____
_          _               / ___|                    _
| |  _   _ |_|  _______   _| |___  ________  _     _ | |_____  R
| | | | | || | |______ \ /  _____|/  ____  \| |   | ||  _____|
| |_| |_| || |_  _____| || |_____ | |____| || |___| || |_____
\_________/\___|/ _____/ \_______|\________/\_______/ \______|
__________ | |     ____        ___________________
|  ______  ||_|    | || |      | ________|| _______|
|_|______| || |____| || |______|_______  || _______|
|  ________|\________/\________|_________||________|
|_|
AUTHOR  - Charlie Emery - Hellfire X
PSNID   - Hellfire_WZ
VERSION - 0.6
E-MAIL  - ce_hellfire(at)yahoo(dot)co(dot)uk
Dedicated to Rowena, my wonderful girlfriend, and to all the staff and members
of WipeoutZone.
Note to Webmasters: I am NOT looking for any new hosts, so please do not e-mail
me asking to host this guide. Permission will not be granted.
===============================================================================
\\-\/-//                         **CONTENTS**                          \\-\/-//
//-/\-\\===============================================================//-/\-\\
To quickly navigate the guide, put the appropriate code into the Find function
in your browser.
-  [001] VERSION HISTORY
-  [002] E-MAIL USAGE
-  [003] INTRODUCTION
-  [004] CONTROLS
-  [005] GAME MODES
-  [006] RACING TECHNIQUES AND GAME MECHANICS
-  [007] WEAPON SYSTEMS   - Leech Beam
- Autopilot
- Shield
- Turbo
- Rockets
- Missile
- Proton Cannon
- Plasma Bolt
- Quake Disruptor
- Mines
- Bomb
- Shuriken
- Repulsor
-  [008] MANUFACTURERS    - Federal European Indistry of Science and Research
- Anti-Gravity Systems
- Assegai Developments
- EG.X Technologies
- Piranha Advancements
- Qirex Research and Development
- Triakis Industries
- Goteki45
- Auricom Research Industries
- Mirage Anti-Gravity Racing Excellence
- Project Icaras
- Harimau International
-  [009] CIRCUITS         - Talon's Junction
- Moa Therma
- Metropia
- Arc Prime
- De Konstruct
- Tech De Ra
- The Amphiseum
- Fort Gale
- Basilico
- Platinum Rush
- Vertica
- Outpost 7
- Edgewinter
- Vostok Reef
- Gemini Dam
- Orcus
-  [010] GRIDS
-  [011] DOWNLOAD PACKS
-  [012] UNLOCKABLE CONTENT
-  [013] SOUNDTRACK
-  [014] USEFUL LINKS
-  [015] THANKS
[001]
===============================================================================
\\-\/-//                      **VERSION HISTORY**                      \\-\/-//
//-/\-\\===============================================================//-/\-\\
0.6 - 22.02,08 - Guides for Talons' Junction to Metropia complete. Removed
Zone Mode section as it would just have been a repeat of the track guide.
Circuits which can be used for Zone Mode have been indicated in the track
guides. Harimau and Auricom packs added, as well as their respective
grids
0.5 - 18.02.08 - Grids section added, as well as information on the Mirage and
Icaras packs along with their respective grids
0.2 - 30.12.07 - Most empty sections filled in, circuit guides ready to be
started. Racing Techniques and Mechanics section complete, as well as
Game Modes, Unlockable Content and Controls. Soundtrack section updated
to include information on uploading MP3s.
0.1 - 01.12.07 - As the game has not yet been released, the guide is only a
skeleton of known information. Craft evaluations have been deduced solely
from the stats and are likely to change when the game is released
[002]
===============================================================================
\\-\/-//                       **E-MAIL USAGE**                        \\-\/-//
//-/\-\\===============================================================//-/\-\\
My e-mail address is open if you have any comments to make on the guide, such
as if anything is missing, if something could be more concise, etc. Useful
comments please, any flames and you won't be mailing me again. Please don't
mail me with any questions on the game if the answer can be found in the guide,
it will be ignored. I have revealed all I know about the game here. If it's not
in the guide, I can't help you. On the other hand, if you'd like me to explain
something a little more clearly, or if I have missed something, then by all
means mail me. If it's something important you'll get a mention in the credits.
But above all, DO NOT SPAM MY INBOX. This includes advertising, chain letters
and any other useless junk that gets sent. To help avoid this, please do not
add my address to your address book if you're in the habit of sending junk like
this.
Please do not e-mail me asking for the download packs. They are obtainable
from the PlayStation Store, and this time you have to pay for them. I paid my
money to use them, you can too. Any emails asking for them will be blocked.
Also, if I receive ANY emails asking for hacks or cheats for online play, you
will be immediately blocked and reported to Studio Liverpool and SCEE. I do not
condone any sort of online cheating and those that do deserve to be banned from
the network permanently. People that cheat online have no place in the online
gaming community and ruin it for everyone else who plays fairly.
