Midnight Outlaw: Illegal Street Drag Nitro Edition Unofficial Strategy Guide and FAQ by Kasey Chang released September 18, 2004 0 Introduction This section is for "what the FAQ is about" and things like that. Feel free to skip this section. If you like the FAQ, please send me a dollar. :-) See [0.3] This FAQ is about "Midnight Outlaw: Illegal Street Drag, Nitro Edition", the drag racer from Canopy Games, published by Valusoft. The information should also be good for the regular edition for the most part. 0.1 A WORD FROM THE AUTHOR There doesn't seem to be any FAQ for this budget game, so here it comes. This is a FAQ, NOT a manual, not that you really need a manual to play this game. This USG only covers the PC Version, which is the only one that exists. This USG should also cover the original "non-nitro" edition. Some of you may recognize my name as the editor for the XCOM and XCOM2: TFTD FAQ's, among others. 0.2 TERMS OF DISTRIBUTION This document is copyrighted by Kuo-Sheng "Kasey" Chang (c) 2004, all rights reserved excepted as noted above in the disclaimer section. This document is available FREE of charge subjected to the following conditions: 1)This notice and author's name must accompany all copies of this document: " Midnight Outlaw: Illegal Street Drag Nitro Edition Unofficial Strategy Guide and FAQ" is copyrighted (c) 2004 by Kasey K.S. Chang, all rights reserved except as noted in the disclaimer." 2)This document must NOT be modified in any form or manner without prior permission of the author with the following exception: if you wish to convert this document to a different file format or archive format, with no change to the content, then no permission is needed. 2a) In case you can't read, that means TXT only. No banners, no HTML borders, no cutting up into multiple pages to get you more banner hits, and esp. no adding your site name to the site list. [Small exception: a "small" toolbar with no banners embedded is okay. See IGN or Neoseeker for examples.] 3)No charge other than "reasonable" compensation should charged for its distribution. Free is preferred, of course. Sale of this information is expressly prohibited. If you see any one selling this guide, contact me (see below). 4)If you used material from this, PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE the source, else it is plagiarism. 5)The author hereby grants all games-related websites the right to archive and link to this document to share among the game fandom, provided that all above restrictions are followed. Sidenote: The above conditions are known as a statutory contract. If you meet them, then you are entitled to the rights I give you in 5), i.e. archive and display this document on your website. If you don't follow them, then you did not meet the statutory contract conditions, and therefore you have no right to display this document. If you do so, then you are infringing upon my copyright. This section was added for any websites that don't seem to understand this. For the gamers: You are under NO obligation to send me ANY compensation. However, I do ask for a VOLUNTARY contribution of one (1) US Dollar if you live in the United States, and if you believe this guide helped your game. If you choose to do so, please make your US$1.00 check or $1.00 worth of US stamps to "Kuo-Sheng Chang", and send it to "2220 Turk Blvd. #6, San Francisco, CA 94118 USA". If you don't live in the US, please send me some local stamps. I collect stamps too. 0.3 VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTION Gamers who read this guide are under NO obligation to send me ANY compensation. However, a VOLUNTARY contribution of one (1) US Dollar would be very appreciated. If you choose to do so, please make your US$1.00 check or $1.00 worth of stamps to "Kuo-Sheng Chang", and send it to "2220 Turk Blvd. #6, San Francisco, CA 94118 USA". If you don't live in the US, please send me some local stamps. I collect stamps too. For the record, out of ALL the FAQs I wrote (57 at last count) over the past nine years or so, I've received exactly 27 dollars and 6 sets of stamps, as of release of this guide. So I'm NOT making any money off these guides, folks. 