Namco 500cc GP=FIM World Championships Biker's Winning Strategies Manual For the Namco Arcade Game Compiled by Mark Kim (Vesther Fauransy) Version 0.0.2b Date of Completion: January 1, 2000 (No time given) Date of Public Release: January 1, 2000 (No time given) Copyright Information --------------------- Unpublished work trademarked (tm) and copyrighted (c) by Mark Kim. All Rights Reserved. This file is SHAREWARE and is strictly for entertainment use only. In addition, this file can only be HTMLized by the sole owner of the file (Mark Kim), regardless whether the content is good or bad. Furthermore, only the following sites shall be granted an exclusive license to view this file over the web: * Verasnaship Interactive (http://www.verasnaship.net) * GameFAQs (http://www.gamefaqs.com) * Secrets of the Game Sages (http://www.gamesages.com) * Cheat Code Central (http://www.cheatcc.com) * Game Shark Code Creators Club (http://www.cmgsccc.com) It is a criminal act to reproduce and/or retransmit this file in any way, shape, or form (regardless of the medium) and it shall be a criminal act to to use this file at a password-protected site where either user accounts are utilized and/or money is made through these accounts. It is a direct felony to use this file for any profitable (even if you fail to make any money out of it), promotional, and/or commercial transactional purposes (including but not limited to giving this file as some sort of bonus, gift, or any other means to generate any money out of this document). It shall be a severe criminal act to incorporate any or all of this file into any gaming guides, game sites, magazines, or any other profitable and/or commercial transactional means that exists (including reprinting, OCR-ing, and the like). To conclude about this, it shall be a direct criminal act to make any money out of this document. Currently, this document is being maintained and is the sole property of Mark Kim, and this file is protected by all applicable copyright, trademark, and patent laws in addition to all International Treaties. Any breach of copyright, trademark, and/or patents (which includes but not limited to plagiarism, stealing, laming, pirating, or otherwise) and/or using this document for any other purposes other than personal and private purposes, and/or illegal mirroring of this file (other than the five aforementioned URLs as described in the beginning of this disclaimer) is a direct violation of all applicable copyright laws, International Treaties, Patent Laws, US Title 107, and the Berne Copyright Bill of 1976. Violators and Transgressors shall face severe civil and criminal penalties through the maximum extent possible by law. Mark Kim acknowledges and respects all copyrights, patents (pending or not), and trademarks whether if it's mentioned or not somewhere in either the FAQ Text File and/or site as no copyright infringement was intended. If for any reason I MUST USE any copyrighted resource, then credit will be given at the Acknowledgements Section for the common part. Note that whenever I give credit, I WILL NOT REVEAL ANY E-MAIL ADDRESSES AND/OR OTHERWISE in order to protect the privacy of the people for whom I give credit to. This file has been carefully written by Mark Kim in respect to all copyrights, patents, and trademarks. The Suzuka Track that appears in the game, Suzuka Circuit, and all the likelinesses related to Suzuka are registered trademarks and copyrights of the Suzuka Circuitland Co. Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Patent Pending. The Paul Ricard Track that appears in the game, the Paul Ricard Circuit, and all the likelinesses related to the Paul Ricard Track are registered trademarks and copyrights of the Paul Ricard Circuit. All Rights Reserved. The Jerez track that appears in the game, the Jerez de la Frontera Circuit, and all the likelinesses of the Jerez track are registered trademarks and copyrights of the Circuito de Jerez. All Rights Reserved. The motorcycle rivals, their likeliness, whether living or dead, are the sole intellectual properties of the FIM Corporation. All Rights Reserved. The Yamaha motorcycle that appears in this game is a registered trademark and copyright of Yamaha. All Rights Reserved. The Honda Motorcycle that appears in the game is a registered trademark and copyright of Honda Motors. All Rights Reserved. The Suzuki Motorcycle that appears in the game is a registered trademark and copyright of Suzuki Motors. All Rights Reserved. All events and all event likelinesses are registered trademarks and copyrights of the Formula L'Motorcycle Corporation. All Rights Reserved. 500cc GP has been licensed to Namco LTD and Namco America for amusement use under supervision and respect to all FIM, Suzuka, Jerez, Paul Ricard, Yamaha, Suzuki, Honda, and the FIM Participants' properties. This document has been created by Mark Kim in respect to all copyrights, patents, intellectual properties, and trademarks as no infringement was intended. I'll make this simple: THIS FILE IS MINE AND THERE IS NO UNAUTHORIZED USE OF IT!!! NO PAID PUBLISHERS (ESPECIALLY EGM AND ANYBODY OF THE ZIFF-DAVIS FIRM) SHALL USE THIS FILE IN ORDER TO GENERATE INCOME OUT OF THIS WORK!!!! THIS FAQ HAS TO REMAIN FREE OF CHARGE AT ALL COSTS!!!! I didn't create this file so that some hack-writer can just slack-off and get paid for it!!! ======================================================================== HISTORY OF THIS FAQ September 8, 1999 ----------------- Finally, after struggling to get something new and original at the 'net, I've managed to rectify and come up clean with a guide that should help you get past one of Namco's most challenging racing games of all time. As you should know, Namco 500cc GP runs under System 23 and uses the Interactive Rider's