Info;
Though I did say a few months back that an RX-8 would be difficult to own and play, but yet, it has a point where you win about 28000 or something like that (Meaning winning a few races, or a map or two) and it's already killer. I usually pull out against Sudo with my RX-7, lots of experience with racing him, but today, when I first tried racing my RX-8 against, it actually was faster then Sudo, and the RX-7 usually never beats out that evo in accel to the first hairpin. I was actually surprised. But within that map, you've got to be paying attention, not stay surprised, or just go out easy and daydream. Because, really, RX-8 needs precise control on that map. But not so finetuned so that you'd be pulling tricks out from the anime, but when I used the RX-8 on Tsukisa or a course like that (The last course within ver 3), it tends to... hit the wall more often if you don't either do more of 1 of 3 things. 1) Slid the car even more so that you can lash it back for the next turn. 2) Break even more. Actually, the 3 of these rely on just breaking, though just tapping the breaks isn't going to always help, every little effort is a mistake with a hint for next round. 3) Lines. Either get in close or stay hovering, most of the times, it's helpful to hover, since you're accelerating with more ground and grip.
Explanation,
I've been saying all this crap about using the breaks even more and what not, but when? lol, I don't even explain. But all I will explain are my own driving styles. Maybe a hint or two. You can use them, and experiment with them. Even the help above can refer to a few dozen places within my style, so I won't go to the trouble of saying. you can use it here, every single time.
(Using Akina, Akagi & Tsukisa as examples, all nearly the same [Long entrance, sudden hairpins[except for tsukisa inbound] and a relaxing curvatious ending])
Thinking that the computer always breaks, I don't really care for that until a hairpin or 90* turn. I'll just rearend them. Another thing is going into hairpins, I'll just either downshift, tap and shift, full break just at the entrance and shift down 2-3 gears (never past 3, unless mistake). A difference contrast from being slippy, to grippy. If anything, 'How do you notice what to use?' You can't really tell, you just... know it from doing it so many times. You probably don't even do it and you'll still be fine. Like the last 5 downhill of Akagi. There's a way to inertia drift from side to side and not use breaks, or use the gears. It's just like having mad fun, going back left and right. XP Well, that's basically it. Unless you'd want to use blocking techniques, but I'd say style is just about what you do to get a corner.
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Well, also talking about how you break, and what you do when you're breaking, and how you turn is another part of styles. Personally, I use only one hand to steer with. Usually putting the softness on either 3-4 (For easy cranking with some feedback) and break/accel with both feet. I don't ever let go off that except for mistakes or extremely sharp turns (Tsukisa to slip right around or Happo). And I guess that's is.
Happy driving, and I hoped this helped.
To avoid Double Posting
ALL 6 gear cars are fast (S2000/SEP3(RX-8)). ALL 5 gear cars, just slide (GC8 & FD3S/RX-7).
Having a S2000 tuned to it's max is really great, though it's RW. But you don't mind the diff between GC8, RX-7 & S2000, except for the fact to get used to the gears. Once you drive 6 gears, 5'll become like caveman language to you, either you still know it, or you get used to it.... ALL OVER AGAIN.
But no prob, though there was a diff for me today. I totally used my S2000 and maxed it out for the past month. Then RX-7 untuned to face Akagi's Kesuke, Iro's Sudo & Tsuchi's... uhm, what's her face (Only one girl in that one, lol). Gear 5 was like, a familiar but kinda unknown thing to me right after. I usually win with a + of 150 on Keisuke, but won by + 25... O_o Same with Sudo, usually + 125 but he was basically right up against me with + 4 O_o. Tsuchi's gal, I passed just before the finish, which I'm suppost to get before the 3rd checkpoint... Just a tip, only remember key points within the gears, it really helps. Don't try to eraser suddenly with the car, cause when you do with 6 gears, it's like Downshift, Downshift, Up, Down, Up, Down, Up... But with 5 Gears, it should be only Down, Up, Down, Up. Totally screwed that up during the beginning of Akagi DH and basically gripped all 13 turns before the smooth left rights into the 165 after the 2nd checkpoint. **(Eraser. To gear up and down, but gear down first as much as needed, so that speed is generally the same from entrance to exit, and it's used to change the car's angle for the turn. Experiment with it, there're some things to do afterwards sometimes, like full countersteer, then tap breaks, or instead counter and eraser into next turn, or leave it dull and gain speed with full counter, basically drifting or going forward by sliding, and then eraser just at the entrance of the turn.
***** RX-8s aren't so realible anymore, I beat a pro at the most fobbiest place, who's upgraded to nearly 2mil with a full tuned Purple Shadow edition S2000 and a Project D RX-7... Plus, too much oversteer after apex and exit, basically have to tap breaks or eraser alot... Too much work for something so little. RX-8 used to be 5/7 stars... but now is... 1-2 now... :/
---> A fix on what I said long time ago, for 6 gears, on Happo, gear down all the way to 2, always, then quickly back up to 3, by or before the exit, when the car is still in angle, you should be pressing down on the gas by now, just gear up to 4, and go up as needed. So... approach, swerve otherway a few metres before hand (10) and turn in while full breaks and gear down to 2, quick up to 3 right after you touch 2, pump the gas back down (Let go halfway when you break, unless you tap through the whole time to slip through) and then take a peek at the speedometer (I keep my eye on it by the time for countersteer in the exit) and gear up to 4 as soon as the needle pricks 7 or 9, or w/e. And that's it. Remember to swerve only a bit and crank all the way.
[And for Akina, shouldn't really gear down to, like 2-3 and go up to 4 for 117.... with 6 gears... should be at around 5th with 145-150 usually, or 6th with 160. just gear down 1-2 times, then up again or keep it down and go down even more to eraser.... Order: *Regular >> QUICK >* 6>5>4>5>4>5>4 // 5>>/>4>5>4>5>4 and end up with around 125/130 on exit. Or this 6>>5>4>3>4 Might work sometimes, and end up with just around 120-125 with more control and slide. Or last one 5>4>5>4>5>4 / 5>4>(Down and up to and fro 3 MUST be VERY quick, just even a small pinch, don't wait for results, just quick down and pull as soon as you feel the gear hit in your hand)3>4 This'll get you more or less the same as the first.
Might seem like alot of Mumbo Jumbo, but it works... just have 5 bucks, a good car, and try it out... I recommend an EVO, GC8, RXs (Not FC), S2000 or if you want a car just to screw around with and win, use thee'olde AE86 XP.
Once again, happy driving!
And to finally answer you EK9 probably being faster then the FD... it should be because of size, engine style, weight... Inbound's definitely going to have to do with the size, and weight, but for outbound, it'll be all about just size...I don't touch anything unless I really know it or trust it... I had a gamble with a friend about any car. I chose S2000 cause I mastered 6 gears by RX-8, and used it, somewhat as good at my RX-7 when I was younger, so I took $250, and 5 visits, and had half of what Purple Shadow was... He'd give me another $250 if I won, and he did the same $250 with his Skyline (R34 2.5L Turbo) Basically the opposite. 6 courses, Myogi(IN/OUT), Akagi(UP/DOWN), Happo(DOWN), Iro(IN/OUT), Tsuchi(IN/OUT) & Shimano(IN/OUT) or something like that all at night... I beat him in all of them. Tsuchi I just barely won outbound. Well, that doesn't really show anything, except I'm an exceptional driver, and he's had pockets and pockets of R34s...
Donnno if any helped, but happy driving!