 Update (26/01/11): One of the questions that wasn't answered was whether the stage and graphics files for PCM10 are compatible with PCM11: In short, the answer is 'yes'. However, the accessories for gloves, socks, handles, leggings and bottles are different and have to be re-made.
Following on from our own exclusive first details of PCM11 last week, bubbadj87, a moderator of Cycling Manager Italia has landed an interview with Clement Pinget (aka freire) from Cyanide.
And thanks to CM Italia for providing a translation of it, we are able to find out some more small details about the new game. The key points are:
1. The new feature of changing sponsors has been explained in a little more detail, Cyanide hope to have over 300 different sponsors/logos/jerseys available with sponsors being partitioned into not only national sponsors, but regional sponsors. Furthermore, each rider now has a popularity value from the sponsors - that makes certain riders more expensive and sought after, even if they arent necesarilly the strongest (Voeckler being an example) - and this popularity value will evolve based on rider results.
2. The cyclist model has been revamped - an important step in the series according to Pinget. Presumably this is linked in with riders no longer being able to ride through each other - a feature which requires more attention from the manager now when approaching narrow roads or key climbs.
3. They are looking into the gameplay of attacks - specifically the problem of attacks in the mountains failing to produce key gaps. Although it does still seem Cyanide have issues in generating some of the reported AI problems that the community have found.
More news is still to come at a later date to do with Sprint gameplay and the changing of teams from season to season - but there will be no new features for the track mode, no cyclocross, and no one-rider only mode.
You can read the full interview in Italian over at Cycling Manager Italia. Below is the full transcript of the English translation:
1.) Pcmdaily recently announced some news regarding the next CYM new sponsorship, riders penetration, and better AI. What can you tell us more about that?
We're working on a db which will include 350 new fantasy sponsors, logos and jerseys.
We're still searching for more people in the community who could help our group to make those fantasy jerseys.
First we added the regions in several countries (spain, italy, france, belgium, netherlands, germany, denmark, portugal, switzerland), so you can have regional sponsors like Bretagne, Euskaltel or Andalucia. and of course they'll try first to get their regional stars.
Of course all the riders have now a region in the database.
Each rider has now also a popularity value which is important for your sponsors but also make him more expensive (but not better in the races).
For instance, you can have an average rider who has a very important popularity like Voeckler or a rider with good results but a poor popularity (i.e : Karpets).
Their popularity will evolve when they'll get some results.
About the feature it will change the goals. You can have one main sponsor or 2 co-sponsors and for each you'll have an evaluation in 4 criterias :
main goals, best results, presence of your main riders in the important races of your sponsor(s), popularity of your roster in the important races of your sponsor.
2.) There will be news in the career mode regarding sponsorships changing?
Yes there will be specific news for this feature.
3.) Pcm2010 was a year of transition to online mode in the game center. What's new on pcm2011 in that direction?
It's still in development and we prefer to wait a bit before making an announcement on this part.
4.) Will anything change in the 3d engine?
Yes. The new cyclist model has been revamped totally and it's an important step in the Cycling Manager series.
There are also new Isolated Buildings, 2 new landscapes (arid and desert) and several other things.
5.) With the absence of “penetration cyclists”, what is the impact of this new feature on the management of the race?
This part is still in development. One impact is that you have to be more attentive before narrow roads or critical climbs.
6.) There are news regarding the management of the sprint?
We'll communicate later on this feature.
7.) All graphic equipment and variants will be backward compatible? Also Graphics requirements?
The goal is to have exactly the same min. requirement as in 2010.
8.) In last two pcm editions, make the gaps in climb was a mistake in comparison to reality: in PCM 09 riders will make the difference not in hard percentage sectors like in the reality, but in low percentage sectors, in pcm 10 was impossibile to make gaps in climb, will in PCM 11 this feature will be improved with leaders who can try to escape in mountain in hard percentage sectors?
we had often this feedback but the problem is that in all our tests there were always big gaps in the mountains...
maybe you're talking about the attacks only ?
Yes I’m talking about attacks
so the problem is that the leaders can't make the difference with an attack on the big mountains, it's planned that we make some changes in the attack gameplay, and we'll look this point.
9.) Improvements will be made to the track-mode?
No improvements are planned for track-mode.
10.) There will be new game modes, perhaps focusing on a “cyclist character career” like in the most popular sports games, or new other modes such as cyclo-cross?
It's not planned. |
