- 543
Well, with my friend borrowing GT4, I'm stuck with GT3 for now. Luckily, I never completed GT3, and so here comes the first GT3 race report in ages.
Back in the 2001 days when I first played GT3, I was your standard cheapo man. I'd look at some Beginner Cup race and say, "Hmm...field's a bunch of sedans...I wonder how the F094/S would do here." I never got through a lot of Amateur races because they were "too long."
Now I've come back to do something competitive for once, and Trial Mountain 2 Hrs. is one of the enduros I haven't done yet. I chose it since it was a track I liked, and the cars didn't have to be super-fast.
The track: Trial Mountain (2 Hours Endurance)
My ride: Tommy Kaira ZZ-S w/oil change and T4 tires
The challengers: NSX Type S Zero, WRX STi, V-Spec II R34, Evo VII RS, Supra RZ
Incidentally, why does it show JGTC cars on the preview image anyway then?
Qualifying was pretty simple - I know the NSX was faster, but I could beat him on pit strategy. Thus I aimed to qualify second, and pass him ASAP so I could hold him up.
1) NSX 1:35:863
2) R34 1:37:565
3) ZZ-S 1:37:684
4) Supra 1:41:211
5) WRX 1:42.713
6) Evo 1:42:963
Hmm...the R34 was faster than I though so I was a little worried. But let's race and see how it went...
Lap 1: Go go go! I pass the GTR going into the first tunnel curve...and he passes me back a couple curves later, where he drives past me, misses the apex, smacks the wall, and somehow stays in front. Great AI! I finish 3rd, +3.514
Lap 2: Hmm...I'm losing a little more time than I hoped. And then I spin coming down the first hill (turn 4?) and lose even more time! Superb! Everyone passes me, 6th +15.947
Lap 3: More off-road adventures here as I contemplate the ZZ-S's effectiveness as a rally machine. Luckily I lose little time this lap. I pass the Evo right before going into the back straight, where he squashes me against the tunnel wall. So much for 5th. 6th +22.745, and very nervous.
Lap 4: I pass the Evo for good at the spot of my first spin, and get by the Subie where I passed the Evo last lap, sans getting punted into a wall. The GTR pits early - no threat from him then. 4th +26.519
Lap 5: I run wide trying to avoid the GTR coming out of pit lane, and go through the next 3 turns with all hairs standing up and the rear drifting everywhere. I then pass the Supra as he dashes into the rocks. The NSX pits as I expected from earlier practice. I'm still +13.178 behind in 2nd though?? I wish the pit lane was longer here.
Lap 6: The Evo pits as I start this lap. I'm going along having a sucky time when wheeeeeee, I spin again around turn 11-ish (the second sharp drop). My chances are looking very grim and sort of like a..red...Supra...AAAAAAAAH!
*smash*
Never spin onto the racing line. We hit head-on. I retire.
---
"Well, that sucked," I said. My tires were fading from green already, and I believed I needed some harder stuff. So I went to the all-purpose parts shop and picked up a pair of T2's, as durable as they come.
Back to the mountain! I only qualified once this time, so my time was worse.
1) NSX 1:37:286
2) R34 1:37:652
3) ZZ-S 1:41:085
4) RX-7 1:41:218
5) Evo 1:43:376
6) WRX 1:43:650
The Supra died in the previous incident and was swapped for a RX-7. I didn't think he'd be a threat.
Lap 1: Yay for walls! I clobber a wall early and watch the RX-7 and Subie pass me, only to get them back two walls later when they both eat it. 3rd +7.143!!
Lap 2: Well, I'm losing time. Wait, just kidding, I gained time before T2! Awesome! But...I still lost time overall. 3rd +10.069
Lap 3: It feels like I can match the NSX's T1, I'm faster by T2, and T3 sucks complete arse. 3rd +13.198
Lap 4: I nail a wall going into the back stretch - ouch! The GTR pits. Bye. 2nd +20.773
Lap 5: The NSX pits, as expected, but he's surprisingly fast on his in-lap. I was losing time at T3 still. 2nd +8.437
Lap 6: The Evo pits. Whoopee. +9.406
Lap 7: +11.389
Lap 8: The GTR pits again - wonder if he'll finish 6th here from all the pits. +13.645
Lap 9: The Subie pits, leaving me and the RX-7 to be the only pit-less ones so far. +17.649
Lap 10: The NSX pits as expected, +5.489
Lap 11: I can see the NSX as he comes out of the pits!! And then I spin. ARGH! And the Evo pits. +14.618
Lap 12: +17.972
Lap 13: The GTR pits some more. +18.929
Lap 14: I hit that wall that all the CPUs do. +21.xxx
Lap 15: The NSX pits, back to +8.376. My tires are just fading now, hopefully I can make them last until I lead.
