7 MotoGP 18 tips to guide you to victory

6/8/2018

Get off to a great start with these top tips direct from the developers.

Milestone’s latest entry into the MotoGP franchise has been released and it's looking to be the most genuine simulation of motorcycle racing yet – with realistic physics, fully licensed tracks, riders and bikes, plus a whole lot of customisation. With changes to the physics, mastering the bike can be quite an undertaking for both fans of the series and newcomers.

It's a good job, then, that we chatted to Michele Caletti, Milestone’s research and development programmer, to get the best tips for all you budding racers. Whether you're planning on taking part in the MotoGP eSport Championship or just want to beat your mates online, you should check out Michele's advice.

1. Learn the new physics

The new physics in MotoGP 18 are more detailed in terms of feeling the weight of the bike, so you need to adapt to this new feeling as leaning from one side to the other takes a slightly different time compared to previous games, and there’s also a progression in the speed of the leaning. So get used to this and try to understand how to anticipate corners in order to be in the maximum leaning position in the apex of the corners.

The main difference between this year and last year is that you can slide more and with more control, so you need to learn how to manage power and breaking force, too.

So, get into Career mode and start from the lower classes and do the opening competitions so you learn the tracks progressively. The first three are quite slow in comparison but you learn the basics. Then comes Moto GP – the electronics do many things for you because it’s so powerful and fast that reaction times can’t cope.

Learning the four different classes gives you a glimpse at the different ways you can approach a track.

Don't force the braking points

© Milestone

2. Learn the track and don't push it too hard

Common mistakes players need to avoid are trying too hard and not knowing enough of the track. The obvious temptation is to force the braking points too much, but the key for winning races is to tone down your attitude, get a strong pace, and overtake one by one – or just keep the position if it's what you can do. To finish first, you first have to finish, they say!

3. How to overtake

First you have to study your opponent, human or AI, and find good points [to overtake]. A hard braking point is a good candidate, or a place where there is a double change in direction, like an S. Outbraking the opponent is taking it with brute force, so stay close and gain speed at their back using aerodynamic advantage, then get out at the very last moment and take the inside, hoping to brake harder and later.

Where the track makes a flowing S, you can take the outside in the first corner, an apparently disadvantageous manoeuvre, but you'll find yourself at the inside of the next corner with a great chance to successfully overtake.

MotoGP should look better than ever thanks to the new engine

© Milestone

4. The best ways to corner

First, know the braking point. Take a reference, like the distance signs or a line on the track, and consistently brake there. Also, use engine brake, forcing with aggressive downshifting. This year it's also possible to fine tune the engine brake force in real-time through the bike electronics.

Then you have to be able to pick the apex, scratching the inner kerb. Very often you'll think it's a good corner, but in the replay you'll see that you've missed it. Finally, once you pick up the throttle again, make sure to steadily accelerate – if you have to cut power at the corner exit you've probably given too much too early, or the trajectory wasn't smooth enough. The goal is to put the bike upright as soon as possible.

5. How to get the best start

In MotoGP 18 we've added the manual start procedure, so you'll have to set the bike in first gear and pull the clutch while revving the engine. When the lights go off (and be careful about jump starts, or you'll have to make a ride-through), release the clutch. To perfect your start, don't just rev to the max, but try to catch the RPM where the maximum torque is, a little lower than the limiter. Then, obviously, try to get the quickest reflex possible, and optimise the first crucial gear shifts.

Before the race starts you can also tune the traction control level in the pits to decide how much the bike electronics will cut of your engine power when the rear tyre spins besides the physical level of grip.

You can customise your bike

© Milestone

6. Practice and complete challenges

We've covered a lot of riding basics, but let me add another thing – in the Career mode, use the free practice sessions to your advantage; create the best setup for qualifying and the race, and do the in-game challenges to gather development points. Your engineers will give you some goals to gather data, and then you'll be able to use the collected points to develop bike components in the direction you want. More progressive brakes? A stiffer frame? You can decide, just like the real riders do.

7. Enjoy a more realistic ride

Once you’ve got the basics, it’s time to take the stabilisers off. There is a line that shows you where you need to be on the track and the best time to turn to help guide you through a tough corner. If you’re feeling confident, remove the assists as it will move you towards getting a more realistic feeling on the bike.

You should also try to get as few rewinds as possible. Rewinds are there to support you and they’re free, but try not to abuse them, because without them you can really enjoy a race from beginning to end, fighting with the AIs. Limiting the use of the rewind can give an authentic feeling to the race, too.

Finally, we have put extra care to try and mimic the cameras in MotoGP so when you switch to helmet view or the cockpit view it’s modelled to be usable, spectacular and gives you a feeling that is very different from the third-person perspective. The lines are harder to read, but if you have learned the tracks you know where to put the wheels, and you have a more realistic understanding of how a race really is. Also, sound is muffled and visuals have been tweaked to put you in the helmet of a professional racer.

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