 Pro Cycling Manager 2012 won't exactly go over in the history as the game in the series with the best and most enjoyable AI.
Luckily, it sounds like Cyanide has indeed listened to the critism and been focused on changing it for the better in the upcoming game, Pro Cycling Manager 2013, that's set to be released in late June.
We interviewed the game's lead programmer, Xavier Wiart, who in detail told us about the changes to the mountain AI which allows more havoc, more dropped riders, different sorts of attack and more.
We were also told about the new energy and fitness system that won't allow you to go on 200 km Landis-like attacks without feeling the consequences the following day and the much-needed changes to the game's Armada mode.
You can read the full interview with Xavier Wiart below:
- First - looking back, do you have any regrets about PCM12?
Well, I had some doubts about the success on Armada, but when we look to the figures it was quite a success. The players play more often with better servers fiability, and even if there are some critics, it is better than the previous Gamecenter. The fact that some features on Armada were done very late in the season was a problem, though
Now about the other features, I don't have really big regrets about it. We did what we could with the time we had (and even extra hours). We always want the best version ever.
- Armada was one of the new features of PCM12, and I suppose it's still one of the features you spend a lot of energy on. What has changed since last edition?
First of all, the Gamecenter is now gone for good. Any multiplayer game is done on Armada, so that it now has three parts: Stage Races, Track and Stage. For every mode, you can play it with your Armada cards that come with the ladder rankings as well as with your friends in friendly races.
In friendly races, you can play with any team you want and with any database you want.
Another small, but interesting addition is the possibility to save different rosters, you can import your PCM12 profile in PCM13 to get your collections back, there are new legendary cards and an updated database.
Last, but not least, there is a limitation depending on your level that prevents you from playing with 8 gold cards. It means that newbies are logically matched together on the match making, and they play with balanced teams.
- So just to be clear on the multiplayer friendly mode: Is it now possible to play any stage (or stage race) with any team of any database?
Yes, it is possible to play with a custom DB and official teams in a stage race in the same way as it was possible in the stage mode in PCM12.
- How about custom tours? Will it be possible to play e.g. just five stages of the Tour de France rather than all of them?
You can select the stages you want in a Tour, but I'm not 100% sure about whether you can mix different races.
- Changing the subject to the AI: Have there been any changes to the mountain AI this year?
There are a lot of improvements – some are shared with Tour de France (the console game).
First of all, the riders’ dropping rate has been improved a lot, and it is less depending on the human behavior. The AI teams are taking more responsibilities, and sometimes they work hard to make the selection.
AI leaders have better reactions when the human or some other AI attacks or accelerates. In the grand tours, when a rider is far in the rankings because of a bad first week or being out of shape, he tries to escape from far, hoping the peloton won't chase behind him. The early attackers have a real possibility to win a stage, including AIs, much more than before.
Another interesting addition is the fact that a rider like Purito Rodriguez is killing the bunch with the acceleration in his attacks while a rider like Ivan Basso seems to pull a trailer when he attacks. The difference is made by the acceleration stat. It won’t make much sense to use the same tactics for a diesel rider and a puncheur.
- So it sounds like you have actively looked into how you can create more 'havoc' in the mountains.
Yes, this is the part that has changed the most.
- Has work been done to improve the selectiveness of hill stages? The AI really struggles to get gaps on hill stages in PCM12, unlike in previous versions.
Yes, hill stages will be impacted too, even though with the new energy system you may want to use the hill stages to rest as much as you can for the next stages. But there will be a lot stage win chasers in these hilly stages.
- The new energy system… Can you explain what this is all about?
It’s linked to a new fitness system that’s completely different from previous versions. There is still a system of fitness planning over the season, combined with a cumulated fatigue, which mainly prevents you from being in good shape during the whole season, but allows you to make realistic seasons like classics+Tour de France or a Giro-Vuelta double.