Behavior to monitor how well you are driving around the track. Don't expect the System 23 rider to reach the home systems anytime soon: Namco promised all of us that deluxe machines remain at the arcades for life. Hopefully, I should get Crazy Taxi done pretty soon. September 12, 1999 ------------------ Some corrections as the Information here was wrong. See? My *original* observations may be incorrect at times!!! I finally found out the reason why I don't see any USA F1 Rounds since 1991: There are no F1 Drivers representing the United States. Hopefully, the FIA would help USA bring back the F1 flare within a matter of time. January 1, 2000 --------------- It's been a while since I've touched this file. It's time to revamp the legalese to celebrate the survival of this whatchamacallit Y2K whatsoever. Also, it's a good idea for me to give some afterthoughts about playing the game. On a side note, I am extremely upset to find out that this game will reach the PlayStation 2 because this is a really realistic Deluxe Machine. As you should know, Namco will keep all of their Deluxe Arcade Machines in the arcades at all costs. This game will be reaching the PlayStation 2 but don't count on a home release just yet because if Namco believes that the best Deluxe Machines are to remain in the arcades, then I will uphold my beliefs that Namco needs to "glue" all of their deluxe machines in their arcades. ======================================================================== CONTENTS OF THIS FAQ * Newsflash * FIM World Championships--Brought to life from Namco to the arcades * How to play Namco 500CC GP * The Bikes = Suzuki (Easy) = Honda (Medium) = Yamaha (Hard) * Can't win the race? TRY THIS! * The Tracks = Suzuka (Japanese Grand Prix) = Paul Ricard (French Grand Prix) = Jerez (Spanish Grand Prix) * How to mirror this file * How to zip and mirror this file * Linking to GameFAQs.com * How to suggest fixes * Resources * Acknowledgements * One Final Warning ======================================================================== NEWSFLASH As always, newer versions of this document can be found at my own website (http://www.verasnaship.net). If you have any suggestions that you want to give me, then you are given direct rights to contact me through the following medium (and note that e-mailing me directly through my mailbox is forbidden by myself as I am going to take steps to help fight spam): * http://www.verasnaship.net/emailme.html * http://www.verasnaship.net/text/emailme.html The desired text to view this document is a Monotype Font like Courier New. If for any reason this document isn't aligned correctly, please do the following: * On Netscape Communicator 4.5, go to Edit->Preferences * Go to Appearance->Fonts * For the Fixed Width Font, select Courier New and select a Size of 10. * Now check these sampled type to see if your document has been aligned correctly or not: 1234567890 ********** ======================================================================== WHAT IS NAMCO 500CC GP The United States of America has always been the capital of the Racing Events. If you have ever watched an Indianapolis Race, a Nascar Event, or even a CART Event, then you might have realized that the United States is willing to host any automobile racing event. If you have ever imagined if there's any Motorcycle events held in the US, then you're in luck!!! There's the Superbike World Championships (run under authority by the FIM, but is run separately from the GPs), which are held annually. For 1999, the annual Motorcycle Race was held at the Laguna Seca Speedway. Plans are also underway to bring back both the Formula 1 and the FIM Grand Prix racing to the US next year. There's also the MBNA AMA Superbike Championships which are held through various corners through the United States. Two of the contestants from the MBNA AMA Superbike Series (These two are Wildcard Contestants) won the United States Superbike Event of 1999. Much of the reason why there are no Formula 1 or FIM Grand Prix events held in the United States is because there are little or no United States Citizens participating in it. Namco hopes that with this Federation Internationale De Motorcycle-sponsored game, both Namco and the FIM would spread awareness of the Motorcycle events that are held under the FIM. Unfortunately, since Namco is taking high risks of copyright infringement, they had to go to France (which is the headquarters of the FIA and FIM) in order to seek license or supervision to create the game. After some debate, Namco and FIM has reached an agreement to release an FIM Simulator for Amusement Use Only under the following conditions: * Only Suzuka, Jerez, and Paul Ricard are permitted to be displayed * Yamaha, Honda, and Suzuki MUST financially supervise the project * The FIM will act as directors of the project * Some of the real-life contestants (i.e. Takuma Aoki) will work with Namco during the Project The agreement between Namco and FIM has went pretty well and in the midst of such United States Rarities comes a highly-innovative Motorycycle Simulator from the creators of Cyber Cycles and Suzuka 8 Hours. Thus, using the techniques, routines, and all the legal mumbo-jumbo derived from real-life FIM races, Namco 500cc GP: FIM World Championships was born. Now to tell you the honest truth, much of Namco's will to produce such a real-life game in cooperation with the Formula Internationale De Motorcycliste is because they are already personal sponsors of both Takuma and Nobuatsu Aoki. Both Aokis and former two time 125 world champion Haruchika also used to race under the Ultraman Racing Team colors in the annual Suzuka 8 hours endurance race, where they wear racing leathers and helmets that resemble the Ultraman suits. Now Nobuatsu Aoki rides