General Wipeout Tips

This is a thread for other people to share and spread tips around. So people can get better at wipeout hd
I have 3 tips for you all so far
1.Get Your lines Perfect
2. Barrell roll like crazy
3. Use sideshifts to get closer to the good racing line

Here you go - I wrote this a while ago to help people get into the game and provide them with general tips and advice.

My gift to the community:

Welcome to the WipEout HD tips and tricks thread. Here, you'll find advice regarding all things WipEout, which will hopefully help you to improve your racing style and nab that elusive Transcendence platinum trophy.

If you have any more questions regarding WipEout HD, or are confused by anything mentioned in this guide, then feel free to send me a message and I'll be more than happy to help.


Contents:

• 1.0 - Starting Out
• 1.1 - Learning The Tracks
• 1.2 - Knowing Your Limits
• 1.3 - Pilot Assist

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• 2.0 - Racing Techniques
• 2.1 - Turning
• 2.2 - Sideshifting
• 2.3 - Barrel Rolls

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• 3.0 - Thinking Strategically
• 3.1 - Weapon Usage
• 3.2 - Conserving Health
• 3.3 - Shortcuts
• 3.4 - Recovering From Being Hit

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• 4.0 - Moving On Up
• 4.1 - Changing Speed Classes
• 4.2 - Winning A Difficult Race

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• 5.0 - Advanced Techniques
• 5.1 - Nose Up/Down
• 5.2 - Chaining Techniques Together

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• 6.0 - Difficult Trophy Tips
• 6.1 - Elite Campaign Legend
• 6.2 - Beat Zico
• 6.3 - Zone Zeus
• 6.4 - Bling Brigade

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• 7.0 - Videos
• 7.1 - HellfireWZ's Channel
• 7.2 - Darkdrium777's Channel
• 7.3 - Xenocide2097's Channel
• 7.4 - Woopzilla's Channel

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• 8.0 - Final Words

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1.0 - Starting Out:

New to the game? Have a read of this first.

1.1 - Learning The Tracks - Most people like to jump straight into the campaign and play the tracks as soon as they come up, which is perfectly fine (I did this myself.) However, if you're finding one particular track difficult, take some time out to fully learn it. Try practicing in a Speed Lap or Time Trial session until you can remember it off by heart and not hit any walls. Take time to analyse the track too - lots of tracks have some nice barrel roll opportunities, which you should use to gain the best advantage possible on the tracks.

1.2 - Knowing Your Limits - WipEout HD has a very steep learning curve, so the best advice I can give is to start on Venom speed and Novice difficulty. Gradually work your way up to the faster classes and higher difficulties when you feel that you are ready to do so. Do not start out by jumping straight into a Phantom race either online or on Elite AI difficulty - you'll be annihilated.

1.3 - Pilot Assist - Pilot Assist is good for the first couple of races to help you get into the game, but that's all it should be used for - a couple of races. You can't rely on that later in the game, so it's best to get used to it now by turning it off. Pilot Assist slows your ship down tremendously, which will make it much harder to win races, especially at the faster speed classes.

2.0 - Racing Techniques:

This section contains some tips that you should try to implement whilst racing either against the AI or Online.

2.1 - Turning - Always use the Analog stick AND the airbrakes whilst turning. Press the airbrakes softly when navigating through a smoother corner and with more force when turning a sharper corner. Don't press too hard on the airbrakes, or you'll ram into the wall - it's all about practice and knowing how hard to press them. Once you've mastered this, you'll get through the corners much more quickly. Alternatively, if you're finding it difficult to master this, you can always change the airbrake sensitivity in the options and see if that helps.

2.2 - Sideshifting - One of the most important things that you will need to master in WipEout (especially at the faster speed classes) is the sideshift (double tapping L2/R2 for left/right.) Using this whilst going through corners will shift you into a much better position. Using this method will save you having to manually turn into a desired position yourself - you can simply shift there and save a lot of time. I always use this method when approaching a corner: Turn using analog and airbrake, then sideshift through the corner before you hit the wall.

Using this can save around 0.5 seconds per corner, which may not seem a lot, but think of it like this: Let's say a track has 5 corners which you can sideshift through. That's a saving of 2.5 seconds per lap, or:

Venom: 7.5 seconds saved per race.
Flash: 10 seconds saved per race.
Rapier: 10 seconds saved per race.
Phantom: 12.5 seconds saved per race.

Take a look at the online Multiplayer Race Leaderboards - do you wonder why the people at the top are so much faster than you may be? It's because they have mastered the sideshift and are saving so much time because of it.

