Inside THQ's Digital Studio - Phoenix 24

Today Vital MX got to stop by the THQ Digital Studio - Phoenix (formerly known as Rainbow Studios), to get a peek at how they're putting together the new MX vs. ATV Alive. Other guests during the day included guys like Nick Wey and the Answer and MSR guys, the whole Troy Lee Designs / Lucas Oil / Honda squad, and a bunch of others. Even better, we got a chance to try out the new game for ourselves. But...we had to sign non-disclosure agreements before they'd show us anything, and we've been sworn to secrecy on revealing (too many) details of the game.

Once in the door, you know you're hanging out with a moto crowd, and throughout the building (which houses about 80 employees), you'll find all kinds of moto memorabilia. Yep, there are plenty of moto fans inside. But there are also ways to relax, like the ping-pong table. Personally, we were a bit more interested in the rows of development X Boxes and monitors with games loaded on them in the background.

Walking through the interior of the studio, it's kind of spooky, as the lighting is rather cave-like, even during the day. But there's no glare on any monitors, and everyone can see tons of detail...and there's plenty of it in the game. Everything from lighting to shading, gear to tracks, and particle effects, it's a big step up from before. They even sweat details like how mud splatters on the boots. Lots on the front, not so much on the rear...things like that. Boyd Lake models a lot of items in the game, from bodies to helmets, gear, and more. 

We also got to see how they do some of the motion capture used in the game, like for the 30 second girls. Yes, they pay critical attention to getting the wiggle just right, and we have to admit, we admire their dedication to realism.

Above Mike Momula showed off his area, where he models the tracks, builds displacement maps, determines boundaries and "stickiness", figures out reset areas, and much more. (Looking around) And yeah, don't tell anyone? But the tracks are sweet. Remember the terrain deformation from last time around? It has made forward progress, as has the feel that you're actually riding. Oops, here come some of the THQ guys. Shhhh...and just act natural.

Above you can see a bunch of the TLD crew giving the game a try. We also got a shot at it, and without giving away too many details, all we can say is that it's a big step forward from the previous version. Lots less frustration, and lots more fun. The things they're talking about with the downloadable content for the game also sound really intriguing. Hey, wait...does that mean that at the moment we're among the best 50 or so players of this game in the world? Probably so. And yeah, that'll go out the window the day it's released. But for now we'll claim it.