The "Drive Any Car" Gran Turismo 4 Garage

In Between Extremes

2009-01-24T23:45:00.000-08:00

With the Extreme Events now available for entry, I'll be working on the championships for the next few Weeks. At this point, I'm trying to make sure that there isn't an OMR-eligible car that can win the Formula Gran Turismo races, as my current candidate for it is the R8 I won back on Day 332.

I've tried the MPZ and the Abt TT-R, but neither of them have the oomph nor tire life to win that series as a sweep. I actually managed to win the first race with the MPZ, but the race at Motegi Super Speedway is just too tough to beat.

I've pre-run all of the races with the R8, and it's good enough of a car to use to sweep the event, all for 200 pointers, with sizeable margins. But I'd like to make sure I'm not using a car that doesn't have to be used to complete this game.

I'm also still working out my candidate for the Polyphony Digital Cup championship. I have the RAM slated as my entry, but I'm going to do some testing with the BLRA and some other vehicles to see what's best. I'd like to use the RAM as little as possible (except for the Special Conditions Events), and I'd prefer to use a car that needs to be worn down a bit.

It might be a while before I race in the Formula GT event, but I'll be doing a lot of driving until then.

Have A Great Drive!
RoadHazard
http://www.mygt4diary.com/

Crappy Freaking New Year!

2009-01-01T16:13:00.000-08:00

I've found an error in TornadoAlley's NTSC/USA Used Car Cycle listing that has forced me to change my choice of cars to use. Here's the deal...

During Week 44, the spreadsheet shows the 1989 Mazda MX-5 Miata as having 30587.7 miles. In actuality, it has 40587.7 miles. This means that the 1989 Miata that shows up during Week 4, with 37506.8 miles, is the lowest mileage (non 6.2 mile) Miata that appears in the lots.

Since I'm way past Week 4, that means I have to choose another Miata to run for the Roadster 4h Endurance and Miata OMR events. In order to use it *AND* collect an identical one, I'd have to either: buy and drive the one on Week 104, and collect the one on Week 204; or START ALL OVER, FROM DAY 1.

My earliest gamesave backup is on Day 99, having just completed Missions 1-4 and 30-34. I'm not going to start from scratch, as my plans to collect every low-mileage car available are not completely ruined... I just have some re-shuffling to do...

The trouble was that the '89 Miata was the only car in my fleet eligible for the Japanese 80's Festival. Since I "couldn't" use that car anymore, I needed to find one that could run in that event. The 1981 Isuzu PIAZZA XE (which I purchased during Week 27) is not only eligible for that event, it can sweep it for 200 pointers. The A-spec yield from the Isuzu OMR won't drop much compared to using the 117 Coupe, and it's not a 200-point max race anyway (179 points is the max anyone's ever gotten from each race).

But that also meant I needed to find another candidate for the Spider & Roadster event. Since I had already planned on using the '54 Corvette, I confirmed that it could sweep that event for 200 pointers as well.

And finally, I had to decide on a different Miata to use. The 2004 1600 NR-A, while I don't plan on wearing it down, can still sweep the Miata OMR for 200 pointers. The A-spec yield from the Roadster Enduro won't be close to 200, but I'm so sickened by this mess that I don't give much of a crap.
...

Lately, my console has been giving me the Red Spinning Disk (PS2's version of a middle finger). No more than 6 months ago, I sent it off to SCEA support to get things fixed after consistent "Disc Read Errors". I got fed up, particularly after discovering the error in the Used Car Cycle list, and opened it up for a cleaning.

Everything was going swell, but while putting the top cover back on, the Reset/Eject ribbon got caught between the pegs that hold the cover in place. This bent & severed the flat cable so that the Eject button does not work anymore. In order to open/close the Disc tray, I have to pinch the broken part of the ribbon so that the little wires make contact with each other.

It still works, and I no longer have to wait 12384732847 minutes for the game/menu/race to load. But now I have to replace the ribbon or get a new console in order to keep things tidy. Just freaking dandy...

To hell with 2008. Good freaking riddance to it. If 2009 proves to be any crappier than 2008, I'll have to find something to destroy...

And I never mentioned it before, but a lady backed into my car (my real one) while I was exiting the parking lot of a small shopping center on the 23rd of December...

I am not a happy man. Crappy Freaking New Year!!!

Have A Drive.
RoadHazard
http://www.mygt4diary.com/

Filling In The Blanks

2008-12-28T01:42:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm all caught up in terms of synchronizing my gamesave with the data on the website. I've put up a temporary table on the "myFleet.asp" page to show which cars I've used so far, but it's all static data auto-gen'd by MS Excel. I still need to build the Car and Event tables in the DB to get things working dynamically, but it's a heck of a lot of work.

So for now, I'm just going to update that page with cut 'n paste edits from whatever Excel builds. I still haven't gotten things worked out with the vehicle name display for the Game Status screen, as the Car tables haven't been built yet...

In any case, at least now it'll be easier for you to track my spending and mileage. All the numbers are good, and they add up correctly based on the cars I've bought, the money I've spent for mods, and the money I've earned from winning the events (and missions). I hope to have the "myGarage.asp" page up within a week or two, but I still need to figure out how best to store car name information. It's a big PITA, knowing how many different ways this game displays vehicle names, and the many little differences that appear based on where/how they're displayed. Again, I won't be able to fully populate that table until this game is completed...

I've also updated the Diary page so that it only shows one year at a time. My gamesave should be complete somewhere between Day 1219 to 1250, so I put up static links for each of the 4 years worth of diary entries. If/when I figure out a good way to determine the number of days in the diary, I'll make it more dynamic... Don't hold your breath...

Anyway, my gamesave is currently sitting at Day 299 (25 JAN, YEAR 2), and the car usage log can be found at the link below...
http://gt4.mygt4diary.com/myFleet.asp

Have A Great Drive!
RoadHazard
http://www.mygt4diary.com/

Closing The Gap

2008-12-02T22:02:00.000-08:00

At this point, I'm actually on Day 228. I've used 4 cars so far, and I have 64 races won, all for 200 points.

That means I've got a lot of reporting to do, and I'm working to get it done. The videos have already been uploaded, but none of the data has been updated in the website's DB. I'm still contemplating the best way to store car usage information, so anything I put up will probably be static until then...

Don't hold yer breath!

Have A Great Drive!
RoadHazard
http://www.mygt4diary.com/

Stopping For Directions...

2008-11-14T11:21:00.000-08:00

As of now, I've gotten 35 races completed, all for 200 pointers! So far, I've only used the Copen Active Top and the Clio Renault Sport V6 Phase 2. I'm trying to string together as many 200 pointers as I can (without buying the Dodge Ram), and it's looking like I'll need to get into another car to do so.

But before I proceed with the gamesave, I'd like to finish the car and race database. I'm also contemplating an accounting DB, where it keeps track of the money spent and earned. This will take me a while to figure out and then build, and it'll make things easier to see regarding the path I took to get to 100%.

I also have more than 20 videos to edit and upload. They're all race replays from this gamesave, and I tried to include the settings screen to show the setup for the A-spec total. Some of the videos get choppy, and I'll have to replace some "live play" videos with the regular replays, which don't show the A-spec total.

Other than that, I still have work to do on the resource sections. I have some more organizing to do, but hopefully I'll have plenty of new pages on the site by the end of the month. Until then...

Have A Great Drive!
RoadHazard
http://www.mygt4diary.com/

Building A Good Base Of Data

2008-11-07T17:00:00.000-08:00

I've still got some races to report on, having finished the Japan Compact Cup Championship for a 200 point sweep. I need to create some more tables for the DB, mostly dealing with the vehicle data. At this point, it's going to be a very crude DB, not very elegant, but minimally functional so I can continue creating pages for the site.

As previously mentioned, there'll be a lot of things I won't check until after this gamesave is complete. I'll try to get as robust of a DB as possible, but that's going to take some time.

As I acquire every car, I'll record all relevant data from it. There are some discrepancies in some of the data that shows, mostly dealing with hp #s and vehicle display names (depending on where that data is being displayed). I'll do my best to iron things out.

