Grand Canyon HARD

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SuperShouden

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SuperShouden
I guess when they say "HARD" they mean it. I've done almost every other challenge (working on Tahiti Maze, Chamonoix and Ice Arena) and it is this event that is giving me the most trouble. I heard the best thing to do is to use the Ram but it's not that easy. I did the race forward, but the reverse one is evil. And it doesn't help that the game gives you the fastest rally cars to compete against, either.

So, what are you're thoughts and tips for this.
 
Well 1 thought is that this isn't a race report, so it's moved to the proper place. ;)

2nd thought is to use the Mitsubishi CZ-3 Tarmac Rally Car '03.

You need technique & handling here 👍, not gobbets of power. 👎

The CZ-3 has a really quick gear change compared to many other cars which is an advantage.
In stock form versus the Lancer Super Evolution Rally Car it should give 71 A-spec points, and is a relatively easy, clean win if you're well practiced at Grand Canyon.

Search for Grand Canyon within the GT4 forum and you should come up with some Rally Car recommendation threads, there's a thread called "Grand Canyon" on the 3rd page of results which has some advice, and also have a look in the 200 A-spec points subforum as there's a thread dedicated to Extreme & Special Conditions Halls.
 
it's interesting 'cause I was going to post this here, but then I thought it should go in the race reports. :P :lol:

but okay, I will check out the Tarmac and the other threads. :)
 
I used the Ford Focus rally car & it took several goes to get it & then I used the Dodge Ram to get my 200pts . Practice like smallhorses said "You need technique & handling here"
Cheers Ozi
 
Nice job! 👍

I can't recall seeing your GT4 completion percentage anywhere, what're you up to? Have you done 100% before and are going through again, or are you still working up to it?
 
Nice job! 👍

I can't recall seeing your GT4 completion percentage anywhere, what're you up to? Have you done 100% before and are going through again, or are you still working up to it?

I should be up around 90% done and this is my first time going through without cheating. :P Actually, this will be my first real play through period.
 
I've done GC at Hard level in at least 3 vehicles by now. One was the Dodge Ram with about 650 horsepower and at least 1 or 2 weight reductions (4,500 pounds). And I'm pretty sure I used either an STi or an Evo (423 hp...2,700 pounds) and maybe an Audi A4 (roughly 450 hp and 3,400 pounds, according to my notes).

I find it best to try and get ahead EARLY, because this means I have control. This means making a 2nd-gear launch in some cases, or whatever works best with minimal slipping. The launch has to be perfect. Sometimes, this means a full-custom gearbox setup, tho I've used super-close gears as well. Getting a good launch guarantees my car or truck will either pass the Ai or at least keep up with it until whatever turn happens to approach first. Although I try not to just slide-slam them out of the way, sometimes it happens. :guilty: It's near-impossible not to pass without at least some rubbing of course.

Once I'm in the lead, I often try to keep to the inside of all those hairpins, even if I wind up tapping the inside mesh a little. Brake as late as possible without sliding, and keep the front of the car pointed forward.

The Ai can't pass from the outside, you see, and they don't cheat via wall-riding, but they WILL slam us. If they manage to slam a front fender (because I've gotten sideways and allowed this to happen) it's usually a restart. The Ai has a habit of trying to slam or push us out of the way,


Personally, I find Ice Arena just frickin' 🤬 near-impossible in anything other than an actual rally car. I've tried various civilian models...:mad: If Ice Arena is 10/10 so far as difficulty goes, I'd rate Grand Canyon Hard a 9/10, simply because I've managed to use non-racing cars to finish.
 
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I've done GC at HArd level in at least 3 vehicles by now. One was the Dodge Ram with about 650 horsepower and at least 1 or 2 weight reductions (4,500 pounds). And I'm pretty sure I used either an STi or an Evo (423 hp...2,700 pounds) and maybe an Audi A4 (roughly 450 hp and 3,400 pounds, according to my notes).

I find it best to try and get ahead EARLY, because this means I have control. This means making a 2nd-gear launch in some cases, or whatever works best with minimal slipping. The launch has to be perfect. Sometimes, this means a full-custom gearbox setup, tho I've used super-close gears as well. Getting a good launch guarantees my car or truck will either pass the Ai or at least keep up with it until whatever turn happens to approach first. Although I try not to just slide-slam them out of hte way, sometimes it happens. :guilty: It's near-impossible not to pass without at least some rubbing of course.

