Talks about DiscussionMonster Energy Supercross 3 with a realistic (450) setup
Talks about DiscussionMonster Energy Supercross 3 with a realistic (450) setup
I took some time off to play Chernobylite, which was both interesting and a bit annoying at times due to having to micromanage your rep with your crew. This will be the final walkthrough I do of this game, and once again, it's great to be back on the better sounding, more capable 450 bike. These first 2 rounds are at Anaheim 1, and Glendale.
Anaheim 1
There's a couple good places to pass AI on this track, and the 450 makes fairly easy work of it, so I gave the AI a 10 sec head start.
I got pouring rain on this one, but it's not nearly as much of a problem on the 450, just a bit of fishtailing now and then out of berms. It starts with a sharp left bend, over a small mound, then a triple over small jumps, into a high, steep 90 right berm. The next section is a double/triple combo on small jumps, then immediately into a 90 right over a bridge jump. This double/triple combo section is a good place to pass AI. You then have a whoop section that starts with a short flat, and into a big air triple off a big jump, ending this section with a high, semi steep 90 left berm.
This takes you into a rhythm section that can be doubled all the way through, which is another good place to pass AI, and ends with a 90 left under the bridge. You then have a near 90 left right after, into back to back big air doubles that each take you over the wide start chute on either side of the first turn. This leads you into a 90 right to the only worrisome rhythm section, which is a double/double/double onto tabletop/double/single combo. This section isn't really anything to worry about on the 450 though.
This takes you into a high, steep 180 right berm, through a fast whoop section, then into a high, steep near 180 left berm, then diagonally along the start chute, into a high, steep near 180 right berm, and off the big finish line jump for a big air double. You then pass by the holeshot line after a sharp left, taking the following section with a triple off small jumps on subsequent laps like the first. The highlight for me was at the 6:02 mark on the final lap, passing teammates Cooper Webb and Marvin Musquin one right after the other just before taking the bridge jump. At the final time check I had a just under .74 sec lead.
Glendale
This one was dry, and the AI ride it much more competitively. There's also a nasty rhythm section where it's hard to pass AI, as they can unpredictably fly across track and at times land on you from big jumps. Thus I gave them a 7 sec head start.
It starts with a sharp left bend, into a double/triple/triple/triple/single combo, then into a 90 left, over a small jump you skip off, then into two flat straits connected by a high, steep 180 left berm followed by a small jump double. This takes you to a 90 right, then a roll over a small jump, into another rhythm section, which I usually take as a double/double onto tabletop/double/big air triple combo. It ends with a small jump and a high, steep 180 right berm right after it.
After the 90 right berm is a small jump, then a long, flat strait on the start chute, into a semi fast, sweeping left with a shallow berm. This takes you into that nasty rhythm section I call carnage alley. Ideally I like to stay on the left side of the track after this turn, and take this section as a double/triple/triple/triple combo, but when AI are present, you need to just pick a clear lane and hope they don't dive bomb you. You then take a high, steep 190 left berm into a fast whoop section, then triple off a med jump, then a big air double off the big finish line jump.
This next section can be tricky to hit right, but can also allow you to pass AI. It's basically a couple doubles off med to small jumps, then into a 90 left, immediately into a big air triple off a big jump right after, then a 90 left with 3 more med jumps back to the holeshot line. I usually double, overshooting the 2nd jump to bounce jump off the 3rd with tempered speed, in order to start this first rhythm section with a small jump double. This allows for the same double/triple/triple/triple/single combo as with the first lap on subsequent laps.
This was a pretty challenging race. Any small mistake and the AI will catch and pass you, so I yoyoed back and forth a bit. I also lost 5 positions on an unintentional turn cut I got reset on. I DID however recover quickly from each mistake to take back my position. The highlight for me was catching lead rider Zach Osborne at the 6:39 mark on the final lap, but playing a cat and mouse game going into the nasty rhythm section instead of trying to block pass him entering it. I knew such a move could possibly not go well and cause me to lose momentum and not hit the rhythm section well. The irony of it was I didn't hit the rhythm section like I wanted to anyway, but managed to salvage just enough speed to stay near him. What saved me was coming off the berm after it higher than he did, which allowed me enough speed off it to catch and pass him on the final berm before the finish lime. At the final time check I was actually .178 sec behind, so I have no idea what amount of slim margin I won by.
Sorry for not tagging the spoilers this time. I tried, but it was either me having a brain fart from lack of sleep, the forum glitching on me, or some possible change in the spoiler tag code I'm unaware of. It was actually putting most of this post in a spoiler.