2.3 - Barrel Rolls - A barrel roll is achieved by quickly moving the left analog stick in a "left-right-left" or a "right-left-right" motion when your ship has some air. Upon landing, your ship will get a nice speed boost. It's something that the AI doesn't do that often, so it is definitely worth mastering in order to overtake them.

Also, many barrel rolls can be pulled off by using a boost, as you'll get a lot of air if you hold your ship's nose up (more on this later.) Try using your boost in one of these places, as you'll not only get a speed increase from the boost, but from the barrel roll too. Just be careful though, as a barrel roll will consume 15 of your shield energy, so don't go using it when you only have 20 energy left, unless you're a daredevil...

3.0 - Thinking Strategically:

There's more to WipEout HD than simple racing, believe it or not. Each race is different, and you need to think strategically if you are going to survive and get that tricky Transcendence trophy.

3.1 - Weapon Usage - Don't use a weapon as soon as you get it. Think carefully - could you hang onto the missile so you can lock on to the AI around the corner? Could you save the rockets and fire them on a nice straight section of the track? Could you save the bomb and place it in a narrow section of the track where the AI are more likely to run into it? Can I get a barrel roll out of the boost if I use it on a different section? Ask yourself these questions whilst playing - it's all about strategy.

3.2 - Conserving Health - The AI like to fire weapons at your ship quite frequently, so always keep an eye on your health. If possible, try to always keep it above 35 - that way, you can still pull of a barrel roll, but not get annihilated if you get hit.

3.3 - Shortcuts - A few of the tracks have some great shortcuts that will save you a lot of time. It is vital that you learn some of these, particularly if you are racing on Phantom speed, as you'll need all the time you can get at this class. Chenghou Project Reverse is probably the most famous of them:

The next time you have a boost on Chenghou Project Reverse, save it until just after the first mag strip (right after the chicane after the start line.) Now just as you're about to leave this mag strip, put your ship's nose up, aim right and boost. If done correctly, you'll cut out a section of the track, and save yourself around 3 seconds. If you're finding this difficult, or don't understand, the video section will show how this is done.

Alternatively, Ubermall Forward has a great shortcut right at the very beginning which is a little easier to pull off than its Chenghou counterpart. Aim for the speed pad on the right, put your ship's nose up and sideshift right off of the track. If done correctly, you'll fly off of the track temporarily and cut out a small section. You can even barrel roll here if you feel confident enough to do so. Please note that this technique is much easier at the faster speed classes - if you want to try it at the slower speeds, you'll more than likely need a boost beforehand to give your ship the required amount of speed to pull it off.

3.4 - Recovering From Being Hit - As previously mentioned, the AI like to shoot you. A lot. While being hit is unavoidable at times, there are a few techniques that you can keep in mind which will help you to recover faster and continue on your way. The first of these is that wonderful thing I keep going on about - sideshifting. A gentle double tap to the left or right appears to kick start your ship into action and enables you to carry on without suffering too much of a position loss. Alternatively, if you have an Autopilot, then by all means use it - your ship will act as if it was never hit and will speed along nicely.

4.0 - Moving On Up:

You're ready to turn the notch up a bit and go a bit faster? Have a read of this first.

4.1 - Changing Speed Classes - So, you've mastered a speed class and want to move on to a faster one? That's great news, but take your time. A new speed class means approaching corners differently and turning earlier, more/less barrel roll opportunities, and faster AI, so be careful. Just because you're a master in Venom doesn't mean that you will automatically be the same in Flash for example.

I would highly recommend playing the tracks in a Speed Lap or Time Trial session at the different speed classes to get the hang of them first. Zone is also a good choice, as you'll get to experience the constantly increasing speeds this way too - just remember that the fastest race speed is Phantom, so don't worry when you're cruising along in Zone Mode at Zen speed - the races won't be as fast as this! You'd be surprised how much difference a jump from Flash to Rapier will make to your racing style without practice.

5.0 - Advanced Techniques:

Here are some of the more advanced techniques that the WipEout pros like to use. Please note that these methods are not necessary for Platinum, but if you wish to obtain it quicker, then you really should try to learn the Nose Up/Down method.

5.1 - Nose Up/Down - Moving the nose of your ship up or down can make a big difference in a race, and is the gateway to allowing you to perform more moves. Here are just a few of the many benefits that this technique has to offer:

The "nose-up" technique is great for Speed Laps - just before you cross the line, hold your ship's nose up (down on the D-Pad or left Analog stick) and boost. If done correctly, you'll have enough air for a barrel roll and would have started the lap very quickly. Not only this, but it'll make getting the in-game campaign trophies a heck of a lot easier.

