video games

Q&A: Ubisoft lead game designer Manfred Neber on ‘Riders Republic’

Naveen Ganglani

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

Q&A: Ubisoft lead game designer Manfred Neber on ‘Riders Republic’

Ubisoft

Combining practically all extreme riding disciplines from dirt biking to wingsuit flying, Riders Republic is shaping up to be the perfect high adrenaline getaway in our still (mostly) homebound COVID-19 lives

Riders Republic may just be the extreme racing game you didn’t know you wanted.

Combining practically all extreme riding disciplines from dirt biking to wingsuit flying, it’s shaping up to be the perfect high adrenaline getaway in our still (mostly) homebound COVID-19 lives.

The game comes out in September of this year, and we caught up with Manfred Neber, lead game designer, to dig up a few more bits of information before this massively multiplayer high-flying battle-royale-on-bikes-and-boards hit the all consoles and the PC.

Neber confesses to be an outdoor exploration enthusiast himself so the game has become a real passion project for him
Ubisoft

Q: Will it be a live service game? Are there post-launch plans, like DLCs, cosmetics, seasonal events, and extra campaign content? For how long will the title be supported?

We see Riders Republic as a live platform for social, extreme sports and multiplayer fun.  It’s a platform that we will support for years to come and will always be evolving! So this is a live service game and the plan is to deliver more adventure/extreme sports action, along with seasonal events, new cosmetics, rewards and more content to play.  Along with that, our live program will focus on improving quality of life, content, gameplay and systems in response to our communities’ feedback.

Q: Are there any esports plans for the game, leading to tournaments?

One of the main pillars for this game was the multiplayer play experiences we offer.  With multiplayer comes varying degrees of competitive players.  the fact is, that some players will progress in skill, strategy and teamwork much farther than others, and some of these players may want to strive to be the best of the best. 

So we made sure to incorporate a player ranking system within each of our major multiplayer modes (Tricks Battle and Free For All).  This system called “divisions” gives us the opportunity to do two things:

1. Create a fair matchmaking environment, that tries to make sure players will compete with players within their skill level so that matches are closer in score, fairer in gameplay and keep players engaged until the match is complete!

2. Put the most skilled players and teams into equally matched games, where the most competitive players compete, strive to improve and show who is the best.

So even though we do not have any esport plans for launch, we feel that our multiplayer focus and the Division rating system, certainly has some of the competitive feel players may be looking for.

Q: What is the skill level that will be required to understand the mechanics of the game? Will the controls be simple?

Fans of the classic SSX games may find a lot to love in Riders Republic
Ubisoft

We set out to make the world of Riders Republic accessible to everyone and our gameplay and content options are a testament to that.  

For gameplay, it was important for us to have low cost of entry when new players were introduced to the game.  So for the basic navigation mechanics, we made sure they were simple to understand and similar through all the different sports. 

If you know how to navigate on the bike (accelerate/steer/jump) then you will be able to pick up the Ski and Snowboard and do the same.  When I comes to doing tricks, the way you perform them is also very similar between sports.  

To aid with tricks, we offer the player options such as “auto landing” and “grind assistance” that will ensure new or less seasoned players can still compete, wipe out less and not miss out on big jumps or grind opportunities.

The idea of making the game for players of all skill levels, is also evident in our events options.  Before committing to playing an event, players can choose from 4 skill levels. These range from the more accessible “Standard” to the very challenging “Elite” difficulty. Players can set an event to “Standard” if they are just learning the game, need more practice or want to experience content without too much pressure.

However, if you want a challenge we have it.  

For gameplay, if players who want to really dig into our trick system and feel the rush of nailing tricks and improving their skills they can switch from “auto landing” to “manual mode”.  In manual mode players need to time their rotations, grabs and tricks in order to land safely and not wipe out.  The risk is worth the reward as players are granted bonus on how well they land the trick.  Great timing and knowing your trick animations are key to nailing a “perfect landing” on all slope types and terrain.

Also as mentioned earlier, players looking to improve and be pushed to their limits can also select the “elite difficulty” in an event.  Elite events will require players to use all their skills and gear to the max and should push players to perform at the peak of their abilities.

So, the answer is yes, the basic controls and gameplay are simple and easy to pick up.  From there, if you want to advance and add more challenge in gameplay and events, you can.  Either way, you will have a great time in Republic.

Q: Will there be a free upgrade for those who get it on PS4 then go to PS5? Will it be cross-gen? (answered already, so no need to include if for certain)

Riders Republic is cross-gen progression and full cross-play between all platforms.  We also offer free upgrade between current gen and next gen consoles. 

Q: Will local multiplayer be allowed for players who have the same unit and want to compete vs each other?

For consoles, the PS4 and Xbox One will be limited to 32 players but the PS5 and Xbox Series consoles will support 50-plus players
Ubisoft

While we don’t have local multiplayer, we still wanted players to be able to experience content and gameplay modes in the social environment with their friends.  So developing a solid group feature was a major focus for us.  With our group feature, players can join up together online and play any event we offer.  Players can also communicate by voice to coordinate their schedule and use a series of group tools to easily teleport and find each other in the world.  

Being in a group allows players to access the “private PVP” mode.  This mode allows you and your group members to select any piece of content and compete against each other, to show who’s the best.  Any trick, race or shack daddy event can become a closed competition that is not only fun, but also awards you XP and progression.

When it comes to our team based MP mode “Tricks Battle” any group that enters into matchmaking will be put on the same team.  So while in a group, you can jump around to varying content, gain rewards, compete, team up and progress together.

Q: How did the developers gain the required insight to include the notable landmarks/locations in the game?

The development team began the conceptualization of our world by going on a tour that spanned across all of the locations and parks we feature in the game.  Many photos, videos and studies were conducted to understand each park and its unique features/landmarks.  We interviewed geologists to understand why the landmarks existed and how the terrain came to be so unique. 

We talked with rangers about how the parks are perceived, what emotions they imbued to the public and places of interest.  We also studied the biomes, wildlife and weather of each of these places to try and give players a genuine feeling of visiting these iconic locations.

Q: How does the game take advantage of next-gen features such as adaptive triggers for PS5?

Riders Republic on next gen offers players the opportunity to match up and play with or against more players than current gen consoles.  Current gen consoles are limited to 32 player mass races, Next gen ups the excitement with 50-plus players in the event.  When it comes to free roam matchmaking, next gen also ups the number of players to 50-plus where as current gen sits at 32.

Q: Will there be separate performance/quality modes?

On next gen, the game will be at 60fps and upscaled 4K (except on Xbox Series S, it’s 1080p but with 60fps). We can choose a performance mode or a quality mode like some other games. – Rappler.com

Purchase games and gadgets with this Lazada promo code.

Add a comment

Sort by

There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation.

Summarize this article with AI

How does this make you feel?

Loading
Download the Rappler App!