0.4 HOW AND WHEN TO CONTACT ME PLEASE let me know if there's a confusing or missing remark, mistakes, and thereof... If you find a question about this game that is not covered in the USG, e-mail it to me at the address specified below. I'll try to answer it and include it in the next update. Please do NOT write me for technical support. That is Activision's job. Please do NOT ask me to answer questions that have already answered in this FAQ/guide. It makes you look REALLY idiotic. I will NOT answer stupid questions like the ones above unless I'm in a really good mood. If you send questions like that, do NOT expect a reply. The address below is spelled out phonetically so spammers can't use spambots on it: Kilo-Sierra-Charlie-Hotel-Alpha-November-Golf-Seven-Seven AT Yankee-Alpha-Hotel-Oscar-Oscar DOT Charlie-Oscar-Mike To decipher this, simply read the first letter off each word except for the numbers and the punctuation. This is "military phonetics" or "aeronautical phonetics" in case you're wondering. This document was produced on Microsoft Word 97. Some editing was done with Editpad (editpadclassic.com). 0.5 THE AUTHOR I am just a game player who decided to write my own FAQs when the ones I find don't cover what I want to see. Lots of people like what I did, so I kept doing it. Previously, I've written Unofficial Strategy Guides (USGs) for XCOM, XCOM2:TFTD, Wing Commander, Wing Commander 2, Wing Commander 3, Wing Commander 4, Privateer, Spycraft, 688(I) Hunter/Killer. Mechwarrior 3, MW3 Expansion Pack, Mechwarrior 4, Mechwarrior 4: Black Knight, Need for Speed: Porsche Unleashed, The Sting!, Terranova, Fallout Tactics, Starfleet Command Volume II, DS9: The Fallen, DS9: Dominion War, Driver, Warlords: Battlecry, Monopoly Tycoon, Dungeon Siege, and a few others. At least count, that's 55 FAQs (this makes it 56). To contact me, see 0.4 above. 0.6 DISCLAIMER / COPYRIGHT INFORMATION Canopy Games created Midnight Outlaw: Illegal Street Drag Nitro Edition. Valusoft published Midnight Outlaw: Illegal Street Drag Nitro Edition. This USG is not endorsed or authorized by either company. The information compiled in this USG has been gathered independently through the author's efforts except where noted otherwise. 0.7 HISTORY 18-Sep-04 Initial release 1 MOISDNE General Info 1.1 THE MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Q: Can you send me the game (or portions thereof)? A: No. I found it for a mere $2.00 in OfficeMax, I'm sure you can dig up $2 somewhere. Q: Can you send me the manual? (or portions thereof) A: You don't need it. The controls are all listed in the game and configurable Not that there are that many controls any way. The manual is also on the CD! Q: Can you tell me how to play the game? A: Read the manual please. Q: How big is the install? A: About 97 MB. Q: Is there a patch? A: No. Q: Where is the pause button? A: P, or hit ESC to pop up the in-game menu. Q: What about some cheat codes? A: see the end of this FAQ Q: What game modes are there? A: Quick race (race against AI in equivalent car), career mode, multiplayer (race other player in equivalent car), Outlaw challenge (race other player with any car you got) Q: What determines which class I am in? A: Your respect does. Class D is 0 to 29 respect. Class C is 30 to 59 respect. Class B is 60 to 89 respect. Class A is 90 or higher respect. Q: I raced and won X dollars. However, in my "greens" I gained LESS than X dollars. Why? A: Every race also incurs a "maintenance" charge, depending on the parts you have. A fully-decked out class A car can cost $72 or more per race, no matter you win or lose. It's the cost of nitro, gas, and other wear-and-tear items plus labor. 