WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP: GAME GUIDE by Jamie Stafford/Wolf Feather FEATHER7@IX.NETCOM.COM Initial Version Completed: April 19, 2002 FINAL VERSION Completed: June 11, 2002 ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== JOIN THE FEATHERGUIDES E-MAIL LIST: To be the first to know when my new and updated guides are released, join the FeatherGuides E-mail List. Go to http://www.coollist.com/group.cgi?l=featherguides for information about the list and to subscribe for free. ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== CONTENTS Spacing and Length Permissions Introduction Assumptions and Conventions Movies Navigatorspeak Car Set-Up Options Tips Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo The International Swedish Rally TAP Rallye de Portugal Rallye Catalunya Costa Brava - Rallye de Espana Rally Argentina Cyprus Rally Acropolis Rally Safari Rally Kenya Neste Rally Finland Propecia Rally New Zealand Rally San Remo - Rally d'Italia Rallye de France - Tour de Corse Telstra Rally Australia The Network Q Rally of Great Britain Bonus Stages Unlockables Online Resources Wish List Thanks Contact Information ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== SPACING AND LENGTH For optimum readability, this driving guide should be viewed/printed using a monowidth font, such as Courier. Check for font setting by making sure the numbers and letters below line up: 1234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012 ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz This guide is well over 30 pages long using single-spaced Courier 12 font in the Macintosh version of Microsoft Word 98. Large expanses of blank lines precede each of the two sections with information concerning unlockable items and bonus stages, so that those not wishing to view this information can easily bypass these sections. Similarly, a large expanse of blank lines follows the second of these sections for the same reason. ============================================== PERMISSIONS Permission is hereby granted for a user to download and/or print out a copy of this driving guide for personal use. However, due to the extreme length, printing this driving guide may not be such a good idea. This driving guide may only be posted on: FeatherGuides, GameFAQs.com, f1gamers.com, Games Domain, PSXCodez.com, Cheatcc.com, gamesover.com, Absolute-PlayStation.com, RedCoupe, InsidePS2Games.com, CheatPlanet.com, The Cheat Empire, a2zweblinks.com, Gameguru, cheatingplanet.com, RobsGaming.com, neoseeker.com, ps2fantasy.com, and vgstrategies.com. Please contact me for permission to post elsewhere on the Internet. Should anyone wish to translate this driving guide into other languages, please contact me for permission(s) and provide me with a copy when complete. Remember: Plagiarism in ANY form is NOT tolerated!!!!! ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== INTRODUCTION When I was living in Belgium in 1990-1991, I saw rally racing for the first time on Eurosport, and at that time, I just could not understand the appeal. It was not until Gran Turismo 2 - and more recently Gran Turismo 3 - that I really began to have an appreciation for rally racing. I have also begun watching Speed Channel's coverage of the World Rally Championship whenever I can, both for the action itself and to listen to the various languages. Except for the lack of multiple languages (in the North American version of the game), World Rally Championship brings the excitement of the real-world World Rally Championship home... without the bruises when the driver rolls the car!!! Those who have read my other driving guides (specifically those for EA Sports' F1-based games) will likely be disappointed that I have NOT provided detailed driving instructions in this guide. To be honest, that would be utterly pointless, as they would do the player no good without someone else present to read the instructions while driving - and that is the role of the navigator in the game (see the section Navigatorspeak for details). What I have provided instead is a brief overview of each stage of each rally, which should be information enough to formulate a driving and set-up strategy. Also, I have specifically NOT included car set-up information in this guide. The set-up options in World Rally Championship are unfortunately not very complex, this affording this game a somewhat 'arcady' feel. Further, beyond the default set-up options presented by the CPU just before each stage, the only parts which might really have an effect on a player's driving style are Brakes and Steering. Some players prefer strong braking at all times in all driving conditions. Similarly, some players prefer fast response from the steering wheel (or controller) at all times. ============================================== ASSUMPTIONS AND CONVENTIONS Some names of rallies and their stages generally use characters with accents, which produce 'garbled' characters in a standard English-based text-only file. Therefore, characters which should have accents will instead be used without the accents, to avoid having any 'bizarre' characters in this game guide, as it is distributed in text-only fashion to ensure compatibility with a wide array of Web browsers. ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== MOVIES The first thing to do when first playing this game, like in any other game, is to set the game's options and controls to your liking. Once this has been done, spend plenty of time with the initially-available movies (first select "Extras" from the main menu screen); those movies designated with asterisks are initially available. This really gives a feel for actual World Rally Championship competition. See the Unlockables section near the end of this guide for information on unlocking the other movies. Game Intro*: This opening movie provides a great visual overview of what is involved in actual World Rally Championship competition. This movie is also used for the background for the game credits, selectable from the Extras Menu and automatically presented after winning the Drivers' Championship. WRC Intro*: A great voice-over provides general information on the World Rally Championship, including the manufacturers represented, the vast variety of racing conditions, and more. Monaco*: This is an overview of the initial rally of the season. Sweden*: This overview movie has excellent visuals of the cold-weather competition, including a nice close-up shot of a studded tire, required to gain adequate grip of the snow and ice. Portugal*: Another overview movie, this time focusing on the popularity of rallying in Portugal, with many shots of the throngs of spectators lining the circuit. Spain*: This overview movie focuses more on the spectators and the locale itself, but still has some good action shots of the cars on the all-tarmac circuit. Argentina: This overview movie is almost completely comprised of action shots which show the difficulty of the varying terrain and elevation of Rally Argentina. Cyprus: The driving conditions in this rally are brutal, as evidenced in this overview movie. There are also a number of shots of the spectators, including a young woman tanning topless... lying on her stomach as she smiles at the camera!!! Greece: Good action shots, with unfortunately few shots of the famous landmarks of Athens in this overview movie. Kenya: This overview movie is excellent in its depiction of the difficult conditions facing the drivers. The sense of high heat and low wind really comes to the foreground, especially in a deep focus shot of a Subaru Imprezza spewing dust in the mid-ground as plumes of dust rise from beyond the trees in the background and remain semi- stagnant in the air. Finland: In this overview movie, the many 'yumps' are featured, ending in a great display of their dangerous glory as the cars fly over them. Some of the scenery in the initial shots is also incredibly beautiful. New Zealand: Plenty of action shots are presented in this overview movie, culminating in several views of a car spinning out of control and a nice helicopter view of Wellington. Italy: This is the best overview movie in terms of mixing shots of the racing action, the spectators, and the scenery. However, a few shots are repeated. France: This overview movie has great action shots, including cars bouncing over bumps and a car tumbling down a mountainside. There are also a few shots of a helicopter used for television coverage. Australia: This overview movie has great action shots, but the most intriguing shot is of a pair of spectators wearing breathing masks due to the dirt kicked up by the cars. Great Britain: At last, the final rally of the season!!! This overview movie does an excellent job in portraying the difficult conditions of this event, while the voiceover compares it with the brutal extremes of Kenya and Sweden. ============================================== NAVIGATORSPEAK The navigator will give instructions to inform you of the many twists and bumps in the road ahead. Many times, these instructions are spot-on, although at times they are given just as you reach the specific corner or caution mentioned. Sometimes, however, the instructions are not quite exact, so take care to not follow the instructions to the letter without questioning. If the sign panels at the top-center of the screen are activated, these will exactly mimic visually what the navigator is saying. Further, two panels are shown; the bottom panel represents the current instruction, whereas the top panel (grayed slightly) indicates the following instruction. The top panel will slide down to the bottom when appropriate. Distance: The navigator will sometimes indicate distance. This is measured in meters (remember that one meter is slightly longer than thirty-nine inches). '50' and '100' are the most common distance calls, although distances as long as '350' is also used on occasion. Direction: The navigator will indicate whether the upcoming turn is to the left or the right. '1' and '2' Corners: These are the turns with the slightest angles, and can generally be taken at flat-out acceleration. '3' Corners: These are moderate corners. Braking may be required, depending on the surroundings and the car's speed entering these corners. '4' and '5' Corners: These turns have the harshest angles, and almost always require braking. A '5' corner is ninety degrees or greater in total angle. 'Care:' This catch-all call indicates a dangerous section ahead. This could include steep embankments, deep ditches, a narrowing of the road, a minor jump or crest, or other potential problems. 'Caution:' This catch-all call is stronger than the 'Care' call. Some slowing may be in order here. 'Crest:' This call indicates a rise in the road ahead which will obscure the view if using one of the in-car cameras. 'Don't Cut:' Perhaps the most important utterance from the navigator, this call indicates that shortcutting the apex of the upcoming corner will produce extreme danger. This can range from large rocks or boulders at the apex to an unprotected cliff drop-off. This call takes on added importance when on a steep uphill or downhill grade during a turn, especially in hairpin corners. 