[003]
===============================================================================
\\-\/-//                      **INTRODUCTION**                         \\-\/-//
//-/\-\\===============================================================//-/\-\\
In 2197, professional AG Racing returned following a long absence. The FX300
heralded the return of the once most popular sport in the world, and it
instantly returned it to its rightful position. Now, 10 years on, AG Racing has
gripped the world once again, with both the FX350 and FX400 leagues providing
entertainment to a worldwide audience. New circuits in locations all around the
world and the inclusion of the new Mag-Lock technology are set to make this the
most exciting year in the history of the sport.
Welcome to Wipeout Pulse
[004]
===============================================================================
\\-\/-//                        **CONTROLS**                           \\-\/-//
//-/\-\\===============================================================//-/\-\\
D-pad/Nub left/right - Steers craft
D-pad/Nub up/down    - Tilts nose down/up
Circle               - Absorb weapon
Cross                - Thrust
Square               - Fire weapon
Triangle             - Look backwards
L/R                  - Left/Right airbrakes
Start                - Pause game
Select               - Cycle viewpoints
NB: Wipeout veterans will notice that the absorb/fire buttons have been
switched from previous games. It is highly recommended that you switch fire to
circle and absorb to square if you have had any experience with Wipeout games
prior to Wipeout Pure.
Wipeout Pulse has two airbrake settings, Single and Dual. The Dual setting is
the default, and is shown above. The single airbrake setting assigns the R
button to airbrakes and the L button to sideshift. The brake/shift is applied
in the direction you are steering. Personally I find this very restrictive, and
it is highly recommended you stick with Dual brakes. Veterans should always use
Dual.
[005]
===============================================================================
\\-\/-//                       **GAME MODES**                          \\-\/-//
//-/\-\\===============================================================//-/\-\\
\\//   :RACE CAMPAIGN:   \\//
//\\=====================//\\
This is the single player campaign mode. Work your way through each grid,
unlocking new content and building up your loyalty points as you go. Each grid
segment consists of one of the main game modes. Earn 3 points for a gold, 2 for
a silver and 1 for a bronze on each segment, and reach the required points
total to unlock the next grid. The grids will also keep track of the AI
difficulty that you achieved your best scores/times on.
\\//   :SINGLE RACE:   \\//
//\\===================//\\
Pick a track, pick a craft, pick a class and engage in a single race against
seven other AI opponents. Difficulty can be selected prior to the race to suit
your own ability
\\//   :TIME TRIAL:   \\//
//\\==================//\\
No AI opponents to worry about, it's you against the clock in an attempt to
clock the fastest lap and race times for the track. You receive one turbo item
per lap, so make good use of it to reduce your times as much as possible. Your
craft has unlimited energy in Time Trial so you don't need to worry about
blowing up.
\\//   :TOURNAMENT:   \\//
//\\==================//\\
Tournament mode rewards the consistent racer. All the same options are
available as for single race, but this time you can select anything up to 24
tracks to race on in a league-based tournament. Earn points for your position
at the end of each race, and the pilot with the most points at the end wins the
tournament. The winner of a race receives 8 points, 6 for second, 5 for third,
all the way down to 0 for last place. Of course, you receive no points if you
are destroyed.
\\//   :ZONE MODE:   \\//
//\\=================//\\
The daddy from Wipeout Fusion returns once more. Take a seat in the Zone craft,
pick a track and hang on for as long as you can. The thrusters are stuck on
full and every 10 seconds it gets a bit faster. All you have to do is guide the
craft around the track for as long as possible before it eventually blows up.
Perfect laps and perfect zones will really get your score up.
\\//   :SPEED LAP:   \\//
//\\=================//\\
Free Play from Wipeout Pure has been replace with Speed Lap. Like TIme Trial,
you are on your own against the clock with unlimited energy, but race time
doesn't matter here. All you are out to do is to get the best lap time you
possibly can. You have 7 laps to do it in, and like Time Trial you will receive
a turbo each lap. As you have so many laps to do it is also the ideal mode to
get used to a new track.
\\//   :ELIMINATOR:   \\//
//\\==================//\\
An old favourite from Wip3out returns. Like Single Race, you are up against
seven other AI opponents on a track and class of your choice. Only this time
the race doesn't matter. You are out there to blow up as many of your opponents
as you can. All weapons are much more powerful and the turbo, autopilot and
shield are no longer available. Two more weapons are also added to the arsenal
with which you can demolish your opposition. If a craft is destroyed (including
yours) it will be respawned with full energy. Absorbing weapons will not
restore your shield energy, instead a shield will be activated for one second.
The only way to restore energy is to complete a lap. The first player to reach
the target number of kills wins. I personally am no fan of Eliminator, as most
races tend to be almost entirely luck-based.
\\//   :ONLINE:   \\//
//\\==============//\\
A brand new mode to Wipeout Pulse and the one that everybody has been waiting
for. Online mode allows you to play other players from around the world via
infrastructure. All you require to participate is a Playstation Network ID.
