The real-world Supercross tracks were influenced by the sport’s video game

When it comes to racing games, do you prefer digital replicas of real-world race tracks? Obviously, it depends on the game. Few will complain about it Mario KartRainbow Road is not realistic, as they fire red projectiles at a gorilla on wheels, but a boring street circuit with many 90-degree turns that only exists to show the New York skyline is another matter.

Well done, an invented sequence of twists and turns can create a game; there’s a reason why we applaud so much when we find out that Trial Mountain will return with Gran Turismo 7. On the other hand, developers are constantly asked how to add real-world race tracks to their games. And the presence of a decently digitized spa or Nürburgring Nordschleife may well tempt a hesitant player to purchase.

It’s the kind of thing I think about, which may mean that I’m a little weird. But it also explains why I said “yes” when someone asked if I would like to speak to Mike Muye, senior director of operations at Monster Energy Supercross, about this. I agreed, although I don’t know much about the Supercross, an evolution of motocross in which off-road motorcycles compete with each other on dirt tracks built especially for the occasion. (Monster Energy Supercross 4 went on sale earlier this month for Playstation and Xbox platforms, hence the offer of a chat.)

Muye’s work means that he is closely involved in the design and construction of the actual Supercross race tracks, and he works with the various approval bodies to ensure that everything is safe and within specifications. And as someone who plays in his spare time, he is well equipped to talk about the similarities or differences.

This is a lot of dirt

Again, I know very little about Supercross, so I asked Muye to tell me more about how the sport builds the tracks for each event. After all, care must be taken to ensure that the earthworks will withstand a day of running.

“A cool rumor about Monster Energy Supercross and Feld Entertainment is that we have all the dirt used in our Supercross events,” he told me. “The dirt is supplied and stored locally, so we can reuse it for Supercross and Monster Jam.” On the one hand, the cost of transporting tons and tons of dirt from one city to another would be prohibitive. “Another reason is that the dirt itself provides a unique obstacle, as riders need to adjust their riding style and bicycle settings to the different types of terrain used in each city,” he said.

The particularities of each stadium on the calendar also affect the design of the track. “Some stadiums have natural grass pitches and it is easy to build the runway right above, while others have artificial turf and / or the technology to completely remove the pitch, which allows us to build the runway over the fundamental layer of concrete,” Muye told me.

“Each requires a slightly different technique to build, but the comprehensive process is to lay a layer of plastic sheet across the field and then place one to two layers of resistant plywood across the floor to protect the surface underneath “, said. “After the plywood was placed, we put a base layer of dirt all over the field and compact it as firmly as possible. This layer of compacted base becomes the base on which the rail is built. Often, the base layer is made of crushed asphalt grinding, which gives us a solid base to work on, which is especially important if we face any weather challenges. At the top of the fundamental base, we build the actual runway surface and jumps starting with the runways outside first and working towards the center of the stadium floor. ”

Screams are crucial

But there are elements common to a good track, according to Muye. This includes the start, bowling turns, long lanes and something called “screams”.

Given the short nature of a Supercross race – 20 minutes plus a lap for the most powerful 450cc bikes – making the most of the race start is essential. A 30 meter wide starting gate for 22 corridors tapers to about 6 meters wide. “That’s why the first corner is so chaotic and it should always be a sweeping curve, so that athletes do not huddle on top of each other, but have the opportunity to go through the first corner and start competing with each other. You I would not like to have a tight 180 degree turn after the start, as this would slow down the riders and create unnecessary chaos, “explained Muye.

The bowl curves are also 180 degree curves, but, unlike a hairpin, they have a large embankment, which usually means that more than one running line will work. And where there is more than one line, there are overtaking. “Multiple curves on a track layout have historically created great runs, as they provide athletes with the opportunity to block the passage of their competitors. Blocking is a maneuver in which a driver approaches another driver and makes a sharper angle. on the curve, which allows him to block the other driver, taking his line and momentum, “he told Ars.

“Screams are often a separator between pilots,” said Muye, referring to the series of tycoons or small hills that are also known as screams and are often found immediately after a curve in the bowl. “When done this way, it gives the rider the ability to leverage the bowl curve by leaning out of it, which creates momentum (speed) and allows the rider to stay on top of the screams and, ideally, jump over them. If a blocking pass is executed by another pilot just before that, it can be detrimental to the pilot being passed, as they may not have the urge to go through the shouting section, “he said.

Finally, there are the long tracks, which have the potential to ruin good races if they are not designed properly. “Lanes with only two to three obstacles do not work well in Supercross, as they tend to become one-line. The tracks on a line end up creating very boring races, as the drivers are unable to overtake each other. Our team always strives to create a minimum of five obstacles on a track, as it has proven to be the right formula over the years, “said Muye.

In a game, nobody gets hurt

Perhaps the biggest difference between designing a real Supercross track and one for a video game is that real people can get hurt a lot.

“In the game, you can try everything, but in real life, you should always take safety into account for athletes,” said Muye. But the track editor for the Monster Energy Supercross games can give Muye and his colleagues some ideas. “Users can create their own tracks and it’s fun to run with them and imagine what they would be like in real life. Often, these ‘game tracks’ can be very inspiring to real life obstacles that keep us alert to try and integrate – to the design of the real Supercross track, “he explained.

As for our opening debate, Muye is in favor of games that use real-world layouts. “I prefer a replica of the track because I like it to be authentic for the real life experience,” he said. “It is fun for me to see how the professional drivers ran on the track and then try to duplicate it and try to gain speed in certain areas. I also prefer the game controls to be as realistic as possible. In Supercross racing, using the clutch is a very important component for racing. The rider will vent the motorcycle clutch to keep the engine RPMs high during a turn and then fully release the clutch to give the rear wheels a burst of power to overcome large obstacles Monster Energy Supercross 4 did a great job of replicating that. “

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