps.
Car Database (AdrenalineSL)
Quite simply, this guide lists every car in the game and
its statistics. What is truly nice is that this guide
also lists all the prize cars in the game, including the
cars won for successfully completing various aspects of
the game (all Gold Medals in all the tests for a given
license, attaining a particular game completion
percentage, etc.). Finally, the guide presents
information on various driving issues, such as braking,
acceleration, drivetrains, and drift racing.
Car Power Rankings (Palfy)
This guide uses come theoretical mathematical formula I
simply do not understand to determine a ranking order of
car power for the cars of Gran Turismo 3. Explanations
are given for how the results were achieved, but it is
still difficult to comprehend (at least for me). What
really matters is the car power list, with the most
powerful listed first. Certainly, anyone who has driven
an F1 car in GT3 knows firsthand why the F1 cars are at
the top of the list. This guide can be useful for
selecting the first few cars in the game to try to gain
an advantage over the competition.
Cote d'Azur Guide (Jamie Stafford/Wolf Feather)
GT3 introduces several new venues to the series, including
this world-famous F1 circuit used annually for the Grand
Prix of Monaco. This guide presents detailed driving
instructions for making a clean lap at Cote d'Azur/Monaco,
as well as sample lap times with a variety of cars, and
venue-specific racing tips.
Drifting FAQ (FoUnDShoGo)
While the Gran Turismo series is primarily based on grip
racing, it is possible to engage in drift racing. The
Ridge Racer series is perhaps the best-known series for
PlayStation and PlayStation2 for drift racing; those
adept at drift racing in the Ridge Racer series may wish
to read this guide to try it in Gran Turismo 3.
IA-License Guide (Jamie Stafford/Wolf Feather)
This guide specifically covers the eight IA License Tests
in Gran Turismo 3. These are some of the trickiest
license tests in the game, using mid-powered normal and
race cars. The IA License is required to participate in
Endurance Races, and permits entry to all events in the
game except Rally Events and the final events in
Professional League.
IB-License Guide (Jamie Stafford/Wolf Feather)
This guide specifically covers the eight IB License Tests
in Gran Turismo 3. These are some of the trickiest
license tests in the game, using mid-powered normal cars.
Laguna Seca Guide (Jamie Stafford/Wolf Feather)
This is yet another venue-specific guide, again with
detailed driving instructions and sample lap times for
a variety of cars.
Rally License Guide (Jamie Stafford/Wolf Feather)
This guide is designed to provide tips in acquiring a
Rally License in Gran Turismo 3; the goal, therefore, is
to assist drivers in earning a Bronze Medal. The Rally
License is actually the easiest of the six licenses to
earn (but just as difficult as the others for obtaining
Gold Medals in all eight tests), but those new to driving
on dirt are nonetheless likely to find rally racing a bit
tricky. Experience with rally-dedicated games, such as
the Colin McRae series or World Rally Championship, can
be of tremendous use in working the tests for the Gran
Turismo 3 Rally License.
S-License Guide (Zero360)
Without question, the S-License is the most difficult of
the licenses to acquire, and is necessary to enter the
final events in Professional League, including Formula GT.
Zero360's guide lists the Gold, Silver, and Bronze times,
general tips, and circuit-specific tips for each of the
license tests (consisting of a hot lap at one of the
circuits in the game).
Tokyo R246 Guide (Jamie Stafford/Wolf Feather)
Here is another venue-specific guide, as the Tokyo R246
circuit was added to the series in GT3. This is actually
a thinly-veiled tribute to anime, perhaps the most
popular cultural product to come from Japan in recent
years. The various areas of the circuit are given names
after anime characters (using both well-known and obscure
characters) while driving instructions are also given.
Sample lap times for a variety of vehicles are also
included in this guide.
Tuning Guide (Minesweeper)
This is my favorite guide on the Internet for explaining
the various parts involved in tuning cars in GT3.
Tuning Presets (Big D)
This is different from Minesweeper's Tuning Guide in that
Big D's Tuning Presets actually gives suggested settings
to achieve particular feats with a car, ranging from Pure
Speed to Endurance to Stable Turning and beyond. However,
the decision of which of the presets to use will be
largely dependant upon the venue in question.
THANKS
A big thanks to TIME X from the Gran Turismo 3 message board
on GameFAQs for allowing me to copy his post explaining the
rubber band trick.
Thanks also to other guide writers for allowing me to point
to their guides.
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CONTACT INFORMATION
For questions, rants, raves, comments of appreciation, etc.,
please contact me at: FEATHER7@IX.NETCOM.COM; also, if you
have enjoyed this guide and feel that it has been helpful to
you, I would certainly appreciate a small donation via PayPal
(http://www.paypal.com/) using the above e-mail address.
To find the latest version of this and all my other PSX/PS2
game guides, please visit FeatherGuides
(http://www.angelcities.com/members/feathersites/). The
latest version will always be posted at FeatherGuides, while
other Web sites may lag behind by several days in their
regularly-scheduled posting updates.
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Wolf Feather Jamie Stafford
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Just as there are many parts needed to make a human a human, there's a
remarkable number of things needed to make an individual what they are.
- Major Kusanagi, _Ghost in the Shell_
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What isn't remembered never happened. - _Serial Experiments Lain_
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