Hellbound
01-26-2005, 11:04 PM
January 26, 2005 - Really great motorcycle racing games are far and few between. The amount of balance and skill required in real life perhaps translates too directly in the arcade or home experience, and few developers have truly nailed the perfect balance of speed, skill, and forgiveness required to make them must-have titles. In its third effort on Xbox (and second on PC), Climax and THQ have approached their blazingly fast racing series with the idea of infusing it with more accessibility, higher technology and a better sense of balance in mind, with the goal of making MotoGP 3 (http://xbox.ign.com/objects/687/687958.html) the ultimate motorcycle racer.
For those who've never played the MotoGP series on Xbox (http://xbox.ign.com/articles/582/582867p1.html#), this racing sim is the exact opposite of Namco's (http://xbox.ign.com/articles/582/582867p1.html#) arcade-grown Moto GP series. Both use the official MotoGP license, each is based on fast-moving motorcycle races, and both are very pretty indeed, but that's where the similarities end. Climax's game, due in early June on Xbox and PC, is about insanely high speeds, mastering the transfer of weight in snaking, undulating road conditions, and the balance of acceleration and brakes in a realistic manner. And following 2002's endeavor, this one will once again bring two-wheeled driving to online Xbox (http://xbox.ign.com/articles/582/582867p1.html#) and PC players, with new enhancements and technology for Xbox Live (http://xbox.ign.com/articles/582/582867p1.html#) gameheads.
Climax's team listened to its fans and critics alike, and the most impacting feedback it retained centered on the game's high level of difficulty. For a niche title to grow and become more accessible to more gamers, Climax figured out several things. First, braking needed to be more effective, yet simultaneously more skill-based. Mixing front and rear brakes going into turns has been better finessed in this version, while balancing the bike -- shifting weight from side to side -- isn't as drastic as before, giving riders a better overall sense of balance and control. But don't worry; the sense of speed has not been compromised in the process. In fact, the game's intensely addictive speed qualities, if anything, have increased.
This is one fast mofo, and our recent hands-on time with the game proves it. If you don't believe us -- and think we're simply being paid by the evil corporate publisher team at THQ -- then check out the six-plus cuts of direct feed movies we captured in the media section. See it for yourself. Then you'll know we ain't lying.
http://xboxmedia.ign.com/xbox/image/article/582/582867/motogp3-20050126020751240-000.jpg (http://media.xbox.ign.com/media/687/687958/img_2567221.html)
Race day or night.
Another element Climax wanted to present to gamers was the thrill of being in a real racing environment, in essence feeling like they are part of a massive, two-day motorcycle event. As part of this evolution, the game is presented better and with more variety. The team has incorporated TT Style racing and Street Bike Racing into the mix. TT Style Racing is based on constant snaking, undulating courses across rolling hills and through small towns, while Street Racing is a fast sprint across a straight, flat territory. On giving gamers better presentation, Climax looked to explain the tools of the trade with a handful of pointers. What the team thought was obvious to them in the previous version is now explained in detail, whether it's simple tips about how to approach a sharp turn, how to slide out the rear wheel in a turn to get a better line coming out of it, or simple clues on how to push a simple button to put your driver into a streamlined crouch position.
Players will also get to dig into the new Extreme mode. In it, players will access 600cc, 1,000cc, and 1,200cc bikes, and as they progress, they'll earn money to either buy new, more powerful bikes, or upgrade existing ones. You can manually attribute points to improve brakes, acceleration, top speed and handling, as well as torque and the engine. A nice side note about the engines: if you want, you can totally replace an engine. This mode is also designed to enable you to design your own vehicle's look and style. Bikes can switch colors like before, but now you can create you own logos, names and numbers, all of which, when complete, can be used offline and online.
To give the Extreme mode a life of it own, Climax traveled across Europe to loosely re-create 16 popular racing tracks with distinctly different racing challenges than the typical MotoGP tracks. These tracks comprise more hills, snaking turns, crowds, small towns, and undulating paths that will hopefully challenge and surprise even self-proclaimed experts of the series. While onsite, they also recorded real sounds for all of the bikes.
Moto GP 3 still offers the basic suite of official tracks, bikes, events, and insignias from the MotoGP 2004 season. The game offers the official 16 courses, all of which are painfully re-created in the game using normal mapping on the bikes, riders, and the courses themselves, and 16 new bikes. And, for those maniacs who closely follow the sport, BBC commentator Suzi Perry will cover the races with her well-known and well-liked style of narration.
Looking to improve upon the game accessibility on an even deeper level, Climax has organized offline and online races with a seeding system. So, while online, players who are total newbies will have the chance to see the ranks of other players, so they don't end up getting crushed their first race out. The seeding system is based on performance. With a few wins under your belt you can vie against better seeded racers to increase your status, or hang back a bit and maintain your ranking by competing against similar or lesser ranked players. Attribute points help you to increase your ranking along the way. The seeding system enables same-level players to quickly pick races and get going without hassle.
