V V RRRR AAA L L Y Y 333
V V R R A A L L Y Y 3 3
V V --- RRRRR AAAAA L L Y 33
V V R R A A L L Y 3 3
V R R A A LLLLL LLLLL Y 333
V-RALLY 3: GAME GUIDE
by
Jamie Stafford/Wolf Feather
FEATHER7@IX.NETCOM.COM
Initial Version Completed: January 31, 2003
FINAL VERSION Completed: April 12, 2003
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CONTENTS
Spacing and Length
Permissions
Introduction
Menus
Autoload/Autosave
Drivers
Points
V-Rally Mode
Time Attack Mode
Challenge Mode
Tuning
Navigatorspeak (English Language Audio)
General Tips
Racing Tips: Braking
Racing Tips: Cornering
Racing Tips: Coasting
Racing Tips: Weight Shifts
Racing Tips: Wet-weather Racing/Driving
Stage Overviews
Vehicle Set-ups: Overview
Vehicle Set-ups: 1.6L FWD Class
Vehicle Set-ups: 2.0L 4WD Class
Vehicle Set-ups: Bonus Car Class
Regular Cars
Unlockable Items and Features
Extra Challenges
Diagrams
Online Resources
Contact Information
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SPACING AND LENGTH
For optimum readability, this driving guide should be
viewed/printed using a monowidth font, such as Courier.
Check for font setting by making sure the numbers and letters
below line up:
1234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
This guide is now approximately 95 pages in length in the
Macintosh version of Word98 using 12-point Courier font.
Therefore, printing this guide in its entirety may not
exactly be a great idea.
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PERMISSIONS
Permission is hereby granted for a user to download and/or
print out a copy of this driving guide for personal use.
However, due to the extreme length, printing this driving
guide may not be such a good idea.
This driving guide may only be posted on: FeatherGuides,
GameFAQs.com, f1gamers.com, Games Domain, PSXCodez.com,
Cheatcc.com, gamesover.com, Absolute-PlayStation.com,
RedCoupe, ComputerUnderground.com, InsidePS2Games.com,
CheatPlanet.com, The Cheat Empire, a2zweblinks.com, Gameguru,
cheatingplanet.com, GameReactors.com, RobsGaming.com,
Infogrames Australia, neoseeker.com, CheatHeaven, IGN,
ps2fantasy.com, and vgstrategies.com. Please contact me for
permission to post elsewhere on the Internet.
Should anyone wish to translate this driving guide into other
languages, please contact me for permission(s) and provide me
with a copy when complete.
Remember: Plagiarism in ANY form is NOT tolerated!!!!!
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INTRODUCTION
V-Rally 3 is the first appearance of the V-Rally series on
PlayStation2. Not surprisingly, its graphics are excellent,
the cars have many more tuning options, the sounds are better
and more convincing, and the fun factor has been raised :-)
Unfortunately, however, Track Editor (which allowed the
player to create original rally stages and circuits) is not
included in V-Rally 3, which is a severe disappointment :-(
The main focus of V-Rally 3 is its career mode (appropriately
entitled V-Rally Mode). In fact, V-Rally 3 simply CANNOT be
played until at least one driver has been created; only then
can the various gameplay modes be accessed. The created
driver(s) can then be used in V-Rally Mode to progress from
the 1.6L FWD (Front Wheel Drive) category up to the 2.0L 4WD
(Four Wheel Drive) category of competition. V-Rally Mode is
explained in further detail below.
Also available are two quick race options: Time Attack Mode
and Challenge Mode. Time Attack Mode is self-explanatory.
Challenge Mode sets the player on three or more stages, which
must all be completed within a specified time limit.
One of the best things about V-Rally 3 is that there is
rather little time spent in loading each stage. For all the
graphic detail, this is quite amazing. It also helps that
there is a screen providing information on each stage as it
is loaded, providing the player something to look at and
consider as the stage is being loaded.
The Gran Turismo series, perhaps the most successful racing
series on PlayStation and PlayStation2, introduced rally
racing in Gran Turismo 2, and then brought it back with many
visual changes and a few new venues in Gran Turismo 3. This
is likely the first experience with rally racing for many
PlayStation and PlayStation2 gamers. While Gran Turismo 2
includes two point-to-point stages (which were unfortunately
eliminated from Gran Turismo 3), the Gran Turismo series
primarily feature circuits, which are fairly rare in actual
rally racing. To this extent, the V-Rally series is much
more realistic than the Gran Turismo series, although the
Gran Turismo series certainly excels in its vast multiplicity
of tuning options.
Please note that some of the information in this guide come
from some of my other guides, with appropriate modifications:
General Racing/Driving Guide
V-Rally 2: Game Guide
World Rally Championship: Game Guide
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MENUS
Menu navigation can be slightly tricky in V-Rally 3, which is
why this has been given its own special section.
At the bottom of a menu screen, the various categories will
be listed. Using the D-pad to move to the left or the right
will move to the next category in that direction. As each
category is selected, its sub-categories will appear above
the category title, with the upper-most sub-category already
highlighted; pressing the up and down buttons on the D-pad
will move through the sub-categories. It is important to
note that until a sub-category has been selected (by pressing
the 'X' button), pressing the left or right buttons on the D-
pad will move to the next category in the appropriate
direction. Until a player becomes accustomed to this system,
it is very easy to inadvertently move from one category to
another.
On the positive side, virtually all menus in V-Rally 3
include full-motion rally-related animation. This can range
from the player's vehicle arriving at the next Service Area
to full-out racing action.
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AUTOLOAD/AUTOSAVE
V-Rally 3 uses an autoload/autosave feature by default.
Saves to the global game options files can take a long time,
especially the first time such a file is created on the
memory card. Afterward, especially when dealing with a
driver's save file, this process is VERY fast. The autosave
feature can be changed by selecting Misc. -> Save from the
Options menu screen.
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DRIVERS
It is impossible to play V-Rally 3 until at least one driver
has been created. In fact, the first time V-Rally 3 is
played (or if all the driver files have been erased from the
memory card in Memory Card Slot 1), the game will force the
player to create a driver.
Driver creation is done in multiple steps. First, the player
must enter a last/family name for the driver, then a
first/given name. Second, the player can choose a
nationality for the driver (by selecting the appropriate flag
from the nationality screen; as each flag is selected, the
country's name is indicated, so this can also be a good way
to learn to recognize some of the flags of the world).
Finally, the driver's look/appearance can be selected by
using the left and right buttons on the D-pad to rotate
through the possibilities.
Unfortunately, there are NO female driver 'looks' available
in V-Rally 3, which can be perceived as a definite slap in
the face toward female players. While most rally drivers
(and navigators) have historically been male, there have been
a few females in rally racing competition, such as Andrea
Aghini.
Driver creation is important, because V-Rally Mode (the
game's career mode) uses each driver's file to save career
information; the driver file also contains information for
Time Attack Mode and Challenge Mode. Driver files are saved
independently on the memory card, so the only real limit on
the number of drivers available is the amount of space on the
player's memory card.
Once at least one driver has been created, Delete will delete
a selected driver.
Compare can be used to compare the records and performance of
any two drivers. Comparisons are done across each gameplay
mode and overall.
Pressbook should actually be titled 'Pressbooks,' because
there are really two volumes involved. One volume lists a
driver's stage and career records, while the other volume
more closely tracks the driver's career (including a bar
graph noting the driver's ups and downs in a career, once a
minimum of two seasons have been completed). Note that
Pressbook can also be accessed from various screens in V-
Rally Mode, thus providing the player with up-to-the-moment
information on her or his rally racing career.
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POINTS
There are two 'types' of points used in V-Rally 3. First,
within V-Rally Mode (the game's career mode), points are
awarded to the top-placing drivers at each rally based upon
how they finish the rally (those drivers who do not
successfully complete all five stages of a rally - i.e.,
those who retire early due to vehicle breakdown, severe
accident, or player cancellation - WILL NOT receive any
points for that rally):
Place Points Place Points Place Points
----- ------ ----- ------ ----- ------
1 25 6 10 12 4
2 20 7 9 13 3
3 16 8 8 14 2
4 13 9 7 15 1
5 11 10 6 16 0
11 5
As mentioned in the Drivers section (above), any two drivers
can have their records (Pressbooks) compared. This
comparison can be done by gameplay mode and by overall
records. All comparisons are based upon points for each feat
in the game (such as besting the default time in Time Attack
Mode, or by winning championships in V-Rally Mode) - with the
best-performing driver in each area receiving one point -
attained across the three gameplay modes of V-Rally 3:
Time Attack Mode
Each country has eight total stages (four initial
stages, and the reverse configuration of each stage).
The driver receives one point for each stage where she
or he has set the record time for the stage. Thus,
a grand total of forty-eight points can be attained in
Time Attack Mode.
Challenge Mode
Each challenge offers a number of points determined by
the number of stages involved in the challenge. Points
are only offered for the default challenges; player-
created challenges (via Extra Challenges) are not
included in the Pressbook. A total of twenty-four
points are available within Challenge Mode, with the
best-performing driver in each challenge receiving an
appropriate number of points:
Saxo 3 points Pirelli 6 points
Polo 4 points Michelin 6 points
206 5 points
V-Rally Mode
The calculation of points for V-Rally Mode is the
default value listed below multiplied by the number of
times a driver has accomplished a given feat. For
example, a Rally Victory is worth three points; a
driver who has won twenty rallies will earn a total of
sixty points based solely upon rally victories.
Rally Victories 3 points each
1.6L FWD Titles 10 points each
2.0L 4WD Titles (V-Rally Titles) 20 points each
Note that due to the never-ending nature of V-Rally
Mode, this is the only gameplay mode with no cap on
the number of points a driver can acquire in the game.
Therefore, if Driver A has received the maximum number
of points from Time Attack Mode and Challenge Mode,
Driver B could still be deemed the overall 'better'
driver for having played through numerous seasons and
won an insane number of rallies (and potentially
championships).
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V-RALLY MODE
This is the main area of focus in V-Rally 3, allowing a
player to pursue a rally racing career. V-Rally Mode begins
with the player's Office, where a career is managed (and to
where the player returns between rallies). The Office menu
allows the player to access and read e-mails, view driver and
team rankings in both the 1.6L FWD and 2.0L 4WD classes,
personal data and goals, and the driver's pressbook. The
final category, 'Rally!,' takes the player to the first/next
rally of the season.
E-mails are important. Some are from various rally racing
magazines and Web sites, providing information about how the
season is progressing. Others are from various teams, either
offering potential driving contracts (usually via driving
tests first) or other team-related information. Once the
player has selected a team and signed a contract, the team
manager will also send e-mails with information and/or
motivation. [To this extent, the lack of cutscenes featuring
interactions between the player's chosen driver and various
personnel (team manager, other drivers, etc.) is quite
apparent, especially for those who have played the excellent
PlayStation2 game Pro Race Driver.] In some cases, the
player can even 'create' responses to the received e-mails.
While it is possible to simply move on to the next rally
without reading any of the e-mails (once a contract has been
signed for a season), it is best to at least read the subject
headers of all the available e-mails to be able to take
advantage of any test drives which may become available based
upon the player's performance in the previous rally or
rallies.
Each rally season is a bit different. There are four rallies
in the 1.6L FWD category and six rallies in the 2.0L 4WD
category each season. However, the counties hosting each
rally and stages of each rally tend to be modified (i.e.,
selected at random by the CPU) for each season, so it is
simply not possible to expect to run the exact same stages
season after season after season; this is one of the things
which separates V-Rally 3 from other rally racing games such
as World Rally Championship (which uses much longer seasons,
but all the stages are always in the same order across all
levels of gameplay difficulty).
Service Areas are the only places at which vehicle repairs
can be effected, and these come at various points throughout
each rally; this means that it may be necessary to drive two
or more stages between Service Areas, which can be
particularly important if a vehicle is carrying a lot of
damage for several consecutive stages. More importantly,
each team is permitted only thirty minutes to effect repairs
on a vehicle, and each type of repair takes a given amount of
time to perform, so player selection of what should be
repaired at each Service Area is highly important - ALMOST as
important as keeping the rally car on the roadway and NOT
incurring any damage. It is important to make repair
decisions quickly, especially if EVERYTHING needs to be
repaired, because the thirty-minute clock begins counting
down as soon as the player enters the Service Area; time
wasted in making decisions can potentially mean that one or
more aspects of the vehicle cannot be repaired in the time
remaining.
At the beginning of each rally and immediately after each
Service Area, the player can adjust the car's tuning to
maximize performance in the upcoming stage(s). The various
tuning options are more fully explained below in the Tuning
section. It is extremely important to make use of the stage
information, to closely study the maps and read the
information on the anticipated conditions (of both the
roadway and the weather), as this will be the greatest
determinant of how a vehicle is tuned.
