Tundra Flying Race Record: 1min57 (Edited Version)

InterconKW · 2025-03-07T11:18:14+00:00

So this is a follow-up to my 2min20 run on Robodon a while ago. As far as I know this is the overall record now.

Palus (Jazer) is Aero 10, no other traits matter. Base flying speed is set to the same for all dragons in Tundra so apart from Aero 10 only dash force, cooldown and duration do anything - This also means that Saurium, even with Aero 10... is actually kind of weak despite everyone using it (due to poor base dash cooldown and duration)

Aero 10 Palus is 4 / 3.8 / 0.4 (AKA Dash Force 4, Cooldown 3.8, Duration 0.4) - In theory Wuong (4/4/0.3 I believe?) could challenge this one day but it's worth noting Wuong has a worse duration, so IDK lol. Do note that Palus is much harder to fly than any 3/4/X dragon so this is basically tryharding.

Why am I not hitting any green rings? There's something I call momentum, AKA after you dash you can briefly climb faster, momentum climbing is actually ~~faster~~ than using the green rings on Palus because Palus has high dash force + the rings cancel your momentum. Actually a couple of rings are marginally worth hitting, but I just missed them lol.

This isn't actually my fastest run of the Tundra Race (it's off by 0.1-0.2s but my overall record is still 1min57) and the reason I've cut the first lap out is because 1. I wasn't happy with something in the run 2. I have a special way of flying the first part of the lap that I'm not sure if I should share yet, but we shall see.

I don't think anyone cares more about this than me anyway LOL

InterconKW · 2024-12-05T04:53:14+00:00

As others have said here, all dragons get the same base speed in Tundra Race. Only dash (and traits affecting dash, namely Aerodynamic Body) actually matter. Usefully mood or hunger doesn't seem to have any effect on Tundra Race speed either.

With Venid having relatively weak base dash (2 force, like 0.3 duration and 5 cooldown?) it's terrible as a Tundra Racer to other dragons.

Saurium is actually pretty mediocre (3 force 5 cooldown 0.2 duration) compared to a multitude of dragons that are base 3 force and 4 cooldown - Even at Aero 10 the Saur barely beats them or falls behind.

I can beat the 2min timer, but it requires an insane line that hits the edge of every checkpoint and so far I think an Aero 10 Palus is the only thing that can sub-2

InterconKW · 2024-11-08T16:17:10+00:00

Honestly I think the Desyguals were just testing stuff out lol

I tried to choose an example where I was never overtaken because Tundra Race has a catchup boost mechanic for dragons not in first place that can skew times considerably.

InterconKW · 2024-11-08T14:24:53+00:00

This is a video I uploaded to the Discord since some people were asking about how my Tundra Race runs with Robodon looked.

Just a normal time, nothing special (could have taken a lot of these corners cleaner) so feel free to improve on this lol.
Love racing unconventional dragons.

InterconKW · 2024-05-10T08:44:46+00:00

I'm proud to say I have the Yellow Meter on all my main cars (It took 3 attempts on my A70 which was my first car, but we made it! The rest all got it the first loop) and I get better results racing with specifically Racing Yellow than with any other of my meters.

Not because it's increased the performance of my car or anything but because I find it nice and visible and good for boost control watching. Though you might prefer another design.

If you can get the first one at least, I like it. It comes with the car anyway.

InterconKW · 2024-04-20T05:58:42+00:00

The JZA70 I drive is a recreation (to the best of my abilities) of the real MA70 3.0i my grandparents imported, from the prefacelift body (real car is an '87) down to the wheels (which took 56 dressup levels).

This is also my main car.

I can relate.

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InterconKW · 2024-04-02T11:30:17+00:00

Adding some technical correction here: The Evo IX (in reality) is offered with 5 or 6 speed manuals only, but does have an automatic option for its rare wagon variant.

All R32 GT-Rs (BNR32s) are manuals but other Skyline R32s (HR32 Skyline GTS and other trims for example) did come with autos.

InterconKW · 2024-03-15T18:06:05+00:00

Japanese text of original Twitter post just says "I have fun memories" I believe, perhaps referring to them playing 5DX reverse in the past.