Another neat feature built into this year's model is the ability to play the normally offline Championship GP mode either offline or online. Once connected to Xbox Live (http://xbox.ign.com/articles/582/582867p2.html#) and in Championship mode, you'll be able to see what competitors are available to race as you progress through the series of races. It's entirely up to you whether you want to complete the entire mode offline, partially online, or entirely online. Whichever way you chose, the wins or losses are saved in your Championship Mode.
The full online portion of the game has been enhanced with three major modes. First is Spectator mode. Did you ever simply want to watch a set of races from a host of different angles? Now you can do it. The host picks the commentator, who doesn't actually race, who can then view the race from a variety of perspectives. There is a four-way split-screen mode, but players can easily switch to one, two, or three angles at their leisure.
The second major addition is the seeding system (covered above), and the third is really an extension of Spectator mode, called Commentator mode. Ever wanted to be a smart-assed, wise-cracking spectator and "comment" on your buddies' races? Ho-ho! Now you can. Like Spectator mode, the host selects the commentator, who then has the ability to comment on the entire race without interruption, backtalk or restraint.
http://xboxmedia.ign.com/xbox/image/article/582/582867/motogp3-20050126020733694-000.jpg (http://media.xbox.ign.com/media/687/687958/img_2567219.html)
Lay it down, baby.
MotoGP enables up to 16 players to race simultaneously on PC and Xbox (http://xbox.ign.com/articles/582/582867p2.html#) in GP mode, and Xbox gamers who prefer System Link can also vie with up to 16 racers also in GP mode. Extreme mode is also available online, offering competitions for up to 10 players. Xbox players without online access can compete with up to four players via four-player split-screen. Xbox Live players will also have the ability to check a slew of leader and score boards, not available for PC gamers.
Visually, MotoGP shows off a powerful and robust engine, generating a breezy 60 FPS on both systems. This year's model boasts more special effects and more polygons across bigger, more open spaces. You'll encounter bloom lighting (the latest overused fad in game technology), focus techniques -- blurring out distant objects and focusing in close-up ones -- night-time tracks, film grain effects, bike crashes that include the loss of a camera signal, and snowy/fuzz effects to create a sense of realism and sensationalism. Players are given five different camera angles to play with, though only three of them are actually useful in a heat. And for those who love technology, MotoGP 3 (http://xbox.ign.com/objects/687/687958.html) supports Dolby 5.1, widescreen, progressive scan, and the ability to rip your own custom tracks.
All in all, Climax hasn't compromised a thing in making its game more accessible, as the sense of speed is still ridiculously addicting, the sense of power and control is enhanced, and the amount and variety of modes offline and online has grown. Will this be the greatest motorcycle game of all time? It's certainly got the technology and graphics chops to do it. We'll be certain to provide more updates as that June release date approaches.
Movies:
Movie (http://media.xbox.ign.com/media/687/687958/vids_1.html) Page
For those who've never played the MotoGP series on Xbox (http://xbox.ign.com/articles/582/582867p1.html#), this racing sim is the exact opposite of Namco's (http://xbox.ign.com/articles/582/582867p1.html#) arcade-grown Moto GP series. Both use the official MotoGP license, each is based on fast-moving motorcycle races, and both are very pretty indeed, but that's where the similarities end. Climax's game, due in early June on Xbox and PC, is about insanely high speeds, mastering the transfer of weight in snaking, undulating road conditions, and the balance of acceleration and brakes in a realistic manner. And following 2002's endeavor, this one will once again bring two-wheeled driving to online Xbox (http://xbox.ign.com/articles/582/582867p1.html#) and PC players, with new enhancements and technology for Xbox Live (http://xbox.ign.com/articles/582/582867p1.html#) gameheads.
Climax's team listened to its fans and critics alike, and the most impacting feedback it retained centered on the game's high level of difficulty. For a niche title to grow and become more accessible to more gamers, Climax figured out several things. First, braking needed to be more effective, yet simultaneously more skill-based. Mixing front and rear brakes going into turns has been better finessed in this version, while balancing the bike -- shifting weight from side to side -- isn't as drastic as before, giving riders a better overall sense of balance and control. But don't worry; the sense of speed has not been compromised in the process. In fact, the game's intensely addictive speed qualities, if anything, have increased.
This is one fast mofo, and our recent hands-on time with the game proves it. If you don't believe us -- and think we're simply being paid by the evil corporate publisher team at THQ -- then check out the six-plus cuts of direct feed movies we captured in the media section. See it for yourself. Then you'll know we ain't lying.
http://xboxmedia.ign.com/xbox/image/article/582/582867/motogp3-20050126020751240-000.jpg (http://media.xbox.ign.com/media/687/687958/img_2567221.html)
Race day or night.