Note that should a player participate in multiple seasons in
the 2.0L 4WD category, the placement or the positioning of
the Service Areas in each rally is prone to change. For
example, in the first two or three seasons, the first Service
Area will follow the first stage of a rally. In later
seasons, the first Service Area in some rallies will instead
come after the SECOND stage of a rally.
Between seasons, the player can choose to move on to other
teams based upon the e-mails received in the Office. Again,
this will generally first require a test drive, followed by a
contract proposal should the player perform well enough in
the test drive. Fortunately, while test drives require the
player to complete a given stage within the time limit
specified, there does not appear to be any problems should
the car become damaged, so long as the stage IS completed
within the specified time limit.
The player should anticipate approximately thirty minutes to
complete a (five-stage) rally in V-Rally Mode. In most
cases, even with taking a few minutes to consider car set-ups
at each opportunity, a full rally should not take this long,
but it is certainly better to plan for too much time than for
too little time :-)
Also, in V-Rally Mode, there will often be times when the
player must successfully complete two or more rally stages
before arriving at a Service Area to repair any damages and
tune the car for the next set of stages. The player will
likely be forced to make some potentially-difficult decisions
when running consecutive stages without a Service Area; for
example:
1.) If the first stage has 85% mud and 15% wet gravel, and
the second stage has 100% loose gravel, which tire
compound is best to produce lower times across the
combined stages?
2.) If the first stage has numerous tight, twisty corners
with virtually no straightaways between them, and the
second stage has only very minor corners and rather
lengthy straightaways, what is the best gear ratio
setting to use across the combined stages?
3.) If the first stage has severe foggy conditions and the
second stage has pristine daylight conditions, how
will these visibility issues affect vehicle set-up
and/or driver performance?
Obviously, it is not always possible to achieve a 'happy
medium' between consecutive stages when the stages involved
are extremely different. This is where A LOT of educated
guesswork comes into play. In these situations, it is very
important for the player to be consciously aware of the Human
and vehicle limitations and strengths. Also, if the player
has previously amassed a great lead (of time) over the rest
of the competitors, then the player can lose a given amount
of time on one stage and excel on the other by tuning 'only'
for one of the stages (fully recognizing that time will be
lost on the other stage, but still tuning and driving in such
as manner as to attempt to minimize the time which will be
lost in this endeavor).
Unless the player has explicitly switched to manual saving,
quitting V-Rally Mode will AUTOMATICALLY save game progress.
Therefore, should the player not like her or his performance
in a rally, the only way to be able to re-enter V-Rally Mode
from the previous save point is to restart the console and
reload the game, re-entering V-Rally Mode normally.
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TIME ATTACK MODE
Time Attack Mode is the player's opportunity to try out
various stages to record the lowest possible completion time;
the current lowest completion times are always displayed on
the stage information screen as each stage is loaded in
preparation for each mode's gameplay. There are various
options to customize the Time Attack Mode experience, from
selecting the rally and stage (in the forward or reverse
configuration) to vehicle selection to tuning.
First, the player is required to select a driver (at least
one driver must be available in order to play V-Rally 3).
Next, the player can select a rally; selecting a host country
for a rally brings up a sub-screen where the player can
select a stage, but only the first stage in each rally is
initially available.
Vehicle selection is next. There are a number of cars in the
1.6L FWD and the 2.0L 4WD class from which to choose, but a
selection of bonus cars may also be available based upon the
bonus vehicle(s) the player has received in progressing
through the game. Once a car has been selected, the player
can view detailed data on the chosen vehicle, and can also
take a Close View - which allows the player to customize the
car's look and/or features, rotate the vehicle using the left
and right buttons on the D-pad, and zoom in and out.
Next, the car's set-up can be adjusted. See the Tuning
section (below) for details. Once all this has been set to
the player's liking, it is time to hit the stage!!!
At the completion of the stage, the player is given the
option to save the time just completed. Next, the player can
choose to rerun the stage, view a replay, view the telemetry
for the stage (which details the player's performance in
relation to the optimal racing line for that stage), or exit
back to the Time Attack Mode menu.
Note that for each country, there are four stages shown, but
only one stage is initially available; beating the default
record time at each stage unlocks the next stage. Once the
fourth stage's default record time has been bested, then the
player can select from all four stages in either the forward
or reverse direction on future Time Attack Mode attempts.
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CHALLENGE MODE
Here, the player must complete various challenges. Challenge
Mode sets the player on three or more stages, which must all
be completed within a specified time limit. The stages are
not necessarily from the same rally, meaning that the player
will likely be presented with vastly different terrain types.
First, the player must select a driver; at least one driver
must be available in order to play V-Rally 3. Then the
player can select a challenge from among those presented (by
using the left and right buttons on the D-pad), and view the
car used for the challenge.
Next, the player is shown the times to beat for the
challenge. The player can also customize the car's tuning;
see the Tuning section below for details. Then, the player
heads to the first stage.
Following the first stage, the player is shown the
performance (time) and given the opportunity to view a
replay, and then is allowed to prepare in the same manner for
the second stage; this repeats for all the stages. Upon the
completion of the final stage of a challenge, the player may
be shown a trophy presentation and given the name of the next
challenge.
Please note that some challenges must be completed with a
specific vehicle, whereas other challenges will allow the
player to choose from a small selection of vehicles. Also,
once a challenge has been successfully passed, the next
challenge in the series will become available, and all
previous challenges can also be selected.
There are only five default challenges in Challenge Mode.
Once Extra Challenges has been unlocked, any created
challenges will appear for selection after the default
challenges. However, created challenges and their record
times DO NOT appear in a driver's Pressbook (or in a driver
comparison, which is based upon the Pressbook concept).
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TUNING
There are various tuning options available in many gameplay
modes of V-Rally 3. Note that once a tuning sub-category has
been selected, adjustments are made in a pop-up mini-screen.
Tires
Selection There are twelve tire compounds offered
in V-Rally 3, and each team selects the
three which should be best-suited for a
given rally (indicated at the bottom of
the Tire Selection sub-screen). However,
the player can override the team's
decisions and choose from any of the
twelve available tire compounds.
Proper tire selection is EXTREMELY
important, as selecting the wrong tire
compound for a stage can slow the car by
up to several seconds PER SECTOR.
However, since most of the stages in
V-Rally Mode (the game's career mode) are
run consecutively without any Service
Areas and opportunities to change vehicle
settings, this will sometimes mean a MAJOR
compromise on one stage in order to attain
the best possible time on another stage.
Pressure Lowering tire pressure flattens the tire
and allows more of the tire to grip the
roadway, but this sacrifices top-end
speed. Conversely, raising tire pressure
increases top-end speed by reducing the
contact area and overall grip with the
roadway.
Chassis
Suspension The suspension allows for a given amount
of movement in the axles, and should be
ideally set so that the main body of the
car not pitch or jump around due to bumps.
For smooth surfaces, a hard suspension
setting is best. For rough or bumpy
surfaces, a softer suspension is best
(allowing for more axle movement).
Ride Height Ride height is important for both
regulating the passage of air underneath
the vehicle and for ensuring the vehicle
does not scrape the roadway, especially at
the top of jumps and crests and when
landing after a jump. Higher ride height
settings slow the car somewhat due to more
air passing underneath the vehicle, but
reduce the chances of the car bottoming
out (which can slow the vehicle even
more). Lower ride height settings can
slightly increase overall speed due to
less aerodynamic friction, but greatly
increase the possibility of the underside
of the car scraping the roadway.
Stabilizers Stabilizers are designed to ensure the
vehicle remains upright, thus reducing the
potential for a rollover incident
(especially when cornering quickly). A
higher stabilizer setting provides more
stability, but cornering can be more
difficult. A lower setting creates a
greater risk of a rollover accident, but
cornering can be made easier at higher
speeds.
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio Shorter gear ratios provide faster and
stronger acceleration, but at the
sacrifice of top-end speed. Longer gear
ratios provide faster top-end speed, but
acceleration will be slower and weaker.
Differentials This controls the amount of power going to
each wheel of the car.
Brakes Brake settings here can be made in two
areas. First, brake balance can be
adjusted, so that the maximum braking
power can be located more toward one end
of the vehicle (if centered, then 50% of
the braking power goes to the front wheels
with the remaining 50% going to the rear
wheels).
Independent of brake balance is brake
strength (which can also be adjusted in
the driving-specific tuning options
below). A harder brake strength reduces
the required braking zone before a corner,
whereas a softer brake strength
necessitates a longer braking zone. Also,
harder brake strength settings risk to
create wheel-lock if the brakes are
applied harshly (which is a natural
driver reaction if an accident is about to
occur), thus causing the vehicle to slide
and not decelerate properly.
There are also driving-specific tuning options which can be
made on a separate screen before heading to the stage(s).
Note that once a driving-specific sub-category has been
selected, adjustments are made in a pop-up mini-screen.
Car Options
Gear Box Select between Automatic and Manual
Transmission. This is set to Automatic by
default.
Steering This controls steering sensitivity, or the
amount of delay between button press and
car response
Acceleration This controls the rate of acceleration
Brakes This controls brake strength. Note that
this DOES NOT handle brake balance, which
can only be adjusted in the actual Tuning
section.
Ghost Activate and deactivate the ghost car (if
applicable)
Controller
Configure Change button configuration
Vibration Select between low, medium, and high
vibration rate
It is important to remember that these tuning options can
only be accessed at the beginning of a rally and immediately
after each Service Area. Therefore, it may be necessary to
think several stages ahead in terms of tuning options, which
means that the vehicle may not perform well in one stage but
will likely excel in another.
Also, when a player takes part in a teams' driving test in V-
Rally Mode (the game's career mode), the player is not
permitted to tune the vehicle.
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NAVIGATORSPEAK (ENGLISH LANGUAGE AUDIO)
V-Rally 3 (in the North American version) offers audio in
English (the default setting), French, and Spanish. This
section covers the navigator's driving instructions in
English.
The navigator will give instructions to inform you of the
many twists and bumps in the road ahead. Many times, these
instructions are spot-on, although at times they are given
just as you reach the specific corner or caution mentioned.
Sometimes, however, the instructions are not quite exact, so
take care to not follow the instructions to the letter
without questioning. For this reason, it is also important
for the player to keep looking as far ahead as possible, so
as to not be mislead by any incorrect instructions and to
also (hopefully) spot any potential shortcuts or unannounced
areas of potential danger.
If the sign panels at the top-center of the screen are
activated, these will exactly mimic visually what the
navigator is saying. Further, two panels are shown; the
bottom panel represents the current instruction, whereas the
top panel (largely off-screen) indicates the following
instruction. The top panel will slide down to the bottom
when appropriate.
Distance: The navigator will sometimes indicate distance.
This is measured in meters (remember that one meter is
slightly longer than thirty-nine inches). '100' and '150'
are the most common distance calls, although distances as
long as '250' are also used on occasion.
Direction: The navigator will indicate whether the upcoming
turn is to the left or the right.
'2' Corners: These turns have the harshest angles, and almost
always require braking.
'3' Corners: These are moderate corners. Braking may be
required, depending on the surroundings and the car's speed
entering these corners.
'4' and '5' Corners: These are the turns with the slightest
angles, and can generally be taken at flat-out acceleration.
'And:' This functions as a conjunction, indicating that the
second instruction immediately follows the first instruction.
It is also possible to be given a 'sentence' with 'and' used
repeatedly to join multiple instructions. Note that 'and'
can be interchanged with 'into' without any change in
meaning; however, 'and' is used more often because it is
shorter to pronounce.
'Care:' This catch-all call indicates a dangerous section
ahead. This could include steep embankments, deep ditches, a
narrowing of the road, a minor jump or crest, or other
potential problems.
'Caution:' This catch-all call is stronger than the 'Care'
call. Some slowing may be in order here. (There may also be
the Caution symbol - an exclamation point in a white triangle
bordered in red - which appears at the center-top of the
screen at times, but no auditory instructions noting that a
dangerous area or obstacle is ahead, so it is always
important for the player to keep her or his attention at
least moderately focused upon the visual instructions at the
center-top of the screen.)
'Crest:' This call indicates a rise in the road ahead which
will obscure the view if using one of the in-car cameras.
'Cut:' This means that a corner SHOULD be able to be shortcut
at least slightly without causing any damage to the vehicle.
'Don't Cut:' Perhaps the most important utterance from the
navigator, this call indicates that shortcutting the apex of
the upcoming corner will produce extreme danger. This can
range from large rocks or boulders at the apex to an
unprotected cliff drop-off. This call takes on added
importance when on a steep uphill or downhill grade during a
turn, especially in hairpin corners.