Single Race and Tournament are available online. Please note that race and lap
times, as well as loyalty points, are not recorded in online play. Also, the
craft from the download packs will not be available to use online.
[006]
===============================================================================
\\-\/-//            **RACING TECHNIQUES AND GAME MECHANICS**           \\-\/-//
//-/\-\\===============================================================//-/\-\\
A lot of this section is taken from my Wipeout Pure guide as it is equally
applicable in Wipeout Pulse
\\//   :BASIC RACING LINE:   \\//
//\\=========================//\\
Learning the track is one thing, learning the racing line is completely
different. If you know the track, you can direct your craft around it. If you
know its racing line, you can get around it in a much faster time and with
fewer crashes and collisions. A racing line is the line you need to take
through a corner to allow you to take it in minimal time, and also to set you
up for the next corner.
The best place to test our your racing lines is in Speed Lap mode. Once you
have learned a circuit, you can practice exiting particular corners in order to
set yourself up perfectly for the next. For example, the last section of
Talon's Junction White include a fairly shallow left immediately followed by a
sharp right hairpin. Normally when taking a turn you would try to turn the
craft as little as possible to maintain your speed, which would involve
starting on the outside, moving over to the inside as you pass the apex, then
moving back to the outside as you exit. If you do that with this first corner,
you will end up on the left hand side coming into the hairpin and you'll have
no way of entering it without crashing or slowing down dramatically. The racing
line you need to take through these corners requires you to move over to the
left upon exiting the first corner so you can actually take the second.
Chicanes are another type of corner series that require knowledge of the racing
line. You need to use the apex of each turn in the chicane as a sort of slalom
marker, keeping the turns as straight as possible. Weaving over to the outside
will slow you down somewhat. If the chicane is very shallow, it may be
possibleto see a straight line through without the need to turn. In this case,
you can easily see the racing line and perfectly illustrates how you need to be
able to take the sharper versions.
The effect of gravity on sloped sections of track can also have an effect on
the racing line, but that will be explained later.
\\//   :SHIELD ENERGY:   \\//
//\\=====================//\\
Your shields are what will keep you alive on the AG circuit. The white bar
below the green thrust indicator shows you the status of your shields. Any form
of impact will drain shield energy. Hitting a wall or another opponent will
produce a slight loss whereas a weapon impact will reduce it much further.
Obviously craft with a higher shield stat will lose energy at a slower rate
than those with lower stats. When your shield energy is reduced to 15%, your
computer will say "Energy critical" and your energy bar will begin flashing
red. This is an indicator to absorb some weapons quickly. A warning beep will
also inform you of your shield's low status. Get reduced to 5% and the beeping
will become quicker. Once your shields are reduced to 0%, one more hit will
destroy your craft.
\\//   :ABSORBING WEAPONS:   \\//
//\\=========================//\\
When you receive a weapon, you can choose to fire it or absorb it. Absorbing a
weapon results in it being used to slightly recharge your shields. This adds a
more tactical approach to using weapons when you have the option of repairing
damage as well as dealing it. If your shields are low, it is highly recommended
that you absorb weapons rather than fire them, even if your opponent is in
clear view. Better safe than sorry.
As a side note, the Quake and Plasma weapons tend to restore more energy than
other weapons when absorbed.
\\//   :USE OF THRUST:   \\//
//\\=====================//\\
Quite frankly, you'll want to have the thruster hammered down throughout the
circuit, but there are times where this can be tantamount to suicide. If you
are racing a heavy craft, letting up on the thruster when taking a sharp corner
will allow you to turn more sharply, and combining this with the airbrakes
(explained later) will allow you to turn as sharply as any lightweight. Letting
up on the thruster will also let you go over elevated sections without gaining
too much height, which is especially useful when it is followed by a corner.
Even so, completely letting up on it isn't recommended as you'll lose too much
speed, quick releases of the thruster are all that's needed.
\\//   :AIRBRAKES:   \\//
//\\=================//\\
Airbrakes are your absolute saviour on the faster speed classes and the more
technical tracks. You have two airbrakes, one on either side of your craft,
which are activated by the corresponding shoulder button (unless you've opted
for the single brake setup). One function of the airbrakes is to slow the craft
down. This is ideal if you find yourself going too fast over a jump or if your
craft has become unbalanced, as slowing down will reduce your altitude and
balance the craft again. Don't get overly hooked to this method though as the
speed reduction is severe. The main function is to use each airbrake to aid
your turning. For example, hitting the left airbrake will slow the left side of
the craft causing it to veer over to the left. Turning left while using this
will dramatically decrease your turning circle at the expense of a little
speed. Most turns only need light tapping of the brakes to aid passage, only
the sharpest hairpins require holding the brake. Opposite braking (a popular
and extremely effective technique in previous games) involves hitting the
opposite airbrake to your turning direction, which will cause the craft to
laterally shift in the direction if the brake. However, this isn't particularly
effective in Pulse as it has been superceded by the sideshift, which will be
explained next.
