MX vs. ATV

Sully · Post by **Sully** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 12:56 pm

I'm pretty sure the game hits the shelves today for the XBOX. Anyone plan on picking it up? You can race with up to 8 people online.

The game is receiving some pretty good reviews. IGN gave it a 9.3....yeah, yeah, I know...it's IGN, but it could be a fun racer.

I'd like to hear some impressions before I run out to pick it up this evening.

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 12:58 pm

It's on my Gamefly list...I never have gotten much mileage out of the series so I don't want to go buy it...but who knows, it may surprise.

Post by **ScoopBrady** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 1:45 pm

My demo impressions: http://www.scooponsports.com/PostNuke/m ... =0&thold=0

My retail version impressions: http://www.scooponsports.com/PostNuke/m ... =0&thold=0

marino · Post by **marino** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 10:37 am

Played this last night online with terry and other os people and it was a blast.Seeing terry drive the monster truck and squash your atv was priceless.The courses we did play were really good and there is a bunch of tracks that have to be unlocked to play on live.
I think there is a code out there to open them all up.

Oh you have to play with helmet cam.It is incredible.

TCrouch · Post by **TCrouch** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 12:18 pm

Helmet cam is incredible...finally they give you a 3D bike in the camera to get a grip on what you're doing. Going over a rhythm section is where it really came into focus. If I didn't lean back, the view itself shot up and down, just like the bike was doing. When I leaned back, then the handlebars just bounced a bit on my screen. I've never felt my stomach climb into my throat before, as it did on some of those triple jumps.

Online is just an awesome experience...too bad it's 6 players only in MX/ATV mode, and 4 in Open Vehicle mode. Still...6 guys racing dirt bikes around is nice. They tightened up some of the physics this year too. Still floaty jumps, but the bike 'bites' better this year. You can't just take a nice easy angle adjustment over whoops; if you try to adjust, the rear tire might grab and lurch the bike in another direction entirely.

To me, after 1 night...it's still a bit floaty, but online and a tightened ground physics model make it gravy. That, and the ability to map gas/brake to the R/L triggers (finally!). I'm diggin' this one.

hrudey32 · Post by **hrudey32** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 9:49 pm

i picked mx vs atv the hour it came out and am thus far pretty pleased. the game still feels a bit too floaty and bouncy but it is a vast improvement over mxu as the mx bikes (which is all i really mess with) do have a little more gravity. MTX got the gravity feel perfect though some of its physics were not on.

i'm still not sure why Rainbow insists that a sx/mx game has too have so much of a floaty feeling but i will say they improved this version quite a bit. small touches like heats, lcqs, motos, rider on screen positioning, hole shots, gate picks....all that adds up to an improved realistic game, imo, which is what i want.

i still think that if hockey/basketball could have commentary that sx could as well....at least some commentary....Art Eckman and Todd Harris would be perfect with maybe Cameron Steele trackside. i don't care at all for music while i'm racing and wish i could take the onscreen jukebox thing off. physics are pretty good for the most part and the rider AI is pretty decent taking some good lines.

i still wish you had to use the brake more and throttle control as well but again it is right much better than MXU which i honestly thought kinda sucked. at least in this version braking is required sometimes. also, would be nice to make clean block passes where the AI will "hold up" so there isn't a crash. most of the time i have attempted a block pass with my created number 4 (Ricky Carmichael) they plow right into me.

Rider cam is cool...and though it would be a pain wouldn't it be authentic if your "view" from behind the handlebars got obstructed with mud, dirt....requiring you to hit a button to execute a "tear-off". that would be sweet.

and yes...my sports passion has shifted from my non-playing hockey (the NHL...no hockey league) to SX/MX.

overall, i'm enjoying this game a lot right now. i do wish there were more choices but with no sequel to MTX (bummer) this is really out only option. at least Rainbow stepped it up right much.

www.burning-village.com

hrudey32 · Post by **hrudey32** » Fri Mar 25, 2005 12:19 am

with more playing time i'm really glad they tuned the bike with more heaviness and not as floaty. sometimes it still floats abit but its really improved and feels much better. thanks Rainbow. one key element that was missing in last years version was vibration thru the whoops. its here this year and really adds that grounded feeling. why it wasn't in the original MXU is baffling.

one thing i really wish i could do in championship mode is add more riders to say a SX event. maybe it would cause slowdown...not sure but only allowing for me and 5 others is pretty inadequate where a real SX event has 20 riders. part of the greatness of a SX event is the pure carnage trying to make it to and thru that first turn. in the game riders are spaced way apart and there's none of that tenseness at the start line cause its not that big of a deal if you get a good start or not. in SX....at least in most cases...the start is vital. would also like to lengthen amoutn of laps in championship mode.

still, i'm having a blast and i'm really liking this year's version.