The vehicle DB will be "seeded" with cars in my Garage. At some point, I'll go through all other vehicles to collect the data for those that appear as opponents, as well as those that appear in the Showrooms.

Have A Great Drive!
RoadHazard
http://www.mygt4diary.com/

My Race Routine

2008-11-05T09:42:00.001-08:00

Before I begin racing, I think it would be a good idea to give a little insight as to how I prepare for my runs.

My plan is to use 47 cars to complete this game. Trying to use as few cars as possible will lead to some lopsided matchups in my favor, but I'll still be going for as many 200-pointers as I can (or close to "max"). For some of the most detailed info on how to achieve this, I've been using GTPlanet.net's 200-A-spec-point Forum. It's been an invaluable source of information that's helped me plan my game.

After deciding which race to enter and the car to use, I load up my "tester" gamesave, and buy all add-on (removable) upgrades for that vehicle. That means no oil change, no lightening, and no engine mods that can't be undone. I also buy all 3 sets of FREE Tires (N1, N2, N3), and depending on how close I think the competition will be, I might buy a set of S1, S3, and/or R1 Tires.

I try to keep the car as "default" as possible, so I don't actually put the parts on the car until I enter the "Settings" screen in the Race Menu. Before I do, I simply start the race with whatever lineup they give me, and check the A-spec point value. I might run a lap or two to check for competitiveness, but if it's less than 175 points, then I simply check the next lineup until I find one that offers at least 175 points. I usually add the Nitrous, then the Drivetrain mods before adding any power or changing the Tires. When I'm satisfied that I'm getting as many A-spec points as I can while still being able to sweep, I reload the other Memory Card and run things for real.

Many of my videos begin as I start the race. This will help ensure that there's proof of the A-spec values, and I'll try to remember to start the captures from the Settings screen. It'll also give a little more insight as to how I play this game, as the rear-view mirror and Look-Back Camera are shown in real-time. Again, I would never race like this in real life. I'll be doing a lot of bashing and corner-cutting and wall-riding to get the job done.

But one of the keys to winning many of the Championship events for 200-pointers is qualifying in P1. This helps to stay in front of the competition and block for the lead, and is a great way to wear a car down. Practice sessions can be run infinitely without registering in the diary, and the wear-down in HP will help with the A-spec haul.

So after winning a race, I record the stats and save the game. I always back-up my gamesave before starting an event, with another backup or two at other stages in the game.

I'll have more updates soon. I've completed 10 races, all for 200 pointers! Stay tuned...

Have A Great Drive!
RoadHazard
http://www.mygt4diary.com/

Have You Ever Read Someone Else's Diary???

2008-10-30T23:52:00.000-07:00

Personally, I couldn't care less what your answer is, because you can read mine ONLINE!
http://gt4.mygt4diary.com/diary.asp

In addition to capturing and uploading more than 200 videos so far, with many more still to come, I also got my diary page working. The real doozy is figuring out how I want to store Vehicle Information in my DB, so that I can properly use it for my Garage and Fleet pages, as well as for display in the Status Screen.

I'm also working on the Race DB, which will have information on event groupings and the venues at which they take place. I'll give an update as things move along.

But I'm itchin' to race! It's been nearly 40 days (real life) since I did any driving for this game. It'll take some refamiliarization before I "get back up to speed"...

Until then, Have A Great Drive!
RoadHazard
http://www.mygt4diary.com/

All Caught Up...

2008-10-25T12:25:00.001-07:00

In terms of reporting, I'm finally up-to-date for my Daily Diary Details. I'll be working on building out some more pages for the website before I continue playing, but I'll be getting to that shortly.

I've also put up replays for my gold-time Coffee Breaks, even though they aren't part of this gamesave. I'm also going to be putting up replays of my personal best times (many of which are not part of this gamesave), but I'm having trouble uploading them to my Google Video account, so I might have to post some of the larger files to my YouTube account...

As always, I'll keep y'all in the loop with what I end up doing. Until then...

Have A Great Drive!
RoadHazard
http://www.mygt4diary.com/

Closing The Gap

2008-10-20T22:34:00.000-07:00

Wow! I'm almost caught up with my daily reporting for the gamesave. Just 12 more days to report on, and 5 of those days are car acquisitions. It's been more than a month since I actually drove in a car (for this game), and just to see how rusty I was, I loaded up Mission 34 to see how I'd do...

Not good. I think I made it to Metzgesfeld before I gave up. Fortunately, that Mission's already done, but it doesn't bode well for when I get rolling again. Another good thing is that I won't be running any high performance cars for a good while, so this will give my thumbs some time to re-familiarize themselves with the DS2.

I've added a few pages to the website, and I'll be fleshing out a lot more of it once I'm caught up. It'll still be a while before I compelte the full database, and I'll probably have to use static pages until then...

Other than that, my hands have been busy typing, and I'm itching to get back to racing again. Until then...

Have A Great Drive!
RoadHazard
http://www.mygt4diary.com/

What the heck am I doing???

2008-10-06T18:10:00.000-07:00

Hi all! I just got done uploading the last of my License and Mission replays. I still have the details of each day to flesh out, so I haven't been doing much driving (game playing).

I'm also building a GT4 Database, based on the NTSC/USA version. It'll have data obtained by playing this game (no rev-eng nor decomps), and it won't rely on the sometimes ambiguous listings (especially Car Names) found on other sites. Needless to say, this is quite an endeavor, and I'm not even sure if the DB memory allocation my hosting plan offers will cover it (I think it will). But, I'll need this data to make my site work, and I can't pay for someone else to do so. In the end, this will end up being a great resource for playing this game... Even if I'm the only one who uses it...

I hope to have the structure finalized soon, then I'll work on the preliminary data. There are a lot of discrepancies between the resources I've used (again, mostly dealing with Car Names), and the only way to iron them out is to finish this game. I'll update the information as I encounter errors, and I'll give a heads up when I do.

Have A Great Drive!
RoadHazard
http://www.mygt4diary.com/

My License Routine...

2008-10-01T12:34:00.000-07:00

While posting the details of the License Tests, I thought it'd be a good idea to mention the process I go through to pass them.

First, I read the caption on the right side of the screen. This description helps point out what's being tested, and provides a little insight as to what's needed to pass the test.

Then, I watch the demo. Then I watch it again. Then I watch it again... I watch it as many times as I need to feel comfortable with the car & the track. It's best to watch the demo using the same view as the one you use when driving.

I'll watch the video to help me identify three key things:
- Braking points
- Turn-in points (watch the G-meter)
- Lowest speed through turns & exit speeds (passing the end of the rumble strip or another landmark)

The demo is always a gold-medal run. If you take a line and keep your inputs similar to the Demo run, you'll be well-set for a gold time. My personal preference is to run the test until I can beat the demo, but for this gamesave, that isn't the case.

And with that said, the demo run doesn't always take the best line. There may be sections where you can get ahead of it (where it would be), so don't feel as though you need to do EXACTLY what the demo run does.

My reports for the Licenses, Missions, and Races will all be done in first-person form. I'm doing this because I'm reporting on my run, which may or may not be handled in the way that's best for you. The high-frequency of "I" in these reports is the result of my being careful not to tell you what to do. This was because there are many ways to go about passing these tests, and I'm not going to restrict you from any ways you might feel are best.

In the end, you'll have all the information you'll need to defeat the gold medal time. Patience, Practice, and Persistence will get you where you want to be.

Have A Great Drive!
RoadHazard
http://www.mygt4diary.com/

Playing Catch Up...

2008-09-29T16:15:00.000-07:00

At this point, I'm all done with my Licenses and Missions. I have 28 cars in my Garage, only 6 of which I'll be using.

It's day 144, and I'm just about to buy the '97 Civic Type R (EK), and then I'll have to choose a car to sit in and race.

But until then, I have more than 135 more days to report on. I have to capture the replays, upload them, then provide a detailed report for more than 100 days. This will take me a while, so please be patient while I get the details up. After that, I'll continue with the game, and continue to make the rest of MyGT4Diary.com more robust. Sit tight!

Have A Great Drive!
RoadHazard
http://www.mygt4diary.com

Getting Phased...

