Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed...!

[Coral]

I just got this game and I have to say that it is amazingly fun! Right from the get-go of any racer, I always decide to be a masochist and race against hard racers to get a crash course at the game and be put on the edge. Didn't know there was an expert mode until it unlocked after beating all of the GPs! Already beat the mirror of Dragon Cup on expert with 1st place and... I really think the third GP will be a run for my money (the one that starts with the Nights course). I am so bad at all of those tracks haha. A bit sad to see that my fave character, Opa Opa, didn't make it in besides as a sticker, but Gilius more than makes up for it. I think I found my main! *-*

Also ran into a funny glitch in Egg Hanger. Was playing against AI expert when we got to that one part where you fall. You can either take the shortcut by moving a ways off, or stay the course and take the easy way. I was somehow bumped enough to the side while falling that the game registered me as out of bounds, yet my characters still landed safely on solid ground and was even boosting from tricks before the screen faded and respawned me. Kinda annoying but also pretty funny.

[KrazyBean]

Well I wouldn't be able to get all the achievements anyway due to those two co-op ones...so...

[Djawed]

I think all it needs is practice. There is a great sense of satisfaction when you feel you are becoming better and things start to feel less difficult than before. Personally I wouldn't say the game is really that difficult (except on extreme) but i'd say that the game has a long learning curve until you really master all 3 transformations.

Personally I love it

[Mogtaki]

There's always plenty of practice involved, but when the AI knows exactly when you're firing an attack from DIRECTLY behind them, they just immediately counter it.

I don't get it, the AI shouldn't be reading your controls. Surely there should be some sort of delay, or something?

I can't tell if it's even worse that I can beat the AI on expert in a race that's only driving and no weapons or struggle on medium when weapons are involved.

[Ferr]

Damn, theres no one playing arena mode. I want to try the Chao stuff.

About the hard stuff, the key IMO is memorization of the stage. I couldnt even beat medium at first, but know I can beat on all tracks except the last two (is still hard, but more manageable). Expert kicks my ass tough and I cant get past S-rank World Tour, but Im already happy with beating it in A-rank class.

The most easy are IMO the ones who have long flights , because the AI seems to never boost. Boost tricks are essential to win too, thats why you need to know the track.

I think S0L nailed it when he said this isnt a kart racer, but an arcade racer. It really feels like Outrun 2 with weapons and boosts, not like MK.

When you get frustrated and the adrenaline kicks in, you will make more mistakes. Anyone under pressure will. Change modes, go for a drink, look out of the window. When you're calm, you're in control. You will have more chance of success when you're dealing that revenge cold.

This bring me back Dark souls memories... lol

Edited November 24, 2012 by Ferr

[Detective Shadzter]

Hey S0L..... I beat your game...

Due to the clock bug my PS3 has, I actually got that an hour earlier than shown.

Yes, I got platinum about half an hour ago. If anyone is going for platinum... License stats are as follows.

Game completion 100%

World Tour Stars: 232

Characters unlocked: 23

GP wins: 10/10

Staff ghosts beaten: 160/168

Stickers collected: 97/120

Mods earned: 59/138.

Now I am going to say this with regards to difficulty... S0L... I think theres a problem with some of the staff ghosts... that being, they're far too hard. On the tracks from the original ASR especially (big exception goes to the jet set radio one, that is amazingly simple to beat). specifically Death Egg and Roulette road, they're far too hard. I've tried several racers with different mods and I can't come close to them. On roulette road, I'm convinced that at one point the ghost boosts twice (once on the green table, second near the end) even though they're not coming out of a drift.

I think the classic samba, death egg and roulette road need looking at, because they're far too difficult. I only just beat samba and even I'll admit I got very lucky on that one.

Congrats, Hogfather! Don't know if I'll be able to manage that myself. As for your PS3 clock, did you change the daylight savings setting on your PS3 when the clocks went back?

[ChikaBoing]

Though honestly, I'd rather get a new track than character.

Which I'm pretty sure we'll get honestly...

There is a free slot under Outrun Bay after all.

My predictions:

Ryo will be DLC, along with a track from his game. (Maybe the harbor area.)

[Djawed]

Which I'm pretty sure we'll get honestly...

There is a free slot under Outrun Bay after all.

My predictions:

Ryo will be DLC, along with a track from his game. (Maybe the harbor area.)

Nah I don't think shenmue will get a track. It would be too realistic and similar to jet set radio('s realistic world).

I would love a phantasy star track. Doesnt matter which game as long it's got that futuristic theme going on with an amazing richard jaques remix.

