I’m making this mainly to expand the number of runners in the swoop racing section of the KotOR SRC Page. This guide will cover the basics of swoop racing as well as the most optimal routes for each category.
Notes from the editors:
The original guide was based in a pdf made by TheLadiesLoveMe. I decided to move it into SRC format both to make our guides more cohesive and for archiving purposes. -Lane
The guide is now transferred to the GitHub repo after SRC broke their guides, and I’ve reformatted it for readability. -indy
Setup
While most settings are irrelevant to swoops there are a few things you will need to tweak:
Enable V-sync for smoother steering and faster convos when starting the race
Disable Frame Buffer effects for an easier time seeing the track
Not a setting, but restart your game every 10-15 attempts so your boost pads dont stop working.
The Basics
KotOR Swoop Racing is quite difficult to understand due to the game giving only a very basic overview of controls and almost nothing as to the mechanics.
Start: To get the fastest start possible simply spam left click and/or space (I personally do both)
Shifting: Knowing when to shift is the MOST important thing if you want to get really good times. While the time to hit each of your four shifts varies from track to track generally speaking shifting just before hitting a boost pad will gain you the most speed. While you can shift by pressing space left clicking is more optimal as it will have a slightly faster response time.
Hitting Boosts: A very common misconception about swoop racing is that the more you swerve to hit boosts the slower you go, however it has absolutely no effect on your speed at all. Additionally due to swoops having a max speed it is pointless to hit the last boost pad on the track if you have hit every other one beforehand.
This is not easy by any stretch, so know it can take hours of grinding just to get a leaderboard time. If you do so happen to get a WR you have about 3-8 hours before wurwilf inevitably breaks it so make sure you get your time well below his. He has done this to me three times, the man cannot be stopped.
There are three swoop tracks in KotOR and two IL categories: Single Lap and Planet Circuit (The Swoop Quest). I will be going in order of what I believe to be the easiest to hardest to master.
Manaan
Shifts
Your first shift will become available to you well before the second boost thus waiting until just before the boost to shift is less than ideal. The most optimal time is shortly after you shift bar maxes out. The way I time it is to wait until the red bar first changes shades (Note: It will not always flash in the order of pink to red it so do not shift as soon as you see dark red).
A good indicator of whether you timed your first shift right will be when your second shift is available. If you get it directly after hitting the third boost, you have a good run going. Use your second shift directly before hitting the fourth boost pad.
The black part of the boost is where the hitbox is located so wait until the front of your swoop has passed the gold part to shift.
To tell if your second shift was good, your third should be available directly after passing this pillar.
Use your third shift right before hitting the eighth boost pad.
For your final shift, shift directly before hitting the tenth boost pad.
Lap Video
Playing the video on .25 or .50 speed makes it easier to understand.
Tatooine
Shifts
This can be a very complicated shift to hit as the universal ideal first shift is a two flash, but taking the boost head on only allows you a 1 flash before you hit the boost. In order to obtain a two flash, you will have to precisely position your bike to the right of the boost pad, shift and move left and just barely clip the corner of the boosts hit box
If you timed your boost correctly you should see your indicator flash once or twice before you hit the third boost, then shift directly before the 4th boost.
Use your third shift directly before hitting the ninth boost pad.
Use your fourth shift directly before hitting the eleventh boost pad. This can take practice, as the tenth and eleventh pads are very close to each other but on opposite sides of the track.
Lap Video
Taris
There are three different laps you must learn for Taris:
Single Lap IL (glitched)
Planet Circuit Lap 1
Planet Circuit Lap 2
For planet circuit there is a different path for Lap 1 and Lap 2.
Glitched Lap
This glitch exploits the Taris script that makes you go faster after each lap. Normally you can run five laps at most, however using the power of Save Buffering, you can skip the cutscene after winning the race and continually talk to the race master to start more laps. This makes you go faster and faster, but there is a cap and if you do this too many times it will reset you to the slowest speed possible.
Shifts
Hit your first shift directly after the bar turns red.
Hit your second shift after your indicator flashes twice.
Hold your third shift until right before the first boost.
Your fourth shift may become available before hitting the second boost, but you should hold it until right after you’ve hit it.
After reaching fourth gear, boosts will no longer work. So try to just find a line that avoids any obstacles. (Unless you live on the edge like me.)
Lap Video
Planet Circuit Lap 1
This is the easier of the two planet circuit laps to master. Although sub 23 has been achieved a handful of times, a good time will be in the low 23s.
Shifts
Hold your first shift for three flashes.
Shift directly before the third boost.
There are two options for third shift; when you hit the eighth boost you can either go left or right to hit your 9th. Going left is safer, going right is roughly 50ms faster.
We do not shift to fourth gear on unglitched Taris because while it does increase you max speed it actually slows you down.
Lap Video
Planet Circuit Lap 2
Shifts
Once again, there are two methods for first shift. You can either use the Manaan method, except you’re back to shifting after the first flash, or wait until the front of your swoop is clipping with the first line.
Or shift here:
While you do get second shift rather early, do not use until right before you hit the third boost.
Shift right before the 8th boost pad.
Lap Video
Save Files
These files can be copied into your saves directory in the KotOR installation folder.
