MotoGP '07 Preview

By Ellie Gibson Published 5 March, 2007

Biking back.

More than five years after the first Climax-developed game in the series was released, a new MotoGP title is on the way this September. Once again, you can expect all the bikes, tracks, riders and liveries from the real life MotoGP season, and once again there are season, quick race, time trial and extreme modes. In other words, fans will find plenty here that's familiar.

But what if you're not a fan? What if you've been put off by the unforgiving driving mechanics and steep learning curve that the series is known for - even more so following last year's instalment? Well, you're not alone, as the game's creative manager, Craig McCracken, explains.

"MotoGP has historically been as quite a simulation-heavy title, and we've sought to bring it more mainstream a little bit this year," he says.

"This game is about easy access for people who are new to the series - people like me, actually, because I came from a background of working on four-wheeled racers and I was new to it when I started on this one. MotoGP '06 was a great game, but like a lot of people, personally I found it quite hard. You had to invest a lot of time and effort to get rewards. So I thought it was quite important for us to improve the entry point a little bit, to make it a bit easier to get into."

'MotoGP '07' Screenshot 1

Although the changes to the game mechanics aren't fundamental, McCracken says, they are significant. The development team has been working on the handling of the bikes in particular; for example, turning circles are quicker and you get more opportunities to pull off powerslides.

Then there's the cornering, always a tricky one in MotoGP. Now, you get more feedback from the bike - so as you brake heavily into corners, the bike will fishtail under pressure, and as you move out and accelerate away, it will wheelie. You can use this feedback to gauge whether you're at risk of losing control, and decide whether to push on through or ease off.

"MotoGP '06 was quite digital. You were on the bike going quick into a corner and then you were off it, but you didn't see quite where that point was that you went from one state to the other," McCracken says.

"But I think the feedback through the bike this time will allow you to have a sense of what's going on and make your judgments accordingly."

However, MotoGP does have a hardcore fanbase made up of players who enjoy the steep difficulty curve and the challenge of mastering the cornering system. So isn't McCracken worried that this new, "more accessible" style might end up alienating them?

'MotoGP '07' Screenshot 2

"Good or bad, a lot of people play games these days and probably like me, they've got a shorter attention span than they once had. There has to be a sense of immediacy about it, and I think that's what we've pursued with MotoGP '07," he explains.

"We're trying to balance it. We're still keeping depth. There's a hardcore group of people who've always loved the handling, and we're not seeking to alienate those people. Without necessarily changing the dynamics massively, but improving the feedback that comes to the user, we're trying to straddle both worlds; hopefully quite successfully."

It's not just the bike handling which has changed in MotoGP '07. They've ramped up the customisation options in Extreme mode, and you'll be able to race for pink slips online. There's also a new track, Misano ("They're still building it in real life. It's not actually been signed off, so we're actually building it almost in real time.").

Then there's the new theme for this latest instalment in the series. "The key thing we've sought to develop this year is what we call spectacle. It's basically about trying to put as much life, innovation, vivacity, colour and excitement into a MotoGP race around the track as you have on it," says McCracken.

'MotoGP '07' Screenshot 3

"A lot of the tracks aren't particularly interesting in real life. They're just ribbons of concrete set out in fields in the middle of nowhere, and that manifests itself in-game. So we've tried to make sure that there's loads of stuff happening off-track as well, to give the sense that it's more of an event."

Which means you can now expect up to 100,000 crowd members around each track, who will wave flags, fire off flares and cheer you on if you're zooming round in first place. You'll also see marshalls riding round the tracks on mopeds, and there will be hot air balloons and helicopters visible in the skies above. In short, "It's really about catching the essence of the MotoGP occasion."

But when it comes down to it, "Obviously the fundamentals don't really change. It's a bike racing game, it's set on licensed tracks, it's similar," says McCracken. So if the MotoGP series has never held any appeal for you, it doesn't look like there's going to be a great deal here which will change your mind.

However, it will certainly be interesting to see how the new handling system works, and just how much more accessible the game will be compared to previous instalments. And, of course, whether the serious fans will welcome the changes or resent the more immediate aspect of the gameplay. At this stage it's too early to tell, but rest assured we'll be keeping an eye on this one.

MotoGP 07 will be released on Xbox 360 this summer from THQ.

Picture of Ellie.

About Ellie Gibson

Since joining Eurogamer in the mid 2000s, Ellie has written about subjects as diverse as the fall of Gizmondo, the rise of Hollyoaks actresses in Red Alert games and the noise a bear makes under NSFW circumstances.

Read more articles from Ellie by visiting the Ellie Gibson archive page.

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Comments (32) Latest comment 5 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • malteaserhead #1 5 years ago

    sounds a bit dumbed down...
    hmmm

  • InfiniteFury #2 5 years ago

    "MotoGP '06 was a great game, but like a lot of people, personally I found it quite hard. You had to invest a lot of time and effort to get rewards."

    To hear a respectable developer utter a sentence like that makes a little piece of me die inside.

