Share your trial times (STK 0.8)

[bonifarz]

Greetings, fellow racers.

Since STK 0.8 has arrived and introduced some wonderful new skidding mechanics, I would like to open a new topic in the spirit of the time trial leaderboard once started by Iridium. The idea is to have a place for everyone to share the fastest trial times, and I hope that this thread can help to promote the popularity of this game mode.

The times for each track are grouped in the below posts as follows:

• Shifting Sands | Bovine Barnyard | Oliver's Math Class | Subsea | Scotland
• Amazonian Journey | Northern Resort | Hacienda | Zen Garden | Snow Peak
• The Island | Green Valley | Blackhill Mansion | Star Track | Shiny Suburbs
• Fort Magma | Minigolf Mischief | XR591 | Old Mine | Around the Lighthouse

Thanks to E-dragon, we have some impressive ghost data for most tracks (compressed with 7-zip):

replay.7z

Replay (ghost) data, Thanks to E-Dragon and Ancalagon.

(3.44 MiB) Downloaded 468 times

• To play in ghost mode, launch STK from a terminal with the flag --ghost.
• (On windows: Make a new shortcut for STK, r-click, properties, then paste --ghost at the very end of the "target" field.)
• You can then race against a ghost read from the file <trackname>.replay located in your STK user data directory.
• To save your own replay files, hit Ctrl+F10 right after finishing your race (when you have the option to restart or set up another race).

For any times you post, please always use:

• STK version 0.8
• Two laps in time trial mode
• No reverse mode and no AI karts
• An unmodified stk_config.xml

If you are not sure about the last point, you can look up the stk_config.xml of STK 0.8 on source forge. When posting a time, be sure to include the number of shortcuts you took, which can be discussed later.

The following information is optional when posting a new time, you can include any or none of these:

• a replay file (recommended)
• a small section of a screenshot with your time
• a video recording (youtube links will be shown below the boards)
• Your kart (will be omitted to avoid confusion about the mechanical equivalence of all karts)
• The number of skidding boosts (skids) during both laps

Times on add-on tracks or in reverse mode are not listed for now, but feel free to post whatever times you like.

Be honest: Manipulating a screenshot or a config file is trivial, but it spoils the fun for others as well as for yourself.

[bonifarz]

Shifting Sands

sandtrack.jpg (5.15 KiB) Viewed 23323 times

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   Name          Time        shortcuts   skids
1) E-Dragon      01:05:53    2
2) RaceAce       01:08:32    2            18
3) Ancalagon     01:08:54    2           
4) ............  --:--:-- 
5) ............  --:--:-- 


Bovine Barnyard

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   Name          Time        shortcuts   skids
1) E-Dragon      00:45:75    2
2) Krash         00:47:68    2
3) Ancalagon     00:48:66    2
4) ctdabomb      00:57:50    2            0
5) Wuzzy         00:58:93    0


Oliver's Math Class

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   Name          Time        shortcuts   skids
1) Alayan        00:17:88    0             2
2) E-Dragon      00:17:89    0           
3) Ancalagon     00:18:10    0            ~6
4) Totoplus62    00:19:15    0             4
5) Bonifarz      00:22:15    0             8
6) ctdabomb      00:28:08    0             0


Video by Ancalagon

Subsea

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   Name          Time        shortcuts   skids
1) E-Dragon      02:18:61    0           ~30
2) Ancalagon     02:20:70    0           
3) ............  --:--:-- 
4) ............  --:--:-- 
5) ............  --:--:-- 


Scotland

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   Name          Time        shortcuts   skids
1) E-Dragon      01:04:87    2
2) Ancalagon     01:05:73    2
3) Krash         01:11:27    0           ~29
4) Bonifarz      01:14:87    0            31
5) Alayan        01:16:85    0            10


Video by Ancalagon

[bonifarz]

Amazonian Journey

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   Name          Time        shortcuts   skids
1) E-Dragon      01:08:66    0           
2) Ancalagon     01:10:25    0           ~25
3) ctdabomb      01:32:13    0             0
4) ............  --:--:-- 
5) ............  --:--:-- 