'Flat:' A corner with this designation is even gentler than a
'5' corner, and can easily be handled at full acceleration
without any difficulties.
'Hairpin' Corners: Interestingly, many so-called 'hairpins'
are actually U-shaped, double-apex corners.
'Into:' See 'And,' above.
'Jump:' This call indicates a rise that will send the car
airborne if taken at full speed.
'Keep' + Direction: Stay to the indicated side of the roadway
in order to avoid one or more obstacles or dangers.
'Long:' The upcoming corner is long. While this is not
always the case, a corner designated as 'long' will often
include an implied 'tightens.'
'Narrows:' The road ahead will narrow.
'Opens:' The upcoming corner has an increasing radius. Use
caution in accelerating, as accelerating too soon could
result in hitting obstacles or flying off cliffs.
'Outside:' Instead of cornering normally (outside to
apex/inside to outside), keep a wide berth around the corner
in order to avoid one or more obstacles or dangers.
'Straight:' Listed in the game manual but not actually used
in the game, this call indicates to go straight through the
upcoming (slight) turns.
'Tightens:' The upcoming corner has a decreasing radius.
Slowing will almost certainly be required before exiting the
corner. While this is not always the case, a corner
designated as 'long' or 'very long' will often include an
implied 'tightens.'
'Tunnel:' There is a tunnel ahead. This is an important
warning, meaning that the driver must be sure to remain on
the official roadway to avoid slamming into the side(s) of
the tunnel.
'Very Long:' The upcoming corner is extensive and will seem
to go on forever. While this is not always the case, a
corner designated as 'very long' will often include an
implied 'tightens.'
==============================================
GENERAL TIPS
Buy or rent or borrow any game in the Gran Turismo series,
but especially Gran Turismo 2 or 3. In one of these games,
work through the License Tests, as this will teach how to
approach the various elements of racing, from judging braking
distances to controlling a car on a surface with little grip.
Gran Turismo 2 introduced rally racing to the series, so GT2
and GT3 both include a Rally License; the time and effort
spent in acquiring the Rally License in GT2 or GT3 will help
with World Rally Challenge. Overall, Gran Turismo 2 is
probably a better choice of the three games in the Gran
Turismo series, as GT2 includes the Pikes Peak Hill Climb and
Pikes Peak Downhill courses, the only point-to-point rally
venues in the series thus far (all other rally events are
held at actual circuits); unfortunately, both Pikes Peak
stages were removed for Gran Turismo 3 :-(
In rally racing, the principles of standard pavement-based
racing apply. However, there is generally less tire grip in
rally racing, which makes anticipation a key element in
correctly holding a tight racing line at the apex of a
corner, in judging braking distances on a steep downhill
grade, etc.
In general, '4' and '5' corners do not require braking to
safely clear; '2' corners and hairpins DO require braking;
'3' corners may necessitate braking depending on the
surroundings and the entry speed. However, if on a steep
uphill or downhill grade, even '4' corners may require
braking, while possibly '2' corners will not necessitate
braking. Hairpins ALWAYS require braking.
Do not depend solely upon the navigator's instructions and
the sign icons at the top-center of the screen (if activated)
to drive cleanly through each stage. Try to look as far
ahead as possible and use the lay of the land to determine
what the road ahead will entail. Most roads follow the
contours of mountains, using a series of switchbacks for
climbing and descending steep mountainsides; those with even
moderate backpacking experience will be easily able to
recognize these contour patterns and thus be better able to
anticipate upcoming corners. On occasion, visibility is
clear so far ahead that it is possible to see turns several
hundred meters - or more - beyond what the navigator is
currently saying. Some roads leave one particular mountain
and run along an adjacent mountain, and this can sometimes
also be seen across a valley. For those roads atop short
ridges or in vast plains, it is often possible to see the
various turns far ahead. Try to use really tall objects such
as trees - and especially telephone poles, as they are almost
ALWAYS located directly next to the road - to determine the
location and severity of upcoming turns.
While not always the case, hairpin corners in V-Rally 3 often
come in pairs (with each corner leading in an opposite
direction). This is good to remember for anticipating
upcoming corners.
Proper tire selection is EXTREMELY important, as selecting
the wrong tire compound for a stage can slow the car by up to
several seconds PER SECTOR. However, since most of the
stages in V-Rally Mode (the game's career mode) are run
consecutively without any Service Areas and opportunities to
change vehicle settings, this will sometimes mean a MAJOR
compromise on one stage in order to attain the best possible
time on another stage.
To the extent possible, ALWAYS brake in a straight line. If
braking only occurs when cornering, the car will likely be
carrying too much speed for the corner, resulting in the car
sliding, spinning, and/or flipping. (While a car may not
necessarily flip in this situation, a slide or spin can still
mean the difference between winning and ending up in last
position at the end of a stage.)
There may also be the Caution symbol - an exclamation point
in a white triangle bordered in red - which appears at the
center-top of the screen at times, but no auditory
instructions noting that a dangerous area or obstacle is
ahead, so it is always important for the player to keep her
or his attention at least moderately focused upon the visual
instructions at the center-top of the screen.
It is best to always keep one finger hovering over the
reposition button (set to the L1 button by default if using a
standard controller). Should this button accidentally be
pressed while actually on the roadway, nothing will occur.
However, once the vehicle spins, flips, and/or leaves the
roadway, pressing this button will generally quickly
reposition the car on the roadway. This is obviously FAR
faster than trying to slow enough to regain control of the
vehicle and return to the roadway normally. Especially in
the 2.0L 4WD category, this is very important, as it will be
significantly more difficult to win rallies than in the 1.6L
FWD category.
On occasion, various animals will cross the roadway in front
of the player' chosen vehicle. There is no need for concern
or even for evasive action in these situations, as these are
effectively just moving holograms and do not cause any damage
at all (or even vibrations) to the vehicle (think of the
holodeck technology with the safety protocols engaged in the
various post-1985 Star Trek series and films).
It is important to remember that in the points standings,
should the player be tied with a CPU-controlled driver, the
CPU-controlled driver will be officially ranked ahead of the
player :-(
==============================================
==============================================
==============================================
RACING TIPS: BRAKING
The first step in driving fast is knowing when, where, and
how much to slow down (braking). In some games, a brake
controller can be acquired or purchased, allowing the player
to customize the brake strength by axle or by adjusting the
bias of the brakes toward the front or the rear of the car;
in other games, this is part of the 'stock' feature of the
cars.
The use of a brake controller will affect the braking zone,
as will other factors. Specifically, the car's speed on
approaching a corner, the amount of fuel in the car at a
given moment, the drivetrain of the car, the weight of the
car, and even the car's center of gravity can all affect the
braking zone. Similarly, the driving conditions - sunny,
overcast, damp, wet, icy, snowy etc. - will affect the
braking zone for each corner (as well as the car's ability to
attain high speeds).
Except for purely arcade-style games, the braking zone will
differ somewhat for each car depending upon its strengths and
weaknesses. It certainly helps for the player to try a Free
Run or a Time Trial (if these modes exist in a given game) to
learn the circuit(s) - including the braking zones.
When looking for braking zones, try to find a particular
stationary object near the entry of each corner; it helps
tremendously if this object is far enough away from the
circuit that it will not be knocked over during a race. To
begin, try using the brakes when the front of the car is
parallel with the chosen stationary object. If this does not
slow the car enough before corner entry or if the car slows
too much before reaching the corner, pick another stationary
object on the following lap and try again.
Whenever changes are made to the car - whether to the brake
controller or to other aspects of tuning and/or parts - it
would be a good idea to go back into Free Run mode and check
that the braking zones still hold; if not, adjust as
necessary using the method in the paragraph above.
For those races which include fuel loads, the car will become
progressively lighter during a race. The lesser weight can
often mean a slightly shorter braking zone; however, if tire
wear is excessive (especially if there have been numerous
off-course excursions), that might dictate a longer braking
zone.
Cars with a higher horsepower output will inherently attain
faster speeds, and will therefore require a longer braking
zone than cars with a lower horsepower output. Try a
Volkswagon New Beetle, a Mini Cooper, a Dodge Viper, a Panoz
Esperante GT-1, a Corvette C5R, and an F-2002 (all in
stock/base configuration) along the same area of a circuit
and note how their braking zones differ.
A final note on braking: To the extent possible, ALWAYS brake
in a straight line. If braking only occurs when cornering,
the car will likely be carrying too much speed for the
corner, resulting in the car sliding, spinning, and/or
flipping. (Some games purposely do not permit the car to
flip, but a slide or spin can still mean the difference
between winning and ending up in last position at the end of
a race.)
If nothing else, players should strive to become of the
'breakers' they possibly can. This will essentially force a
player to become a better racer/driver in general once the
player has overcome the urge to constantly run at top speed
at all times with no regard for damages to self or others.
Also, slowing the car appropriately will make other aspects
of racing/driving easier, especially in J-turns, hairpin
corners, and chicanes.
==============================================
RACING TIPS: CORNERING
Ideally, the best way to approach a corner is from the
outside of the turn, braking well before entering the corner.
At the apex (the midpoint of the corner), the car should be
right up against the edge of the roadway. On corner exit,
the car drifts back to the outside of the roadway and speeds
off down the straightaway. So, for a right-hand turn of
about ninety degrees, enter the corner from the left, come to
the right to hit the apex, and drift back to the left on
corner exit. See the Diagrams section at the end of this
guide for a sample standard corner.
For corners that are less than ninety degrees, it may be
possible to just barely tap the brakes - if at all - and be
able to clear such corners successfully. However, the same
principles of cornering apply: approach from the outside of
the turn, hit the apex, and drift back outside on corner
exit.
For corners more than ninety degrees but well less than 180
degrees, braking will certainly be required. However, for
these 'J-turns,' the apex of the corner is not the midpoint,
but a point approximately two-thirds of the way around the
corner. J-turns require great familiarity to know when to
begin diving toward the inside of the corner and when to
power to the outside on corner exit. See the Diagrams
section at the end of this guide for a sample J-turn.
Hairpin corners are turns of approximately 180 degrees.
Braking is certainly required before corner entry, and the
cornering process is the same as for standard corners:
Approach from the outside, drift inside to hit the apex
(located at halfway around the corner, or after turning
ninety degrees), and drifting back to the outside on corner
exit. See the Diagrams section at the end of this guide for
a sample hairpin corner.
If there are two corners of approximately ninety degrees each
AND both corners turn in the same direction AND there is only
a VERY brief straightaway between the two corners, they may
be able to be treated like an extended hairpin corner.
Sometimes, however, these 'U-turns' have a straightaway
between the corners that is just long enough to prohibit a
hairpin-like treatment; in this case, drifting to the outside
on exiting the first of the two corners will automatically
set up the approach to the next turn. See the Diagrams
section at the end of this guide for a sample U-turn.
FIA (the governing body of F1 racing, World Rally
Championship, and other forms of international motorsport)
seems to love chicanes. One common type of chicane is
essentially a 'quick-flick,' where the circuit quickly edges
off in one direction then realigns itself in a path parallel
to the original stretch of pavement, as in the examples in
the Diagrams section at the end of this guide. Here, the
object is to approach the first corner from the outside, hit
BOTH apexes, and drift to the outside of the second turn.
There are chicanes of various types in rally racing, but they
are not necessarily considered as such because the
competitors tend to think corner-by-corner, and not complex-
by-complex like circuit-based competitors.
FIA also seems to like the 'Bus Stop' chicane, which is
essentially just a pair of quick-flicks, with the second
forming the mirror image of the first, as shown in the
Diagrams section at the end of this guide. Perhaps the most
famous Bus Stop chicane is the chicane (which is actually
called the ÔBus Stop ChicaneÕ) at Pit Entry at Spa-
Francorchamps, the home of the annual Grand Prix of Belgium
(F1 racing) and the host of The 24 Hours of Spa (for
endurance racing).
Virtually every other type of corner or corner combination
encountered in racing (primarily in road racing) combines
elements of the corners presented above. These complex
corners and chicanes can be challenging, such as the Ascari
chicane at Monza. See the Diagrams section for an idea of
the formation of Ascari.
However, in illegal street/highway racing, the positioning of
traffic can 'create' the various corners and corner
combinations mentioned here. For example, weaving in and out
of traffic creates a virtual bus stop chicane (see the
Diagrams section at the end of this guide). Slowing may be
necessary - it often is - depending on the distance between
the vehicles. See the Sample Circuit Using Some of the Above
Corner Types Combines in the Diagrams section at the end of
this guide; note that this is a diagram for a very technical
circuit.