In rounds 3 and 4, I secured a Triple Crown at Anaheim 2 and Oakland. I experienced some hand discomfort from thumbs and pinkies injuries on both hands, which caused some crashes.
Anaheim 2
There was no heavy rain, but the track was damp and slippery. The player generally performs better in such weather, so I provided them with a 10-second head start. The course starts with a tight left turn, followed by a hop over a small bump just after the holeshot line, then a double over two more bumps. Then you make a 90-degree right on a shallow berm, enter a short whoop section, and land a shallow 180 right berm, a jump onto an on/off on a tabletop, exiting via a hop to a sharp left berm. Right after the track splits into a short descent on the left and a small jump on the right, I consistently choose the right path—hopping off the small jump to an on/off on a tabletop. It’s crucial to hit the left front of the tabletop to gain enough speed for the subsequent jump and prepare for the double/big air triple combo that wraps up this segment.
Executing the big air triple against AI can be challenging; it often requires entering the following rhythm section from the right side, which is higher to aid clearance on low speed. This approach sometimes involves slowing down and sharply turning left before the turn, especially if aiming to avoid AI. Starting strong in this rhythm helps manage a complex sequence like double/double/triple/double/double, which is much simpler on the 450 than the 250. Next, you tackle a high, steep 180 right berm, followed by a double to an on/off on a tabletop via a med jump, concluding with double jumps throughout.
Landing that big air triple against AI demands precision. It’s best to begin the rhythm section from the right side, elevated slightly to aid clearance of the first jump when speed is low. This strategy helps execute a double/double/triple sequence more effectively than on the 250. Then, you move into a high, steep 180 right berm, followed by a double to an on/off on a tabletop via a med jump, finishing with multiple double jumps.
You continue with a high, steep 180 left berm, then enter a section starting with a short whoop stretch and ending with a big air double off a significant jump. Immediately after, you take a sharp 90-degree right, aiming for its peak against the berm, then glide across the wide, flat start chute. I rely on the white line marking the far edge of the start chute as a braking point, but simply ease off for the double following a big jump off a med one. The next part involves a high, steep 180 right berm, followed by a brief, low-speed jump off a big jump that drops to a med jump. This section often provides a good opportunity to pass AI.
Next, I veer left across the start chute diagonally, then execute a large, flat 180 left in deep sand, and continue across the holeshot line using the same technique on the preceding bumps, increasing speed on subsequent laps.
Spoiler
The key moments for me were regaining the lead after a crash during the big air triple landing on the final lap of the first race, narrowly avoiding a reset by Cooper Web after a slip on the second race, and finally earning redemption when Jason Anderson crashed on the same triple landing in the third race. This allowed me to secure a win without any crashes, with just over a second advantage at the final time check. The other two races were won by such slim margins they were hard to confirm.
Oakland
Luckily, the conditions were dry here, as I was determined to make the most of this challenging track after all the previous crashes. There are plenty of tricks to boost speed and beat AI, and it’s much easier to master the triple in rhythm sections on the 450. I gave the AI a substantial 15-second head start. The start begins with a weave through Tuff Blocks, allowing for a smooth double/triple combo after a left dogleg across the holeshot line. Next, you face a semi-high, steep 180 right berm, followed by a rhythm section of a jump up to an on/off on a higher tabletop from a small jump, finishing with a double/double/double/double sequence. Then, a dogleg right leads into a big air double off a big jump, over a small jump, and another dogleg right onto a flat straight.
This straight ends with a high-speed jump over three ascending jumps, resembling an extended dragon’s back. It then descends where you need to shift weight and brake over a small jump into a 90-degree right. From there, you step up from a small to medium jump, which you can bounce off to set up for a triple/triple combo boosted by a speed increase from a downslope jump. Next, you tackle a high, steep 180 right berm, then use a med jump to land a triple on a small jump, preparing for a big air triple off a big jump. Finally, you take a high, steep 180 left berm, followed by two fast whoop sections separated by another high, steep 180 right berm.
You then face a high, steep 90-degree left berm, then a short, flat section across the start chute. The finish comes with a jump over a big jump—recommend releasing power at the point where the dirt changes color at the start chute edge, which immediately drops to a small jump, followed by a near-90-degree left on deep sand right after. You then intersect with the dogleg left just before the holeshot line. On subsequent laps, I treat this section as a double/double/double combo and bounce the last two jumps.