Northern Resort

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   Name          Time        shortcuts   skids
1) E-Dragon      01:02:29    2
2) Krash         01:11:43    0
3) Ancalagon     01:11:85    0           ~20
4) ............  --:--:-- 
5) ............  --:--:-- 


Hacienda

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   Name          Time        shortcuts   skids
1) E-Dragon      00:59:12    4           
2) Kosmi         00:59:82    4           ~12     
3) Ancalagon     01:07:46    3           ~19
4) Alayan        01:11:28    2           ~12
5) Bonifarz      01:11:93    4           ~16
6) RaceAce       01:13:76    0            20
7) Krash         01:19:64    0            23
8) Wuzyy         01:36:70    0   


Zen Garden

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   Name          Time        shortcuts   skids
1) Ancalagon     00:23:58    2            ~9
2) Bonifarz      00:28:57    2            13
3) ctdabomb      00:34       2           
4) Wuzzy         00:59:01    2
5) ............  --:--:-- 


Snow Peak

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   Name          Time        shortcuts   skids
1) E-Dragon      01:02:61    0
2) Krash         01:02:92    0
3) Ancalagon     01:03:88    0
4) Alayan        01:04:84    0           ~16
5) Wuzyy         01:24:87    0


[bonifarz]

The Island

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   Name          Time        shortcuts   skids
1) E-Dragon      01:25:05    2
2) Krash         01:26:27    0
3) Ancalagon     01:29:12    0           ~36
4) Alayan        01:37:15    0           ~23
5) Wuzzy         01:53:36    0
6) ctdabomb      01:51       0            0


Green Valley

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   Name          Time        shortcuts   skids
1) E-Dragon      01:31:45    ?           
2) Alayan        01:34:11    4             8
3) Ancalagon     01:37:25    0     
4) ............  --:--:-- 
5) ............  --:--:-- 


Blackhill Mansion

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   Name          Time        shortcuts   skids
1) E-Dragon      00:55:01    2
2) Alayan        00:58:67    2             6
3) Ancalagon     00:59:40    4            18
4) Wuzzy         01:04:38    4 
5) ............  --:--:-- 


Star Track

startrak.jpg (4 KiB) Viewed 23316 times

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   Name          Time        shortcuts   skids
1) E-Dragon      01:18:85    0
2) Ancalagon     01:20:54    0
3) Bonifarz      01:23:45    0           ~38
4) ctdabomb      01:54       0             0
5) ............  --:--:-- 


Shiny Suburbs

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   Name          Time        shortcuts   skids
1) E-Dragon      01:20:19    2   
2) Ancalagon     01:27:45    0           ~30
3) Wuzzy         01:47:52    0
4) ctdabomb      02:13:18    0            0
5) ............  --:--:-- 


[bonifarz]

Fort Magma

fortmagma.jpg (4.81 KiB) Viewed 23316 times

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   Name          Time        shortcuts   skids
1) E-Dragon      01:08:22    0           
2) Ancalagon     01:11:91    0           ~29
3) Bonifarz      01:23:95    0            25
4) ............  --:--:-- 
5) ............  --:--:-- 


Minigolf Mischief

minigolf.jpg (5.34 KiB) Viewed 23316 times

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   Name          Time        shortcuts   skids
1) Alayan        00:56:57    4             0
2) Bonifarz      00:57:01    6           
3) Ancalagon     01:00:91    6
4) ............  --:--:-- 
5) ............  --:--:-- 


XR591

xr591.jpg (4.53 KiB) Viewed 23316 times

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   Name          Time        shortcuts   skids
1) E-Dragon      01:06:06    6
2) Ancalagon     01:10:57    4            19
3) Bonifarz      01:24:07    6            17 
4) ............  --:--:-- 
5) ............  --:--:-- 


Old Mine

mines.jpg (2.66 KiB) Viewed 23316 times

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   Name          Time        shortcuts   skids
1) E-Dragon      01:09:89    2
2) Krash         01:13:75    0
3) Ancalagon     01:14:17    0           ~24
4) Alayan        01:20:79    0           ~16
5) ............  --:--:-- 