At some race venues, 'artificial chicanes' may be created by
placing cones and/or (concrete) barriers in the middle of a
straightaway. One such game which used this type of chicane
is the original Formula1 by Psygnosis, an F1-based
PlayStation game from 1995, which used this at Circuit
Gilles-Villeneuve along Casino Straight (shortly after
passing the final grandstands at the exit of Casino Hairpin).
One thing which can change the approach to cornering is the
available vision. Blind and semi-blind corners require
ABSOLUTE knowledge of such corners. Here is where gamers
have an advantage over real-world drivers: Gamers can
(usually) change their viewpoint (camera position), which can
sometimes provide a wider, clearer view of the stage, which
can be especially important when approaching semi-blind
corners; real-world drivers are obviously inhibited by the
designs of their cars and racing helmets. Great examples of
real-world blind and semi-blind corners would be Mulsanne
Hump at Le Mans, Turns 14 and 15 at Albert Park, each of the
first three corners at A1-Ring, and many forest-based stages
in rally racing.
Also important to cornering - especially with long, extended
corners - is the cornerÕs radius. Most corners use an
identical radius throughout their length. However, some are
increasing-radius corners or decreasing-radius corners.
These corners may require shifting the apex point of a
corner, and almost always result in a change of speed.
Decreasing-radius corners are perhaps the trickiest, because
the angle of the corner becomes sharper, thus generally
requiring more braking as well as more turning of the
steering wheel. Increasing-radius corners are corners for
which the angle becomes more and more gentle as the corner
progresses; this means that drivers will generally accelerate
more, harder, or faster, but such an extra burst of speed can
backfire and require more braking. See the Diagrams section
at the end of this guide for sample images of a decreasing-
radius corner and an increasing-radius corner.
For traditional road racing circuits, increasing-radius and
decreasing-radius corners may not be too much of a problem;
after several laps around one of these circuits, a driver
will know where the braking and acceleration points are as
well as the shifted apex point (should a shift be required).
However, for stage-based rally racing, where the roads are
virtually unknown and the driver knows what is ahead only
because of the navigatorÕs instructions (which - based upon
notes - may or may not be absolutely correct), the unknown
can cause drivers to brake more often and/or more heavily.
For rally-based games, such as the Need for Speed: V-Rally
series (PlayStation/PSOne/PlayStation2) or for World Rally
Championship (PlayStation2), there is often specialized
vocabulary used: ÔtightensÕ generally designates that a
corner has a decreasing radius, whereas ÔwidensÕ or ÔopensÕ
indicates that a corner has an increasing radius. This need
for ÔextraÕ braking is also tempered by the fact that in much
of rally racing, corners are either blind or semi-blind, due
to trees, buildings, cliffs, embankments, and other obstacles
to clear vision all the way around a corner.
One particularly interesting aspect of cornering is one which
I honestly do not know if it works in reality (I am not a
real-world racer, although I would certainly LOVE the chance
to attend a racing school!!!), but which works in numerous
racing/driving games I have played over the years. This
aspect is to use the accelerator to help with quickly and
safely navigating sharp corners. This works by first BRAKING
AS USUAL IN ADVANCE OF THE CORNER, then - once in the corner
itself - rapidly pumping the brakes for the duration of the
corner (or at least until well past the apex of the corner).
The action of rapidly pumping the accelerator appears to
cause the drive wheels to catch the pavement just enough to
help stop or slow a sliding car, causing the non-drive wheels
to continue slipping and the entire car to turn just a little
faster. Using this rapid-pumping technique with the
accelerator does take a little practice initially, and seems
to work best with FR cars; however, once perfected, this
technique can pay dividends, especially with REALLY sharp
hairpin corners, such as at Sebring International Raceway or
those often found in rally racing.
==============================================
RACING TIPS: COASTING
Some players may believe that a good racer is ALWAYS either
accelerating or braking. However, this is not always the
best way to approach a given section of a circuit or rally
stage. Coasting can sometimes be beneficial.
First, consider standard street or highway driving. Street-
legal cars are designed for the same foot to be used for both
acceleration and braking (with the other foot used for
operating the clutch if the vehicle uses a manual
transmission). There is always a slight delay between
acceleration and braking as the driver moves the foot from
one pedal to the other; during this time, the vehicle is
essentially coasting - that is, the vehicle's current
momentum is the only thing moving the vehicle.
In real-world racing, there are a number of drivers who use
'left-foot braking.' In other words, one foot is used for
the accelerator, while the other foot is used for the brake
pedal. Yet even in left-foot braking, a driver must take
care to NOT be pressing both the accelerator pedal AND the
brake pedal simultaneously, as this could cause the engine
revs to spike and/or cause undue tire wear. Therefore, even
though for a much shorter duration (perhaps best measured in
hundredths of a second) than in standard 'right-foot
braking,' there is always a short period of coasting.
In many racing games, I find that coasting through tight
corners (including tight chicanes) can sometimes be the best
method to safely navigate these difficult sections - and this
is true in both pavement-based games and in rally-based
games. Certainly, braking properly (i.e., in a straight line
BEFORE reaching the corner or chicane) is key to successfully
coasting. However, using NEITHER the accelerator button NOR
the brake button will cause the vehicle to coast, thus using
the natural momentum of the vehicle to perhaps swing the
vehicle around the corner or through the chicane.
This is actually somewhat tricky to explain in words, and is
really something that each player should try several times
(especially on tight, technical circuits, such as Monaco and
Bathurst, or virtually any stage of a rally-based game) to
truly understand this technique. Once learned, however,
players may easily find themselves adding this technique to
their gaming repertoire :-)
==============================================
RACING TIPS: WEIGHT SHIFTS
Modern racing games are especially adept at simulating a
vehicle's weight shift in a variety of situations. This
section assumes that a vehicle is moving in a forward
direction.
When cornering, a vehicle's weight shift is to the opposite
direction; in other words, if a vehicle is turning to the
left, its weight will be shifted to the right (and vice
versa). If the player attempts to corner too quickly, the
resultant weight shift risks to slide the vehicle toward the
outside of the turn; in extreme cases, the vehicle could lift
and have only TWO wheels actually touching the ground, or
potentially the vehicle could even flip onto its side or its
roof!!! While it is certainly fun to see a vehicle on two
wheels or on its side or roof, this is obviously counter-
productive, especially in a close race or in a time trial
mode. Tires and downforce play a role in helping to keep the
vehicle on the ground during cornering, but once a given
speed is surpassed for the type, radius, and angle of the
corner in question, the player will have limited - if any -
control of the vehicle.
During acceleration, the vehicle's weight will naturally
shift toward the rear. In most situations, this is not a
particularly crucial phenomenon. However, if the vehicle is
moving fairly slowly and the player suddenly slams on the
accelerator, or especially if a race has a standing start
(such as F1, TOCA, and rally races), this weight shift should
be crucial. As the vehicle weight shifts to the rear of the
vehicle, the rear suspension and tires could potentially take
a lot of punishment. This is especially important for the
tires, as the extra weight will require an appropriate amount
of 'extra' acceleration (especially if the vehicle uses rear-
wheel drive, which is true of many racing vehicles) to
compensate and get the wheels to turn enough for the tires to
adequately grip the racing surface to help to propel the
vehicle forward. However, overcompensation could result in
excessive wheelspin, which is quite likely to create undue
tire wear.
While braking, a vehicle's weight will shift toward the front
of the vehicle. If the player brakes too late to corner
safely yet still attempts to take the corner even semi-
normally, the weight will load to the front outside wheel (in
relation to the corner; i.e., to the front-left wheel if
taking a right-hand corner) and risk causing the vehicle to
slide off the course in the direction of the front-outside
wheel. Even if not attempting to corner, the weight shift to
the front during braking requires a little extra care to
ensure that the front wheels do not lock (in those games
which support wheel-lock, such as Pro Race Driver).
In rally racing especially, the trick to successfully
navigating many of the tight corners on the various stages is
to use the vehicle's natural weight shifts to help
successfully clear each section of the stage. This requires
excellent knowledge of each rally car's capabilities and
limitations, as well as superb anticipation and planning for
each corner. Obviously, since most rallies are held on
point-to-point stages, there is only one chance to
successfully navigate each twist in the raceway, and using a
vehicle's natural weight shift is crucial to 'getting it
right' the first (and only) time!!!
==============================================
RACING TIPS: WET-WEATHER RACING/DRIVING
Almost everything written to this point in the guide focuses
solely upon dry-weather racing/driving conditions. In fact,
most racing/driving games deal ONLY with dry-weather
conditions. However, simulation-based games (such as rally
games) will include at least a few wet-conditions situations.
This can range from Gran Turismo 3 - which uses two circuits
(hosting a total of eight races between Simulation Mode and
Arcade Mode) where the roadway has A LOT of standing water,
as if the races take place just following a major prolonged
downpour - to F1 2002 - where in most situations, players can
purposely select the desired weather conditions for a given
race.
In wet-weather racing/driving conditions, it is IMPERATIVE to
use tires designed for wet-conditions usage. For example, in
F1 2002, in a full 53-lap race at Monza, I purposely tried
running as long as I could with Dry Tires, then switched to
Rain Tires when I could no longer handle the car's inherent
sliding about... and my lap times instantly dropped by more
than five seconds.
In games which offer Intermediate Tires, such as Le Mans 24
Hours, the period when the racing circuit is simply damp (at
the start of a period of rain, or when the circuit is drying
after a period of rain) can be tricky in terms of tires.
Intermediate Tires are certainly best for these racing
conditions, but the time in Pit Lane spent changing to
Intermediate Tires can mean losing numerous race positions,
especially if the weather conditions change again a short
time later and require another trip to Pit Lane to change
tires yet again.
Tires aside, simulation-style games simply will not allow a
player to drive a circuit the same way in wet-weather
conditions as in dry-weather conditions. The braking zone
for all but the gentlest of corners will need to be extended,
or else the car risks to hydroplane itself off the pavement.
Throttle management is also key in wet-conditions racing.
Due to the water (and perhaps even puddles) on the circuit or
stage, there is inherently less tire grip, so strong
acceleration is more likely to cause undue wheelspin - which
could in turn spin the car and create a collision. If a car
has gone off the raceway, then the sand and/or grass which
collect on the tires provide absolutely NO traction at all,
so just the act of getting back to the pavement will likely
result in numerous spins.
In general, cornering is more difficult in wet conditions
than in dry conditions. To help ease this difficulty in
cornering, simulation-style games will sometimes allow the
player to change the car's tuning during a race (if not, the
player will be forced to try to survive using the tuning set-
up chosen before the beginning of the race). Tuning is
covered in more detail in another section above, but the main
aspect to change for wet-weather conditions is to raise the
downforce at the front and/or rear of the car; this will help
improve cornering ability, but will result in slower top-end
speed and slower acceleration. If the car's brake strength
can be adjusted, it should be lowered, as strong braking will
raise the likelihood of hydroplaning off the pavement;
lowering brake strength will also mean an additional
lengthening of the braking zone for all but the gentlest
corners of a given circuit.
==============================================
==============================================
==============================================
STAGE OVERVIEWS
The stage overviews are presented in the order presented in
Time Attack Mode. For each country (remember that this game
treats all of Africa as a single 'country'), only the four
forward-configuration stages are listed in this section; the
player can sort things out for the reverse configuration of
each stage :-)
Note that driving instructions are not included in these
stage overviews; that would most definitely defeat the
purpose of even playing a rally-based racing game, which
relies HEAVILY upon the navigator's instructions. Also, all
pre-contract team vehicle tests in V-Rally Mode (the game's
career mode) and all challenges in Challenge Mode use only
the first four sectors of a given stage, not the full six
stages.
Finland
Stage 1
Sector 1
This opening sector primarily runs through a wooded
area; the muddy roadway is nice and wide, allowing
for a good amount of recovery room should a driver
overcommit to a corner. A small farmlike area and a
group of excited fans are on the left of the roadway
just before the beginning of Sector 2.
Sector 2
Shortly beyond the farmlike area, the left side of
the roadway 'opens' as the roadway passes alongside
a beautiful, serene lake. After a right-hand
corner, a second body of water appears on the right
side of the roadway briefly before the stage runs
through an area of small mounds.
Sector 3
Beginning where the mounds end, the first part of
the third sector sees a return of the wooded area on
the right side of the roadway while a vast rolling
grassy area appears on the left. About halfway
through the stage, a lake appears on the right side
of the roadway, and the various signs of logging
appear alongside the roadway - providing extra
obstacles.
Sector 4
There is an abrupt transition here from mud to
gravel. The roadway narrows a bit and an uphill run
begins with the hairpin corner. Drivers must take
care here, as a cliff face runs up against the
roadway on the right, and there is a nice vehicle-
damaging drop on the right-side looking out briefly
over a beautiful, serene lake. The roadway quickly
re-enters the woods, and throngs of fans on either
side of the roadway signal the end of Sector 4
ahead.