Spoiler
The standout moment was catching up to and overtaking lead rider Jason Anderson at the 2 Laps to Go mark, then quickly recovering after a comical nose wheelie crash in the turn on the final lap, securing just over 4 seconds ahead at the final time check. I assumed I’d finished my crashing streak.
Sorry for the delay; it usually adds another three days for YouTube to convert to 1440p now. During this wait, I overlooked posting rounds 5 and 6 before deciding to revisit Days Gone in Survival II without any upgrades. Much of the waiting time comes from my 64-year-old brain not working as quickly as it once did. LOL
As discussed, these are rounds 5 and 6 in San Diego and Minneapolis.
San Diego
It was raining heavily, and there were spots where you could catch and pass AI, so I gave them a 10-second advantage. The track begins with a tight left turn, followed by a roll over a small bump, then a double over two tiny jumps. Then a 90-degree left turn, a small jump onto an on/off on a tabletop, exiting by doubling over a small jump and landing into a steep 180 right berm. This leads into a short rhythm section where I double/double, landing leaning right for a 90 right. Next comes a longer rhythm that I double/double/double/triple/single, with the second double being a hop off a small jump over a med tabletop, followed by other doubles with small jumps and a triple med jump over smalls. The sequence ends with the single we discussed, which is quite small.
It’s helpful to finish that rhythm section leaning right and at the top of the 90 right, allowing you to pass AI in that direction. This moves you into another rhythm section with a double over smalls and a big air triple off a large jump over mediums. Then you hit a high, steep 180 right berm, returning to back-to-back whoops separated by a high, steep 180 left berm. These whoops are bigger and spaced further apart than usual. A big air double follows the big finish line jump, which I’m leaning toward taking mid-track now rather than at the berm or apex.
This continues with a med jump, landing on a wide, flat strait, into a sharp right that I take at its peak, followed by a half-circle left back to the holeshot. The sharp right and half circle occur on flat terrain as well. The short section after the holeshot line is repeated on subsequent laps due to similar speeds.
Spoiler
The main moment for me was finally catching and passing lead rider Blake Baggett just after the start of the final lap. At the final time check, I had a nearly 1.5-second advantage.
Minneapolis
This race was fast and dry, with good opportunities to catch and pass AI if you hit the jumps well. I gave them a 12-second head start. It starts with a sharp left sweeping bend, followed by a double over smalls, and triple/triple over mediums and smalls. Then a 90-degree left turn, a dragon’s back, and two flats connected by a high, moderately steep 180 left berm. This leads into a 90 right, into a rhythm section I alternate between doubles/triples/doubles, starting and ending with smalls and mediums in the middle. It takes you through a high, steep 180 right berm into a fast whoop section, then a sharp near 180 left, which I now take at its peak.
This moves diagonally across the start chute into a very sharp right, followed by a high, steep berm. I take this turn on its berm to maintain momentum for the big air double off the finish line jump immediately after. A double on med jumps concludes this section, ending with a high, steep 180 left berm. This section is repeated throughout, with all doubles leaning left at the apex of the 90 left afterward, helping avoid swinging wide into the Tuff Blocks—a challenge I overcame twice in this race.
I used to take the med jump before the holeshot line on earlier laps with controlled speed to position myself better for the rhythm section, but now I’ve found that launching off it with higher speed can achieve similar results, sometimes even better. However, I wouldn’t attempt this on 250 bikes.
Spoiler
The key moment was overcoming several setbacks involving Tuff Blocks starting around the 4:30 mark, then again at the 5:26 mark after passing lead rider Justin Bogle, and finally successfully passing Bogle and Cooper Webb at the 5:45 mark of the final lap. At the last time check, I had a lead just over 0.2 seconds.
These are rounds 7 and 8, Arlington and the Detroit Triple Crown.
Arlington
This race was dry and fast, and there are good places to catch AI here, so I gave them a 10 sec head start. It starts with a sharp left bend across the holeshot line into a double/double/triple/single combo in the first rhythm section, the first double being an on/off onto a tabletop. You then take a Med jump right after making a 90 left, then the track has two flat straits connected by a high, steep 180 left berm followed by a small double. You then have a 90 right I take at the apex, into the next rhythm section which is a double off a med jump over a small, then a big air triple off a big jump, then a single into a high, steep 180 right berm.
