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The Gran Turismo 3: A-spec Apocalypse Zone

Deep Forest

Sigh. I hate this track. I always have and always will. Why ditch High Speed Ring for GT3, but keep this pile of poop? I don't bloody know...

Deep Forest I:

  1. Bump and bounce your way down the straight. It's fairly rapid - most of the more powerful cars should reach 200mph down here. But get across to the right and ready yourself for one of the more difficult corners - a sweeping left with no real discernible apex. Slip down into third and gently meander round it at roughly 100km/h. Accelerate through the corner and across to the rumble strip on the right.
  2. Down the winding boulevard we go - full throttle, clipping the rough stuff on each side to keep as straight a line as possible.
  3. The double headed bridge section. Not so nice, and the foundation for a whole two licence tests. At the small jink left before the right into the section, clip the apex and hold a flat trajectory, braking as you pass the clipping point. Go all the way down to third - second even if you're in a Viper or suchlike. Try to hit the inside of the corner on the right and accelerate as you pass this point. The car should shift by itself over to the left - hopefully avoiding the stone wall inside the tunnel.
  4. Give it a short burst of gas, then repeat the procedure - third gear, apex, gas, don't hit the bridge etc. - then full welly down the hill.
  5. As you descend the short hill, the road winds gently from side to side. In any event you want to be on the right for the quick double-apex left coming up. The corner is taken in 3rd or 4th gear, depending on how fast the car is. Clipping the first apex isn't too troubling, but the second apex is rather tricky. Turn in too early and you'll meet the rock wall on the right on the exit, turn in too late and you'll hit the fence on the inside of the corner. Ideally, the car wants to be straddling the rumble strip - there is a thin paved area even further inside the corner which can be legitimately used. Then give it much gas up the hill.
  6. Ignore the hill. Keep a fairly straight line, but beware of being too far left in the second bridge. Stay to the right, ready for the final combination.
  7. This whole section can be taken at full throttle after the initial braking section, although more seriously tuned cars will need to dab the brakes at some point. First, brake down into 4th gear and take a classic out-in-out for the left handed corner after the bridge. After this, there's a small jink to the left - you'll want to kick up a little dust from the apex here before drifting back to the right. Turn into the next corner really early. The F1 cars can manage full throttle, 290km/h round this last corner, if taken correctly. Most other cars will require some form of braking, if only briefly. Remember to take it early though - don't worry about straddling the strip and kicking up some dust. It's better than turning in late, understeering off the top and hitting a fence.
  8. Blast home.
Key corner - Corner 1. A more complicated corner than meets the eye, and oh so easy to screw up.




Deep Forest II:

Yesss, it's the nightmare revisited, but this time backwards. Oh bloody hell...

  1. Down the straight, foot to the floor (or thumb to whatever it is the thumb goes to). Take a nice left-side line, ready for corner 1. Could be a stinker if you don't get it just right. Most cars can take it with a little braking, F1 cars with none, but it must be taken really early - get right across to the right-hand rumble strip, then drift out left again.
  2. The first part of the back fast section. Cut across the small jink, full speed, but get back across left and brake into 4th for the next right-hander under the bridge. Nail it for the back "straight" down the side of the valley.
  3. Very confusing lines here, so you need to be aware. The next corner is a double-apex right. As long as you brake early (and on the left of the track), you can get round here without braking again. Get into 3rd for the inital right, clip the apex and keep the car accelerating. You should clip the second apex and position the car in the centre of the track for the next section.
  4. This is the start of the horrific, windy section. Accelerate up the hill. It's blind, but a roughly centralised track position should see you past the corners without much steering. Get across to the right when you see the bridge, and stick close to the inside of the bridge. There's a little crest, just about where a split time is, and you should be braking ready for the next section about here - too late and the car is too light to stop.
  5. Another double apex - this time left-handed. The first left needs 2nd gear, turning in whilst still just under the bridge. A short burst of speed takes you to the second, which may be taken in 3rd if you're careful. It is possible to spin here, so watch it.
  6. Accelerate down the final winds until you reach a sharp syncline.
  7. As you're coming down the hill you'll want to be on the left and probably braking. 2nd gear is often suggested, but 3rd should cope. Stay in 3rd, no more than 100km/h (60mph) for most cars, hugging the inside rumble strip. Then accelerate when you see the outside rumble strip on the left.
  8. Blow up the home straight.

Key Corner - Corners 4 & 5 - the double apex at the bottom of the back straight. Carry some proper speed through here and you're laughing.