SBK X or SBK 2011?

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MadRR
The release date for the new SBK Generations is May 12th just over 2 weeks away. Yet again it won't be released here in the US until possibly way later in the year if at all. The PS3 is not region locked so I always order my copy off of ebay from somewhere over seas normally great britain. I'm still debating on whether or not to try and run another league championship. I've sent out a email to all the old the guys that raced in the league before to gauge the level of interest. I might put up a post here once it comes out to see if there would be any that would like to race.
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If you're getting it, I'd appreciate to hear about the handling compared to SBK 2011. It sure looks like nothing important has changed so I don't see myself buying Generations.
 
Yeah I'm sure I'll be getting it. From all the videos I've seen it looks like it's going to be a lot like 11 far as the handling goes with just the one new track and updated riders. I just like to race online with other people and don't mess with career mode and all that stuff so I'll be getting it to race with friends at the least. That's another bad thing about these games is that the online participation dies down rather quick. Only a couple months after the game comes out the online servers look like a ghost town. There are people that still play online but with the game not even really being released here most of the people are all in different countries so they are on in the afternoon my time. When I was doing my league races we had to run at 4 pm eastern time on sundays so more people could race.
 
Ronin, I've raced SBK '08 for many more hours now and I agree with you. It is the best game handling-wise I've played on the PS3 so far. Now SBK 2011 feels like arcade in comparison...

And since you were right about that, I'm thinking maybe I was wrong about MotoGP 08...
 
well that's good to hear because that comparison you made of it to MotoGP 09/10 had me speechless! lol I picked SBK08 again the other week and ran a few online races with a regular SBK/MotoGP racing buddy and it was awesome. It was hard because I hadn't played it much and I crashed a bit initially, but once I readjusted it was just a more natural experience, for me at least, then any other bike game (other than MotoGP 08) that followed it. It's very rewarding to play. MotoGP 08 is definitely a big more forgiving, but at least it still has that same level of control and precision that SBK 08 has.

But as I've said before both of these two games suffer badly from poor game design and presentation. So unless you are absolutely only about the actual racing and perfecting technique I can see how a lot of people were bored with them. but they still rank the highest to me topped only by Tourist Trophy, SBK 2K & 2K1 and GP500
 
Hey Ronin. :cheers:

Well, being a 360 plebian, I'm excited we're finally getting SBK 11 at the end of the month here in the States. A bit late, but hey, I'll take it. I'm hoping Generations is region free, but the last ones weren't. However, WRC2 was so many this will follow suit.

I did enjoy SBK X, but I agree with you guys on the changes and transformation since SBK 08. 08 had a fantastic feel to it, and so many options and settings to tweak. And I still love and play the hell out of MotoGP 08. It's a real shame they couldn't continue evolving this after the first bare bones iteration. Something about it though, despite the lack of features and rougher graphics, I still keep coming back to it.

I hated MotoGP 09. But Monumental did take 10/11 in the right direction with the changes they made. I actually enjoyed it quite a bit when I got the braking distances down.

I still prefer the Milestone games though. Even though Generations might end up being a compilation of the last 3, at least we're getting a new version. Sad we'll probably have to wait several years for a new MotoGP game.
 
yeah better late then never but it's frustrating how the US release cycles are. a year behind and all have basically the same name so if a buyer isn't careful he doesn't know it's last years game. The only real plus side is that Milestone does seem to make minor tweaks for the US release.

Funny there are some who think I live just to bash these games but damn if I'm probably not the biggest single support of the titles!!! lol Since the PS3 is region free I get the Euro version, the PC version, PSP version and then when it comes out in the states the PS3 & 360 versions as well. I don't understand why the PS3 version is region free but the online isn't. by the time it gets to the US the rest of the world is on the newer version and the US community never really takes off

Yeah I don't get what Milestones over all plan is, especially with them changing the physics every year. The only reason I play MotoGP 08 more than SBK08 is because the SBK08 load times are brutal!!! lol. If we could have the SBK08 physics and control will the prevention and game refinement of SBK11 that would be great.

Sorry I can't say anything nice about Monumentals take on MotoGP. I thought both games were horrible.in all aspects.