1.2 MOISDNE HISTORY Midnight Outlaw: Illegal Street Drag started as an attempt to cash in on the "Fast and Furious" phenomenon, where you got fast mod cars with serious music and some dandy racing. When combined with a bit of a career mode, you get a game that is more than your typical budget title. Nitro Edition added four new cars. 1.3 MOISDNE HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS Minimum: Windowsr 98/ME/XP CD Pentiumr II 400MHz. or 100% compatible processor 128MB RAM 8MB 3D Accelerator with DirectXr 8.1 compliant video drivers DirectX 8.1 compatible sound card 200MB HD space 4X CD-ROM Drive Internet connection for multiplayer play. Recommended: Pentium III 500MHz. or 100% compatible processor 16MB 3D Accelerator with DirectX 8.1 compliant video drivers Broadband Internet connection for multiplayer play. 1.4 HOW DOES MOISDNE PLAY? You start with $400 and a lousy car that had zero upgrades. You start in "class D" street drag. Add a few upgrades based on your limited budget, and start racing other people for money. Leave enough money in your wallet in case you lose! The drag racing section is in full 3D with all camera rotations and movements you would expect. You can even choose between multiple viewpoints (and if you buy the camera options, even more viewpoints are available). Occasionally the police may interrupt your race at the end and give both of you a ticket. In that case, you both "lose". Put the winnings into better performance parts, and race some more. Win respect by beating drivers you haven't raced before. Some parts you add gives you respect as well (like Nitrous Oxide injection systems, nice rims, custom paintjobs, nice stereos, and so on). With enough respect, you can race in the higher classes. Your ultimate objective is to beat the top guy in class A, and thus be the fastest guy in the city. You can also do quick race or race online against buddies over Gamespy Arcade. 1.5 BUGS AND FIXES There is no patch for this game. There is a wee bit of a bug... When you crash into someone during a race, and the race is stopped short, that time is somehow recorded as your fastest ever time. There are a couple surprises, but those aren't bugs. 1.6 EXPANSION PACKS? SEQUELS? RELATED TITLES? The Nitro Edition is the last of this line. A related title is "Hot Rod", endorsed by the official Hot Rod magazine, where you buy old hot rods and restore them to race in sanctioned events. There are a few other street racing titles, such as Midnight Club and Midnight Club II, Juiced, Need for Speed Underground (and II, coming soon), and Street Legal, that involves street racing. Some of them even have a drag racing component. 2 Illegal Street Drag Rules There are not that many rules, actually. You can race in any class that you qualify for (or lower). For example, if you have a class B car, you can still race in class C and class D. You can challenge anyone in the class you choose to race in. You do NOT need money to challenge. HOWEVER, if you don't have the money AND you lost, you lose your car, which end the game. (However, the game will simply let you reload your last saved profile) If you don't have the money AND you won, you get 2x the winnings. For example, say you have only $850, and you challenged Rocco in class A to a duel and won. The bet was $1000, so you will end up with 2850 (minus maintenance). Yes, it's weird, but that's how it works. If you hit the other car during the race, (even if he drifts into your lane, which would be very rare) you will be charged penalty equal to the police fine of that "class". (On the other hand, if you know you're going to lose a close race, this may save you some money.) Police can and will stop the race if they find you. Having police scanners (esp. the good ones) will reduce that chance. If the police stop your car, they will issue a citation to the cost of $40, $75, $135, or $200 respectively. The race still counts, but you don't get any of your winnings. Racing at dusk or dawn is permitted. The bet is SLIGHTLY higher (by like $10 or $20. Consider the risks vs. the payoff before deciding to race then. 3 Drag Racing Techniques and Tips Keep in mind that in this "simulated" drag racing, you cannot burn out or destroy any of your car's parts. So you can use all sorts of tricks that do NOT apply in real-life. 3.1 THE LAUNCH The EASIEST way to launch a car here is to do the obvious: rev the engine to redline (almost 7000 RPM), then switch into first when you get the go signal. You can anticipate slightly the go signal and get a 0.1 sec advantage. However, if you got it wrong you may lose 0.1 sec. Having a better clutch would let you switch gears more consistently, and is recommended. NOTE: In real-life, you have to hit first-gear, THEN hit the throttle, since clutch cannot handle over 1000 RPM except specially built race gear boxes, and even then only certain makers, like Porsche or Ferrari or Lambourghini makes gearboxes that tough, and they don't last THAT long either. 