Once I'm in the lead, I often try to keep to the inside of all those hairpins, even if I wind up tapping the inside mesh a little. Brake as late as possible without sliding, and keep the front of the car pointed forward.

The Ai can't pass from the outside, you see, and they don't cheat via wall-riding, but they WILL slam us. If they manage to slam a front fender (because I've gotten sideways and allowed this to happen) it's usually a restart. The Ai has a habit of trying to slam or push us out of the way,


Personally, I find Ice Arena just frickin' 🤬 near-impossible in anything other than an actual rally car. I've tried various civilian models...:mad: If Ice Arena is 10/10 so far as difficulty goes, I'd rate Grand Canyon Hard a 9/10, simply because I've managed to use non-racing cars to finish.


Actually I used the same Evo Super Rally on Ice Arena and it wasn't that hard...although I did have to wallride on the reverse race to beat the other Super Rally that I was racing against.

And I got ahead of the Super Rally on the third lap on GC. On the reverse section around the "head" the little hairpin that forms the back of the mouth, the AI slows down a lot there and it's pretty easy to out brake him there if you're close enough. But be warned, he cuts that corner pretty close, so it's best to get by them before the corner.
 
^ Right, you used a rally car at Ice Arena. That makes all the difference. I was talking about trying to use a civilian passenger car. Try it, and tell me if it's still easy. :)

Ice Arena is the only track I've blatantly wall-rode at. :) I have won there cleanly, though. I don't consider Ice Arena as much of a cheat, simply because the bottom of the track is curved upwards, which means it's mostly the tires that are still what're doing most of the contact, not the car's fenders and doors.
 
Some good possibilities for high A-spec and "civilian passenger cars" aside from the obvious Dodge Ram bug, which I've always refused to exploit, are:

Mitsubishi CZ-3 Tarmac road car - lightning quick gear changes, and great handling, can win some Hard level races in stock form, and others with just minor modifications.

Honda Element - Fully modified & weight reduced it's a rally beast! You have to get rid of the stock gearbox immediately. Not so great for the hardest Hard races, although I've always refused to touch NOS, and some of that might help it to overcome the high end rally cars.

Mazda Crossport - Minor power mods in addition to the full range of brake, suspension & drivertrain mods turn this SUV into a competent, high point-scoring rally machine.
 
*snip*
....Honda Element '03 - Fully modified & weight reduced it's a rally beast! You have to get rid of the stock gearbox immediately. Not so great for the hardest Hard races, although I've always refused to touch NOS, and some of that might help it to overcome the high end rally cars....

I would like to second the Honda Element for use in the Easy and Normal Special Condition races!

I earned 4200 points (21 races @ 200 pts) in my max A-spec game using this beast!

For the Easy level races you need 205 - 208 HP and adjust the ballast so your weight is around 1590kgs to 1620kgs depending upon race and AI competition.

For the Normal level races you need 257 - 297 HP and ballast adjustments between 1580kgs to 1650kgs depending upon the race and the AI competition.

Custom transmission is required, but I only needed to upgrade to the semi-racing suspension, clutch and flywheels (if you are budget minded).

Have fun,
GTsail
 
Some good possibilities for high A-spec and "civilian passenger cars" aside from the obvious Dodge Ram bug, which I've always refused to exploit, are:

Mitsubishi CZ-3 Tarmac road car - lightning quick gear changes, and great handling, can win some Hard level races in stock form, and others with just minor modifications..

Kind of ironic, for a car with "Tarmac" in its name, isn't it?

Anyway, I haven't tried most of the hard races, I'm trying to get mastery of most of the reverse courses. For whatever reason, I can curbstomp the AI with 100 a-spec points forward, but even when I have just one a-spec point, I lose in spectacular fashion. I've always chalked it up to me not knowing the course, is that the case?
 
Wow, never thought the Element would be a decent rally vehicle. Haven't tried that one yet.
 
Wow, I never did either! YOu mean [sarcasm]you can put a car which has hundreds more horsepower than the Ai, two engines, and the ability to shrug off wall-rides into these races and it'll make for an easier win? Who woulda thunk it??? :odd:
 
Wow, I never did either! YOu mean [sarcasm]you can put a car which has hundreds more horsepower than the Ai, two engines, and the ability to shrug off wall-rides into these races and it'll make for an easier win? Who woulda thunk it??? :odd:

Yes but whats better use a normal car and not be able to get the liecense (sorry can't spell) or overkill and get the liecence. I would only suggest this as a last resort. I have had to do that in many a game to complete that last tricky bit.
 
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