Super-Bikes: Riding Challenge

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As you'll know from our recent preview, we rather like the look of Milestone's Super-Bikes: Riding Challenge. After a long and rather tiresome procession of biking games which ship with broken racing physics and tawdry gimmicks, Milestone's seems like its going to be the hardcore race fans biker of choice, piling on the authenticity and serving up lashings of hot racing action.

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High time then to catch up for some in-depth analysis on the title with a word in the shell like of Gianmarco Zanna, Producer of SBRC for Milestone. Read on to learn more about the guiding philosophy behind the game, why you can create your own riding style, how Milestone have worked closely with some of biking's leading manufacturers and what the next generation might hold as the series evolves.
How did the idea for Super-Bikes: Riding Challenge come about? What is the guiding philosophy behind the game?

Since Super-Bikes 2001, we have created several games involving racing cars, but to be honest we like the world of motorcycling far more. The first idea to create a new motorcycling simulation arose while we were developing Evolution GT. This is when we started to develop a handling model based on the original Superbikes game. We were of the opinion that all the motorcycle simulations released after Super-Bikes 2001 were too "arcade oriented" to be called simulations. So we made the decision to make our mark on the genre with a much more realistic offering. To accomplish this, we have implemented an extensive customisation system in Super-Bikes Riding Challenge but our primary focus was to create a game which could truly be called; "simulation".

What would you say is the game's most innovative feature, and how is it different from all the other bike games available?

I would say that the most innovative feature is the aforementioned customisation system, which allows the player to create their own rider from scratch and develop their own unique riding style. From my personal point of view, another thing that differentiates our game from the competition is the handling model. We are really proud to have created a game in which every single bike behaves just like its real-life counterpart. When you get in the saddle of a GSXR 1000, for instance, you have to mind your stance while accelerating it to full speed in first gear.

If you don't, you can expect to be catapulted backward, straight on to the tarmac by this untamed beast. We have mimicked this exactly in the game, making it an accurate and enjoyable motorcycling simulation. That was just a very simple example, but it should give you an idea about the content of the game. All aspects of these 'machines' have been meticulously replicated in great details. Real Superbike data means real Superbike performance! Another important feature is the difference you can spot when you ride on country track tarmac compared to city circuit tarmac. While the latter is quite smooth and perfect for racing, the country tarmac is kind of wrinkled and gibbous meaning every turn should be ridden with particular care, as it is quite easy to lose grip on the road and fall off. I think this is the first time such a feature has been implemented in a racing sim, and I think this something we will begin seeing more of in all future racing games.

Which manufacturers have you worked with when developing the game, and how has their feedback affected the overall game design?

Of course we had to liaise with all the manufacturers listed in the game, and thanks to their support we were able to recreate the perfect handling for each model. I should reserve special thanks for MV Agusta, who gave us a lot of feedback about the behaviour of each model. It was very important to show we were doing the best job possible in replicating real life Superbike racing in game, and liaising extensively between manufacturers and developers aided us well.

During the development of the physics model we collaborated with Giuseppe Guerra, the same technical consultant we worked with previously on the Superbike series. Through utilising Milestone's know how, the support of the manufacturers and the technical expertise of Giuseppe Guerra, we had the perfect alchemy, which gave us the chance to create a game which is not afraid to be compared with Superbike 2001.

A number of bike fans have complained about un-realistic physics in bike games. How closely have you worked with the manufacturers to make sure this isn't a problem in Super-Bikes: Riding Challenge?

I totally agree with all the people who are unsatisfied with the physics you find in all the bike simulations out there. When you are riding a 170 HP beast you have to feel that power, but first of all, you need to tame it. To accomplish this goal, you have to use your whole body to counterbalance the forces unleashed by the bike, and this is the key element of the game. You can feel the true power of the bike, and you can exploit it thanks to the weight displacement of the rider. The best proof we succeeded in creating a believable motorcycle simulation, is in the game itself. It will take a little time to realise this game is different from all the other bike simulations. At the beginning, players could find it really hard to master, but soon they will learn to ride successfully, combining both the bike and rider movements in a very natural fashion.

What improvements have you made to the engine since your last game?

