Top Gear Challenge: Pain in the unmentionables

  • Thread starter konig
  • 131 comments
  • 17,094 views
30
United States
United S
GTP_Konig
Samba-bus is just painfully, devastatingly slow and Elise with TCS off is nearly impossible to drive

Anyone have tips?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
you have to go full out while keeping it smooth for the bus challenge.

draft the buses, cut in when you can.

you really have to keep it tight.

this challenge took lot of patience since it's so slow and it feels like it's forever...
 
As I mentioned in the "Samba bus technique" thread, there is a true method to doing this quickly and it helps a ton. I got gold on S-7 with this method due to learning the track so fast.
 
It took me something like 50+ attempts to gold the samba buses. Hated it, just sheer persistence in the end.

I play pretty much all the time with all aids turned off but unless you're Lewis Hamilton I don't think the Lotuses can be done so I've swallowed my pride with that one. I've noticed that the options menu before the event start doesn't allow you to activate ASM but I discovered you CAN turn it on using the RT Adjustment buttons on my DFGT. Dunno if some people will consider it a cheat but I've justified it to myself by the reality that making adjustments of that nature while driving is a skill in itself!

Even with that, best I've managed so far is 4th but I'm improving....
 
I beat it after reading some tips. You do NOT have to brake for every corner. Only Chicago, Hammerhead, and the last one. Try to zoom past the other buses on the inside. If you get gold, you get the Top Gear track on arcade and practice mode.

TIP- When doing time trail on the top gear track, the timer does not begin until you cross the "line". Slowly drive up to the start, and take off!

EDIT - ABS 1, TCS 3-5, Manual, nothing else
 
Samba: Draft and rub the other buses. Also, be gentle with the brakes

Lotus: Turn on Active Steering and Skid Recovery. Brake gently for the first corner. Keep it flat through the followthrough.
 
I've golded everything I've tried so far, but Top Gear Intermediate appears to be almost impossible.

With all the aids on I did this with a 2nd place finish but I didn't like that so I did it with only the usual TCS +1 to 6 and ABS +1 to 2 and I got a 5th place but I tell you, it takes serious throttle and braking control and with such a complicated track along with crazy AI that will drive you off the road, its probably the hardest challenge I have done. I don't see myself golding this one anytime soon.
 
I can definitely tell you that a Wheel makes any of these challenges much easier. I was able to Gold this easily once I figured out the way the Lotus handles.

As everyone is saying, throttle and brake control are key. Consider removing some front brake to keep the car from trying to pivot around the front axle so much. Also, NEVER try to floor the throttle from no or little throttle while you've got it cranked full turn (such as in the Switchback section whose name I can't remember or Chicago). Wait until you're relatively straightened out and then floor it.

Also remember that the A.I.s are a lot more scared of the power they have then you are. You can push it a little harder than they can. Just take your time and don't try anything stupid. The hard braking points, though, are great opportunities to make several passes all at once, especially on Lap 1.
 
Samba wasn't too bad after about 10 tries I think I got it. I tried the lotus challenge 6 times and only made it passed the first turn once lol. I dont think I like this one :(
 
If you think the Bus is slow wait till you get to the last event :sly:

It's so easy to cut corners and draft on the TG track. Really don't see how anyone could have trouble using these basic techniques with such an easy to drive car. The Lotus one is another story...
 
I got bored of the Bus one... Got a Silver on my first try, so that's there.

Lotus event is a pain. Silver too.

I got a gold on the last event on the first shot though. I might go back to the Busses and use the same method I used in this one. I must say, the comment people usually make about the AI being "on rails" is VERY, VERY evident in the Top Gear challenges.
 
I got bored of the Bus one... Got a Silver on my first try, so that's there.

Lotus event is a pain. Silver too.

I got a gold on the last event on the first shot though. I might go back to the Busses and use the same method I used in this one. I must say, the comment people usually make about the AI being "on rails" is VERY, VERY evident in the Top Gear challenges.

In the last one I had no idea what the AI was doing. I thought it was a glitch or something and they'd all gone insane until I realised... :lol:
 
In the last one I had no idea what the AI was doing. I thought it was a glitch or something and they'd all gone insane until I realised... :lol:

HAHA! That was a WIN comment. You can have a cookie! :)

I'm off to try to beat the Busses. Brb ten years whilst I approach the top speed.
 
I've got silver in the Lotus event with ABS 1 and no other aids. It wasn't a perfect run and I was right on the tail of 1st place, so it is possible.

You just have to be gentle with the controls and have a light touch on the wheel so you can feel when the back end is approaching the limit.

The trick to keeping the Elise stable when you have to brake while turning (particularly for the first and second-to-last corners) is to keep some gas on when you brake (heel and toe or left foot braking). The engine working against the brakes reduces the braking force on the rear wheels; it's an instantly adjustable brake balance control and really helps keep the back end in check.
 
