Namco 500cc GP=FIM World Championships Biker's Winning Strategies Manual For the Namco Arcade Game Compiled by Mark Kim (Vesther Fauransy) Version 0.0.1 Text Build 88 Premiere Public Release Location of Final Assembly: Downers Grove, IL USA Date of Completion: September 8, 1999, 2:24 PM, CDT Unpublished Work Trademarked (tm) and copyrighted (c) Mark Kim. All Rights Reserved. IMPORTANT: YOU MUST READ AND AGREE TO ALL OF THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SET FORTH BY THE USER AGREEMENT LOCATED AT THE FOLLOWING PAGES BEFORE USING THIS DOCUMENT AT ALL COSTS. BY USING THE CONTENTS OF THIS DOCUMENT, YOU AGREE TO ALL TERMS OF THE USER AGREEMENT GOVERNING THIS WORK. HERE IS THE URL: * http://www.verasnaship.net/text/userrules.html In no event shall this document be reproduced or retransmitted in any way, shape, or form (including but not limited to physical, natural, or electronical). 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Remember any breach of copyright, trademark, and/or patents (which includes but not limited to plagiarism, stealing, laming, pirating, or otherwise) and failure to adhere to the aforementioned URL and ALL PARTS of this disclaimer counts as unauthorized reproduction and/or distribution (partial or full), resulting in severe civil and criminal penalties, which is punishable through prosecution under the maximum extent possible under the law. Mark Kim acknowledges and respects all copyrights, patents (pending or not), and trademarks whether if it's mentioned or not somewhere in this document as no copyright infringement was intended. Mark Kim also acknowledges and respects all copyrights, patents (pending or not), and trademarks of ALL OTHER FAQ AUTHORS (whether if it's Kao Megura, John Culbert, Henry LaPierre, Josh Harring, or otherwise) and if for any reason I MUST USE any or all of the document, it will be mentioned somewhere in this document, commonly in the Acknowledgements section of this document. If for any reason you must use any or all of this document for your own FAQ, please give me credit where credit is due. IF FOR ANY REASON YOU DO NOT AGREE TO ALL OF THE TERMS LISTED AT THE URL AFOREMENTIONED ABOVE AND/OR IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO THIS DISCLAIMER, then you must destroy this document at all costs. The Suzuka track that appears in Namco 500cc GP is a registered trademark and copyright of the Suzuka Circuit Corporation, Japan. All Rights Reserved. Patent Pending. The Paul Ricard Track that appears in Namco 500cc GP is a registered trademark and copyright of the Paul Ricard Circuit, Limited. All Rights Reserved. The Jerez track that appears in the game is a registered trademark and copyright of the Jerez Circuit Corporation of Spain. 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 FAQ IS MINE AND THERE IS NO UNAUTHORIZED USE OF IT!!! I don't give permission to people who will be using this FAQ to post it on some kind of magazine just to get paid for it. Hack writers have been rampant ever since the Tekken 3 Era, and it's time that we stop this nonsense once and for all. REMEMBER, THIS DOCUMENT MUST BE FREELY ACCESSIBLE AND YOU CANNOT RESTRICT ACCESS TO THIS DOCUMENT WHATSOEVER WHETHER IF IT'S A GAMING SITE OR OTHERWISE. MY NAME MUST APPEAR IN THIS DOCUMENT, AND THIS DOCUMENT MUST BE SHOWN IN ITS ENTIRETY WITH ALL THE BUGS INCLUDED. I'm getting sick and tired of seeing poor FAQ authors being victimized through some hack-writers and plagiarizers. It's time for FAQ Authors to strike back and sue these plagiarizers and the hack-writers for their damage. BTW The disclaimer MUST show up or I will assume that you will be plagiarizing. ======================================================================== 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. ======================================================================== 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 Newer versions of the Namco 500cc GP Winning Strategies Manual can be found through the following locations: * http://www.verasnaship.net/text/ * ftp://verasnaship.net/pub/namco500ccgp.zip If you are a Mac user and if you have the ability to create HQX Files, please feel free to port this file over as an HQX, but keep the content 100% original at all costs. E-Mail me the HQX and you should get a Thank-You Message. To check the status of my domain at any time, point your browser to the following: - http://www.networksolutions.com/cgi-bin/whois/whois?verasnaship.net If you have visited GameFAQs.com, you should have known that the web- master right over there has been giving us a rant that we should remember at all costs for the week of February 8, 1999. Due to this rant, I had to figure out a new copyright template for all of my FAQs. If you have any additional tips, theories, bug busts, or any other suggestions that you want to share with me in regards to this FAQ, there is a convenient and brand-new Mail Form List at the following location: - http://www.verasnaship.net/text/emailme.html Now before you e-mail me, please keep in mind that I have established my own set of rules, so before you even type down the following syntax to e-mail me (assuming that you are using Netscape 4+), please read these rules: - No spamming of any sorts as the sole intent of your message - No Sega-hating crap - No Namco-bashing crap - Keep your e-mail clean - No flame wars - No dirty pictures - No telling me what you want to sell out of me - No writing of material that is offensive, gross, or otherwise deemed illegal per Internet Community - No bulk e-mail - No links to any dirty sites - No impersonations - No violations of your ISP's Acceptable Use Policy This REALLY hurts