2008-09-26T22:55:00.000-07:00

There might be some exceptions, but for the most part, my progress can be split up into different phases. My philosophy on that comes from my desire to have several different gamesave backups, so that I can have something to fall back on if I make a mistake/planning error or make an unexpected discovery (the latter being much more unlikely than the former).

I prefer to do as much as I can without getting into a car, and to do as much as I can before buying a new car and/or using a prize car. I prefer to take care of the most challenging and painful tasks up front, and coast into victory when the line is in sight. I'll be doing the championships before I do any single-race events, to make my schedule more flexible later in the game.

Generally, here are the Phases of my gamesave, based on certain landmarks or patterned behavior. I won't include purchases or prizes, as those activities will take place throughout the game.

Phase 1a: B, A, IB, IA Licenses
Phase 2: Missions 1, 2, ..., 34
Phase 1b: S License
Phase 3: Finish Beginner and Professional events
Phase 4: Unlock and complete the Endurance Event Hall (get to 25% complete)
Phase 5: Complete the Extreme Event Hall, starting with FGTWC.
Phase 6: Finish all other races, collecting cars along the way.

There's one car I need to buy during Phase 1a, the Daihatsu Midget II D-type. The lowest mileage one (non-6.2) appears during Week 6, and having only $10000 makes it one of the few cars in my fleet that I can buy early. The OMR for this car is a single race. I guess "One Make Race does not a One Race Make".

Ok. That was completely lame. But it just goes to show [something that I don't want shown].

Until Week 75, I'll be deferring the purchase of many of the used cars that I won't be using. This will help make sure that I have enough money to start collecting, as well as have enough to buy the new cars of my fleet and mod them as needed.

For Phase 2, I must mention: There is a glitch in some versions of GT4 that could make it impossible to get 100%. I'm not exactly sure what causes the glitch, which versions, or how to verify whether it's in effect or not, but as long as Mission 1 (The Pass @ Deep Forest, Fiat 500R) is the first Mission you clear, then you're OK. For emphasis, If you clear any Mission OTHER THAN Mission 1 for your first cleared Mission, your % Complete stat in the Game Status page will never reach 100%. Anyway, I'll be doing #s 1-4, then #s 30-34, buy some cars, then back to #s 5-29.
Here is a link to find out more on the glitch:
http://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showthread.php?t=67785&highlight=mission+1

I prefer to win the prize cars I'll need as soon as possible. This is so that I won't have to defer running any races longer than I have to. Other than that, I'll need enough $ to buy the Abt TT-R and the Shelby Cobra. These are some key cars I'll need, and they are the most expensive ones of my fleet.

The rest of the game will be a natural progression. All of the Beg. & Pro. events add up to around 14 or 15 %, with another 5.7% coming from the Missions. From there, I'll have to race for another 30 or so events/championships, to have unlocked all of the race halls. I need the Nissan Motul Pitwork Z ASAP! It'll be my early-game workhorse, and it'll be needed to win the CdlS I 24h Enduro.

So the first 143 Days will be spent on the Licenses & Missions, with 8 of those days for Used Car buying. I'll give all of the details in the Diary Blog, so you can follow the day-by-day there.

Have A Great Drive!
RoadHazard
http://www.mygt4diary.com/

And off we go!

2008-09-26T18:18:00.000-07:00

I've set up a separate blog, where each blog entry will explain the daily details of every Game Diary entry. Here's the link!
http://mygt4diary.blogspot.com/

Each post will start with some background, then the actual Diary entry will be displayed (VERBATIM). Then I'll list the section of the game as "License Center : B Licenses : ...", "Extreme Hall : Formula Gran Turismo World Championship : Tokyo Route 246..." , etc.

I'll give a little explanation of the driving involved, and follow it all up with a replay. For the really LONG races, it's impractical to record the whole thing, but I'll try to include the last 10 minutes and the cool-off lap to show the opponents and how they finished.

One other thing... I dorked out and built a website! I'm still working on things, but basically it's a site that tracks the progress of this gamesave...

http://www.MyGT4Diary.com/

The GT4 section is where you'll find links to this blog, but I'll be fleshing out the other resource sections in time. I'm not trying to reinvent the wheel, so it'll mostly be links to other websites (hand-picked, not auto-gen'd) that I find useful, to varying degrees. The Game Status Screen is cool, in that you can flip through the days to see how the numbers change (something that can't be done in the game). The Game Diary section (non-blog) will probably be split up into months or quarters (instead of weeks, like in the game). And finally, I'm trying to figure out the best way to represent my Garage, as well as a Garage History (ins, outs, usage). That one's gonna take a while longer.

Hopefully, I'll be able to let other users track their own games, but for now I need to make sure mine works!

And lastly, I need to remind everyone that my goal isn't to become the "Best GT4 Player" or the "Best Video Game Driver". Nor do I delude myself into thinking that playing this game, well or poorly, is an indication of how well or poorly I drive a REAL VEHICLE. I don't drive the way I play, and I don't play the way I drive.

This clearly won't apply to ALL races, but for everything except the License Tests, be prepared to see WallRiding. Be prepared to see LawnMowing. Be prepared to see Blatant and Malicious Abuse of the Game's Lack of Damage Physics. Black Flags? HA!!! Chicane? What Chicane??? HAAAAAHAHAHA!!!

Caution: Road Hazard

Have A Great Drive!
http://www.mygt4diary.com/

My Lineup: Cars I've chosen to drive

2008-09-23T17:40:00.000-07:00

The remainder of my fleet are cars I've chosen for different reasons. I'll note the OMRs for which they're eligible, and some other interesting points...

2000 Aston Martin DB7 Vantage Coupe - ($ 194260, new)
for UK/Aston Martin/Aston Martin Carnival
for Professional/Supercar Festival
* I was originally planning on using the 1999 V8 Vantage instead of this vehicle. However, the V8 Vantage has a harder time picking up A-spec points, and buying the DB7 from the Showroom means I don't have to wait until Week 68 to finish the Professional Events. I haven't fine-tuned the settings for 200 pointers for the AM Carnival, but I've gotten good results for my test runs at the Supercar Festival.

2000 Audi Abt TT-R Touring Car - ($ 550000, new)
for Germany/Audi/Tourist Trophy
* I need an Audi TT for the Tourist Trophy, and I also need a German Touring Car for the DTM series. There is a Mercedes-Benz CLK Touring car that's awarded for the Legends of the Silver Arrow. However, it's not eligible for the SL Challenge, and that would make 3 cars driven to win the Mercedes, Audi, and DTM races (instead of 2). Hence, I'll be using the Abt TT-R. The cost of this vehicle means I'll have to wait until I have plenty of $ to spend before I can buy and use it. This car can be used to win the JGTC series, but I've already pulled a 200 point sweep in the Shelby.

2004 BMW 120i - ($ 31940, new)
for Germany/BMW/1 Series Trophy
for European/Hot Hatch League
* The only other car eligible for the 1 Series Trophy is the 120d, which has more power than the 120i. Using the 120i will lead to a higher A-spec point total. This car can also pull a 200 point sweep for the Euro Hot Hatch races.

2004 BMW M3 - ($ 74560, new)
for Germany/BMW/Club "M"
* There's a Used Car that's eligible for the Club "M" series: the M Coupe. However, the lowest mileage representative appears during Week 3 (18952.5 mi), at a price of $ 51284. So in order to use it (and stay within my rules of no transfers and minimum car usage), I'd have to buy it during Week 103, then buy and collect the undriven one during Week 203. The M3 is one of a few cars that I've elected to buy new, in order to wrap up my car collection by week 175.

1997 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 Coupe - ($ 15671, $ 12055, $ 8438, used)
for USA/Chevrolet/Camaro Meeting
* This is the only used Camaro available. You might choose to buy a "classic" version (pre-1980), so that you can use it in the Muscle Car Competition, but I already have a car lined up for that one. The lowest mileage Z28 Coupe appears in the Used II lot during Week 19 (22580.5 mi). I'll buy and use that one, then buy and collect the same one on Week 119. There is also a Camaro LM Race Car awarded for the USA/Stars & Stripes event. The IROC-Z, another eligible car, is the prize car for this event.