You then take a big jump, and traverse the start chute into a sweeping 90 left, then off a med jump, then immediately into a 90 left off a high steep berm. You're then into the next rhythm section, which I usually double all the way through, finishing with a high, semi steep 180 left. You then have a fast whoop section, into a high, steep 180 right berm, followed by a small jump double, into a big air double off the big finish line jump. This takes you into a big sweeping left bend with med to small jumps. I focus more on leaning left, hitting the apex, and trying to avoid swinging wide into Tuff Blocks than hitting rhythm marks on jumps here.
You're then back to the holeshot line, and the first section is taken the same on subsequent laps due to same speed.
Spoiler
The highlights for me were avoiding a crash when landing off track on that big sweeping left bend at the 47 sec Time Remaining mark, then getting right back on track allowing me to catch and pass lead rider Davi Millsaps at the 13 sec Time Remaining mark (sorry about the crash Davi). At the final time check I had a just under 2.28 sec lead.
Detroit Triple Crown
This track was also dry and fast, with good places to catch and pass AI, so I gave them a 10 sec head start, which is a lot for these shorter Triple Crown races. It starts with a fast dogleg left across the holeshot line, into a triple/triple/single via bounce and skip jumping weight back. Then there's a 90 left into a short rhythm section where I double, then double onto an on/off on a tabletop on med jumps, then single off a small into a 90 left. This next rhythm section I take wide at the right where the track is flat to avoid being slowed down by the med jump on the left. It then continues on to a med double followed by a big air triple off a big jump, finishing with a high, steep 180 left berm.
It then goes into a fast whoop section, then a high, steep 180 right berm, into a triple via a bounce landing on the 3rd rounded med jump, into a double, then a big air double off the big finish line jump. This takes you into a short flat strait with a near flat 180 left after, that I take at it's apex. You then have a very long strait that starts out flat and ends with a big air double off a big jump, that I overshoot and do a bounce jump double off a dragon's back jumping to a small jump I skip off the top of, or sometimes clear.
This provides good momentum to coast into and accelerate out of a high, steep 180 right berm, to a triple/triple/single combo on the left side of the track where it's split by Tuff Blocks. Occasionally I'll do a triple on the right side to avoid AI, but a triple here really helps catch or pass AI. This rhythm section ends with a short flat into a high, steep 180 left. You then go immediately into a steep med jump, and back to the holeshot line on a short, flat strait. The first section on subsequent laps is usually taken with more full triples and a better line on the left at the end due to a longer approach and a bit faster speed.
Spoiler
The highlights for me were block passing lead rider Eli Tomac at 28 sec Time Remaining in the first race, doing the same with Ricky Johnson at the same spot in the final lap of the 2nd race, then managing to pass him again after a mishap hitting a Tuff Block, and passing lead rider Cooper Webb at 2 TO GO in the 3rd race just before the big air triple. At the final time check I averaged a just over 1.1 sec lead.
Here's rounds 9 and 10, Atlanta and Daytona. These are both fast, competitive tracks.
Atlanta
With dry conditions, a fast track, and AI that ride it fairly well, there's usually not a whole lot of leeway one can give on head starts here. I did however manage to bump it up to 7 sec, having given them 5 sec on my Hard playthrough. It starts with a sharp left bend across the holeshot line, then what is normally a double/triple/triple/double combo on small, then med jumps, but I got out of sync on the 1st lap and had to settle for a few sloppy bounce jumps. You then have a high, steep 180 left berm, into a double/double/big air triple combo on med to large jumps. The big air triple lands you in front of a high, steep berm on a very sharp right, then along the start chute, then into a sweeping near flat left.
I take this section full gas to overshoot a med jump triple, bounce jumping off the 4th large jump, then landing another triple just grazing the top of the 3rd med jump to land just before a high, steep 180 left berm. Good momentum off the berm helps to carry you into a section with med sized whoops. You then have a high, steep 180 right berm, into a med size double onto an on/off on a tabletop, exiting with a double hop over a smaller med jump, then immediately into a big air double off the large finish line jump. After landing the big air double there's a flat section that starts with a short strait that takes you under a bridge jump, a 90 right followed by a half circle right in deep sand, then over the bridge jump.
The bridge jump lands you on the bend part of the start chute just before the holeshot line. The first section can be taken with the aforementioned double/triple/triple/double combo on subsequent laps due to same speed.
Spoiler
Unfortunately the only highlight was at the 5:03 mark having passed lead rider Tim Ferry at the end of the whoops just before the finish line, whom had just crashed there. With a little over a lap to go and closing in on him, I'm sure I would have been able to pass him had he not crashed, which is what I would have preferred, but this is the way the game sometimes plays out. At the final time check I had a lead of just over 2.1 sec.