'Hairpin' Corners: Interestingly, many so-called 'hairpins' are actually U-shaped, double-apex corners. 'Jump:' This call indicates a rise that will send the car airborne if taken at full speed. 'Long:' The upcoming corner is long. 'Narrows:' The road ahead will narrow. 'Opens:' The upcoming corner has an increasing radius. Use caution in accelerating, as accelerating too soon could result in hitting obstacles or flying off cliffs. 'Straight:' Listed in the game manual but not actually used in the game, this call indicates to go straight through the upcoming (slight) turns. 'Tightens:' The upcoming corner has a decreasing radius. Slowing will almost certainly be required before exiting the corner. 'Very Long:' The upcoming corner is extensive and will seem to go on forever. ============================================== CAR SET-UP OPTIONS Before each stage (which is a bit unrealistic compared to actual rally racing), you will be given a chance to change the car's set-up in preparation for the upcoming stage. When first entering the Service Area before a stage, the CPU will show its suggestions for the conditions expected. Gear Ratio Long: Excellent for high top-end speed, but produces slow acceleration Medium: average top-end speed and acceleration Short: Excellent acceleration, but very low top-end speed Brake Strength Progressive: Slow, soft braking Normal: Average braking Strong: Fast, hard braking Steering Slow: Slow response in steering Medium: Average response in steering Fast: Extremely fast response to steering Tires Dry: Provides maximum grip in dry conditions Wet: Provides maximum grip in wet conditions Spikes: A special tire used for snowy/icy conditions, which in this game is only at The International Swedish Rally. Suspension Soft: Best to keep the car from bouncing over bumps Medium: Average setting Hard: Causes the car to bounce over bumps, thus best used only on pavement ============================================== TIPS Buy or rent or borrow any game in the Gran Turismo series, but especially Gran Turismo 2 or 3. In one of these games, work through the License Tests, as this will teach how to approach the various elements of racing, from judging braking distances to controlling a car on a surface with little grip. Gran Turismo 2 introduced rally racing to the series, so GT2 and GT3 both include a Rally License; the time and effort spent in acquiring the Rally License in GT2 or GT3 will help with World Rally Challenge. Overall, Gran Turismo 2 is probably a better choice of the three games in the Gran Turismo series, as GT2 includes the Pikes Peak Hill Climb and Pikes Peak Downhill courses, the only point-to-point rally venues in the series thus far (all other rally events are held at actual circuits); unfortunately, both Pikes Peak stages were removed for Gran Turismo 3 :-( In rally racing, the principles of standard pavement-based racing apply. However, there is generally less tire grip in rally racing, which makes anticipation a key element in correctly holding a tight racing line at the apex of a corner, in judging braking distances on a steep downhill grade, etc. Many of the 'hairpin' turns are actually made of double-apex corners with a VERY brief straightaway between them. Treating these as U-shaped turns will generally help to improve time while keeping a higher speed. In general, '1' and '2' corners do not require braking to safely clear; '4' and '5' corners and hairpins DO require braking; '3' corners may necessitate braking depending on the surroundings and the entry speed. However, if on a steep uphill or downhill grade, even '2' corners may require braking, while possibly '5' corners will not necessitate braking. Hairpins ALWAYS require braking. Get to know each stage by first making several runs through the stage in Time Trial. Of course, for most stages, this requires opening it first; see Unlockables below for information. Do not depend solely upon the navigator's instructions and the sign icons at the top-center of the screen (if activated) to drive cleanly through each stage. Try to look as far ahead as possible and use the lay of the land to determine what the road ahead will entail. Most roads follow the contours of mountains, using a series of switchbacks for climbing and descending steep mountainsides. On occasion, visibility is clear so far ahead that it is possible to see turns several hundred meters - or more - beyond what the navigator is currently saying. Some roads leave one particular mountain and run along an adjacent mountain, and this can sometimes also be seen across a valley. For those roads atop short ridges, it is often possible to see the various turns far ahead. Try to use really tall objects such as trees - and especially telephone poles, as they are almost ALWAYS located directly next to the road - to determine the location and severity of upcoming turns. ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== RALLYE AUTOMOBILE MONTE CARLO Shakedown The shakedown run is fairly tame compared to the latter stages of this rally, but does give a good feel for the initial stages. Stage 1: St. Pierre-Entrevaux Welcome to the mountains, where the streets are clean but the shoulders are lined with snow. Since spiked tired are not used, the snow will definitely slow you down, so make sure to keep to the pavement as much as possible. Mind the downhill hairpins. Stage 2: Thurriers Being so high up in the mountains, the views can be absolutely breathtaking... but admiring the view means almost certainly destroying the car, so keep the eyes on the road ahead!!! Again, mind the downhill hairpins, which are steeper here than in Stage 1. Stage 3: Roquesteron Much of this stage features mountainsides directly against the pavement, so take care to not roll the car up the steep rocks!!! Stage 4: Sisteron-Thoard The first three sectors are entirely uphill, with the final two sectors entirely downhill. This long stage is VERY challenging, even on Novice Difficulty, with numerous '4' and '5' turns and hairpins all strung together with scant straightaways between them (if any); while cornering speed is always important, superb technical driving ability is what will win this stage. Perhaps the only thing related to Monaco that requires more technical driving ability is the FIA Formula 1 Grand Prix of Monte Carlo!!! Stage 5: Loda-Luceram This is by far the steepest stage in terms of uphill and downhill grades. To make things worse, there are numerous hairpins along these steep grades, but they are still generally easier to handle here than in Stage 4. Keep the eyes on the road and NOT on the scenery!!! ============================================== THE INTERNATIONAL SWEDISH RALLY Shakedown: This is very difficult, especially for those unaccustomed to driving on snow in auto racing games. There are many twists and turns in the road, with the view obstructed by piles of snow cleared from the racing surface. It is very easy to put a car on its side in this stage, especially since the co-pilot does not speak, and the optional arrows (at the top-center of the screen during the stages) are not activated for Shakedowns. Stage 1: Rammen The beginning of the stage has long runs with a few jumps, but then it gets rather interesting with a number of corners. Stage 2: Sagen This stage features several long sections which can be taken flat-out, but early braking is key to surviving the many '4' and '5' turns. Stage 3: Iz Iz begins somewhat 'easy,' but gets more difficult toward the end with multiple hairpins and sharp corners, usually at the top of steep slopes, which makes falling and damaging the car a very real possibility. Trying to set a record stage time here will be difficult, even on Novice Difficulty. Stage 4: Skogz Take care in the third sector, which features a very steep uphill climb. The following sector also has a nice uphill incline, but neither quite as long nor as steep. Stage 5: Mangen This stage takes place at night, so visibility will be important. The reduced visibility is what makes this stage particularly challenging; during the day, this would essentially be just like any other Sweden stage. Pay close attention to the navigator's instructions. ============================================== TAP RALLYE DE PORTUGAL Shakedown: This is almost entirely hairpins connected by moderate straightaways. Stage 1: Piodao Piodao is a fairly easy stage run on gravel. However, it may be advantageous to shortcut the grassy apexes with the front tire to help swing the rear of the car around. Stage 2: Cabreira Again, the grass can slow the car just enough to assist in cornering. Stage 3: Ponte de Lima - South This is another fairly easy stage, but there are some steep drop-offs along this mountainside, so take care to not overcook the corners. Stage 4: Ponte de Lima - East The rally continues into dusk, but visibility is still fairly good. The helicopter providing television coverage is clearly visible with its bright searchlight shining down in the distance. This is another fairly easy stage, but take care on the hairpins. Stage 5: Fafe The final stage in Portugal is also fairly easy. Again, the grass can be very useful for cornering or for slowing if out of control. ============================================== RALLYE CATALUNYA COSTA BRAVA - RALLYE DE ESPANA Shakedown: Keeping to the road is extremely easy here, so concentrate on achieving fast acceleration and hard braking. Also focus on keeping tight a racing line at the apex of each corner. Stage 1: Coll de Bracons There is extremely little braking required for this stage, especially if able to keep a tight racing line at the apex of each corner and allowing the car's inherent tendency to slide to slow just enough to clear each turn. The third sector is the most challenging, and that is really not too challenging overall. Stage 2: La Trona La Trona is a little more difficult than the preceding stage, but definitely not extremely technical. The third sector is the most challenging. Stage 3: Coll de Santigosa The difficulty of this stage lies somewhere between the previous two stages. Stage 4: St. Julia-Arbucies This stage takes place in a midday rain shower, which can make sufficient pavement grip more of a challenge. Stage 5: La Riba This is the most challenging stage of the Catalunya rally, with a low cloud bank to really soften the light illuminating the mountainsides. ============================================== RALLY ARGENTINA Shakedown: There are a few very steep drop-offs as well as short, tall hills which have been chiseled through to make the road for Shakedown. The beginning is fairly quick, but the latter half is quite technical. Stage 1: Tanti As in Shakedown, there are some fairly steep drop-offs along the road; most are blocked with guardrails, but not all. This is a fairly quick stage overall, but take care with