FG: Nascar VII - The Race Thread

[duke o' york]

Well I could send orders in for the next round, but it wouldn't be worthwhile, and so I think that if anyone wants to take over then they should.
It's not like I was ever going to win anyway.
I've just realised that the reason rah is so good at Nascar is that it is very like Civ 2 MP. You just can't afford to pootle around nicely at the beginning of the race, because by the time you get to the point where you can start using up your WCs to challenge, you've already been crushed by those who raced ahead at the beginning. Good to see the sandtraps return though. Just like golf, something else rah seems to be quite good at. (says duke, who wouldn't even qualify for a handicap with one of those indoor putting games. )

[rah]

Yes, a fast start is usually helpful, just to avoid crashes.
But I believe I miscalculated this race though. I used more WCs then I should have and I will be paying for that sooner than I'd like. Combine that with Trailblazing the sand traps and I expect I'll be having company before this one is over.

[Spaced Cowboy]

Well let's freaking hope so, but I think that I went down the wrong path.

[rah]

Originally posted by Spaced Cowboy
Well let's freaking hope so, but I think that I went down the wrong path.

I think a simple space count would have resolved that decision, but it did cost me an extra WC going the other way.

[Sparrowhawk]

Agreed, and I did that space count and chose the same path as Rah (and Duke) as a result. Unfortunately for my screw up of the RL I ended out off track which may have cost me a chance at the race. I was happy to see Rah use the extra wildcards and figured him in front would show me the Sandbags and if I could stay close enough behind I could use the extra wildcards to catch up and pass him late. Unfortunately with my screw up I had to burn 2 extra wildcards and now need some help to catch up again.

I actually like Duke's chances now, with 6 wildcards whoever takes over for him should have the best shot at catching Rah now (who even with 3 wildcards has to be considered the favourite to win).

/me

[rah]

Ah, the beauty of the sandtraps. The worst thing that could happen to me know would be not to hit any more sandbags. I really need to slow down a touch.

[Jonny]

Turn 7: The National Weather Service has posted a Sandstorm Warning...

   S -******-
   t  ******                                    ***********|***
   a  ******                                   ************|***
   r  ******                                  *************|***
   t  ******                                 **************|***
       *****                                 ***           F
        ****                                 ***           i
        ****                                 ***           n
     **|****|*****                            **           i
    ***|***4|******                           **           s
   **   ****      5******                     ^^                       
  **    ****       *2*******         (sand         traps!)          *******
 **     ****              ***************oo*******oo1****************     **      ****
 **    ** **                *******6*****************************         |*|  ****  ***
 **   **  **                     **3********      ************************|*|***       **
  *****   **                     **           ^^                          |*|           *
   ***    **                    **            **                           **           *
          **                   **             **                            **          *
          **                ****              **                             **         *
          **          ***  *                  **                              **       ** 
           **        **  **                  ***                               **     **
            **********                     *****                     ****       **   **
             ********                     **** *                    ******       ** **
                                         **    *                    ********      ***
                                        **     *                  ***    ***      **
                                       **      *                 ***      ***    **
                                       **      *                 ***      ***   **
                                        **   **                   *******|***|***
                                       *\**\*                      ******|***|**
                                      *   **                              ***
                                     *     **********    (sandtraps!)    *** 
                                     *      *******************************
                                      *             **********************
                                       **********************************

 
Car Number
 
Player Name
 
Speed
 
Wild cards
 
Direction
 
Orders


 
1
 
rah
 
8
 
3
 
E
 
A(m11)


 
2
 
Spaced Cowboy
 
7
 
4
 
E
 
AMMMMRML


 
3
 
Sparrowhawk
 
6
 
4
 
E
 
AML(M3)R


 
4
 
Gamecube64
 
4
 
6
 
E
 
AMMMM


 
5
 
Ljube-ljcvetko
 
7
 
4
 
SE
 
A(5M)RM


 
6
 
Kassiopeia
 
7
 
6
 
NE
 
ARML(4M)

Note: Rah is currently on a sandbag.

Another turn with no crashes. Rah hits a triplet of sandbags, slowing him down as he approaches the second split. Meanwhile, Sparrowhawk and the duke enter the sandbag alley, while Spaced leads the back three into the alley's entrance.

Again, if anyone out there wants to take the duke's spot (he's almost in second place, folks), speak up now.

Now accepting turn 8 orders.

[Gamecube64]

Sent

ZOOM ZOOM!

[Kassiopeia]

I can take Duke's spot.

[Sparrowhawk]

Sent!

Looking forward to racing with you Kassiopeia!

/me

[Kassiopeia]

Thanks. As long as I understand how the game works

[Spaced Cowboy]

sent

[Kassiopeia]

Barrage of questions sent

[Sparrowhawk]

Any that can be answered here without having to ask Jonny (so that you can send in orders quicker??)?

[Kassiopeia]

Uh, I suppose.

Does accelerating affect the speed already that turn? I'd think not. Does the amount of speed mean how many M's and turns you can plot in there, so that when you have speed 8 and want to just go forward, you put in MMMMMMMM / 8M? Or, perhaps in a corner, AALMMLMM meaning you accelerate two units of speed, then steer left, then move two units of distance, then left again, then two more units of distance?

This does pose the question - why would someone slow down? So I'm thinking, if speed is 8, maybe you can go AALMMLMM, but you'd have to use two wildcards for the extra steer and acceleration. So orders without wild cards would look like AMMLMMMM, for instance. But if that is the case, how the heck do people negotiate corners? by driving very, very slowly?