  • riz23 #3 5 years ago

    Yes, the alarm bells are ringing. One of the reasons the Moto GP games were so successful is because they really do recreate the sensation of riding well. You do get a little warning in the game currently, but like a real bike it will just 'go' if you push it too far. Anyway, this simulation approach, with an attendant difficulty is what made the games unique and stand out from the crowd. Remove that, and I suspect you get 'just another racing game' albeit on two wheels. The games are not that hard anyway, give an hour hour or two and you soon think you're Barry Sheen or summat.
    I wouldn't try to fix what ain't broke to be honest.

  • Jesus_is_my_airbag #4 5 years ago

    Me Buy!

    Love the overall bike control, hate the AI/collisions. I can never get the motivation to look at extreme mode..... but it's motogp!

    I'm not fussed about trackside goings on i'd rather it be smooooooooooooth.

  • DanMW #5 5 years ago

    But it is, I feel I've reached my limit in the game and am 8-10 secs off the best times wondering how on earth this guys do these impossible times. If I'm lucky and try my best I might be able to close 0.5 of a second.

    Edit: Jesus_is_my_airbag, true, like I have time to look around the track!!
    Edited by 1 at 05/03/07 @ 12:09

  • killest #6 5 years ago

    Does it have m0t0r81K35!?!?11oneone!!!!eleven!!!11?!?!

    Well someones gotta say it....

  • #7 5 years ago

    This is going to be awesome. At least it better be.

  • Eighthours #8 5 years ago

    You can't blame them - they want to make money.

    Hopefully they can make the game more popular while not annoying the purists. It's a very difficult balancing act.

    But what they really have to sort out is the framerate and the tearing. Both were shocking in Moto GP '06.
    Edited by 1 at 05/03/07 @ 12:20

  • Beano #9 5 years ago

    Message to Climax : FIX THE BLOODY FRAME-RATE !!!!

    (Moto GP 06 was terrible!)

  • #10 5 years ago

    The framerate will be fine, they are building on the 06 engine after all and have plenty of time to get everything silky smooth.

  • bluebird #11 5 years ago

    I think what they are doing is needed. A real bike gives lots of subtle feedback, and doesn't suddenly just cut away under you once you pass a limit. A normal controller can't possibly give that feedback, so you have to exaggerate the response a bit to give that sense of control of the bike, instead of trial by error. 'Feeling' the bike is more inportant in a bike game than in a car racer and makes the game more fun and less frustrating, and in a way, as much or more realistic if done well.

    Talking of control, this might be one of those games that could work really well with the sixaxis controller (when they add rumble). Shame to see this only released on Xbox 360.

  • DanMW #12 5 years ago

    You can see the game in action here: http://ww w.computerandvideogames.com/art...

  • Eighthours #13 5 years ago

    The framerate will be fine, they are building on the 06 engine after all and have plenty of time to get everything silky smooth.

    I heard on the grapevine that it's a completely new engine.

  • peterfll #14 5 years ago

    "the framerate will be fine, they are building on the 06 engine after all"

    You being sarcy?!

    I would feel better if they were starting with a new engine TBH.

  • tomdominer #15 5 years ago

    Offing more feedback to what is going on with the bike handling does not dumb the handling down. It is just visual clues, it just makes the handling easier to read.
    Edited by 1 at 05/03/07 @ 13:02

  • #16 5 years ago

    peterfll wrote:

    You being sarcy?!

    I would feel better if they were starting with a new engine TBH.

    Of course I'm not being sarcastic. The 06 engine is gorgeous, but THQ released the game without giving Climax the chance to optimise it fully. That shouldn't be a problem this time around.

    But you want a new engine when there is no need for one, and you'll run the risk again that they can't get it optimised in time.
    Edited by 1 at 05/03/07 @ 13:04

  • Beano #17 5 years ago

    "The 06 engine is gorgeous, but THQ released the game without giving Climax the chance to optimise it fully. That shouldn't be a problem this time around."

    The last two Moto GP games both has terrible framerates ('06 was the worst though) so why shouldn't it happen again if the planning is still bad and the publisher is greedy enough to ship a unfinished game?

  • #18 5 years ago

    06 had tearing and frame rate problems on cornering. While it wasn't terrible in itself, because smoothness is so important to a racing game it accentuates the problems.

    While there is no guarantee that 07 will be better in this respect, I can't think of one solitary reason why it wouldn't be. For a start they are no longer new to the technology. If 06 was so close to being graphically excellent, then the added development time on top of increased knowledge of the system on an already good engine should really produce the goods.

    If not then there really is no hope for the franchise, but this is Climax's last effort on this and you can bet they will want to go out on a high.

  • BraveArse #19 5 years ago

    "This game is about easy access for people who are new to the series - people like me, actually, because I came from a background of working on four-wheeled racers and I was new to it when I started on this one. MotoGP '06 was a great game, but like a lot of people, personally I found it quite hard. You had to invest a lot of time and effort to get rewards. So I thought it was quite important for us to improve the entry point a little bit, to make it a bit easier to get into." - Craig McCracken

    As one of the "hardcore" users, I think I'll just go and slit my throat now...
    Edited by 1 at 05/03/07 @ 13:23

  • Darren #20 5 years ago

    I sincerely hope that the 100,000 crowds don't come at the cost of screen tearing and slowdown which spoilt the last game for me. MotoGP '06 was a disappointment, little more than a lazy port of MotoGP 3 on the Xbox so this new game has to be exceptional if I'm to even consider buying it.