In the hands of a skilled pilot, even the heaviest craft can navigate the most
technical circuits with ease using the airbrakes adequately
\\//   :SIDESHIFT:   \\//
//\\=================//\\
Sideshifting is a new feature to the Wipeout series. Double tapping one of the
airbrakes will cause your craft to laterally shift in that direction. This is a
very useful technique for sharp corners and hairpins as it allows you to
correct your racing line if you have taken the corner too wide, you can simply
shift back over to the inside. Chicanes are the ideal place to use this
technique as you can shift from side to side to aid your navigation through.
Using the Dual brakes as opposed to the Single brake will allow you to shift in
the opposite direction to your turning direction, allowing you to turn early
and shift into a corner.
\\//   :BARREL ROLL:   \\//
//\\===================//\\
Barrel rolling is a quick and easy way of getting a speed boost from a jump. As
your craft leaves the track following a sufficiently high jump, pressing left-
right-left or right-left-right on the D-pad or nub will cause your craft to
barrel roll. This technique will drain a little energy from your shields and
divert it to the thruster. Upon landing, you will receive a speed boost. As
long as you have enough shield, you should attempt to barrel roll whenever the
opportunity presents itself. Be careful though, if you attempt to barrel roll
off of a jump that is too low and you do not complete the roll, your shield
energy will still be slightly drained but you will not receive the speed boost.
The barrel roll may not work if there are a lot of other craft on the screen
due to input delay.
\\//   :PITCH CONTROL:   \\//
//\\=====================//\\
The pitch control alters the altitude of your craft's nose while airborne. You
need to make sure when you land that the craft is absolutely level with the
track. If it isn't, you run the risk of cartwheeling and ending up either on
your side or on the roof. Raise the nose if you have come off of a jump too
slowly and you are nose diving towards the track below. If the jump is okay,
you need to really lower the nose as you land or the craft will rear up. This
is only really noticeable when you barrel roll and on faster speed classes.
Pressing Up on the D-pad or nub lowers the nose and pressing down raises the
nose.
\\//   :EFFECTS OF GRAVITY:   \\//
//\\==========================//\\
As you navigate the circuit, the craft will feel the effects of gravity as they
travel over sloped and undulating sections of track. If the track is sloped
from one side to the other, the craft will slide down the track to the lower
side. This is a real benefit in corners as the gradient of the track will aid
your line around. If the corner is sloped towards the inside, you should stay
nearer to the centre of the track rather than move over to the inside, and
you'll also need to turn less aggressively.
\\//   :MAG-STRIPS:   \\//
//\\==================//\\
A brand new addition to Wipeout Pulse, the Mag-strips add a new dimension of
racing to the Wipeout circuits. They are indicated by dark blue sections of
track. Going over one will magnetically anchor your craft to the track,
allowing the craft to navigate features such as corkscrews and loops without
falling off the track. While on a Mag-strip, all navigational controls remain
the same and the craft is no longer affected by gravity. Mag-strips can also be
used on undulating sections to keep the craft from launching off the track,
which can also prevent barrel rolling.
\\//   :TURBO START:   \\//
//\\===================//\\
A mechanism that has worked its way into many racing games. While on the grid,
wait for the exact moment the announcer says "go". When she does, hit the
thruster and you'll activate a turbo as you leave the grid. A great way to keep
up with the rest of the pack at the start of a race and also shaves some time
off of a time trial too.
\\//   :AI DIFFICULTY:   \\//
//\\=====================//\\
For the first time in the Wipeout series, the AI difficulty can be adjusted to
suit your ability. The Easy AI are a cakewalk, very slow and very timid with
weapons. A good way for beginners to introduce themselves to the game. Medium
Ai are what you would expect from previous games, a fairly decent challenge in
both racing speed and weapon usage. The Hard AI is a different story.
Recommended for experts only, Hard AI opponents are extremely aggressive,
pounding you with every weapon they can lay their hands on. They can also
navigate a course very easily, requiring you to get a very consistent racing
line in order to beat them.
\\//   :QUICK LAP:   \\//
//\\=================//\\
A commonly known trick but included here for completion's sake. In Time Trial
and Speed Lap you are given one turbo per lap to help you improve your lap and
race times. This comes in handy when you are after a good lap time in
particular, as if you activate it right before you cross the line, the effect
of the turbo carries into the next lap. And of course, you will pick up another
turbo as soon as you cross the line, effectively giving you two turbos in one
lap. There are several tracks where this is not an effective strategy though,
so be careful.
[007]
===============================================================================
\\-\/-//                      **WEAPON SYSTEMS**                       \\-\/-//
//-/\-\\===============================================================//-/\-\\
\\//   :LEECH BEAM:   \\//
//\\==================//\\
_
| |                  First seen in Wip3out as the energy drain, and then
___| |___   ________    again in Wipeout Fusion as Xios' shield drain, the
|___   ___| |________|   leech beam makes its return in Pulse under a new
| |                  name. Once picked up, a lock-on cursor will appear
|_|                  over the nearest craft. Activating the weapon will
steadily drain the shield energy of the target and
will use it to replenish your own shield energy. The
link remains open for five seconds and will continue
to drain energy even after your own shield is full.