TCrouch · Post by **TCrouch** » Fri Mar 25, 2005 11:59 am

I'm having an awesome time with the game. I've discovered that the same thing that happens in regular racers has happened for me in this game:

helmet cam has improved my lap times and consistency.

Just like a cockpit cam in a car racing game, the helmet cam has given me the "feel" of a bike. The bigger thing, though, is the speed judgment. Coming up to a triple that I've taken before, I can guage the proper speed to take it at much better, since I'm closer to the action. I was in week 9 or 10 in supercross last night, and it's a series of long triples followed by a quick hitch in the track. I was able to judge my speed and landing zones almost perfectly. Going over the whoops is still fun, since you can tell when you hit them properly...the handlebars bounce just a bit, but your view doesn't shoot all over the place.

I love the traction they gave the bikes this year, and the only thing floaty about the game is the distance they let you travel in the air. Even that feels lessened in the helmet cam, since it's so visceral your stomach is frequently in your throat.

hrudey32 · Post by **hrudey32** » Fri Mar 25, 2005 1:39 pm

you're right bro. in helmet cam there is hardly no "floaty" feeling whatsoever. i am currently using cam 2 (which is the closest view directly behind rider) but i may switch to helmet cam!

having a blast with the game!! some great improvements this year by Rainbow!

Post by **ScoopBrady** » Fri Mar 25, 2005 1:42 pm

Hrudey,
Did you get a chance to read my follow up hands on with the final version? I know I wasn't impressed with the demo at all but the final version seems much, much better. Glad you picked it up.

hrudey32 · Post by **hrudey32** » Fri Mar 25, 2005 1:51 pm

sure did, bro. when i read your demo review i was bummed cause i figured they spent all the time adding golf carts and crap like that when what i wanted was a good MX/SX experience which, to me, MXU wasn't.

then i read your review of the final version and i was relieved. and sure enough, the final version is a major improvement, has a good traction feel, lots of realistic race features (champ mode) and is overall a blast!

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Fri Mar 25, 2005 6:15 pm

Hrudey.....how does this game compare to MXU? Same floaty physics?
Do they still force you to use a button for the throttle? (As opposed to the triggers). I hated that about MXU. Triggers are much better for throttle control.

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Fri Mar 25, 2005 6:19 pm

TCrouch wrote: That, and the ability to map gas/brake to the R/L triggers (finally!). I'm diggin' this one.

just saw this, Tim. Yahoo!!!! I hated using the buttons for gas.
Do the triggers work incrementally (analog) or is it just "on" or "off"
like a button.

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Fri Mar 25, 2005 6:20 pm

JackB1 wrote:
TCrouch wrote: That, and the ability to map gas/brake to the R/L triggers (finally!). I'm diggin' this one.
just saw this, Tim.

sorry Terry......dont know why I keep thinking your name is Tim???

TCrouch · Post by **TCrouch** » Fri Mar 25, 2005 6:32 pm

It feels like a digital on/off switch, because I cruised during one practice session to see if it had an incremental throttle. It doesn't, as far as I can tell. The bike goes from nothing to "go".

Doesn't bother me as much, but I can see it annoying some people. The helmet cam combined with the better "on track" physics make it a winner in my book.

That, and running over a motorcyclist while driving a monster truck is sweeeeeeeeeeet.

hrudey32 · Post by **hrudey32** » Fri Mar 25, 2005 6:36 pm

Jack..honestly...as much as i love MX/SX i played MXU for about a week and then got rid of it due to the floatiness. i really hated the feel of it and played MTX for my MX gaming. in MX vs ATV Unleashed there is a feel of good traction and weight with any of the selectable cameras and if you can used to the helmet cam there is absolutely no feeling of floatiness whatsoever. this game is MUCH, MUCH better than MXU, imo.

Boltman · Post by **Boltman** » Fri Mar 25, 2005 7:18 pm

Sully wrote:I'm pretty sure the game hits the shelves today for the XBOX. Anyone plan on picking it up? You can race with up to 8 people online.