for Team Suzuki, while Haruchika is riding for FCC Technical Sports Racing Honda. Getting two laps from Suzuka, Paul Ricard, and Jerez for $1.50 (at GameWorks) isn't that bad for business (as arcades have to charge extra for more laps). Actual Road-Racing GP events lasts for about 45 minutes, while endurance races can last from 8-24 hours!!! It's a smart move for Namco and the FIM not to have the games last as long as the actual Road-Racing Grand Prix or the Endurance Races. The Japanese Road-Racing Grand Prix was held at Motegi for 1999, but will return to the highly-acclaimed Suzuka next year (if you had to ask me, all of Japan's Formula 1 Grand Prix Races are always held at Suzuka). The Paul Ricard circuit was recently bought by the Number 1 man of Formula 1, Bernie Ecclestone, and he has plans to have the Paul Ricard Track host the France Formula 1 Grand Prix in the near-future. For this year, Jerez hosted the Spain Formula 1 Grand Prix, though most racing fans at Spain go for two-wheeling events. More on the realities and likelinesses of what I have said earlier on later as the FAQ progresses. For those of you who dreamed to be a Criville-wannabe, but can't take the risk of the hazards of Motorcycle Racing, this is your chance to prove that you have what it takes to meet up with FIM's standards. ======================================================================== HOW TO PLAY NAMCO 500CC GP * Insert the amount of coins required to play the game. A link feature allows up to 8 players to play at once. * For solo play, hold the View Change Button and insert the amount of coins required to play the game. * Once you start the game, select either Suzuka, Paul Ricard, or Jerez. * If you are playing in Solo, you can insert more coins for extra laps or just grip the brake to cancel. * In a solo game, select either Race or Time Trial. * In a Time Trial Race, you can either select trails or no trails. * After selecting your track, select either a Yamaha, Honda, or Suzuki Motorcycle. * To move the motorcycle, swing the motorcycle left and right. Be sure to keep the foot on the footrests. * You must be at least 5'4" and weighing a minimum of 100lbs (no more than 250lbs) to play the game efficiently. * Squeeze the accelerator to throttle the bike. * Grip the brake to slow down * Release the accelerator to reduce gas feed * In a straightaway, duck your head down to increase speed at a straight line. * The game ends if you complete the race or if time runs out. * You will be judged how fast you completed a lap, how efficiently you went through turns, and the percentage you were inside the track. ======================================================================== THE MOTORCYCLES Note: All Motorcycles are 500cc's as stated on the FIM's Road-Racing 500cc Guidelines. Suzuki RGV (For Beginner) ------------------------- The speed of this motorcycle isn't too great but handling is a lot more crisp than the other motorcycles. You can corner through heavy turns without a lot of effort. The low weight of this motorcycle makes up for much of Suzuki's crisp handling. Honda NSR (For Intermediate) ---------------------------- A good balance of speed and handling. However, the rather high weight of this motorcycle makes it unstable at turns at times. However, the Honda accelerates faster at straightaways, making it suitable for Jerez. A good feel of the gas and the brakes will release its potential. Yamaha YZR (For Expert) ----------------------- An excellent amount of speed and response. Nimble handling with high top speed and confident stability. However, a good feel of the throttle and brakes paired alongside with some good steering is required. A note from "Ves" ----------------- Now here's a bit of confusion for me: At first, when I started playing this tour de motorcycliste at GameWorks, I thought that the Suzuki was the easiest bike to use and the Yamaha was the hardes bike to use. However, once I've mastered the use of the Yamaha, I began to realize that all the bikes are the same, with the exception of weight bias, brake distribution, and bike weight. Usually, bike weight can really hurt your handling a lot so you should always choose a bike that will suit your handling needs. When I used the Suzuki, it handled pretty well. When I used the Honda, the bike didn't handled well but I was able to tame it a bit. When I used the Yamaha, it handled well, but it went fast. As long as you can duck your head on a straightaway, you should always be able to achieve a robust 290 km/h provided that you try to slingshot at your adversaries. The only thing I'm asking you to do is to slow down ahead of time and to brake during a turn. Sometimes it's best to variate your technique depending on your own experience. Try different bikes and different tracks and try to learn from your mistakes to maximize your performance on this game. With regards of the tracks, I think that the tracks don't have a particular skill level. The reason why each track is color-coded is because of the emphasis of the racing track. Anyway, even though you are new to this game, I highly recommend that you choose Suzuka as your first track because that's the track where you can pretty much learn the basics of the game (even though there's no speed recommendations imprinted as opposed to the Paul Ricard Track). Choose any bike you want because the differences between the bikes are sort of minimal to my tastes after playing this game several times. ======================================================================== CAN'T WIN THE RACE? TRY THIS! * Watch the angle of your steering. This is necessary to know because your angle of turning through turns depend on how fast you will go on that turn as well. * Always slow down ahead of time or you may goof up BAD. The