[Ferr]

I would love a phantasy star track. Doesnt matter which game as long it's got that futuristic theme going on with an amazing richard jaques remix.

I think S0L said they didnt included a PSO or SC5 track because Starlight Carnival represented the space-themed track.

They could still put a PS IV track based on Motavia or something...

Im fine with wathever as long as they include a remix of this

Edited November 24, 2012 by Ferr

[Djawed]

Haha! yeah that is true

I think if I had to pick a song from Phantasy star, it would definitely be one from Phantasy star online 1. Some of the compositions in that game are just bloody brilliant.

[K-Man]

Actually I'm just a lurker, but seeing that SOL is posting here I'm going to break my silence for at least this once.

OK, so the first thing you have to realise is that Hard means Hard. It's not meant to be a walk in the park and it does expect you to be good at certain things. Here are some tips (and yes, I find Hard difficult too BTW!).

Thanks for those tips... however they don't really wipe away most of the points that the former poster mentioned. His line "It doesn't feel like I'm in a race, it feels like it's me versus a team of nine AI characters." is rather accurate, it really feels as if everyone and everything is out solely for me. Even when I'm the last spot of the race the character in ninth place would rather shoot at me than the ones in front of him. And this might be a rather subjective thing... but it really feels as if everyone is always drawing better weapons than me. It just seems like literally everything that happens in those A-class races and up plays to my disadvantage.

However... in the end I probably wouldn't mind the difficulty that much if unlocking characters wasn't exclusively tied to the single player mode, one for which I never had much interest in the first place. I'm stuck at 128 stars for a while... and seeing this as the point in which I can't seem to progress any further is very demotivating, especially since I need a whole whopping 32 stars more to get the next character (or 37 for the secret one). If it wasn't for that I'd be much more open for these challenges and approach them in a more lighthearted way. But as it is now I'm becoming very frustrated with the game, to the point in which I consider giving it up altogether.

It just makes me wonder why you didn't keep the Sega miles from the first game... or used a different approach for unlocking the complete roster. The whole star business might be fine with avid expert players who have 100%-ambitions... but for people like me who actually bought the game for playing it online or to have fun sessions with his friends it's a real nuisance.

[ChikaBoing]

Nah I don't think shenmue will get a track. It would be too realistic and similar to jet set radio('s realistic world).

I dunno man there's some pretty ridicilous stuff for tracks. But yeah you're right, also a Japan themed level is also already there through Shinobi.

Also no one mentions how awesome that Outrun track is. It looks so BRU SKIES and beatiful, riding through the water is so much fun and enlightening. It is such a shame that it only get played indivually....

Personally I doubt a PSO Track will appear, as in a whole alot of Sonic Team stuff is already presented (Samba de Amigo, Billy Hatcher...).

A Fantasy Zone track would be pretty crazy.

[Badnik Mechanic]

So when did the Triple-star licence unlock? after you did Time attack?

Triple star unlocks when your game completion is at 100%.

Also bare in mind that when I got my Yokozuma trophy (beat all staff ghosts) I was sitting at...

159 staff ghosts beat.

Stickers collected: 90/120

Mods Earned: 38/138.

Now, theres no way to know if the moment I hit 159 staff ghosts the game completion ticked over to 99%, or if I hit that before. However, in order to get that 100% score, the one stats that had changed where as follows.

Staff ghosts beaten: 160/168 (+1)

Stickers collected: 97/120 (+7)

Mods earned: 59/138. (+21)

So it's quite a bit of work for just that 1%, and I'm not sure if stickers contribute to it since I hit a new mod when my triple star license popped up.

[MykonosFan]

Also no one mentions how awesome that Outrun track is. It looks so BRU SKIES and beatiful, riding through the water is so much fun and enlightening. It is such a shame that it only get played indivually....

I just got my case and code from GameFly and I have to agree. That OutRun track is all sorts of awesome, I love it.

[SilentDoom]

Adoring this game so very much. I enjoy playing on every track and there's a bunch of characters and mods that I'm growing to like. Currently I'm sticking with Vyse Standard Mod (may change when I unlock more).

Though I must express something that bugs me and it's that you seemingly lose points when the network disconnects no matter which place you came in a race. I had over 1300 points at a start of a race, won it, the network disconnected and I went down to 1262. Seems rather unfair doesn't it? It should punisher rage quitters that are losing the race not people who are winning.

[Badnik Mechanic]

Do race points actually do anything?

[SilentDoom]

Do race points actually do anything?

They make you feel good about yourself :3

...Or bad depending...

[Nuck81]

I'm stuck at 128 stars for a while...

I kept thinking the same thing, but once I sat down determined to do it, it actually didn't take me long to unlock the last character.