Lap 16: +9.170. Fast lap, Evo pits.
Lap 17: Exciting pit action! The GTR and STi pit. +12.990
Lap 18: +16.968
Lap 19: Replay save complete already? +19.886
Lap 20: Civilization! I finally see another car - the STi, who I lap quickly. NSX pits. +6.594
Lap 21: GTR pits as usual. +8.130
Lap 22: Evo pits. +10.453
Lap 23: +11.896
Lap 24: When will the RX-7 pit? Right now, apparently. I win the pitting war against him, staying out the longest. +16.493
Lap 25: This lap was really clumsy, and I decide to pit "with" the NSX and GTR. On the same lap, anyway. It's past 40-minutes, and I decide to make a 2-stopper. Staying until 1 hr. probably isn't worth it for the time I gain not pitting. Forgot to record gap here.
Lap 26: STi pits. +21.845!? I wonder why the NSX gains so much time in the pits. My crew sucks! Morale takes another hit.
Lap 27: +27.741
Lap 28: Evo pits. +35.444
Lap 29: +37.304
Lap 30: GTR pits. +40.632
Lap 31: NSX pits, +26.913
Lap 32: I spin it AGAIN!! This time, at the rock-wall section. I end up facing the wall, so I reverse out and...I can't get out of reverse!! I end up spinning around trying to disengage reverse (do I shift up? stand on the gas? brake?) for a half-minute until I realize the triangle (reverse) button was stuck down on my DF wheel. This was the last straw. With little-to-no hope left, I retire again.
---
Didn't even get halfway through, but it was an interesting learning experience. I think that someone with more driving skill and better consistency could win a close one with the ZZ-S over the NSX.
I would lap in the 1:40s usually, fastest lap was a 1:38:xxx.
My other problem was that I sucked at avoiding spins. When the tail slid out I would just freeze and panic. I was afraid to brake, or accelerate, or make quick turns or anything that would snap the car out of it, so I would do a slow drift into the wall. Gotta stop doing that.
I'll try it again, but with a different car...maybe more HP, softer tires...
Back in the 2001 days when I first played GT3, I was your standard cheapo man. I'd look at some Beginner Cup race and say, "Hmm...field's a bunch of sedans...I wonder how the F094/S would do here." I never got through a lot of Amateur races because they were "too long."
Now I've come back to do something competitive for once, and Trial Mountain 2 Hrs. is one of the enduros I haven't done yet. I chose it since it was a track I liked, and the cars didn't have to be super-fast.
The track: Trial Mountain (2 Hours Endurance)
My ride: Tommy Kaira ZZ-S w/oil change and T4 tires
The challengers: NSX Type S Zero, WRX STi, V-Spec II R34, Evo VII RS, Supra RZ
Incidentally, why does it show JGTC cars on the preview image anyway then?
Qualifying was pretty simple - I know the NSX was faster, but I could beat him on pit strategy. Thus I aimed to qualify second, and pass him ASAP so I could hold him up.
1) NSX 1:35:863
2) R34 1:37:565
3) ZZ-S 1:37:684
4) Supra 1:41:211
5) WRX 1:42.713
6) Evo 1:42:963
Hmm...the R34 was faster than I though so I was a little worried. But let's race and see how it went...
Lap 1: Go go go! I pass the GTR going into the first tunnel curve...and he passes me back a couple curves later, where he drives past me, misses the apex, smacks the wall, and somehow stays in front. Great AI! I finish 3rd, +3.514
Lap 2: Hmm...I'm losing a little more time than I hoped. And then I spin coming down the first hill (turn 4?) and lose even more time! Superb! Everyone passes me, 6th +15.947
Lap 3: More off-road adventures here as I contemplate the ZZ-S's effectiveness as a rally machine. Luckily I lose little time this lap. I pass the Evo right before going into the back straight, where he squashes me against the tunnel wall. So much for 5th. 6th +22.745, and very nervous.
Lap 4: I pass the Evo for good at the spot of my first spin, and get by the Subie where I passed the Evo last lap, sans getting punted into a wall. The GTR pits early - no threat from him then. 4th +26.519
Lap 5: I run wide trying to avoid the GTR coming out of pit lane, and go through the next 3 turns with all hairs standing up and the rear drifting everywhere. I then pass the Supra as he dashes into the rocks. The NSX pits as I expected from earlier practice. I'm still +13.178 behind in 2nd though?? I wish the pit lane was longer here.