the '4' turns between the steep rises. Stage 2: San Augustin This stage is run in a midday rain shower. Driving on only two wheels seems to happen at least once on this stage, so some stunt driving experience can be quite handy. Stage 3: El Condor DEFINITELY heed the 'Don't cut' warning from the navigator, or else the car will end up tumbling down the mountainside :-( Stage 4: San Marcos Sierra This is a fairly technical stage, especially in the opening sectors. Stage 5: Cura Brochero Here is another stage run in the rain. As if the rain wasn't annoying enough, the television helicopter dips down really low, almost at the same elevation as the car as it provides a potential point of distraction. The final sectors are very technical, made even worse by the sheer mountainside should the car go too far off the road. ============================================== CYPRUS RALLY Shakedown: The shakedown track consists of multiple hairpins with fairly nice straightaways. The surrounding terrain is mostly flat, so sliding off-course is not detrimental to the car. Stage 1: Alassa-Agios Therapon This stage runs along the top of a mountain; however, the drop-offs to either side are generally blocked by minor cliffs of rock or piled dirt, thus helping to stay on the road (but potentially flipping the car). Stage 2: Prastio-Pachina This second stage begins in the valley between mountains, so the shadows are significant. Afterward, the mountains are set further back from the road, allowing for bright sunlight to illuminate the area, thus aiding visibility. Stage 3: Platres-Katos Amiantos With its many unprotected steep drops and numerous '5' turns and hairpins, Stage 3 is a strong test of both technical driving ability and control of personal fear. Certainly, drivers with great technical ability have less to worry about in controlling their fear, but it WILL be present nonetheless!!!!! Stage 4: Machairas-Agioi Vavatsini For this moderately-technical stage, proper braking is key to keep from sliding off the course in the many '4' and '5' turns. Stage 5: Agios Nikalos-Foini This stage also has numerous steep descents, most unprotected. Much of the stage is a steep uphill climb with very tight twists and hairpins, so do not expect to be able to speed through the stage. Also, there are many boulders and steep slopes on the inside of many corners which will flip a car if the apexes are cut short. ============================================== ACROPOLIS RALLY Shakedown: In general, tall rocky banking on the left can flip a car, while ditches on the right can trap a car. Keep to the gravel road!!!!! Stage 1: Paleohori-Eleftherohori Several drop-offs along the opening portion of the stage can severely damage a car, while ditches along the rest of the stage can also cause trouble. Stage 2: Palvliani This is a somewhat-technical stage, with a really big drop-off toward the end which can cause a quick moment of panic. During the final descent, it is possible to see that the road hairpins back on itself at a lower elevation, but it is VERY difficult to simply cut the hairpin and still make it back onto the lower road before the game automatically resets the car at the point from which it had left the upper road. Stage 3: Elastos Elastos is a moderately-challenging stage from a driving standpoint, but there are a few areas where lack of proper braking will put the car far off-course. Stage 4: Klidi For those who have played Paris-Dakar Rally, this stage is very reminiscent of the volcano climb stages, only with a wider road and lack of stream crossings. Much of this stage is shadowed due to the close proximity of the mountains. Stage 5: Keneta This stage features many steep drop-offs, with many unprotected (especially those on the outside of '4' and '5' turns). The helicopter can be distracting. ============================================== SAFARI RALLY KENYA Shakedown: Most of the Shakedown track can be taken flat-out, with just a few quick taps on the brakes to spin the rear of the car around the moderate hairpins. Stage 1: Marigat-Mogotio This is a mostly-flat stage which is only moderately challenging in terms of driving. Mind the ditches. Stage 2: Kajiado-Olooloitikosh This is a mostly-flat stage which is only moderately challenging in terms of driving. Mind the ditches. Stage 3: Olooloitikosh This is a mostly-flat stage which is only moderately challenging in terms of driving. Stage 4: Morendat-Mbaruk This is a mostly-flat stage with a higher degree of technical challenge. Mind the ditches. Stage 5: Oltepsi-Olepolos This is a mostly-flat stage which is only moderately challenging in terms of driving. The final sector is flat-out all the way to the Finish. ============================================== NESTE RALLY FINLAND Shakedown: The forested gravel road is fairly quick, so timely use of the grass inside the apex of corners can be productive. Stage 1: Ehikki The forested gravel road is fairly quick, so timely use of the grass inside the apex of corners can be productive. This must also be a public road, as it is lined with telephone poles, so take care to not hit them if cutting apexes or swinging too wide around a corner. Stage 2: Moksi The forested gravel road is fairly quick, so timely use of the grass inside the apex of corners can be productive. Again, beware of the telephone poles, especially in the latter sectors where they line BOTH sides of the road. Stage 3: Paijala Still in the forest, the telephone poles disappear except for a brief return in the final