Samba took me 20+ attempts. I could tell what needed to be done the entire time, it was just a question of dealing with the slow pansy buses long enough.

The Lotus is a different story, without driving aids I'm not sure it can be done by mortals. I try to follow the computer's line through the first corner, but either I'm overshooting it or when I hit the brakes I slide like Rhys Millen. I haven't even been able to get past the third corner without being disqualified. I should also note I play with a DFP, which has no real feedback on the brake pedal so determining brake pressure is difficult with a game that is this touchy.
 
Oh. Wow. I finally came back to the busses and after 2 DQs thanks to the AI ramming me off the track at Gambon... I got Gold. MUCH easier than I remember. :)

I FEEL INVINCIBLE! I'm going to try the Lotus again!
 
http://www.justin.tv/rav13age/b/274700903?

Here is the Lotus Elise challenge golded with just abs on 1.

smooth driving, much appreciate mate
thanks for sharing the painful experiences guys, now i feel much better knowing that it truly is 'challenging challenge'
samba bus i guess i will have to endure through just to have the TG track available (can't wait to compare with stig's laptime on some cars) but lotus...what will i do with you. need to be much much more careful than any other rwd with tcs off
 
The biggest problem I had with the Samba Bus was the AI getting caught on my quarter panel and spinning me out. I swear, if I ever meet anyone who drives one of those things, I'm liable to punch 'em right in the face. So my advice is to keep to their inside to avoid being spun.

As for the Lotus, I could not for the life of me get past hammerhead with out spinning while using a DFGT, even with all the aids on. I used a controller and got silver easily.
 
I gold the lotus take chicago in 3rd and you go past 4 or 5 at the start, Exit the hammerhead in 2nd, and take the followthru in 4th the revs will be low but will keep it straighter. Let it drift out, You have heaps of track to keep speed and then over take the last 2 in gambon. It took me 30 goes.
Whats wrong is those cars when you buy it in dealers you get sports tyres, In top gear they have comfort hard, So they are poorly balanced, I had tc on 1 the only time I turned TC on in fact for licenses.
 
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

I lost the Lotus event by .233. :(

EDIT: HOLY CRAP! Second shot and I got first place, in the hammerhead; I laughed my way to the finish :) .. I won by 3 SECONDS!
 
Last edited:
Got 3rd in the Elise race.

1st Turn - Break late, and cut in front of two of them.
2nd Turn - Don't break, fly though (on the right hand side) and pass some more
3rd Turn - Take slowly and accelerate through
4th Turn - Break Late, pass through the right side of the cars.
5th Turn - Fly through
6th Turn - Fly through 'follow through'
7th Turn - Take it slow
8th Turn - Pass anyone who is in front by breaking late and overtaking..

Something like that, you get the hang of it when you've done it so many times..
 
Here's a guideline guys. As you cross the line (the first time) you should be in 5th. Turning through Chicago, you should then be in 3rd. As you go through Hammerhead, jump to 2nd. Stay on the tail of 1st and take his place through second-to-last and Gambon.
 
I just finished the bus challenge earlier tonight. It's more frustrating than anything else. I only used brakes to stop myself from hitting the buses in front of me and getting DQ'ed. As soon as you learn how to pass properly it's not too bad. I basically got DQ'ed every race except for the one I managed to finish in 1st :) I got to 2nd with lots of track left, so I made sure to be extra cautious and waited for a perfect run to pass the last bus.

The Lotus challenge, OTOH, feels 10x more difficult. Going to tackle it on another day.
 
Samba: Draft and rub the other buses. Also, be gentle with the brakes

Lotus: Turn on Active Steering and Skid Recovery. Brake gently for the first corner. Keep it flat through the followthrough.

All I needed was the skid recovery, active steering will just make it that much easier. All I could manage without the Skid Recovery was Silver :/

Jerome
 
I just finished the bus challenge earlier tonight. It's more frustrating than anything else. I only used brakes to stop myself from hitting the buses in front of me and getting DQ'ed. As soon as you learn how to pass properly it's not too bad. I basically got DQ'ed every race except for the one I managed to finish in 1st :) I got to 2nd with lots of track left, so I made sure to be extra cautious and waited for a perfect run to pass the last bus.

The Lotus challenge, OTOH, feels 10x more difficult. Going to tackle it on another day.

The Lotus one felt easier for me :grumpy: I'll try the bus one again when I feel like it...
 
The Elise one... that was so bad. I had to turn skid recovery and TCS on.

I almost want to say it's impossible to do with all driving aids off... In fact, I'm going to say it is until someone proves me wrong with a video :P
 
The Lotus is quite driveable...just drive it like a mid-engined vehicle. That means beware of lift-off oversteer, be careful about applying power until you're straight, and be gentle. No need to enable any driver aids. I just got a bronze but will be back for gold after I finish other things.
 
Back