the Internet in a lot of ways as committing either of the above are grounds for pinging at your IP and to seek out complaints of abuse to your Internet Provider, resulting in e-mailed warnings, and if you persist in abuse, unfavorable discharge from Internet Access. My pet peeve: Don't mail me unless it is something Soul-Calibur-related that you want to ask me of for this document. Please see the following web sites to see why spamming's bad: - http://spam.abuse.net (Spamming Infocenter) - http://www.cauce.org (Coalition Against Unsolicited Commercial E-Mail) 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. Sadly, the United States is not willing to host any events endorsed by either the FIA or FIM. Due to the increasing popularity of NASCAR in the United States, the FIA and FIM has ceased to host any races in the United States. The United States forbid any Motorcycle events within their nation limits for safety considerations. However, Namco has thought about an idea on how to bring all the action of the FIM Races to the Arcade without the accidents, and inside the United States. 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 Motorcycle Racing Prohibition 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. 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), but in the actual FIM races, the races can become long and grueling at times as most races rages on for at least 4 hours and up to a maximum of 8 hours. It's a smart move for Namco and the FIM not to have an actual simulation of 8 Hours of Suzuka as it would be pretty bad for business. For those who favor all the two wheel action but cannot even watch an actual Motorcycle Race, this is your chance to prove that you are allowed to participate in a Motorcycle Event once and for all. ======================================================================== 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 Suzuki (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 (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 (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. ======================================================================== 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. ======================================================================== 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. Notice that the Suzuka Circuit at Suzuka, Japan is also used for the FIA World Championship Grand Prix. Paul Ricard used to be used for the Formula 1 French Grand Prix, but the FIA billed the track unsafe and ever since the French F1 Grand Prix has taken place at the *unpleasant* Magny-Cours track. Jerez is just a new track which was targeted towards Motorcycle Fans. However, this track may or may not be used for the Portugese F1 Grand Prix. Much of the reason why FIA ordered Spain to permit Portugal to use Jerez for F1 Purposes was to give Portugal a replacement for an aging Estoril. Barcelona isn't used for the FIM for safety reasons. I am unsure about what the official story is. You may need to visit both FIA, FIM, Monaco, and Dorichi Interactive for more information about Formula 1 and FIM. Here are the addresses: * http://www.fia.com * http://www.fim.com * http://www.monaco.mc * http://www.clublurie.com/dorichi/F1/ 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). ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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'm going to assume that you will be racing in the Suzuka Circuit using the Yamaha. If you are using other bikes, please make any necessary adjustments. 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. There was about two parts of the track why the FIA decided to replace this rather *unsafe* track with Magny-Cours (Notice that Japan agreed to use the Suzuka Track after several amendments of Track Safety were imposed on the FIA, FIM, and the like. Fuji was a rather unsafe track to most authorities). However, Paul Ricard is still being used for Motorcycle races. A key reason why I consider this track unsafe is because there is this one sharp turn that requires you to make a high-speed entrance, causing lots of accidents and injuries. Sooner or later, it's time for France to create a track which won't generate too many race-related deaths or possibly let the Principality of Monaco take over their Motorcycle and Formula One championships. The Monte Carlo Track at the Principality of Monaco is a safer track than any of France's tracks (Monza is possibly an unsafe track). I would like to see the Principality of Monaco use their Monte Carlo Track for Motorcycle Purposes as well (to create the low-speed highly technical racing track). ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Turn 1-3: Elf Turn 4-5: Pepsol Bends Turns 6-9: S-Curves (I'm not sure about the turn names so please forgive me) Possibly Turn 1 is the reason why the FIA ordered the French Racing Association to move the French Formula One Championships to Magny-Cours. Magny Cours is still unsafe (because there's this one sharp turn that requires such a high-speed entrance) and I would like to see France build a safer track to replace the rather dangerous Magny-Cours so that no more racing accidents will be generated. IMO Japan and Monaco has the safest tracks around the globe. Suzuka is a good balance of slow and fast turns while Monte Carlo really tests your ability to take on most evil turns with high driving competency whilst withstanding the narrow track. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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 A brand new track built under the order of King Juan Carlos I of Spain in order to bring Motorcycle Action at Spain. Sadly, the Barcelona track won't be able to be safe enough for many Motorcycle Riders because the Elf Turn at the first stretch of Barcelona is rather dangerous. 