Piggy Island Offensive Driving Course: Angry Birds GO! Gameguide!

[Les Toreadors]

Dear Sirs and Mesdames,

As requested I am enclosing my link to my controversial, pig-written game guide to Piggy Island motorsports technique. Most of the material covered so far encompasses merely the Seedway and Rocky Road levels but I am sure a little ‘track smarts’ will go a long way to your success in later levels!

At a later date I will cover managing expectations of the game and how to use a bit of real life team leadership to manage limited energy levels and personal goal setting.

For now, lets DRIVE!

1. Introduction
2. Offensive Driving – the Road is your Battleground
3. Oversteer Control (Drift Techniques) (updated 19/12/13)
4. Wheel to Wheel Racing Techniques
5. Economical Tuning Strategy (updated 19/12/13)
6. Energy Management and Conclusion

Disclaimer:

If @Birdleader and @AMslimfordy do not mind, this discussion is made separate from the ABGO Help Thread to allow more focused discussion on this attempt to write a guide for ABGO from a motorsports enthusiast’s perspective. It contains more strategic and tactical advise – a self-learning aid – rather than merely aiming to beat the game on its own terms.

Topic

[MVNLA2]

@Les Toreadors — Once I started reading, I couldn’t stop! Fantastic guide! Will re-read and make more comments later.
As a very novice driver I do have one or 2 items on which some advice would be appreciated. I guess for now there is only one:
It seems to be very difficult for me to let go of the cart at exactly the right time. I frequently let go early and spin out, thereby starting in the back of the pack. If I wait for the Go, I usually end up behind at least one driver. It almost seems as if your competition jumps the gun by a fraction?
General Comments:
Some of the pics are hard to see, and may not be very high resolution.
If there is any way you can make some videos for illustration, that would be super. I’m surprised Rovio didn’t include a filming capability.
Well, it’s either time to do something constructive in real life or go back to downgrade my cart and learn to steer with touch instead of tilt.

[nacho18]

Thank you @lestoreadors for this wonderful big. Tools we Ned that . I will read every day : by playing and reading because not easier to memorize all: even that you are from Singapore your English Level it’s to high for me. I still stock on Stella I am 7/68 points and 40/528. I am maybe over spending time on challenges; just to got more experience and I have won the achievement 25 tree stars and still getting more 3 stars on challenges. Shortly I will stop and initialize a real race : I Ned more experience on attack early be defensive and use on time the last like bolt recourse to increase speed and win the race; until know I can’t touch the arrows that are on tap then increase the velocity . Hope you understand my poor explanations.

[MVNLA2]

@Les-Toreadors — I would put Ch. 5 (economical tuning) right after the introduction. The first thing I wanted to know now, even after playing for a while, and certainly what I would want to know immediately when starting the game, is what cart to get and what upgrades.
I went back and got the semi-skimmer L1, and maxed out speed and acceleration. It is at 133cc, but hasn’t evolved into the L2. What is needed to get it to evolve?
I have also gone back to touch, which will take some practice, but at least isn’t giving me a sore back!
At least I can still switch to the drum roller L2 if I want. I was afraid that I’d lose the cart I had invested so many coins in.

[Les Toreadors]

Thank you for your kind feedback. Yes I sort of overlooked that I should do a hyperlink from introduction straight to the tuning stuff. The tuning stuff is not yet complete as I never documented any ‘evolutionary chains’ of the karts as I thought it’s nicer not to spoil it for new players.

To evolve a kart just upgrade it to maximum spec and it will evolve itself automatically with the same general ‘proportion’ of statistics. So not much complication involved.

As for the slingshot launch, the timing is all down to practise and if any bad piggies jump the gun it shouldn’t be a problem to put them in their place by punting them off the track lol!

Even if I botch the launch or jump the start the penalty is not that large and sometimes I deliberately spin out just to annoy the other racers. You can cause some damage or disruption at the start line (my favorite is landing on someone’s head!), straighten out and proceed to win normally.