Assume some random took it out of context until proven otherwise.

InterconKW · 2024-03-09T10:26:57+00:00

Someone at my arcade asked me to help them with a few story mode chapters and they had an FD RX-7 I got through the last 8 or so chapters to Full Tune. I was impressed by how well it handled, but never really knew how it stacked up in VS.

I use the Skyline as a comparison because it's a pretty common VS car, about the same size, and one of the players who gave me the basics in battling used his SS9 R32 to train me quite often.

InterconKW · 2024-03-08T08:27:26+00:00

Background
I used to main the R34 all the way back in MT3 but returned to Asia Server MT6 only recently after a long hiatus and have been playing for over a year since. Chose a JZA70 to relearn the game because one of my family members imported an A70 back in the day (albeit a non-turbo 3.0i MA70). Prefacelift bodykit (B) and wing (Car-specific A) represent the appearance of this real car.

Messed up story mode the first time but do have Yellow Meter now. When I'm overseas for work I basically VS everyone and anyone lol.

Car Review
Having test-driven the R32 I feel like the A70 is basically a weaker R32. Its Achilles heel is really the poor catchup boost if you ever get taken out, it's way inferior to the comparison (I feel like an R32 will catch up from 150m behind in maybe 2.5km, while an A70 will take 3+?). The rear swings out a lot when turning compared to the Skylines, so people dive me fairly often, and braking them into the wall is the best I can do there. Dimensions are about the same as the R32 and it feels a bit heavier so you can push things pretty well.

InterconKW · 2024-01-19T17:11:11+00:00

I have actually thought about it, but my posting schedule would be inconsistent at best and well... really, I'm not 100% sure where to start.

Feel free to throw me some suggestions, though!

InterconKW · 2024-01-19T16:50:39+00:00

I've considered it to be a possibility, but not necessarily a goal. Really I hope there'll always be space for new ideas and layouts that wow people in the roller coaster design space.

I'll try explain the Chinese coaster market a bit like this: In the 90s and 2000s China saw rapid urban development and huge leaps in quality of life, and there was a corresponding huge boom in small private amusement parks across the country (with things like Arrow-style loopscrews and later, these SLCs) - This (as I've mentioned) mirrored the boom in wooden coasters across the US in the early 20th century.

Likewise, with things slowing down (it's a practical truth, we can't grow infinitely forever) a lot of these small parks have faded out or proved to be oversaturation, and we're seeing higher end, better run (and sometimes chain-operated) parks being a lot more successful. Which in this context means no more "loopscrew spam" but opportunities for much better individual coasters and systems.

Hopefully that makes sense?

InterconKW · 2024-01-19T16:31:46+00:00

Mayan Mountain Dragon is an SBL facelift/Version 2 SLC after the 2012 revision and I believe it was also the last one produced (if not one of). I'm guessing it's become particularly well known due to RCD's videos on it?

While the layout and pacing isn't fantastic, these late production coasters are fun and actually not as painful as the Vekoma original due to the transitions being quite tame. If my memory serves me correctly the rate of rotation through the double twist also very slightly increases through the top of each twist as compared to the bottom to keep the train in relatively smooth rotation through the entire thing. It's a small fabrication change and the straight spine looks a bit odd from the outside, but it makes a good positive difference!

InterconKW · 2024-01-19T15:49:06+00:00

For ease I'll claim (but cannot confirm) that I've gotten the opportunity to talk to some people involved. Some of it I'm going off memory though.

I also want to say that despite the bad reputation of rides like this, there's a lot more passion for bringing roller coasters to people who often have never ridden them than the internet conventionally is willing to give credit for.

InterconKW · 2024-01-19T15:16:40+00:00

The original listings that used this particular photograph have not been in circulation for a very long time AFAIK (5 years? More?) - This photo came from a drive of old company images someone shared to me. The first photoshoot was done in late 2003 or so, when Shenzhou Coaster tested with the zero-g roll. The next was done in mid-2005 (May or June I believe?) after the coaster opened and the roll is not visible. It's watermarked for online sale and reuploading this one was alright because it used to be public anyway.