Sector 5
For this entire sector, there are woods on the left
and a wide rolling grassy area on the right. Just
at the end of the sector, spectators once again line
the roadway.
Sector 6
For this entire sector, there are woods on the left
and a wide rolling grassy area on the right. Just
at the end of the stage, spectators once again line
the roadway.
Stage 2
Sector 1
The gravel roadway is nicely wide, much like the
opening sectors of Stage 1. Similar to the
beginning of Stage 1, the roadway runs through a
wooded area, although seemingly a bit more dense in
Stage 2 than in Stage 1.
Sector 2
Shortly after the beginning of Sector 2, the roadway
transitions to soft gravel, which is a darker,
grayish color. The woods go away, but there are
still plenty of trees and spectators and other
obstacles to damage wayward vehicles.
Sector 3
Sector 3 transitions back to gravel. For the first
half of the sector, the woods are thick on the left
side of the roadway while the right side is a bit
more open; the second half has the roadway flanked
by the thick woods on both sides.
Sector 4
With a transition back to soft gravel, the woods end
and the roadway passes through a small semi-rural
town filled with eager spectators.
Sector 5
Still on the soft gravel, the town gives way and it
is somewhat open on both sides of the roadway, but
the fans on the left side are held back by fencing.
Eventually, the roadway re-enters the wooded area,
makes a sharp turn, and crosses a wooden bridge over
a small river, remaining in the woods on the other
side of the river.
Sector 6
The woods suddenly give way and the final sector
runs past several barns. There are a number of
eager spectators on both sides of the roadway.
Stage 3
Sector 1
This all-gravel stage begins with a thick wooded
area to the left of the roadway and a short grassy
area leading toward a large lake to the right.
About two-thirds of the way through the stage, the
signs of logging are visible, providing a few
extra obstacles for wayward vehicles.
Sector 2
The wooded area to the left side of the roadway
gives way to a more open area. Shortly into this
second sector, there is a long fence on the left
side of the roadway, followed by cheering fans kept
back behind barriers. Just before the end of the
sector, the roadway passes between some tall dunes.
Sector 3
Passing through more dunes, the roadway soon runs
along the shore of a lake (to the left side of the
roadway); there is also a short bridge, so drivers
must take care to not hit its edges.
Sector 4
Sector 4 begins shortly beyond the bridge and
features the lake on the left and the thick wooded
area on the right of the roadway. A barn signals
the end of the sector.
Sector 5
Beginning parallel with the red barn on the right
side of the roadway, the first half of Sector 5 is
located within the thick wooded area. The remainder
of the sector returns to the shore of the lake.
Sector 6
The final sector begins by running alongside the
lake (with some signs of logging), then turns away
from the lake and heads into the wooded area, with
the trees becoming thicker and thicker.
Stage 4
Sector 1
The entire opening sector takes place in a wooded
area. The roadway is fairly wide, so drivers should
not have too much trouble recovering from any
mistakes.
Sector 2
The first part of this second sector has a sheer
cliff face directly against the roadway on the left,
and a significant drop on the right side; the
roadway will quickly come down to the bottom of this
drop. Shortly afterward, the roadway is flanked on
the left side by thick woods, whereas the right side
is a bit more open and offers glimpses of yet
another lake.
Sector 3
Shortly into Sector 3, the woods appear on the right
side of the roadway with the left side being a bit
more open. This sector is greatly littered with
evidence of logging, which can cause problems in
several corners.
Sector 4
The woods return again on the left side of the
roadway while the lake makes another appearance on
the right side. The last half of the sector takes
place entirely in the woods.
Sector 5
The first half of this penultimate sector runs
through the woods. The final half opens up a bit,
then passes between some dunes.
Sector 6
This final sector is shorter than the others. The
sector opens with the roadway running through a
small rural community, then finishes in the woods.
France
Stage 1
Sector 1
Stage 1 begins high up on a mountain, so this
opening sector is largely a downhill run. The
roadway has essentially been chiseled out of the
mountain stone, so there are often tall rock faces
flush against the roadway - however, there are brief
moments when one or both sides of the roadway will
open up a bit with a small grassy area. There is
also a rock tunnel near the end of this opening
sector.
Sector 2
Continuing the long downhill trajectory of the
stage, large rock formations flank the
roadway in the initial portion of this sector.
The roadway then passes through a small town,
where an ascent begins.
Sector 3
Beginning just after leaving a French village,
this sector begins with an uphill slope which runs
through an even smaller village. About halfway
through the stage, a descent begins anew, with the
roadway flanked by tall rock formations.
Sector 4
This sector runs around two bays while maintaining
a downhill trajectory. To some extent, it is
possible to see where the roadway is far ahead on
the other side of the bay. Tall rock formations
flank the roadway on the left; to the right is the
water (the bays), and there is not usually a
guardrail to keep vehicles from flying off the
mountain and into the water below.
Sector 5
A slow, long ascent begins with Sector 5. Much of
this sector is more open, with grass on either side
of the roadway. However, the sector eventually
runs through yet another French town. Here, it is
important to keep off the sidewalks, as there is no
gentle slope or lip to them as there are with the
rumble strips at actual race circuits (such as
Circuit Dijon-Prenois); therefore, hitting a
sidewalk at high speed (especially with a hard
suspension setting, which is generally recommended
for asphalt surfaces) will quite likely result in
the vehicle bouncing into the air, meaning a loss
of control and significantly increasing the chances
of an accident.
Sector 6
This sector begins in the sidewalked village, but
quickly leaves the village for a downhill run
flanked closely by rock formations on both sides
of the roadway.
Stage 2
Sector 1
The all-asphalt roadway is wide enough for two-way
traffic under normal circumstances, but high-speed
cornering could be a problem for those drivers
unable to keep a tight racing line. The right side
of the roadway is lined with rock formations. The
left side is mostly open, but there are a number of
rock formations, trees, and other obstacles -
usually in key areas - to provide problems for
'wandering' vehicles.
Sector 2
This sector features a roadway closely bounded on
both sides, either by rock outcroppings or by
steep embankments. The very end of the sector
hosts 'The Castle,' which features several SHARP
corners and a very narrow passageway/tunnel right
where Sector 2 meets Sector 3.
Sector 3
There are a few more SHARP corners, then the roadway
heads back into the mountains. The roadway is again
closely bounded on both sides, so precision
cornering is key to success here.
Sector 4
Again, the roadway is closely bounded on both sides
for much of the sector. However, on the right side
just before Sector 5, there is a gap in the fence
which holds back the spectators; this gap is just
large enough for a vehicle to slip through if the
preceding corner is taken too wide and too quickly.
Sector 5
While there is plenty to wreck a wayward vehicle on
either side of the roadway, the right side does open
up a bit to provide some nice scenic views... but
admiring the scenery will result in the near-total
destruction of the vehicle :-( The right side is
often - but not always - blocked by some sort of
guardrail.
Sector 6
This extremely-short sector is essentially just like
Sector 5.
Stage 3
Sector 1
Starting high up on a mountainside, Sector 1 begins
by running through a small French village. The
second half of this opening sector features a
guardrail on the right side of the roadway and large
mountain cliffs on the left side.
Sector 2
This is identical to the second half of Sector 1,
but with more sharp corners.
Sector 3
This is much like Sector 2, but with even MORE sharp
corners and a tiny village near the end of the
sector. The descent also seems a little steeper
overall in this sector.
Sector 4
This is one long, steep descent with mostly-gentle
corners, so those using a high gear ratio can make
use of its higher top-end speed here - so long as
all cornering is EXTREMELY precise.
Sector 5
The sector begins with a bridge over a stream, then
the roadway begins a long uphill run among twisty
corners. There is NO room for error in this sector.
Sector 6
This continues the pattern begun in Sector 5. The
stage comes to an end about 300 meters beyond the
second tunnel.
Stage 4
Sector 1
This stage begins in a mountain village; drivers
must try to keep off the sidewalks, as hitting them
at high speeds is quite likely to send the vehicle
airborne, meaning a loss of control and a greater
possibility of an accident. Once out of the small
village, there is even less room for error with
cliffs and trees and other obstacles flanking the
roadway. Only precision driving will provide
success here!!!
Sector 2
Continuing down the mountainside, there is not much
room for error at all, much like the end of the
opening sector. After the second hairpin corner,
the right side is guarded only by a guardrail, but
even then it is still possible to miss the beginning
of the guardrail and plunge toward the bay far
below.
Sector 3
With the bay to the right and rock walls to the
left, the descent continues for just a moment before
the elevation essentially levels. There are a few
rock tunnels in this sector. The view out across
the water is definitely beautiful, but any attempts
to enjoy the scenery will result in the destruction
of the vehicle!!!
Sector 4
The first half of the stage is fairly level, then
the overall elevation begins to drop again. The
roadway leaves the first bay and then runs along a
second bay, much like Stage 1.
Sector 5
Transitioning to poor asphalt, the second bay is
quickly left behind as the roadway runs along the
mountainside. Trees, rock formations, and other
obstacles await wayward vehicles. The corners here
are generally not very tight, so good speeds can be
attained here.
Sector 6
Once past the waterfall, the roadway ascends slowly.
There is still no room for error. The stage ends as
the second bay far below again comes into view.
England
Stage 1
Sector 1
This all-mud stage can be tricky due to the lack of
traction, especially when attempting strong
acceleration out of tight corners or at the start
of the stage. This opening sector runs through the
woods. At the end of the sector, a building in a
clearing can be seen just ahead.
Sector 2
Sector 2 begins in a clearing, passing by a building
on the left. This area is used for logging; as
such, there are plenty of logs, trucks, and other
obstacles scattered about. The roadway will curve
around all this, then return to the woods
momentarily to emerge with a farm on the left
(protected by a long fence) and eventually passing
through a small village.
Sector 3
Once past the few buildings of the village, the
roadway returns to the woods. The sector ends at
the next clearing.
Sector 4
The fourth sector is somewhat open, although tall
embankments and trees generally line the roadway.
There are many fans perched along the roadway in
this sector.
Sector 5
The first part of this sector runs through the
woods, with a building and a group of spectators
on the right side of the roadway early in the
sector. Once across the wooden bridge, the right
side of the roadway is flanked by a long semi-steep
grassy embankment.
Sector 6
The final sector is quite open on both sides, but
with numerous tight corners, some of which have
obstacles at the apex to thwart any attempts at
shortcutting. There are numerous spectators along
this last sector, all protected by fencing or
other barriers.
Stage 2
Sector 1
This opening sector runs through the woods. The
roadway is fairly wide, providing plenty of room for
recovery in case of a minor mistake. The entire
sector runs slowly downhill, but there are too many
corners to allow for much high-speed driving.
Sector 2
The long downhill run continues, with even tighter
corners (in general) than in the opening sector.
The end of the sector is another logging area, so
any off-course excursions could result in vehicle
damage.
Sector 3
Still in a semi-wooded area, there are a number of
spectators along much of this sector. Drivers must
beware the barriers on the stone bridge at the end
of this sector.
Sector 4
This semi-wooded area is also characterized by
tight corners. Fencing in the last two-thirds of
the sector protects many spectators and also
prevents any shortcutting possibilities.
Sector 5
The roadway continues winding through the semi-
wooded area. The main 'obstacle' here is a river
crossing; those using lower-than-default Ride Height
settings will definitely need to slow for the river
crossing, or else the vehicle will bottom out and
potentially create a loss of control.
Sector 6
The woods thicken as the final sector runs uphill.
The right side of the roadway is initially protected
by a long guardrail. Near the end of the stage is
another building (on the left) surrounded by signs
of logging, and a nice throng of spectators await
the drivers at the end of the stage.
Stage 3
Special Weather Note
At least in Time Attack Mode, this stage is run in
foggy conditions, which makes clear visibility
almost impossible. This can make it quite difficult
to correctly judge distances between a navigator's
call and the associated corner or obstacle.
Therefore, special caution must be made here;
however, this is one of the best stages in the game
to truly attack and gain a major lead over the
competition in V-Rally Mode.
Sector 1
Stage 3 opens in the woods, although the roadway is
fairly wide at most points. Near the end of this
initial sector is a river crossing; it is best to
slow for the river crossing to avoid a loss of
vehicle control.
Sector 2
Heading uphill, the roadway gains more tight twists
and turns.
Sector 3
This third sector is more open on either side of the
roadway, but there are still plenty of trees and
rocks (as well as some fans) to provide incentive to
remain firmly ON the roadway.
Sector 4
This sector transitions from woods to clearing and
back to woods, with a bridge thrown in. About
halfway through the sector is a think-log fence on
the right side; this fence is breakable, and it is
thus possible to have a collision with something
normally protected by the fence.
