Chocobo racing

[Weevil]

It's official!

Chocobo racing will be enabled on the 28th.

Any links or info learned as we go will eventually be found here.
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My stats.

[Weevil]

I got up a little earlier than usual today and logged on hoping to be able to check out the new racing feature only to be stopped dead in my tracks because they were doing the update.

This timing is cruel. Why not do an update at 6am when nearly nobody is on as opposed to 6pm, when it's usually pretty bustling.

I've got my documentation and I'm ready to race!
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My stats.

[Nkai Moonwatyr]

can use foods during the races by first trading the racing foods, then equipping after selecting the race. Exactly HOW you use the item is still unknown to me... I managed to find one of the foods for under 3k *cheers the generous jp chef* and equipped it, but my jockey never used the item. I'm not sure if there is a key/button you hit to tell them to use it or if it's purely random. If anyone finds out - let me know! I've officially become a choco-racing junkie!
Items I've discovered so far;
Speed apple - most common item seen so far - gives your chicken a spd boost
gyshal bomb - reduces the speed of your OPPONENTS
fire biscuit - reduces the end. of your opponents, ie. the chicken becomes exhausted and will slow down. This has more of an effect on chickens using the racing setting of sprint.
pepper biscuit - havent seen it used in a race yet, but i HAVE seen one in a bazaar.


there are 2 types of races:
'free' race - is basically to let you get a feel for the whole racing thing. Starts of with the Novice runs. Finish Novice run I(you against 3 other chickens) in third place or higher and Novice Run II(you against 6 other chickens) opens up. Win II and III(you against *9* other chickens) opens up. After you finish the novice runs, it starts to cost you gil to participate. The rewards are given down to at least 4th place after the first 3 novice races. (haven't placed below that yet so im not sure if the rewards extent further than that d^^b ).
Novice race I: First place - 500g
Goal: place in the top 3 spots

Novice race II:First-place 1k gil
Goal: place in the top 3 spots

Novice Race III:First place 1.5k gil + 1 chocobuck
Goal: place in the top 3 spots

Free races: *costs a varying ammount of gil from 100 up to 1k depending on how well youve placed in previous races* fourth and third place - 1 chocobuck
first place - 5 choco bucks
Goal: none

Official race - cost chocobucks - can generally only participate in one per day.
First race - *3 chocobucks* is against *drum roll* BEST! The top 3 choco jockeys in sandy are impressed with your chickens skill and have challenged you to one on one races to find out who is the best.
Goal: place in first!
Reward: 3k gil


~ you can re-run ANY race you've participated in. The rewards will vary and supposedly (according to the NPC) this is a good way to try and get specific items. I re-ran my first official race to see if i could get a different sum of gil or more chocobucks... i placed first (i'm assuming this is the only way to win anything in this race) and recieved 1 whole chocobuck! Yay? -_-;;;


Now, as far as selecting how to direct your chicken...
1)Select which race you wish to enter, then select 'track information' or somesuch. This tells you what the goals are and how many chickens you will be racing against.
2)Select 'visit the stables' to see your opponents! Choco 1 is ALWAYS your chicken. This shows the chickens stats, whether they have any abilities, and what command they are set to.
3)Select 'set command' (i think) and you can choose; (i may have the actual terms incorrect, but when you select it gives a general description to make sure this is the one you want)
Sprint ~ Pushes your choco to the limits of its abilites the entire race
Hold Pace ~ Keeps your chicken at an even steady pace the entire race
Final sprint ~ Pushes your chicken to the limits of its abilities to make a final dash across the finish line and hopefully pull ahead and into a better placing.
4)Select 'Set equipment' to equip food or racing gear. Items can be traded to the NPC to be held for usage in the races. This has to be one of SE's better ideas as it allows you free up inventory space for all those choco-racing-aholics.
5)begin race


Ah! Almost forgot how to tell ya'll how to start racing in the first place!

First off, get a racing registration form from Hantilion. Then proceed to the racing NPC and speak with him - make sure you read ALL the information he presents to you! Then trade your form and register your chicken. Again, make sure to read all the information he presents to you - this opens up the next step.

Once everything is open, you can proceed to selecting the race you want to enter. (read above ^_~ )


That's pretty much the gist of the whole thing. Don't think I left anything out.... and for all of you who havent had the chance to experience any of the racing excitement yet, here's some pics i took last night =D



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80Blm/76Whm/Cor/75PldDnc/63Rng/52Rdm/Brd/50Smn/Nin/44War/38Sch
24Blu/22Mnk/11Bst/9Thf/10Sam 91+1 Cooking

[Weevil]

I finally won some races.

First I won the free run, then I kicked Best's ass!

Apparently I finally found the right style for my choco in this case, combined with the right item, victory was mine!
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My stats.

[Nkai Moonwatyr]

finally won the second international official race ~ the rakopoppo cup. After 5 tries @ 10 chocobucks per run i FINALLY came in third place! >.<;; thank you luck! NPCs kept usin fire and pepper biscuits on the chicken behind me! *joy*

I think i'm gonna need to start raising Dis so I can learn Gallop and canter tho *sigh*

and does anyone else hate StarOnion, MeteorBrian, and InvincibleLeg as much as I do??? *looks disgusted* how the hell can 3 chickens with worse stats than mine beat me so reliably and completely?!?!? I think the NPCs cheat somehow >.< either that or having substandard dis and rec makes THAT big of a difference even without abilities.

Ran my second challenge match;
15 chocobucks
this time against Best *and* Hantileon on his chicken Air. I breezed through the race without any problems. *blows a raspberry at Best's owners* think I got 6k as a reward - had to come in first to win that match.

We'll see what new official race I end up with tonight!
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80Blm/76Whm/Cor/75PldDnc/63Rng/52Rdm/Brd/50Smn/Nin/44War/38Sch
24Blu/22Mnk/11Bst/9Thf/10Sam 91+1 Cooking

[Weevil]

I share a dislike for those particular chocos too. In my last free run the onion beat me with a hell of a lead, nearly every other chocobo used an item, the earlier items (I can't remember who used what) seemed to render my speed apple somewhat useless, ensuring my loss.

If not for the slowing effect and the ther bombs and such, should have won.
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My stats.

[Nkai Moonwatyr]

new official race ~ 20 chocobucks... i have 5 >.<; was too late at night for me to spend an hour trying to build up my racing funds, so I'll try and run it tonight and see what I get as a reward. =)
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80Blm/76Whm/Cor/75PldDnc/63Rng/52Rdm/Brd/50Smn/Nin/44War/38Sch
24Blu/22Mnk/11Bst/9Thf/10Sam 91+1 Cooking