Brian Wiklem's website (features JM2)

[OskyCMK]

Brian Wiklem, producer of Jet Moto 2 has a website and has great insight about the game. There are also some images I have never seen. He mentions that the Championship Edition wasn't meant to be released as a Greatest Hits (or at all). How's that for a shocker!

www.jet-x.com/bw/Games4.html

I'm gonna see if I can get in contact with him and I'm gonna ask some questions.


Below is the section regarding CE.

Jet Moto 2: Championship Edition

“But there was no Jet Moto 2 Championship Edition?!?!”

Oh yes there was! I was never happy that Jet Moto never ran faster than 20fps. It was a limitation of the number of polygons being drawn and the number of individual AI characters being monitored. So, as a condition of signing off on Jet Moto 2 for production, I asked Singletrac to give me my own Jet Moto 2 version. What was different?

- The game now ran at 30 fps, 50% faster than the normal Jet Moto
- To get to 30 fps, the number of competitors had to be reduced to just three (3) other riders.
- All the tracks, including the tracks for Jet Moto (original) were unlocked making 20 tracks.

The game ran so much better, that frame rate change made it that much more exciting. The game played differently. I brought it to Kelly, said we should re-release as a Greatest Hits title. He quickly agreed.

The master disc for Jet Moto 2 at DADC was destroyed (so it was said) because we were going to re-release, and thus we sent over the master disc for JM2:CE. SCEA quickly balked saying no Greatest Hits title can be different from the original. We argued the content was the same (why is a Sony group arguing with another Sony group?). But SCEA or the powers that be told Kelly no, he was not allowed to release it. He apologized to me, I was pissed but what could I do. So we were notified by marketing that DADC needed an original Jet Moto 2 master disc, and thus we burned one and sent it over.

When the final product was manufactured, it became clear when I got the first batch of finished games that they had burned the Championship version. I was elated, but scared at the same time. DADC was calling SCEA, SCEA was calling 989, heads were going to (or implied) roll. I had the VP of marketing (Jeff Fox) breathing down my neck, but I pleaded with Kelly that I did send the right disc, it was properly labeled, and it’s not my fault that DADC couldn’t read. Kelly didn’t get mad, he laughed, and was glad the proper version came out (Championship). It quickly blew over (within a day), and the game went on to sell over 800,000 copies at Greatest Hits. Yay!

[Nightbarrel]

That's a very nice article. Good find.

Also, LOL at Pimp Moto!

[Aaron]

Fantastic stuff man!

I hope you do manage to get in touch with him and get some questions answered. Best of luck

[OskyCMK]

I just fired off my email. It took a couple of days because I had things to get done and I'm a sloooow writer.

[OskyCMK]

Well Brian responded to me and I got some cool insight. Here is the convo. Blue is me, Red is Brian.

Dear Mr. WiklemHello my name is Oscar and I was wondering if you're willing to answer questions I have about Jet Moto 2 and your time producing it? I discovered your Jet Moto 2 page on your website at www.jet-x.com/bw/Games4.html and for Jet Moto fan like myself I'm curious for more info. You see, I'm a part of a small message board devoted to the Jet Moto games. One of our members actually has chatted with Laura Janczeweski (one of the lead designers for Jet Moto 2124), Paul Willman (former Producer Sony Interactive Studios America), and Christopher Tritt (former Associate Producer SISA) about the cancelled Jet Moto 2124. So you see we are busy looking into the development history of all the Jet Moto games. Once again, I'm emailing you because I'm wondering if you wouldn't mind answering questions I have. Please respond via this email address.



sure, what would you like to know?

Also, what is the message board you refer to?

=b

Oh my, you surprised me with how quick you responded. Thank you for responding. The message board I'm talking about is at Jet Moto Central. I started the message board actually 3 months ago. It's really small, only 6 members so far. I made it because I want to see a large fanbase grow out of it. It's big goal but I'm gonna see how far I can take it.

My questions.

What are you doing these days?

Are there any more details you can share about the development of Jet Moto 2? What did you like about the game?

You wrote on your website that you started Jet Moto 3. How was that time like and what was accomplished? What were the circumstances behind you leaving the project? After Jet Moto 3 was released did you like the game?

Were you aware they had been working on a 4th Jet Moto game titled Jet Moto 2124?