1954 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible - ($ 0, PRIZE)
from America/All American Championship
for USA/Chevrolet/Vette! Vette! Vette!
for America/Muscle Car Competition
for Beginner/Spider & Roadster
* (EDIT) I'm using this vehicle for the Muscle Car and Spider & Roadster events. There might be another series or two, but since I'm no longer using the Shelby Cobra, I needed an American Classic, and this one fits the bill. It can win many 200 pointers, which will give me a much higher A-spec total than if I were to use the Cobra. I was going to use the Cobra for the JGTC event, but now that I've won that series with the Series 1 (something I didn't think of before), I'll be using the '54 Vette instead.

2002 Daihatsu Copen Active Top - ($ 14980, new)
for Japan/Daihatsu/Copen Race
* The only other car eligible for the Copen Race is the Copen Detatchable Top. They're identical in every way except for weight: the Active Top weighs more (830kg to the D-Top's 800kg). Using the Active Top will lead to a higher A-spec total. This car can also sweep the World Compact Car races for 200 points.

2004 Dodge 1500 Laramie Hemi Quad Cab - ($ 37930, new)
for Beginner/Sport Truck Race
*** This is only one of two cars in my fleet (as of now) that will not be used in a OMR. ***
* Even though it's not a OMR, the Sport Truck Race is one of a few that require the purchase and use of a particular type of vehicle. The RAM can sweep this, AND MANY OTHER RACES, for 200 A-spec points. I'll have more on this in later posts.

1997 Honda Civic Type R (EK) - ($ 12986, $ 9990, $ 6992, used)
for Japan/Honda/Type R Meeting
for Japan/Honda/Civic Race
* Since both of the Honda races require a Civic and a Type R, why not use a Civic Type R for both, right? The '97 model is slightly better than the '98 for netting A-spec points, but more importantly, the lowest mileage '98 doesn't appear until Week 86 (19345.1 mi, Used II, $ 12986). I'll buy and use the lowest mileage '97 during Week 21 (22164.5 mi, Used II, $ 12986), then buy and collect the same one during Week 121. The EK models can also win the Japan Championship and 90's Challenge.

2001 Hyundai Tiburon GT - ($ 33020, new)
for Korea/Hyundai/Hyundai Sports Festival
* The 2001 Hyundai HCD6 that's awarded for the Special Conditions: Easy/Cathedral Rocks (Trail II) races is eligible for this race. I'll keep that one untouched. The Tiburon is the cheapest of the other eligible cars, and is the best at netting A-spec points (for this series).

1968 Isuzu PIAZZA XE - ($ 20952, $ 8627, used)
for Japan/Isuzu/Isuzu Sports Classics
* This is another event that requires the purchase and use of a Used Car (without transferring). The other 2 cars eligible for the Isuzu Sports Classics are the Bellett 1600 GT-R, and the PIAZZA XE. I'll be using this vehicle since it lends itself to a higher A-spec yield (200 isn't possible for this and many other OMRs). There are 5 that appear during the 100 week cycle, and the lowest mileage one appears during Week 44 (45220.4 mi, Historic). I'll be buying and using that one, then I'll buy and collect another one during Week 144.

1998 Lexus IS200 - ($ 20700, new)
for Japan/Toyota/Altezza Race
* This is the least expensive of all eligible cars for the Altezza Race. It's also the best to use for scoring A-spec points. The Altezza Touring Car is also eligible, but only after it is acquired by winning this event.

2000 Lotus Elise - ($ 41060, new)
for UK/Lotus/Elise Trophy
* Since I can't use the Elise Type-72 (the prize for this event), this is the best car for scoring A-spec points in the Elise Trophy. I was originally planning on using the 1998 Elise Sport 190 from the Used Lot, but using this one instead will allow for a higher A-spec total, and allows for more flexibility in terms of when I schedule my races.

2004 Mazda MX-5 Miata 1600 NR-A (NB, J) - ($ 20500, new)
for Japan/Mazda/Roadster Cup
for Endurance/Roadster 4 Hours Endurance
* After discovering that the '89 Miata that appears during Week 44 is not the lowest mileage (non 6.2) available, I've decided to use this one instead.

2003 Mazda RX-8 - ($ 24000, new)
for Japan/Mazda/NR-A RX-8 Cup
for Japan/Mazda/Club "RE"
* There are 3 RX-8 prize cars, but one of them is the prize for this race (the LM Race Car). The other two are concept cars, one of which can only be acquired once (the Type II, for all Silver IB License times or better). Since I would rather keep them untouched, I'll be using the cheapest, least-powerful one in the Showroom.

1998 Mercedes-Benz SL 500 (R129) ($ 109258, $ 84045, used)
for Germany/Mercedes-Benz/SL Challenge
for Germany/Mercedes-Benz/Legends of the Silver Arrow
* This is one of 2 used cars eligible for BOTH of the MB events. The other is the SL 600 (R129). The SL 500 can pull 200 point sweeps for both of these events, as well as for Scharzwald Liga B. I had trouble sweeping the Pan Euro Championship, but it won a few races. The lowest mileage one appears during Week 37 (18844.4 mi). I'll buy and use that one, then buy and collect the one during Week 137.

2003 MG TF160 - ($ 38860, new)
for UK/MG/MG Festival
* The MG F is also available to use in this event. However, I'd have to wait until Week 90 to get the one I'd use (the lowest non-6.2 mile car (22107.8 mi)). This would mean either waiting until Week 190 to complete my collection of low-mileage cars, or use a 6.2 mile car, or buy something other than a "low mile" F. Instead, I'll just buy a new TF160 whenever I want, then collect the other F's as they come.

2002 Mini Mini One - ($ 19620, new)
for UK/Mini/Mini Sports Meeting
* This is the cheapest and best A-spec yielding car eligible for the Mini Sports Meeting. It can also sweep the FF Challenge for 200 pointers.

2000 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI RS T.M.E. - ($ 19485, $ 16886, $ 12990, used)
for Japan/Mitsubishi/Evolution Meeting
for Japanese/Japan Championship
* There are a lot of used Lancers available, and this one is one of the more powerful ones out there. For most other OMRs, I try to use a "handicapped" vehicle, but the OMR is actually quite competitive. Anyway, the lowest mileage car appears during Week 27 (13227.2 mi). I'll buy and use that one, then buy and collect the one during Week 127. This car can pull 200 point sweeps at the Japan Championship, as well as its OMR

1978 Mitsubishi MIRAGE 1400 GLX - ($ 9220, new)
for Japan/Mitsubishi/Mirage Cup
* I was originally planning on using the CYBORG ZR, but I made some adjustments to my lineup that required me to choose another Japanese 1970s car. Fortunately, this one can still sweep the Mirage Cup for 200 pointers, and the cost/difficulty of doing so isn't that bad at all.

2003 Nissan Micra - ($ 10950, new)
for Japan/Nissan/March Brothers
* I was originally planning on using a March G# from the Used Lots, but I discovered that I could sweep this OMR for 200 pointers using the Micra. This also means I don't have to wait until Week 70 (when the lowest mileage March G# appears) to complete this event.

2004 Nissan MOTUL PITWORK Z (JGTC) - ($ 1350000, PRIZE)
from Japanese/All Japan GT Championship
for Japan/Nissan/Club "Z"
for Endurance/Circuit de la Sarthe 24 Hr I
for Professional/Gran Turismo World Championship
for Many Others
* I know it's a bit overkill, but the main reason I'm using this one is that I can use it to win the R8. I'm going to test both of them against the F1 cars, but I have doubts about the Z being able to sweep. I think I may be able to win the GTWC with it, but I need more test runs to get 200 pointers from all of them. It's likely to be my main horse for the Endurance and Extreme events, depending on the points offered. In any case, I'll be getting this car after winning the Japanese GT Championship.

1996 Nissan Silvia Q's Aero (S14) - ($ 10875, $ 7612, used)
for Japan/Nissan/Silvia Sisters
* This is one of many used Silvia's that are eligible for this event. It's not the least competitive, but A-spec points are not much of a concern for this gamesave. There are only a few that appear early enough in the Used Car Cycle that make it practical for use (based on my own restrictions), and this is one of them. The lowest mileage car appears during Week 25 (25081.2 mi). I'll buy and use that one, then buy and collect the same one during Week 125.

