Vroom Vroom "Ya-hoo!"

[Didsy]

I had an idea from the weres strata page,i think mario kart is so cool, and on the wifi its even cooler.
so my idea was, why not race your FAC freinds and um... rivals by sending your freind code, its not trying to hook up with anyone coz you cant comunicate, heres myne:- 429559750583 im caled Didsy on it, after a race come back here and discuss your races and set up a time for another race!





You WILL floor me!
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[img]http://img318.imageshack.us/img318/2717/kaollaaaxt6.jpg[/img]

[Didsy]

i dont remember, but on MK on the cube its baby park 16seconds, i practiced it for a whole day
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[img]http://img318.imageshack.us/img318/2717/kaollaaaxt6.jpg[/img]

[Didsy]

Strata, whats your friend code?, mynes in my first post
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[img]http://img318.imageshack.us/img318/2717/kaollaaaxt6.jpg[/img]

[Stratadrake]

[i]16[/i] seconds? Man, you're slow. I usually average 10 seconds in the Baby Park.

Online play is both cool and frustrating at the same time. It's cool when you do a trick like mushrooming over a jump for a major shortcut, but at the same time, frustrating if you get hit by something or fall off the track on the last lap and wind up in last place because you just can't catch up.

In my last outing, there was one race where I took a hit on the final lap, it was a one-on-one race and I knew I wasn't going to be able to catch up, so I just parked the cart and let the race be over. Funny thing, my opponent actually stopped before reaching the finish line, maybe to wonder where the hell I was on the course.

I always try to race against 2 or 3 opponents at a time -- I don't like one-on-ones. Unfortunately, whenever there's a person who is obviously doing badly (I swear there was one person we nearly lapped), they always seem to lose the connection. Maybe they just powered their DS off because it was too painful to watch.

I've "forfeited" a multiplayer race in that manner only twice, out of about fifty races. Both were a case where I had seriously fouled up on a lap (hit obstacles, or other things my fault) and wasn't going to finish in anything but last place (in both the race and overall GP).

Otherwise, I keep playing. If we do a four-player Prix, even if I come in last overall, if I raced well I'll at least try a rematch with them, not just bail and look for easier people to race against.

I've also noticed....

[b]Myth: Jumping your Kart makes you go faster.[/b] FALSE. It's a well-known fact (even in Mario Kart) that you can't change directions (nor speed) in mid-air. Jumping may momentarily free you from the mud, but it also means you're airborne and can't accelerate. So you end up looking like an idiot hopping his way through that muddy shortcut in Delfino Plaza while other racers either plow straight through it at the same speed, or simply go around.

However, if you're going off of a dash-jump ramp, it IS possible to gain [i]a little[/i] time on your opponents by using the Jump button at the end of the ramp. Because you're [i]already[/i] going at boosted speed, adding in an extra hop increases the amount of airtime you get, and you don't return to normal (slower) speeds until you contact the track again. I've seen myself actually gain a split second on other opponents by jumping off a dash-ramp instead of just launching normally -- not very much, but enough to take the lead in a close contest.

Similarly, if you use a Mushroom to dash-jump off of a hill, and do a Jump right before the boost wears off, you can get in a little airtime in the same manner as a normal dash-jump and gain a little time on your opponents before hitting the track surface again.

Another Myth: High "Item" stat is good. Mostly False. The 'Item' stat affects how often you'll get the rarer items like triple shells/bananas. Unfortunately, you can't use "trailed" items during online play, which means that triple shells/bananas simply [i]don't appear[/i] when doing an online match. Triple mushrooms will, but that's about it.
_________________
Strata here: [url=http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/242293]Nanowrimo[/url] - [url=www.fanart-central.net/user-Stratadrake.php]FAC[/url] - [url=http://stratadrake.deviantart.com]dA[/url] - [url=www.furaffinity.net/user/Stratadrake/]FA[/url]
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[Didsy]

Strata, iff you we could trade friend codes i would reely like to show off my avatar, and race you, you sound like an expirianced racer!
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[img]http://img318.imageshack.us/img318/2717/kaollaaaxt6.jpg[/img]

[Stratadrake]

Friend Codes wouldn't do me any good, I'm not online with any predictability.

