Fastest Game on Ice

ficr

How do you win? If I run, I end up out of bounds. If I walk a NPC wins.

dahminus

Run the straight stretches, if you think your going out of bound, roll for traction

sirokk

You'll want to use your strafing keys (sideways movement) to compensate for the slippery snow. Default is Q and E, I believe. Example, if you have to turn right, start using the "E" key before you have to turn.

I usually have my left hand on the left and right strafing keys and use the mouse to turn.

I don't know if the snow boots help, I never tried them. Didn't feel like I needed them.

ficr

Thanks for the tips.

Still not able to win but was able to improve enough to see the NPC cross the finish line before me.

I give up.

bds007

It takes a little practice, but you can do it. Another tip: if you feel you are sliding out of bounds jump [Space] without any other movement buttons/mouse and you will immediately stop.

There are also some shortcuts you can do that both help in traction and cut out some of the track because walking on snow has more friction than ice. But be careful, go too far on the snow and you will get disqualified too.

This is my third year doing this event, so it is almost muscle memory now. But it took me time to get the hang of it too. Don't give up.

shadowwraith77

Activate shooter mode (not aiming mode) for better steering, when you think you are about to overshoot a turn simply roll into the direction you need go, it will automatically stop the slide and roll you into the direction you chose. However it also cancels your running so you need quickly re-activate running, and lose the boots because they make it harder to gain traction despite the speed increase being useful unless you really like a challenge.

bumblebush

Yeah, you can always practice the courses when the events arent going on.

And usually what I do is double tap to dive when im about to go out of bounds. It will save you from being disqualified, but at the same time it will stop your movement and loose a few seconds of the race.

But what alot of players say and do is, try to only run the straight paths and slow down when your about to corner, and kinda like drift around them.

Good luck and fun in Wonderland.





DeepSpace 9 Federation Operative

dareau

Here's some tips and things I learned about the ice races...

1. Mix run and walk. You don't slide quite as bad if you let up off your "W" key so that you "downshift" to walking instead of running, then hit shift again to start the run when you've made the turn...

2. Turn early. Think drift racing - you'll slide sideways before you actually bite into the turn...

3. Cut corners some - right after the first straightaway, and just before the final hairpin turn, there are a couple sets of "s" curves that you can actually barrel straight through, only turning once instead of three or four times. Take advantage of these and run straight through them instead of walk/turning them...

Personally, I mix one and two a lot - I'll run straight at a hairpin, I've more-or-less learned where to let up on the run and just about a half second later I'll start turning so that I wrap up my slide and start biting into the turn, at which point I'll run again if even for a second to help make the turn...

Always remember, roll or jump will kill any slide, just remember to do it early enough to avoid jumping out of bounds...

tardes13

double tap to dive

What does this mean ?

bumblebush

tardes13 wrote: »

What does this mean ?

Assuming your default key to walk/run forward is W, then just double tap the W key to dive forward.
And the same for the other movement keys.






DeepSpace 9 Federation Operative

galadiman

bumblebush wrote: »

Assuming your default key to walk/run forward is W, then just double tap the W key to dive forward.
And the same for the other movement keys.

DeepSpace 9 Federation Operative

This is the key, for me. The acceleration time is nothing compared to the difficulty of the 'drift' method.


Also, keep this important thing in mind: the first 'apparent' finish line is NOT the actual finish line.
Look RIGHT.
There is more to the course than you might think.

zinfyndael

The race also appears to be using Newtonian physics. (Think Battlestar Galactica)

It works best in FPS mode. When you run, think of yourself flying a spacecraft instead of actually running on foot. When you take a turn, aim the opposite direction of your slide (thrusting your jets the opposite way you are flying) It will then slow you down and you will start moving the other direction. Use the A and D keys to adjust your Yaw.

Once I found this out, I can usually win the race 99% of the time. There is always that odd race where the "slipperyness" just seems like it is wacked out and the physics doesn't seem to work as it should.

ngonorrhea

I ran this last year for my main plus 5 alts, and don't remember losing more than 2 races between any of them, once i got the hang of it. I use the drift method and sprint through the straightaways. Like someone said earlier, the best thing to do is to hang around the starting line and wait for a race to start. I just wait a few seconds and then follow the racer, trying to mimic their movements. If you're following a decent racer, you'll see how they do things, and then you just try to repeat it.

With enough practice, you WILL get the hang of it.

seannewboy

Actually rather than standing at the gate, i always stood back, halfway into the starting platform. Then you time your run to arrive there just as the gate goes down, it does take some practice. If you hit the gate it will stop you, if you jump over it, you will be dq'ed. Personally i had a certain spot i ran from to give a full sprint to the 1st turn, which i drifted. I almost always got 1st or 2nd.

lucho80

Run and roll. I do it so fast, I catch up sometimes to the runner ahead of me.

ficr

I won! Finally.

The "double tap" made all the difference.

baudl

even easier if you runn only in straight lines and to change direction you jump, remove all fingers from directional buttons, direct your char in the direction you want to go next, land...press ahift for sprint and "W"

doubletapping makes this easy...jumping makes it a childsplay

i hope i didn't give away too much secrets, since i still want to win the competitive race each and every time.

predcon

I like how the dev blog says all you need to do is "participate" every day. There's a difference between "participating" and "winning". I'm not getting any credit towards the Breen ship just for losing the race.

zinfyndael wrote: »

The race also appears to be using Newtonian physics. (Think Battlestar Galactica)

It works best in FPS mode. When you run, think of yourself flying a spacecraft instead of actually running on foot. When you take a turn, aim the opposite direction of your slide (thrusting your jets the opposite way you are flying) It will then slow you down and you will start moving the other direction. Use the A and D keys to adjust your Yaw.