Daytona
Another fast track known for it's long straits, and outdoor near motocross style, also with dry conditions this time. I gave up on my usual scrubs on the big jumps, opting to get the traction boost of weighting back off of them, which allowed me to give a 7 sec head start here as well, vs the 5 sec I gave on my Hard playthrough. Prior to this with scrubs I was finding it tough on this difficulty to even get fastest lap time. It starts with a fast dogleg left across the holeshot line, that ends with ripple bumps. I found I had to brake starting at the holeshot line to avoid getting front heavy and overshooting the apex of the near flat 180 left. You then have a mild whoop section in deep sand, into a shallow 180 right berm.
This is the first rhythm section that I normally always doubled all the way through, but I started finding on the 450 if you sync up a landing or two well, you can manage full on triples, or at least near triples via skipping off the 3rd jump. This allowed me to pass AI and further improve lap times. This ends with a shallow 180 left berm I take at the apex, into a big air triple off a large jump. It's a short run up to the take off jump using the apex, but I found on the 450, if I weight back off of it, the traction boost allows clearing it fully, getting the benefit of a speed boost landing on the downslope of the 3rd jump, which I also weight back on to get a further boost.
This takes you into a very long straight that starts and ends with whoops, between of which is a large jump that lands you flat on a crossing of the start chute, then a series of med jumps and tabletops thereafter. It is key to maintain good momentum here, and avoid contacting AI. I found a weight back jump off the large jump, vs doing a scrub, gave me better speed, so better momentum in these med jumps. I didn't even need to focus on syncing landings, instead just going full gas and weighting back when landing. This strait ends with a shallow 180 left berm, into a med jump double to an on/off on a tabletop, where it's crucial upon exiting the tabletop to fairly precisely land a double on the downslope of a smaller med jump, to maintain enough speed to hit a triple off a bigger med jump. Landing this triple well on the downslope of the 3rd med jump allows you to ride very fast through the rest of this section, which ends with a couple of doubles over small jumps, and a big air triple. You can either pass AI here, or get passed, all depending on how well you land that double off the tabletop.
After the big air triple is a shallow 180 right berm, which I take mid track. This takes you into a short double/double/double combo over med jumps, into a shallow 180 left berm, which I take mid track as well. You then have a short run up to a dragon's back, that drops you down to a lower level with a med jump double after the drop hops you over a small jump. This immediately takes you into a big air double off the big finish line jump, which lands you merging onto the bend of the start chute just before the holeshot line. Landing this big air double on the downslope of the 2nd jump, plus weighting back on the landing, allows a good speed boost. Weighting back if you overshoot the jump and land on the flat will make you wheelie out of control though. The section just after the holeshot line is taken the same on subsequent laps due to same speed.
Spoiler
The highlight for me was catching and passing all 3 lead riders on the rhythm section before the long strait and the start of the strait at the 1:35 Time Remaining point. I was a bit worried they'd catch back up when I sort of cased the big air double on that lap, but a good run through that rhythm section before the long strait and on the strait itself allowed me to secure a good gap. At the final time check I had a just under 2.5 sec lead.
I now have rounds 11 and 12 finished, after taking a few weeks off to play Race Driver: Grid. These rounds are Indianapolis, and Seattle.
Indianapolis
The AI here were noticeably more competitive on Realistic than on Hard, so I gave them 3 sec less on the head start (12 sec). It starts with a fast dogleg left over the holeshot line, into a double/triple combo over med jumps via a weight back bounce jump off the 3rd jump. The start was actually harder with a 12 sec head start than with the 15 sec I gave them on Hard due to the Tuff Blocks barricading the start chute not having drawn into view completely. The next short rhythm section is best handled by landing leaning left to finish the first section to take the 90 left, then doing a double/double combo on the med jumps, finishing with a bounce jump while leaning left on the last med jump to take another 90 left.
This sets you up for a double/triple/double combo in the next longer rhythm section. You then have a high, steep 180 left berm that takes you into a fast whoop section. Next is a short but very critical section with med jumps, where you need to take a 90 right, then double onto a tabletop, and double off of it, then immediately take another 90 right. It's key to hit the tabletop on the front of it's left side, then hit the apex of the next right turn, in order to avoid crashing with a rear tire collision on the exit jump, and get good momentum on the next section, without swinging wide left off track.
