Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Anti-Gravity Racing - the NEW sports obsession

In AG Racing, players compete in the F3600 anti-gravity racing league under the jurisdiction of the AGGRO (anti gravity global racing organization) a supervisory and regulatory body that organizes and adjudicates this new sport. The F3600 League is divided into four classes representing pilot skill and challenges inherent in the tracks. They are: Vector, Venom, Rapier and Phantom.
There are a number of teams from different areas of Earth and Orbital Space.

Federal European Industrial Science And Research (FEISAR)
Livery – Blue and Yellow
A consortium of over twelve European nations of United Europe, established in 2017, FEISAR is one of the oldest players in the AG industry and often bringing in the high-profile racers. Nonetheless the consortium is divided along numerous lines and is crippled by its lack of central leadership, letting other parties get the edge in the design of AG racing craft. Of late, FEISAR racing teams have performed poorly.
The FEISAR ship has good turning ability and aerodynamics, but only has average acceleration and shield capability. It is hindered with a poor top speed, and is slightly heavy at turning with room for improvement in overall handling. Perhaps the poorest of all the AG racing craft, more suited to ameteurs.
Lead Pilot: Daniel Johnson (GBR), a much-hyped, first year pilot who has just signed the largest rookie contract in FEISAR history.
Second Pilot: Carlos Beneto (BRA), a veteran of over fifteen seasons who has been demoted from lead pilot in favor of popular rookie Daniel Johnson.

Anti-Gravity Systems (AG Systems)
LIVERY - Red and White
Spearheaded by Pierre Belmondo, the elderly French grandfather of anti-gravity and the AG racing league, AG Systems was bought out by a Japanese megacorporation as long ago as 2017 and has since become a significant leader in the global AG industry. Principal-driven AG Systems tend to rely more on research rather more than actual racing, leading to only mediocre success on the track.
The AG Systems ship has excellent acceleration and good turning ability and aerodynamics, but only an average top speed. Its biggest weakness is a poor shield capability, and therefore it is more prone to damage then other ships. Also suited for amateurs.

Auricom Research Industries
LIVERY - Blue and Red
In 2025 the founder of USSA-based Auricom, Delia Flaubert, commended the ideals of Pierre Belmondo and his vision for the development of AG technology for the good of mankind. As such, Auricom are a non-profit organisation with a fair reputation, although they will need to spend more on development if they are to compete with rivals Qirex.
The Auricom ship is a good all-rounder with average statistics in all fields, and a slightly better top speed, but nevertheless with room for improvement in all fields. Most suited for intermediate pilots.
Lead Pilot: Pascale Rouser (GER)
Second Pilot: Franco Gonzalez (ESP)

Qirex Research and Development
LIVERY - Purple and Navy Blue
Qirex is the profit-driven Russian AG racing subsidiary of the global megacorporation and global communications supremos, Overtel. Qirex was founded by AG Systems detractor Holst McQueen in 2041, and today Qirex is considered the leader of the global AG racing industry, and accordingly Overtel has ever more power and influence over AG racing. The Qirex AG racing craft are designed to be driven only by the experts, who are known for their aggressive racing style. The Qirex team remain the unbeaten champions and most successful team in the history of the sport.
The Qirex ship is one of the most advanced ships in conventional AG racing with good shield capability and top speed, but only average aerodynamics. Despite its good top speed it may take a while to get there as it has a poor acceleration, and most unfortunately a very poor turning ability and heavy handling. Most suited for those more advanced pilots who can play to it's strengths.

Piranha Advancements
LIVERY - Red and Yellow
Piranha Advancements are a fairly new Chinese/Brazilian collaboration which have already made a fundamental impact on the global anti-gravity industry, making many breakthroughs and succeeding where many other AG corporations have failed, such as developing flawless AG airbrake technology. Piranha Advancements is known to be a very able corporation, whose impressive research scientists are obsessed with perfection in a way that other AG corporations are not. They are also more secretive then other AG racing teams.
Piranha's recently unveiled prototype AG racer is the best ever yet built, with 100% statistics in all fields such as thrust, top speed, turning ability, shield energy and aerodynamics. However, being a prototype, the Piranha ship has not yet been adapted for the current weapon technology of the F5000 AG racing league, leaving it unable to fight back on the track or damage other ships. Rumour has it, however, that Piranha have developed a secret weapon for the ship, which when activated will be the most powerful weapon yet seen in anti-gravity racing...

