Wanted: Checkered Flag players to send me data

[sirlynxalot]

I am going to conduct a study of what factors might result in the best lap times for Checkered Flag. My other thread on Checkered Flag had some good discussion of strategies people have used, and ways to make the game smoother or slower - and on top of that, we have Cyrano J's steering mod version of the game... so all in all, this poses the question - what is the best way to get a good lap time in Checkered Flag, a game notorious for terrible controls.

Link to Cyrano J steering patch: http://reboot.atari.org/new-reboot/cfpatch.html

Since this is a study of sorts where I am trying to get information on the best strategies, I want to try to keep the lap time data unpublished until I've gathered it all so that people don't just keep playing and playing until they beat whatever the best current time is, or don't provide me with their information simply because it is slower than everyone else.


As a result, I want volunteers to send me the following data in a PM anytime starting now and ending on 10/31/15.

1) Played game on an NTSC or PAL Jaguar (or emulator in NTSC or PAL mode)?
2) Played on a Jaguar console or emulator?
3) Used the retail version of the game, or CyranoJ's steering hack?
4) Used any particular strategy or trick (e.g. deliberately staying in low gears with manual transmission, think changing the airfoil and tires makes a difference - then note it)? (Please identify the strategy or trick(s))
5) Best lap time on green valley track with the previously listed information? (it tells you the best lap time after you finish the race, choose however many laps you like, race on the track as many times as you like)

Please feel free to play the game multiple times with different settings (e.g. playing the retail version and Cyrano J's steering hack) and provide me with more than one set of data.

I will try to analyze the data to find trends and I will also publish the raw data in a spreadsheet after the reporting period ends.


Here is a promotion to get you pumped up to play the game

[LianneJaguar64]

PM? Ahaha I'll be running stock retail version, on a PAL machine, through Jag CD if that makes a difference... I make rear wing changes to alter downforce... I assume it's sunny weather conditions, and how many tracks are we running on?

[+CyranoJ]

Here is a promotion to get you pumped up to play the game

 

You didn't have to include a video

[sirlynxalot]

Just one track, green Valley. However many laps you like, just send me the best time for a particular setup and tell me what that setup was.

[Rick Dangerous]

The Department of Homeland Security has all the Checkered Flag data you will even need...they tapped into our Voice Modems a long time ago.

[LianneJaguar64]

OK so I did;

High aero: 31.4 S 1st session, 30.0s 2nd

Low aero: 28.5 1st session, 30.9s 2nd

 

Rain: High aero 31.9

Low aero 34.3

 

Fog: 37.6 HA

39.1 LA

 

(all over 10 lap sessions on stock Cf on a regular Jaguar)

[Guitari]

OK so I did;

High aero: 31.4 S 1st session, 30.0s 2nd

Low aero: 28.5 1st session, 30.9s 2nd

 

Rain: High aero 31.9

Low aero 34.3

 

Fog: 37.6 HA

39.1 LA

 

(all over 10 lap sessions on stock Cf on a regular Jaguar)

PM = private message

[Atlantis]

Give the control pad to one of 'em jap robots to play it.

[sirlynxalot]

Just took a preliminary look at the data I've received so far.

There is a 16 second difference between the fastest time and the least fastest time submitted. Of course, this is only from a handful of people and circumstances so far, so please keep the data coming!

Edited October 24, 2015 by sirlynxalot

[sirlynxalot]

There has been a lack of participation lately. I actually need more data for there to be any worthwhile findings. Anyone who hasn't contributed yet, please feel free to send me your data by this weekend. Cmon I know you have nothing better planned for Friday night.

 

Here's another idea. Set the game up by your front door and scare children at Halloween with the scary below average control and frame rate.

[LianneJaguar64]

There has been a lack of participation lately. I actually need more data for there to be any worthwhile findings. Anyone who hasn't contributed yet, please feel free to send me your data by this weekend. Cmon I know you have nothing better planned for Friday night.

 

Here's another idea. Set the game up by your front door and scare children at Halloween with the scary below average control and frame rate.

Ahaha now that is a horror story 'D

[sirlynxalot]

I'll publish the data anyway after Saturday. Up to now only three people have provided data, including myself.

Edited October 29, 2015 by sirlynxalot

[+CyranoJ]

I'll publish the data anyway after Saturday. Up to now only three people have provided data, including myself.

Everyone else turned their CF into a skunk board.

[+phoenixdownita]

Everyone else turned their CF into a skunk board.

Is this actually something one can do? I have a CF ready to go if there's a pointer on how to do it.

[+madman]

Is this actually something one can do? I have a CF ready to go if there's a pointer on how to do it.

Yeah, it's super simple. Boggles the mind why the makers of the Skunk used a custom PCB when they could've just used Checkered Flag carts.

[+CyranoJ]

Is this actually something one can do? I have a CF ready to go if there's a pointer on how to do it.

 

Undo the screws on the card. Throw the PCB out (or send it to Albert, if you hate him) and put a Skunkboard PCB in, cut some holes for the useless USB ports, and screw it back together.

[sirlynxalot]

Everyone else turned their CF into a skunk board.

Haha, but then they could simply download CF to the skunk! No excuses

[+phoenixdownita]

Yeah, it's super simple. Boggles the mind why the makers of the Skunk used a custom PCB when they could've just used Checkered Flag carts.

Undo the screws on the card. Throw the PCB out (or send it to Albert, if you hate him) and put a Skunkboard PCB in, cut some holes for the useless USB ports, and screw it back together.

Now you're both pulling my legs. For a moment I thought it was just a matter to desolder the CF chips and replace with the ROM/RAM needed for Skunking .... instead it's just the shell

Should have seen that coming.

Edited October 30, 2015 by phoenixdownita

[sirlynxalot]

Running out of time to submit your data!

[+CyranoJ]

Running out of time to submit your data!

 

Oh, c'mon, be fair. It takes about a week to render the start line

[+madman]

I'm still working on completing a lap without crashing.

[sirlynxalot]

And now the moment you've all been waiting for.

Seems like playing the slowed down/smoother version on an emulator could make a significant difference. I'm no checkered flag ace, and my run on an emulator was just one go around the track after not playing the game at all for over a year. Based on LianneJaguar64's data, it seems like turning on fog (trying to get a better framerate but with reduced draw distance) might not be a net positive.

checkered flag data.xls

Edited November 1, 2015 by sirlynxalot