Even if Generations is a compilation (which it is) if it keeps the SBK11 handling then it will be ok. Not my favorite but ok. Just bums me out that Milestone is still half assing it. I don't think any of us really want anything other then update bikes, riders and tracks and just options. So if Milestone had made Generations a full blown compilation of all their SBK games all the way back to the first EA SBK game as I suggested to them a couple years back it would be truly awesome. But they only go part of the way. I recently shot them an email and promised them that if they would put Haga/R7 in the game I'd never email them again! lol Still don't get how they left that combo out of the legends line up is beyond me.

But it's not just that. again I've owned every bike game Milestone has create and the older ones had some great features! I don't understand why they keep taking the cool stuff out. Anyway it doesn't matter cause I'll be getting Generations (3 versions lol) and the US SBK11 versions also. Hell I even ordered Mud even after playing the horrible demo

I just wish Polyphony will get around to making a Tourist Trophy II at some point
 
I'm driving round and round at Losail in SBK 08 at full sim and I did a 1.57.8 in the end. It wasn't perfect or anything, I entered the highspeed corners badly and had to brake to not run off so I definitely lost alot of time there, but it was pretty fast still and WAY FUN.

It doesn't help me to have outlaps and tire-wear on but it puts pressure on to do the most out of the 1-2 laps that the softs will last for and pressure is fun :)

Also I got a hot umbrella girl pic as reward so that was even better lol.
 
Good to hear you are enjoying. I have to say that despite being frustrating at times I still find SBK 08 the most rewarding bike game since Tourist Trophy. When I get a good time or lap I feel like I earned it!!!!

My copy of SBK Generations should be in hand in a couple of days and I'm wondering what the experience will be. Hopefully more SBK08 then it's predecessors but I'm not holding my breath
 
Ronin05
My copy of SBK Generations should be in hand in a couple of days and I'm wondering what the experience will be. Hopefully more SBK08 then it's predecessors but I'm not holding my breath
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Did you get yours off ebay? I saw that a couple of them just went up there. I plan on getting mine first of next week long as there is still some up there. I highly doubt it will be anything like 08. I don't think they would go back and use handling physics they used 4 years ago. Most likely the handling will be very similar to 11 if not the same.

Here is part of one of the latest SBK articles I've come across that I posted on my forum. I'll just paste what I though was the most interesting part.

"We knew this was going to be the last iteration of our SBK series, so we wanted to give our fans something really special: the chance to experience all the emotion of the SBK championships from recent years."

Sounds like generations will be the last sbk game. I guess they are going to concentrate on more profitable games like WRC and Mud. Sucks for us, but maybe they are going to try and get the GP license since it runs out this year for capcom and they aren't doing a GP game since monumental shut down. I guess only time will tell. Sure hope generations is good because it looks like it will be the last bike game for awhile.
 
Yeah I got it off ebay. you should have an issue next week. I saw it listed in stock on the UK site and contacted him to see if he shipped to the US after which he posted those up on the US site. But it looks like the date changed again and it's now listed as June 1 for the UK, so.......

I have no doubt it will be closer to 11 than 08. Just wishful thinking like hoping PD will bring out a Tourist Trophy 2 for PS3 or at the least a bike set DLC for GT5. I can dream but then I have to wake up! lol

I read that before and mixed about it. Sucks that we may not have the regular release anymore. But at the same time to be honest Milestone really hasn't done the series justice. But it was still better than nothing.

As for them trying after maybe trying after the GP license, I don't know that it would matter from a financial side because they same people tend to buy the SBK & MotoGP games and until they change how they make their games the result is going to be the same.

The WRC games are good but not exceptional and really pale compare to other racers out their in presentation. WRC license aside I think it's the same boat with the SBK games. If you have played MUD then you know that if this is what Milestone is banking their future on, then they will soon go the way of Monumental. It is beyond horrible but worse then that continues their trend of being 3 or 4 years behind the rest of the genre in production values and design.