Video by Ancalagon


Around the Lighthouse

lighthouse.jpg (5.01 KiB) Viewed 23316 times

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   Name          Time        shortcuts   skids
1) Ancalagon     00:22:95    4*
2) Alayan        00:26:74    2             1
3) Bonifarz      00:40:36    2            12
4) Wuzzy         00:46:12    2
5) ............  --:--:-- 


[Ancalagon]

Here is my times on a few tracks:

-Oliver's Math Class:
* 00:22:34, 2 skids, Suzanne. (whithout shortcuts)
-Shifting Sands:
* 1:22:66, without shortcuts, 2 skids, Suzanne.
* 1:10:19 with a shortcut (just before getting on the stone ramp, cut through the sable toward the end line), 2 skids, Suzanne
-Scotland:
* 1:16:21 2 skids, Suzanne. (whithout shortcuts)
-Subsea:
* 2:29:94 2 skids, Suzanne. (whithout shortcuts)

[bonifarz]

Thanks for the first contribution of times, Ancalagon - I just added them, assuming you took the described shortcut in both laps. As the list grows, I will post a few of my own times.

[Hero]

Hello bonifarz. Could you post your best times on stkextra.zxq.net please? Sign up there and you can start keeping track of scores.

[bonifarz]

Thanks for the link, Hero.
Never heard of that one - ah, I see, it was just mentioned in the christmas topic. Seems there are still some php errors, but if you manage to setup some nice page layout and submission field for racing times, that might help the site get popular. Just be sure that times get approved before updating the database to prevent a flood of nonsense times. Good luck with the site.

[bonifarz]

Times added for five of my favorites.
Ancalagon, I am struggling to get any close to your time on scotland, can you verify that there is no typo?

[ctdabomb]

Times added for five of my favorites.
Ancalagon, I am struggling to get any close to your time on scotland, can you verify that there is no typo?

I am having trouble getting close to any scores :/ am I missing some basic driving skill or cheat or technique or something?

[bonifarz]

I am having trouble getting close to any scores :/ am I missing some basic driving skill or cheat or technique or something?

That is a reason why I like to collect information on shortcuts on the number of skidding boosts, to get some idea how someone got a certain score. One important thing that may easily get unnoticed is the number of laps here, for which i picked the minimum amount of two, in contrast to the traditional three lap times. It just makes things that much more convenient if there's one lap less to mess up

If there are still problems, we should try to get some video recorded.

[Ancalagon]

I will check my stk_config, but i don't remember modifying it since my last update from the 0.8 subversion version.
But maybe as a hint, I use the new skidding feature nearly everywhere, every time (even in straight line) which prevent my speed to drop too much.
Added to some nitro just after getting the boost it really provide an explosive accelaration and an higher average speed.

[Ancalagon]

Oh I think i misunderstood the term for skids, i thought it was the bonus given from the start, which can be collect in the gift box in the other modes.
I'm sorry i didn't keep record of the number of times i skidded during my trials.
I will try to do it, but now it's part of my driving like using nitro or turning left or right so it might prove quite difficult to count ...
(Yes, yes I'm guilty, I've been playing on the stk nightly build for weeks now )

[bonifarz]

Ancalagon is right, frequent skidding plays a pivotal role and allows some free style driving where collecting nitros is no longer as crucial as in earlier versions.
I emphasize that nobody is obliged to count the skidding boosts, as doing so can be quite an annoyance, it is just nice to have that as an optional information.
And Ancalagon, I got no answer yet about your scotland time

[Ancalagon]

I'm sorry to worsen your position, but to confirm it I re-run on the Scotland track and did a "modest" third-personnal best time at 1:16:67

[bonifarz]

Hahah, allright, then this is going to be a nice challenge =)

[Ancalagon]