It's quite hard to talk about improvements in comparison with the best bike simulation ever created (Superbike 2001). Instead, I would call it an adaptation to fit the PS2 requirements. The engine was reworked so it could be effectively utilised in conjunction with the Dualshock 2 peripheral. Something I like even more is the fact that you can use the analogue feature of the DualShock controller in order to get the right amount of power you need for every circumstance you may encounter on the racetrack. Another aspect that we had to work from scratch was the animation set. As each bike has different sizes, this was one of the most demanding tasks we faced. Every single animation was hand-made and created by one of the same artists involved in the previous Superbike games, and even though we didn't use any of the "old" animations, you will notice many small tributes to that legendary series. My programmers and artists will moan if I don't mention this, so let me point out that our engine ensures 60 frames per second, up to 8 riders on screen at the same time, real time environment mapping and particle effect and, last but not least, the most detailed cockpit-view available on the market!

How limited are you by the PS2, and how do envisage the series developing if and when it moves to next-gen - i.e. what improvements would next-gen tech bring, aside from those of a visual nature?

In Super-Bikes Riding Challenge, different bikes have greatly varying engine power, the physics engine needs to be really accurate to calculate the behaviour of the bikes. This is an element that gives you an indication of the underlying game's philosophy; we think that the visual impact is important in the short term, but what makes a game stand out in the long term is its playability. When you have both excellent visuals and great playability, and you still haven't used all of the CPU's power, Milestone sees it as an opportunity to improve playability. This means, for instance, that you can let the processor perform 3 physics checks each frame instead of 2, which involves a noticeable change in the playability. When I look to the next-gen console, I can see an overuse of the trickiest visual techniques (the billion-polys game environment, watered with normal maps and real-time reflections and so on...), but at the end of the day what I'm playing is still an old-generation game, usually an arcade racing game that pretends to be a simulation. When developing for next-gen systems, we will remain focused on delivering a game experience which revolves around the gameplay. We want to create games that are good to play, not just games that are good to be seen.

A lot of developers would be tempted to let the players change everything on their bike. Why did you decide against this?

The message from Super-bikes: Riding Challenge is: "it's the rider that does the job", as opposed to the bike. Our approach to this racing simulation has been different, as the player has to use the same bike as his opponents. To win the race you have to out-ride your opponents using skill and track awareness, not by just getting a better bike. This is not the only reason we made the decision to use the retail settings for the bikes, we also wanted the players to be able to "feel" each model as the manufacturer has created it. What you get in the game is a bike just like one you might find in a real-life bike shop.

How much work have you put into the AI in the game? Does each opponent rider have unique characteristics?

During pre-production we developed the AI system side by side with the physics engine. Each opponent has unique characteristics, which vary each time you create a game profile. We were tired of playing games in which the opponent behaves like a robot or creates a "speedy train" that follows the perfect trajectory. A motorcycle race means multiples trajectories folding over each other; it means opponents who try to overtake you using both internal and external trajectories; it also means opponents who make mistakes, who sometimes aren't able to brake correctly and then go off track. In Super-Bikes: Riding Challenge we aimed to perfectly recreate the feeling of a bike race, and at the end of the day, I can say we were able accomplish that. In the mayhem of a motorcycle competition, each turn is a race in itself and I think we have captured this feeling realistically.

Which bike in the game is your favourite and why?

I would say the Triumph Daytona 675 is one of my favourite bikes because it's well balanced and very nimble, making it one of the best choices of ride on my beloved country tracks. However, the F4 Tamburini is probably the most perfect piece of "two-wheel art" which has ever been created; while the performances are quite close to that of a Japanese bike, the design is yet to be matched by any bike past or present. I'm also totally amazed by the Yamaha R6's 20,000 rpm engine, even though it's quite hard to ride, as you have to be careful to keep the rev counter beyond the 6000 rpm threshold. Going under this when performing a close turn, could make it much harder than it needs to be! Furthermore, as in the game I really like to perform the counter steering manoeuvre, another of my favourite bikes for this, is the Xtra Raptor.

To be honest it would be easier to talk about the bikes I don't like, but I'm afraid it wouldn't be too polite, and very unsuitable for this interview!

What's next for Milestone? Any beans you'd care to spill on projects you're developing for next-gen consoles?

At the moment we cannot reveal any further details about our upcoming projects, but I think that all the Superbikes fans will be very glad to hear that we are moving to the next generation of consoles, and that our first game will be the long awaited...Ok, no more clues about this! I'm sure you know what I'm getting at, don't you?

Andrew Taylor