With the assistance of the different DVD's I have been watching I am now putting names to some of the corners . I did not think this was relevant to me as a rider as I was more interested in shapes than names , but since I have started to learn some names its helping me think about what is coming next so maybe there is something to be gained from this extra knowledge.

KF, it will all make sense when you arrive on the Island. I bet you'll know the corners by their names once you start riding round. You can't have enough knowledge about the TT course, it's always being updated as the course changes.......and as you get faster!

Kursaal Flyer,

Well done on making the big step towards achieving your dream,
Have been following your postings over the last few weeks or so,
The only thing i will say about the PlayStation game, there are 2 lamp posts where they shouldnt be ! lol Did catch me out,, In the game,
As for the names of the corners,
I lived there for 40 years, and could never remember them, But always knew which bump was where, what lines the HGV,s took on the roads, as this could ripple the surface a bit over time,
So you knew what to expect,

And last but not least,
Having the pleasure, of having a Master Class lesson from Ginger Hall to Ramsey,
350 up against a 125 in practise,
125 won by a mile,,
Thank you Joey !
But i learnt some very new lines through there !

The playstation game is good fun but very frustrating ,I have never ridden a bike that responds like that, we thats the non gamer me and another who is better at such things are struggling with one section in the challenge the head to head race , hes a bully   But thats is just a bit of fun .

My main watching is going well and my main swatting section at this time is Ballercraine to Ramsey , this for me is the longest and most complicated part of the course and have found the naming of corners and points from some of the onboard is really helping to memorise the flow.

all booked for my training weekend

While you're on 'Main Menu' press:
R1, R2, L1, L2,  R1, R2, L1, L2.

A keyboard will appear.

Type: WORLD CHAMP

This unlocks every feature in the game.
All bikes, tracks and challenges.

If you go to Lightweight/ultra lightweight TT, you'll find the 400's.

Set the handling to 'Expert'.
On Intermediate it does a lot of the braking for you, and in my opinion can be a bit confusing.

I find it easiest to use the onboard view, so that you're looking through the screen.
While actually playing, when riding push the analogue stick forwards to tuck in.
Then roll it around to steer.

Hope this helps a bit

Thanks Alien opened the whole game .cheers/

Just a little update on my course learning curve, personally I have found the PS2 game no real help to learning the course more a bit of fun, but then I have never ridden a bike that handles anything like a PS2 controller its just not subtle enough.
I have watched a good few on board laps now and have found the fast no commentry ones are better for learning the pricise lines that these riders have to use to do what they do so quickly, this accuracy in the way I see it still translates down to the speed I will ride the course at. 
The older slower laps like those of Alan Warners first ever race recorded lap are giving me a much better idea of what I can expect when I have a go myself. Plus as I mentioned before the commentry laps with locations are now helping me string the different sections together.
Some of my work mates now think i have lost the plot , I am one of the crane drivers at work and while I was waiting for further crane movement instuctions , I was sitting in the cab running the course through in my mind with my eyes shut, I had just got to the end of Cronk Y Voddy straight and changed down for the last right ready for the left when they bought me back to the real world . Much to thier amusement 

As some of you might know, there's an interesting project going on here: Game

It's a shame that you haven't quite clicked with the TT SuperBikes game.

Combined with Silja's amazing course knowledge thread, it helped to give me a very full understanding of the track.

I understand what you mean about the bikes handling in the game, though.
I wonder what view you have been using.
Behind the bike, for me, seems very unnatural.
The view through the screen seems to give me more of a sense of control.
(Use the joystick, not the buttons, for steering.)

If onboards are working for you, you could try Marc Flynn's lap on a 600 from the mid 90's.
105-110mph-ish. But obviously the track has changed a lot since then.

someone told me that he used a steering wheel console thing what ever they are on the playstation game thing to run the ps2 game as he could not get on with the joystick or the buttons , would not know my self as I bought the game when it came out thinking I would have a go on the grandsons game thing that he had at our house only to find out when I got home that what was rigged up at my house was a X Box 360 mmm silly Gand dad


.

I can't imagine that I will ever do a real life closed roads lap, but I have done (obviously fairly sedate) open roads laps as well as watching many onboards. I finally managed to get myself a copy of the TT Superbikes game over the weekend, and although it has a dated look it is a joy to behold.

I have learned parts of the circuit this weekend that I'd never managed to memorise properly before. OK, so it isn't like actually riding a bike around, but it does help a lot in stringing sections together at speed and in particular the corner exits. I've found with onboards my mind takes in the entry and then starts thinking ahead to the next part without really considering the exit. The interactive nature of the game I've found really helps in learning, but learning is different for each of us.

All that said, after only about half a dozen virtual laps my 19 year old gamer son with no interest in motorsports has a faster lap time than both me and my 13 year old son who have both been around the actual circuit!