That next section can be taken as a double/double on/off on tabletop/double combo, or better yet, a triple/double combo as shown at the 5:42 mark. You then have two short straits connected by a high, steep 180 right berm, then a big air double off the big finish line jump. Lately I take the apex in the 180 right leading to the finish line, instead of the berm. It's pretty fast either way, but the apex avoids being squeezed off track by AI. On the 450 I let off gas just before the dirt turns color at the base of the finish line jump, to ensure landing on the downslope of the 2nd jump, vs overshooting it. This is largely due to there being a split track 180 left berm just after the landing, which is separated by Tuff Blocks. I always take the inside track and coast into it, then accelerate out of it.
Next is a strait that starts with whoops and ends flat, which goes into a 90 left, then a short section with 3 closely spaced jumps with two small med jumps and a large med in between. You need to square off your turn into these jumps, as taking a fast apex approach can swing you off track on the next section. I generally use the first jump to bounce jump off the top of the middle one, then over the third, but at times clear all 3 in 1 jump. After another 90 left, there's a big air triple over 3 big jumps. This lands you on the dogleg bend of the start chute, then across the holeshot line. Landing this jump on the downslope of the third jump, especially if you weight back while accelerating off of it, can allow you to pass AI. The first rhythm section is taken the same on subsequent laps due to same speed.
Spoiler
The highlights for me were being able to triple right after a crash at the 3:10 mark on that short tabletop section after the whoops (landed at the far end of the tabletop), which minimized the damage, and catching and passing lead rider Ricky Johnson at the 39 sec Time Remaining mark. At the final time check I had a just over 2.2 sec lead.
Seattle
I was dead set on allowing the same 10 sec AI head start I did on Hard mode here, due to a few times finishing right on the tail of the lead rider. It felt much harder on Realistic because the AI in general were much more competitive, and the lead rider especially (usually Cooper Webb) would get way off the front. There were a few key areas of the track where I had to improve to do this. It starts with a big 180 left bend, then across the holeshot line, into a double/single combo off small jumps, then into a fast dogleg right, which as always with such turns, I take at it's apex. This sets up a double/double/triple combo in the next rhythm section, followed by a high 180 right berm.
You then have a relatively short rhythm section with small to med jumps, which is a double/double/double combo, the middle one being an on/off on a tabletop. This immediately takes you into a high, steep 180 left berm, then to a big air triple over big jumps. How this big air triple is landed and how you take the turn after is the 1st of the 3 key track areas I mentioned. It helps to land on the right side of the downslope of the 3rd jump when AI are present to beat them through the sweeping, flat 180 bend thereafter. It is also imperative to be angled a bit right, and ready to lean hard right just after landing to take this bend at it's apex. Conversely, it's best to land on the left side of the downslope of the 3rd jump when AI are not present to allow for any corrections that may be needed before you hit the apex of the bend. A lot of time can be gained or lost here, partly due to the jump faces being steep and sending you high.
After the sweeping bend there's a big air double off the big finish line jump, followed by a med length strait with a couple of tiny ripple bumps. As always, it helps to land this big air jump on the downslope of the 2nd jump, and get a weight back acceleration boost off of it into the strait. You then have a high, steep 180 left berm, which is best taken at it's apex when AI are present. This takes you into a very long straight, that starts flat, and finishes with med jumps. The jump section is the 2nd of those critical track areas. It starts with a subtle double, which if hit well will accelerate speed. I found if you go full gas and weight back off the front face of the tabletop after it, you can do a weight back bounce jump off the 3rd jump, then skip across the top of the last two jumps. This also lands you well for a high rail on the high, steep 180 right berm thereafter. This really helps to get up good speed for the very long whoop section that follows.
This brings you to a short rhythm section after a 90 right, that transitions you to another long strait that has a very subtle dogleg right bend. This section has always been critical to hit well, but not one of the 3 new ones I've discovered. You mainly need to slow and square off just enough to NOT get hung up on the apex Tuff Blocks going into it, and lean right while doing a double/double combo. This has always been a small section with big possible gains to pass AI. Coming out of it is a semi sharp dogleg right onto that long strait, and it's best to hit it at it's apex on the downslope of the last jump if you can. This next long strait is half flat, and finishes with jumps. The jumps start at the very subtle dogleg right, and this is the 3rd critical area of the track. This is the rhythm section the start chute merges onto, so you are now just left of the holeshot line. Just by hugging the apex (right side) of this dogleg bend, you can pass AI here. I basically stay full gas at the first half of this rhythm section, then taper speed accordingly before coming to the 180 right berm at the end. This section is taken differently on subsequent laps due to higher speeds. It's basically a sort of fast and sloppy triple/double/triple/double/triple combo, all via skipping off the tops of the jumps. Sometimes the sequence changes, but it's most always done with skipping off the tops of jumps.