best way to slow down is to release the throttle and grip the brake almost immediately. Know the approximate speeds of each turn. * Slow-in, Fast-Out. You want to slow down for each turn and when you think you can take the exit of the turn without any further problems, increase your speed. This one takes more practice but is well worth the effort. * Learn how to brake during a turn. This helps you corner through turns a lot better. * If you think you are going too fast, then try to ease up on the throttle. This way you can maintain better control of the bike without kissing the grass. * During a straightaway, make sure that you duck your head so that you can get streamlined. This is important to know because since this is a *highly* interactive motorcycle simulator, your bodily actions depend on how fast you will accelerate during any point of the race. ======================================================================== MY RECOMMENDATIONS WHEN PLAYING THIS GAME 1. Your height. You should be at least 5'5" tall. If you are too short, then you may not be able to play the game very well since the bike is kind of heavy to "control". This is because you need to put all of your height and weight on the bike for efficient steering of the motorcycle at all costs. This way you can avoid the grass and ride the bikes like the pros do. 2. Your weight. The bike can't withstand any more than 250 pounds. The heavier you are, the more likely the bike will break. In order to steer the bike efficiently to avoid the grass and the barriers, you should be weighing at least 100 pounds. I know this is full of bull to say it but hey, I want you to be a good driver like all the pros at the FIM, so that's why I have to say it. 3. ALWAYS KEEP YOUR FEET ON THE FOOTRESTS AT ALL COSTS!!! In real-life motorcycling, you can't perform well unless your feet are on the footrests. This is true in 500 CC GP. You need to use your feet in order to "channel" your weight to swing the bike left and right. In a real motorcycling event, though, if your feet are not in the footrests, you've bought the farm, pal. 4. WEAR GLOVES. The controls in 500CC GP might numb your hand a bit so you may want to wear some gloves. In a real-life racing event, this is used as a safety measure. Although you don't have to wear gloves on Namco's close-to-real motorcycle game, I highly recommend you to do so to reduce the amount of blisters that you might receive. 5. If you are planning to play 500CC GP for most of your visit at either Dave and Buster's, Jillian's, or GameWorks (for the most likelihood), then I highly recommend that for every 3-5 games, you rest up a bit. This way, your hands won't get tired from the twisting and turning from having to twist the throttle and to use the brakes at the same time. I had to say this because when I played the game too much at a test visit to GameWorks, my hands began to get tired that I have to refrain from playing for a bit until my hand rests up. Enough said, let's get going. ======================================================================== THE TRACKS 500CC GP features three real-life tracks (licensed from the FIM and its respective circuit owners) that has a high impact and/or an exciting history on the actual FIM World Championships. All Formula 1 Japan Grand Prix races are held at the highly-acclaimed Suzuka Circuit (a good blend of slow and fast corners). The Motegi Twin Oval Track hosted the Japan Road-Racing GP this year, but Suzuka will host next year's Japan Road-Racing GP. All Endurance Races are held at Suzuka. The Paul Ricard Track (it's rather dangerous because there's one sharp turn entrance at an insanely high speed) is used for Motorcycle Races to attrack the two-wheeler fans at France, but Formula 1's Bernie Ecclestone has purchased Paul Ricard in a mission to host France's future Formula 1 Grand Prix events back at Ricard (Notice that France's rounds are currently hosted at Magny-Cours. Magny-Cours isn't liked by many drivers because of the many slow turns). Most of the racing fans at Spain are two-wheeler lovers, and this year, the Formula 1 race was hosted at Jerez (Catalunya did not host the Spanish Round of Formula 1 this year), but all of the motorcycle events are held at Jerez, which was just recently built last year. Still my observations are incorrect. You may need to visit both FIA, FIM, Monaco, and Dorichi Interactive for more information about Formula 1 and FIM. I also recommend that you browse through the site carefully while you visit. There are now more sites that I recommend that you visit for some Motorcycle and Formula 1 information. Here are the addresses: * http://www.fia.com * http://www.fim.ch * http://www.monaco.mc * http://www.clublurie.com/dorichi/F1/ * http://www.dorna.com/index.html for the GP promoters * http://www.motograndprix.com for the official GP website As always, more informational links about real-life Grand Prix Competition will be announced in the future. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ INTERNATIONAL RACING COURSE=SUZUKA CIRCUIT ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Number of Turns: 20-21 Course Focus: Technical Typical Lead Rider: T. Okada (Japan) Target Lap Time (Using the Yamaha): Under 2'02"000 Arguably the most famous track of all time, Suzuka is a good balance of slow and fast corners, challenging the racer's ability to be a competent rider/driver than on speed. What really decides the outcome of the FIA and the FIM Championships (and the like) is the dreaded Casio Triangle (a combination of a difficult chicane and an easy right) at the final stretch of each lap. Heavy penalties will be imposed for improper Casio Chicane crossing (One time when I tested my motorcycle skills against Takuma Aoki's trail using a Suzuki, I had to add 3 seconds for every time I improperly crossed the Casio Chicane). Even if you are a beginner, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND PLAYING ALL OF YOUR GAMES IN THIS TRACK because with every game played on this famous track, your skills will increase. I like the Suzuka Track. It's technical and challenging (and that's why Suzuka has always been a safe track). For 1999, the Japanese Road-Racing 500cc Round was held at Motegi. Next year, the Road-Racing 500cc GP will be back at Suzuka. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Turn Index ---------- 1-2: First 2 Turns 3-6: The S-Curves 7-8: Dunlop Curve 9-10: Degner Curve 11: Gateway to the Hairpin 12: Hairpin 13: Hairpin Aftermath 14: Spoon Curve Gateway 15-16: Spoon Curve 17: 130R 18-19: Casio Chicane 20: Casio Triangle Conclusion ------------------------------------------------------------------------ I highly recommend that you use the Yamaha in this track, but the Suzuki is also a good alternative, providing crisp handling in some cases. Handling is the utmost importance in this track so you will definitely need to choose the bike that suits your experience very well. Try to shoot for a good balance between speed and handling. Choose the bike that will suit your experience pretty well. I use the Yamaha because it's fast and it responds well in this track. First 2 Turns ------------- From the left side, strive to cut the apex of the two turns. The second of the first two turns is deadlier than the first one, so stay on guard. Release the throttle and brake while on a straight line and while you turn. You may need to rapid-tap the throttle if you think you are going to eat the grass. The speed of taking the first half is about 100 mph (161 km/h) with apex-cutting, and for the second half, you would have to stay below 68 mph (109 km/h). By the time you are finished with all of the First 2 Turns, you should try to fast-out and prepare for the S-Curves by hugging the right side of the track. S-Curves -------- The key to take on the S-Curves is to maintain sharp handling without any necessary slowdown. Always strive to start the turn ahead of time and try to cut the apex. Don't brake throughout the S-Curves. If you think you are going to go too fast, rapid-tap the throttle instead. The fourth part of the S-Curves is possibly the deadliest of its kind. Keep on rapid-tapping the throttle until you can't touch the grass at the left side of the track. The ideal speed for the final part of the S-Curves is about 70 mph (112 kmh). Dunlop Curve ------------ Now here's where you have to watch your turning angle. For the first part of the Dunlop Curve, try to cut the apex. However, if you are starting the Dunlop Curve from the left side, you may need to rapid-tap the throttle a bit to avoid the right side of the grass. Usually, the second part of the Dunlop Curve should be taken without any further problems. Use the second part of the Dunlop Curve to prepare for the Degner Curve: Try to speed up as you exit from the Dunlop Curve. Degner Curve ------------ And here's the first test of skill. Try to be at the left side of the track after the Dunlop Curve. The Degner Curve consists of two sharp right turns. If you see the Tire Marks that is sprawn throughout the track, then you should try to use them to clue yourself where you should start all the braking and slowing down at. You may need to release the throttle while braking for precise control over the Degner Curve. Now turn. If you think you are going to go too fast at the Degner, then use rapid-taps of the Throttle rather than braking (Remember, Suzuka is a matter of taking the worst turns without any unnecessary slowdown). Also, cut the apex of both parts of the Degner Curve to reduce the severity of the two sharp turns. The first turn should be taken in between 85-90 mph (137-145 km/h). The second part is the deadlier of its kind and you should stay in between 60-70 mph (96-112 kmh) based upon your own experience. You should fast-out once you are finished with the Degner Curve. Hairpin ------- Cut the apex of the Gateway Right. Now you will really need to slow down if you want to stay competitive. Release the throttle and grip the brake while turning and travelling in a straight line. If your speed reaches below 35 mph (56 kmh), it's time to start either using reduced-throttle or rapid-taps of the throttle. I perfer reduced throttle because you can stay at the inside of the Hairpin and avoid the grass at the right side of the track. This is one sharp turn so once you are about to exit the Hairpin without any further problems, speed up. This is the first turn that you will be graded for fast-out speeds. Between the Haripin and the Spoon Curve --------------------------------------- The key to taking the next two easy rights is to just watch the angle of your turning at all costs. I personally would treat them as one turn. The second easy left is slighly deadlier but don't worry: Usually the bike will slow down to a certain extent if you have to turn very hard. The key in taking these turns would be to cut the apexes of the two easy rights without any harsh turning of the motorcycle. Try to be at the right side of the track when you are about to enter the Spoon Curve. Spoon Curve ----------- As a general rule, use the Motorcycle tracks. When the tire marks intersect the right side (or just about), do a *controlled* slowing down and cut the apex of the first turn. When you exit the first turn, you should be at the right side of the track and you should apex-clip the second part of the Spoon Curve. The target speed for the first half of the Spoon Curve is 85 mph (137 km/h). Why not use rapid-taps of the throttle for the second half? The target speed of the second half is just about under 75 mph (120 km/h). Afterwards, fast-out of the Spoon Curve and duck your head to get STREAMLINED through the straightaway. 