[TM Valley] Worst block

[medlo]

Hi guys!

Sorry, I'm here to complain, but I've been thinking too much about that block, and I never understood why it was designed in that way and how to take it correctly. I'm talking about the block 5-1-3 :

In that turn, there is a "bump" right in the middle of the turn, then, most of the time when you take it, it lifts you off the ground and you loose control of the car... I only rarely manage to take it properly taking it realy close in the inside. My questions would be why make such a bump in a curve? Because if you think about the same dirt block but in "forest" mode, there's no bump, and it's way more pleasant to take! And if you would think of a turn in the "real life", you'll never find such bumps in curve, it's the opposite actually that you will find, a lower inclined slope to take the curve properly! Anyone to answer to those thoughts?

[riolu]

Well that turn is probably the hardest Dirt block to drive, together with the uphill/downhill corners.
Usually the apex of the corner is - as you pointed out - on the inside of the corner.
Keep in mind there are different ways to approach such turns, depending on speed and angle.
Here's a bad screenshot to show the most convenient way of taking it: (the box with the black dots should be the car XD)
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/588 ... 38.49).jpg
Here you wanna stick for a outside-inside-outside trajectory. However, you shouldn't go that much to the inside as it will result in losing ground contact. If your outside wheels are barely on the brighter part of the dirt, you should be fine as long as you turn enough for the car to lose enough speed. Alternatively, you can try to steer a bit more once you reach the apex, that should definitely do the job (but it's slower).
If you are too fast, you can either let off the gas or brake a bit.
There is also a different way of approaching that corner. If you are fast enough, and if the angle allows it, you can also stay centered. This is a good example map: http://tm.mania-exchange.com/tracks/91917/exotic-dirt. The right corner after the small tarmac part can be taken like that, because you can literally jump into the corner.
As usual on Dirt, it takes a while to get the feeling for it. Even myself as an experienced Valley driver still manage to hit a bad line on those blocks and fly off. It's not easy, but it's not a badly designed block either :p

[medlo]

Thanks for the answer
Just tried the map to check, I know you can manage to take it, and if you agree most of the time you will have to steer until the apex, and then release a bit after it, and then steer again when you come back to the flatter ground. That's those steer-unsteer-steer again little actions and wich are really sensitive that are annoying me, because often it just end in an oversteer and a loose of speed. May be I'm not the best driver, but I'm shure it would be cool to experience the exact same block, but flat, like the "forest" turn! Nadeo or someone to program such a block if not hard?

[pmanacas]

imho, that block is really interesting to drive
the fact that it is quite different from the wide forest variant only enriches the environment i think

I think the key for the "huntability" of that block is the speed at which you approach it and as riolu said the angle at wich you can place the car on the apex and the cars sorts of sticks to the inside of that bump you mention like if it was a bit on rails
ofc when you misjudge the speed or the angle it is easy to fly off this dimple onto the bump and it causes the car to lose ground contact

I think it is quite well designed from a gameplay pov tbh =)

[medlo]

I'd be curious to hear what whould the programmers and designers say about that turn. Why to choose to put that bump and keep it after the testing before release I guess. Because I don't think I'll ever place such thing myself, but may be they had a good reason to make it that way :)

[toffe]

It all depends on how you place it in your track. You don't want to approach this block with too much speed. And yes, acceleracer_01 gives you the right line for this block.

Toffe

[danodude]

When driving on dirt in Valley, what you want to be thinking is, "what route can I take that I get the least amount of air on".

Also, it's not always faster to take the most direct route. Because you lose a lot of speed when turning tight on dirt, sometimes taking the corner wider and gradually coming back to the path is faster.

[pmanacas]

Actually details like this block if you think about it are at the core of trackmania gameplay fun.
Blocks always have these little details that make the tracks have this depth of gameplay as you find the best way to drive each block.
TM as always had this, this is far from the only example and I think its a key factor in the addictiveness of the game.

I can think of may examples from memory:

Valley:
The little dirt or grass patches on the inside of some narrow/wide road blocks
The changes in height of the surface between the different block sets (road > forest > dirt etc)

Stadium:
The ramsteins

Canyon:
The little bumps some blocks bring around them in the dirt
The little red plates at the base of some CP pillars

etc etc..

[danodude]

Yeah, without it there'd be much less skill involved.

[medlo]

Yeah I understand it's nice little tricks to learn sometimes and when you get it right you really enjoy, addictive like you said! But this block just didn't went to that for me, I think it's also because you can't or hardly take it when you have a lot of speed! You must release gaz or brake, and that is disapointing me and then I always think, "shit, always ruins all my speed this block!"