[cosmo2503]

@les-toreadors, thank you for great game guide. You and whole Pigengineering team are really amazing. I couldn’t help but chuckling reading your guide, such exceptional sense of humor while it still explains real things that we should know about gameplay.
I’ll keep my eyes on this thread and I expect that other players may ask question that would be useful to all. I’ll ask mine as they occur. So far I have 5 characters and play as much challenges as I can to save some coins and earn gems (I don’t know what I should spend them on…).
On some other thread you wrote this game wasn’t intended to complete and get 3 stars in couple hours and you are SO RIGHT. I play two or three times a day, whole sesion use all my characters and that’s quite enough for me, I am not forced to get three stars on each level and each challenge (like I am in all AB games and Bad Piggies).

[Les Toreadors]

For drivers still in the early stages of the game, try to find these shortcuts!

Seedway, first track

In the normal GP style races or the Champion Chase level, where the road splits into two, take the right “uphill” route. Where there is a broken bridge you can attempt to steer hard left at a slow enough speed that you end up in a canyon below headed straight for the finish line!

@dh-kim reports he crashes into pieces into the canyonside though. Be sure you are not doing the ‘swan dive’ at top speed.

Seedway, second track (vs Bomb)

Novice drivers will find Bomb’s Champion Chase AI very, very, ferocious due to his speed, efficient driving line and of course the very powerful seeking missile attacks.

But at two points of the track there is a big grass patch on the left side of the road. Instead of following the road at a negative camber (which requires more steering force/drift angle causing speed loss), just steer straight over the grass. You should be able to overtake the Bomb just fine.

You just need to find ways to deal with the seeking missile attack, which is deadly when you’re close beside or behind. For me I parked myself between Bomb and a wall on the left, Bomb detonated, my kart gets sandwiched to the wall (still driving straight under control) while Bomb spun out!

[nacho18]

Hello @lestoreadors . I am stuck on Clearance champion ; I just can unlocked this one is more harder than king pig : idid tried all the powers ups nothing. I got 2/3 : which character is the best choice and what the PUPs it’s the best. Give an advice.

[Les Toreadors]

May I know what kind of challenge is slowing you down?

Little FAQ session may help:

1) Is the kart just too slow to keep up with the champion? Post tuning specs.
2) Are you having issues with the course design? Some tracks invalidate the “top speed is best” theory used in Seedway. What type of course is it? Tight and many corners or drag-strip straight?
3) What tactics have you tried? Here are some good bird suggestions:

Blues are great for 3x speed boost (basically, 3 Reds). Great for unstoppable overtakes and sprinting. Bomb to knock or spin out the opponent outright. Stella to bounce off obstacles and walls safely.

[cosmo2503]

@les-toreadors do you have record on “energy recharge” times for all characters. I thought it is 10 minutes per one life for each bird/pig and as I can see it isn’t. I think (if I am right) that King Pig needs 35 (or even 40) minutes to sleep before he got one single life. That’s just too bad.
My other question is about your tactics in chosing races, Would you rather take champion chase to recruit new character, have to upgrade kart and eventually stay without coins or you would rather choose as many challenges as you can with characters that you already have and earn more coins.

[Les Toreadors]

There is really no rush to unlock new characters, as having more characters merely leads to a slowdown in energy recovery.

Also, the Champion Chases being the most difficult race in each season and requiring a higher CC kart than regular events, it is more prudent to take your time, do normal events and have a huge savings of bird coin before you buy upgrades beyond Champion spec.

Having coin savings and being familiar with the track means greatly reduced frustration with the Champions.

[nacho18]

Hello @cosmo2503: regarding your question about energy recharge ; I do whenever my characters are one left to go on all I have 5 so ; I recharge 5; for know I don’t take challenges ’cause I warn to unlocked all the characters the do level by level and challenges : I do upgrade karts. Helps a lot to upgrade karts.