130R ---- Find a good spot to raise your head and do a controlled slowing down from the right side of the track. Use apex-cutting techniques here at the 130R. Slow down to about 90-100 mph (145-161 km/h). Though this turn doesn't look too bad, you need to be slowing down ahead of time, clipping the apex, and not going any faster than 105 mph (169 km/h) while you are inside the 130R in order to avoid any possible contact with the grass at the right side of the track. You need to fast-out of the 130R once you are confident enough to get out of the turn without further problems since you will also be graded for speed-out checks after the 130R. Casio Triangle -------------- Improper passing of the Chicane will wield heavy penalties in the Time Trial Modes. Stay at the left side of the track and release the throttle and brake at the same time. Your speed should be under 85 mph (137 km/h). Now steadily cut the apex of the turn (BUT DON'T GO OFF THE TRACK). It takes practice to keep a straight line in the chicane since it's a sharp chicane. If you think you are going to track-out, try to do a little bit of rapid-gas tapping so that you don't get slapped for improper chicane passing. The Casio Triangle Conclusion can be taken without any problems. Now get streamlined after the Casio Triangle by fasting-out and ducking your head at the conclusion of the Casio Triangle. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ PAUL RICARD Number of Turns: 9 Course Focus: High-Speed Typical Lead Rider: Criville (Spain) Target Lap Time: Under 1'17"000 (with any bike) This track is definitely boring. I hate high-speed tracks. They become boring and according to FIA, FIM, and other racing authorities around the globe, unsafe. Although Paul Ricard hosted some of the past-time French F1 rounds, soon the FIA decided to force France into finding another track to host the F1 races. Magny-Cours would be the track that will host the French F1 rounds, but not too many drivers like the Magny-Cours track because there are too many slow turns aloft. A Number 1 man of the Formula 1 decided to bring back the French F1 Grand Prix back at Paul Ricard. However, safety becomes an issue when trying to remodel the track itself so that the FIA's safety standards are met. The track was deemed unsafe back in 1993 when the FIA decided to replace the Paul Ricard track with the Magny-Cours track. Hopefully, with the new safety measures imposed by FIA, France is given enough time to make Paul Ricard a safer track to race at. The FIM decided that the motorcycle races should be held at Paul Ricard instead of Magny-Cours because the FIM had a need for a few high-speed tracks. The FIM imposed speed limits on each of the turns so that the contestants are not making Paul Ricard an unsafe track. This means that safe speeds are given just before a major turn aloft. Especially the first turn where you are required to enter a sharp right through high speeds. I was only hoping that the principality of Monaco would host some two- wheel races so that the Monte Carlo track would place this *unsafe* track to shame. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Turn 1-3: Elf Turn 4-5: Repsol Bends Turns 6-9: S-Curves (I'm not sure about the turn names so please forgive me) BTW REPSOL is a Spanish Petroleum company if you had to ask me. Safety measures was taken in order to make Turn 1 safe. Speed limits have been imposed on at least two turns so the number of accidents would be reduced. If for any reason the F1 races at France MUST return to Paul Ricard, then the FIA will impose speed limits at nearly every turn so that the number of accidents would be reduced. Also, because of safety considerations, the FIA may impose a ban on Turbo Engines since it killed a lot of people in the past. Since Magny-Cours was not liked by many F1 drivers, there was no reason for the FIM to host a French Round at the "most-hated track in the globe". ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Note: This is a high speed track so choose a bike that will fit your speed needs. However, Paul Ricard features some crap turns that require an insane amount of slowing down so be prepared for the worst. Pay special attention to the speed marks as they will help you on how fast you can go without penalty. Turn 1-3 -------- You need to be at the left side of the track by the time you see all the speed limit marks at the left side. This is possibly the most dangerous area in all of Paul Ricard. Release the pedal and brake when you reach the "150 Mark" and don't stop braking. At the "50" Mark, stop braking and use short taps of the throttle to corner well. The speed for cornering the most dangerous turn in the whole game is 31 mph (50 km/h). Now for the S-Curve, just regain your speed. During the S-Curve, you will be graded for fast-outs. Now at the straight, stay at the left side of the track and duck your head to get streamlined. Turn 4 ------ Use the Speed Limit Signs at the left for your cue to slow down. The target speed to cornering this one is about 115 mph (185 km/h). If you think you are going to track-out, use rapid taps of the throttle. Cut the apex of the turn. Turn 5 ------ Do a controlled slowing down at the left side of the track (You will also be graded for fast-out performance after Turn 4) but don't do too much slowing down. Continue to hug the inside of the track and watch your speed at the final stretch since it's surprisingly sharp. You should try to fast out at the conclusion of the turn but don't slip right out of the track! Turn 6 ------ Again, do a controlled slowdown of your bike and cut the apex of the turn. If you think you are going to