Spoiler
The highlight for me was finally catching and passing lead rider Cooper Webb at the 5:58 mark of the final lap. Just prior I had accidentally swung off track a bit to the left at the 5:47 mark just before the berm that leads into the long whoop section. Some might consider that against rules, but the game has an automatic slowing system when you go off track, and the rules state as long as you don't use it as an advantage, it's fair play. I gained no speed or position by it, in fact Webb even beat me through the whoop section. It wasn't until the turn into the short transition rhythm section after that I was able to pass him. The odd thing is, there are tracks like Nashville where the AI often go off track on the long hard rhythm section, then rail really fast on the flat concrete along side it, and get right back on track faster than if they'd taken the jumps, but the player is always auto slowed down a lot when going off track there. At the final time check I had a just over .5 sec lead. I was SO glad this one was over, because Coop was often too far ahead to catch with a 10 sec head start.
Here's rounds 13 and 14, the Houston Triple Crown, and Nashville, probably the easiest and hardest tracks respectively.
Houston Triple Crown
At first I was going to try a 12 sec head start, thinking I wouldn't be able to do 15 sec like I did on Hard. It turned out 15 sec was not only doable, but I got a bit better average lead at the end than I did on Hard. It starts with that fast dogleg left, then across the holeshot line which I now lean hard left for at full speed just after the Tuff Blocks on the right side go from black to yellow. This allows a perfect line between the Tuff Blocks blocking the track. This makes the double/triple/triple combo of the first rhythm section (the 1st triple via a bounce jump), a bit easier to hit. You then have a high, steep 180 left berm, into a fast whoop section, then a high, steep 180 right berm, into a rhythm section with 3 tabletops. Previously I always just doubled out of the right berm to make sure I hit on/offs on all 3 tabletops. This time I got fairly good at railing that berm high and hitting a triple off it, then using the face of the first tabletop to double to an on/off on the next one, and then link the next one. There were times I missed that triple though, so I basically made sure I hit it the first time through, then being in the flow of AI the next two laps carried me through it a bit easier. I then went into safe mode the last 2 laps to make sure I didn't blow it, going back to the double then 3 on/offs method. This section finishes with two small jumps I skip over one at a time, then a high, steep 180 left berm at the end.
The next section is a double/triple/double/double combo, the 2nd to last double being an on/off on a tabletop. It's important to very briefly tap gas weighted back while leaning right off this table top, in order to maintain a good line at the 90 right's apex during the last double landing to get through the narrow bridge tunnel after crossing a short flat. You then have another 90 right immediately after the tunnel, then a med jump double into a section with small, spaced whoops. This takes you into a wide, shallow 90 right berm, then to a big air triple off the big finish line jump, then over the bridge jump just after the landing. I usually scrub the big air triple, then let off gas just before the bridge jump to try to land on it's downslope. Next comes a short flat, strait, which becomes a big sweeping bend with two dogleg lefts. There's a large med jump just after the 1st dogleg for which I temper speed a bit and swing wide before this jump and take it while leaned left hard. I take it a bit faster than I used to, because I've found the ideal scenario is to land leaned hard left just before the bend angles left again, which is on a flat just before a small jump. If all goes well I hit the apex of that next dogleg left while landing that small jump. You then merge to the dogleg left of the start chute, back to the holeshot line. The 1st section is taken the same on subsequent laps due to same speed.
Spoiler
The highlights for me were discovering a triple into the 3 tabletop section was doable, and being able to finish with a just over 2.6 sec lead in the 2nd race. Not much went wrong in that race. At the final time check I averaged a just over 1.9 sec lead.
Nashville
I always dread this track the most. The AI are very aggressive on it, which you can tell even by how their bikes sound at the start, the jumps are hard to hit well, the whoop sections are hard to take fast like the AI can, and can send you high, and if you make even minor mistakes anywhere, the AI go whizzing by. Besides all that, the AI are prone to doing crazy things. They'll fly radically high abruptly across track to correct their mistakes, or even land WAY off track on the whoop section that follows the hardest rhythm section, which often leaves them landing on top of you, or even colliding with you head on at high speed. At least a few times I came in 2nd very close behind the lead rider when allowing them a 7 sec head start, so I settled for 6 sec, which is still 1 more than I gave them on Hard. It starts with a sharp bend left, which I slow for, coast through, then accelerate fast out of to hit a fast low triple off a gradually sloped tabletop after crossing the holeshot line. On Hard I only managed to skim across the tops of jumps after that first triple, but I am now fairly consistently hitting a triple/triple/triple combo right off the start. This takes you into a sharp semi shallow 180 left berm, then into a double/double/double/double/double combo, the middle 3 of which are on/offs on tabletops, the last tabletop having a bit of a saddle vs flat top. This section ends with a near 180 right off a high, steep berm.