My Kart avatar, though... is based on my dragon avvie.
_________________
Strata here: [url=http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/242293]Nanowrimo[/url] - [url=www.fanart-central.net/user-Stratadrake.php]FAC[/url] - [url=http://stratadrake.deviantart.com]dA[/url] - [url=www.furaffinity.net/user/Stratadrake/]FA[/url]
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[Didsy]

myne is link from zelda holding up an item that hes just got, though i cant fit the item on, meh!
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[img]http://img318.imageshack.us/img318/2717/kaollaaaxt6.jpg[/img]

[Stratadrake]

>> http://forum.fanart-central.net//index.php...15&#entry607227
_________________
Strata here: [url=http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/242293]Nanowrimo[/url] - [url=www.fanart-central.net/user-Stratadrake.php]FAC[/url] - [url=http://stratadrake.deviantart.com]dA[/url] - [url=www.furaffinity.net/user/Stratadrake/]FA[/url]
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[Didsy]

impressive! mynes still better
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[img]http://img318.imageshack.us/img318/2717/kaollaaaxt6.jpg[/img]

[Stratadrake]

I've tried racing backwards (single player, 32-race team vs.mode, my team was like 100+ points ahead so I could afford to goof off), and it doesn't work. Not only is there the speed issue, but you can't use mushrooms or dash panels (not to mention dash-jumps).
_________________
Strata here: [url=http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/242293]Nanowrimo[/url] - [url=www.fanart-central.net/user-Stratadrake.php]FAC[/url] - [url=http://stratadrake.deviantart.com]dA[/url] - [url=www.furaffinity.net/user/Stratadrake/]FA[/url]
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[Didsy]

Come on people, i want friend codes
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[img]http://img318.imageshack.us/img318/2717/kaollaaaxt6.jpg[/img]

[Alpha_zero]

Wise words Strata, wise words. But true words.

I'm not on Wi-fi at a fixed date, but i'll send you mine. Just finished a rival race, and lost twice, and winning twice and drawing the cup.

Friends code:141798517867
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I came
I saw
I ripped over a damn rock.

[NadiaCTT]

I haven't got mario kart on ds yet, but i have mario kart double dash on game cube!! it's sooo cool
but i have mario kart on super nintendo.

[manga_rules]

lol my details are

code: 511-163-537-921

name: Kratos
and if your a snaker :huh: please don't snke against me i can't snake but i'd lo9ve to have a match

[Stratadrake]

[b]snaking[/b] - an advanced Mario Kart technique utilizing Karts with high Acceleration and low Drift (usually the "Egg 1" and "Dry Bomber" karts). By gradually drifting from side to side across a wide straightaway, a "snaker" can repeatedly build up power-sliding mini-turbos, and ultimately zip down the track faster than their Kart's normal top speed.

Snaking is not "cheating" (in the technical sense of the word), but is more an abuse of the gameplay design.

And yes, snaking IS an advanced technique. It takes quick reflexes and meticulously timed drifts to build up a series of mini-turbos along a straightaway without veering off-course, falling off or hitting a wall, etc.

- - - - -

And on that subject, I played a few more online races today and spotted a snake <_<

You can generally identify a "snake" by a combination of:
- Unusual preference for Dry Bones's Karts or the Egg 1.
- Constantly voting for straight courses such as "Figure 8", "SNES Mario Circuit", and so on.
- Unable to hold a straight "racing line" line at all when going down straight paths.
- Regularly finishes 1/4 to 1/2 lap ahead of normal (non-snaking) racers, even those with higher Top Speeds or Handling abilities. (Some players may even stop to taunt other players, letting them almost catch up before continuing the race)

Bear in mind that [i]just[/i] because a player chooses Dry Bones, doesn't automatically mean they're a "snake", many players can race legitimately using those players and Karts. It's merely that the Dry Bones karts have the ideal snaking characteristics.

Ways to combat a snake:
- Vote for courses with sharp turns and narrow straights. Rainbow Road in particular is dangerous for snaking due to the risk of falling off the sides. SNES Choco Island 2 is another anti-snake course because of the thin straight section, the large lake of chocolate, and the blizzard of jump ramps before the end.
- Particularly in one-on-one matches: If you can't beat them, you can still taunt them. You can forfeit the Prix by powering off, for example.
- If you really want to communicate that you don't like snakers, then you can make up things to make their victory as enjoyable [i]for you[/i] as possible. If you're on the last race against a confirmed snake, what would they think if the race started and you just sat there at the starting line doing nothing? Or if you did something crazy like driving in circles, or trying to race backwards? It's hard to enjoy a victory over a player who refuses to be a challenge.