I know everyone is sick of me repeating the same thing and Milestone definitely doesn't want to hear it, but until they change their philosophy about who their market is they are going to continue to lose customers. It isn't a problem of them being small, it's a project management issue because they lack focus and direction and more importantly knowledge and connection of their core market. Without people like us no one is going to buy their games.

Anyway I'm hoping for the best with Generations. If they'd just speed up the handling a bit, do something about the online cutting and add Haga/R7 (you knew that was coming! lol) I'd be satisfied with it being a compilation title. Hopefully if someone else gives SBK a shot (doubtful) I hope it's someone who will treat it with respect and give us a mordern high quality title if not like GT or Forza then at least Dirt & F1
 
Got MotoGP 08 back again today and rode some and now, years after the anger and dissappointment has somewhat dissipated and I'm judging it with the new perspective that, in hindsight, MotoGP could and did get much worse (who knew?). I now think that in simulation handling: this is an awsome arcade racer and it looks good. Tons better than MotoGP 10/11 of course. So yeah, you were right again Ronin.

But now I will go fight off the creeping returning feeling that it could and should have been so much more...
 
Yes GP 08 was a pretty good game. I still get on it every now and then and have some races with friends. I used to be real big into it when it first came out. It was one of the games I originally bought my PS3 for. The series got a whole lot worst when Monumental started doing them. I guess that's why they are out of business now. GP 08 wasn't full on sim, but it wasn't too far off compared to where they went with the newer ones. I think the SBK games are about the best as far as a bike sim goes. Especially on PS3.

I did order my SBK Generations end of last week. I should have it around first of next week. From what I've read and what ronin posted on my forum it sounds like it's a bit better than 11 far as the handling and physics go.
 
I think when one goes into a new game with lots of expectations it can sometimes blind you from seeing what's good about the game. Now that I have SBK 08 for a more full on simulation, I feel more at ease playing MotoGP 08 and ejoying it for what it is. I think that if they only had made the throttle more sensitive/powerful so you get the feeling "handle with care", that would've gone a long way to make that game superb.

But since the handling is forgiving, I tried out racing with the different cameras and I had a great time racing with where you see the back of the rider.

Edit: Now in MotoGP 08 I think it's great fun like in the MotoGP 4 good old days to just start up a championship on medium and jump straight into qualifying and set a time and I probably get pole but might also end up last because of a fall and messing up the other laps (time enough for 3 laps) but it doesn't matter. I'll start happily in whatever position and then I run 5 lap races and enjoy the GP tracks and that they and the riders look good and that the handling is good fun and I simply lol att being 7,5 seconds faster than the others on Sepang. But when this game first came out I wanted a hardcore sim, and that's why I got so frustrated because MotoGP 08 certainly is not. Back then I wanted the full experience with the full sessions and bikesettings and the sensitive handling and keeping a close eye on the session boards during practice and quali and maybe seeing I need to cut 4 tenths for a better grid position and that I can expect faster laps at the end of the session as the rubber is laid down and such. Now I have all that in SBK so that's cool, I can simply swap game, but I didn't before and that was why I was so disappointed back then.
 
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Hi people. I really appreciated your posts in this thread.
I just switched from the ps2 to the ps3 to continue playing sbk and motogp games and found this site to read some opinions.
I agree with you: older editions of sbk and motogp are better than newer ones.
My favourite sbk for ps3 is 09, due to the excellent graphics and the most complete points of view of the rider while playing, and the feeling on the bike.
From sbk X I feel the bikes UNrideable: uneasy on the throttle and very very slow from side to side.

