Best Lost Heaven Circuit, Lap Time?

[Hatesink]

I know a lot of people out there hated the race mission, but I was one of the few who would boot up just to race the Lost Heaven circuit (in my opinion one the best circuits ever to be created for a sim (with at least two absolutely killer turns))

My fastest lap time on the standard default P.C. setting was 1.22

Most of my best times are within the same split second.

I race in first person with no assists.

I don't have proof of this, but I can lay down a sub one-thirty lap with minimal warmup on request.

I'm pretty sure there is a sub 1.22 lap to be had, mainly for someone with a setup that includes clutch.

I'm certain there's a 1.21 for a regular non-clutch setup (with feedback off) but there are just so many variables that you'd probably have to race for a few solid days to get it.

I learnt to race primarily with Porsche Unleashed, GPL, World Racing, Mobil 1, Lotus Challenge and have raced about a gajillion sims since.

Any other racers on the forum? Did you like racing the Lost Heaven circuit and do you have a good lap time?

Or maybe you just thought it sucked.

Whatever your thoughts are on the subject...

[jackinthebox]

aaaah the race... i remember how you brought up the race in some off-topic thread a long time ago (it seems) hatesink. every time i played mafia i just was glad to have won it... can't remember my best lap time, but it doesn't matter i think i'm sure it sucked... does mafia support gamepads with analog sticks or steering wheels for the race?

[Hatesink]

I'm not too sure about gamepads (the only one I ever used was a dual strike. I used it for midtown madness believe it or not, and it was pretty effective. More effective for that than for any of the fps I played (it was a great idea, but not that great a design).

I did play Mafia with a wheel however, and it's amazing how much it adds to the game. You've just not played Mafia until you've played it with a wheel (having said that I play in 1st person, with manual gears and no assists).

I've played through it with keys (which is kind of tricky with manual gears but it can be done), and I've played it with a wheel, and it's remarkable.

The force feedback effects are really good too. They add to play in terms of extra information and tactile realism (but it can end up screwing things up a little because you can end up without your wheel centred after a turn, which doesn't help if you're trying for faster lap times).

I've basically given up gaming, but Mafia II and Alan Wake are still on my want list. I think I'll have to set aside a week for each (and do nothing but play).

[M4staH]

Originally Posted by Hatesink

My fastest lap time on the standard default P.C. setting was 1.22

You said 1.22, but is it 1.22.001 or 1.22.999. It's a huge difference. I also play 'The Race' very often and my fastest lap time is 1.23.393 with all default settings. This is the proof:
http://wgrajfoto.pl/pokazfoto/img0408/min_11394.jpg

[Hatesink]

Okay, well, put it this way...

It was faster than 1.23.393

Do you go high on the bank?

edit: j/k re. the bank

You're very fast.

If you take that last corner well you can max out your revs in the highest gear, before breaking for the first corner (the first corner is a b**ch, a blind, sloped hairpin at the end of a straight). That's how I know when to break for the first corner, because there's no clear marker. I judge it by the corner before, the time crossing the line and the point at which my revs are maxed.

...that might help. But that assumes you have all day to play (it's a long process, especially as you have to get a good enough line to hit the corner at the same speed and angle every time to test it out. You seem to be getting a consistant lap time, so you might be able to try it).

As for the corner on the incline, it's possible to take that really fast but the risk increases exponentially, so I generally play it safe on that corner, because (for me) that's the corner with the highest risk (I found it's only really good to push the limits on that corner if you don't mind wrecking your run, but it's a good way to shave a little time off, providing you don't mind flying off the track every other lap).

Also, I try and get into third gear for the middle sectors but judging by your lap times I guess you must have figured that out already. Sometimes it helps to get into third and coast (no accelerator) but whatever you do, get into third after the chicane.

[M4staH]

Very good to know there is someone else obsessed by 'the race' I play it only two days and I think I can do better, but 1.21 seems to be impossible to me. What I'm trying to do is to pass all corners with maximum speed (except the first one which is veery dangerous). I noticed that all corners can be passed with the speed about 85/90 km/h. Some of them even faster, for example the last one (the slowest moment is about 95 km/h in my case).

I would like to see the video of your passing that last corner because I think it can be done in a better way than mine.

And the first corner... I know when to start to brake because on the left side there are some holes in the wall and just after them I'm starting to brake.