In Eliminator mode, the leech beam will remain
active until the target is destroyed, making it an
instant-kill weapon as long as the target is in range
\\//   :AUTOPILOT:   \\//
//\\=================//\\
_____
/ ___ \          Every pilot's friend on a technical circuit, the
/ / _ \ \         autopilot will take control of the craft out of your
/ / / \ \ \        hands for a few seconds and expertly guide it through
| | \_/ | |        even the trickiest of corners. Unlike the one in
|_|     |_|        Pure, the autopilot goes back to its early game roots
in that you cannot pick up or use weapons while it is
active, and it can be deactivated early if you so
wish.
\\//   :SHIELD:   \\//
//\\==============//\\
__  __
/ _||_ \          In a race where weapons are flying about like they're
/ /    \ \         going out of fashion, this will save your backside on
/ /      \ \        many occasions. Activate the Shield to render your
\ \      / /        craft totally invulnerable to damage for a few vital
\ \_  _/ /         seconds. Weapons can be picked up, used and absorbed
\__||__/          while the shield is active. However, it will not
allow you to barrel roll without using up energy, it
will only protect you from physical damage. Always
fun to have one of these in reserve just as an
opponent drops a Quake.
\\//   :TURBO:   \\//
//\\=============//\\
.´`.           A simple but effective powerup, the Turbo does
.´    `.         exactly what it says on the tin. Activate to gain a
.´  .´`.  `.       speed boost. Couple these with a barrel roll and
| .´.´`.`. |       you'll cover a lot of ground. Try to restrict use of
.´.´    `.`.       these to straight sections though, using one in a
.´  .´`.  `.       corner will likely result in you slamming into a wall
| .´    `. |       and heavily damaging your shields.
.´        `.
\\//   :ROCKETS:   \\//
//\\===============//\\
.´`.           The rockets are simple, yet fun, weapons that are
.´    `.         very easy to use. Upon activation, three rockets will
|      |         shoot along the track in a W formation. Due to the
`.    .´         spread, they will more often than not hit their
.´`.`..´.´`.       target. On their own, they won't do a lot of damage,
.´    `..´    `.     but launch them at point blank behind someone and
|      ||      |     they'll really pack a punch. The ideal place to use
`.    .´`.    .´     them is on an open section, as the shock will more
`..´    `..´       than likely push then over the edge. They are also
effective in tight corners by slamming your opponent
into the wall
\\//   :MISSILE:   \\//
//\\===============//\\
||            The weapon of choice for taking out a single target
__||__          at long range. Picking up a missile will activate a
/ ____ \         targeting reticule on the HUD and will attempt to
/ / __ \ \        lock on to the nearest target. Once a lock is
/ / /  \ \ \       acquired, trigger it to send a single missile chasing
\ \ \__/ / /       after them. While its turning circle isn't
.´\ \____/ /`.      particularly impressive, it is able to ricochet off
.´.´ \______/ `.`.    walls which considerably increases its effective
´              `     range. It will explode on its own after a few wall
impacts without hitting a target. They can also be
fired blind if you can't lock on to an opponent. The
arcs of each ricochet mean that the missile will have
a blind spot in which it can be avoided, which is
usually along the apex of a corner.
\\//   :PROTON CANNON:   \\//
//\\=====================//\\
||            Returning from Wipeout Fusion, the cannon is a unique
__||__          weapon in that it is ammunition based rather than a
/ ____ \         one-shot weapon. When picked up, 30 rounds will be
/ / __ \ \        available to use. Holding down the fire button will
/ / /  \ \ \       shoot the rounds straight forward from the nose of
\ \ \__/ / /       the craft. The rounds do very little damage, but
\ \____/ /        prolonged impact will slow and disrupt the craft it
\______/         hits. When absorbed, the cannon will return a
proportion of energy equal to the number of remaining
rounds. If you only have one round left, virtually no
shield energy will be restored if it is absorbed. The
cannon will remain active until either all the rounds
are expended or it is absorbed. No other weapons can
be picked up until then.
\\//   :PLASMA BOLT:   \\//
//\\===================//\\
The ultimate in precision damage. The plasma bolt has
always been one of the most feared weapons in
Wipeout, and rightly so. When activated, a large
purple sphere will charge up for one second at the
front of your craft before being thrown down the
track in a straight line. Anything it hits will
suffer horrendous shield damage. They are very tricky
to use because of the charging period, but on
straights they can become deadly. If you are hit by
one of these, you may find yourself desperately
absorbing everything you find. Plasma bolts also seem
to restore more shield energy when absorbed than most
other weapons.
