Any News on this?
Been awhile, guess I should update! (with a really long wall of text) I really lost interest over this past winter with the vid and all the crap going on, didn't play for many months. But... Started playing again a few months ago. I've pretty much figured out what it takes to get a 260 or *310. It is all about the spacing of the starting pattern. (meaning the spacing of the enemy cars the first time you come to them on the first lap of the main race) That controls everything.. almost. You still have to drive well enough to get a 213 time.
Ok, so there are places during attract mode you can coin up and ways to run the qualify lap to get certain 'patterns' of the first 4 enemy cars the majority of the time. Meaning first car you come to is on the left, 2nd car in order is on the right, next 2 are on the left.
Or the first 2 are side by side and the next 2 are also, etc... (many possible patterns) BUT!!!! Now this is a BIG BUT. There is no way I have found, after many thousands of games, to do anything that controls the spacing of the enemy cars at the beginning of the main race. (meaning how far they are away from each other or you as you come to them) After you come to and pass those cars the first time, the pattern is set, all you can do is drive bad and make them move further away from you down the track. So you have to get lucky and get the spacing pattern where all the enemy cars are closer to you than normal. (so you pass more right before the finish line) THEN, ALSO drive perfect
Just some scoring info for those that don't know (A time of 213 and 142 cars is 67,310 a time of 213 and 141 cars is 67,260. 213 and 140 cars is 67,210. Time of 214 and 141 is 67,060, 214 and 140 cars is 67,010, etc.. )
Here's a breakdown of the spacing of enemy cars I've had over the last few months on Lap 1, at the First Hairpin:
1. The Best spacing (4 car pattern), you can get inside all 4 cars on the hairpin (VERY RARE, 141 possibly 142. I've never ran a 213 with that spacing, hard to get a good first lap time)
2. You cut inside 3 cars on the hairpin and the 4th is immediately on your left as you leave the hairpin (RARE, I've passed 141 many times getting this spacing pattern best time 214.03, surprise cars pop up early on blind curves)
3. You cut inside 3 cars on the hairpin and the 4th is halfway to the puddle on the left. (SEMI RARE, I've also passed 141 cars sometimes but usually 140 cars. I have run 213 but only got 140)
4. Pass 3 or 2 cars on inside during the hairpin and the 4th car is at the puddle or past. Just stop. 140 or more is impossible.
All of this is noticable at the finish line of lap 1. If you pass the 4th car in the group (red and white car) well before the finish line of lap 1 you're in good shape if you run good. If you cross the finish line at the same time or after that car has crossed it, it's over. Just another 66,9XX
Since these "Short Spacing" patterns are rare, it's really hard to have an idea how the enemy cars are going to behave later in the race on laps 2,3,4 in the tough spots (turn 1 and the hairpin) So I'll have an amazing race going, hit the hairpin on lap 4 and boom there's a f'n car there, that in every other race is way farther down the track. It's like practicing for the olympics but only randomly on every 10-15th time the hurdles are spaced right for you to get your fastest time. Frustrating at times ha!
I usually play 15-20 games at a session, sometimes I get the goods, most times not. (and I still crash more than I'll admit) And you still have to drive the damn game perfect! No brushing cars, no skidding (excpet when necessary) hug the yellow lines etc. But I know from my own races that I still have A LOT of room for improvement! Oh, and a time of 212 is technically possible... I've run the individual lap times to get it, L1 55.67, L2 51.98, L3 52.00, L4 52.71 +.50 = 212.86 Just not in the same race.
The history of the high scores was looked into a year ago... as much as it can be anyways. For those that don't know heres a little info.
All Print Guinness books from 1985, 1986, and 1987 say 67,260 is the WR. In issue 7, Feb. 1990 Electronic Gaming Monthly Magazine printed the first ever mention of a score of 67,310. In 1998 Twin Galaxies and Walter Day released a book "Official Video Game & Pinball Book of World Records" As you might have guessed, one of it's sources was Electronic Gaming Monthly. It prints that 67,310 is the WR. When the TG website went up they used the book to populate the high scores on their site. That's just a little background on the current *high score.
I have no idea if 310 happened or not, but I know 260 did and there is a time associated with it. And I'm going to beat it.
TL;DR This game still rocks, I'm back playing, figured some new stuff out, hope to post new high scores soon!