Lead Pilot: Myima Tsarong (TIB)
Second Pilot: Jann Schlaudecker (GER)

And speaking of weapons. The currently AGGRO-authorized weapons for the F3600 League are:

Rockets – A set of three red rockets are fired from the front of the craft in a straight line. This causes light to medium shield damage.

Missile – A single blue missile, volleys of multiple missiles are not allowed, is fired from the front of the craft. Has lock-on capability, for crafts either in front or behind. Causes light to medium shield damage.

Mines – Five mines are ejected from the back of the craft. They only explode upon contact with other craft, or when a Thunder Bomb is detonated in the vicinity. Causes medium shield damage.

Thunder Bomb – A single bomb is ejected from the back of the craft, and around half a second later, explodes, destroying all mines in the vicinity and causing medium to heavy shield damage to all target craft in range.

Quake Disruptor – A wave is sent rippling through the track, destroying all mines in its path, and causing heavy shield damage to all craft in range.

Electro Bolt – A slow-moving bolt of electricity is fired from the front of the craft. Has lock-on capability. Causes very light damage upon contact with a target craft, and causes the craft to slow down and become hard to control.

Plasma Bolt – A yellow burst of plasma is fired from the front of the craft in a straight line. Causes instant destruction if it hits a target craft. Takes about a half second to charge.

Turbo Boost – Gives the craft an instantaneous burst of acceleration when activated. Shield – Protects craft from all damage for around 5 seconds when activated. E-Pak – Is only available if the craft has critically low shield energy. Gives the craft about 25% shield energy back.

Autopilot – Places the craft under A.I. control for 4 seconds or more. A message is shown when the weapon is activated, and warns when the auto pilot is about to disengage. The pilot is often given back control of the craft just as it was about to slam into a wall : this is due to the fact that the auto pilot only disengages when the craft is on an even keel. Fortunately, the Autopilot can be deactivated manually.

Minigun - A weapon only attainable through and permanently selected by use of a password. It is a rapid fire weapon with unlimited rounds which can quickly destroy other craft. The Piranha craft, which is otherwise weaponless, can use the minigun.

Though the human pilots are allowed to use all of the weapons, A.I. pilots can only use Rockets, Missiles, Shields, Mines and Electro Bolts. For unknown reasons, the shield weapon is not available on the Talon's Reach circuit.

Which takes us to the circuits:

Talon's ReachLOCATION - Canada
LENGTH - 3.2 km
ALTITUDE - 74m
CLASS - Vector
Set within a major industrial complex in Canada, this is usually the first circuit that is raced on, and thus, is the shortest and the easiest. Features include a long right-hander inside a low-level tunnel, and jets of yellow steam emanating from the ceiling. This is also the only fully indoor circuit.

Sagarmatha
LOCATION - Nepal
LENGTH - 4.3 km
ALTITUDE - 158m
CLASS - Vector
This snowy Tibetan circuit is set in the mountains of Nepal, and is slightly harder to master than Talon's Reach, with more elevation change, and harsher corners, although it is still described as an "easy" track in-game. Features include slow moving droplets of snow, and a small section of track cut straight into a mountain face.

Valparaiso
LOCATION - Chile
LENGTH - 3.9 km
ALTITUDE - 220m
CLASS - Venom
Described as being a "tricky" track. This is one of the three circuits named after real-life locations, perhaps named after the city of Valparaíso or the Valparaíso Region in central Chile, South America. The track is in the western and least touched portion of the Amazon Rainforest which borders the eastern part of the Andes mountains. The highlight of this circuit is clearly the section of track that runs through the ruins of a Mesoamerican temple.

Phenitia Park
LOCATION - Germany
LENGTH - 3.8 km
ALTITUDE - 137m
CLASS - Venom
Another "tricky" track, Phenitia Park is a newly constructed German commercial park. This track boasts several jumps, high walled, sharp bends, and quick, reaction testing tunnel sections.

Gare D'Europa
LOCATION - France
LENGTH - 3.5 km
ALTITUDE - 179m
CLASS - Rapier
Described as a "hard" difficulty track. Made from a disused metro system apparently based at Lille in the north of France, this circuit has the longest straight section, and the highest elevation change in the game. There is plenty of scenery, including a huge zeppelin and a cable railway. Lightning and rain batter down on this track, and the evening setting simply adds to the atmospheric quality. The main feature of this circuit is a large tunnel section with harsh, hairpin-like bends.