\\//   :QUAKE DISRUPTOR:   \\//
//\\=======================//\\
.´`.           If the plasma bolt is meant for precision, the quake
____.´.´`.`.____     is meant for blanket carnage. Completely
|____.´    `.____|    indiscriminate, unleashing one of these will send a
.´`.           huge wave of energy down the track, slamming anyone
____.´.´`.`.____     it hits into the track and bringing them to a near
|____.´    `.____|    halt. It also has a very long range, so it is the
ideal weapon to use if you are languishing near the
back of the pack. Of course, the AI can also use
them. There's not much you can do if you hear one of
these coming if you don't have a Shield, but you may
be able to outrun it on the faster speed classes. If
you're a long way in the lead and you just want some
fun, turn around and fire to send it back down the
track, straight into the faces of your opponents.
\\//   :MINES:   \\//
//\\=============//\\
__  __  __  __       If someone is harassing you from behind, drop a
/  \/  \/  \/  \      cluster of these things in their face. The mines are
\__/\__/\__/\__/      ideal for keeping your opponents out of your racing
line, and more importantly, off of speed pads or
weapon pads. On activation, five explosive mines are
released from the rear of the craft and remain in
place either until someone hits them or for about
five seconds. Individually they aren't too effective,
but someone ploughing through all five will take
moderate damage and will find themselves slowed to a
crawl. Depending on your circumstances, you can use
Mines in two ways. You can either lay them in a
straight line to try and get a pursuer to run through
the whole lot, or you can weave across the track and
lay them in a scattered formation, disrupting a small
group. Be careful, unlike previous games, your own
mines can damage you. If you end up leaving the track
after laying some mines and end up behind them again,
they will explode just like they would for any other
craft.
\\//   :BOMB:   \\//
//\\============//\\
__  __           When Mines won't do, bomb them. Far more powerful
/ _||_ \          than the mines, this thing will blow your opponents
/ / __ \ \         clean out from under you if they get too close.
/_/ /  \ \_\        Activate to drop a high explosive bomb from the rear
\ \ \__/ / /        of the craft. Contact will lead to a moderately
\ \_  _/ /         damaging explosion that will unceremoniously slam the
\__||__/          unfortunate opponent into the nearest wall, or indeed
off the track if there is an open section. Unlike in
Pure, bombs do not stay in place for the whole race
and will self detonate after a while if no one hits
them. They can be destroyed by most weapons, however,
unlike Pure this time you can trigger your own bombs.
Also, dropping bombs at point blank range is no
longer recommended, as the blast will slow you down
as well
\\//   :SHURIKEN:   \\//
//\\================//\\
____      ____
/_  / ____ \  _\      The first of the Eliminator-only weapons, the
// // / __ \ \\ \\     Shuriken is a newcomer to the series. Activating will
// // / /  \ \ \\ \\    send a razor sharp disc shooting down the track,
\\ \\ \ \__/ / // //    richocheting off of the walls before exploding after
\\_\\ \____/ //_//     a short while. Good for hitting several craft at
\___\      /___/      once, but doesn't deal a lot of damage.
\\//   :REPULSOR:   \\//
//\\================//\\
.´`.            An extremely powerful weapon and the second of the
/|____.´.´`.`.____|\    Eliminator-only lineup. Activating the Repulsor will
|  ____.´    `.____  |   charge up an energy ring around your craft before
\|      .´`.      |/    sending out a radial blast of energy with quite a
/|____.´.´`.`.____|\    decent range. Anything it hits takes major damage and
|  ____.´    `.____  |   is slammed into the nearest wall unless they are
\|                |/    directly in front or behind. Get one of these in
Eliminator and you can guarantee you'll pick up a few
kills
[008]
===============================================================================
\\-\/-//                        **MANUFACTURERS**                      \\-\/-//
//-/\-\\===============================================================//-/\-\\
Please be aware that the downloadable craft cannot be used online. This is due
to a late bug that could not be fixed in time.
The backstories given in each team section are the official backstories on the
Wipeout Pulse website. All these were written by Rob Foxx.
\-\/-/      **MAIN LINE-UP**     \-\/-/
/-/\-\===========================/-/\-\
\\//   :FEDERAL EUROPEAN INDUSTRIAL SCIENCE AND RESEARCH:    \\//
//\\=========================================================//\\
__
. °    °_.
/      .´    \
.     .´ .---- .
|    .´ .´.------|
|__.´ .´.´ _____ |
.  .´.´.´      .
\ .´.´       /
°´. __ . °
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
SPEED    - |_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_
THRUST   - |_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_ _
HANDLING - |_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|
SHIELD   - |_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|
ORIGIN      - European Union
LIVERY      - Blue and Yellow
ESTABLISHED - 2017
FIRST SEEN  - WipEout (F3600)
Spurred on by independent competition from one of its member states (in the
form of Britain, with Icaras) the Federal European Industrial Science and
Research development team have produced what should be a legitimate
championship contender in their FX350/FX400 race craft. Their weakness, as has
seemingly always been the case, is a lack of outright top speed, but that won't
matter too much on the more technical tracks, where the excellent handling will
allow the team to shine. Time will tell if FEISAR are the real deal - it could
be said that the competition have made greater strides.