In addition to this, there is a 'rhythm' parameter which is more or less replacing the former "race fitness'. You have to ride a few races before reaching 100% of your skills. If you don't ride for a few weeks, you'll lose your rhythm.
The last parameter is the 'freshness' that is a better version of the previous recuperation. When there are two classics in a weekend, like Kuurne & the Het Volk, you can't be in top shape in both classics because the first will drain your energy.
- How does this work in stage races?
I'd say it works better than before. If you aim the overall ranking you can't aim for stage wins everyday as well because you have to keep a good 'freshness' for the key stages. In previous games you could sometimes feel that your efforts didn't really matter for your recovery. Now they do.
- Cobbles have previously been mentioned as an area that you’ve worked on. Can you explain what’s been changed?
Cobble sections are now assigned with a difficulty from one to five stars. For example, in Paris Roubaix there is now a difference between the five stars "Tranchée d'Arenberg" and the 1 star last cobble section of the race.
You can really feel the difference between the sections. Having played some cobble classics, I can say I enjoyed it a lot. The scenarios are always entertaining and never the same. As for mountain stages, there is more 'life' during the cobble races with riders attacking early and decisions to make for the player.
- Have any other aspects of cobble races been altered?
It is always hard to balance, because too many punctures, too many crashes would be game killing, so we have to balance it with caution. Five star cobble sections have an increased risk of problems, but we prefer "too few" than "too many".
- It’s been indicated that new hidden traits will impact races - Fatigue/Tiredness, Will and Regularity. Now I've heard that this information is incorrect- that there's no such thing in PCM13. What's up and down?
I don't know how this feature appeared publicly as it has never been planned at all. Tiredness is indeed part of the fitness, but there is no such thing as will or regularity.
Besides that, there is a 'rider satisfaction' parameter that appeared in the game. Riders are sensible to the races they participate in, evaluating the popularity of the race, the race type and the quantity of race days. For example, Contador can show some anger if you subscribe him on a 1.1 cobble classic that doesn't match at all his qualities
- What are the consequences of this?
It replaces the moral value, but the impact is minimal. The riders won't renew if they are not satisfied by your management, but this won't be too hard.
- On to the subject of editing. Have you made any changes to the stage editor?
The stage editor has been improved. Not a big feature, but a lot of good improvements. New borders, new isolated buildings and some improvements for the stage makers.
One important point is the inclusion of Corsican assets, which is a particular region where the tour will start. The 100th anniversary of the Tour comes with great stages and some good places will be in PCM13. The Champs-Élysées stage, played on sunset is very beautiful – you have never played a stage like that in any PCM!
- Yes, you recreated the stage, as far as I can see. Did you also include the tunnel?
Yes, this is not the exact route but you can recognize the tunnel, the Champs Elysées, The tour Eiffel. I hope we will release some screenshots and trailers to show it.
- At PCM.daily, we have received a lot of questions concerning bugs in PCM12. Weird transfers, peloton stopping close to a sprint and the solid rider model that’s preventing riders from moving up during a climb etc. Is this something you have been aware of and have fixed?
We fix bugs when they are reported – we do our best. The solid model is still there with a few fixes, but it’s basically the same. On the other hand there is a new animation system that is much more realistic.
- On a longer term, what are your plans with PCM? What's the objective for the next few years?
We have ideas for at least the three next versions, but it is not exactly sorted out. We listen to the communities as much as we can, and the future of Tour de France on console plays a role too.
There are still a lot of things to improve. For example, we are currently thinking to revamp the quick simulation which is clearly not satisfying enough
- But are there any major changes in the plans? For example, cyclocross which have been rumoured since 2001, or Be a Pro etc.?
These macro features are very hard to foresee, because it is a big bet, and it would take many people for one risky mode.
Cyclo cross would almost be another game to do, because we don't want a cheap and fake cyclocross based on tweaks from track or road races.
On the 'be a pro' topic, we never came to a satisfying design that could be great. We don't want to blindly copy 'Fifa'.
Both of these features cost too much compared to the benefits it would give. |