    I did notice some tearing in the trailer that I downloaded from GameTrailers.com but that may not be indicative of the final game when it's released this September. Well I'd hope it *isn't* anyway!

  • Beano #21 5 years ago

    "The 06 engine is gorgeous, but THQ released the game without giving Climax the chance to optimise it fully. That shouldn't be a problem this time around. "

    Moto GP 3 had worse framerate than Moto GP 2. Moto GP 2 was slightly (!) worse than Moto GP 1. So basicly... Each Moto GP is worse than the previous.

  • captainrentboy #22 5 years ago

    The tearing was awful in the last one, infact it was a close call between that and Saints Row for the 'winner' of the most facking annoying tearing in a videogame award...Apart from that I found it fairly enjoyable, but it wasn't really that different (graphically/ control wise) from the xbox versions.

  • Darren #23 5 years ago

    I thought MotoGP 3 was the best game in the series and I never noticed any framerate issues when I played it... still do play it, in fact, and consider it superior to MotoGP '06. As for MotoGP 2 being inferior to the first game, I seem to recall the sequel having the full compliment of MotoGP tracks and the first game having an erratic framerate. ;)

  • Beano #24 5 years ago

    Moto GP 3 was far better than '06... agree, but far from 1+2's "smoothness" :)

  • BraveArse #25 5 years ago

    @beano & Darren

    [link url= http://uk.xbox360.ign.com/articles/769/769811p1.html
    ]http://uk .xbox360.ign.com/articles/769/7...[/link]

    Scroll to the bottom of that article.

    "Another nice improvement was in doing away with screen tearing which was somewhat of an issue in last year's game. "
    Edited by 1 at 05/03/07 @ 13:46

  • Beano #26 5 years ago

    Yes but that's easy to promise... let's see how it turns up.

  • BraveArse #27 5 years ago

    Well yes, lets do that... ;)
    Edited by 1 at 05/03/07 @ 14:20

  • #28 5 years ago

    LETS!

    :D

  • symmetry #29 5 years ago

    MotoGP is one of those games that always scores highly but never makes any money. I guess THQ decided to change that balance this time.

  • captainrentboy #30 5 years ago

    Isn't Yellowtruck the rather sad Sony fanboy? Who's opinion is pretty much ignored with every post he makes? I'm just checking.

  • Beano #31 5 years ago

    "Isn't Yellowtruck the rather sad Sony fanboy?"

    Because he is right?

  • #32 5 years ago

    I'm right!

  • Darren #33 5 years ago

    If EG review this and describe it as "technically impressive" then I'm cancelling my pre-order!!! ;)

  • bonker #34 5 years ago

    "I flame both Playstation and Xbox games, as and when I feel the need to. I also give the thumbs up to games that deserve praise. It's not my fault that the Playstation tends to have a higher percentage of quality games, when compared to the Xbox. "

    Good God!

  • captainrentboy #35 5 years ago

    Beano I didn't question whether he was right or wrong, I mean I, only a couple of posts above his said that the last Moto GP was fairly crap. I said he was a fanboy because I remember that almost every post of his in the past spouted a lot of Sony shite.
    I mean if he has a link to a thread where he has said one positive thing about Microsoft i'll take it back, and apologise to the lil lad.

  • Eighthours #36 5 years ago

    I flame both Playstation and Xbox games, as and when I feel the need to. I also give the thumbs up to games that deserve praise. It's not my fault that the Playstation tends to have a higher percentage of quality games, when compared to the Xbox.

    Yep, that's really showing with PS3 at the moment. Not.

  • miiiguel #37 5 years ago

    @ yellowtruck : PS3 games have better quality than 360 ones ? Care to give some examples ?
    do you have any of the consoles by the way ?

    and you are a fair contributor, not taking sides sure. Let see some older posts of yours:
    "Yay! Dual-Shock will be back!

    Good to see Sony pay up. Unlike their rivals Microsoft who just cannot accept when they're wrong, and should really pay up"

    "seems Microsoft promises fall flat as per usual. I'm sticking with XP, that is until Sony unleash their operating system :)"

    The mumbo-jumbo goes on, wich is fair. What is not is when you claim you have no bias.

    By the way, I have both machines, and so far 360 is better, but I do play games, I don't play brands.

    Let me give you an humble advice, don't let some buisness men you don't know forbid you to play whatever you want.
    I do not allow that kinda shit, and heck! I do have a great time.
    "system wars" is so passé.


    Edited by 3 at 06/03/07 @ 15:42

  • Laws #38 5 years ago

    been playing moto gp 06 recently after ive had it for almost a year and it is SOOO ADDICTIVE!!!

    i played motogp 3 on xbox for a bit but i had forgoten how good the game is.

    so rewarding when you finally gain some skill and can just race round a circuit with some decent speed !

    '07 is going to be a guarantee buy.