Just won my first race against the Phantom Elite AI!

[quickbeam]

Yeah, yeah, I know, you're all thinking lol nEWb but still it was an absolutely thrilling moment for me. First it was Vineta K, then before I knew it I had also managed to get first place on Moa Therma, Chengdou Project, and Sol 2. Getting more and more attached to HD AG systems every moment :D

One thing I've noticed about Phantom class is that, MUCH more so than the other classes, I am very liable to blow up before I even get to the fourth lap, yet I feel like I can make more mistakes (slam into more walls, etc.) and still make my plodding way up to 1st place (relative to the elite AI on Venom class, where I feel like it's one mistake and I'm toast). Probably because of the extra lap but, well, I dunno . . . Is the AI a bit more forgiving of error on Phantom class??

[AquaAura]

nEWb? Not to me. I can barely beat Elite AI anywhere currently. Although the lower speed classes, as you said one mistake basically kills you off the race unless you get 2 turbos or something. The few Phantom races I played most of the time resulted in me blowing myself up spectacularly by crashing into a wall and me actually getting 1st place. Although that was skilled. Anyway... I think the AI may be a bit more forgiving in higher speed classes in my experience... who knows?

Well I was pretty mad the other day when I couldn't beat the Elite AI in Flash... What a n00b I am. Somehow I survive online and manage not to get last half the time.

[Zzonkmiles]

Beating Elite AI on Venom class is really tough because it often depends on the powerups you receive. If you're in 6th and all you're getting are leech beams and shields or mines, it's hard to gain ground. Meanwhile, items in 1st can be just as messy. Plasmas and quakes are not very useful if you're in the lead! But congrats on beating Elite Phantom!

[Colonel]

Keep it up quickbeam. Regarding the elite AI, it's often beneficial to have a fairly poor start against them, then improve as the race proceeds, due to the rubberbanding efffect. This is what you may be experiencing if you crash a fair bit early in a race, then pull it together towards the end.

[quickbeam]

Keep it up quickbeam. Regarding the elite AI, it's often beneficial to have a fairly poor start against them, then improve as the race proceeds, due to the rubberbanding efffect. This is what you may be experiencing if you crash a fair bit early in a race, then pull it together towards the end.

What do you mean by "rubberbanding effect"? Do the elite AI scale their performance based on how well or poorly the player is performing?

[Hellfire_WZ]

They do indeed. If you blaze out in front they'll be hot on your tail all race. Hang back a bit at the start and you'll find it easier to catch them later in the race provided you leave yourself enough time to do so. To illustrate this, I have a video on my channel showing me beating the Elite AI on Modesto Heights after giving them a whole lap headstart. Obviously not recommended if you're a beginner, but it does illustrate the effect ;)

[quickbeam]

Hmm, well that kind of cheapens my victory a little bit :( My Sol 2 victory in particular seems suspect to this phenomenon, since I was blasted off the track around the very first corner and ended up falling off AGAIN right afterward. Didn't realize I was actually doing myself a favor by flying around like a drunken baboon. I suppose any lasting sweetness will be achieved by beating other humans who AREN'T programmed to make me feel better about myself by compensating for my ineptitude. So . . . I'll be seeing you online I suppose :D

[AquaAura]

Is rubberbanding really that strong? I might try it sometime.

Anyway, keep beating those Elite AIs!

[blackwiggle]

If you get stuck trying to beat the Elite AI, it's usually a sign that you might want to change from the default control sensitivity settings [if you haven't already] or adjust them further.

Suggested control settings.[Remember - with Wipeout- The Lower the % = Higher the sensitivity to you touch on the controls]
Air brakes around 65% - 70%, if you go a lot lower than this [45%-20%] it effects your ability to side shift..... as in a lot of the time it won't recognize a double tap at that sensitivity as you asking for a side shift.

[AquaAura]

My airbrakes are on 100%. I don't even know why.

[terra-wrists]

My airbrakes are on 50%. And this is a very good setting.

[quickbeam]

I emulated hellfire's recommendations from his wipeout hd basics YouTube video, so I use l1 and r1 for my brakes. I might try using r2 and l2 though and playing with the sensitivity. Sounds like a good way to give myself a little more control.

[dreadofmondays]

just FYI quickbeam, the shoulder buttons are also analog and you can vary the pressure you put on them. But most people don't need to vary pressure on the brakes regardless of what controls they choose.
Using the triggers for air-brakes hampers your ability to side-shift; considering that you only put the brakes on when you want to turn tighter, I think you'd be better off keeping the brakes as the shoulder buttons and using the stick to make small adjustments to the turn radius while they're on. Putting the airbrakes 'slightly' on doesn't usually need to happen in normal play.

