Straight Shooter
by Wildcat Sue


click for enlargement

This is a great track. It really captures the spirit of the original contest concept. Only two textures wide, and downright exciting to drive, with great comp truck competition as a bonus. Fast, fun, and equipped with great music. It appears deceptively simple in its design, but after driving it for a few laps, you soon realize there is nothing simple about it at all. This is a track for racing, not for looking at. The stock voodoo island textures and great rolling altitude work create a hard, unyielding atmosphere that reflects the track's intensity - which is, not uncoincidentally, underscored by the track's name and music (Peter Gunne - Straight Shooter, geddit?). There is no big air, but the truck never quite gets all four wheels comfortably on the ground. Though you'll travel via vertical wheely through Checkpoint Four and leap quite high following Checkpoint Five, the ground is never out of sight. There are no deliberate obstacles or contrived jumps on the road, but your truck is constantly bouncing and on the verge of becoming airborne. The excellent terrain work makes for some very smooth high-speed jumps and landings. And, the downhill slope starting at and following Checkpoint Three will push the speedometer right off the scale. This track maker has employed every trick to keep the truck's nose down when it's appropriate, and let's it fly when needed. And, it's all done at breakneck speed. This is almost a text book on the track/maker controlling the vehical. The road is wide open, seemingly room enough for all, but one false move or a nudge from an opponent and you're off into the rough where, without helicopter assistance, you can get back quickly into the race, but you'll be slowed down enough that you might not ever catch up again. The computer trucks are very competitive but not unbeatable if you concentrate - just. If you roll, good luck catching the computer. The custom music soundtrack accounts for the size of the download. There are no mountains to climb and no valleys to swoop down into, but the drive keeps you constantly on the edge: the edge of your wheels, the edge of the race, the edge between winning and losing, and on the edge of your seat the entire way. "In a word, excellent!" Man, that's intensity. "This track is the one I keep coming back to off-line." The only area that is lacking in any way is the textures, but this little quibble does not detract from the enjoyability of this superb racing experience. Simple, straight, lag-free, and easy fun. Nicely done Wildcat Sue.

Lap Time 1:07.10