Since a conversation with Lordstar I've got really into the Initial D manga (I know I'm a bit late to the party!), and I have a few questions.
Firstly, are any of you familiar with Initial D Extreme Stage on the PS3? It's pretty basic right? I know it's a port of Initial D Arcade Stage 4, but I'm finding it far harder. Or rather, I've stubled across a difficulty spike in the form of RedSuns racer KT. I'm lightyears behind when he crosses the finish line, and as I understand it none of the engine upgrades actually do anything to the performance of your car. Is it as simple as racing a perfect line without ever touching the sides? That seems a little harsh for less than halfway in...
Also - the Manga - I'm on volume 6 right now - does it stay of the same quality, or decline at some point? Frankly I'm nervous about buying 30-something books!
Initial D
Re: Initial D
I have a huge amount of experience with Initial D Ver 3 and know some about Ver 5 but little about Ver 4. 
In terms of parts - all Initial D games have tuning. It's not customisable really and it's just a matter of going from stock to full tune. There should be step 1 -> step 7 for Engine/ECU/etc. These do make a big difference once you have them all. You're looking at around 5 seconds difference between stock and full tuned. The parts you sometimes get offered like spoilers, wheels - these do nothing.
Now the story mode should be piss easy. You are probably just not taking the corners fast enough. It's hard to play this game the way it was meant to with a pad because of the all the quick steering/counter steering going on. Remember V4 is different in the fact that your line is mostly IN-IN-IN not OUT-IN-OUT like a typical racing game. This is more than likely where you are losing time in line. Not to mention tricks like brake cancel.
ID games are always line > speed.
Check this (basically WR) video to see his line and rough speeds on Akina DH. - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLUFyXuLIMc
In terms of parts - all Initial D games have tuning. It's not customisable really and it's just a matter of going from stock to full tune. There should be step 1 -> step 7 for Engine/ECU/etc. These do make a big difference once you have them all. You're looking at around 5 seconds difference between stock and full tuned. The parts you sometimes get offered like spoilers, wheels - these do nothing.
Now the story mode should be piss easy. You are probably just not taking the corners fast enough. It's hard to play this game the way it was meant to with a pad because of the all the quick steering/counter steering going on. Remember V4 is different in the fact that your line is mostly IN-IN-IN not OUT-IN-OUT like a typical racing game. This is more than likely where you are losing time in line. Not to mention tricks like brake cancel.
ID games are always line > speed.
Check this (basically WR) video to see his line and rough speeds on Akina DH. - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLUFyXuLIMc
Re: Initial D
Thanks for all that - great stuff. Perhaps it is using the pad, because I'm doing OK at the arcade.
When you say IN-IN-IN, do you mean in terms of holding the line on the inside edge of the corner all the way round? Perhap my brain is still trying to OUT-IN-OUT like in most driving games. I'm driving with an FR, and rarely using brake at all.
I'm also unsure about how extreme I should make my drifts. Is it better to let the car's tail slide out the full 90º, or keep it more in control?
When you say IN-IN-IN, do you mean in terms of holding the line on the inside edge of the corner all the way round? Perhap my brain is still trying to OUT-IN-OUT like in most driving games. I'm driving with an FR, and rarely using brake at all.
I'm also unsure about how extreme I should make my drifts. Is it better to let the car's tail slide out the full 90º, or keep it more in control?
Re: Initial D
Spadgy, I bought a PS3 for this game when it came out, and have over 100 hours logged in playtime.
Car upgrades DO matter, oh boy, do they. With a Maxed out car I can do a 2'45 on Iro. On a stock car I'm doing like 2'55.
Just run time trials on whatever course you're stuck on, and upgrade your car with points. Eventually you'll smoke the CPU.
I can beat the entire game on a stock car without any upgrades, it's that easy for me now. The only course I ever have any sort of trouble with is Happo, because it's so awkward to race it with the floaty physics of version 4.
As for the drifting, just learn the course, on most courses I don't ever use the brake. Akina is a good example, I can take most of the sharp hairpins just down shifting into 4th gear (no brake) and upshifting as soon as I get out of the turn with no speed loss. When you hit the 5 hairpins a light tap of the brake in each turn is good enough. Most of the time though, just downshift and let your foot off the gas when you flip the wheel around, and you'll whip through the turn nicely.
I'm using the GT Force PRO, can't suggest it enough, a pad is probably quite garbage in this game (one reason I can't play the PSP version that long).
Best cars I can suggest are the FD3S (RWD), The S2000 (6 gear, mid engine) and maybe an Evo 4 (grip, 4WD). I recently started an AE86 and quite like it.
When I played version 5 in the arcades this summer in Tokyo I was shocked, it controls totally different! No more of that loose super drifting like version 4, took me a week of play just to get used to it again, plays more like version 3 (grip racing).
I also used to play the PS3 version online a ton, probably a ghost town now, but if you're ever up for as game we can try to meetup in a private room. I think I hit S rank aura before the online quitters got to me.
It really is a fun game though, I still own the PS2 version (which is Version 2 of the arcade with some Version 3 courses) and it's just not as fun. The only thing holding the PS3 one back from being perfect is custom soundtrack,
Car upgrades DO matter, oh boy, do they. With a Maxed out car I can do a 2'45 on Iro. On a stock car I'm doing like 2'55.