1962 Nissan SKYLINE Sport Coupe (BLRA-3) - ($ 320000, new)
for Japan/Nissan/Race of the Red "R" Emblem
for Professional/World Classic Car Championship
for European/1000 Miles!
* I was originally planning on using the '73 KPGC110, but doing so means giving up a lot of points for the 1000 Miles! and WCCC events. This car can sweep for 200 pointers in the 3 events listed above, but doing so wasn't easy. As imprudent as it might seem to plunk nearly $400000 (including mods) into a car, I knew I'd be getting it back quickly (1000 Miles! was the first event for this car). It is, in my opinion, the best-handling car on N1 tires I've driven so far... a 200 point goldmine!

2000 Opel Speedster - ($ 44690, new)
for Germany/Opel/Speedster Trophy
* The only other eligible car for the Speedster Trophy is the Speedster Turbo. I'll be using the less-powered Speedster, for more A-spec points. I haven't tested this car yet, so there may be more races run with it.

2001 Peugeot 206cc - ($ 26520, new)
for France/Peugeot/206 Cup
* There is a 206 S16 that appears in the Used Lots, but using it means waiting until Week 75 to acquire it. Using a brand new 206cc frees up my schedule, while still being able to pull 200 point sweeps for the OMR.

2003 Renault Clio Renault Sport V6 Phase 2 - ($ 53720, new)
for France/Renault/Clio Trophy
for Professional/Tuning Car Grand Prix
for European/Pan Euro Championship
* I had originally planned on using a used Clio for this and other series. But the V6 24V doesn't appear until Week 90. I also found out that the Phase 2 can sweep the Clio Trophy without much added, as well as the Tuning Car GP and Pan Euro Events... all for 200 pointers!!

2000 Renault Megane 2.0 IDE Coupe - ($ 22609, $ 19950, $ 17289, $ 13300, used)
for France/Renault/Megane Cup
* The only other eligible car for the Megane Cup is the 2.0 16V found in the Showroom. The $22609 IDE during Week 75 is a 6.2 mile car, and the lowest non-6.2 mile one appears during Week 18 (12541.2 mi). I'll buy and use the one during Week 18, then buy and collect the ones during Weeks 75 & 118. It should be able to win the Tous France Championnat events for 200 pointers. The 2.0 16V has the potential to score more A-spec points, but only after being worn down extensively. I still might decide to purchase the 2.0 16V, so I'll keep you in the loop on that.

2003 Shelby Series 1 Super Charged - ($ 184630, new)
for USA/Shelby/Shelby Cobra Cup
for Japanese/All Japan GT Championship
for American/All American Championship
* I was originally planning on using the Cobra for these events, having chosen it to run in the pre 1970's events. But the Series 1 is a much cheaper car, and can pull 200 pointers much more easily than with the Cobra. Win, Win!

1998 Subaru Impreza Coupe 22B-STi Ver. - ($ 32499, $ 25000, used)
for Japan/Subaru/Stars of Pleiades
for Professional/Race of Turbo Sports
for Professional/Boxer Spirit
* This car can be used to win a lot of different races. It was important to choose an Impreza that could stay competitive in all types of events, and this is the one that yields the most A-spec points (for the Pro races). I may use this car for the Special Conditions races, when I don't use the RAM. The lowest mileage car appears during Week 42 (19443.5 mi). I'll buy and use that one, then buy and collect the one during Week 142.

1997 Suzuki Alto Lapin Turbo - ($ 12400, new)
for Japan/Suzuki/Suzuki K-Car Cup
* Determined to use as many Used Cars as possible, I had originally planned on using the Alto Works Ltd for this event. The SALT can pull 200 pointers for this OMR, but only after being worn down with mileage. In fact, a used Wagon RR can win just as many points as a brand new ALT. Since I already have the Alto Works Ltd in the Garage, I have the luxury of deferring my choice(s) until later.

1999 Toyota Vitz F - ($ 6369, $ 4900, used)
for Japan/Toyota/Vitz Race
* This car and the Vitz U Euro Sport Edition are the only 2 used cars eligible for the Vitz Race. The Vitz F is better for A-spec points (can sweep for 200 pointers... cheaply!), so I'll be using it. The lowest mileage car appears during Week 25 (15779.5 mi). I'll buy and use that one, then buy and collect the same one during Week 125.

1994 TVR Griffith 500 - ($ 29365, $ 20555, used)
for UK/TVR/Blackpool Racers
for Europe/British GT Championship
* There are a couple of other used cars eligible for this race, but the Griffith 500 is more versatile. It's eligible for the Spider & Roadster races, and is competitive in many other events. The lowest mileage car appears during Week 33 (28407.3 mi). I'll buy and use that one, then buy and collect the same one during Week 133. I've also discovered 200 point lineups for the British GT and Blackpool Racers events, but I haven't done many test runs for the OMR

2001 Volkswagen Lupo GTi - ($ 24160, new)
for Germany/Volkswagen/Lupo Cup
for Germany/Volkswagen/GTi Cup
* Similar in reasoning to the use of the Civic Type R, I'm going to buy a brand new Lupo GTi. There is a Lupo1.4 that's awarded for completing your B License, but it's not eligible for the GTi Cup. There's also a Golf IV GTi in the Used Lots, but that would mean using another car, which I don't want to do.

2000 Volkswagen New Beetle 2.0 - ($ 25980, new)
for Germany/Volkswagen/Beetle Cup
* This is he cheapest of the eligible cars for the Beetle Cup. There is a 1949 Beetle awarded, but only as a prize for this event. The 2.0 is best suited for A-spec scoring (other than the '49).

And Lastly...
2001 Audi R8 Race Car - ($ 4500000, PRIZE)
for Extreme/Formula GT World Championship
*** This is the last of the two cars in my fleet (as of now) that will not be used in a OMR. ****
* This car will be used mainly for the FGTWC. If I can somehow win the FGTWC with the Motul Pitwork Z, then I will not use this car at all. I don't think that's likely, seeing how much trouble it is to win the regular GTWC with it, but we'll see. In any case, This car will be used as infrequently as possible, but it's one of the few that can (supposedly) sweep the F1 series.

Total cost for these Driven Vehicles (36 on this list): $ 2080430
Total cost for ALL 47 Driven Vehicles: $ 2685863

I still have a lot of testing to do before I REALLY get going. When I'm finished testing, I'll start posting the details of each day, with videos and a summary of the day's happenings. Until then...

Have A Great Drive!
RoadHazard
http://www.mygt4diary.com/

My Lineup: Cars that MUST be driven

2008-09-23T17:35:00.000-07:00

Of the 47 cars in my lineup, 11 of them absolutely MUST be used. Meaning, transferring another OMR-eligible car from another Memory Card is the only way around using them on the way to 100%.

Here's a little explanation of those members of my fleet...

Cars that MUST BE WON to get to 100% (Stand-Alone Gamesave):

1973 Alpine A310 1600VE -
for France/Alpine/Renault Alpine Cup
won @ SpCond/Easy/George V Rally
* the only other car eligible for the Ren. Alp. Cup is the prize for that event.

1954 Citroen 2CV Type-A
for France/Citroen/2HP - 2CV Classics
won @ Euro/Tous France Championnat
* the only one eligible
*** Can also sweep the European Classic Car League!!! ***

2003 Suzuki CONCEPT-S2
for Japan/Suzuki/Suzuki Concepts
won @ Japan/Suzuki/Suzuki K-Car Cup
* the only other car eligible for the Suzuki Concept Car races is the prize for that event.

1971 Lotus Europa Special '71
for UK/Lotus/Lotus Classics
won @ Euro/British Light Weight Car Race
* the only other car eligible for the Lotus Classic Cup is the prize for that event.

Cars that MUST BE PURCHASED to get to 100% (Stand-Alone Gamesave):

2002 Saleen S7 ($ 419130, new) -
for USA/Saleen/Saleen S7 Club
* the only one eligible
* may be able to win many races. I haven't driven this one yet.* (EDIT) - this car can sweep the Supercar Festival!