3.2 THE GEAR CHANGES Switch to next gear when the RPM hit redline for 0.5 seconds. By that time you've gotten all the acceleration out of the engine in that gear range. Better clutches shift faster, giving you that extra edge. 3.3 THE NITRO Nitro is used to get extra acceleration out of the car when you can't wait for the RPM to build up normally. In general, that means 3rd or 4th gear, and right after you had switched into that gear. If you are fast and have a good clutch, you can shift gears while the nitro boost is still in effect. Experiment with it a bit, see which gear takes the longest to accelerate on, and try hitting nitro when you switch to that gear. In general, this would be usually third-gear or if you got enough turbo, fourth-gear. On some class-A cars, you will be driving in 5th gear for a while as you hit the rev limiter. In those cars, use the nitro early to gain the slight bit of advantage early on, perhaps during the 2-3- 4 shifts if you are fast enough. 3.4 THE TURNS As this is drag racing, you DO NOT need to turn. HOWEVER, some race spots, esp. class B industrial park, has the tendency to make your car do WEIRD things near the end, like fly up and so on, and thus missing the finish line altogether. You may need to make some final course corrections near the end. Also, touching the other racer is an automatic "stop-race" where you must pay the other guy for damaging his car. So if your car is leaning closer to the other guy, turn away. 3.5 TEST DRIVE Experiment with different launch techniques and different shift / boost timings to see which one will get you the fastest ride. Learn how fast your car can go so you don't challenge the wrong guy. 3.6 DO NOT BE INTIMIDATED A racer on the street has a "rumored" time that is always less than the "real" time they actually pull. Usually they are off by a second or two. So if you can come within 1 second of their reputed "best", go ahead and challenge them. You have a decent chance of beating them. 3.7 RACE SAME PERSON MULTIPLE TIMES FOR MORE MONEY You can beat each racer about 10 times before s/he gets wise and switches to the "low" bet amount. You WILL need to race everybody multiple times just to earn enough money for upgrades. There's nothing wrong with rubbing their noses in, so go ahead and beat that racer again, and again, and again... until you don't think it's worth the effort any more or they switch to the "low" bet, then try the next guy. 3.8 UPGRADE ALL THE PARTS EXCEPT RESPECT-ONLY ONES You need performance, and you need them ASAP, which means beat the other racers, and use the winnings to upgrade your car with performance parts, in order to beat more racers. Only when you have plenty of money should you consider the respect-only items, unless you need to unlock other items, like Wing 1 or Paint 1 (which unlocks Body 1, Wing 2, etc.). 4 The Parts The parts upgrade tree is listed below by section. P means performance, R means Respect, and P/R means both. 4.1 PAINT, AERO KIT, WING (P/R) While paint alone does not affect performance, body and wing gives you better aerodynamics and improves down force, thus giving you more grip and better acceleration. ==Paint 1 : $600 -- high gloss stock paint, +2 R ====Paint 2 : $1000 -- custom paint job, requires Paint 1 and Wing 1, +3 R ======Paint 3 : $2000 -- detailed custom paint job, requires Paint 2, +4 R ====Wing 1 : $150 -- small wing to help with a bit of traction, +1 R, requires Paint 1 ========Wing 2 : $250 -- large wing to keep the wheels on the road, + 3 R, requires Paint 3 ======Body 1 : $700 -- ground effects body set minimizes drag, +1 R, requires Wing 1 4.2 SHOCKS Suspension upgrades optimizes weight transfer during acceleration and improves performance. ==SHOCK 1 : $300 -- sport grade suspension ====SHOCK 2 : $600 -- race grade suspension, requires shock 1 4.3 WHEEL (P/R) Wheel upgrades give you race slicks which improves traction as well as alloy wheels that are lighter, and every bit of weight savings is helpful with acceleration. ==Wheels 1 : $150 -- custom hub caps and tires, +1 R ====Wheels 2 : $300 -- custom rims and tires, +1 R, requires Wheels 1 ======Wheels 3 : $900 -- slicks for maximum street legal traction, +1 R, requires Wheels 2 ========Wheels 4 : $1500 -- race grade slicks for the ultimate edge, +1 R, requires Wheels 3 4.4 ENGINE PARTS (INTAKE, EXHAUST, CAM, HEADER, ETC.) (P) All these upgrades will improve the engine's output or lower weight or both. == Cams 1 $400, sport grade cams are slight adjustable ==== Cams 2 $650, race grade cams are fully adjustable, requires Cam 1 == Exhaust 1 $100, performance muffler ==== Exhaust 2 $400, Cat-back exhaust, requires Exhaust 1 and Turbo 1 ====== Exhaust 3 $700, dual exhaust, requires Exhaust 2 and Turbo 2 == Fuel 1 $250, fuel system upgrade adds port for nitro injector and better fuel delivery ==== Fuel 2 $550, fuel ECU optimizes combustion, requires fuel 1 and turbo 1 == Header 1: $200, cast aluminum header is lighter than the stock part ==== Header 2 ; $500, ceramic header is even lighter than the aluminum one, requires Header 1 == Intake 1, $100, performance air filter has a conic shape for optimal air flow ====Intake 2, $500, ram air intake helps engine breath easier, requires Intake 1 ======Intake 3: $900, cold air intake condenses the air, requires Intake 2 ========Intake 4: $1600, liquid nitrogen air cooler, requires Intake 3 4.5 TURBO (R/P) Turbocharger works by using the exhaust gas to power a compressor which increases the air density going into the engine, which means more oxygen and thus more horsepower. Higher stage gives better compression with introduction of bigger intercoolers and higher compression turbos. ==Turbo 1 : $700, stage 1 turbo kit, +1 R ===Turbo 2 : $1000, stage 2 turbo kit, +1 R, requires turbo 1 ====Turbo 3 : $2000, stage 3 turbo kit, +1 R, requires turbo 2 4.6 NITRO (R/P) Nitrous-Oxide injector units give you a burst of speed as it dumps concentrated oxygen compound into the cylinder, adding a LOT of horsepower for short periods. The bigger injectors give bigger bursts. ==Nitrous 1 : $800, 50 shot nitrous Oxide injector, +1 R, requires FUEL 1 ====Nitrous 2 : $1600, 100 shot nitrous oxide injector, +2 R, requires FUEL 1 ======Nitrous 3 : $3200, 200 shot nitrous oxide injector, +3 R, requires FUEL 1 4.7 CLUTCH (P) The performance clutches gives more reliable shifts, less chance of a shift fumble which can prevent you from shifting at the wrong time and affecting your win. They also make shifting faster, decreasing the time your car is NOT accelerating. ==Clutch 1 : $600, stage 1 clutch kit ====Clutch 2 : $1200, stage 2 clutch kit, requires clutch 1 ======Clutch 3 : $2000, stage 3 clutch kit, requires clutch 2 4.8 IN-CAR ENTERTAINMENT (R) This is purely for entertainment and bragging rights, which is why it generates only respect. The really expensive ones come with DJ's. ==ICE 1 : $200, CD player, +1 R ===ICE 2 : $250, subwoofer, +1 R ==== ICE 3 : $500, dolby digital system upgrade, +2 R ===== ICE 4 : $1000, TV/DVD/Game, +2 R ====== ICE 5 : $2000, in-car DJ, +3 R ======= ICE 6 : $3000, upgraded in-car DJ, +3 R 4.9 FOR THE LOOKS (R) Several options, such as fog lights, jewel (Altezza) tail lights, underbody neon lights, add to looks only. They all require BODY 1. FOG 1 $200 those extra fog lamps up front is for good looks, +1 R, require Body 1 TAIL 1 $50 the round Altezza-style taillights adds to the looks, +1 R, require Body 1 NEON 1 $50 Underbody lights gives that hover effect, +1 R, require Body 1 4.10 CAMERA (R) Gives you live coverage of your race, more respect == Camera 1 $200, 1 external camera, +1 R ==== Camera 2, $200, 2 external cameras, +1 R, requires Camera 1 ======Camera 3, $200, 3 external cameras, +1 R, requires Camera 2 ========Camera 4, $200, 4 external cameras, +1 R, requires Camera 3 4.11 POLICE SCANNER (R) Lessens the chance of police interrupting your race == Scanner 1, $100, basic police scanner, +1 R ==== Scanner 2, $200, advanced police scanner, +1 R ====== Scanner 3, $300, upgraded advanced police scanner, +2 R 4.12 HORN () Something to personalize your vehicle with, no practical use, no effect on respect == Horn 1, $50 ==== Horn 2, $100, requires horn 1 ====== Horn 3, $150, requires horn 2 4.13 UPGRADE STRATEGY You want the engine, turbo, and nitro kits ASAP. The wheels and suspension can give you the edge when you are in a close race, but the engine/turbo/nitro kits give the biggest boost. Save the respect parts for later, MUCH later. 