kiss the right side of the track, then use rapid-taps of the throttle instead. Turn 7 ------ All you have to do here is to just watch the angle of your turning and you should be able to kick up some speed. You should be at the right side of the track upon entering Turn 8. Turn 8 ------ Slow down through the turn (but don't drop below 65/104) and hug the inside of the turn. If you think you are going to kiss the right side of the track, use rapid-squeezes of the gas. You should be at the left side of the track once you exit Turn 8. Turn 9 ------ Release the gas and grip the brake as early as you can so that you can clip the apex of this final turn. The ideal speed here is about 45 mph (72 km/h) with some apex-cutting. If you can exit this turn without any further problems, all you have to do is fast-out and travel in a straight line as you travel through the next lap line. After exiting the turn, duck your head so that you can get streamlined. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ JEREZ Number of Turns: 14 Course Focus: Semi-Technical Typical Ride Leader: Criville (Spain) Ideal Lap Time: Under 1'48"00 (with any bike) Note: Please visit Dorichi's F1 Page at the following address: * http://www.clublurie.com/dorichi/F1 Since nearly all of the citizens in Spain are two-wheel fans, it's only natural that King Juan Carlos I ordered a brand new track to be built somewhere at a remote city at Jerez, Spain. In the past, Barcelona has been hosting all the races before Jerez came. Barcelona won't be the center spotlight for much of Spain's races anymore because Jerez is being used for the Spanish 500cc Road-Racing rounds and it's already been used for the Spanish F1 round for 1999. One of the many policies FIM tries to make is to impose safety on the bikes and the tracks. In order to make sure the tracks were safe, the FIM sent out a safety team to make sure that speed limits are imposed on each turn and that proper sportsmanship was practice. Read more about FIM at http://www.fim.ch. Hopefully, this domain should redirect you to the correct Formula Internationale De Motorcycliste Web Presence Account. Kudos to Team Red Herring for pointing this out. This track is a good blend of speed and handling so it's best to use a bike that allows you to go fast on straights, yet nimble enough to handle through the worst turns based upon your own experience. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Turn 1 ------ Start from the left side of the track and release the throttle. Brake while you are at the turn and cut the apex. Try to keep your speed within the rivals in order to get the best lap time. Since the turn is rather sharp, fast-out with caution. Turns 2 and 3 ------------- A sharp hairpin followed by a left turn. For the hairpin, start at the outside once again and release the throttle. Brake while turning and cut the apex. Use rapid-throttle to prevent yourself from kissing the grass. It's really hard to get the timing right in this turn since the hairpin is rather sharp. After fasting-out of the hairpin, there shouldn't be too much problems in the next turn. Turns 4-6 --------- You only need minimal slowdown on these two turns as these turns are not as sharp as I thought they were. Forget the brakes on these two turns. Just use taps of the Throttle to maintain better control. The Straightaway ---------------- Duck your head and travel right at a straight line to milk up the speed. Jerez is a rather dangerous track in real life IMHO because there's one hairpin entrance at high speeds. Suzuka, IMO, is the safest track in the game if I had to compare the tracks in this video game because the Suzuka Circuit Committee makes every effort to ensure that there's no turn entrance at high speeds. Sure, the first turn in Suzuka is somewhat unsafe, but since it's a blend of fast and slow turns, Suzuka even beats out Jerez in safety. Turn 7 ------ Don't be misleded by the straight as this hairpin is also sharp. Release the throttle and SLAM IN THE BRAKE while on a straight line and while turning. Start from the outside and then cut the apex. It's really hard to get the timing right because of the high-speed entrance generated from the straightaway. Turns 8 and 9 ------------- As with Turns 4-6, these turns should be taken with only marginal slowdown. Use the throttle for better control over the turns, and don't do any braking here since it slows you down even more. Turns 10 and 11 --------------- Two sharp turns. Negotiate them by slowing down and applying some brake on the first of the two turns. Usually braking at Turn 10 should suffice. Sometimes you may need to brake at Turn 11 depending on how hot you took Turn 10. Turns 12 and 13 --------------- Again, you need only minimal slowdown on these turns. If you think you are going to eat the grass, then rapid-tap the throttle to prevent yourself from kissing the grass. Be sure to fast-out after Turn 13. Don't be fooled by the straight after Turn 13 because Turn 14 is a hairpin. Turn 14 ------- You should be at the right side of the track when you start the hairpin. Release the throttle and brake while turning. Don't go below 35-40 mph in this final turn. Use the throttle if you think you are going to kiss the grass at the right. Take the turn too early and you will eat the grass at the inside, and you'll also be slapped with a Time Trial Penalty if for any reason you took this hairpin improperly. ======================================================================== SOME AFTERTHOUGHTS The tracks and the bikes only seem hard to master because they are modeled after real-life (and YES, they are modeled after real life). That's why it's really important to learn the basics in the tightest manner possible and to ride like a pro. If you thought that this bike