On the ps2 I used to play, on a regular basis, only sbk 07-8-9 and motogp 07 and 08 until now, with a couple of friends at home or alone against the AI. I'm old fashioned and a biker in the 'real world', so that's my cup of tea.
I prefer the motogp because is faster and far more difficult to ride fast.
So I just completed my career in Motogp08 for ps2 from 125 to motogp in full sim and against a 'real' AI, 5 laps races.
I just bought and tried motogp 08 on the ps3...but...doesn't feel so good, as I would expect. Graphics are a different world, for sure, but the phisics of the bike is much easier on full sim compared to the ps2 version.
After various attempts to win or, just, end a race in a single session on the ps2, I had my hands and forearms shaking for the effort. The concentration while applying throttle and timing the braking and turning had to be total. To keep the pace of the top rider had to be a perfect balance between being fast as hell but not pushing the bike beyond it's limit. In five laps a single crash easily meant not scoring points at the end of the race, since i was only a few tenths faster than the AI, often even slower.
And the bike was very hard to ride fast. Expecially applying gas exiting the turns, being very gentle not to lose the correct line and end up into a highside. And the braking after the straights: strong and powerful feeling, slowly fading till inside the turn: not too few, not too much.
Instead, on the PS3, motogp 08 feels too much easy, in my opinion.
The bike is planted, almost glued to the track: no wheels smoking, no headshaking... no jumps!
An example: the back straight of Motegi. On the ps3 the bike just flows smoothly on the track on the transition from up to down-hill at full gas.
With the ps2 I had to release the body weight of the rider on the bars or close the gas for a moment, otherwise the headshake of the bike would crash me.

So here my current opinion on the best, most difficult and intense, bike simulation game ever:
Motogp 08 for PS2.

Runner up: SBK 09 for PS3.

Bye! :)
 
Black euro
Hi people. I really appreciated your posts in this thread.
I just switched from the ps2 to the ps3 to continue playing sbk and motogp games and found this site to read some opinions.
I agree with you: older editions of sbk and motogp are better than newer ones.
My favourite sbk for ps3 is 09, due to the excellent graphics and the most complete points of view of the rider while playing, and the feeling on the bike.
From sbk X I feel the bikes UNrideable: uneasy on the throttle and very very slow from side to side.

On the ps2 I used to play, on a regular basis, only sbk 07-8-9 and motogp 07 and 08 until now, with a couple of friends at home or alone against the AI. I'm old fashioned and a biker in the 'real world', so that's my cup of tea.
I prefer the motogp because is faster and far more difficult to ride fast.
So I just completed my career in Motogp08 for ps2 from 125 to motogp in full sim and against a 'real' AI, 5 laps races.
I just bought and tried motogp 08 on the ps3...but...doesn't feel so good, as I would expect. Graphics are a different world, for sure, but the phisics of the bike is much easier on full sim compared to the ps2 version.
After various attempts to win or, just, end a race in a single session on the ps2, I had my hands and forearms shaking for the effort. The concentration while applying throttle and timing the braking and turning had to be total. To keep the pace of the top rider had to be a perfect balance between being fast as hell but not pushing the bike beyond it's limit. In five laps a single crash easily meant not scoring points at the end of the race, since i was only a few tenths faster than the AI, often even slower.
And the bike was very hard to ride fast. Expecially applying gas exiting the turns, being very gentle not to lose the correct line and end up into a highside. And the braking after the straights: strong and powerful feeling, slowly fading till inside the turn: not too few, not too much.
Instead, on the PS3, motogp 08 feels too much easy, in my opinion.
The bike is planted, almost glued to the track: no wheels smoking, no headshaking... no jumps!
An example: the back straight of Motegi. On the ps3 the bike just flows smoothly on the track on the transition from up to down-hill at full gas.
With the ps2 I had to release the body weight of the rider on the bars or close the gas for a moment, otherwise the headshake of the bike would crash me.

So here my current opinion on the best, most difficult and intense, bike simulation game ever:
Motogp 08 for PS2.

Runner up: SBK 09 for PS3.

Bye! :)
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That's some really nice info. I totally love MotoGP 07 for PS2 so I'll have to look up 08 as well now. I too want a lively bike that feels like it will flip if you're not careful. I agree the MotoGP 08 for PS3 is simplified although really fun for what it is. You should play SBK 08 for PS3. It's a must for a guy like you.
 
Motorbike "sim" games are quite bad as simulators. Maybe it's not entirely their fault because the controllers have a fair share of blame upon me.
The last one I got was SBk X, priorly I had moto gp 08.

Well, my experiences with sbk X aren't that great. Whereas graphic isn't that bad when it came down to proper driving it was absolutely dull.