The game is receiving some pretty good reviews. IGN gave it a 9.3....yeah, yeah, I know...it's IGN, but it could be a fun racer.

I'd like to hear some impressions before I run out to pick it up this evening.

Sully, I picked up this bad boy (along with SWRC) and lemme tell you......This game rules!!!!

Me and Kev are having a helluva time playing it. The physics are a bit floaty, but it is the best game to date (in this genre).

Boom · Post by **Boom** » Sat Mar 26, 2005 5:34 pm

Game is awesome. I rented it (for PS2) and just playing against my son I can tell that this would be a huge riot on XBL. If I can find this on sale for the XBOX I'm picking it up in a hearbeat.

Game really is a lot of fun and it has the potential to be a multi-player classic!

AcemanPR · Post by **AcemanPR** » Sat Mar 26, 2005 11:14 pm

Played this for a couple hours today. Some of these tracks are nothing short of amazing. Alot of fun this game is.

Boom · Post by **Boom** » Sun Mar 27, 2005 12:12 am

AcemanPR wrote:Played this for a couple hours today. Some of these tracks are nothing short of amazing. Alot of fun this game is.

I've played all the ATV games to death. Heck, the first one is the reason I ended up picking up a PS2.

The tracks in MX vs ATV Unleashed are incredible. Very good track design and a lot of fun to race on.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Wed Mar 30, 2005 10:59 am

Rented this one last night. Not very impressed early, as you hardly ever have to use the brakes. But then I remembered that always has been the case with Rainbow console ATV games, at least on the early tracks, so I relaxed and just enjoyed the racing for what it is -- fun.

The fun started to flow from there.

But I couldn't get into a random online race for the life of me. I refreshed the list and tried close to 10 times to get into what appeared to be available races but was either bounced or never connected each time.

I have no XBL problems, as I also played TOCA 2 and GR 2 online last night without a hiccup. Anyone else having connectivity problems with this game?

Thanks,
PK

TCrouch · Post by **TCrouch** » Wed Mar 30, 2005 11:04 am

There generally aren't a lot of random races to run in. They fill up fast (with only 6 spots total), and the sessions are closed by the time you get to the join portion. That, and the game seems to find the same exact "quick match" over and over, regardless of whether it's full or not.

I have used the optimatch and it's worked fine, but either way: let me know, I'll race you online.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Wed Mar 30, 2005 11:15 am

Terry:

Cool. I have the game tonight and tomorrow night, but I'm going to be planted in front of the TV tonight watching two World Cup qualifier soccer matches.

Thursday night, perhaps?

P.S.: You were clairvoyant about leaving the "random" TOCA 2 room last night. Those guys were f*cking idiots, nailing everyone in sight. Usually I can find a "good" random room with sensible drivers after a few tries, but last night was pathetic. Raced in four or five rooms, each filled with f*cking morons. Makes me appreciate our TOCA 2 Poker Nights even more ...

Take care,
PK

AcemanPR · Post by **AcemanPR** » Wed Mar 30, 2005 12:11 pm

When I first started playing MX vs. ATV, I was underwhelmed too. But this past weekend, I really started getting into it. Some of the tracks are incredible. Still haven't played it online yet, but the single player has been fun for me at least.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Wed Mar 30, 2005 12:20 pm

Quick follow-up on something I forgot to mention: I unlocked everything with a cheat code -- yeah, yeah, I only have the rental for three nights -- and the Pro physics feel pretty realistic as far as collisions and mistimed jumps.

But my biggest beef with this game -- and all of the Rainbow MX games -- is the lack of "feel" of grip. You don't feel like you're connected to the dirt at all. The grip model screams "Wipeout," like it's some futuristic hovercraft racer.

Think of the "seat of the pants" grip you feel when driving on gravel in Colin McRae Rally 2005 or racing at any time in World of Outlaws Sprint Car Racing. You can almost feel the car sliding, almost feel the tires searching for traction. That sensation is missing in MX vs. ATV.

To me, success in MX vs. ATV hinges on timing your jumps properly and using the clutch for a boost exiting corners, not on avoiding ruts and finding good lines filled with grip. That's an important part of off-road racing, and it's something that 989's vastly underrated Supercross Circuit did very well.

The often-maligned floaty physics of Rainbow's MX and ATV games don't bother me that much. But the lack of sensation of grip does.

Take care,
PK

Digital Sportspage

MX vs. ATV

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