5 The Cars Please note that there are NO differences amongst the cars performance-wise. Despite their different beginnings, they all have the exact same level of performance if they have the same parts. So a plain "Car 9" would perform the same as a plain "Car 3", even though they started as very different cars. Car 0 = Toyota Celica-like Car 1 = Honda CRX-like Car 2 = Toyota Supra-like Car 3 = Honda Civic-like Car 4 = Ford Focus-like Car 5 = Subaru Impreza-like NOTE: these following cars are exclusive to the Nitro Edition Car 6 = Acura/Honda Integra-like Car 7 = Mitsubishi Eclipse-like Car 8 = Pontiac Firebird-like, but with a Dodge-like nose Car 9 = Ford Mustang-like 6 Your opponents Here is a full list of your opponents in every class, along with the cars they drive and their paint jobs. Cla Name Time Bet Low Respec Car Pain Tire Neon NOTE ss t t s D Goober 17.0 30 15 0 7 1 0 0 D Speedy 16.9 40 20 2 8 1 0 0 D Tach 16.8 50 25 4 9 1 0 0 D Buffy 16.7 56 26 6 2 1 0 0 X D Shino 16.6 64 30 8 7 2 1 0 X D H.P. 16.5 69 32 10 6 3 1 0 X D Shimmy 16.2 73 34 12 8 2 2 0 D Sweetlip 15.8 74 35 14 9 5 1 1 s D Burn Out 15.7 78 37 16 5 1 0 0 X D Carlos 15.0 80 40 18 4 2 1 0 X C Burn Out 15.0 90 40 20 5 3 1 0 X C Carlos 14.9 102 41 22 4 4 1 0 X C Gloop 14.8 156 43 24 2 4 3 0 C Sparky 14.7 165 46 26 1 3 1 0 X C Chan 14.6 172 48 28 6 5 1 1 X C Warp 14.3 200 50 30 7 4 3 0 C Elandra 13.9 240 52 32 8 6 1 1 C Zap 13.7 280 54 34 9 3 1 0 C Leadfoot 13.5 290 58 36 3 4 1 0 X C Octane 13.0 300 64 38 0 5 2 0 X B Burn Out 13.0 305 69 40 5 6 1 1 X B Carlos 12.9 310 74 42 4 6 2 1 X B Leadfoot 12.8 320 76 44 3 7 1 1 B Octane 12.5 330 78 46 0 6 2 0 B Veldrane 12.1 345 79 48 8 9 3 1 X B Dragonfl 11.8 400 80 50 1 9 3 0 y B Electra 11.6 458 81 52 7 6 2 0 B Gonzo 10.9 502 82 54 6 7 3 0 X B Zephyr 10.3 520 83 56 1 7 3 0 X B Turbo 10.0 535 84 58 2 8 3 1 X A Burn Out 10.0 560 85 60 5 7 3 0 X A Carlos 9.9 580 87 62 4 8 2 1 X A Leadfoot 9.8 600 89 64 3 9 2 0 A Octane 9.7 640 90 66 0 8 3 1 A Zephyr 8.9 665 91 68 1 9 3 1 A Turbo 8.8 670 93 70 2 9 3 1 X A Diesel 8.3 680 95 72 9 9 3 1 X A Rocket 7.7 700 97 74 6 9 3 1 A Krispy 7.4 800 98 76 3 9 3 1 A Rocco 7.0 100 100 78 0 9 3 1 X 0 Class -- which class is the racer / car. Yes, some of them have different cars for different classes. Name -- streetname of the racer Time -- reputed time of the racer, usually a personal best. His/her actual time will be somewhat slower, usually. Bet -- his/her normal bet amount. If you beat him/her too many times s/he switches to the "low" bet amount. Low -- "low" bet amount, used when you have beaten him/her too many times. Respect -- how much respect s/he has. If you beat him/her, you will have at least that much (plus any bonuses from your ride) Car -- car type s/he's driving, see [2] for full list Paint -- actually an indication of paint, wing type, and body kit combination. Here's a little chart: 1) no paint, no mods 2) Paint 1 3) Paint 1 and Wing 1 4) Paint 1, Wing 1, and Body 1 5) Paint 2, Wing 1 6) Paint 2, Wing 1, and Body 1 7) Paint 3, Wing 1 8) Paint 3, Wing 2 9) Paint 3, Wing 2, and Body 1 Tires -- tire/wheel level. 0 = wheels 1, while 3 = wheels 4. Neon -- under car neon lights, just cool looking Note -- the racers marked with X may be difficult to beat without as much upgrades as you can afford. 7 Miscellaneous 7.1 CHEAT CODES Technically this is not a cheat code, but here goes. Start a game with your name as 'HenryJarl' (without the quotes, of course). You should have $100,000 to spend as you please. 7.2 FUNNY THINGS TO DO Hitting the other car is a stop-race event... but try it a couple more times... You'll get a surprise occasionally. I can't tell you what it is, as it will ruin the surprise. --THE END--