Without any help it was just impossible to control the bike, and I figured out that it would be actually easier to drive one in the real world that with that game and with a joypad. The solution was then to lower the level of "simulation" but at that point it was just an arcade. Braking like hell in the middle of a corner like nothing yet the main issue was still there...the joypad. For me it was just impossible to corner properly because I couldn't keep a constant angle of lean and had to continously adjust the trajectory.

This is my plain opinion. I don't know if sbk 11 represents a major step from its predecessor...
 
eddyac
Very interesting stuff might get SBK 08 soon. Got SBK 2011 at the moment....
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I did after Ronin told me so and it's the most exciting motorcyclegame I have in terms of simulation. The difference in how it handles is quite big from SBK 2011. It does take alot of learning, but if you hang in there you're in for a real treat. The biggest difference is that you really have to moderate the throttle in SBK 08. You will lose the rear or the bike will start to wobble if you accelerate to hard too early and weight trasfer matters alot too. Just don't expect to see anyone online or glorious graphics. It is a bare bones racer and it rewards the ones who do have a look at bike settings and practice with clean laps and great feel. It punishes the casual gamers though. I first got shocked at how weak the front brake was but after a while I realised that it needs to heat up properly as well as the tires.
 
Black euro
On the ps2 I used to play, on a regular basis, only sbk 07-8-9 and motogp 07 and 08 until now....

So here my current opinion on the best, most difficult and intense, bike simulation game ever:
Motogp 08 for PS2.
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Not sure if you meant 07 for another platform than PS2 but I bought MotoGP 08 for PS2 as well (I already have it for PS3) after reading your post and I'm happy to note that the game is indeed great fun.

However I'm less impressed with the fact that is is the exact same game as MotoGP 07 when it comes to gameplay. I don't know if I should be mad at the amazing laziness Capcom has displayed here, but I'm such a sucker that I'm kinda pleased to se that Rossi has his helmet from 2008. I really like motorcycle games so I guess at least now I know instead of thinking I might miss out on something great. The only thing 08 has is 125 and 250 classes. Unless that is important to anyone I would easily recommend MotoGP 07 over 08 because it has ultracool racingclips as challenge rewards, upbeat look and feel with the better menue music and GP-racing in the background. It really makes a difference for the racing-mood.

I bought Tourist Trophy too and that is one helluva quality game. It has so much stuff that later games should've copied. Too bad it feels so lonely. There are only one other racer in Tourist Trophy mode and max 4 riders in arcade and no racing off a grid. It's a slimmed GT4 with motorcycles.
 
Ronin05
Actually imho SBK 08 was far better then SBK09, SBK X and SBK 11...But as for out right control and precision SBK 09 -11 can't touch it. MotoGP 08 was close but lacks some of the options of SBK08 and is a bit easier.

My problem with SBK 09-11 is the fact that Milestone changed the handling so that the bikes feel sluggish and also made the game more rear brake bias.
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Anything else but sluggishness and rear bias between SBK 08 and the others? I'm trying to figure out what may be the differences by looking at videos and reading opinions, but the opinions spread like crazy... SBK 09 seems more interesting than SBK-X though because SBK-X seems more 2011/Generations-ish. I'd be greatly interested if you could elaborate what you think is the difference between SBK 09 and SBK-X as well.

It's weird. I first though 2011 and then Generations were quite good but after swapping around playing Tourist Trophy, SBK 08, MotoGP 08 and MotoGP07 (ps2) and then back... I just ...hate it. It's the way the rear always skids like the whole bike weight is placed at the handlebars, that the throttle is relatively insensitive, the skinny look of rider & bike and the out of touch rag-doll swaying. It puts me off bigtime :nervous:
 
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Has anyone had any problems with online play, for SBK 11.

Been trying last couple of days with no joy:nervous:
 
John Wells
Has anyone had any problems with online play, for SBK 11.

Been trying last couple of days with no joy:nervous:
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I haven't played 11 in about 8 months so I don't know for sure, but I would assume the servers might be offline now. With generations being out for around 6 months now I'm sure what online play was still going on died out due to people going to generations. I could be wrong though they could still be up maybe try again a few times through out a day.
 