[cosmo2503]

@les-toreadors and @nacho18 thank you both on opinions. I fel much better if I have enough coins but still haven’t figured out what would be the best way to earn them. As I have telepods all chapters are openned for me and I can choose vs. race in any of them, i.e. if I choose Stunt track and set difficulity level “hard” I can get 700-800 coins for victory or 250-300 if I lose, most of times I chose this. Now I wonder if completing challenges would bring more coins then racing and loosing (most of times) at Stunt track. I noticed that I always get more coins if I complete challenge successfully then it is stated on task board so I am never sure how much i’d eventually get, just confusing…Hmmm…
Other questin is about costs for upgrades. I watched Zack Scott’s video on You Tube and was surprised that he could upgarde his kart in Rocky Road to max speed for some 3000-4000 coins. I swear that I have to paid 3500 + 7500 for two upgardes and I am still below max speed performance.
What you two think about importance of strength? in which cases it is important to upgrade strength and acceleration?

[Les Toreadors]

Winning is definitely more efficient than losing and scavenging for coins. Winning gives you more coins then the reward money posted for the event because you retain any coins picked up mid race.

As for acceleration, a definite must as you need to recover speed lost during turns or other factors.

Strength is of secondary importance but nevertheless you might as well upgrade it when you have the coin since you need to level up the kart by maxxing out all its stats anyway.

[nacho18]

Hello @cosmo2503; I agree with @lestoreadors over you questioning on strength and acceleration I am earnig a lot coins unlocking the character. I did stop for a while doing challenges: beat the champions are giving me a lot coins. Right know I am on bubbles my race with/ versus him it’s 3/3 just one to go then next one . Upgrading last on race it’s important for me then upgrade de next to beat right know I have 20K’s and I am fully upgrade on one : Ned 3 more to close fully upgraded. Someone player told me it’s only 4 to fully upgrade ;so by the time I am earnig more coins try to do 3 starred every race; that’s gives you more regarded coins : I am on track 3 only I Ned one more to unlock all the tracks and after unlocked bubbles I’ll be 5 to finish the 11 characters unlocked. Are you into this Panorama…!!!

[Les Toreadors]

@nacho18 – if you’re running Champions at a profit you’re getting very, very good at the game indeed! :)

@all

There will be two supplemental guides coming up soon, the first one documents bird / pig special powers and what type of events they are optimal at. I can jolly well develop that into a per-track walkthrough but I will need some help at screenshots of course. Foreman pig is too… large and slow to drive and take screenies at once with the absurd Android method.

The second one involves optimizing game performance and will be useful for players running low to mid spec Android phones. This game CAN run perfectly well on a 1 ghz single core with 512mb RAM. Just need to do some… well… pig engineering :)

[cosmo2503]

@les-toreadors I’d be very interested in additional guides about character powers and their optimal usage in races and/or events. I am experimenting myself and I am not that bad, but advices from excellent player, like you, are always welcome and appreciated.
I play on iPad, but I also installed game on my Samsung Galaxy S2 (I actually thought that scores would be synched via myRovio’s account, but they are not nor will be according Rovio’s reply to my question). Game could be played on phone nicely, I didn’t experiance any game crushes, but it is exceptionally huge and it’s my problem. second problem is that it takes effort to scann telepods, it seems that I never have enough light, anyway it is just technical problem, has nothing with gameplay.

[Les Toreadors]

Dear All,

I am finally done with the last bits of work for the year and I will progressively update existing and post new content, with the intention of furnishing a most polished web-ready product for @BirdLeader and Co.’s further evaluation.

Currently, a write up of the crucial (but overlooked in early gameplay) statistic of Acceleration has been included in Tuning Strategies. It does make all the difference transforming what feels like a cheap understeering stock hatchback to something more relevant for racing :)

Acceleration is also really important for very closed in, ‘technical’ courses with many sharp bends, or in a track where you need to bump and shove your way forward to pole position. Above all it also allows you to reach Top Speed far quicker without relying on ‘magical powers’ or booster pads, which is always great!

Next, I also updated the Drifting guide, adding a section talking about driver’s judgment when using a different type of kart in Rocky Road, which reminds me of all-wheel-drive handling! A drift may not be fastest way to get around a corner with a kart that has too much grip and not enough power.

[nacho18]

Hello @lestoreadors, amvnla2, cosmo2503 and all of you interested on going in right path. I just pass to open the track 4 : which means I am 3 Champions Chace to earn all 11 Characters I still earning good coins. So after got the 3 last; I will work on Upgrade 3 more Karts to complete the set : then I will go back to close my first track which one is 34/36. Then next track#2 same path level by level: challenges versus etcetera etc. so on level by level. Really hard work but truly enjoyable . Thank you @lestoreadors for your invaluable and priceless helps on all your guidance .