The "nose up" technique is also extremely useful for executing barrel rolls which would normally be difficult. A great example of this is Sol 2 Forward - as you're coming down the long hill section near the start, try hitting the speed pad just before the track dips downwards and leads into the long turning section. Hold your ship's nose up here and barrel roll - you'll get a nice boost and in most cases, jump straight into 1st place against the AI, who never barrel roll here.

As well as this, everybody knows about the infamous Beat Zico trophy. Using the "nose up" technique is vital for this, as you'll need to do it before using your boost, as well as when going for the 3rd Barrel Roll onto the bridge.

Here's another example: Try boosting after the last corner on Sol 2 Forward just before the weapon pads normally - pretty hard to get a barrel roll from this, right? Now try it whilst holding your ship's nose up (down on the D-Pad/Analog stick.) Voila - you now have a lot of air to perform a barrel roll and get a nice speed boost too. The majority (if not all) of the tracks have sections like these, so be on the lookout for them. You could always try experimenting in a Speed Lap session and try to find them.

Please note: The "nose-up, sideshift, barrel roll" technique described below is extremely difficult and does not need to be learnt in order to obtain the Platinum trophy. Only try and learn it if you are intending to carry on playing WipEout HD after Transcending.

5.2 - Chaining Techniques Together - As previously mentioned, barrel rolls are extremely important, and people will go to great lengths to achieve them. An advanced technique that the pros like to use is a "nose-up, sideshift, barrel roll" method. This is a rather difficult technique to master, but works wonders once mastered.

Try this: Go into a Speed Lap on Vineta K Forward (Flash or Rapier is best for this.) When you get the last turn (the drop into the tunnel,) try hitting the Speed Pad on the left. Now put your ship's nose up at the slight bump in front of you and then quickly sideshift right and barrel roll. This is extremely difficult to do, so don't be annoyed if you can't do it - a lot of people can't. This is only an example, and there are numerous other tracks like this, but as I said before, a technique such as this is not necessary for Platinum - only true die-hard fans like myself use it.

Alternatively, you can try chaining a "sideshift, nose-up-barrel roll" method on Sol 2 Forward, which is a heck of a lot easier. Just as you're about to come out of the long turning section, you'll notice that the track dips down slightly. While turning, sideshift here, hold the ship's nose up and barrel roll. If done correctly, you'll exit the turning section with a nice boost and either hit a speed pad or weapon pad, depending on where you landed.

Each track is different, so be on the lookout for these "chaining" opportunties.

6.0 - Difficult Trophy Tips

This section will give you some advice on how to obtain the most diffficult trophies in WipEout HD. Have a read of this if you're struggling with any of these trophies.

6.1 - Elite Campaign Legend - This is one of the most talked about trophies, particularly the final stage of the campaign - "Meltdown." It really is down to practice when facing the Elite AI, however there are a few things that you could try if you find that you can't beat them. If you've been using one ship for a lot of the campaign, then perhaps you could consider changing ships to one that may better suit your playing style for this campaign? Do you keep hitting walls? Feisar will handle those corners beautifully. Are you being overtaken all of the time? Icaras will leave the AI behind on a straight section. Do the AI keep stealing your weapon pickups? Goteki 45 is the fastest off of the line, enabling you to grab some weapons first. Pick a ship that will best address your weakness, and you'll find that you won't suffer as much against the AI on these tracks.

Also bear in mind the track itself - do you actually know it? If not, then you are going to find it extremely difficult to beat the Elite AI. I would strongly recommend that you try the track in a Speed Lap or Time Trial session until you can remember each and every turn off by heart. This will make it MUCH easier when attempting the campaign.

Remember - sideshifting and barrel rolling are your friends. Sideshift around almost every corner, and it will save you so much time. Think about it - would you rather manually steer your ship around the corner and straighten it, or use the sideshift and have it shift back into position straight away for you so you can continue with the race more quickly? Barrel rolling is also an extremely important technique to use when facing the Elite AI, mainly because they hardly ever use it. You don't need to go crazy with the barrel rolling, but use it on the obvious places such as the big drops on a lot of tracks. You'll get a lovely speed boost which gives you a major advantage.