Once again thank you.

-Oscar

Oscar

Thanks for the info.

I’m not sure there’s anything else I can share that wasn’t covered on my page. I’m working at game development studio Heavy Iron, and the last game I finsihed was Disney/Pixar UP! What did I like about JM2? The variety of tracks. One of the tracks that didn’t make it was to play in an abandoned amusement park, one that looked haunted (with the track taking you on a wooden rollercoaster, through a haunted house, etc). Cool concept, not enough time.

I was on JM3 for such a short period of time. I got into a disagreement with my boss on general direction, and thus I moved onto another project. We were in the conceptual stage, so I wasn’t on it long enough to really change direction (I pushed initially for longer tracks which did happen).

Yes, I was aware of 2124 shortly after JM3 was started. A shame it didn’t finish.

=b

Yeah its a real shame it didn't finish. 2124 really looked like it blew JM3 out of the water. Thank you so much for responding to my emails and answering my questions.

-Oscar

He's cool. I was trying to be all professional. I feel lame but hey at least things are accomplished lol.

[Nightbarrel]

Very interesting. That haunted house track sounds very similar to Rollercide, although it sounds like that haunted house concept was turned into Rollercide, since he said there wasn't enough time.

[Aaron]

Awesome!
Glad to see the conversation. That's an interesting tidbit about the unfinished track. I would have liked to have seen it.

Heavy Iron, huh? I'll have to look up and see what other games they've worked on.

Have you noticed that all the people that have worked on Jet Moto games have been really nice and happy to talk to people? That sort of attitude is so refreshing.

[OskyCMK]

The abandoned amusement park makes me think of Twisted Metal 4's level The Carnival. Now it makes want to play that game and run around pretending it's Jet Moto lol.

It's awesome that these folks are so nice. Can't wait to find others to chat with.

[skizzo]

I have the Greatest Hits version of JM2, really disliked that there were only 4 racers per track, made the game kinda boring imo.

[claudio999]

from normal jet moto 2 can we get the jet moto1 tracks?

[toxik87]

Jul 31, 2012 8:40:32 GMT -5 claudio999 said:

from normal jet moto 2 can we get the jet moto1 tracks?

you sure can, you just have to beat the full season on master with all the characters

[claudio999]

Jul 31, 2012 10:58:04 GMT -5 toxik87 said:

Jul 31, 2012 8:40:32 GMT -5 claudio999 said:

from normal jet moto 2 can we get the jet moto1 tracks?

you sure can, you just have to beat the full season on master with all the characters

I can't even beat them on easyiest tracks on professional
and I tryed to do 3 fast laps on slick george and i did in 3:20mins

you do in 2mins with bomber but bomber is very hard to stop :/

[toxik87]

All it is, is practice, the thing about heavy bikes is you have to use all the shoulder buttons especially R1 and L1, also on straight surfaces press up on the D-pad so that your bike's nose is down making it go a bit faster- you should Check out bear's videos as a reference on what you should do to improve your time =)

[claudio999]

Jul 31, 2012 12:44:02 GMT -5 toxik87 said:

All it is, is practice, the thing about heavy bikes is you have to use all the shoulder buttons especially R1 and L1, also on straight surfaces press up on the D-pad so that your bike's nose is down making it go a bit faster- you should Check out bear's videos as a reference on what you should do to improve your time =)

yeh thx but i think the acelaaration of bomber is slow and I go against some walls

[toxik87]

Jul 31, 2012 12:52:58 GMT -5 claudio999 said:

Jul 31, 2012 12:44:02 GMT -5 toxik87 said:

All it is, is practice, the thing about heavy bikes is you have to use all the shoulder buttons especially R1 and L1, also on straight surfaces press up on the D-pad so that your bike's nose is down making it go a bit faster- you should Check out bear's videos as a reference on what you should do to improve your time =)

yeh thx but i think the acelaaration of bomber is slow and I go against some walls

oh i see, the secret is really light and quick tapping of the Turbo button with your index finger at the right times(i know weird, but you'll get use to it and you'll improve for sure) i'm thinking of shooting video with my phone so i could maybe help you out but like i said before check out bear's runs they're similar to mine and hold on for a little longer my phone's about ready to take pictures