[nacho18]

Hoooo. Hoooops I forgot you can see my advances on my album I released 2 new pictures: so all of you can see my Progress . Thank you again.!!!

[nacho18]

Hello: @lestoreadors, @mvnla2, @cosmo2503 and all of you flingers on ABGo . I already unlocked all 11 characters: so I am on Track #4 I got my last 9/54 to achieve 3 guys ; and finished. Know : tomorrow I will be back to first track to complete my 36/36 : so on that track I am 34/36 2 points short. Then going to next track….!!! So on next and next. Level by level .i am tired but happy ; I thing did the most achievement ; we wish: my tree it’s full of birds ready!! To race.

[cosmo2503]

@nacho WOW! You proved yourself like good racer, congratulations. I unlocked Bubbles and won one against Matilda, but I completed all tasks in Seedway and Rocky Road, 10 challenges in SW and 8 in RR, also I completed couple tasks on road 1 in AF.

[Les Toreadors]

Great @nacho18, you are almost as quick as @dh-kim in unlocking everything!

By the way @cosmo2503 if you are curious, it’s possible to go up to like, level 28 in challenges, but the tasks just get more and more absurd each time you go one up. According to DH Kim he is now required to do such thing as use power-ups 3 times in a row (those are the ‘sponsored’ State Farm Insurance power-ups), and win with 5 kart types, which most definitely requires two cash shop purchases / Telepods.

Probably no point to go all the way up the Challenge levels as I don’t think it’s meant to give any reward other than bragging rights anyway.

—

Guide development:

It’s Friday here in Asia and I intend to lock down the guide for ABN approval/post processing by ‘tomorrow morning’ US time. I am adding a last section on “Energy Management” which details the game developer’s perspective of having the energy meter in the first place.

It should flow neatly to the next part which details bird and pig powers and whom is best for what type of event. There’s really no right or wrong answer on ‘which is the ultimate bird’ because certain event types require multiple tasks to be performed in the same race session. Like competitive Fruit Splat for instance… my favorite is actually Bomb for knocking out stupid pigs that are trying to steal my watermelons! Whereas in theory (and in Seedway, no competition), most would say Stella is best for collecting more fruits at once.

[cosmo2503]

@les-toreadors, it seems like completing higher challenges would require paying real money and I can’t see any satisfaction on players side.
During working days I don’t have enough time to play more than one session with all characters that I unlocked and can’t pla more than 2 or 3 times a day. Your “energy management” guide will help me a lot. BTW, I have hopes that Rovio will remove energy system from game, like Disney did with Where’s my Water 2. I don’t except it happen in near future, but it might happen in 3-4 months.
My favorite, Stella, not only that she is the cutest character but she is mighty also.

[nacho18]

Hello @cosmo2503: you are absolutely right : about shopping to earn races,challenges and higher prices; we Ned to spent real money : excuse for my question did you see my posting and album just to check my progress on :Champions Chase I did use real money, other wise it’s to slow to go rapidly and unlock all the characters: you and many others could say ” No Way ” agree : but not choice. I don’t know if tap player like on ” YouTube ” do that. I did it and like it.

Hello : @lestoreadors. Right know I go back to play first track which one it’s 34/36 : I did many challenges on all 4 version even on Versus I did higher and I won over the Corporal pig 3 times : earning a lot coins ….!!!! But I still 34/36 …!!! Do I have to win other achievement kind deferent than challenges: like ” Win 30 challenges or open and unlock other cart : I already Upgrade 3 , so I am short only one to upgrade the whole bunch right …!!! CORRECT .!!!!

[Les Toreadors]

@nacho18 – if it says 34/36 it means for maybe one of the ‘normal’ race events you did not play 5 times to unlock the Challenge level for that particular event. Check Fruit Splat, Fuze, or normal race levels to see if you missed out one.

—

And today I have posted the last little bit of the guide, 106 Energy Management.