2004 Chrysler Crossfire ($ 35670, new) -
for USA/Chrysler/Crossfire Trophy
* the only one eligible

1974 Triumph Spitfire 1500 ($ 17200, new) -
for UK/Triumph/Spitfire Cup
* the only one eligible
* one of several "prize" cars where you need to use one to win one.
* can also sweep the British Lightweight series.

1958 Subaru 360 ($ 36000, new) -
for Japan/Subaru/Subaru 360 Race
* the only one eligible
* another "need to use one to win one"

1998 Daihatsu Midget II D-Type ($ 2870 ,$ 3730, $ 4878, used) -
for Japan/Daihatsu/Midget II Race
* the only one eligible
* only one of 2 races that forces the use of a Used Car (the other is the Isuzu Classics)
* can also sweep the Lightweight K-Cup

2002 Alfa Romeo 147 GTA ($ 48040, new) -
for Italy/Alfa Romeo/GTA Cup
* the only other car eligible for the GTA Cup is the prize for that event.
* can also sweep La Festa Italiano

2003 Audi A3 3.2 Quattro ($ 42490, new) -
for Germany/Audi/A3 Cup
* the only one eligible

Total cost for these Driven Vehicles (11 on this list): $ 603408

All of the above are required, based on the rules I set for myself. The remaining members of my fleet are ones that I chose for different reasons...

Have A Great Drive!
RoadHazard
http://www.mygt4diary.com/

Lining Them Up

2008-09-23T17:31:00.000-07:00

I'm going to be building a minimum-Driven game, and the number I've gotten so far is... (drumroll)
47

jbrennan at GTPlanet.net and I came up with the same #, although he's going a different way about it. He and Famine are one of few people who've documented their minimum-day gamesaves, which mean they restrict themselves to the minimum car purchases (they have it down to 32). Unfortunately, this means using as many prize cars as possible, which is something I just don't want to do (for this gamesave). If GT4's calendar behaved similarly to GT3's, I might be trying to join them.

Anyway, the process I took to come up with my lineup was to first look at the most restrictive races... The One-Make Races (OMRs), found in the Dealer Menus of their respective countries. Next, I studied the Used Car List to find ones that would satisfy those restrictions. I then took a look at the other restricted races (country events, drivetrain, tires, etc) to make sure that something from my lineup could enter (and win). Then, I had to take a look at all of the other races, to try to determine the "competitiveness" of the eligible ones in different races like the Formula GT, JGTC, LeMans, etc. If I was left with a choice of cars to use, I would check GTPlanet.net to see if one would be more "A-spec-Friendly" than the other. Finally, I had to verify that the cars I plan to use were available at times that allowed me to progress through the game normally ($ or other restrictions).

I repeated this process a couple of times, making small revisions here and there to keep my goals of having the "Ultimate Tester's Garage" intact. Things are pretty well-set as of now, and I'll explain each member of my fleet in subsequent posts.

And, without further ado:
- 2002 Alfa Romeo 147 GTA
- 1973 Alpine A310 1600VE
- 2000 Aston Martin DB7 Vantage Coupe (EDIT: switched from 1999 V8 Vantage)
- 2003 Audi A3 3.2 quattro
- 2000 Audi Abt TT-R Touring Car
- 2001 Audi R8 Race Car
- 2004 BMW 120i
- 2004 BMW M3
- 1997 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 Coupe
- 1954 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible (EDIT: switched from 1996 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport)
- 2004 Chrysler Crossfire
- 1954 Citroen 2CV Type A
- 2002 Daihatsu Copen Active Top
- 1998 Daihatsu Midget II D-type
- 2004 Dodge 1500 Laramie Hemi Quad Cab
- 1997 Honda Civic Type R (EK)
- 2001 Hyundai Tiburon GT
- 1981 Isuzu PIAZZA XE
- 1998 Lexus IS200
- 2000 Lotus Elise (EDIT: switched from 1998 Elise Sport 190)
- 1971 Lotus Europa Special
- 2004 Mazda MX-5 Miata 1600 NR-A (NB, J)
- 2003 Mazda RX-8
- 1998 Mercedes-Benz SL 500 (R129)
- 2003 MG TF160
- 2002 Mini Mini One
- 2000 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI RS T.M.E
- 1978 Mitsubishi MIRAGE 1400 GLX (EDIT: switched from 1997 MIRAGE CYBORG ZR)
- 2003 Nissan Micra (EDIT: switched from 1999 March G#)
- 2004 Nissan MOTUL PITWORK Z (JGTC)
- 1996 Nissan Silvia Q's Aero (S14)
- 1962 Nissan SKYLINE Sport Coupe (BLRA-3) (EDIT: switched from 1973 SKYLINE 2000 GT-R (KPGC110))
- 2000 Opel Speedster
- 2001 Peugeot 206cc
- 2002 Renault Clio Renault Sport V6 Phase 2
- 2000 Renault Megane 2.0 IDE Coupe
- 2002 Saleen S7
- 2003 Shelby Series 1 Super Charged (EDIT: switched from 1967 Shelby Cobra 427)
- 1958 Subaru 360
- 1998 Subaru Impreza Coupe 22B-STi Ver.
- 2002 Suzuki Alto Lapin Turbo (EDIT: switched from 1997 ALTO WORKS SUZUKI SPORT Ltd.)
- 2003 Suzuki Concept-S2
- 1999 Toyota Vitz F
- 1974 Triumph Spitfire 1500
- 1994 TVR Griffith 500
- 2001 Volkswagen Lupo GTi
- 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle 2.0

10 Used, 30 New, and 7 that I have to win. All prize cars driven can be re-acquired.

This game can be completed using this lineup. There may be a chance I can take one of them off, but I'll get to that in later posts. If I make any adjustments, I'll mention as such.

(EDIT)
I decided to use the Shelby Series 1 instead of the Cobra 427. The Series 1 can win many more 200 pointers than the Cobra, and I'll be using the 1954 Corvette (prize from the All-American Championship) for the "Classics" races. This won't affect my race schedule much, other than allowing me to complete the Vette OMRs earlier (since I no longer have to wait to buy the Grand Sport).

Also, I'm looking into buying a lower-powered Lancer, now that I'm sure I won't have to use the RS TME for the JGTC (the Shelby can sweep for 200 pointers!). This will allow me to gather more A-spec points, but I'm still checking to see how practical this switch would be. (EDIT) I've decided to use the RS TME, which can sweep for 200 pointers in the OMR as well as the Japan Championship.

I've also updated my choice for the SKYLINE. I'll be using the '62 BLRA, since it's the most A-spec point friendly of the bunch. I'll be using it for the OMR as well as the pre-1970's races.

Updates have also been made for my entries to the Aston Martin Carnival, March Brothers, Mirage, Lotus, Corvette, and Isuzu Classics events.

Have A Great Drive!
RoadHazard
http://www.mygt4diary.com/

One more thing before I start..

2008-09-23T17:29:00.000-07:00

To reiterate, my main goal is to build a Garage that has all of the Used Cars, in all lowest-mileage forms (6.2 AND 9000+)... whether or not they are available elsewhere. Minimum days don't mean much to me other than the time I spend playing.

There are 8 cars that I'll need to buy that appear on the 100th week of the cycle. In addition to the Black Beauties (the 4 SuperCars), they are:
- Daihatsu Storia X4 '00 (13553.4 mi) - lowest mileage available (non-new)
- Honda S2000 Type V '00 (12766.6 mi) - lowest non-6.2 mileage available
- Lexus GS300 '91 (34454.3 mi) - lowest mileage available
- Suzuki Alto Works RS-Z '97 (21999.7 mi) - lowest mileage available

So, I will give one up on week 100 (the S2000, and/or one of the BBs) to acquire it on week 200. This way, I'd at least be able to have every used non-showroom, non-prize car in my Garage by the time I hit 100%.

However, My goal is to have every Used Car available, in all of their lowest mileage forms, UNTOUCHED. This will take at least 200 weeks (199 weeks + 1 day).