Another element Climax wanted to present to gamers was the thrill of being in a real racing environment, in essence feeling like they are part of a massive, two-day motorcycle event. As part of this evolution, the game is presented better and with more variety. The team has incorporated TT Style racing and Street Bike Racing into the mix. TT Style Racing is based on constant snaking, undulating courses across rolling hills and through small towns, while Street Racing is a fast sprint across a straight, flat territory. On giving gamers better presentation, Climax looked to explain the tools of the trade with a handful of pointers. What the team thought was obvious to them in the previous version is now explained in detail, whether it's simple tips about how to approach a sharp turn, how to slide out the rear wheel in a turn to get a better line coming out of it, or simple clues on how to push a simple button to put your driver into a streamlined crouch position.
Players will also get to dig into the new Extreme mode. In it, players will access 600cc, 1,000cc, and 1,200cc bikes, and as they progress, they'll earn money to either buy new, more powerful bikes, or upgrade existing ones. You can manually attribute points to improve brakes, acceleration, top speed and handling, as well as torque and the engine. A nice side note about the engines: if you want, you can totally replace an engine. This mode is also designed to enable you to design your own vehicle's look and style. Bikes can switch colors like before, but now you can create you own logos, names and numbers, all of which, when complete, can be used offline and online.
To give the Extreme mode a life of it own, Climax traveled across Europe to loosely re-create 16 popular racing tracks with distinctly different racing challenges than the typical MotoGP tracks. These tracks comprise more hills, snaking turns, crowds, small towns, and undulating paths that will hopefully challenge and surprise even self-proclaimed experts of the series. While onsite, they also recorded real sounds for all of the bikes.
Moto GP 3 still offers the basic suite of official tracks, bikes, events, and insignias from the MotoGP 2004 season. The game offers the official 16 courses, all of which are painfully re-created in the game using normal mapping on the bikes, riders, and the courses themselves, and 16 new bikes. And, for those maniacs who closely follow the sport, BBC commentator Suzi Perry will cover the races with her well-known and well-liked style of narration.
Looking to improve upon the game accessibility on an even deeper level, Climax has organized offline and online races with a seeding system. So, while online, players who are total newbies will have the chance to see the ranks of other players, so they don't end up getting crushed their first race out. The seeding system is based on performance. With a few wins under your belt you can vie against better seeded racers to increase your status, or hang back a bit and maintain your ranking by competing against similar or lesser ranked players. Attribute points help you to increase your ranking along the way. The seeding system enables same-level players to quickly pick races and get going without hassle.
Another neat feature built into this year's model is the ability to play the normally offline Championship GP mode either offline or online. Once connected to Xbox Live (http://xbox.ign.com/articles/582/582867p2.html#) and in Championship mode, you'll be able to see what competitors are available to race as you progress through the series of races. It's entirely up to you whether you want to complete the entire mode offline, partially online, or entirely online. Whichever way you chose, the wins or losses are saved in your Championship Mode.
The full online portion of the game has been enhanced with three major modes. First is Spectator mode. Did you ever simply want to watch a set of races from a host of different angles? Now you can do it. The host picks the commentator, who doesn't actually race, who can then view the race from a variety of perspectives. There is a four-way split-screen mode, but players can easily switch to one, two, or three angles at their leisure.
The second major addition is the seeding system (covered above), and the third is really an extension of Spectator mode, called Commentator mode. Ever wanted to be a smart-assed, wise-cracking spectator and "comment" on your buddies' races? Ho-ho! Now you can. Like Spectator mode, the host selects the commentator, who then has the ability to comment on the entire race without interruption, backtalk or restraint.
http://xboxmedia.ign.com/xbox/image/article/582/582867/motogp3-20050126020733694-000.jpg (http://media.xbox.ign.com/media/687/687958/img_2567219.html)
Lay it down, baby.
MotoGP enables up to 16 players to race simultaneously on PC and Xbox (http://xbox.ign.com/articles/582/582867p2.html#) in GP mode, and Xbox gamers who prefer System Link can also vie with up to 16 racers also in GP mode. Extreme mode is also available online, offering competitions for up to 10 players. Xbox players without online access can compete with up to four players via four-player split-screen. Xbox Live players will also have the ability to check a slew of leader and score boards, not available for PC gamers.
Visually, MotoGP shows off a powerful and robust engine, generating a breezy 60 FPS on both systems. This year's model boasts more special effects and more polygons across bigger, more open spaces. You'll encounter bloom lighting (the latest overused fad in game technology), focus techniques -- blurring out distant objects and focusing in close-up ones -- night-time tracks, film grain effects, bike crashes that include the loss of a camera signal, and snowy/fuzz effects to create a sense of realism and sensationalism. Players are given five different camera angles to play with, though only three of them are actually useful in a heat. And for those who love technology, MotoGP 3 (http://xbox.ign.com/objects/687/687958.html) supports Dolby 5.1, widescreen, progressive scan, and the ability to rip your own custom tracks.
All in all, Climax hasn't compromised a thing in making its game more accessible, as the sense of speed is still ridiculously addicting, the sense of power and control is enhanced, and the amount and variety of modes offline and online has grown. Will this be the greatest motorcycle game of all time? It's certainly got the technology and graphics chops to do it. We'll be certain to provide more updates as that June release date approaches.
Movies:
Movie (http://media.xbox.ign.com/media/687/687958/vids_1.html) Page