6.2 - Beat Zico - If you're attempting this trophy, then you'll want to get at least 4 barrel rolls (3 are possible, but it will be harder.) Remember to boost into the lap you're attempting to Beat Zico, and to sideshift around those corners too! The four barrel rolls that you should be aiming for are as follows:

1) Right at the start of the lap after the left turn. As soon as the track dips down slightly, pull your ship's nose up (down on the D-Pad/Analog stick) and boost. Barrel roll number 1.

2) Upon landing this barrel roll, you'll have enough air to perform another one right before you enter the bottleneck (narrow part) of the track. Pull your ships nose up again and barrel roll here.

3) This is the most difficult one to pull off, and does require some practice. You need to barrel roll as soon as you leave the track to enter the bridge. In order to do this, you'll going to need to get into a "diagonal" position - aim as if you're going to fly off of the track, quickly pull your ships nose up, turn left and barrel roll. Please note, that it is possible to Beat Zico without doing this barrel roll so don't worry if you can't do it - you'll just need to take your corners extremely sharply and sideshift through them.

4) Whilst on the bridge, as soon as you reach the last speed pad, sideshift left off of the bridge and barrel roll before you land back onto the track below. Try to aim for the speed pads in front of you - you'll need these to Beat Zico.

6.3 - Zone Zeus - Reaching Zone 75 is by no means easy, and there are only really two tracks that you should be looking at whilst aiming for this - Anulpha Pass Forward and Syncopia. These are the two easiest tracks, mainly because they are extremely wide and do not require a lot of turning. Choose whichever track you feel most comfortable with and stick to it. Don't go switching tracks halfway through, as it'll put you off and you'll have to learn a whole new set of zone techniques. Again, this is all down to patience and practice. Don't panic when you start reaching the high zones - keep it cool, and don't look at your zone indicator or your health - it'll put you off and you'll lose your concentration. Other people have also suggested putting a blank music track on your custom playlist as to avoid the rippling effects on the track, which are made in zone by whichever song you're listening to. Custom playlists may also help you - you could always import some of your own music tracks and give those a try. If you're really struggling, then by all means try these methods.

6.4 - Bling Brigade - The difficulty in this trophy lies in the preparation and organisation for it. Finding 8 people racing with a silver skin in one room is very difficult, however with some simple organisation techniques, you'll have it done in no time. Once you've found 8 people to race, follow these steps for a quick and easy Bling Brigade attempt:

1) Make sure that the host sets the room to "Invite Only" - that way, you won't have any random players join your game and ruin your Bling Brigade attempt.

2) Invite all players to a Text Chat Room. This is much easier for co-ordinating with your team members.

3) Make sure that everyone is racing with the silver skin. Remember that you need to have completed all stages in the campaign in order to unlock the silver skin.


7.0 - Videos:

If you're still having trouble, or just want to see how some of the WipEout Pros race, then take a look at these YouTube Channels:

7.1 - YouTube - HellfireWZ's Channel - Hellfire is a very experienced WipEout pilot, and has taken the time to create a tutorial for each track. Definitely take a look at this if you're struggling with a track, it's extremely helpful.

7.2 - YouTube - Darkdrium777's Channel - If you're having trouble with obtaining the Arcade Perfect trophy, then this is the channel to look at. Darkdrium777 has created videos for each Phantom Elite race, showing us exactly how it's done.

7.3 - YouTube - Xenocide2097's Channel - This is the YouTube channel of one of the best (if not, the best) WipEout player in the world - yeldar2097. Have a look at this - you'll learn a lot about the WipEout tracks that you probably didn't know.

7.4 - Youtube - Woopzilla's Channel - Woopzilla is another experienced WipEout pilot who makes a lot of videos during the many races that the WipEout community have. This is the best channel for seeing how to race online - there are a ton of videos to keep you occupied.

8.0 - Final Words:

Finally, keep at it and don't give up. WipEout is a difficult game that is all about practice, but it is extremely rewarding when your practice pays off and you start to get really good at it. I hope that this guide helped you in some way, and best of luck with the game :)

Most certain way to achieve arcade perfect and tournament ace ;)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0X3re...x=0&playnext=1

Tip for Gemini(needed for Transcendence):
If you have the Fury expansion pack(which you should if you are a WipEout fan),set the mode to Zone Battle,track set to Anulpha Pass and Zone Target set to 15. When selecting ships,change controller number one to two.After you have selected the ships,you may want to switch back the controller to one.Get perfect laps,fill the gauge full and boost(for Player One).Twice.Repeat for 20 times.End result should be the notification of you getting Gemini pop up.
I feel dirty:turdBut it works!:rock

I knew you'd have to whip that out at some stage DP :P