After eight episodes of MotoGP, the Italian studio Milestone is starting to hit the nail on the head when it comes to reproducing the queen discipline of motorcycling as faithfully as possible. For this ninth opus, the developers still have rights acquired from DORNA, which means that the content is fully licensed, and that each sticker that adorns your bike is strictly identical to the one that decorates the side of the wheel of your favorite driver. In 2019, cocorico, two French pilots joined the premier category, with Johann Zarco who refused the offer from Honda to go to KTM (he must be biting his fingers at the moment), while the Nice Fabio Quartararo arrived in the Petronas SRT team (a satellite team from Yamaha). We therefore find these two pilots in the game, but also many others, since the game also includes the Moto2 championship, that of Moto3, and even that of MotoE which we can therefore dispute before its official launch. Originally scheduled to start in April, the electric competition was pushed back after a fire engulfed the paddock last March, causing all bikes and equipment to go up in smoke, and forcing organizers to push back the first race to July.
AI ANYONE?
The first big innovation of this opus therefore concerns the AI which has been largely reworked by the studio. MotoGP now has a "Neuronal AI" developed in collaboration with Orobix and called Anna (Artificial Neuronal Network Agent), yes, like the GPS in Forza. Behind this worked acronym, there is in fact a kind of deep learning AI that will learn from its mistakes, and no longer be satisfied with a pre-established behavior. Now, competitors who share the track with you make mistakes, and change their trajectories, or even their level of aggression, depending on the environment. The goal being to win the race, the AIs will, for example, be more cautious at the start of the race while the peloton is still dense, before attacking more freely once the track is clear. Like a real driver, the bots will therefore concentrate and enter - or not - in their race, which can lead to much higher speeds when cornering. The developers have thus announced to us that an AI in confidence, and facing a clear track, can take a turn with 15 to 20Km/h better than in adverse conditions. In fact, this translates into a much more tenacious opposition, whose level will give a hard time even to the very best pilots in the world.
Indeed, once on the track, we see cleaner trajectories, and a much more realistic behavior. Pilots no longer collide in the event of a slowdown, and modify their trajectory to avoid being involved in a fall or to stay away from other competitors in the middle of a duel. Overall the drivers don't make the same mistake twice, and some can even get angry when overtaking is not very legal. Nevertheless, at times it seems that the opposing competitors are completely ignoring us, which can lead to delicate situations. Fortunately, the AI is adjustable via a knob that goes from 2 to 0%, which will allow everyone to find an opposition to their measure. You should know that at their maximum difficulty, the AIs are able to complete laps 120 to 2 seconds faster than real MotoGP riders. For comparison, the system offers a result comparable to Forza's Drivatar, even if the method used has absolutely nothing to do. Overall, the opponents therefore have a much improved behavior, even if everything is far from perfect. Above all, we note a great lack of consistency in the reactions, with certain races where the opponents show very realistic behavior, and others where the result is more than mixed.
It is of course at the visual level that the progress is the most sensitive with much more finely modeled tracks, prettier environments, and new effects.
Physics has also been improved with particular attention paid to tires and their temperature. Loading the front or rear too much will cause the casings to heat up, but be careful, as overheating can lead to even more unpredictable loss of grip. Conversely, when cold, it is impossible to have traction, and you will have to be very careful on the first laps at the risk of slipping as much as in the rain. On this subject, know that several settings are available for the weather, which allows us to predetermine the weather during our race, or to opt for random conditions. It is of course at the visual level that the progress is the most sensitive with much more finely modeled tracks, prettier environments, and new effects. We can thus notice that the hot air spit out by the exhausts of the motorcycles on the starting grid offers a cloudy image, thus respecting the optical effect of the temperature gradient. We can also note that the track picks up rubber as the laps progress, while the tires deteriorate (with the appearance of the famous pilling on the edges of the tread). Moreover, the game still offers multiple views to pilot including the famous helmet view (which requires a strong heart) since the camera follows the movements of the pilot's head. As for the display, Milestone promises 30 fps for normal consoles, hopes for 60 fps on PS4 Pro and Xbox One X, while we saw no limit on our PC test version.
OLD BIKER THAN EVER
Those who swear by multiplayer will be delighted to learn that MotoGP 19 finally abandons the peer-to-peer connection system, in favor of dedicated servers (provided by Amazon Web Services), which will guarantee equal play for all, and with minimal latency. However, if you're more of an asocial type, don't worry, MotoGP19 has something to keep you glued to the screen, especially thanks to the arrival of historical challenges. This new game mode allows you to relive the great moments of the premier class, whether it's battles on the handlebars of 1000cc 4-strokes of the MotoGP era or 500cc 2-strokes of grand prix. We specify in passing that the control of these machines has nothing to do, whether it is the engine response or the weight of the motorcycle. We will thus relive the milestones of Rossi's career or Mike Doohan's last lap. Of course, to be able to take advantage of the differences, you will have to opt for pro physics and deactivate the piloting aids, otherwise you will have a neutral behavior more suited to novice players. Older mounts also don't have as much electronics, and depending on the bike, it won't always be possible to adjust traction control or anti-wheelie on the fly. In the MotoGP category, the mechanics will still be able to have a great time, with a maximum of adjustments in the pits, from the suspensions to the engine brake.
MotoGP19 also sees its career mode enriched devilishly with the arrival of winter testing (with carbon liveries), and the choice between normal and pro career. We also note the arrival of a new management system with R&D points to invest in various aspects in order to improve the performance of your machine, or its reliability. The idea is to make it possible to compensate for the weaknesses of certain stables, knowing that we can modify the allocation of points at leisure in the event of a change of creamery. On the other hand, at the end of each season, the balance will be reset, which obliges us to take part in the mini-games offered during the test sessions. These are always the same, with a test where you have to closely follow the ideal trajectory, a race simulation and finally a qualification simulation. On the other hand, the split screen mode is still absent, the developers preferring to focus on online multiplayer and thus promote the eSport championship around the game. If you are tired of driving, know that it will also be possible to play as race director, and thus distribute blue flags and penalties according to the facts of the race. In fact, this function was not often activated on the various servers that we visited.
