MotoGP3 Comes to the Extra-Small Screen, Speeding Onto the Mobile Platform Later This Year

by Louis Bedigian

“We managed to squeeze an awful lot into the mobile version of the game.”  

No motorcycle racer can compare to MotoGP3.  The racing physics were physically impossible to match; the AI was intelligent and the controls were worth pages of critical acclaim.  It would have been unrealistic for the competition to think they could top the game’s realism.  MotoGP didn’t just break the niche, or carve a special market all its own – the series took control of the market with the third release.

Now it’s going from the medium-sized screen to the really, really small screen: your mobile phone.  Due for release this fall, MotoGP3 is gearing up for a speed limit-breaking race that’ll turn your phone into the most talked about piece of equipment in town.  Moviegoers will jealously look at your phone and say, “Hey, you’ve got MotoGP3?  All I’ve got is Tetris!  Gimme that!”

Okay, so I exaggerated a bit.  But that could happen!  Just don’t let ‘em borrow your phone or else you could be on the receiving end of a wrong number.  Or on the receiving end of no longer having a receiver.  Or…

Where will this motor-licious racer take us, and how much power have they crammed into the pint-size format?  We hop on the bike with Alex Rigby, Creative Director of Rockpool Games. 

When bringing a gorgeous and enormous game like MotoGP3 to mobile phones, it goes without saying that some things have to be scaled back.  How much had to be changed in order to bring it to the super-small screen?

Alex Rigby: Despite the file size limitations, we managed to squeeze an awful lot into the mobile version of the game. Using some advanced techniques we developed here at Rockpool, we crammed loads more into than the game than MotoGP2.  That means more bikes, more tracks and far more eye candy. 

How much of the original content was retained?

AR: The game's career mode is still based closely on the real MotoGP, just like the console version, and we managed to get around half of the tracks from this event into the mobile version

Are you including the Extreme mode, or anything similar?

AR: Extreme Mode is fully featured, and with it the player can race on a total of 6 unique bikes throughout 6 totally unique tracks not seen in the normal Career mode.  

I think they want us to turn left. 

Give us the skinny on the speedy gameplay.  Does this mobile version feel like the MotoGP we all know and love?

AR: MotoGP3 retains the classic feel of the franchise, and is optimized for even more hair-raising speeds than has been seen before on mobile. We've made more improvements to the opponent AI also, making races more challenging yet equally as exciting. We think fans will agree.

How many opponents do you have per race?  Are there any time trial modes?

AR: There are a total of 7 opponents per race, giving plenty competition for the player to race against. Time Trial modes have been preserved giving the player long term replayability as the attempt to beat their previous best times.

Since we're on the topic of game modes, just what does MotoGP3 have to offer?

AR: There are two game types to play, MotoGP and Extreme, each of these has a Quick Game, Championship Mode and a Time Trial Mode. 

Now they want us to turn right, what's that about? 
 

From the looks of things I would say that this version is a lot easier to pick up and play than the console and PC versions of the game.  Is that a fair assumption?

AR: Being a wireless game, it's imperative that the player can feel comfortable with the game and understand what they need to do very quickly. We've balanced that with a learning curve that makes the game easy to pick and play, yet offers a stern challenge if the player wants to come out on top every race.

Courses are a big and important part of any racing game.  How many of MotoGP3's tracks have made into the mobile version?  Are there any new tracks being designed for it?

AR: Nine tracks direct from the real-life MotoGP have been included in the mobile version, along with six brand new Extreme tracks.

What about motor sounds?  Mobile phone technology is advancing incredibly fast.  Greater sound capabilities: is that something you were able to take advantage of?

AR: Using sampled sound is possible on modern mobile phones, but until the file size limits are increased it's not something we can currently take full advantage of. A single engine noise sound might take up the same amount of space as half of the entire graphics in the game, so we have to prioritize here and use that space as effectively as possible. Having said that we still use lots of audio in the game, not least the guitar-fuelled soundtrack, custom written for the mobile version.

What, no directions?  What do I do now?

Is a scoring/ranking system going to be implemented?  You know, just for fun, and for bragging rights?

AR: The best measure of a rider is how fast they can get round a track, so Time Trial is the mode for showing off to your pals and scoring the fastest time.

When will MotoGP3 be released?  Has the price been finalized yet?

AR: For Europe it's [going to be released in] September – and the price is 3 -7 Euros (£5 in the UK).

Brian Hong, Associate Brand Manager: MotoGP3 is slated for U.S. launch in October of 2005. It will sell for $5.99

Thank you for your time.