MTM2.com

• Replay of Maui MX 2005
• Garage Settings: 1300 med tires/soft suspension
• Fast Lap to date: 1:51.33 by SLO_COPE

*Blows the dust off his notepad and picks up a pen . . . *

Didn’t think I’d be back, did ya? Or maybe it’s more accurate to say that some people hoped I wouldn’t be back lol. It matters not, for there are tracks to review, and "I aims ta do the reviewin!" Figured I’d throw in a little Yosemite Sam lingo for the old-timers reading this lol.

Interestingly enough, shortly after finishing this track (two minutes after he uploaded it lol) World asked if I was going to write a review. Unbeknownst to him I had already made plans to do so, but the son-of-a-gun ruined my surprise. Still, it’s great to be back, and even though it pains me to say this for reasons he most assuredly knows, it’s nice to start things off again with a track by one of my favorite track makers.

His new release, Maui MX 2005, is arguably his best to date. That’s certainly not to say Maui Waui, Maui MX Jet Moto, and OGX MX are lacking in anyway; they’re all excellent tracks. OGX Maui 2002 isn’t included in the mix because it’s more of a mx-circuit, and as such I don’t think it’s fair to compare it to pure sx/mx tracks. As for Maui 2005, however, it has a layout that’s sure to please. World gets the action going in a hurry just after passing through checkpoint (cp) 1. As shown here, there’s a quick 1-2-3 punch thru the cp’s, and if you stay tight to the markers, you’ll cruise through that section like a knife through softened margarine (best analogy I could come up with on the fly). Ah but don’t relax just yet, for cp’s 4 & 5 are a repeat of 1, 2, and 3. As you pass through cp 7 be sure to swing high enough on the bank to clear the ensuing woops, which in the end ultimately goes towards shaving seconds off your laps. By the time you reach cp 9, you’re starting to set up for the jump over the bridge. The key here is to let off the gas just before you go over so that you land right after clearing the wood. Too much air time will result in hitting the ground just before the acute 180º, which is . . . well, not as good as just clearing the bridge lol. As you pass through cp 11 you’ll be heading for a somewhat sneaky-sneaky, but very cool underpass. The vegetation hanging off the bridge shields the view of the road if you drive using chase far with the camera slightly hiked up, which is why it’s oh so easy to overshoot the abrupt right as you clear it on the other side. As you’re approaching cp 17, you’ll see a small body of water, which can be somewhat of a challenge to clear smoothly. Starting from the far left, edge over slightly to the middle of the raised section of the road, then let off the gas just before taking to the air. When you land, the rear section of your truck should be slightly in the water, which pulls down the front of the truck, resulting in a smooth turn thru the cp. The replay link at the top demonstrates it all, so if you’re so inclined, check it out.

If I had to describe how to successfully navigate thru Maui MX 2005 in one word it would be “anticipation”. You have to know what’s coming before you ever get there, and that’s just racing by yourself. If you’re battling it out with a group of racers, you not only have to know the track well and plan accordingly, you also have to think about the critical junctures (the underpass, the sharp 180º at cp 14, the water crossing, etc.) and try making your move there if the opportunity presents itself. And mind you, this track is just under two minutes long, so it’s not like you have time to make a quick call to World for advice, consult your notes or pull out a compass to figure out where the heck you’re at lol. Things happen in rapid-fire succession in some spots, so uh . . . be prepared!

As for blemishes/technical issues, there’s really not much to speak of. He’s got a few seams in his texture work, but World says if you squint your eyes just right, they pretty much disappear. Okay so I made that up – so what lol. There was a version uploaded that had a floating hay bale at cp 15 and an invisible wall at cp 17 (to negate a shortcut), but he corrected those two problems with a 'fixed' version, so be sure and grab it!

Wrapping things up, the Copey Rating for Mau MX 2005 is virtually automatic: a star-studded 10 out of 10 possible points! It’s a superb track from a guy who’s pretty much done it all in this game (to include a couple of favors for Team SLO). In short, if it has his name on it, you can best believe it’s like money in the bank.

World – great to have you back on the scene, bud. The personal insults, team name swapping, and generally riding each others' case, well . . . it’s just like old times lol. Can’t wait to see what you come out with next, and hey – we’d better see your name when Expo 2006 rolls around!

COPE said everything lol. A very² nice track WORLD. keep em coming.

Awesome job on the track World. The textures look great and the terrain work is stunning.

tyty

Nice track World. While mx tracks aren't really my favorites, this one is pretty darn good. Thanks man. Hope to see more of your work.

World, I think it was totally unfair to ruin Cope´s spontaneity. Believe him when he claims he was about to make a surprise-review.

For instance, it came as a real surprise to me when he reviewed Lapama an incredibly short ten month after its release, lol, lol, lol http://forum.mtm2.com/viewtopic.php?t=868&highlight=lapama

Regarding your track, I like it very much, as I did your prior ones. In my opinion, you´re doing the best MX tracks: great to drive, look great.

Must agree. You've always been my favorite MX man.

LMAO I'd forgotten all about that, rocket. Course, I've forgotten pretty much what I've said in most of the reviews I've done, and it's probably for the best lol.

Well, truth be told, since there's not much in the way of track productivity (and mind you, I'm not complaining - just stating the obvious), it gives me the chance to do some back tracking. Working on another review now, as a matter of fact!