Once I found this out, I can usually win the race 99% of the time. There is always that odd race where the "slipperyness" just seems like it is wacked out and the physics doesn't seem to work as it should.

Could you explain this in Freelancer terms, lol? I'm so used to cutting the engines and drifting while dogfighting, I get what you're saying but not quite.

edgecrysger

I must say i dont use any special tactic, i just use the double tap slice when i need to turn in the right direction. I use that method since the first race i tried (and never played the event before in my life) it was just a question of logic I won 3 of 3 races so far. But not always work, you need to do the double tap in the right moment and saving as much distance as you can in the turn.

straenge

Also, not sure if this a bug or a "feature" but if you fail enough times, at least on all 3 of my characters, I ended up not having an opponent at all and was able to win just by not disqualifying. This has happened twice on all three so far though I haven't done the race today.

howiebabey82

ok i sprint on straight paths and when i see a turn i tap the w button and i will slide forward then aim my player down so my back is against the turn and keep going i also recommend doing the track a few times on ur own practice the steps mentioned i find the tapping the
forward button works well remember also to memorize the course so you are one step ahead
i was really stuck on this course too believe me! but i got use to it someone needs to make a video on this with annotated text at each turn

dracounguis

Another tip...
Click on your Auto Move ( I have it on mouse button 4) hit whatever you have for run (Shift button for me) and you will start running before the initial countdown is done (you start running before Breen voice says 1). You will get a head start on the NPC.

Then I hit my mouse 4 button to stop running, slide a bit and change directions, start running/walking again OR double tap W to do a forward roll if you think you're gonna end out of bounds.

Just doing that will easily get you through it.

For the final sharp S turns before the finish line, I usually have enough lead to walk around those since that's a bad spot to wipe out.

ekiusthumpus

Thanks for the space bar tip dude. Worked wonders.
I still find it ridiculous that i can slide up hill on snow though.

bds007 wrote: »

It takes a little practice, but you can do it. Another tip: if you feel you are sliding out of bounds jump [Space] without any other movement buttons/mouse and you will immediately stop.

There are also some shortcuts you can do that both help in traction and cut out some of the track because walking on snow has more friction than ice. But be careful, go too far on the snow and you will get disqualified too.

This is my third year doing this event, so it is almost muscle memory now. But it took me time to get the hang of it too. Don't give up.

edgecrysger

You only need to double tap when you are going to be out of bounds, you dont need even to lower the speed... i mean what i do is run, when i reach a hard turn, i double tap in the right direction and i run again.. ..

I mean, run - double tap, run - double tap and thats it..

dirlettia

It is only really when you get into the last corners that you may even need to come out of sprint to not go out of bounds. On the section where you are sprinting past the first bridge up to the sharp corner for example, you can just turn to the direction of the track as you pass under the bridge and by the time you have finished sliding you are in the right place to continue forward anyway without a loss of speed.

Using the snowy bits on corners also allows you to turn easier as they stop sliding so when running you always run from inside corner to inside corner.

If ever you feel the need to practise sliding get a car rally sim such as Colin Mcrae rally and you will soon get the hang of it.

howiebabey82

dirlettia wrote: »

It is only really when you get into the last corners that you may even need to come out of sprint to not go out of bounds. On the section where you are sprinting past the first bridge up to the sharp corner for example, you can just turn to the direction of the track as you pass under the bridge and by the time you have finished sliding you are in the right place to continue forward anyway without a loss of speed.

Using the snowy bits on corners also allows you to turn easier as they stop sliding so when running you always run from inside corner to inside corner.

If ever you feel the need to practise sliding get a car rally sim such as Colin Mcrae rally and you will soon get the hang of it.

tap once and u slide forward and avoid the pause that comes with double tap

tenkari

lost my first match of this the first time i ran it this year, never lost last year except to out of bounds, accidently had my frost boots on so had toruble with the turns.

anyway, what i usually do is run the whole way, but when coming to corners let go of the movement button for a second to stop sprinting and quickly turn to face the direction im going to be turning to and then start running again, this method has never had me lose a race.

chroma01

I tend to just get Q to polymorph me into something a little more sure-footed, like a Mastiff, Undine, or Fel'kir... might be my imagination, but it seems to help with the sliding being something other than a humanoid!

Wonder if environmental suits would help...

edgecrysger

chroma01 wrote: »

I tend to just get Q to polymorph me into something a little more sure-footed, like a Mastiff, Undine, or Fel'kir... might be my imagination, but it seems to help with the sliding being something other than a humanoid!

Wonder if environmental suits would help...

o_O, interesting.. lmao.

variant37

chroma01 wrote: »

Wonder if environmental suits would help...

I've tried it, they don't.

admrenlarreck

If you get frustrated just dq yourself and go back usually after 3 or 4 dqs you dont get an opponent.

I have done this on at least 2 of my alts on a daily basis since this started.