FEISAR have always excelled in handling, and the FX400 craft is no different.
It is an excellent craft to learn in as even at high speeds, airbraking is
minimal and this will allow you to slowly get used to it rather than jump in
the deep end. Coupled with its decent thrust, this makes it ideal for the more
technical circuits. Its major downside however is that it is the slowest craft
of them all, making open circuits a challenge when up against the likes of
Piranha and Triakis.
It is also worth noting that with Auricom being demoted to the download packs,
FEISAR is the only team left to have appeared in the starting line-up for every
Wipeout game (AG Systems and Qirex did not feature in Wipeout Fusion)
\\//   :ANTI-GRAVITY SYSTEMS:   \\//
//\\============================//\\
_____
.´     `.
____.´    _    `.____
|        .´ `.        |
|______.´     `.______|
_____________________
|                    |
|__     _____       __|
|   |     `.    `.
'---'       `-----`
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
SPEED    - |_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_ _
THRUST   - |_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|
HANDLING - |_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|
SHIELD   - |_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|
ORIGIN      - Japan
LIVERY      - Red and White
ESTABLISHED - 2017
FIRST SEEN  - WipEout (F3600)
AG Systems have finally turned the corner after spending the best part of a
decade fighting for the scraps in the FX300 League. Their strong performance in
the FX350 class events, coupled with confidence inspiring pre-season testing
for the FX400 League show that their 2206 FX300 Championship title was no fluke
(well, unless you count the fact that they were originally runner-up to
Triakis, who were later disqualified). As one of the longest running operations
in the history of the sport, the Japanese team look poinsed to continue their
resurgence when AG Racing goes global for the 2207 season of the FX400 League.
While the FX300 craft may have been a bit of a meek affair, the latest
incarnation is a much more aggressive animal. While it is only a little faster
than the FEISAR, its thrust and handling are both very good, making it an ideal
step-up from the FEISAR if you want something with a little more speed. And
unlike the FX300 model, the shields are respectable too.
\\//   :ASSEGAI DEVELOPMENTS:   \\//
//\\============================//\\
___           __________
. °     ° .      |           ° .
/     .^.     \    |               \
.    .´   `.    .   |    ____|`.     .
|   .´_     _`.   |  |   |       `.    |
|     |     |     |  |   |         >   |
|     |_____|     |  |   |____   .´    |
|                 |  |        |.´     .
|                 |  |               /
'_________________'o '___________. °  o
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
SPEED    - |_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|
THRUST   - |_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_
HANDLING - |_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|
SHIELD   - |_|_|_|_|_|_|_|
ORIGIN      - Unted African Nations
LIVERY      - Ochre and Light Blue
ESTABLISHED - 2113, acquired by Piranha Advancements in 2150 before reforming
in 2181 after being released by Piranha
FIRST SEEN  - Wip3out (F7200)
COntinuing in their tradition of producing craft with exceptional handling
characteristics, the Assegai team have managed to improve the top end
performance for their FX350/FX400 chassis too. Another welcome improvement is a
minor upgrade to the shield durability over the FX300 craft, which means that
Assegai fans can be confident of seeing strong performances at the head of the
pack in 2207 and beyond.
The latest version of the Assegai craft takes a nod back to its F7200
predecessor. Its speed and thrust are both decent, but for a craft with this
sort of top-end speed, it has a very high handling rating, making it a very
good all-rounder, able to navigate technical circuits as well as holding its
own out in the open. However, the tradeoff to such good all-round performance
is that its shields are sub standard, making this a less than ideal combat
craft and an easy target in combat heavy races.
\\//   :EG-X TECHNOLOGIES:   \\//
//\\=========================//\\
___         _____      ____           ____
,´    |     ,´      |    |    ` .     . ´    |
'  .---'    '  .-----'    '---.   `._,´   .---'
'  ´------. '  ´                `.       .´
'   _______|'  '    .--.          .'     '.
|  |_______ |  |____|  | __  ___.´   ,-.   `.___
|          ||          ||  ||      .´   `.      |
'----------''-------.  |'--''----´         `----'
|__|
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
SPEED    - |_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_
THRUST   - |_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|
HANDLING - |_|_|_|_|_|_|_|
SHIELD   - |_|_|_|_|_|_|_|
ORIGIN      - China/Finland
LIVERY      - Maroon and Yellow
ESTABLISHED - EG.r Unknown, Xios 2135. Merged in 2172
FIRST SEEN  - Separate teams in Wipeout Fusion (F9000). First seen merged in
Wipeout Pulse (FX400)
Formed in 2172 when F9000 League superpowers Xios and EG.r merged, EG-X was
something of an unknown quantity going into the inaugural season of the FX350
League. It turned out that they were more than ready to go racing though,
scoring a number of high placed finishes with relative ease for a team that did
not contest in the FX300 League. Opting not to release data from pre-season
testing for the FX400, the performance of the EG-X chassis has only been seen
by those quick enough to catch a glimpse of the sleek ship as it was put
through its paces. What was obvious without the data is that the craft is fast
out of corners and appears to have a good top speed too. So look for this dark
horse partnership between China and Finland to be strong contenders at the
front of the grid.