Sector 5
The first half of this sector has the woods on the
right side of the roadway, with an open area on the
left side; the left side also sports a few buildings
and several groups of spectators. The second half
of the sector is run fully in the woods.
Sector 6
This final sector emerges from the woods into a
logging area, with several groups of stacked logs
near the roadway. The roadway then re-enters the
woods for the final run to the end of the stage.
Stage 4
Sector 1
This opening sector is wide open on both sides of
the roadway, but there are still a number of trees
and rocks near the roadway on either side. The
sector ends near the top of a crest.
Sector 2
This second sector slowly climbs the mountainside.
There are several tall rock embankments and stone
guardrails in this sector. However, the main
danger is the steep ditch on the left side of the
roadway at one point; slipping into this ditch will
DEFINITELY create vehicle damage.
Sector 3
Running through the woods, there is a small logging
area early in the sector, and many lengthy
guardrails throughout the sector. Near the end of
this third sector, the woods on the right side of
the roadway give way to a view of the countryside.
Sector 4
The first half of the sector returns to the woods,
then the second half of the sector opens to grassy
plains to the right side of the roadway. This is a
relatively-short sector overall.
Sector 5
The first half of this penultimate sector runs
through the woods, emerging to the woods on the left
side of the roadway and a logging operation on the
right side.
Sector 6
This final sector runs slowly uphill and is fairly
open on both sides of the roadway. The stage comes
to an end just beyond the wooden bridge.
Sweden
Special Border Note
Virtually every millimeter of roadway in the Sweden
stages is bounded on both sides by a bank of snow from
where the snowplows have 'cleared' the roadway. In
some sectors, these snow banks are taller than in other
sectors. Thus, for the most part, it is virtually
impossible to leave the roadway, as these snow banks
will almost always force the vehicle to bounce back
across the roadway toward the other snow bank.
Stage 1
Sector 1
This opening sector is mostly wide open on both
sides of the roadway, with plenty of spectators in
the first half of the stage.
Sector 2
This second sector runs entirely through a lightly-
wooded area.
Sector 3
The trees thin somewhat in this sector, which
features some tight corners to slow the vehicle's
average speed.
Sector 4
The roadway passes alongside a farming area in this
sector.
Sector 5
The area slowly opens on either side of the
roadway to provide a nice panoramic view of the
surroundings.
Sector 6
While the sector begins in the vast clear panoramic
area, the roadway quickly returns to the woods,
where the corners become tighter and tighter.
Stage 2
Sector 1
There are A LOT of spectators at the start of this
very short sector. The area is mostly clear and
open, providing a nice distant view to either side
of the roadway.
Sector 2
The first two-thirds of this second sector is nice
and open, with a significant throng of spectators
about one-third of the way through this sector.
The roadway then re-enters the woods.
Sector 3
The first half of this sector runs through the
woods, with A LOT of spectators lining the left
side of the roadway. The final segment of the
sector opens up on either side of the roadway.
Sector 4
The first half of the fourth sector is in a wide
open area, with the second half taking place back
in the wooded area.
Sector 5
This somewhat-short penultimate sector runs entirely
through the woods.
Sector 6
This final sector runs entirely through the woods
and features some tricky corner combinations.
Stage 3
Sector 1
The opening sector of Stage 3 is rather lengthy, and
the snow banks on either side of the roadway are
rather high. Trees line the roadway throughout much
of the sector, but there is a brief moment of
openness to either side of the roadway about
halfway through the sector.
Sector 2
For much of the second sector, the left side of the
roadway is immediately bounded by rock embankments.
A pair of 'jumps' ends the sector, with Sector 3
beginning at the crest of the second 'jump.'
Sector 3
This is a rather easy, high-speed sector, with
plenty of trees and spectators along the roadway.
One section has the roadway bounded by more rocks.
Sector 4
Sector 4 is mostly open, and is a great place for a
full-throttle high-speed run. Telephone poles line
the left side of the roadway, and can therefore be
used as a great device for anticipating the
placement of the upcoming corners.
Sector 5
Again, this is a high-speed sector, with telephone
poles available for corner anticipation. A large
red covered bridge appears about halfway through the
stage, just after the telephone poles move from the
left side of the roadway to the right side.
Sector 6
This final sector runs through wide-open farmland,
with plenty of spectators lining the roadway (on the
opposite side of the snowbanks). The final sector
also transitions quickly to ice.
Stage 4
Sector 1
Spectators spectators everywhere!!!!! This opening
sector is wide open on both sides of the roadway,
with hordes of spectators seemingly as far as the
eye can see, especially near the Starting Line.
Sector 2
This is essentially like the first sector, but with
tighter corners and fewer spectators.
Sector 3
This is essentially like the second sector, but with
even tighter corners.
Sector 4
This is essentially like the third sector, but on
snowy gravel.
Sector 5
The roadway keeps transitioning between snowy gravel
and deep snow.
Sector 6
The trees and the spectators both become much more
numerous in this sector as the corners get tighter
and tighter.
Germany
Stage 1
Sector 1
Beginning on snowy asphalt, this stage primarily has
tall rocks on the right side of the roadway and
either guardrails or trees on the left side. The
sector ends halfway through the tunnel.
Sector 2
This is much the same as the opening sector, but
without the snow on much of the roadway and some
rock barriers on the left side of the roadway.
Sector 3
This is much like Sector 2.
Sector 4
Here, the rocks give way to trees on either side of
the roadway for the first half of the sector, then
the mountain rocks and a tunnel return in the second
half of the sector. The sector ends just beyond the
tunnel.
Sector 5
This is much like the opening sector, but without
the snow on the asphalt. About two-thirds of the
way through the sector, the roadway passes
underneath a ski lift :-)
Sector 6
This final uphill run sees snow lightly covering the
roadway. This is in many respects just like the
opening sector.
Stage 2
Sector 1
The stage begins in a lightly-wooded area, but
eventually a guardrail on the right side of the
roadway prevents vehicles from falling off the short
but sheer drop into the river below.
Sector 2
Now away from the river, there are rock embankments
along much of the roadway in this second sector, as
well as many signs of logging - some of which are
rather close to the roadway.
Sector 3
The rocks give way to a lightly-wooded area. Soon,
a rail line appears on the right side of the
roadway, and there may be a railroad engine used for
logging slowly moving along. However, the roadway
soon turns away from the rail line, ending this
third sector.
Sector 4
Beginning bounded by rocks and trees, this sector
turns back toward the rail line, then turns away
again. The sector ends just before reaching the
town ahead.
Sector 5
Much of this penultimate sector runs through a
fan-filled town. The entryway to the town is a
minor tunnel, and there are sidewalks along the
roadway which could cause a vehicle to bounce and
lose control if hit at high speeds. The roadway
eventually leaves the town, heading back out
into the woods (with a brief segment bounded on
both sides by tall rock embankments).
Sector 6
This is a fairly-open sector, with mostly gentle
corners conducive to a high-speed run. There are
also numerous fans (in groups) along the roadway
in this final sector. The stage ends shortly
beyond the building on the left.
Stage 3
Sector 1
This stage begins in a lightly-wooded area, but then
the trees give way to rock embankments. The sector
ends just before the pile of logs on the left side
of the roadway.
Sector 2
Primarily trees bound the roadway in this sector,
but there are also a significant number of steep
embankments (primarily rocks). Some fans can be
seen in this sector, and the few signs of logging
are fortunately well away from the roadway itself.
Sector 3
This is primarily a light-wooded sector, with
some steep embankments (primarily grassy) in some
areas.
Sector 4
This is primarily a light-wooded sector, with
some steep embankments (primarily rocky) in some
areas. The roadway transitions to icy asphalt at
the end of the sector.
Sector 5
The first half of this penultimate sector is lined
with tall rock embankments or even cliffs, and the
corners are many and somewhat sharp. The second
half of the sector opens up a bit, but there are
still A LOT of trees lining the roadway.
Sector 6
This final sector begins the way Sector 5 ends, but
then returns to rocky cliffs. There is also a
tunnel near the end of the stage.
Stage 4
Special Weather Note
At least in Time Attack Mode, this stage is run in
foggy conditions, which makes clear visibility
almost impossible. This can make it quite difficult
to correctly judge distances between a navigator's
call and the associated corner or obstacle.
Therefore, special caution must be made here;
however, this is one of the best stages in the game
to truly attack and gain a major lead over the
competition in V-Rally Mode.
Sector 1
The opening sector of this stage runs through
vineyards and is LOADED with nasty, sharp corners.
Those drivers who can deftly handle these corners
will have a great advantage over the competition (in
V-Rally Mode) heading into Sector 2.
Sector 2
This second sector runs initially through more
vineyards with tight corners, then heads into the
woods. Those drivers who can deftly handle these
corners will have a great advantage over the
competition (in V-Rally Mode) heading into Sector 3.
Sector 3
As this sector progresses, there are more and more
rock embankments flanking the roadway, with each
embankment seemingly taller than the one before it.
Sector 4
The fourth sector opens up a bit, then passes by
several buildings and groups of spectators. The
second half of the sector runs between tall rock
embankments.
Sector 5
The roadway here runs through a lightly-wooded
area, with spectators in the small clearings. There
are also some more rock embankments.
Sector 6
This final sector is much like Sector 5, but ending
at another vineyard.
Africa
Special Visibility Note
Most of the Africa stages are extremely sunny, and do
not have much (if anything) nearby to block the
sunlight from shining upon the roadway. This can
produce severe visibility problems when heading toward
the sun, and adjusting the camera view will not usually
provide better visibility. In this case, it is best to
try to use tall trees near the roadway to anticipate
upcoming corners.
Stage 1
Sector 1
There are A LOT of spectators lining the roadway in
this initial sector. While the corners are not at
all difficult, the apexes often have small rises
which are just tall enough to knock the vehicle out
of control. Some apexes are flat, but just sandy
enough to seriously slow the vehicle.
Sector 2
The first two-thirds of this sector are essentially
like the opening sector, although the embankments
alongside the roadway tend to get progressively
taller. However, the final third of the sector has
some nasty corners between these tall embankments,
which can potentially cause some trouble.
Sector 3
There are fewer embankments in this third sector,
and the corners are not quite as sharp as before.
However, it is still easy to stray off the roadway
and damage the vehicle.
Sector 4
The second corner of this sector is by far the most
difficult in all of the Africa stages, with a cliff
face essentially protruding into the roadway from
the right side, and a unguarded catastrophic descent
on the left side of the roadway. Once past this
nasty corner, the roadway tends to run along the
plateau, with embankments and spectators on both
sides of the roadway.
Sector 5
This penultimate sector is really one super-lengthy
straightaway, with only one true corner; with
precision steering, even this corner can be safely
cleared at full-throttle acceleration. This sector
ends just before the wooden archway.
Sector 6
This short sector is a high-speed run to the Finish
Line. However, straightlining the many gentle
corners is not a good idea, as the grass at the apex
of each corner will slow the vehicle significantly.
Stage 2
Sector 1
Many embankments and trees line the roadway
throughout this opening sector.
Sector 2
The many corners come fast and furious in this
sector. There is also a railroad crossing, almost
directly underneath the point where the telephone
lines cross over the roadway.
Sector 3
Much of this sector runs along a twisty, narrow
plateau. There is NO room for error, as the tall
cliff face bounds the roadway on the left side, and
the right side is a severe drop to the valley floor
far below. There are also trees and embankments
strategically placed on the left side of the
roadway to create more concern for those drivers who
slide to the outside in the left-hand corners.
Sector 4
Now off the plateau, the roadway is primarily
bounded by more embankments, although the corners
are not quite as severe here.
Sector 5
The corners are more gentle here as the roadway
leads up to a wooden bridge. Once across the
bridge, the roadway winds through a tiny village
filled with spectators. Ahead is a second railroad
crossing, but a vehicle with sufficient speed and
the correct suspension setting can easily speed up
the slight slope and jump over the railroad crossing
without any need to slow to more safely cross the
tracks.
Sector 6
Embankments and minor ditches characterize this
closing sector, which is also heavily lined with
cheering spectators.
Stage 3
Sector 1
Until the very end of the sector, this is a very
high-speed run with only the gentlest of corners.
Embankments and trees line the roadway in this
sector. There is also a shallow river crossing
quite early in the sector, but it can easily be
cleared at full acceleration.
Sector 2
This is another very high-speed run, with more
embankments and trees lining the roadway.
Sector 3
Here, the roadway runs along a shallow lake bed.
There are the usual trees and embankments.
