Amateur Circuit, (Upgrades) Guide [Routing]
Guides
/
Amateur Circuit, (Upgrades) Guide [Routing]
Updated 4 years ago by Minx

The Amateur Circuit with upgrades category is one of the most technically difficult categories to race and has a very huge dependence on good junkyard routing. With "Winner Takes All", you gain only 2200 truguts from each race that you win, making money a very tight resource. Most successful upgrade routes aim to try and get at the very least, a plug 8 before Beedo's Wild Ride, allowing you to peak your speed by Aquilaris Classic. The entire run hinges on the upgrades and value-add to your parts that you get along the way before Beedo's. If you do not get the top speed required, your run takes a huge hit on Aquilaris, which is one of the longer runs in the category. It is still possible to get a plug 8 before Beedo's without any upgrades, and independently, attempt to try and get lucky with upgrades before Aquilaris itself, but you would be taking a huge risk, because with how tight your money is, it is extremely unlikely you'll be able to get an affordable upgrade in time.

Basic things to note: -Set the prize distribution to "Winner Takes All" -You need to place 1st to win prize money (2200 truguts) with the above setting -You need to place 1st on Beedo's Wild Ride to unlock Aldar Beedo -You need at least 3rd place on Spice Mine Run for your run to qualify for completion -You start with 1 droid, that can repair (and keep) an upgraded part to maxmium health -You need an extra droid for every other damaged part. -Top speed takes priority, then cooling, then the handling upgrades -The value of your current part will always be traded in when buying a different part.

Optimal podracers: Races 1 - 3 Ebe Endecott Races 4 - 7 Aldar Beedo

Critical positions in the run:

Aquilaris Classic: -Switch to Beedo -Your top speed upgrade ideally needs to be maxed out by here. You should also have a decent cooling upgrade with Aldar Beedo -On laps 2 and 3, you will probably be lapping the AI, which can be dangerous obstacles on the track. -The doors are not fully opened or closed if you are entering them with AI. Some attention to how the doors are changing is required. -The figure 8 at the end of the track requires you to brake before you enter it.

Malastare 100: -Ideally you want to get both tier 3 handling upgrades before you start the race -The hairpin is extremely difficult with Beedo who has poor handling even with upgrades. -You'll be lapping the AI in narrow areas on laps 2 and 3

Vengeance: -Extremely difficult track with non-stop high tension areas

Spice Mine Run: -AI is quite unpredictable and glitchy and are very dangerous obstacles on laps 2 and 3


Part costs, with junkyard price ranges:

Top Speed: Plug 2 - 1000 Plug 3 - 2400, (960 - 2160) Plug 5 - 6000, (2400 - 5400) Plug 8 - 14000, (5600 - 12600) Block 5 - 17500, (7000 - 15750) Block 6 - 20000, (8000 - 18000)

Cooling: Coolant radiator - 50 Stack 3 - 100 (40 - 90) Stack 6 - 300 (120 - 270) Rod - 900 (360 - 810) Dual - 2700 (1080 - 2430) Turbo - 5400 (2160 - 4860)

Traction: R-20: 250 R-60: 400 (net cost 150) R-80: 600 (net cost 350)

Turning: Linkage: 200 Shift Plate: 400 (net cost 200) Vectro-Jet: 700 (net cost 500)


Best case scenario: Plug 3 (before race 1) -> Plug 5 (before race 2) -> Damaged Block 5 + Damaged Dual (before race 3) -> Re-rolled healthy block 5/6 + Healthy turbo (before race 4) -> Tier 3 Turning + Tier 3 Traction (before race 5)

Routes: (note: worst case scenario means you get the most healthy item available, which is the worst case if you're trying to build money value since you get less money after repairing it, vice versa for best case scenario, however healthier items help with in-game race times)

Plug 3 (before race 1) -> Plug 5 (before race 2) route: Value before race 1: 1000 + 400 = 1400 Value before race 2 (worst case scenario): 1000 + 400 + 1000 + 2200 = 4600 Value before race 2 (best case scenario): 1000 + 400 + (2400 - 960) + 2200 = 5040 Value before race 3 (worst case scenario): (6000 - 5040) + 2200 + 5040 = 8200 Value before race 3 (best case scenario): 5040 + (6000 - 2400) + 2200 = 10840

Plug 3 skip route: Value before race 1: 1400 Value before race 2: 3600 Value before race 3 (if you take a plug 5) (worst case scenario): 6000 + 2200 = 8200 [Note: Your range of available plug 5 is lower than if you took the plug 3 before race 1, i.e. you only can afford a Plug 5 worth 2400 - 3600] Value before race 3 (if you take a plug 5) (best case scenario): 3600 + (6000 - 2400) + 2200 = 9600 Value before race 3 (if you take a plug 3) (worst case scenario): 3600 + (2400 - 2160) + 2200 = 6040 (! you can't take a block 5 anymore, maximum plug 3 cost to make block 5 available = 1200) Value before race 3 (if you take a plug 3) (best case scenario): 3600 + (2400 - 960) + 2200 = 7240

Plug 3 -> Plug 3 route [IMPORTANT: YOUR TOP SPEED WILL SUFFER IF YOU DO THIS]: Value before race 1: 1400 Value before race 2 (worst case scenario): 1000 + 400 + 1000 + 2200 = 4600 Value before race 2 (best case scenario): 1000 + 400 + (2400 - 960) + 2200 = 5040 Value before race 3 (worst case scenario): 5040 + (2400 - 2160) + 2200 = 7480 Value before race 3 (best case scenario): 5040 + (2400 - 960) + 2200 = 8680

Notable traps:

  1. The total cost of 2 droids and the maximum handling upgrades is 2850, the prize for winning a race is 2200, if you have less than 650 truguts before Aquilaris, you won't be able to afford both tier 3 handling upgrades before Malastare 100.
  2. If you have only a Plug 3 before Beedo's Wild Ride, you are extremely unlikely to be able to afford a Block 5
  3. If you get a Plug 8 / Block 5 / Block 6 that leaves you with less than 960 truguts, you won't be able to afford even the most damaged Turbo the next race.
  4. You will most likely not be able to afford both top speed and cooling before Beedo's. You are much more likely to get a cooling upgrade before Aquilaris.
  5. Buying droids before you need them can save you time in menuing, but you're extremely likely to go bankrupt.

Salvaging a run:

Scenario 1: Before Aquilaris, you do not have minimally a plug 8 -Try to get a plug 8 / Block 5 / Block 6 -If you still have money and a cooling part is available, buy it and a droid. If no affordable part is available or you can't buy the droid, do not buy the upgrade and just start the race.

Scenario 2: Before Aquilaris, you have a plug 8 / Block 5 / Block 6 but you can't afford tier 4 or above cooling and the droid -Buy whatever cooling you can afford and the droid OR -Buy cooling and not the droid, and just gamble on not taking damage on your top speed part (risky) OR -Look for a damaged Block 5 / Block 6 and try to get a part that gives you money (very risky) -Use the money to buy cooling + droid

Scenario 3: Before Malastare 100, you cannot afford both tier 3 handling -Do not attempt to re-roll your top speed part, it's extremely unlikely to get something favorable. -Get turning and a droid, get traction and another droid before Vengeance

(re-posted for authorship purposes)