sector. However, the small ditches provide enough incentive to keep to the gravel. Stage 4: Valkola The rain returns - as do the telephone poles, which tend to line both sides of the road. Take extreme care arriving at the Finish. Stage 5: Kuoltu The rain has ended, but the telephone poles remain. Much of this stage can be taken flat-out, with just minor tapping of the brakes for cornering. ============================================== PROPECIA RALLY NEW ZEALAND Shakedown: High banks and short trees line the Shakedown course, but turns are clearly visible without relying on the map. Stage 1: Maungatawhiri High banks and fences line the road, but beware the occasional cow if the car slides too far off the road. Stage 2: Waipu Gorge There are far fewer fences along this stage, but more banks and short trees. Also, not all the livestock wants to stay behind the few fences. Stage 3: Fyfe This stage primarily runs along the top of a ridge, so if the car slides off the road to the outside of the banks, a long damaging fall can be expected. This also makes proper braking an important issue. Stage 4: Campbell Taking place in the rain, the Campbell stage is bounded primarily by (very tall) banks. However, the surrounding terrain is primarily flat, so there is not much worry about damaging the car if sliding off the gravel. Stage 5: Paparoa Station This stage is also run in the rain. Plenty of banks line the track, with ample fencing in the initial and final sectors. ============================================== RALLY SAN REMO - RALLY D'ITALIA Shakedown: The asphalt road is rather quick, but the hairpins will require prime braking... or else the car will fall off the raised roadway to be damaged below. Mind the trees. Stage 1: Perinaldo Much of this opening stage features a guardrail on the right and the mountainside of the left to help to keep the car on the quick asphalt roadway. The opening sectors are especially tricky, with '4' and '5' turns plus hairpins on uphill and downhill slopes. Stage 2: Pantasina After the first sector, the guardrails fade away, so any off-road excursions will be rather damaging due to the long falls. The final three sectors are especially brutal in their requirement of technical driving ability. The rain makes this stage even more challenging than it already is :-( Stage 3: Apricale This middle stage features almost solely '4' and '5' turns plus hairpins, all combined with significant elevation changes throughout much of the stage. Fortunately, until the final sector, the car can easily stay on the road thanks to the guardrails on the right and the face of the mountain on the left. Stage 4: Rezzo This stage again features mainly '4' and '5' turns and hairpins, but the elevation changes are not nearly as significant. Stage 5: Monte Ceppo This final stage is run at night, so visibility is very poor. This does not bode well for drivers, as the stage - especially in the final two sectors - is extremely technical. ============================================== RALLYE DE FRANCE - TOUR DE CORSE Shakedown: Shakedown is comprised of hairpins connected by short straightaways. Beware of the trees should the car slide too far off the road. Stage 1: Cuttoli-Peri This is a somewhat-technical stage, but definitely nothing too difficult. Stage 2: Taverna - Pont de Ca This is a rather technical stage from the start, including a steep climb up the mountainside in Sector 3, and sheer unprotected drop-offs in Sectors 4 and 5. Stage 3: Verro - Pont d'Azzana The rain makes this moderately-technical stage a bit more difficult. It is somewhat easy to slide off the road in several places, especially at most hairpins. Stage 4: Filitosa-Bicchisan This is perhaps the most technical stage in the season thus far. The numerous '4' and '5' and hairpin turns are combined with HUGE drop-offs which are primarily unprotected. Stage 5: Noceta-Muracciole The final stage is run at night, so visibility far ahead is greatly hindered. As with the previous stage, the numerous sheer drops are largely unprotected, so take special care with braking zones and cornering. ============================================== TELSTRA RALLY AUSTRALIA Shakedown: The shakedown track is fast, but do not plan on grip to help slow the car in cornering. Sliding off the road is a very strong possibility here. Stage 1: Newharvey Weir Grip simply does not exist here. Moreso than at other venues, try to straightline consecutive shallow corners as much as possible to keep from losing time due to slides due to the lack of grip. Stage 2: Newkevs This is not a very demanding circuit technically, but the lack of grip can easily lead to an off-road excursion. Stage 3: Flynns Short Flynns Short is anything BUT short - at nearly six full minutes to complete the stage, this is the longest single stage of the season. Stage 4: Atkins This is not a very demanding circuit technically, but the lack of grip can easily lead to an off-road excursion. Stage 5: Brunswick This is not a very demanding circuit technically, but the lack of grip can easily lead to an off-road excursion. ============================================== THE NETWORK Q RALLY OF GREAT BRITAIN Special Note: This is the hardest of all the rallies in the game, even when playing on Novice difficulty. The learning curve is UNBELIEVABLY STEEP between Telstra Rally Australia and The Network Q Rally Of Great Britain :-( Shakedown: Grip is rather difficult to find along this tree-lined gravel road. The hairpins are tight and brutal. Stage 1: Rhondda With its many long stretches of flat-out acceleration, the tight turns and hairpins of this opening stage are brutal, forcing strong braking well in advance of corners. Stage 2: St. Gwynno This second stage is a little more technical, but this is augmented by the grip-reducing rain. Stage 3: Margam This third stage is a little more technical, but this is augmented by the grip-reducing rain. Stage 4: Trawscoed The rain has stopped, but since this stage is run on a moonless night, visibility is virtually zero. Stage 5: Tyle This is also a nighttime stage, and it is more technical than the previous stage. Setting a time record for this stage will be no easy feat!!! ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== BONUS STAGES These are overviews for the bonus stages in World Rally Championship. A long expanse of blank lines follows so that those who do not wish to see these overviews can easily skip this section. Coll Roig (Spain): This fast tarmac stage is not too difficult, but there are numerous sequential hairpins. Beware the fallen rocks near the end of the stage. Colle d'Oggia (Italy): This fast, technical bonus stage is run at night, the lack of clear visibility making this stage even more challenging. There are many unprotected short drops (only 1-2 meters), but these often are vertical drops, meaning that should the car slide off the road in these areas. there is no slope to use to climb back onto the road, thus forcing the use of the "Restart Race" option in the Pause menu. La Bajadas (Argentina): Driven in the rain, this fairly easy stage simply follows the natural mountain contours Lageia-Kalavasos (Cyprus): This bonus stage is HARD!!!!! The road itself generally follows a raised ridge. The banks along the road are extremely minor, making it VERY easy to slip off the road and have a nice, damaging fall. There are also plenty of trees near the road which can cause suspension damage... but that might actually be a good thing, as it will slow the car just enough to have a better chance at properly cornering. This extremely-technical bonus stage is almost entirely comprised of sequential '4' and '5' turns. Stromi-Inohori (Greece): This is a very technical stage with very few barriers to help to keep a car on the road. Early braking is key to survival here, or else the long drops down the mountains await. Vastilla (Finland): Driven in the rain, this moderately-technical stage is lined with telephone poles, making the many '4' and '5' turns and the hairpins much more challenging. ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== UNLOCKABLES Here are some of the unlockable features of World Rally Championship. Each Secret Code is activated by entering it once (from the main menu, select Extras, then Secrets); it can be deactivated by entering the same codes again. Secret Codes can be used singly or in groups, but each is activated or deactivated individually. Secret codes are not permitted in World Rally Championship mode. A large expanse of blank lines follows so that those who do not wish to see how to unlock the various elements of the game need not see this information. Bonus Stages Coll Roig (Spain): Win The Network Q Rally of Great Britain on Professional in World Championship mode. Colle d'Oggia (Italy): Win Telstra Rally Australia on Professional in World Championship mode. La Bajadas (Argentina): Win Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo on Professional in World Championship mode. Lageia-Kalavasos (Cyprus): Win Rallye Catalunya Costa Brava - Rallye de Espana on Professional in World Championship mode. Stromi-Inohori (Greece): Win Acropolis Rally on Professional in World Championship mode. Vastilla (Finland): Win Propecia Rally New Zealand on Professional in World Championship mode. Difficulties: Initially, only Novice and Normal difficulties are available for World Rally mode. Winning World Rally mode on Normal difficulty unlocks Professional difficulty. Movies: Beyond the initially-available movies, the overview movie for each rally is unlocked by winning the previous rally. (Upon winning the Drivers' Championship, the Game Intro movie is shown as the backdrop to the game credits.) Secret Codes evopower Unlocked by winning TAP Rallye de Portugal on Professional difficulty in World Championship. Using this code provides faster acceleration and top-end speed. This is great to use in conjunction with the 'thatsstupid' code (see below). downbelow Unlocked by winning Safari Rally Kenya on Professional difficulty in World Championship. This enables a 'top-down' camera, watching from the overhead helicopter. However, car control is rather tricky if using this code. floatylight Unlocked by winning Rally San Remo - Rally d'Italia on Professional difficulty in World Championship. This VERY bizarre code will show the car 'flying' high above the road in replays. heliumaid Unlocked by winning Rally Argentina on Professional difficulty in World Championship. This code will result in 'faster' navigator calls (the speed is quite debatable), but he will sound as if he has inhaled a lot of helium just before the stage. This code is really counterproductive, as the navigator's high pitch is very difficult to hear above the sound of the engine (and the music, if set at default volume). imgoingcrazy Unlocked by winning Rallye de France - Tour de Corse on Professional difficulty in World Championship. This code produces psychedelic visual effects. While definitely fun to see once or twice, driving is rather difficult with this