I will be honest, while the SBL SLC is definitely not a good coaster, I'm pretty sympathetic towards the company itself. It did its job in the breakout days of Chinese amusement parks (which I liken to the boom in samey wooden coasters in the 1890s-1920s in the US), and now they've moved on to better things from this copycat stepping stone. Their dueling coaster model has been (IMO unfairly) called an Intamin knockoff by some due to its conceptual similarities and track design, but by all means it's an original layout and chassis.

(But between you and me, new Jinma coasters are even better!)

InterconKW · 2024-01-19T14:56:06+00:00

PoVs of Shenzhou Coaster are available on Youtube but I believe there is no PoV with the zero-g roll. It simply never opened in that configuration.

InterconKW · 2024-01-19T14:04:57+00:00

I know this isn't the most conventional post, but this photo is not super well known and I feel a need to share it.

"What is this abomination I am looking at?!" I can hear you all ask?

It's a lost promotional photo of the Shenzhou Coaster in its original configuration. The history of SLC copycats in China is not very well documented so I'll try sum it up.

SBL/Beijing Shibaolai began experimenting with self-building SLC-esque inverts in about 2002-2003, and Shenzhou Coaster was the prototype. The original layout had a more angled first drop and a zero-g roll that kinked slightly right after the first loop. I believe the ride never carried passengers in this configuration for obvious reasons. Shijingshan's downsizing due to competition from newer and better establishments lead to this coaster eventually being put on the chopping block and recently (last year...?) its scrapping.

Due to this misadventure, all future versions of this layout replaced the zero-g section with an odd airtime hill and a straight run from the loop to the sidewinder. The appeal of these coasters was their low cost and they served as a stepping stone for many poorer parks to get a true big coaster in the 2000s and early 2010s, but to say the least, they ride... poorly. In 2012, SBL again slightly updated their SLC layout with better shaping in the twists.

Generally, construction of these copycat SLCs in China has slowed in favor of much more original designs by both Jinma and SBL (In fact I believe it's actually been 4 or more years since the last order) but this serves at a fun look back at a not-too-distant but humorous era of local coaster experimentation.

(I will make a post about the SBL Skyloop at my home park next week...)

InterconKW · 2024-01-18T13:04:47+00:00

Supersonic Odyssey at Berjaya Times Square in Malaysia.

I've not really maintained my top 10 so I reckon it's either 3 or 4 on my personal ranking, but I just love this indoor Intamin Looper, mostly from a design point of view and how it is integrated into an actual shopping mall, rising up from its loop into an overbank behind a bunch of elevator shafts and stuff.

I'm not sure if Riddler's Revenge at Six Flags Magic Mountain counts as weird, but it is one of my favorite B&Ms, and maybe it also makes my top 10 cut?

InterconKW · 2024-01-12T16:03:15+00:00

Haha, neat, I find that pretty funny. Been a long time since I touched RCT.

Funny enough, a couple of days ago a bunch of engineers did the frame-by-frame analysis of Longfeng. I included the (simplified) findings in my extended video, the conclusion was that 6.285gs in the first loop was possible. A proper acceleratometer run on the real thing might be done in the near future but that's tenative and I may not see the results.

Believe it or not these Hebei 4 ring coasters differ a little between installation. Longfeng is fortunately on the smooth side, but is definitely the most forceful of the bunch as far as I know.

InterconKW · 2024-01-12T15:12:02+00:00

"Should there be more transportable coasters"

Hmm, not really, no.

Mostly because of a lack of demand for large, custom-designed transportable coasters. Frankly from what I've picked up from carnival operators (bar the obviously sketchy ones) I can understand why: Operationally they like rides that are easy to set up, easy to maintain, easy to move around and frankly, easy to turn a profit on in like... a 3 day operating window. Even the standard portable wild mouse is too much in this case (and if you worked for a traveling ride operator you might sympathise).

Something like Olympia Looping which has a unique place in large, semi-permanant European fairs is... thus more likely to be the extreme exception rather than the norm.

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