I also would like to see the video of one of your laps 'cos maybe I could learn something new and improve myself.

Todey I'm gonna practice a lot and maybe I will beat my record. I also noticed that very often when I'm beating the record, some error appears and the time is not saved (I lost that way two times 1:23;/)

[Hatesink]

I don't really know how to make videos and I'm not sure if I've still got my wheel. But to be honest, given your current lap record I don't think there's much you could learn from watching me. I think you've already nailed it. I just use lateral thinking, and calculated risk just to tweak the score a little (something you wouldn't be able to see watching me race).

I don't think you're doing anything wrong, I think I've probably just spent more time racing, so I've given chance more of an opportunity to work in my favour.

Personally (without clutch) I wouldn't try for a 1.21 lap time. I think it's a theoretical possibility but way too hard to nail (it would take forever).

I generally get my best times around the third lap onwards. When my momentum builds (like Nascar). I stay on the same basic line (but generally get a little faster every time because of the cumulative momentum).

Also, if I'm going for a lap record I take the last few corners to set me up so that I'm going at the highest speed I can hit crossing the line (so that I get the best possible rolling start. (I know that sounds like I'm contradicting myself, but I haven't raced it enough to be able to say for certain what the best strategy is (I guess, theoretically, I should take that same line on every lap, but it's higher risk that way, in terms of keeping the momentum up))).

I don't use the bank on the last corner. Sometimes I just use the very bottom of the transition for a little more traction to make the turn, but to be honest I'm not sure if that slows me down too much to be worthwhile.

I think once you've hit 1.23 you've already pretty much nailed it. I did get a 1.22 score but that's probably just because I've raced it over and over and over again.

As I say, personally, I wouldn't try for a 1.21 (without a setup with clutch) I think it's a theoretical possibility but just too low a probability given all the variables.

[mg198242]

My God... 1.22, 1.23 ?!?!?!
I wasn't very bothered by that race, unlike 99% of the Mafia players, but I'm far away from those times!
I passed the race after around 2 hours of gameplay, helped some friends to pass the race too, but my best is only around 1.29-1.30! Anyway, I played on default settings and with the keyboard on Mafia v1.0 (so the hard way!), never had a wheel and still don't! Should I buy one, especially for Mafia II?!?!

[ArchangelX]

Man if you have never played Mafia with wheels and pedals and you can afford one then I say you will not regret it if you get one.

I played it twize with a keyboard and mouse, and then twize with my Logitech driving force pro.
In conlusion it is a world of difference, mainly not because of the race (which is far easier with wheel\pedal) but mostly because of how much immersion it adds to the game in total just playing the game in itself.

If I was to give you an advice on which wheel\pedal set I would get I would say get one that has a possibility to have a 900 degree turning radius, couse playing a game like Mafia (and I assume also Mafia 2) you can use a 900 degree radius because it feels more real then 180 degrees (which I only use in NFS\Rally games).

Trust me it adds a ton of immersion and I am sure that all the others that play with a wheel\pedal set say the same.

I have not however played it with a clutch and "H" gear setup. my wheel doesn`t have a clutch and only has a up\down gearshift.

I`ll never play any of the "Mafia" games without one again.

[mg198242]

Originally Posted by ArchangelX

Man if you have never played Mafia with wheels and pedals and you can afford one then I say you will not regret it if you get one.

I played it twize with a keyboard and mouse, and then twize with my Logitech driving force pro.
In conlusion it is a world of difference, mainly not because of the race (which is far easier with wheel\pedal) but mostly because of how much immersion it adds to the game in total just playing the game in itself.

If I was to give you an advice on which wheel\pedal set I would get I would say get one that has a possibility to have a 900 degree turning radius, couse playing a game like Mafia (and I assume also Mafia 2) you can use a 900 degree radius because it feels more real then 180 degrees (which I only use in NFS\Rally games).

Trust me it adds a ton of immersion and I am sure that all the others that play with a wheel\pedal set say the same.

I have not however played it with a clutch and "H" gear setup. my wheel doesn`t have a clutch and only has a up\down gearshift.

I`ll never play any of the "Mafia" games without one again.

Thanks a lot for the info, ArchangelX! I have the money, so I'm going to buy one for sure this year, especially that I play pretty much driving games. BTW, I'm grimarian from mafiascene.com!