You then go diagonally across the start chute, into a fast, near 180 sweeping left bend with moderately shallow berm, into the track's toughest rhythm section I call carnage alley. It can be tricky to both avoid AI and maintain good speed in this bend without losing traction. That said, as long as you don't get slowed by too much contact with them, the flow of the AI can also help carry you through a triple/triple/triple combo on this section, which is the ideal and fastest way to take it. The big risk is what happens on the last landing, you have to hope to avoid getting landed on. The middle of the track is the safest place to land if there's room, as you can get bunched up on the inside of the 180 left thereafter, or squeezed out on the outside by the centrifugal surge of AI swinging through the turn. At any rate, this 180 left has a moderately steep berm that I use as best I can, to get up speed for what has to be the worst whoop section on any track. I have found the best way to take these whoops is avoiding a right side entry on the first long section, and not weighting back until just after you've crossed the first whoop. Otherwise it's like being tossed around on a bronc, I kid you not. A high, steep 180 right berm connects you to the next shorter whoop section. It's more forgiving on which side is ridable without the Bronco Billy show, but I've found it's best to slingshot strait off the berm vs railing it wide, to keep AI from passing you on the inside.
This takes you to a big air double off the big finish line jump, then immediately into a big air triple off a big jump after a 90 left (where I don't use the berm), then immediately into a big air double off a large med jump after another 90 left (where I again don't use the berm), which takes you across the bend of the start chute to an on/off on a tabletop. You know the expression be there or be square? Well, in this sequence of big jumps, it's be relatively square or you WON'T be there. Meaning you need to carefully square your turns, because apexes will send you flying off track, and going wide into the berms will slow you down too much (so square no one cares if you're there). At any rate that aforementioned jump across the start chute bend takes you back to the holeshot line. The 1st section is taken a bit different on subsequent laps due to a bit slower speed having landed a big jump out of a turn at the start of it. I tried my best to double/double/triple/double it, but at times failed landing the 2nd double well enough to hit the triple.
Spoiler
The highlights for me were not crashing or going off track on this tough course, and catching 2nd place rider James Stewart at the 2:40 mark after him passing me when I botched the triple in the first rhythm section, then taking the lead at 2:55 just after lead rider Justin Barcia crashed at the end of the 2nd whoop section. At the final time check I had a just under 1.1 sec lead.
Wow, the walkthrough is quite impressive and detailed.
It provides a lot of valuable information.
Although I don’t play racing games, I think other players could benefit from it.
You also pointed out several helpful hints.
Thanks Metal, yeah this kind of racing is made to look easy by the pros, but anyone who's played these games can tell you it's a kind of racing that takes utter precision and consistency. I've done other kinds of race games of course too, and they all get pretty technical as far as physics go, but I just find the physics in this kind of racing to be more ethereal. It's because you're not just controlling a powerful machine for it's size and weight, you actually feel like you're part of it's every move.
If you watch supercross riders closely, there's a lot of little nuances to their body positioning. I've been watching a lot of both Supercross and Motocross lately, and they are evolving to skill levels never seen before. There's an 18 year old kid from Australia named Jett Lawrence who's dominating the 250cc bike class in both Supercross and Motocross. His older brother Hunter is pretty good too.
My favorite rider though is Eli Tomac from Colorado, whos' been riding 450cc class for some time now and has won both Supercross and Motocross championships. His dad John was a famous mountain bike rider in both downhill and cross country I used to watch when I first got into mt biking. Eli is very fast, and very skilled with his bike handling. He's one of few riders whom rarely takes his feet off the pegs, even in badly rutted turns. That means you have to be spot on with your body weight positioning because you have no leg weight to use as a counterbalance.
It's really amazing when you see a highly skilled pro ride because they're bombing over rough terrain extremely fast, yet they look so smooth, like they're floating on air. It's said a really good rider doesn't fight the bike, but sort of let's it work for him, much like Angus Young can pound powerful chords on his guitar all night, because in reality, he uses a very light touch (his own words).
I don't know how many people actually read all my commentary, but for anyone wanting to know more about the sport, it can be informative, so thanks for taking the time.
😉