Maybe not well known, or even frowned upon, because they eliminate the middlemen and their inflated prices by selling direct, thus you won't see many of them in stores, but Carvins are high class instruments. They use their own pickups exclusively, which some like and some don't, but they can be easily replaced. The rest of the build though is quality at its finest. They do custom stuff in half the time and half the cost other makers will charge. No, they don't have a major lineup of pro endorsers but that's mainly because they treat all customers equally and prefer not to kiss the ass of a few. The big turn off is because they are direct sales, you try after you buy, but you can do that for 10 days and then return it if you want.

The DC145: Neck through, 24 fret, with the same HSH pickup arrangement as the Ibanez you linked to. Carvin-Norway pricing: http://www.carvinworld.com/cat ... ars/index.php?model=dc145

3 part vid with honest comparison of many guitars, featuring the Carvin V220.

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6liq9e0_eg4

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v ... 2K1DY&feature=related

Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v ... rD3lQ&feature=related

Quote from U4IK ST8 :

The reason I have this is because when a lot of people a driving the course, someone doing over 60 second per split will be constantly holding up the fast runners.

That's a very good reason and I support that. I think 60 seconds per sector is reasonable. With a take-your-turn type of thing as this, you need to keep out the riff raff.

My problem this go around was personal. You know how I've always been at odds with the cones. Combine that with me having somewhat of a harder time picking out the gates from the backround on this layout and the forced in car view, and I'm not sure 90 seconds would be enough until I get some sort of rhythm down without hitting a cone. As hard as I had to work to get golds on the PGR2 ccs, nicking a cone has become a bonafide phobia of mine.

And I'm even more nervous if someone else is running because I absolutely do not want to hold them up. My only alternative is to wait until 1 AM in hopes no one else is on the server.

If only there was the ability to it set up like PGR2's weekly challenges, where each player's run is independent, without having to worry about holding up or catching someone. Then you wouldn't have to bother with setting sector times. And numbnuts like me could take all of the time they wanted to learn the course.

Fudge it. I try my first lap staying in second gear to get a bead on the gates for the first time, and I get spectated for being too slow. Kinda hard to learn that way, but fair is fair, those are the rules and I did read them before I started. This ain't for no casual types like me, I guess.

Sorry, U4IK, I wanted to take a stab at these each week in support, but obviously I'm way out of my league.

I'll pop in to spectate from time to time. It's cool to watch the hot shoes at work.

Not being fast, and I might be wrong, but I'd imagine the fast guys simply treat the gates as new corners and chicanes to learn, like any new track. Each has its own apex. If you look at each gate merely as an obstacle to get by (as I do), you're making it harder on yourself.

I'm slow at these things, so I can understand the challenge involved with going through the gates quickly without nipping a cone. But if you've ever seen what U4IK derived these challenges from, the Project Gotham Racing games for the Xbox/Xbox 360, you'd think these were a relative piece of cake.

I sure as hell know it ain't easy just negotiating the gates, and there are sim physics in the mix this go around. But imagine having to link the gates within 2-3 seconds either by speed or a slide to keep a points (kudos) counter going for the entire 2 laps. Combine that with the necessary style scores earned during the laps just to reach the top ten on the scoreboards. And oh yeah, throw in a time limit. Yes, like I said, we're talking sim physics in LFS vs. arcade and best with a gamepad physics in PGR, but U4IK was/is a master at PGR. Be glad he can't add in most of the PGR variables.

It's cool for me, I wasn't able to run last week anyway. When I checked on the results, I saw you were premature and I thought, what kind of paint is my man U4IK sniffing this week. Must've moved up to the gold metalflake.

I'll be sure to get a time entered for this week. Just make sure your head is clear for the weekends' challenges when it counts, okay? Try to keep this a class operation.

Is my calendar missing a day? I thought Week #4 didn't end until this evening. As in Sunday? I know, technically, because of the time difference, it's over now, but results were posted yesterday.

What you been smoking U4IK? I want some.

Woohoo!! Top 25. And under 3 minutes.

Huh? 2 laps? What a sham, expecting me to read the rules and all.

Oh man, I didn't make it.

RIGGED!!!!! I'm calling you out right now, U4IK. It was that tricky hidden cone at the start that did it.

-If the nose is sloped, a conventional can give better fuel economy than a cabover, especially at 80mph.
-The engine and radiator are easier to work on and remove for overhaul on conventionals.
-With cabovers you have to secure any loose items in the cab before tilting it up to get at the engine.
-Long haul conventionals have easier cab ingress and egress than long haul cabovers. I note long haul because intermediate delivery straight trucks with cabovers have cabs that are lower than their big long haul brethren. Most of the intermediate cabovers sit a little forward of the front axle, allowing for a nice step ahead of the front wheel.
-If a driver is unfortunate enough to hit something head on, it's probably nice to have that big engine absorbing some of the impact first.