Sector 4
In this short sector, the roadway climbs up a
rather narrow plateau. There is a sheer cliff face
bounding the roadway (and sometimes protruding
slightly into it) on the right side, and some
unprotected drops on the left side of the roadway.
Sector 5
In this short sector, the roadway descends back to
the valley floor and also contains a wider shallow
river crossing.
Sector 6
The first half of this final sector runs along the
shallow lake bed again, then heads away from the
lake. The corners are rather gentle, making this
sector a rather high-speed run to the Finish Line.
Stage 4
Sector 1
With the exception of one corner, this is yet
another high-speed run through the desert. However,
care must be taken to not slide off the roadway, as
the grass will significantly slow vehicles.
Sector 2
This is yet another high-speed run, but with some
embankments and trees closer to the roadway.
Sector 3
This is YET ANOTHER high-speed run, with some
taller embankments and more trees. Some spectators
await by the building on the right side of the
roadway about halfway through this sector.
Sector 4
The weeds on either side of the roadway are taller
now, slowing stray vehicles even more quickly.
Sector 5
Except for one 'chicane,' this is another high-speed
run.
Sector 6
There are practically no embankments here, but still
plenty of trees and grass along this rather short
final sector. The Finish Line is about halfway
along the final corner called by the navigator.
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VEHICLE SET-UPS: OVERVIEW
The vehicle set-ups suggested here are based upon my own
highly-aggressive driving style, and thus may not work for
every player. In general, I tend to use very high brake
strength (biased very closely to the rear of the vehicle) so
that I can go much deeper into corners before braking. I
also tend to straightline corners as much as possible,
especially when on a long downhill run (primarily on gravel
or asphalt), for which I also rarely use any braking.
Many tuning options for parts have a graph with a given
number of squares, with the center square slightly larger
than the others. For the purposes of simplicity, this guide
treats this larger center square as 0 (zero, or neutral). A
positive number means that the given part should be tuned
that many numbers to the right of the center circle (i.e., a
'+2' means that the player should move the right-most colored
circle two positions to the right of the center circle),
while a negative number means that the given part should be
tuned that many numbers to the left of the center circle
(i.e., a '-2' means that the player should move the right-
most colored circle two positions to the left of the center
circle).
Note that these tuning suggestions do not include the
driving-specific tuning options, as those are very much
player-dependent options, and are also global to V-Rally 3.
The main tuning options will need to be reconfigured for each
stage in V-Rally 3 in order to maximize vehicle performance.
Also, in V-Rally Mode (the game's career mode), there will
often be times when the player must successfully complete two
or more rally stages before arriving at a Service Area to
repair any damages and tune the car for the next set of
stages. The tuning set-ups suggested here are viable for
only a single stage, so the player will likely be forced to
make some potentially-difficult decisions when running
consecutive stages without a Service Area; for example:
1.) If the first stage has 85% mud and 15% wet gravel, and
the second stage has 100% loose gravel, which tire
compound is best to produce lower times across the
combined stages?
2.) If the first stage has numerous tight, twisty corners
with virtually no straightaways between them, and the
second stage has only very minor corners and rather
lengthy straightaways, what is the best gear ratio
setting to use across the combined stages?
Obviously, it is not always possible to achieve a 'happy
medium' between consecutive stages when the stages involved
are extremely different. This is where a lot of educated
guesswork comes into play. In these situations, it is very
important for the player to be consciously aware of the human
and vehicle limitations and strengths. Also, if the player
has previously amassed a great lead (of time) over the rest
of the competitors, then the player can lose a given amount
of time on one stage and excel on the other by tuning 'only'
for one of the stages (fully recognizing that time will be
lost on the other stage, but still tuning and driving in such
as manner as to attempt to minimize the time which will be
lost in this endeavor).
==============================================
VEHICLE SET-UPS: 1.6L FWD CLASS
The vehicle set-ups are listed here in the country order used
in Time Attack Mode. Actual rallies in V-Rally Mode may
appear in a different order (and with different weather
conditions), and the stages used in Challenge Mode (whether
playing default challenges or player-created challenges) can
come from ANY country in ANY order. Remember that for the
purposes of V-Rally 3, the entire continent of Africa is
treated as a 'country.'
Target vehicle used for 1.6L FWD Class: Citroen Sport Saxo
Finland
Stage 1 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type M (Muddy Gravel)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension -1 front, -1 rear
Ride Height +1 front, +1 rear
Stabilizers 0 front, 0 rear
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio 0
Differentials -1
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 2 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type ZA (Soft Gravel)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension -1 front, -1 rear
Ride Height 0 front, 0 rear
Stabilizers 0 front, 0 rear
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio 0
Differentials -1
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 3 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type ZB (Hard Rough Gravel)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension +1 front ,+1 rear
Ride Height 0 front, 0 rear
Stabilizers -1 front, -1 rear
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio +1
Differentials -1
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 4 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type M (Muddy Gravel)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension -1 front, -1 rear
Ride Height +1 front, +1 rear
Stabilizers 0 front, 0 rear
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio 0
Differentials -1
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
France
Stage 1 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type N (Dry Asphalt)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension +2 front, +2 rear
Ride Height -1 front, -1 rear
Stabilizers +1 front, +1 rear
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio -1
Differentials +1
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 2 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type N (Dry Asphalt)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension +2 front, +2 rear
Ride Height -1 front, -1 rear
Stabilizers +1 front, +1 rear
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio -1
Differentials +1
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 3 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type N (Dry Asphalt)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension +2 front, +2 rear
Ride Height -1 front, -1 rear
Stabilizers +1 front, +1 rear
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio -1
Differentials +1
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 4 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type N (Dry Asphalt)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension +2 front, +2 rear
Ride Height -1 front, -1 rear
Stabilizers +1 front, +1 rear
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio -1
Differentials +1
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
England
Stage 1 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type M (Muddy Gravel)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension -1
Ride Height +1
Stabilizers -1
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio 0
Differentials -1
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 2 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type M (Muddy Gravel)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension -1
Ride Height +1
Stabilizers -1
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio 0
Differentials -1
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 3 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type M (Muddy Gravel)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension -1
Ride Height +1
Stabilizers -1
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio 0
Differentials -1
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 4 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type M (Muddy Gravel)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension -1
Ride Height +1
Stabilizers -1
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio +1
Differentials -1
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Sweden
Stage 1 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type GA (Deep Snow)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension -1
Ride Height +1
Stabilizers -1
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio +2
Differentials -1
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 2 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type GA (Deep Snow)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension -1
Ride Height +1
Stabilizers -1
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio +1
Differentials -1
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 3 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type GA (Deep Snow)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension -1
Ride Height +1
Stabilizers -1
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio +1
Differentials -1
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 4 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type GA (Deep Snow)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension -1
Ride Height +1
Stabilizers -1
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio 0
Differentials -1
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Germany
Stage 1 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type GS1 (Snowy Icy Asphalt)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension +2
Ride Height -1
Stabilizers -1
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio -1
Differentials -1
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 2 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type N (Dry Asphalt)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension +2
Ride Height -1
Stabilizers -1
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio -1
Differentials -1
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 3 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type GS1 (Snowy Icy Asphalt)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension +2
Ride Height -1
Stabilizers -1
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio -1
Differentials -1
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 4 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type N (Dry Asphalt)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension +2
Ride Height -1
Stabilizers -1
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio -1
Differentials -1
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Africa
Stage 1 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type ZB (Hard Rough Gravel)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension 0
Ride Height +1
Stabilizers -1
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio +2
Differentials -1
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 2 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type ZB (Hard Rough Gravel)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension 0
Ride Height +1
Stabilizers -1
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio +2
Differentials -1
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 3 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type ZB (Hard Rough Gravel)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension 0
Ride Height +1
Stabilizers -1
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio +3
Differentials -1
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 4 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type ZE (Loose Wet Gravel)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension 0
Ride Height +1
Stabilizers -1
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio +3
Differentials -1
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
==============================================
VEHICLE SET-UPS: 2.0L 4WD CLASS
The vehicle set-ups are listed here in the country order used
in Time Attack Mode. Actual rallies in V-Rally Mode may
appear in a different order (and with different weather
conditions), and the stages used in Challenge Mode (whether
playing default challenges or player-created challenges) can
come from ANY country in ANY order. Remember that for the
purposes of V-Rally 3, the entire continent of Africa is
treated as a 'country.'
Target vehicle used for 2.0L 4WD Class: Mitsubishi Lancer
Evolution VII
Finland
Stage 1 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type M (Muddy Gravel)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension -1 front, -1 rear
Ride Height +1 front, +1 rear
Stabilizers 0 front, 0 rear
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio 0
Differentials -1 front, -1 rear, 0 central
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 2 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type ZA (Soft Gravel)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension -1 front, -1 rear
Ride Height 0 front, 0 rear
Stabilizers 0 front, 0 rear
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio 0
Differentials -1 front, -1 rear, 0 central
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 3 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type ZB (Hard Rough Gravel)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension +1 front ,+1 rear
Ride Height 0 front, 0 rear
Stabilizers -1 front, -1 rear
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio +1
Differentials -1 front, -1 rear, 0 central
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 4 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type M (Muddy Gravel)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension -1 front, -1 rear
Ride Height +1 front, +1 rear
Stabilizers 0 front, 0 rear
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio 0
Differentials -1 front, -1 rear, 0 central
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
France
Stage 1 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type N (Dry Asphalt)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension +2 front, +2 rear
Ride Height -1 front, -1 rear
Stabilizers +1 front, +1 rear
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio -1
Differentials +1 front, +1 rear, 0 central
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 2 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type N (Dry Asphalt)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension +2 front, +2 rear
Ride Height -1 front, -1 rear
Stabilizers +1 front, +1 rear
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio -1
Differentials +1 front, +1 rear, 0 central
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 3 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type N (Dry Asphalt)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension +2 front, +2 rear
Ride Height -1 front, -1 rear
Stabilizers +1 front, +1 rear
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio -1
Differentials +1 front, +1 rear, 0 central
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 4 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type N (Dry Asphalt)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension +2 front, +2 rear
Ride Height -1 front, -1 rear
Stabilizers +1 front, +1 rear
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio -1
Differentials +1 front, +1 rear, 0 central
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
England
Stage 1 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type M (Muddy Gravel)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension -1
Ride Height +1
Stabilizers -1
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio 0
Differentials -1 front, -1 rear, 0 central
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 2 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type M (Muddy Gravel)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension -1
Ride Height +1
Stabilizers -1
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio 0
Differentials -1 front, -1 rear, 0 central
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 3 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type M (Muddy Gravel)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension -1
Ride Height +1
Stabilizers -1
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio 0
Differentials -1 front, -1 rear, 0 central
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 4 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type M (Muddy Gravel)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension -1
Ride Height +1
Stabilizers -1
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio +1
Differentials -1 front, -1 rear, 0 central
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Sweden
Stage 1 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type GA (Deep Snow)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension -1
Ride Height +1
Stabilizers -1
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio +2
Differentials -1 front, -1 rear, 0 central
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 2 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type GA (Deep Snow)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension -1
Ride Height +1
Stabilizers -1
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio +1
Differentials -1 front, -1 rear, 0 central
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 3 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type GA (Deep Snow)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension -1
Ride Height +1
Stabilizers -1
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio +1
Differentials -1 front, -1 rear, 0 central
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 4 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type GA (Deep Snow)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension -1
Ride Height +1
Stabilizers -1
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio 0
Differentials -1 front, -1 rear, 0 central
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Germany
Stage 1 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type GS1 (Snowy Icy Asphalt)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension +2
Ride Height -1
Stabilizers -1
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio -1
Differentials 0 front, 0 rear, 0 central
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 2 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type N (Dry Asphalt)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension +2
Ride Height -1
Stabilizers -1
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio -1
Differentials 0 front, 0 rear, 0 central
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 3 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type GS1 (Snowy Icy Asphalt)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension +2
Ride Height -1
Stabilizers -1
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio -1
Differentials 0 front, 0 rear, 0 central
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 4 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type N (Dry Asphalt)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension +2
Ride Height -1
Stabilizers -1
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio -1
Differentials 0 front, 0 rear, 0 central
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Africa
Stage 1 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type ZB (Hard Rough Gravel)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension 0
Ride Height +1
Stabilizers -1
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio +2
Differentials 0 front, 0 rear, 0 central
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 2 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type ZB (Hard Rough Gravel)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension 0
Ride Height +1
Stabilizers -1
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio +2
Differentials 0 front, 0 rear, 0 central
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 3 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type ZB (Hard Rough Gravel)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension 0
Ride Height +1
Stabilizers -1
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio +3
Differentials 0 front, 0 rear, 0 central
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 4 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type ZE (Loose Wet Gravel)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension 0
Ride Height +1
Stabilizers -1
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio +3
Differentials 0 front, 0 rear, 0 central
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
==============================================
VEHICLE SET-UPS: BONUS CAR CLASS
The vehicle set-ups are listed here in the country order used
in Time Attack Mode. Actual rallies in V-Rally Mode may
appear in a different order (and with different weather
conditions), and the stages used in Challenge Mode (whether
playing default challenges or player-created challenges) can
come from ANY country in ANY order. Remember that for the
purposes of V-Rally 3, the entire continent of Africa is
treated as a 'country.'