Just run time trials on whatever course you're stuck on, and upgrade your car with points. Eventually you'll smoke the CPU.
I can beat the entire game on a stock car without any upgrades, it's that easy for me now. The only course I ever have any sort of trouble with is Happo, because it's so awkward to race it with the floaty physics of version 4.
As for the drifting, just learn the course, on most courses I don't ever use the brake. Akina is a good example, I can take most of the sharp hairpins just down shifting into 4th gear (no brake) and upshifting as soon as I get out of the turn with no speed loss. When you hit the 5 hairpins a light tap of the brake in each turn is good enough. Most of the time though, just downshift and let your foot off the gas when you flip the wheel around, and you'll whip through the turn nicely.
I'm using the GT Force PRO, can't suggest it enough, a pad is probably quite garbage in this game (one reason I can't play the PSP version that long).
Best cars I can suggest are the FD3S (RWD), The S2000 (6 gear, mid engine) and maybe an Evo 4 (grip, 4WD). I recently started an AE86 and quite like it.
When I played version 5 in the arcades this summer in Tokyo I was shocked, it controls totally different! No more of that loose super drifting like version 4, took me a week of play just to get used to it again, plays more like version 3 (grip racing).
I also used to play the PS3 version online a ton, probably a ghost town now, but if you're ever up for as game we can try to meetup in a private room. I think I hit S rank aura before the online quitters got to me.
It really is a fun game though, I still own the PS2 version (which is Version 2 of the arcade with some Version 3 courses) and it's just not as fun. The only thing holding the PS3 one back from being perfect is custom soundtrack,
Last edited by PsychoGun on Sun Oct 17, 2010 10:14 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Re: Initial D
Yeah IN-IN-IN refers to the line during the corner ENTRY-APEX-EXIT.
In V4 you need to drift very hard 90 degrees into the corner and then exit straight. The more you slide at the exit - the more accel penalty you get and you will accelerate slower after the corner. I'm not sure how the port is but in arcade there are 2 versions. 1.2 & 1.5 - in 1.2 there was a thing called brake cancel/penalty cancel which basically meant towards the end of a corner when you want to stabilise the car - you quickly let go of the gas and tap the brake. I think this also gave you a slight boost in accel/removed the accel penalty. In 1.5 this was removed IIRC.
Like I said my V4 experience is pretty limited so if you watch the vid I linked it will explain it alot better than I can in words. If you need any V3 advice however I've played that game to death.
In V4 you need to drift very hard 90 degrees into the corner and then exit straight. The more you slide at the exit - the more accel penalty you get and you will accelerate slower after the corner. I'm not sure how the port is but in arcade there are 2 versions. 1.2 & 1.5 - in 1.2 there was a thing called brake cancel/penalty cancel which basically meant towards the end of a corner when you want to stabilise the car - you quickly let go of the gas and tap the brake. I think this also gave you a slight boost in accel/removed the accel penalty. In 1.5 this was removed IIRC.
Like I said my V4 experience is pretty limited so if you watch the vid I linked it will explain it alot better than I can in words. If you need any V3 advice however I've played that game to death.
Re: Initial D
The manga is OK but the translation is very very iffy. I am not very fond of Tokyopop's "localization" and I am hoping Funimation's rescue of the anime means the manga isn't far behind (Kodansha is starting a US division)
I haven't played any of the games aside from Arcade Stage 3. I hope we get Arcade Stage 6 because 5 looked like a return to the old formula but it never came out here, and I heard rumors 6 will get a worldwide release. If I ever get a Japanese PS2 or mod mine I will get Special Stage because it's one of the best of the console games.
I haven't played any of the games aside from Arcade Stage 3. I hope we get Arcade Stage 6 because 5 looked like a return to the old formula but it never came out here, and I heard rumors 6 will get a worldwide release. If I ever get a Japanese PS2 or mod mine I will get Special Stage because it's one of the best of the console games.
<Aquas> EDMOND DROPPED OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL TO SMOKE COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF OPIUM
<Zeether> shoe failed college again <croikle> credit feed
<Zeether> shoe failed college again <croikle> credit feed
Re: Initial D
Thanks again guys - the stuff about the game really helps. I'd obviously got confused about the upgardes - I might have spent some cash unwisely. So do you earn from the time trials?
Looks like it's time to invest in a wheel - I'll look into getting a GT Force PRO.
Onto the Manga - I'd read about the localisation controversy, and I've found a few typos for sure (an awful one before Tak's first battle with the Night Kids' GTR that suggests the Nissan will be strongest at the top of the hill and strongest at the bottom in pretty much one line), but for me personally I've never read the Japanese one, and I'm enthralled by the English language release. It sounds like they cut out the elements I'm less interested in anyway.
Looks like it's time to invest in a wheel - I'll look into getting a GT Force PRO.
Onto the Manga - I'd read about the localisation controversy, and I've found a few typos for sure (an awful one before Tak's first battle with the Night Kids' GTR that suggests the Nissan will be strongest at the top of the hill and strongest at the bottom in pretty much one line), but for me personally I've never read the Japanese one, and I'm enthralled by the English language release. It sounds like they cut out the elements I'm less interested in anyway.