Of course that long nose can obstruct visiblity, and this can happen- http://www.dailycognition.com/ ... out-driver-realizing.html

Last edited by HEAVYSET, Thu 6 Nov 2008, 23:19.

Ha!! The looks on their faces is what seals it. He has this "Oops, let my fly open" look on his, and she's snickering about it. Classic!

Quote from battle :

If i see anyone racing there i'll surely join.

Haha! A common thought. It's like the old "What was first, the chicken or the egg?" argument. I can picture a hundred licensed drivers all sitting there thinking, "I'll join if someone else does." :Kick_Can_

Just joking. You all have your reasons, and I respect that.

Well done holding off U4IK, DieKolkrabe!! U4IK cheats all the time. Dirty drivin' SOB.

Edited, for clarity.

Last edited by HEAVYSET, Sat 23 Jun 2007, 17:12.

C'mon now. Let's admit the real reason most don't go over to 2 and 4. It's because they know everyone there will be as good as or better than they are. On 1 and 3, they're used to running in the top 5. If they all move to 2 and 4, they might have to settle for, shudder, being outside of the top 10.

To each his own, but the point remains, if the option to race on CD1 and 3 was taken away once they becomed licensed, more people would be on 2 and 4. That's if they still want to race on a CD server.

The problem now is that most of them think as you do. They want to stay where the action is, on 1 and 3. It's a Catch 22 situation. There is more action on 1 and 3 because very few licensed drivers go to 2 and 4 as they should.

Limit them to 2 and 4 upon getting licensed, and you'll have plenty of competition. Unless, as I said before, for some reason they get bullheaded and don't like being confined to a particular server, and decide to boycott CD altogether. Which would make it easier for birder, because then he could shut down 2 and 4. May as well anyway, since so many are too narrow minded to take advantage of the great opportunity that is given them.

As for 15+ car races, who are we kidding here? This is road racing. I've seen a 3 car race at best. And one of those usually winds up getting dumped at the next corner. No, more often than not, those 15+ cars are strung out all over the track. Unless you get your jollies from lapping backmarkers, I fail to see how you can be "racing" that many cars. In NASCAR style, yes. Road racing, no. Road racing more often than not, is an extended qualifying session. I'm not knocking it, I love it. But I'm not fooling my self into thinking it's pack of cars racing together either. I mean if I'm running second, I'm only aware of the cars running 1st and 3rd. I'm oblivious to the others unless they get in the way becuase they are too slow. Which, of course, I wouldn't have to deal with if I were licensed and had the opportunity to go to a better server.

As a spectator, full fields provide great comedy. I'll use chase view from behind the last competitor on the grid, just to watch the mayhem that unfolds at the start.

Great. Just, great. I just bought these gloves last week, and now they have gravel scuffs on them.

Good points, but I thought the original idea was to give the consistently fast and clean drivers a bonehead-free server to exercise their talents on.

Hanging around the CD1 and 3 servers to "help" the inexperienced with setups and such is a noble idea, but good setups are easy to find, and for driving tips it's a no brainer to ride as a spectator via in-car view with the hot shoes in the rare instance they actually bother to use the CD2 and 3 servers.

Which leads me to agreeing with obsolum: Once you earn your CD2 and/or 4 license, you should be kicked off of 1 and 3. It's for your benefit, after all.

I'm sorry to interrupt the more serious queries, but in regards to earlier suggestions for limiting spectator spots, I selfishly hope that doesn't happen. For me, the ability to spectate was one of the selling points of this game. I've seen some very heated battles already, that I have enjoyed as much as anything I've seen on Speed TV. Great driving deserves an audience.

Quote from cyrax :

I took pic i love it but my chair has wheels its going back when im playing any sugestions.

Set the e-brake.

Wait, before anyone else posts, give me some time to make popcorn.

Quote from Alkanphel :

I believe biggie's the only one who can stand hours and hourse of hotlapping.

Uh, me too. Believe me, you guys (and the AI) are better off if I stick to hot laps. The last thing you need is to drive around me as a rolling chicane.

The progression of this thread.....

And I'm totally serious about that.

Quote from XCNuse :

Don't know what you mean about this place being to serious, I see people joking around and having a good time all the time.

There you have it. He's serious about seeing people joking around and having a good time.

Yeah, it's kinda like GTPlanet. They're a little stiff over there too. I think it has to do with the large number of members. With that kind of traffic, regulars become weary of seeing topics with the same old questions.

And then there are all the nationalities, as well. The simplest thing can lead to disagreement.

I find arguments among the anonymous amusing. They don't even know each other. Neither has any direct affect over the other's life, yet it's important to each to win the argument, so they go on and on. Hilarious.