Bode Miller Alpine skiing

tjung0831 · Post by **tjung0831** » Thu Feb 09, 2006 4:51 pm

I saw this at best buy today while looking for WE. Has anybody played it? I thought Valcon Games TT Superbikes game was decent consdering it only cost $10. Not sure how much the skiing game was because there was no price on it. Maybe it's just a winter olympics thing with me right now but I think i might pick it up.

Gurantsu · Post by **Gurantsu** » Thu Feb 09, 2006 6:05 pm

What system is it for? I'm a fan of the Winter games so stuff like this is always up my alley.

tjung0831 · Post by **tjung0831** » Thu Feb 09, 2006 6:09 pm

Gurantsu wrote:What system is it for? I'm a fan of the Winter games so stuff like this is always up my alley.

Looks like it's only for the PS2 and PC

sfz_T-car · Post by **sfz_T-car** » Thu Feb 09, 2006 6:42 pm

EB website says $14.99 for the PS2 version.

I wouldn't expect much, but ski racing is a sport that seems like it could be fun if done correctly.

tjung0831 · Post by **tjung0831** » Thu Feb 09, 2006 8:46 pm

For tht price i'm picking it up tomorrow just based on the fact that I thought their other game TT Superbikes is pretty decent. I can't find one review of this game though but how bad can it be for $14.99.

Gurantsu · Post by **Gurantsu** » Fri Feb 10, 2006 9:27 am

I tried the demo of it from 3D Gamers, and was not really impressed. It didn't run very well, and the control was too sensitive, although I don't have a gamepad for my new PC yet so I had to use the keyboard. It may be better on the PS2. I know there are other skiing games on PC out there, I may try some of those demos too.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Fri Feb 10, 2006 9:47 am

Tim:

If you're jonesing for a downhill ski racing game, download the demo of Hermann Maier's Ski Racing 2005. It's quite fun. Plus the demo is the Kitzbuehl downhill, one of the most hallowed, feared courses in ski racing.

Take care,
PK

tjung0831 · Post by **tjung0831** » Fri Feb 10, 2006 11:02 am

pk500 wrote:Tim:

If you're jonesing for a downhill ski racing game, download the demo of Hermann Maier's Ski Racing 2005. It's quite fun. Plus the demo is the Kitzbuehl downhill, one of the most hallowed, feared courses in ski racing.

Take care,
PK

I probably don't have the horsepower on my home pc to run that game. I'm the only guy that works in the IT field that I know is proud to have a celeron based PC at home. The only thing my friends give me more crap about having a celeron, is my love of soccer.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Fri Feb 10, 2006 11:16 am

Tim:

Give it a whirl. I'm on a Pentium M IBM business laptop with a crap video card, and it worked fine for me at lower resolution.

Take care,
PK

sfz_T-car · Post by **sfz_T-car** » Fri Feb 10, 2006 12:32 pm

The Alpine Racing 2006 demo is pretty addictive. I've seen the Hannenkamm often enough on Wide World of Sports to be familar with the course layout. It has that "one more try" factor in spades.

Jowood did a good job with optimizing graphics. It looks and runs well, although the falling snow could be better. On the downside, the sensation of speed isn't quite there and the controls could be improved.

Don't know if there are any changes between the 2005 and 2006 versions. The 2006 demo (220MB) is available from Jowood's website.

sfz_T-car · Post by **sfz_T-car** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 5:27 pm

I acquired the PC version of "Bode Miller Alpine Skiing 2006" over the weekend. It's always tough to compare a full game vs the demo of Jowood's "Ski Racing 2006 featuring Hermann Maier", but the games are different enough to warrant a brief recap.

49games developed "Bode Miller Alpine Skiing 2006" for German release by RTL. This is presumably the same game that Merscom shipped in the US. 49games produced a high adrenaline package with an excellent sense of speed. Unfortunately, when coupled with twitchy controls, you end up with many frustrating crashes on the downhill and super-G stages. The giant slalom courses are the most fun for me. It requires rhythmic turning and judicious use of a canting button to clock decent times. Slalom is more of the same although it's sometimes hard to find the next gate.

The Maier game was released by Jowood in Europe. The controls aren't as skittish, so it's easier to get into. It offers a better sense of being on a mountain than the Bode Game. There are long sections of Bode where it seems unusually flat. Maybe it's just camera positioning but the illusion of steepness is just better w/ Maier. Even though the controls are more user friendly, the Maier physics model puts more of a premium on maintaining momentum. It punishes you for scrubbing off speed, which seems realistic since there's no motor other than gravity.

Graphically, Bode is prettier than the Maier game. They're brighter and more detailed with nice looking snow and fog effects. I suspect they're more demanding on the computer though. I had very occasional slowdown on my 2.4GHz R9600 machine. This probably wouldn't be a problem on the PS2. Even though the Bode game is prettier, I like the overall look of the Maier game. Even though the resolution isn't as high, there are more trackside objects (spectators, signboards, trees) than in the rather sparse Bode Miller title. When you're whizzing by at 100kph, the presence of stuff is more important than how it looks up close. I can really only compare Kitzbuehl but the Maier game looks more like I remember it from Wide World of Sports.

