Just Cause Races.

[Frag Maniac]

I finally went back and finished the aerial race after playing some other games a bit. Man this has to be one of the best parts of the game. This is the longest race so far I've done and have only one left. It wasn't as hard to complete this race as I initially thought and had no trouble handling the plane they stock at the starting point once I got used to it. I actually had more trouble finding some of the checkpoints than handling the plane, but that's part of what makes it so appealing. I love how this course hugs valleys and makes you swoop up and down to line up for the next checkpoint, even throwing in some stunt flying between towers and under a bridge.

The only race I have left now is the one in the NW part of the map by the Agency 03 safehouse on a narrow mountain road. I plan to use the agency dirt bike on it and so far have only been able to get about 4 or five checkpoints into it. The checkpoint where you have 17 seconds to get to the next one is giving me pains. Between the traffic and the dirt bike crashing on the slightest of obstacles, it's pretty tough.

OK, now for the forum participation part. What is your favorite race, what time did you make on it and what vehicle did you use (The stats are listed under Statistics on the PDA)? Mine is definitely the aerial race and my time is 4:11:79 using the stock plane as mentioned, though I've only finished it once so far. If anyone has finished the other one by the Agency 03 safehouse, please tell me what vehicle you used and what time you made?

[cazzer]

Hmmmmm , my copy of just cause is dead.
I accidently knocked over the 360 and if buffered my disc so know i cant play it.:(
I have done some races and one of them was on a beach with ramps.:D

[Frag Maniac]

Hmmmmm , my copy of just cause is dead.
I accidently knocked over the 360 and if buffered my disc so know i cant play it.:(
I have done some races and one of them was on a beach with ramps.:D OUCH, bummer man, I guess that's one of the drawbacks to consoles is the bumps and knocks they take being a semi portable device. Seems the upright position is the best for cooling too on the 360, which makes it particularly vulnerable.

My PC case and others I've seen use rubber grommets to mount the HDs. I just built a PC for a friend of mine with a case that uses rubber grommets but his is not as isolated from shock as mine. The best way to mount them is to have a bit of wiggle in the grommets rather than being firmly in place. IMO ALL consoles should have such mounts, and they probably don't.

I remember the race by the beach with the ramps, it's like a trials motorcycle riding course. That one was fun too, they had a motorcycle just like the agency dirt bike at the start area. I was glad to see it as that is the race I was heading to when I got the agency bike submerged in water. Whenever something like that happens I pull out the RPG and finish off the stranded vehicle. The game doesn't let you call for a drop when there's already one drop vehicle in play.

[cazzer]

When a 360 falls over hell , breaks loose ,first it gets the red rings of death! then it makes a growling sound and then you can here your disc being chewed and you cant do anything!:(

[mocaorca]

The grommets are actually for noise reduction, not to protect the hard drive. I havn't done too many of the races, but I kind of wondered, is there a purpose to them, or are they just there for fun?

[Frag Maniac]

The grommets are actually for noise reduction, not to protect the hard drive. I havn't done too many of the races, but I kind of wondered, is there a purpose to them, or are they just there for fun?Well made grommets are more than just for noise reduction, they actual protect some from shock too. I still have the box my Kingwin KT-424 PC case came in and it says antishock absorbers right on the box next to a picture of the grommets.

Sure suspension systems get much more elaborate, though even many car stereos and personal stereos use elastomer type suspension systems, which isn't much better than well made rubber grommets. It really depends on the size of the grommets, the type of screws used, and the durometer (hardness) of the rubber as to how well they'll absorb shock.

There are many reviews on the case I mentioned, most of which merely incorrectly describe the grommets as noise reducers, despite the manufacturer calling them shock absorbers. What most of the reviewers fail to notice or even test for is their unique design and function.

These grommets are oversized and soft in durometer. They require special longer screws that bottom out in the HD with only slight pressure appilied to the grommet. This enables what is effectively a working suspension system. Most grommets are harder and use a screw that tightens down onto them.

My tower has been tipped over at least twice in the 2.5 years I've owned it with no HD problems whatsoever. Here is one review that at least describes a bit better how the HDs feel once they're mounted: http://www.bjorn3d.com/read.php?cID=320&pageID=417

Here's the part I'm talking about on the above page:

"The fourth picture shows the black rubber inserts in the hard drive holes. These rubber inserts are the shock absorber system and are the reason for the special longer HDD screws included with this case. After installing a hard drive in the case, it felt like it was kind of loose, but that's because the rubber is soft and has some 'give' to it, so it's supposed to be that way. It seems weird at first, but it works fine."

The above description is basically a floating rubber mount. It's counterintuitive to what builders originally thought to be sound practice in firmly mounting a drive. Though contrary to what many believe it is far from problematic and actually a very wise and cost effective way to isolate shock. Of course the icing on the cake is they're utterly silent too, even with a fairly noisy HD (WD Raptor) all I can hear is the stock CPU fan with my tower on the floor.

[crazyhorse128]

whats the reward for doing the races?

[cazzer]

A warm feeling inside of you of acomplishment.:lol:

[crazyhorse128]

lol

[Frag Maniac]

Or bragging rights if you can show faster stats than everyone else. Something like "Fast Cars and Superspys" without John Elway.:D

[cazzer]

When you show up at the race i kill the man there nick his car and have a good ol' joyride , hehe.:lol:

[Blakreloaded]

I have done some races and one of them was on a beach with ramps.:D

I have done that race, I love it! The awesome bit is where you have to clear the bus, I always scrape the top!