code activated. ontheceiling Unlocked by winning The International Swedish Rally on Professional difficulty in World Championship. This code activates upside-down cameras, thus granting a VERY different view of the world!!!!! This is not a practical code to use, but it is interesting to see it used just once. opensesame This catch-all code will unlock everything in the game. thatsstupid Unlocked by winning Neste Rally Finland on Professional difficulty in World Championship. Using this code will remove much of the car shell, so that the car looks like a buggy. Losing the extra body weight will greatly increase acceleration and top-end speed of the car, making this perhaps one of the most useful 'cheat' codes in the game, especially when combined with the 'evopower' code (see above). wibblywobbly Unlocked by winning the Cyprus Rally on Professional difficulty in World Championship. This code presents underwater visual effects. Single Rally: Initially, only Monaco, Sweden, Portugal, and Spain are available. Other rallies are unlocked for this mode by winning the appropriate preceding rally in World Championship at Normal difficulty. Time Trials: Initially, all stages of the rallies at Monaco, Sweden, Portugal, and Spain are available; for all other venues, only the initial stage is available. Other Time Trial stages are unlocked by placing in the top three of each preceding rally in World Rally Championship at either Normal or Professional difficulty. ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== ONLINE RESOURCES Here are a few Internet resources for World Rally Championship - the actual competition and the game. FIA World Rally Championship - Mailing List (http://www.dusty.com.au/) Touted as "the world's biggest rally mailing list," results will be sent via e-mail for each competition. Press Release for the PS2 Game World Rally Championship (http://www.bam4fun.com/pr-03-21-02.html) From the Web site for Bam! Entertainment (http://www.bam4fun.com), this is an official press release. Rally-Live.com (http://rally.racing-live.com/en/) This site - available in English, French, and Spanish - includes rally news and images, information on drivers and teams, regulations, information on each racing venue, an online store, forums and chat capabilities, wallpapers, screensavers, and more. RallyForum (http://www.rallyforum.com/) This is primarily an online discussion area for everything related to World Rally Championship. RallyRallyRally (http://www.rallyrallyrally.com/) This site covers World Rally Championship, British Rally, European Rally, American Rally, and Asia/Pacific Rally news. World Rally Championship (http://www.wrc.com/) This is the official Web site of the rally series. World Rally Championship Mini-site (http://www.bam4fun.com/wrc/) Bam! Entertainment's mini-site for the game. World Rallying (http://www.worldrally.net/ This site is an independent source for information on World Rally Championship, including results for every season since 1994 and an online discussion area. ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== WISH LIST 1.) Faster load times are a necessity!!!!! World Rally Championship is certainly far better than Le Mans 24 Hours in load times, but loading still needs to be MUCH faster. 2.) Move Save Replay to the Replay Options menu. 3.) Remove (or at least shorten by half) the venue-specific movies to allow for more stages (within each rally, not necessarily as Bonus Stages) as well as more languages spoken by the navigators. 4.) A tutorial mode would be helpful for those unfamiliar with rally racing, thus introducing them to how to correctly handle various types of corners and driving conditions. 5.) More spectators need to be added along the roads. Further, the spectators should NOT be as immovable as rocks; if cars get too close to spectators, they should at least jump out of the way, similar to the pedestrians in Midnight Club: Street Racing. 6.) Except for the menus, dump ALL the music. ============================================== THANKS Thanks for MattiB from the GameFAQs message board for World Rally Championship for suggesting the Rally-Live.com Web site. ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== CONTACT INFORMATION For questions, rants, raves, comments of appreciation, etc., or to be added to my e-mail list for updates to this driving guide, please contact me at: FEATHER7@IX.NETCOM.COM; also, if you have enjoyed this guide and feel that it has been helpful to you, I would certainly appreciate a small donation via PayPal (http://www.paypal.com/) using the above e-mail address. To find the latest version of this and all my other PSX/PS2 game guides, please visit FeatherGuides (http://www.angelcities.com/members/feathersites/). The latest version will always be posted at FeatherGuides, while other Web sites may lag behind by several days in their regularly-scheduled posting updates. ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== ======================================================================= Wolf Feather Jamie Stafford ======================================================================= Just as there are many parts needed to make a human a human, there's a remarkable number of things needed to make an individual what they are. - Major Kusanagi, _Ghost in the Shell_ ======================================================================= What isn't remembered never happened. - _Serial Experiments Lain_ =======================================================================