Time for a bit more input really on how everything is progressing .
Firstly the newcomers introduction weekend the point of this weekend is to give newcomers circuit knowledge by going round with as many different riders in the vans and cars as you can cram in. This was excellent and gave me the chance to do just that learning from expeirenced and some of last years newcomers all giving valuable input. I found doing this particulary helped me pick up important posistional point info that you just cannot see from on board videos or play stations , this alone made the weekend worth while . Plus elevational changes which the game and videos cannot replicate.
Plus then add the bonus of an insight of what happens in the paddock, pit lane and scrutineering should help make the whole experience less daunting when August arrives.
For those of us there on Friday we went to a charity auction in aid of Hogg Rescue a TT and Manx medical support charity. Lots of amazing TT stuff donated for support of this worthwhile charity. I purchased a Connor Cummins original picture which is now hanging on a wall in Douglas, this is because I could not take it home with me on my Easy Jet flight.
It was also good to chat with my fellow newcomers and get to know them, hopefully we will all see each other in August and have a good and safe race.
I have submitted a race entry and made a ferry booking, I will not find out if my entry is accepted till mid May. I have booked a race meeting at Snetterton to full fill my mountain licence qualification requirements mainly to get this out of the way so there something less to think about. I will do others just to keep me up to speed depending on finances.
I want to get back to the Island between the TT and the Manx for a weekend mainly because the course will be different with foilage everywhere and it will have all the course furniture in place which hids some of the points of view in my last visit. 
Still watching plenty of onboards can I count these towards my race qualification laps say a ratio of 10 video laps = 1 qualification lap .
Medical Friday another cost

I hope your entry is accepted and look forward to your next updates.

Strange how things unravel on this journey to get to the start line of the Manx Newcomers. For anybody that has done this in recent years will know that one of the requirements for the mountain course licence is that you must have competed in 6 races on different days in the year prior the meeting , two of these races must actually be in the Manx entry year.
I love my racing and everything that comes with it but because of the finicial comitment of the Manx my other racing this year will be at a minimum to save the pennies. Some of this money saving will be spent on a return to the island between the TT and the Manx for more course familerisation , this is going to be much more use to me than charging round some of our races tracks that I already know like a headless chicken !
This weekend I decided would be the meeting to do to get those races, leaving me some time left before the cut of date if I get it wrong. The requirement for the mountain course licence is to get a finish so with this in mind this is how I went racing.
Instead of the usual I having some of that when there was near a group of riders, my must finish the race mind set is thinking be careful let them sort themselves out and pick of the weak later, definatelly more jackel than tiger this weekend. I got the finishes required and was able to have a bit of a blast during the last race but still mindful that a trashed bike was not part of the requirements but new leathers are. 
Even though not my first ride on the bike this was my first competitive ride of my Manx steed. Wow the NC30 is one hell of a bike and sounds like the dogs gonads and is perfect for the task we have together. The suspension will need to be set up and adjusted for the bumpier roads I will encounter on the island but I think we are pretty much there with other bits.
That is apart from all the extra lock wire hole drilling and other little mods required to get the bike past scrutineering and on that start line. 
The entrys close on the 8th May so some sometime after that I will found out if i am in
 

Its the 8th of May ! Theres been a general election but much more important in my world its the closing date for entrys for the Manx Grand Prix.
How do I feel ? Well I am going to try to discribe my feelings . I feel like a gladiator in the middle of the arena in the Coluseium in Rome waiting for Ceaser to decide my fate , will he move his thumb from the horizontal up for yes or down for no the wait goes on

wait for the tap on the shoulder at the first practice session, then grin like the cheshire cat before you see Bray hill

(08-05-2015, 08:57 AM)Kursaal Flyer Wrote: How do I feel ? Well I am going to try to discribe my feelings . I feel like a gladiator in the middle of the arena in the Coluseium in Rome waiting for Ceaser to decide my fate.......

Good luck with your entry! I was a newcomer last year so know exactly what you're going through.

There are some great milestones along the way and getting an entry is the first one. Every next step is an achievement in itself. Be prepared for an awful lot of stress, riding the bike is the easy bit!

Checking the E mails is the first thing I do each evening when I get in from work. Then there it is the E mail that going to say if the effort over the last few years has been given the thumbs up.
Well I opened it up and I am really pleased to say thet my entry for newcomers C has been accepted . After reading this I reacted in a rather loud way much to my wifes suprise and anybody else within about a mile radius of my house. My wife is supportive and puts up with my racing but has no real idea of the passion and effort and everything else that has been involved with getting to the point of opening up this acceptance E mail.  
I know from the Manx facebook page that not everybody had recieved an E mail at this time and the waiting for it is the same for many, tense times ! I felt it wrong to go on there at that stage and tell them I was in as this would only make the unknowing feel worse. We all know that with the upsurge in interest in riding the Manx and TT that some riders are not going to get what they want.
At this stage I just need to sit down chill out to consider everything thats ahead and get planning, first one pay the entry fee.

Congratulations.

Hope all goes well!!

Really pleased for you.

Ride safe.