Target vehicle used for Bonus Car Class: Subaru Imprezza 2000
Finland
Stage 1 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type M (Muddy Gravel)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension -1 front, -1 rear
Ride Height +1 front, +1 rear
Stabilizers 0 front, 0 rear
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio 0
Differentials -1 front, -1 rear, 0 central
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 2 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type ZA (Soft Gravel)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension -1 front, -1 rear
Ride Height 0 front, 0 rear
Stabilizers 0 front, 0 rear
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio 0
Differentials -1 front, -1 rear, 0 central
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 3 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type ZB (Hard Rough Gravel)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension +1 front ,+1 rear
Ride Height 0 front, 0 rear
Stabilizers -1 front, -1 rear
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio +1
Differentials -1 front, -1 rear, 0 central
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 4 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type M (Muddy Gravel)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension -1 front, -1 rear
Ride Height +1 front, +1 rear
Stabilizers 0 front, 0 rear
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio 0
Differentials -1 front, -1 rear, 0 central
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
France
Stage 1 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type N (Dry Asphalt)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension +2 front, +2 rear
Ride Height -1 front, -1 rear
Stabilizers +1 front, +1 rear
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio -1
Differentials +1 front, +1 rear, 0 central
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 2 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type N (Dry Asphalt)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension +2 front, +2 rear
Ride Height -1 front, -1 rear
Stabilizers +1 front, +1 rear
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio -1
Differentials +1 front, +1 rear, 0 central
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 3 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type N (Dry Asphalt)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension +2 front, +2 rear
Ride Height -1 front, -1 rear
Stabilizers +1 front, +1 rear
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio -1
Differentials +1 front, +1 rear, 0 central
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 4 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type N (Dry Asphalt)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension +2 front, +2 rear
Ride Height -1 front, -1 rear
Stabilizers +1 front, +1 rear
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio -1
Differentials +1 front, +1 rear, 0 central
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
England
Stage 1 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type M (Muddy Gravel)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension -1
Ride Height +1
Stabilizers -1
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio 0
Differentials -1 front, -1 rear, 0 central
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 2 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type M (Muddy Gravel)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension -1
Ride Height +1
Stabilizers -1
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio 0
Differentials -1 front, -1 rear, 0 central
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 3 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type M (Muddy Gravel)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension -1
Ride Height +1
Stabilizers -1
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio 0
Differentials -1 front, -1 rear, 0 central
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 4 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type M (Muddy Gravel)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension -1
Ride Height +1
Stabilizers -1
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio +1
Differentials -1 front, -1 rear, 0 central
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Sweden
Stage 1 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type GA (Deep Snow)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension -1
Ride Height +1
Stabilizers -1
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio +2
Differentials -1 front, -1 rear, 0 central
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 2 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type GA (Deep Snow)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension -1
Ride Height +1
Stabilizers -1
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio +1
Differentials -1 front, -1 rear, 0 central
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 3 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type GA (Deep Snow)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension -1
Ride Height +1
Stabilizers -1
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio +1
Differentials -1 front, -1 rear, 0 central
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 4 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type GA (Deep Snow)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension -1
Ride Height +1
Stabilizers -1
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio 0
Differentials -1 front, -1 rear, 0 central
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Germany
Stage 1 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type GS1 (Snowy Icy Asphalt)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension +2
Ride Height -1
Stabilizers -1
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio -1
Differentials 0 front, 0 rear, 0 central
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 2 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type N (Dry Asphalt)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension +2
Ride Height -1
Stabilizers -1
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio -1
Differentials 0 front, 0 rear, 0 central
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 3 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type GS1 (Snowy Icy Asphalt)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension +2
Ride Height -1
Stabilizers -1
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio -1
Differentials 0 front, 0 rear, 0 central
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 4 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type N (Dry Asphalt)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension +2
Ride Height -1
Stabilizers -1
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio -1
Differentials 0 front, 0 rear, 0 central
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Africa
Stage 1 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type ZB (Hard Rough Gravel)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension 0
Ride Height +1
Stabilizers -1
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio +2
Differentials 0 front, 0 rear, 0 central
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 2 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type ZB (Hard Rough Gravel)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension 0
Ride Height +1
Stabilizers -1
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio +2
Differentials 0 front, 0 rear, 0 central
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 3 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type ZB (Hard Rough Gravel)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension 0
Ride Height +1
Stabilizers -1
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio +3
Differentials 0 front, 0 rear, 0 central
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
Stage 4 (Forward and Reverse Configurations)
Tires
Selection Type ZE (Loose Wet Gravel)
Pressure -1 front, -1 rear
Chassis
Suspension 0
Ride Height +1
Stabilizers -1
Mechanics
Gearbox Ratio +3
Differentials 0 front, 0 rear, 0 central
Brakes -2 balance, +2 strength
==============================================
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REGULAR CARS
Here are the regular (non-bonus) cars in V-Rally 3:
Class Car
-------- --------------------------------
1.6L FWD Citroen Sport Saxo
1.6L FWD Punto
1.6L FWD Ford Puma
1.6L FWD Peugeot 206 1.6L
1.6L FWD Renault Sport Clio
1.6L FWD Opel Motorsport Corsa
1.6L FWD Volkswagon Racing Polo
1.6L FWD MG ZR EX258
2.0L 4WD Peugeot 206 2.0L
2.0L 4WD Subaru Imprezza
2.0L 4WD Ford Focus RS
2.0L 4WD Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VII
2.0L 4WD Citroen Sport Xsara
2.0L 4WD Hyundai Motorsport Accent
2.0L 4WD Toyota Corolla
2.0L 4WD SEAT Sport Cordoba Telefonica
==============================================
UNLOCKABLE ITEMS AND FEATURES
Here are the unlockable items and features in V-Rally 3 and
how they are acquired. This section is bounded by a wide
expanse of blank lines so that those who do not wish to view
this information can easily skip over this section.
Car*/** Acquisition
-------------------- -------------------------------------
SEAT Cordoba Repsol Win Pirelli Challenge in Challenge
Mode
Subaru Imprezza Win 2.0L 4WD Category in V-Rally Mode
Mitsubishi Lancer Win 1.6L FWD Category in V-Rally Mode
Toyota Corolla Beat the default target time in ALL
V-Rally stages in Time Attack Mode (this
includes all the reverse stages
as well)
Unlockable Feature* Acquisition
-------------------- -------------------------------------
Extra Challenges Win Michelin Challenge (the final
(See the Extra default challenge) in Challenge
Challenges Mode
section for
details)
* Once ANY driver has unlocked any of these features or
items in V-Rally 3, they can be accessed by ALL drivers.
** All bonus vehicles are 4WD vehicles.
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EXTRA CHALLENGES
This section covers the Extra Challenges, an unlockable
features within Challenge Mode. This section is bounded by a
wide expanse of blank lines so that those who do not wish to
view this information can easily skip over this section.
Challenge Mode comprises several vehicle-specific challenges,
then a pair of tire-manufacturer challenges (in which the
player can choose from a selection of permitted vehicles).
Once these five default challenges have all been successfully
passed, the player will unlock Extra Challenges, which allows
for the creation of unique challenges using one or more
vehicles selected by the player.
Creating unique challenges is somewhat straightforward.
First, a name can be selected on the Name screen. Permitted
vehicles are then selected on the Cars screen. Damage can be
toggled between Off and On. When ready, the player can
select OK to move ahead.
A few notes are warranted here on the selection of permitted
vehicles from the Cars screen.
1.) There are four categories: All, 2.0L 4WD, 1.6L FWD,
and Bonus Cars. Selecting any of these categories
means that the player will only be permitted to use
the vehicles in that category. This also means that
if a player has not yet unlocked all the bonus cars,
then she or he will be limited to those bonus cars
already acquired in the game should Bonus Cars be
selected.
2.) Selecting any specific vehicle means that the player
will be limited to using that vehicle for the created
challenge. Only those bonus cars which have already
been unlocked will be available for individual
selection in this manner.
In the next step, the player can add stages to the created
challenge. A stage in Finland is available by default, with
its default time to beat listed on the far-right of the
initial line; selecting this line (the first line) allows for
that initial stage to be modified on a pop-up sub-screen.
Here, the player can change the country (remember that the
entire continent of Africa is treated as a single country in
V-Rally 3), track (all forward-direction tracks for each
country are listed before that country's reverse-direction
tracks), and the time to beat (adjusted in 5% intervals up to
a 15% differential).
Adding new stages is done by selecting Add, and a new
Finland-default line appears. Selecting this line allows for
the player to make changes.
Unfortunately, each stage has its own specified
weather/lighting conditions, which cannot be changed in Extra
Challenges :-( It would be quite interesting, for example,
to create a challenge where ALL stages are run through Africa
at nighttime, or ALL stages run in France in severe foggy
conditions.
Should a player later wish to edit or delete/erase a created
challenge, this can be done from the Extra Challenges sub-
menu. Any attempt to delete/erase a created challenge will
be 'cautioned' with a verification screen.
Once the player has created a challenge, it is then
selectable from the Challenges: Select sub-menu. All player-
created challenges will appear after the five default
challenges (i.e., after the Michelin Challenge).
Unfortunately, the record times for any created challenges
are not shown on the Records screen, nor do they appear in a
driver's Pressbook :-(
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DIAGRAMS
This section contains the diagrams referred to earlier in the
guide.
Ascari Chicane (at Monza):
*
*
*
*
*
***
*
*****************
Bus Stop Chicane (Variant I - Wide Chicane):
******************* *******************
* *
*********
Bus Stop Chicane (Variant II - Narrow Chicane):
******************* *******************
***********
Decreasing-radius Corner:
->*******************
*
*
*
*
*
*
<-*************************
Hairpin Corner:
->*****************
*
<-*****************
Increasing-radius Corner:
->**********************
*
*
*
*
*
<-*******************
J-turn
*******************
*
*
*
*
Quick-flicks (Variant I - Wide Chicane):
*************
*
*************
Quick-flicks (Variant II - Narrow Chicane):
*************
**************
Sample Circuit Using Some of the Above Corner Types Combined:
******|****** *****
* |-> * * *
* ** *** *
* * ** *
* * * * *
* * * * * ********
* ** * * *
* * ************
******* *
*******
Standard Corner:
*******************
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
U-turn:
->*****************
*
*
*
<-*****************
Virtual Bus Stop Chicane:
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Car #1 ->->->->->-> Car #3
Player Path: ->->->->->->-> Car #2 ->->->->->->->
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
==============================================
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ONLINE RESOURCES
Here are a few Internet resources for World Rally
Championship, the actual FIA rally racing series which
provides the basis for V-Rally 2.
Infogrames (http://www.us.infogrames.com/)
This is the official American Web site for Infogrames,
the publisher of V-Rally 3.
V-Rally 3 (http://www.V-Rally3.com/)
This is the official Web site of V-Rally 3. The site is
Flash-based and is available in English, French, German,
Spanish, and Italian.
FIA World Rally Championship - Mailing List
(http://www.dusty.com.au/)
Touted as "the world's biggest rally mailing list,"
results will be sent via e-mail for each competition.
Rally-Live.com (http://rally.racing-live.com/en/)
This site - available in English, French, and Spanish -
includes rally news and images, information on drivers and
teams, regulations, information on each racing venue, an
online store, forums and chat capabilities, wallpapers,
screensavers, and more.
RallyForum (http://www.rallyforum.com/)
This is primarily an online discussion area for everything
related to World Rally Championship.
RallyRallyRally (http://www.rallyrallyrally.com/)
This site covers World Rally Championship, British Rally,
European Rally, American Rally, and Asia/Pacific Rally
news.
World Rallying (http://www.worldrally.net/)
This site is an independent source for information on
World Rally Championship, including results for every
season since 1994 and an online discussion area.
==============================================
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==============================================
CONTACT INFORMATION
For questions, rants, raves, comments of appreciation, etc.,
or to be added to my e-mail list for updates to this driving
guide, 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/DC/Mac game guides, visit FeatherGuides at
http://feathersites.angelcities.com/
==============================================
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