To get the lowest mileage cars that aren't available elsewhere, it would take at least 175 weeks (174 weeks + 1 day). There are 8 lowest mileage vehicles that appear during week 75, NONE of which are available elsewhere.

Week 67 is also a pinch. There are 18 lowest mileage vehicles that appear during that week, 8 of which cannot be purchased elsewhere. Thus, it would take at least 167 weeks (166 weeks + 1 day) to acquire all of the unique lowest mileage vehicles that appear during that week.

To simply get all used cars unavailable elsewhere (regardless of condition) would take 260 "extra" days.
To simply get all used cars (regardless of condition) would take 275 "extra" days.

I'd like to have the Ultimate Tester's Gamesave, where I can drive any car available in the game, in the best of all untouched conditions. I don't want to have to waste time putting miles on a 6.2 mile used car just to see what HP dropoff there is at 9000+ miles, or to try to test-run races with a car that's been abused. After all, I figure the most one can do in this game is to drive every single car on every single track in as many different situations as possible. I will likely not do so, but at least I'll have the gamesave to do it with!

Have A Great Drive!
RoadHazard
http://www.mygt4diary.com/

Finalizing My Goals

2008-09-23T17:26:00.000-07:00

The main goals for my gamesave are to:
1 - Achieve 100% completion
2 - Acquire every prize/bonus vehicle
3 - Acquire every Used Car
3A - Acquire the lowest-milage used vehicles available
3A1 - If a 6.2 mile model is available, purchase it AND the lowest mileage vehicle with more than 6.2 miles on it.

The rules I'm following are:
A - DO NOT transfer data from another game ($, Cars, Licenses, etc.)
B - DO NOT run any races in B-spec mode
C - DO NOT re-enter any races (until 100% complete)
D - DO NOT re-run any missions (until 100% complete)
E - DO NOT sell any cars (until 100% complete)
F - Avoid, as much as possible, making any modifications to a car that can't be undone
G - Use as few cars as possible (keep as many untouched as possible ("--" for the Driven #))
G1 - Of the cars that are used, try to use as many Used Cars as possible
G2 - Avoid, as much as possible, the use of Prize/Bonus Cars
G3 - If a prize/bonus car must be used, try to use one that can be purchased new or awarded repeatedly
G4 - Avoid, as much as possible, the use of New Cars
H - Get all gold License Test times
I - Win all Races
J - Clear all Missions
K - Score as many A-spec points as possible, given the above

Rule H is taken care of by Goal 2, since there are several Bonus Cars that can only be acquired by getting all-gold License Times.
Rules I & J are taken care of by Goal1, since this must be done to get 100%.
Rule K... It's been 3 years since the release of this game, and the higest A-spec total anyone has reported is around 111800. This includes the Driving Missions and the Family Cup (which I won't be doing). I'm prioritizing using as few vehicles as possible, so there might be more than a few races where my A-spec point yield drops considerably. However, whenever and wherever I can, I'll be going for 200-pointers.
Rule G... One thing I want is to have as many of the available Cars with the lowest mileage kept in the best condition possible. For Used Cars, the condition is the same whether they have 9000 or 590000 miles (9000 miles seems to be the cutoff for power loss and chassis rigidity).
Rule G4... As of now, there are potentially 2 cars I'll be buying & using, that I don't really have to buy. The 2001 VW Lupo GTI will be used for the VW Lupo Cup, as well as the VW GTI Cup. Alternatively, I could use the Lupo1.4 awarded for the B License, but I'd still have to buy (and use) another VW GTI. There are 3 2003 Mazda RX-8 models that I'm considering using. I could use one of the RX-8 models that are awarded, but I'd rather keep them undriven. It's a matter of testing to find out which of the 3 are best suited to sweep both the Mazda Club RE and Mazda NR-A RX-8 Cup...

When I'm done, I hope to have a gamesave where I'll be able to drive any ANY car available in the game by going to my Garage or a Showroom, in the best of all conditions available. It will take me beyond 100% to do so, since getting all used cars with the lowest mileage (non-6.2) takes at least 200 weeks.

I'll have more information on the details of the game and how they affect my schedule (licenses, missions, races, purchases). Keep your eyes peeled!

Have A Great Drive!
RoadHazard
http://www.mygt4diary.com/

Getting Ready To Roll

2008-09-23T17:20:00.000-07:00

OK, so I've been doing a lot of research on the Prize Car List, and the Used Car Listing Cycle (again, for the USA version), and after doing so, I've fleshed out my goals for this gamesave a little more. Many of them are unchanged (from my previous post), but some of them have changed completely.

Basically, my goal is to build a gamesave that will allow the player to drive any car that is available for use in this game (there are some vehicles that appear as opponents, but are unavailable for use).

There are more than 700 vehicles (unique Year/Make/Models) that a player can use in GT4. Many of them appear in the Dealer/Tuner Showrooms, and around 275 of them appear in the Used Car Lots (during different weeks). For winning all races and championships, there's more than 18 million $Cr awarded in prize money. This is more than enough to buy every unique Used Car, and still have enough left over to buy any other car in the showrooms (thus, allowing the player to drive any car), as well as any mods that they might want.

So, while playing this game, it'll be important to stay mindful of the used cars that are available for that week, as some of them only appear a handful of times during the 700 day cycle. It's my goal to try to pick up the lowest mileage representative of each, but there are a few cars that I can't do this for, unless I'm willing to "waste" another 700 days to cycle through the Used Car Listing (and I'm not). There are two weeks in particular that affect this, Week 67 and Week 75.

During those weeks, more than 7 of the lowest-mileage cars appear in the listings (there are 18 during week 67!!!). Since acquiring a car takes one day, I'll have to buy those other models during other weeks. Obviously, I won't be racing during weeks 67 & 75.

So, that's the most significant change to my goals, as I'm pretty much abondoning the "minimum Days" goal. The rest of them are pretty much unchanged... No Memory Card transfers, 100% wins without repeats (522 trophies), no cars sold, etc...

I'll post a list of all of the used cars, and the times I expect to buy them in a later post. There are still some things that need to be worked out, and I don't want to have to start from scratch (again). Meanwhile...

Have A Great Drive!
RoadHazard
http://www.mygt4diary.com/

Lots of Lots of Cars...

2008-09-23T17:18:00.000-07:00

Before I get going on this gamesave, I need to learn enough about it to clearly define my goals. One of the biggest factors for doing so is the fact that there are so many ways to acquire cars for the GT Mode Garage.

There are 724 cars available for use in GT4 (I'm still working to confirm it). Not all of these can be used to enter races. Some of them can only be acquired as Prize/Bonus Cars (for completing certain parts of the game), some of them are found in each Dealer's Showroom (found in their respective countries), some of them can be found in one of the three Used Car Lots (I, II, and Historic), and some cars are sold in the Tuner's Village.

There is one last way that a vehicle can make it's way into the Garage, via Memory Card Transfer. Since this gamesave will be "Stand-Alone" (no Cars, Licenses, nor $Cr transferred from another card/game), there's no need to discuss how this is done... I don't know, anyway...

One point that needs to be mentioned is that every car purchased (and delivered) will be logged in the GT Mode Diary for that Day's activity. This is something VERY different from GT3, where multiple (infinite) cars could be purchased on the same day. This is one the biggest issues I'm dealing with, trying to decide whether I prefer a "Minimum Game Day 100%", or a "Super-Garage 100%". I'll talk more about this later, but I'm leaning more toward the Super-Garage...

As far as I can tell, all cars that appear in this game can be acquired for the GT Mode Garage. If I discover any that can't be acquired, I'll update this post.

Have A Great Drive!
RoadHazard
http://www.mygt4diary.com

Setting The Bar: My Goals... For Now...

2008-09-23T17:15:00.000-07:00

Before I began playing, I had to first define what I want to do.

- First, I hate using "cheats". I don't have an Xport or GameShark or whatever... I'm all thumbs. While I'm not against those who use them to play their own games, I simply don't want cheats as part of this gamesave's experience. All races will be completed by myself, meaning no B-spec'ing my way past 24hrs @ "The 'Ring", or the other two 24hr Endurance Races, and no DualShock-handoffs!! [EDIT] While I don't necessarily consider it "cheating", I will *not* be transferring any Cars, Licenses, nor $Cr from another card...