Assuming you've beaten ever mission available on at least Medium and gotten thise two stars, next go back and do the pursuit missions on Expert. There is no timer on those missions so just putt putt around at slow speed gathering missles and avoiding the tanks shots, if you get hit just putt putt around until you get hearts. When you get to a straightaway unload all your missiles straight at the tank. Rinse, Repeat.

After that do all the battle races on expert. Again, just hang way back in the pack, and pick off the kart in front of you when you have a safe opening. They'll eliminate each other as well, when there is one AI left, he'll usually be on low health, and go in for the kill.

Next for me was the Ring Races. I find them pretty easy if you pick a good Flyer like tails, Vyse, or Metal Sonic. Do those on Expert, it may take a few tries but they are all doable. Spam the boosts as soon as you get them, and every chance build a level 1 boost and release. Save the After Burner Rings for last, even on expert it's cake.

Then Boost Races, Pick a character with a Boost mod that still has at least three bars of Handling. Make sure you hit every boost and drift to level 1 when possible. Some tracks may take a a few tries, but you'll get it.

You should be close by now, I went back to the first world tour level and played the easier tracks on Experts. Pick a strong character, and keep on trying.

Bottom line is play to your strengths. If you're good at Drifting do the drift missions. If you're good at rings, do the ring missions. There is no rule you have to do things in order to get your stars. Find the ones you're good at and exploit them.

[JezMM]

I think S0L said they didnt included a PSO or SC5 track because Starlight Carnival represented the space-themed track.

They could still put a PS IV track based on Motavia or something...

Pfft, Gal De Val island from PSO Ep 2 would be a no brainer and require no space aesthetic. Has one of the best songs in the game, would have potential for land, sea and air, and the foggy central control area would give a great unique area (low visibility).

(Having said that in my head I'd love a track based on the Pioneer 2 because let's be honest, all the best memories of PSO happened in the lobby).

[K-Man]

There is no rule you have to do things in order to get your stars. Find the ones you're good at and exploit them.

The thing is however... that's what I already did. As much as I'd love to find more room to stretch out a little bit more, I'm afraid there's not much left for me that I can do. (Btw, the persuit missions do have a timer. )

Personally I find those ring races the worst of them all. I already can't do them on medium. Really, I just can't do them. Very often the rings sit in inconvenient places like behind trees or houses or hard to evade objects... and you're just bound to ram into at least one of them sooner or later. Or the path becomes somewhat unclear and elusive at the end. (I still haven't figured out what's going on there in Carrier Zone.) However, I almost managed to finish the ring race for Rogues' Landing after about an hour worth of trying... or actually I even did, the announcer even said so! But the screen thought otherwise and prompted a large "Time out!". I groaned loudly and started trying all over again... (and my God... the many screens it always takes to get through until you finally restart the mission) ...and 20 minutes without success later I felt I was just wasting my time. And it simply wasn't any fun.

Edited November 25, 2012 by K-Man

[Badnik Mechanic]

or actually I even did, the announcer even said so! But the screen thought otherwise and prompted a large "Time out!". I groaned loudly and started trying all over again...

No you didn't.

What you've just described is impossible. If you had hit the final ring first it would have prompted the game to play the victory SFX file before the time out SFX file. The only way both can occur is if you fail first and you then pass through where the goal ring would be. Not to mention if you had hit the goal ring first the game would prompt the victory screen to play.

I already can't do them on medium. Really, I just can't do them. Very often the rings sit in inconvenient places like behind trees or houses or hard to evade objects...

If you can't do them on medium, then you really need to be practicing more. Risk boosts, rolling, air drifting, there is no way you can fail on medium if you know how to play the flying game on this. In fact what are you doing to fail it on medium? The game gives you so much bonus time on medium you can just fly without using the boost or any air tricks at all.

[Conando]

You don't even need to try in order to pass the Ring Challenges on Medium. Just pick Tails, you don't even need to air drift.

[Lady Soniko]

The only missions I'm struggling with big time are the Traffic Attack expert courses and the Curien Mansion Expert drift challenge, hell not even Burning Depth's boost challenge gave me this much trouble.

[Edward850]

So the release date for the PC version changed, on Mighty Ape, from the 9th of December to 22nd of February 2013 (estimated). Isn't that a little... late? Granted, it says estimated (and Mighty Ape may just be picking random dates), but the PC version couldn't possibly be that far different to warrant a ~3 month difference.

Now begins the waiting game, I guess.

[Clisp]

I have now officially joined the 232 club!

But my work is not done, I still need to level everyone up to get all of their mods.