Yes I haven't played on 11 for a few of months, also. Now bike season is over thought, so time to have a go again.

Will have a try again, but happy enough to play offline, if everyones went to play generations.

Don't see the point in getting generations, just to race online.
 
John Wells
Yes I haven't played on 11 for a few of months, also. Now bike season is over thought, so time to have a go again.

Will have a try again, but happy enough to play offline, if everyones went to play generations.

Don't see the point in getting generations, just to race online.
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Generations is a better game then 2011 though:

SBK Generations is the latest installment of the long series of Superbike games. The regularity might sound safe and predictable, but according to what I heard SBK will be discontinued so this might be the last motorcycle game we’ll see for a long time. Capcom won’t be doing any MotoGP for 2012 either and after this year the license will expire. So if this is the last horrah for a serious motorcycle game, we better have a look at it, won’t we? Before we dive into details the reader should be made aware of the perspective at hand. SBK Generations is classified as a simracer and will be judged as such tested on full simulation only. We’ll look at it from a simracing perspective and the text will assume some previous knowledge of the series or at least simracing in general.

It sure feels like a summary and a “Goodbye and thanks for all the wheelies” when I look at the package delivering the last four seasons in one game. At first glance anyone can be forgiven for mistaking the game for a mere new version of SBK 2011. It looks the same: the menues look the same, the features, the tracks, the gameplay and the graphics look the same. It still lacks that “wow” factor having essentially the same graphics previously declared last generation. As proper, all standard racing-modes are there: championship, career, quick race, time trial, race weekend, online multiplayer (no splitscreen) and the challenge mode called SBK Experience. The online works well with no noticeable lag but as usual there are fairly few players to be found. Maybe Milestone suspected as much and adapted trophies accordingly. Only two of the trophies not being secret are online trophies and they are easy to achieve. I think that’s a good move, though I’m not a trophy hunter. Like before the base simulation settings full, medium or low are in addition adjusted for weight transfer, rider health, bike damage and manual or auto gears. The bikes sound great but not much different from SBK 2011 and the setup options are detailed and kept intact. Much of above is laudable stuff, it’s just not new.

But luckily for petrolheads, bikenuts and simracers there is more than meets the eye at a quick glance. SBK Generations does bring improvements over 2011, small but significant. In this game we get 60 bikes in 140 teams which means liveries galore. At first I didn’t think I’d care much but it is quite nice to have that variety. Graphics have actually improved. It’s more polished now. The black is blacker, the tracks have more color and it looks sharper and fresh compared to 2011. It’s like they photo-shopped the same game into freshness. In fact, the graphical improvement made my disgust for how the rear wheel looks in this game calm down though I would want rear wheels like in MotoGP 10/11. It’s all relative of course, SBK Generations still has last gen graphics but in its defense: the bikes and riders are detailed, so the game looks good where it matters. We now have some spray in rainy conditions where there was previously nearly none at all. The sky looks great during rain and the track looks fantastic. However, it is awkward that there is still almost no spray or water run-off from your own tires.

The speed sensation is better in Generations. The frame rate is as solid as before and it simply looks and feels faster. An area of priority in a racing game I think you’ll agree.

Above all, handling is also improved. In short that means stronger front brake (the rear is as weak as ever, it hardly does anything), stronger low gear acceleration and slightly faster laydown. I tried the same settings for the same bike in SBK 2011 and Generations – the SBK 11 Kawasaki Ninja – and the laydown felt a bit faster in Generations even then. It’s great because together with the improved speed sensation, the game has now come alive in a better way and is more responsive. The difference is real and picking up Generations after playing 2011 puts a smile on my face. As a result of increased acceleration the front wheel can sometimes lift off the ground a bit, for example at starts and exits of slow turns. That never happened in 2011 but should’ve been even more improved in Generations. Do you ever see anyone doing unintended wheelies in SBK 2011 or Generations? No. You only have to moderate throttle so that you don't fall off in corners. Accelerating in a straight line is never any problem. It's not sensitive at all then and that equals boredom. I’d imagine if I sat on a superbike and floored the throttle the bike would be sent flying forward in a backward loop. In SBK 08 the bike will stand up if you sit neutrally on it while giving full throttle and you can get unintended mini-wheelies in the exits if you give too much gas too early or the rear will start to shake and you might lose the line and stuff up the coming turn completely. That’s what’s exciting and that’s what we want! We want to feel like we’re riding a monster! None of that in 2011/Generations though and that’s an unfortunate lack of simulation that could’ve easily been implemented.