Neither game is stellar in the way of sound. Maier has more cowbell, including a cool doppler effect cowbell sound. Otherwise, both games offer wind noise and the chattering of skis. Bode has some of the worst announcing ever in both German and English, which thankfully can be turned off.

My son prefers the crashes in Ski Racing feat. Maier. You can really get some serious Evel Knievel Caesar's fountain action going. By comparison, the crashes in Bode are blah, especially after you've seen 20 of them learning a new course.

It isn't fair to compare depth of a full version vs. a demo. The Bode game has options for waxing, weather and snow conditions. I haven't played around with them a lot, except it is possible to make some very treacherous conditions if you like a challenge. The Maier game includes racing against a ghost, which can be distracting but can also help you to see where you lose time and momentum.

Both games should be commended for taking a serious shot at simming the sport. There are no trick bonuses or boost buttons. But neither is the ultimate ski racing sim. If I had to choose one, I'd probably go with the Austrian. I like the combination of easy to pick up and hard to master. The Bode Miller title is worth fifteen bucks if you have a PS2 and the Olympics have you juiced for a ski racing game.

wco81 · Post by **wco81** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 8:13 pm

Does the Bode Miller game have mini-games between the ski runs?

You know, like that old game where you're moving mugs of beer around?:p

There used to be an arcade game with custom controls you operated by moving your feet and pivoting your hips, as you would on skis.

tjung0831 · Post by **tjung0831** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 9:15 pm

Thanks for the impressions. I didn't pick it up like i had planned as i opted for WE9 and the prepurchase of Rugby 06 instead.

sfz_T-car · Post by **sfz_T-car** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 11:03 pm

Hmm, let's see...

WE9 or Bode Miller's Alpine Skiing 2006?

Tough call

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 1:27 am

tried the demo of Ski Racing 2006 and it was quite a lot of fun! I am considering getting the full PC game now, if I can find it anywhere. The graphics are just beautiful and the gameplay seems pretty good....not too arcadey.....not too sim-my. Anyone know if there is an xbox version of this game also?

bkrich83 · Post by **bkrich83** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 4:54 am

I loved the demo Ski Racing 2006.. I just ordered the PC version off of Ebay. Hopefully I will have it soon...

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 11:02 am

I just got the full version and I love it too! I know nothing about Ski racing other than what I see on the Olympics, but this game is FUN FUN FUN!

bkrich83 wrote:I loved the demo Ski Racing 2006.. I just ordered the PC version off of Ebay. Hopefully I will have it soon...

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 11:06 am

both games look great. I wouldn't say the Bode game is prettier and if so, it's only by a small margin. I would go with whichever gameplay you prefer, since both games look great. I have the full version of the Jowood game and the demo of Bode's game. Haven't tried the Bode game much yet, but am very impressed with the Jowood game. I noticed the camera in Bode's game is a little closer behind you

sfz_T-car wrote: Even though the Bode game is prettier, I like the overall look of the Maier game. Even though the resolution isn't as high, there are more trackside objects (spectators, signboards, trees) than in the rather sparse Bode Miller title. When you're whizzing by at 100kph, the presence of stuff is more important than how it looks up close. I can really only compare Kitzbuehl but the Maier game looks more like I remember it from Wide World of Sports.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 11:41 am

Yeah, the Jowood game is really fun. It's the same as Hermann Maier's Ski Racing 2005, the demo of which kept me plenty busy and happy last winter.

Kitzbuehl is a bear of a course: Talk about making the demo tough!

Take care,
PK

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 11:53 am

can someone explain the different types of skiing?
in the game there are SuperG, Slalom, Downhill, etc.

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 12:00 pm

found some good info here:
http://www.nbcolympics.com/alpine/insid ... ch=0;sch=1

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Sat Feb 18, 2006 1:49 am

finally got some more time in with the Bode Miller game and am liking it a lot. it is much more challenging than the Jowood game, but after you practice and get a feel for the sensitive controls, it is very rewarding. I also lowered the sensitivity of my Logitech Dual Rumble in the Logitech software and that helped a lot. Too bad they didnt make this game for the XBox or 360. I urge anyone with a PS2 or gaming PC that likes Alpine Skiing to pick up this title.

nyisles16 · Post by **nyisles16** » Sat Feb 18, 2006 3:06 pm

lol - gotta love a game titled after one of the most disappointing skiiers in the Olympics... do they give you DQ's & can you ski off course?

bkrich83 · Post by **bkrich83** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 2:07 pm

I just picked up Bode Miller for the PS2 at Best Buy for 14.99. Couldn't find the PC version.

Gonna give it a shot this morning.

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 3:41 pm

hulkster29 wrote:lol - gotta love a game titled after one of the most disappointing skiiers in the Olympics... do they give you DQ's & can you ski off course?

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/winter06/ ... d=tab2pos1

Read that...he's not exactly disappointing.