was too hard to use, just try other bikes until you can come up with a clear-cut bike that will allow you to perform well in any of the three tracks. Also, please keep in mind that all the strategies outlined in this FAQ are just raw sketches of what I thought in memory from the games that I have played at GameWorks from a long time ago. Please feel free to make any adjustments and/or variations according to your skill, experience, and so-so. Variety is the utmost importance when playing this game so keep that in mind. Once you learn how to drive the tracks and use the bikes properly, then the game pretty much becomes second-nature. Anyway, have fun playing 500CC GP. ======================================================================== THE DO'S AND DONT'S Once again, this FAQ can ONLY appear at the following locations: * Verasnaship Interactive (http://www.verasnaship.net) * GameFAQs (http://www.gamefaqs.com) * Secrets of the Game Sages (http://www.gamesages.com) * Cheat Code Central (http://www.cheatcc.com) * Code Master's Game Shark Code Creators Club (http://www.cmgsccc.com) Why? Because these sites are the only ones that keep all original work updated and up-to-date. Ever since reading marshmallow's works, I've been obsessed in limiting the amount of sites that are permitted to display this file. You can always get the latest version at Verasnaship first since I run the website for myself. GameFAQs does a good job keeping the files up-to-date at all times and is the most visited site for FAQ-related walkthroughs. Secrets of the Game Sages is a "Code-related" partner to GameFAQs since both GameFAQs and Secrets of the Game Sages share the same information. Cheat Code Central not only has codes, but up-to-date FAQs and Text-based Walkthroughs based upon marshmallow's knowledge. Finally, Game Shark Code Creators Club is a Game Shark site run under the Code Master to provide up-to-date Game Shark Codes and is a highly visited Game Shark Site. However, I might elect to do PDFs on certain games, and only my website (Verasnaship Interactive) has it. Rules: * DO NOT place this file in your web site directly. Only the five aforementioned sites have an exclusive right to mirror this file. * You can make a link to my FAQ Library Page. The only rules that I would like to enforce is that you link ONLY to an HTML or an Interactive Web Page. The link to this page is: - http://www.verasnaship.net/text/arcade.html * Please KIM that linking to GameFAQs is goverened by the Legal Disclaimer as foretold under the statement, "Linking Rights". I highly recommend that you make a link to my website so that people will always have the latest version of this work viewed right through their screen. Please DO NOT link directly to any TXT or ZIP files if you have to link to my page! Part of the reason why I'm doing this is because if you don't view an HTML Site, then you may not be able to run the ads that appear on top of the HTML Document, which IS NO FAIR TO THE WEBMASTER. Also, I'm doing this because all FAQ writers are just getting sick and tired of seeing outdated versions of their files!!! For details about linking rules, visit http://www.templetons.com/brad/linkright.html which is Brad Templeton's Linking Rights Essay. ======================================================================== RULES FOR GIVING SUGGESTIONS One time when I was forced to update another FAQ for Super GT by Sega, I was surprised to see that I was driving from Helen Keller. That is why you MUST follow the protocol as described and/or outlined in the Form Page URL. ======================================================================== RESOURCES OF THIS DOCUMENT * http://www.namco.co.jp * http://www.namco.com * http://www.clublurie.com/dorichi/F1 (Nice F1 Page) * http://www.fim.com * http://www.fia.com Please post any correspondance to Namco 500cc GP at the NNTP Newsgroup news:rec.games.video.arcade, which is the only newsgroup worth visiting. ======================================================================== ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS * FIM, Suzuka, Paul Ricard, Jerez, Yamaha, Honda, and Suzuki for allowing Namco to create a real-life FIM Simulator. * Namco for unleashing the realities of FIM Racing at the Arcade * Takuma Aoki, Nobuatsu Aoki, Norifume Abe, and other FIM "Riders" for helping out Namco during the 500cc GP Project * Team Red Herring (goku@tm.net.my) for playing the important role in much of the updates dated September 12, 1999. * GameWorks at Schaumburg for being the first arcade to have Namco 500cc GP in stock. * Sega GameWorks LLC for finally opening up a Chicagoland location * Dorichi for a great *simulated* Jerez Sketch * Poln for writing a Namco Motorcross GO! FAQ * GameFAQs for being the largest stable of original work * Kao Megura for FINALLY reaching the 5,000 KB mark. Kao, you should be proud of yourself. All the tiring keystrokes paid off. * Imagine Games Network for being the largest video gaming community * Secrets of the Game Sages for being the sister site of GameFAQs This document is dedicated to the loving memory of Princess Diana of Wales and Fashion Designer Gianni Versace. We need to stop destroying people for a stupid reason right now. ** END OF DOCUMENT AND ONE LAST WARNING ** This Electronically Published Document is copyrighted (c) 1999 Mark Kim. All Rights Reserved. This document is protected by applicable copyright laws and international treaties. Unauthroized reproduction, retransmission, and/or a breach of copyright, partial or full, may result in civil and criminal penalties and is subject to maximum punishment and prosecution to the highest extent possible by law. Please credit Mark Kim as Vesther Fauransy where credit is due. This document is the sole property of Mark Kim.