Two things have changed about career mode. Performance of the bike from the start is one thing and it seems to be set higher in Generations. The testing for upgrades are there in both career modes but in 2011 I was given a bike that was quite bad and then they gave me tests so it could be slowly upgraded to where it was supposed to be at. After one entire season with successful tests I had “developed” the bike to the point of slight disadvantage as opposed to major disadvantage. I struggled severely to keep up through the first half of the season. Half the field shot past me in the starts, I’m not kidding. In Time Trial I picked the same Honda I raced with at Team SMS Racing in career mode and I cut a whole second off my best lap immediately. I compared the telemetry for the laps and the TT bike produced more horsepower and higher top speed. So in my career I was actually “backgrading” rather than upgrading. Is that fun? Not so much I think but it’s been balanced out better in Generations. I’ve started with a less sucky bike with already some upgrades installed and tests start immediately. So maybe the new equipment does less of a difference because otherwise I would end up riding a majorly OP bike in the end. Anyway, it feels fair now, less punishing. Fun. So that’s good. At the starts only three others pass me now and I have a good chance of outbraking them into T1 so that’s much better than before. The starts are still a mystery in this game and you cannot ever keep your position or be faster off the block than your opponents. That is a flaw kept from 2011 I’m sad to report.

The other thing is that real sessions (which are of great importance for the authentic race weekend feel) are now down to 45 minutes from previous 60 minutes. That might not sound horrible but I often used up the time if I was new to a track and experimenting with settings. You better already understand or go learn settings because if you’re to ask your engineer to give you a complete setup he will use up 26 minutes of that precious time and you’ll be left with 19 minutes of the session. It’s not much. So I know 45 min sessions are authentic, but give me two engineers then or something.

The AI is much like in 2011. The problem is they don’t seem to be under the same laws of physics as I am. As it is they take sharp corners at half laydown and go through as fast as or faster than me and they aren't noticeably struggling like I am when I'm at the limit. That's no good, it's important for the immersion feel of racing but it's still the best AI available in motorcycle games. After all, they run believable laptimes, they do make mistakes (I've seen an unforced highsider and runoffs right in front of me), they do take somewhat different lines, they are not rubberband and they don't bump you too much. They also produce new lap times as a session progresses and some get on track for practice late and such.

I believe SBK Generations is improving on SBK 2011 in ways that matter enough to warrant a purchase. I think you should definitely go get it if you are passionate about simracing motorbikes. The difference is not big, but it is significant and Generations is a bigger and better game than SBK 2011. If you are looking for a more casual racer I say go get MotoGP 08. That game looks great, drives nicely, is simple to play and lots of fun. I play that too. If you are looking for the most simulation you can get on a console, go get SBK 08. That is a beautiful game if you believe handling is everything. Gamespot gave it the torture chair icon for “punishing difficulty”. But fear not. It’s a good thing.
 
Thanks very much Alltixx for the write up.

I have been a fan of these games(haven't played all), since first started getting in to bike racing. My first was for PS2 (can't remember title), but it was very hard and couldn't do anything exept with all aids on. Something that the more up to date games sorted out, there have always been impromements.

After hiring the SBK game, after up grading to PS3, there was much improvement, to grapics, sound. I then purchased SBK X, SBK 11, so why I wasn't really bothered about Generations. Im not as hardcore as you in playing, prefer the lowest setting of Al, there quite hard any higher. Mid sim, but like full sim, this is great challenge. Im not very good at bike settings, prefer engineer, but have got a setting, from, another website, which I have used on SMS Honda. Made the bike much better, turns in, out, stiffer, feels great. Will try it later on in Career, will be doing the second season on full sim, its a bit to easy, mid sim.