[GekkoP]

Elite AI can be very tough if you start fast and kick other ships around with weapons at the beginning of the race.
I made a test today, 2 Meltdown tournaments: one with AG-Systems, jumping straight in between other ships and firing Rambo-style everytime; the other one with Feisar, slow start, smooth and gentle races. With Feisar I got a perfect score of 64 points. With AG-Systems I often got slammed around circuits, cruel quakes, rockets and missiles hitting me especially during last lap.

[blackwiggle]

Actually the Sixais Dualshock is divide into two sections - Digital - The D-Pad and L1R1 buttons, and Analog - The Left and Right sticks and the L2R2 trigger buttons.
This so the controller can be used with the exact same pre analog controls use with PS1 games [Wipeout/ WO 2097 / WO3 / WO3SE ]

Only HD/FURY had the air brake sensitivity adjustment, it works with both, but you have finer adjustments with the [L2R2] Analog regardless of changing the settings.

The main reason people change the air brakes to L1R1 is usually because they have been playing the old Wipeouts for years, and it just feels the best way to pilot the game, same could be said for using the D-Pad over the stick, even though you have finer control with the stick, many, like me, just can't get to terms with it and trying to do a barrel roll via the stick usually ends up a dismal failure.

Maybe if Sony had stuck with the original dualshock prototype that had concave tops to the sticks instead of domed tops things might of been different [the new PS4 controllers have these]

[AquaAura]

Does it really work with L1R1 even if it's digital?

[blackwiggle]

Yes it does work with digital, the only difference is the finesse of the braking is slightly less.

Say you had degrees of braking with the digital at 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5 etc the digital would be in steps.
The analog would have the same sensitivity but not in steps, it would have the same range, but also have every possible fraction in between as a gradual gradient depending on how hard you pressed the control.

Same thing with the D-Pad V's the Left stick, it works in exactly the same way, although users of the stick have reported a dead spot which is a problem specific to the PS3 controller, not Wipeout as such.
Apparently Sony has recognized the dead spot problem and have rectified it with the PS4 controller

[AquaAura]

Well I just reached Meltdown, and HOLY CRAP PHANTOM IS HARD.

I can't even beat the Novice AI consistently lol I think that shows what kind of pilot I am... Better try slow starts now.

[GekkoP]

Phantom is hard at first, it was hard for me too (and still is sometimes, especially online).
Try time trials and speed laps to get used to it.

[Zzonkmiles]

I really struggled with Meltdown too. There were several reasons for this: 1) I'm much better at the Fury tracks (Talon's Junction, Tech De Ra, etc.) than the HD tracks (Sol 2, Ubermall, etc.), 2) I often crashed out before a Phantom race finished, and 3) there are just so many events to complete. The 8-race tourney was a nightmare. I recommend lots of zone practice to help improve your accuracy and prevent crashing out. And if you're patient enough, open the Racebox and 99 your way to mastery on the tracks you're not good at.

[AquaAura]

Thank you :D I'll try Speed Laps, Time Trials and Zone too.

This is going to take all summer...

[quickbeam]

Haha! Keep at it, you'll get there :) I'm taking a break from Wipeout right now to play a few RPGs for a while. But I'll be back, and the last few Fury events will be waiting with bated breath I'm sure...

[Snake1405]

The best way to win against the elite is to do speed laps, making fastest records, then when you go to race against them, they'll be a little easier. remember, you have to memorize those circuits, no matter what.

[docfo4r]

To illustrate this, I have a video on my channel showing me beating the Elite AI on Modesto Heights after giving them a whole lap headstart. Obviously not recommended if you're a beginner, but it does illustrate the effect ;)

This gave us an idea for a gold trophy on SlipStream GX :D

[AquaAura]

Would make a pretty good trophy!

[Zzonkmiles]

I've beaten all the Phantom races on Elite AI except for Chenghou Project Reverse and Moa Therma Reverse. I can't believe I'm having more trouble with MTR than I did with Sol 2 Reverse. Chenghou Project (forward and reverse) are just evil, no matter what the AI is. Good luck!

[blackwiggle]

MOA Reverse is one of the few tracks where you really NEED to change to either Icaras or Piranha.
Knowing how to side shift helps a hell of a lot to make the first and last corners.

Also on Chenghou reverse there is a short cut.
It's best practiced in speed lap till you get it down pat.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYEhqYpDJAw
You need a Turbo to do it.

[AquaAura]

What can I say...................