- Secondly, I hate losing, and I love Gold Trophies. A 100% Win Percentage is an obvious goal, and golds for all License Tests are a must. If I can't win a race or get gold, I won't save the game until I figure out a way to do so.

- Third, I'd like to finish this game as soon as possible. Both in real time and game time. There are a number of things that will push my Day count above the bare minimum, but I'm not going to waste any days at non-race events other than the Driving Missions and License Tests. Because I got gold for all License Tests, my gamesave will probably have at least 31 extra days above the "minimum" when I finish: 11 extra prize cars delivered; 16 extra license test days; 4 extra cars purchased (if I can't get to 100% by Day 694). [EDIT] After studying the Used Car Listing Cycle and the Prize Car List, I've decided to forego this goal. While I won't be "wasting" days, I'll be buying the every unique lowest mileage Year/Make/Model vehicle that shows up in the Used Car Lots. That means around 400 "extra" days that will have Diary entries...

The rest of the goals are not in order of priority. Since I'm still learning about the game (prize lists, race reqirements, used car list cycle, etc.), I can't judge how practical certain goals might be, but...

- Use as few cars as possible. When I finish, I want my garage to be filled with as many undriven cars as possible. This means using the same vehicle in a lot of different race events, and will lead to a lot of interesting matchups. I'm not worried about using a Formula One car against a field of showroom models, nor am I worried about taking advantage of the game's lack of damage physics. I feel I've "earned" the right to do so with my thumbwork by getting all gold for my licenses/missions, where dirty driving is appropriately punished. [EDIT] I just wanted to clarify that while I might not drive a used car, it will still have mileage on it. Fortunately, the "Driven" column in the Game Stats screen will show which of the cars in my Garage I've gotten into...

- Buy as few cars as possible, and buy used cars when possible. This one was a much bigger goal for GT3 than it will be for GT4, since you only needed to buy 2 cars to finish GT3. I took a look at the prize list (for the USA version), and there aren't many vehicles that satisfy the requirements for the One-Make races. The goal here is to use as many cars from the One-Make races in the less-restricted events, when you're often up against much tougher competition. [EDIT] This goal is no longer valid, as I am now prioritizing the acquisition of every non-showroom vehicle. However, my goal is to use as few vehicles as possible to get to 100% (should be around 70).

- Have +8000000Cr by day 694. There are 4 vehicles that appear on the Used Car Lists only once during the 700 day cycle. They're all high-performance monsters, known as the "Black Beauties", and they WILL be in my garage (unless this game can be completed before Day 694). [EDIT] This is no longer a goal of mine. Since all 4 of the Black Beauties can be acquired elsewhere (3 in the showrooms, 1 as a prize), this is not a priority anymore.

- Score as many A-spec points as possible. While I'm more likely to prioritize using fewer vehicles (which may result in mismatches in my favor), I still want to make the races as competitive as possible. The A-spec point formula (however it works) seems to be fair enough, and I don't want to abuse the race restrictions (or lack of them). I'm sure others will have much higher A-spec totals, but I'd still like to get as many as I can with the rules I've set for myself.

- Do not sell any car, and try to limit repeated models in the Garage. I don't want to sell a car because I want the gamesave to be as "unused" as possible. This means keeping all prize cars, and trying to avoid buying cars that are awarded as prizes (later in the game).

- CHEAPSKATE!!! I want to spend as little as possible, but my goal isn't to have the most $Cr by the time I get to 100%. I just want to keep myself from buying a bunch of mods for a car when I don't need them. This will also help me with my A-spec point total. Oil Changes and Car Washes should be kept to a minimum. [EDIT] This goal has been changed to: Spend as little possible on mods. Since I'll be buying every Year/Make/Model found in the the Used Car lots, my cash-hoarding goal is no more...

Other than that, my main goal???

HAVE FUN!

I'm sure there are plenty of people out there who would wonder why I want to do this, but the truth is that I genuinely enjoy doing what I'm doing (or at least what I hope to do). The planning, the execution, and the achievement of my goals are all the payoff I need to endure what I'm about to go through...

And I thank you for being there with me. Stay tuned for more updates, as I've got plenty of info and videos to keep you entertained!

Have A Great Drive!
RoadHazard
http://www.mygt4diary.com/

A Note About Me, The Game, And This Blog

2008-09-23T17:13:00.000-07:00

Let me first say that I am not associated with Sony Computer Entertainment of America nor Polyphony Digital. I am not being paid by any entity for the content I might create for this blog. I am just a GT4 fan who wants to share his experiences with this game.

This blog will be a journal of my progress through the game's "Gran Turismo Mode", where players develop their career by participating in a number of events. By winning various races and by passing certain tests and missions, "hidden" portions of the game get unlocked (cars and venues), and the game gets deeper.

But even after achieving 100% completion in GT Mode, the game still provides much replay value. There are enough cars and circuits available where one might never exhaust all the possible combinations. The fact is that there is no such thing as a "Perfect Lap", and the goal of running one is what keeps the wheels rolling.

My previous experience with the GT series started in early 2002, when I first got my PlayStation2. Gran Turismo 3 A-spec was given to me by a friend, but it wasn't until I found the Complex String Time Trial that I started to really get into it. I proceeded to go through the game, only to realize all I'd missed after doing some Internet research.

I started over, overwriting a gamesave that was more than 80% complete. I wanted to build a gamesave that would leave no regrets, so I figured out a way to finish the game with a 100% win percentage, in the minimum # of game days, using the fewest # of vehicles, and buying the fewest # of cars. Nearly 2 years (and 2 more restarts) later, that journey was complete, and I was ecstatic to have finally accomplished my goals with that game.

Two years after that, my friend gives me GT4 as a gift. Knowing what GT3 did to me (and my thumbs!), GT4 stayed in the box for a LONG time. It was only recently that the temptation grew to become unbearable, and hence, I begin my second stint with the GT series...

So get comfortable while we embark on this long ride. My hope is that this blog will educate, inform, and inspire others who enjoy playing this game.

Have A Great Drive!
RoadHazard
http://www.mygt4diary.com

Greetings, and Welcome!

2008-09-23T17:03:00.001-07:00

Hello there, and thanks for checking in!

This is the first of what will be MANY posts that will chronicle my journey through Gran Turismo 4 (Polyphony Digital), all the way to 100% complete, and perhaps beyond. I'll be playing the USA version on the PlayStation2, using the DualShock2 controller and Manual Transmission.

This is my second game of the Gran Turismo series, the other being GT3 A-spec. I fell in love with that game, and decided to work on as "perfect" of a gamesave as possible. Meaning I wanted to have all gold License Test times, a 100% win percentage, get to 100% in the minimum # of game days, use the minimum # of cars, etc... These games were built so that every player can have their own experience, and I set a lot of goals for GT3. It was very rewarding to finally finish it, knowing all that I had put into it.

And so begins my second affair with Gran Turismo. GT4, while released in 2005, is still new to me. While much of the driving experience remains the same, there are enough little tweaks that make planning my way to 100% that much harder (given the restrictions within the game, and those that I set for myself).

So keep your eyes open for updates to this blog. Whether you're a noob or a seasoned vet, I'm hoping you'll find this blog informative as well as entertaining.

Have A Great Drive!
RoadHazard
http://www.mygt4diary.com

The "Drive Any Car" Gran Turismo 4 Garage

In Between Extremes

Crappy Freaking New Year!

Filling In The Blanks

Closing The Gap

Stopping For Directions...

Building A Good Base Of Data

My Race Routine

Have You Ever Read Someone Else's Diary???

More Replay Videos On The Way...

All Caught Up...

Closing The Gap

What the heck am I doing???

My License Routine...

Playing Catch Up...

Getting Phased...

And off we go!

My Lineup: Cars I've chosen to drive

My Lineup: Cars that MUST be driven

Lining Them Up

One more thing before I start..

Finalizing My Goals

Getting Ready To Roll

Lots of Lots of Cars...

Setting The Bar: My Goals... For Now...

A Note About Me, The Game, And This Blog

Greetings, and Welcome!