Odessa Keys
LOCATION - Black Sea
LENGTH - 4.4 km
ALTITUDE - 121m
CLASS - Rapier
The last of the initial circuits, and another "hard" track, this is also the hardest to master of the initial tracks. This huge circuit is suspended entirely over the Black Sea, and named after the nearby city. There are many highlights to this track, including a huge altitude change near the beginning, which often forces beginners into the wall ahead.

Vostok Island
LOCATION - South Pacific
LENGTH - 5.1 km
ALTITUDE - 97m
CLASS - Phantom
Set on the island of the same name, in the central South Pacific Ocean, Vostok Island, is an elite track only available to superior pilots who qualify, and is of course, very hard to survive. The real Vostok island was a small, obscure, inhospitable and uninhabited coral island covered in dense Psionia trees; however it is revealed to have become a dangerous volcanic island. The flat 90 degree right-hander right at the end and the split-tracks are two of the many features of Vostok Island. It is also the longest track in the League.

Spilskinanke
LOCATION - North America
LENGTH - 4.0 km
ALTITUDE - 82m
CLASS - Phantom
As an elite track, like Vostok Island, Spilskinanke is also described as a "very hard" track. After the West coast of the United States has been shattered, broken and ruined by unprecedented seismic activity, the entire state of California has broken away into the Pacific, with the Sierra Nevada mountains becoming the new coastline of the U.S. Spilskinanke is suspended above an island which was once Los Angeles, and is by far the toughest of the circuits. Boasts an experimental pitlane, (in the sense that it is not next to the start/finish straight and has weapon grids in it) and many twisting sections of hard-braking corners. It is an anagram of Snake Plissken (minus one "S" and switching an I for the E in "Plissken") from the cult film Escape from New York.

There are a numnber of Pro-Am Racing Teams coming up in the League that may soon recieve F3600 recognition by AGGRO. they are intensely locally popular in their home regions with millions if generated marketing credits. Among them are:


Van-Uber Racing Developments (Germany)
Lead Pilot: Songen Grey (USA), the founder of a religion known as "Gangoism". Grey is contemplating retirement at the end of the season. Second Pilot: Nami Mishima (JPN), a massively popular pilot often compared to the F3600 legend Arial Tetsuo, but has frequently been the victim of several sabotage attacks.

G-Tech Systems (Japan) Lead Pilot: Roberto Sergio (ITA), a former FEISAR pilot famous for his physical fitness and prior romantic links to notable female pilots in the league.Second Pilot: Naomi Turner (GBR), a long-time pilot prospect for AG Systems (which was later bought out by G-Tech) noted for her bitter hatred of reiging World Champion, Natasha Belmondo.

EG.r Technologies (China)
Lead Pilot: Paul Cheung
Second Pilot: Alex Reece

Tigron Enterprises (Russia)
Lead Pilot: Omarr Khumala (RSA)
Second Pilot: Sveta Kirowski (RUS)

Xios International (Finland) Lead Pilot: Natasha Belmondo (FRA)
Second Pilot: Zala Wollf (AUT)

At the bottom of the heap are a small number of strictly ameteur teams working hard to come up to Pro status. the ones to watch are:

Assegai
Goteki 45
Triakis
EG-X
Mirage
Icaras
Harimau


The Amateur Circuit tracks are:

Talon's Junction, set in an abandoned research park in Wales Moa Therma, on an island chain off the coast of Sicily
Metropia, an urban circuit in New Kyoto
Arc Prime, a circuit that runs around Seattle De Konstruct, in Geneva
Tech De Ra, built upon the remains of a former hydroponic farm in Arizona
The Amphiseum, a purpose-built stadium-like circuit in Las Vegas, Nevada
Fort Gale, set around a weather research station on Gibraltar
Basilico, an abandoned city apparently in Nova Scotia
Platinum Rush, a circuit set in the parklands of a thawed and preserved Greenland
Vertica, located in the Cayman Islands and similar to Moa Therma
Outpost 7, a research and communications station built at the very top of the world in northern Finland
Vostok Reef, set in an underwater seaport at Vostok Island
Edgewinter, a circuit in the financial district of Edgewinter
Gemini Dam, located in Morocco Orcus, built in the subterranean networks below Alaska

Currently under construction but not yet ready for race-hosting are six more tracks in Orbital Space. They are listed publicly with the pending venue names:


Anulpha Pass,
Chengou Project,
Übermall,
Sebenco Climb,
Sol 2,
Vineta K


a lot of secrecy surrounds their features and new developments are hungrily speculated on by race-fans