I enjoy racing Smart Cars in the Arena, and it was a real thrill to sign into Whyville one day and find I was in the #1 spot! When I first started racing them, it was to earn clams of course. Cars aren't really a hobby I enjoy and I didn't think I'd like it much, as racing seemed like such a 'guy' thing to me. I think the first thing I did was sign up with 'Bea' to start racing, but that was backwards. I tried racing, lost two races right away, and found I had to go through the other steps first if I was going to 'get anywhere'.
Don't miss the Speed Shop! When you run through Slim's tutorial at the 'Speed Shop', it really helps if you pay attention to how the cars respond to different things. When you configure a car so that the lights makes a wheel go backward, it might help to get you to turn in the direction you want your car to go, but I figured that a backward spinning wheel is also going to slow you down. So I always try to keep the wheels going forward, and adjust everything else.
From Slim's tutorial, then, I worked on the practice tracks for clams. Every one you complete earns you a raise in salary, plus it lets you practice. I found that my cars did best when I kept things simple and took the straightest routes.
After playing at the Speed Shop, I watched some races. Only twice while I was in the stands did I see other Whyvillians there. Watching the races is a good way to learn how to get through the different tracks. You get to see what other racers are doing. I could see I was right about the negative wires (blue) that made wheels turn backwards, and about trying to stick to the straightest routes.
Then I went back and started challenging people, and I started moving up the ranks pretty quickly! I have to confess, I started trying to improve my configurations by sitting at my computer with a stop watch. That might not have really helped, but it seemed to work for me. Just a tiny adjustment in moving a light, a small nudge on the light intensity graph, or a single click on the wheel speed scales could make a big difference.
I got to be #26 without ever racing on Gasoline Alley. I wasn't really happy with how I was doing on that track, unlike the other ones. I just kept challenging people on the tracks I was best at. Then, when I logged on one day and found I got #1, I had a whole lot of challenges waiting for me -- and several were for the dreaded Gasoline Alley! So I went back to the arena to watch specifically for Gasoline Alley races, and there I learned about the 'Alley Turn'. I wouldn't have thought of it, but it was certainly original thinking! Sort of a "Kobayashi Maru" to get the job done, if you know what I mean. I admit, I won't challenge anybody on Gasoline Alley, but I'll accept them, because you can't decline many races if you want to keep your ranking high.
I always start a configuration by setting the speed as fast as it will go, first. I figure since speed is the whole objective, that I should configure the rest of the settings around the speed and not make the speed fit the rest of my configuration. Then I set all the light intensities highest and work from there down if I need to. Like I said, I try to work the race with all the wheels turning forward. I try to keep the light sensor wires the simplest too; why use two if one will do? I think that if you have too many wires trying to do too many things, they will work against each other.
So, I'm beginning to enjoy car racing quite a bit. I even sat down to watch NASCAR and saw some things I had been learning in Whyville, like how too wide turns aren't the best way to get through a race, or how a fast turn can help you seem to pick up speed for some reason... hm, I wonder if that's related to the Spin Game? And I'm still waiting to get my top ten ranking clam bonus for the Smart Cars!
There are the things I've learned so far by racing Smart Cars. Maybe they will help you, too. See you at the finish line!
froggym