If what your saying is right, that this could be the last SBK game Milestone do, then I might have to purchase. I like the improvements that you said about, over 11. I have only played one Moto GP game on PS3, which I didn't like, was much to arcade, SBK X was much better. Loved Moto GP 4, on PS2, that was great fun, with all 3 classes. Did you ever play TT Superbikes Real Road Racing Championship, this was really good on PS2. Not as good, to look at, but loved going round the TT and 5 other road courses.

Thanks
 
John Wells
Im not very good at bike settings, prefer engineer, but have got a setting, from, another website, which I have used on SMS Honda. Made the bike much better, turns in, out, stiffer, feels great. Will try it later on in Career, will be doing the second season on full sim, its a bit to easy, mid sim.

Did you ever play TT Superbikes Real Road Racing Championship, this was really good on PS2. Not as good, to look at, but loved going round the TT and 5 other road courses.

Thanks
Click to expand...
No worries, thanks for reading. I made the review for a gamingsite that ended up never publishing it and it took some time to write so if just one person appreciated it in the end that's much better than none :)

I have the game TT Superbikes Real Road Racing Championship but haven't played it much.

Whether you are good or not is not important, the important thing is to have fun. I think most simracing gamers start out on mid-sim and then drive for fun without tweaking settings. And simply by playing and having fun they get good at driving and lern the tracks. Later, to bring something new they want to reduce/remove aids and such and after having run on full sim for a while they want to cut another second and start doing setups. I know it takes time to learn what settings do but it's very rewarding to produce your own setup that works like a charm. The goal is to have fun, not to become a simracing gamer, that just tends to happen naturally along the way.

Actually I think I'll include the ending part of the original review as well (left out of previous post) because I think it explains part of why like simracing alot.

You know of the advice to go easy the first few laps when entering a new track and then gradually increase the pace to get a feel for settings even if you know the track by heart? That’s not how I do it. I learn by making terrible misjudgments on entry speed and how strong the brake is and how quick the bike responds and sometimes which way the road was going. So me and my bike go flying in the air and tumbling in the gravel in some of the most horrific accidents the spectators might have seen. I can only imagine them watching in disbelief what surely can only be explained as a streaker on the track. Only that the streaker was in leathers and had gotten his hands on a superbike. Which makes it even worse. But then I shape up. I put in a clean lap and am 4,5 seconds behind. Do you know how uncompetitive that is? That’s terra-bad. So I have to do something. I adjust for much higher preload, make the suspension stiffer, decrease rake angle and tighten the chain. And go out again. I cut some time and then back into the pit. Lower the gear ratio. Back on track. Improve some more. And so on. Until I’m in the pit at the last few minutes of qualifying looking at the leaderboard where I’m in 8th place and I know that I have to find something extra and the time is now. The track has lots of rubber laid down (a great thing about the game) and I know the conditions are the best. I commence the hotlap and attack from the start. All is well and I approach the three left turns T5 through T7. Hard acceleration out of T5, full laydown for the fast T6 and at about 200km/h close in on T7 faster than I can get the bike up straight so while the centrifugal force is drifting the bike to the right I brake hard at about 20 degree lean angle so the rear tire lifts slightly off the ground. I increase the lean as the speed drops and hit T7 perfectly. A perfect sections and it makes me nervous because I always get nervous when I can feel I’m doing very well. Next section and a violent full laydown at a higher speed I’ve dared to enter with ever before and I’m letting go of the throttle, using only the brakes to close the trajectory. Another perfect section and I get even more nervous. This is often where I stuff up but I find myself coming out of the difficult last downhill lefthander knowing that I managed keeping together one furious full lap of qualifying and I wait for it… As I cross the start/finish the intermediate reads: – 0,104. Pole Position.


The neighbors later asked what all the shouting was about. After all, there was no football game on the television. And this is what I’m saying to you: No matter how much I love Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit, it will never deliver these moments. SBK Generation will, if you are prepared to go look for it.
 
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Thanks Alltidxx, will probably go out and get now after reading. Wait till price comes down first though. I do agree, have been playing SBK 11 again, much more exciting than GT, Al are so much better. I do prefer GT, online greater challenge racing real people:)
 

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