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.com. I'm not sure if this is correct or not, but please let me know if some of the FIM-related data is erroneous or if I have to use some resources from any FIM site. But for Jerez, I'll also be assuming that you are using the Yamaha. You will have to change strategies if you are riding on other bikes. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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. ======================================================================== HOW TO MIRROR THIS FILE If you want to take a copy of this file for yourself, then here's what to do if you want to mirror it (Remember license is granted ONLY if the document is shown in its entirety with bugs included, including the legal warning at the top of this document): * Connect to the Internet like you usually would. * Open your favorite browser (I recommend Netscape 4.61) * Type in http://www.verasnaship.net/text/arcade.html * From the drop-down menu box, select Namco 500cc GP Biker's Guide. * From your browser, click on File and then Save As. * Save the file as markkim_500ccgp.txt (Use a floppy, Zip, or a Jaz Disk if you are saving the file from a Networked Computer). * FTP this file to your Web Account like you usually would. * Provide an HTML Link to the mirrored file from your HTML Page. * Notify me of the new mirror by e-mail. Point your browser to http://www.verasnaship.net/text/emailme.html and use "OTHER" as your subject. * Please link to my website at http://www.verasnaship.net Please give me the URL of the mirrored file so I can check to see if my guidelines to mirror this document has been met or not. ======================================================================== HOW TO ZIP THIS FILE AND TO MIRROR THE ZIPPED FILE If you feel that you would like to mirror this document, here's what you need to do: * Connect to the Internet like you usually would * Open your favorite browser (I recommend Netscape 4.61) * Type in http://www.verasnaship.net/text/arcade.html * From the drop-down menu box, select the Namco 500cc GP Biker's Guide. * From your browser, click on File and then Save As. * Save the file as markkim_500ccgp.txt (Use a floppy, Zip, or a Jaz Disk if you are saving the file from a Networked Computer). * FTP this file to your Web Account like you usually would. * Provide an HTML Link to the mirrored file from your HTML Page. * Notify me of the Text Mirror via E-Mail by pointing your browser to http://www.verasnaship.net/text/emailme.html and use "OTHER" as your subject. * If my Text Mirroring Guidelines are met, you will need WinZip (for the least) or an HQX creator if you are a Mac user. * Go to your Data Compression Program and create a new file called "markkim_namco500ccgp.zip" (Use HQX if you are a Mac User). * Add the mirrored file (UNTOUCHED, UNMUTILATED, ORIGINAL, SOLITARY, AND WITH BUGS INCLUDED) to the ZIP/HQX file. * FTP this ZIP file like you usually would and delete the TXT file from your account. * Provide an HTML Link to the ZIP File. * Notify me of a ZIPPED Mirror by e-mailing me the URL of the mirror by pointing to http://www.verasnaship.net/text/emailme.html with OTHER as your subject. * Please link to my site at http://www.verasnaship.net Much of the reason why I have to do this is because I want to make sure that the guidelines of mirroring this document has been met. ======================================================================== LINKING TO GAMEFAQS.COM AND VERASNASHIP.NET Listen, I'M GETTING SICK AND TIRED OF PEOPLE LINKING DIRECTLY TO TEXT (OR ZIP/HQX) DOCUMENTS AT GAMEFAQS (as well as any other Text Document that everybody offers throughout the net)!!!!!! Because many people haven't read the fine print at GameFAQs.com, here's how to do it on this paragraph: To find the EXACT HTML URL for that particular page, Go to GameFAQs (http://www.gamefaqs.com) and use the Search Engine. Type 500cc GP on the Search Box, press GO, and click on the appropriate link. ONLY CUT AND PASTE ANY GAMEFAQS URL WITH THE "HTML" EXTENSION. 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. For details about linking rules, visit http://www.templetons.com/brad/linkright.html which is Brad Templeton's Linking Rights Essay. The same thing goes with Verasnaship.Net. If you want to link to my site, link ONLY to the pages with the HTML Extension. To link to this document, please use http://www.verasnaship.net/text/arcade.html instead. Thanks. ======================================================================== 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 in the Newsflash section of this document. ======================================================================== 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, Daisuke Abe, and other FIM "Riders" for helping out Namco during the 500cc GP Project * 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 * Kao Megura for being the first FAQ Author * Poln for writing a Namco Motorcross GO! FAQ * Megura, Culbert, LaPierre, David Bard, and other FAQ Authors for encouraging me to join the fight against FAQ Plagiarism and theft. * GameFAQs.com for being the central organization for a collection of Original Work * GameSages.com for being the central organization for a collection of non-hackery cheats * Imagine Games Network for being the foundation of gaming sites * Network Solutions for supplementing me my own domain name * Saturn Services and Savant Networks for hosting my website 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.