I chose to forfeit two online matches when I noticed the leading player was a snake. The giveaway was that they couldn't hold a straight line on a straight stretch.

One match I ended up tieing the leader for overall first, despite that the other two players dropped/forfeited during the races.

I also raced against a few (most likely) new players and took first place, I could tell. They didn't choose any of the "special" karts (I like using Yoshi + Standard YS, one of them chose the exact same kart). The person who came in last decided to race again, one on one, but that was pretty fun. I rubber-banded the next set of races, it was quite fun, although I did end up second overall.

But that was because I let them.
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[Alpha_zero]

Aww, Strata, you've weeded out my main tactics... I used to snake, alot, using at as my main tactic, especially beofre I obtained wi-fi. But now, I prefer to just race normally, assuming they're not very hard, then i'll return to my old ways. ;)

I find a good combination can also help win a race, usually a good combination of acceleration and speed can help, but then, on courses such as rainbow road, such actions won't help you, seeing as all charcters with medium top speeds + medium acceleration isn't what you need.

If you've completed the game, a good character and kart combination, is a Heavyweight and a 'snakers' kart. (I use Bowser and the egg 1)


_________________
I came
I saw
I ripped over a damn rock.

[Stratadrake]

A "snake vs. snake" race would be legit enough, it's when you mix snakes with non-snakes that you can't have a fair race.

And since MKDS doesn't have chat or other ways to negotiate "rules", there's really no way to set up a certain type of race.

And speaking of Rainbow Road, you know how that first turn (the upward spiral) has all those dash panels on it? I've taken to drifting through the entire length of that spiral (kart: Standard YS), sliding left and right to hit the dash panels as I go (which, unlike Double Dash, doesn't knock you out of the drift), and then pulling off a mini-turbo right as things straighten out. Many of the racers I've seen don't even think about that, they just hit the dash panels straight on, so by comparison, I get one more boost than they do.

Now if you can organize a local challenge where the goal is to come in at SECOND place (instead of first), that will guarantee a close race between players. Or at least a pile-up at the finish line :lol:

That's where the rubber-banding comes in. Race easily when in first, and whip out all the advanced techniques if the opposition gets ahead of you.

- - - - - - - - -

(edit) Played a few online races today. And I read up on the MKDS recordkeeping/scoring system. According to Wikipedia, after a multiplayer race, you get:

+1 win for every player who finished with a lower score than you.
+1 loss for every player who finished with a higher score than you.
+0 for any player you tied (no win, no loss).

[i]Additionally...[/i]
+1 win, for any player who forfeited (disconnect or powered off) during a match
+1 loss [i]per opponent[/i], if [b]you[/b] forfeit the match
(!) -1 loss if you win all four races in a match

Meaning that if you aren't doing so great and power off to save the embarrassment of coming in last, you're still giving your opponents a free win each, and receiving automatic losses yourself. In other words, you can't "cheat" your record. If the leader's a snake and you want to quit because normal racing can't compete, you have to be prepared to accept the losses that forfeiting will cost ya. (On the other hand, in a 4-player matchup, if you continue to race while the other people quit/forfeit, you'll end up with +2W +1L)

That explains why my own record is 32W - 47L when I seem to always come in second place on the average track, and almost never win overall. About 1/3 of those wins are from players who disconnected/forfeited during a race because they were doing badly.... and about five of the losses are from my own forfeits.

I spotted another snake (name: "Darkness") today... you just can't race normally against a snake, y'know?

One four-way matchup instantly became a three-way matchup because one player didn't stay connected for even long enough to pick a kart. Not sure what happened there.

I got zapped by a lightning bolt just before trying to mushroom-jump the shortcut on Yoshi Circuit (Lap 3)... ouch. When Lakitu fished me out, I just parked my kart right there and waited... no way in hell I was going to catch up.

