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9 MXGP Pro tips to help you finish first
Get off to a great start and beat the pack in Milestone's new motocross game.
The ‘Pro’ in the title gives you an idea of the level of realism that Milestone have tried to create, with new physics and professional techniques making this the most authentic motocross game to date.
Given that it won't be an easy ride, we spoke to Lead Game Designer Luca Simonotti and R&D Programmer Michele Caletti to bring you all the expert tips you need to shred it on the dirt tracks.
1. How to start the race
You need to let the clutch go as soon as the gate drops
© Milestone
Luca: The start is always one of the trickiest parts of the race. It’s all about reflexes and a little bit of luck. When you’re at the start and there are only few seconds to the gate drop, the best thing to do is to hold the clutch, keep the accelerator at the right RPMs, and move the body ahead to keep the front of the bike down during the acceleration phase.
Your maximum concentration must be kept on the gate, because it’s really important to let the clutch out as fast as possible when it drops. You can also try to roll the dice, and guess when the gate will drop to have the best start as possible. This is not something to be recommended though, because if you make a mistake you can be blocked by the gate and start with a delay.
2. How to overtake your opponents
Learn the tracks to discover the best overtaking spots
© Milestone
Luca: The first suggestion is not to rush. A race is long enough to apply all the tactics needed to successfully end the race.
You also have to try to know the track very well – knowing where you are racing lets you understand which is the best part of the course for an overtake. After that, try to observe your opponent’s moves – MX is a very tricky sport, and it’s not rare that a rider can make a mistake that you can take advantage of. Last but not least, use clean lines – using clean lines is the best way to get an advantage over opponents.
3. Find the best way to stay on your bike
You need to know what's coming up after a jump
© Milestone
Luca: Not considering other opponents, there are two main conditions in which you can be knocked off – after a jump and in a turn. Jumps are a big part of MX tracks, and how you land will decide if you will be good to go or if you will be knocked off.
For example, be sure which jump you’re facing, and especially at what speed – landing too late or too soon can knock you off. If you’re facing a high jump, be sure what’s after the jump. It’s always better to land on a descent, because it will soften the landing. Landing after a big jump on a flat surface, or even worse a hill, will almost surely make you fall from your bike.
If you are attempting to make a scrub be sure to have enough space to land perfectly straight, or you are very likely to lose control of the bike. During a corner it’s important to manage the bike’s speed and acceleration, in order to avoid rear wheelspin.
4. Adapt to the conditions
Races will be slower in the wet
© Milestone
Luca: The best way to win is to know your bike and how it behaves. It’s always important to manage speed and acceleration during turns. When the track is wet it tends to be slippery, so you must be more careful. Also, be aware that a wet track makes the bike slower, so you have to adapt to make jumps, because the landing position will change.
5. Simple mistakes to avoid
Accelerating in the air will make the bike pitch up
© Milestone
Luca: The first error is to underestimate the importance of your bike’s setup. A good setup can apply better to different track surfaces, giving a better riding feeling while racing. After that, as I said before, it’s important to know the track, especially tricky parts; sections where you can risk more and so on. It will make you pay attention and not have undesirable effects on the bike’s behaviour.
Lastly, jumps are very important, not only when you land, but also in air. When the bike is in the air and you accelerate or brake with the rear brake, the front of the bike will pitch up or down respectively. This is important, because on small jumps, keeping accelerating can make the bike wheelie and make the rider fall.
6. Banked turns are important
Exit corners at speed
© Milestone
Luca: It’s important to know how to use banked turns. If taken properly, they can make you exit the corner at full speed, gaining an important advantage on your opponents. They can also be used if you enter a corner too fast and don’t want to finish outside the track.
7. Learn the most advanced techniques
Use the Scrub to cut the elevation when you're in the air
© Milestone
Michele: Learning advanced techniques like the Scrub is important. The Scrub is a technique to make you quick on the jump, cutting the elevation you get when in the air. So it’s a manoeuvre you make with both analogue sticks that tries to make the jump fast but low so you can land on the floor and hit the throttle sooner so you can be accelerating as you hit the ground.
This is just one of the techniques you can learn to become quicker on landing. We had some tips from riders like Antonio Cairoli, Gautier Paulin and Tim Geiser – they all came to Milestone, tried the game and provided feedback to help improve certain areas. Things like the cornering, the jumping, the start, the traction.
8. Think!
You need to understand how the track changes during a race
© Milestone
Michele: You can tackle most of the parts of every track by instinct, but there are always some spots where you have to think. You have to think ahead – sometimes, there may be a corner straight after a jump. If you have a good speed you can hit a triple jump with three little jumps, but if you feel that you’re not fast enough you don’t have to take a risk and land badly on the third one. You have to curb your attitude and try to only make a double jump.
So, you have to plan your moves. This is yet another step of planning what you’re going to do because the tracks change a lot. The terrain is deformed depending on what the other racers do, and the trajectories change. So understanding how the track changes and adapting is another key element for performing.
9. Understand how to make a good landing
Get ready to jump, and don't forget to land properly
© Milestone
Michele: The most common mistake I see rookies make is not understanding how to land their bike correctly after a jump. Bad landings mean you will fall. Understanding why you fall is the key to perfecting your technique.
Basically, you have to land with your rear wheel briefly before landing with your front wheel. Not too soon with the rear one because you’re going to get a slam when you land – and definitely not with the front wheel first because you will get a very hard impact and fall.
You also have to not land on the face of the jumps, but close the jump properly on the correct landing face. That’s the first thing you have to learn. Many of the tracks are made to go full throttle so if you have a very good speed you can connect the jumps, but some jumps are made intentionally tricky by the track designers. It’s the most common mistake and the most evident as it usually results in a fall.