Lap 6: The Evo pits as I start this lap. I'm going along having a sucky time when wheeeeeee, I spin again around turn 11-ish (the second sharp drop). My chances are looking very grim and sort of like a..red...Supra...AAAAAAAAH!
*smash*
Never spin onto the racing line. We hit head-on. I retire.
---
"Well, that sucked," I said. My tires were fading from green already, and I believed I needed some harder stuff. So I went to the all-purpose parts shop and picked up a pair of T2's, as durable as they come.
Back to the mountain! I only qualified once this time, so my time was worse.
1) NSX 1:37:286
2) R34 1:37:652
3) ZZ-S 1:41:085
4) RX-7 1:41:218
5) Evo 1:43:376
6) WRX 1:43:650
The Supra died in the previous incident and was swapped for a RX-7. I didn't think he'd be a threat.
Lap 1: Yay for walls! I clobber a wall early and watch the RX-7 and Subie pass me, only to get them back two walls later when they both eat it. 3rd +7.143!!
Lap 2: Well, I'm losing time. Wait, just kidding, I gained time before T2! Awesome! But...I still lost time overall. 3rd +10.069
Lap 3: It feels like I can match the NSX's T1, I'm faster by T2, and T3 sucks complete arse. 3rd +13.198
Lap 4: I nail a wall going into the back stretch - ouch! The GTR pits. Bye. 2nd +20.773
Lap 5: The NSX pits, as expected, but he's surprisingly fast on his in-lap. I was losing time at T3 still. 2nd +8.437
Lap 6: The Evo pits. Whoopee. +9.406
Lap 7: +11.389
Lap 8: The GTR pits again - wonder if he'll finish 6th here from all the pits. +13.645
Lap 9: The Subie pits, leaving me and the RX-7 to be the only pit-less ones so far. +17.649
Lap 10: The NSX pits as expected, +5.489
Lap 11: I can see the NSX as he comes out of the pits!! And then I spin. ARGH! And the Evo pits. +14.618
Lap 12: +17.972
Lap 13: The GTR pits some more. +18.929
Lap 14: I hit that wall that all the CPUs do. +21.xxx
Lap 15: The NSX pits, back to +8.376. My tires are just fading now, hopefully I can make them last until I lead.
Lap 16: +9.170. Fast lap, Evo pits.
Lap 17: Exciting pit action! The GTR and STi pit. +12.990
Lap 18: +16.968
Lap 19: Replay save complete already? +19.886
Lap 20: Civilization! I finally see another car - the STi, who I lap quickly. NSX pits. +6.594
Lap 21: GTR pits as usual. +8.130
Lap 22: Evo pits. +10.453
Lap 23: +11.896
Lap 24: When will the RX-7 pit? Right now, apparently. I win the pitting war against him, staying out the longest. +16.493
Lap 25: This lap was really clumsy, and I decide to pit "with" the NSX and GTR. On the same lap, anyway. It's past 40-minutes, and I decide to make a 2-stopper. Staying until 1 hr. probably isn't worth it for the time I gain not pitting. Forgot to record gap here.
Lap 26: STi pits. +21.845!? I wonder why the NSX gains so much time in the pits. My crew sucks! Morale takes another hit.
Lap 27: +27.741
Lap 28: Evo pits. +35.444
Lap 29: +37.304
Lap 30: GTR pits. +40.632
Lap 31: NSX pits, +26.913
Lap 32: I spin it AGAIN!! This time, at the rock-wall section. I end up facing the wall, so I reverse out and...I can't get out of reverse!! I end up spinning around trying to disengage reverse (do I shift up? stand on the gas? brake?) for a half-minute until I realize the triangle (reverse) button was stuck down on my DF wheel. This was the last straw. With little-to-no hope left, I retire again.
---
Didn't even get halfway through, but it was an interesting learning experience. I think that someone with more driving skill and better consistency could win a close one with the ZZ-S over the NSX.
I would lap in the 1:40s usually, fastest lap was a 1:38:xxx.
My other problem was that I sucked at avoiding spins. When the tail slid out I would just freeze and panic. I was afraid to brake, or accelerate, or make quick turns or anything that would snap the car out of it, so I would do a slow drift into the wall. Gotta stop doing that.
I'll try it again, but with a different car...maybe more HP, softer tires...