Hey, here is some new times, just to prevent bonnifarz to stop playing stk too soon
-Oliver's Math Class:
* 00:20:56, Suzanne. (whithout shortcuts)
-Fort Magma
* 01:15:01, Suzanne, no shortcuts
-Around the lighthouse
* 00:38:77, Suzanne, 2 shortcuts
-Mini-golf
* 01:10:25, Suzanne 2 shortcuts
-The old mine
* 01:23:56,Suzanne, no shortcuts
-xr591
* 01:24:24 Suzanne, 2 shortcuts
-Amazonian Journey
* 01:16:76, Suzanne, no shorcuts
-Northern Resort
* 01:14:27 Suzanne, no shortcuts
-Bovine Barnyard
* 00:50:83 Suzanne 2 shortcuts
-Hacienda
* 01:17:42 Suzanne 2 shortcuts

I'm still searching the shortcuts bonnifarz take in xr591 and Mini-golf, I really have a hard time to match your times without them

[Alayan]

Mini-golf really have shortcuts that, if there are not easy to take first time, make you get a lot faster. I see good the two first, for the third I have an idea, it's really special, but I have to test if it really worth.

[bonifarz]

Thanks for the update, Ancalagon,
I'll adjust the boards soon.

It is truly astounding how much time you can gain with your advanced skidding technique, especially in such a short track like Oliver's, where I really would not expect a decrease of 10% (!) for your two lap time. Well done.
Concerning shortcuts, I emphasize that if I take the same three shortcuts in both laps, I count that as six shortcuts overall. I can give clues about the shortcuts if you want. One in minigolf (which is described in the old topic linked above) is quite difficult to execute.

For everyone else, don't be discouraged to post your times, it really does not have to be a top score.

[Ancalagon]

For Oliver's it's not really the how to skid but where and when (just after the boost for exemple) and mostly very smooth trajectory, avoiding too sharp turns especially at the beginning and the end of the track.
For exemple in the last corner before the end line I found out that using only nitro and not getting the skidding boost help to gain 0.3 or 0.5 second a lap, which is significant on such a track.

[ctdabomb]

Zen Garden: 0:0:38:76 0 skids. 2 shortcuts total(1 per lap)

[bonifarz]

Nice one, ctdabomb.
I did not know about this one, and it was fun finding out what to do here =)
The boards are updated, if you spot a typo or mistake, just poke me.
I hope other players will share their times, even though it may seem impossible to match Ancalagon's times

[Ancalagon]

Zen Garden: 0:0:38:76 0 skids. 2 shortcuts total(1 per lap)

Is the shortcut the one mentionned in this topic http://forum.freegamedev.net/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=3937?
Because the gain in time is really impressive (more than 5 secondes per lap from my own best time), and whithout skids...

I re-run on Oliver's in order to determine what's was my "gold strategy" on it. One crucial point is the use of nitro, which enable me to skip the second zipper, and in doing so I found myself driving on a shorter path and gaining time thanks to it.
Secondly, in the same final straight line, the effect of the first zipper is fading so i'm using the boost here, or going full throttle with nitro.
I nearly don't skid on this straight line, while i skid as soon as possible on the rest of the track, especially when getting on the first zipper. (between 8 and 10 skids in total)
There is also what I mentionned previously, everytime I did a good time, at the begining of the second lap I manage to drive the double curb very smoothly and close to the edge, losing less speed and gaining some distance.
But all this little adjustements are nothing without practice (and the more you practice, the more you are enjoying the game)
In conclusion I was able to pass under the 20 seconds

[bonifarz]

Zen Garden: 0:0:38:76 0 skids. 2 shortcuts total(1 per lap)

Is the shortcut the one mentionned in this topic http://forum.freegamedev.net/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=3937?
Because the gain in time is really impressive (more than 5 secondes per lap from my own best time), and whithout skids...

Ah, true, have not taken a look at that topic. And as you see, this will be very easy to fix.
Your strategy explanation for Oliver's is interesting, and I think it would be great if you find a good way to make a video. I tried recording screencasts with VLC in the past, but the frame rate got too choppy to drive reasonably. Of course, there's plenty of other software around that other people find useful for that.