A similar thing happened on Rainbow Road, some guy knocked me with a shell on the downside of the loop and I fell off the track. Again, no way I could catch up with only 1/2 a lap to go.

One member named "Juice Box" I somehow competed against twice in a row.

Also, after coming in like 2nd overall on one matchup, I tried again with the same guys and turned out racing one-on-one against another player. This was awesome :woot:

The first track was his pick, Figure 8. No snaking though, a good clean race, a few green shells flying, a few banana peels. Highlight was on lap 3 when I was in first and he picked up a Spiny Shell halfway through the lap... you know he's gonna save it for the finish line, so while we were going through the final turn, I slowed down to see if I could get close to him...

HE SLOWED DOWN TOO! It was really funny, he was making sure to keep his distance, and since we didn't totally stop (just eased off of the gas), here you have two karts sort of inching along the corner waiting to see who'll make a break first... of course he shelled me after the turn and took first place, but... that was totally funny.

Second race was the Desert Hills (my pick). Again, a good clean race. I took a bad hit on one lap (from one of the fireballs, I think) and couldn't catch up to him, despite using a Boo to jump the hills at the end.

Third race was Delfino Plaza (my pick again). A close race here, deciding moment being on lap 3 when I got a Boo and used it to take the alleyway shortcut (since Boo's invisibility protects you from rough terrain) and come in first.

Fourth race was Baby Park. Close race for the most part, I was in first the whole way, laying down bananas and green shells right and left... he got a red shell but decided to save it for the final lap, I considered letting him catch up (and took a wide arc on the blue stretch for it), but ultimately he fired the shell too late and I crossed the finish line without getting hit, despite slipping over one of my own bananas in the process.

The result? A complete tie -- no wins, no losses. That was rather intense!

I'm a Yoshi sort of person. My favorite karts are mainly Luigi's Streamliner and Yoshi's standard Kart. Though on some occasions I may pick something crazy like the Hurricane just to see if I can still race with it.
_________________
Strata here: [url=http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/242293]Nanowrimo[/url] - [url=www.fanart-central.net/user-Stratadrake.php]FAC[/url] - [url=http://stratadrake.deviantart.com]dA[/url] - [url=www.furaffinity.net/user/Stratadrake/]FA[/url]
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[Didsy]

Ok, lets get somthing started, any1 wants a game meet here 13 march 2006 at 4oclock english time, we want a game here people!
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[Alpha_zero]

Didsy, Dare I point out, that myself livjng in England, you posted that last post at 8:46, on the 13th of March? Wheres the logic, unless you're Doctor Who, disguised as Didsy Harris, you must be all wrong.
_________________
I came
I saw
I ripped over a damn rock.

[Stratadrake]

Had another racing session today. Approximately 5 or so matches (mostly 3- or 4- player matchups).

One matchup started with four players, two of which were snakes. The fourth guy forfeited, I tried some snaking just to keep up with the others, but... after three races of coming in last place, I gave up myself.

Another matchup started with three players, one of which was a snake, the second forfeited during the first race. Second race was on the Figure 8 track, I knew I wouldn't be able to keep up with him, so... I turned my ol' kart around and started doing laps in the wrong direction.

I'm not sure if he got the message, but he did seem to ease up on the remaining two races. :theteach:

Today's highlight: N64 Choco Mountain track, 3-player race. On Lap 3, while I was sliding around that long turn with the boulders in 1st place (Yoshi + Streamliner) and another player close by in second place (R.O.B.), I spied that the player in last had picked up a Spiny Shell, and before I could even think of what do to next...

BAM! A boulder lands on top of my kart and knocks me to the outside of the curve, JUST before the guy launches his Spiny Shell. It takes out R.O.B. instead of me, and I go on to finish first.

"...And I'd like to thank the boulder that bowled me over on lap 3, because without it I wouldn't have been able to finish in first place." :lol:

I spotted a player with, like, 1,800 wins and 200 losses -- but he didn't hang around long enough to even start the first race.
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Strata here: [url=http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/242293]Nanowrimo[/url] - [url=www.fanart-central.net/user-Stratadrake.php]FAC[/url] - [url=http://stratadrake.deviantart.com]dA[/url] - [url=www.furaffinity.net/user/Stratadrake/]FA[/url]
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