EG-X go to even greater extremes than Assegai. It is an incredibly fast
machine, with a very good top speed and an even greater thrust, making it very
quick off the mark and able to leave other craft in its dust. However, like
Assegai, its shields are paper thin and it also has quite heavy handling. As a
result this isn't one you should try until you have had some practice with the
airbrakes. You'll need to use its speed to keep out of combat.
\\//   :PIRANHA ADVANCEMENTS:   \\//
//\\============================//\\
. --- .
,´      .-.`.
/        `._`_ *
.                 \
|/`.
||,´       .  _    '
.'     |`. |\/  \  |
.     _\ `    .-' '
'  .´__     .`, /
`.  .´.|\_.\` .
`- ___  . ´
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
SPEED    - |_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|
THRUST   - |_|_|_|_|_|_|
HANDLING - |_|_|_|_|_|_|_ _ _
SHIELD   - |_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|
ORIGIN      - Brazil
LIVERY      - Red and Yellow
ESTABLISHED - 2060
FIRST SEEN  - Wipeout 2097 (F5000)
Back with a vengeance after five years of uncertainty behind the scenes,
Piranha bring what's claimed to be the engine with the fastest top end
performance since the return of professional AG racing in 2197. None, except
maybe Icaras with their own extreme power plant, are going to argue the point.
Back under the control of the Brazilian government, the Piranha team don't have
the financial depth that they've previously enjoyed. The new chassis needs work
too - it's not the best when the track gets twisty. But that engine is going to
be hard to beat in a straight line, make no mistake.
You only need to look at the stats of this thing to see it is one hell of a
beast. With a top speed only Icaras is able to match, expect to see the
Piranha dominate races on open circuits. It also has a very strong shield too,
so shooting it down will also be difficult. The large tradeoff however is its
sluggish handling. Without nimble use of the airbrakes, this thing will be
clattering off walls like you wouldn't believe, and with a low thrust too,
you'll never see that top speed if you keep wall scraping. Make sure you master
the airbrakes before jumping in this thing.
\\//   :QIREX RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT:   \\//
//\\======================================//\\
. --- .
. ° _ ===== _ ° .
´ . ´ _ ===== _ ` . `
/  '  ´ _  ---  _ `  '  \
. /  ´ .  .-.      . `  \ .
.  ' / -.`._`.     \ '  .
| '  ''  . `. `.`.    ''  ' |
||| |||   `.`.  `.`.  ||| |||
| .  ..     `.`.,´  | ..  . |
'  . \      `. __ `.`. . '
' \  . °._       _`. `.`.´.
\ `  `  _  ---  _`.`. `.`.`.
. ` . _ ===== _`.`.`._`.`.`.
` . _ ===== _ .`.`------` `.
---       `----------`
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
SPEED    - |_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|
THRUST   - |_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_
HANDLING - |_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_
SHIELD   - |_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|
ORIGIN      - Russia
LIVERY      - Purple and White
ESTABLISHED - 2041, acquired by Tigron Enterprises in 2149 before reforming
in 2179 under Feliks Levovich following the collapse of Tigron
FIRST SEEN  - WipEout (F3600)
With massive investment in bleeding-edge facilities at their base on the
outskirts of Moscow, Qirex, the Russian powerhouse of the early days of AG
Racing, are poised to make a strong return to the front of the grid in the new
FX400 Racing League. Director of Operations Feliks Levovich is set to field the
talented young pilot Nadia Elenova in an attempt to steal the thunder from
bitter rivals Auricom. To quote Levovich himself in a recent interview: "Our
rivals should prepare themselves for a high-speed revolution. Qirex are back
where we belong. In front."
Back in the Quantax craft for the first time since the F7200, Qirex are looking
to rejoin the heavyweights with this brutish craft. While it tends to take a
while to get going due to its heavy mass, it will reach a very respectable top
speed and is also quite easy to handle. It also has very strong shields,
allowing it to take considerable punishment too. Some knowledge of the
airbrakes will be needed to handle this one, but it is a very good all-rounder
nonetheless
\\//   :TRIAKIS INDUSTRIES:   \\//
//\\==========================//\\
.--.
|   `.
.´      `.
|         |
|       .´   __
|     .´   .´  `.
|   .´   .´      `.
`. ´   .´          |
.´           .´
.´           .´   .´`.
.´           .´   .´    `.
'------------´     `------´
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
SPEED    - |_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|
THRUST   - |_|_|_|_|_|_|
HANDLING - |_|_|_|_|_|_|_ _ _ _
SHIELD   - |_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|