Need for Speed: Shift Hands On

bdoughty · Post by **bdoughty** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 1:53 pm

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/need- ... t-hands-on

Side note: This is a new concept for NFS, the Shift game line will be of the simulation variety.

Need for Speed: Shift will be made by Slightly Mad Studios of GT Legends and GTR 2 fame, with help from EA Black Box producer Michael Mann and EA Games Europe bigwig Patrick Soderlund.

-SNIP-

While it's hard to avoid suspicions about how Shift came to be - its new developer, new direction, and surprising level of polish suggesting its link to the Need for Speed franchise may be fairly opportunistic - there's no reason yet to question the quality of what Slightly Mad has been working on. Whether or not you believe EA's notion that the videogame audience is now so deeply fragmented it needs three separately tailored titles in order to please everyone, it's clear that, if you're after the series' more familiar style of gameplay, you'll need to wait for Nitro on the DS and Wii for the time being. However, if you're a fan of driving as much as just racing, Shift is looking like the best thing to emerge from the strange new art of inverse milking in quite a while.

EA making the NFS series (one part of it) more realistic and sim like, Codies doing the exact opposite. Who woulda thunk it?

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 2:01 pm

Looks great but i'll wait till it hits the $19.99 price tag. What worries me is that it has that PGR 4 look to it.

Teal · Post by **Teal** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 2:21 pm

Rodster wrote:Looks great but i'll wait till it hits the $19.99 price tag. What worries me is that it has that PGR 4 look to it.

What encourages me is that it DOESN'T have the Race Pro look to it-visually, that is. Wow!

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 2:44 pm

A NFS post and Teal. I knew it!

Does look great. I want an F1 game where's the info on that BD?

Naples39 · Post by **Naples39** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 2:55 pm

Sounds and looks like EA's version of GRID.

webdanzer · Post by **webdanzer** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 2:57 pm

Naples39 wrote:Sounds and looks like EA's version of GRID.

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing!

Naples39 · Post by **Naples39** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 2:57 pm

Rodster wrote:Looks great but i'll wait till it hits the $19.99 price tag.

You might want to add that line to your sig. You seem to be saying it about every racing game these days.

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 4:01 pm

Naples39 wrote:
Rodster wrote:Looks great but i'll wait till it hits the $19.99 price tag.
You might want to add that line to your sig. You seem to be saying it about every racing game these days.

bdoughty · Post by **bdoughty** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 5:54 pm

JRod wrote: Does look great. I want an F1 game where's the info on that BD?

http://www.digitalsportspage.com/module ... start=1025

Next to last post. It is in the hands of Codemasters, that was the latest info. I have never once played an F1 game, have no clue as to what makes or breaks an F1 game.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 6:04 pm

Love the cockpit view.

bdoughty · Post by **bdoughty** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 6:20 pm

IGN Hands on
http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/959/959082p1.html

Gamespot Hands on
http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/driving ... id=6205554

bdoughty · Post by **bdoughty** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 6:41 pm

A few more screens

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 8:55 pm

It's pretty, and it's encouraging that you see proper racing cars such as a Porsche 911 GT3.

But it's a Need For Speed game published by EA. It won't be anything close to a sim. The IGN hands-on even said it was similar to PGR.

Pretty cockpit shot, though.

Take care,
PK

fletcher21 · Post by **fletcher21** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 9:46 pm

Looks great, but I'm wondering if that will translate to a fun racing experience.

Teal · Post by **Teal** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 7:21 am

I'm just wondering what's wrong with PGR, all of a sudden. Seems to me that you all are saying that possibly plays like PGR=not worth my time

I remember a time when PGR was spinning in several DSP Xbox trays, gladly. Just wondering why it's now a negative.

GB_Simo · Post by **GB_Simo** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 9:07 am

Teal wrote:I'm just wondering what's wrong with PGR, all of a sudden. Seems to me that you all are saying that possibly plays like PGR=not worth my time

Isn't it only Rod who's said that, though? From memory, Rod just didn't get into PGR 4 in the way that many here did.

It looks rather more like GRID to me, but that doesn't concern me because I liked how GRID looked, I just hated how it handled. One to keep an eye on, I reckon.

Teal · Post by **Teal** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 9:14 am

GB_Simo wrote:
Teal wrote:I'm just wondering what's wrong with PGR, all of a sudden. Seems to me that you all are saying that possibly plays like PGR=not worth my time
Isn't it only Rod who's said that, though? From memory, Rod just didn't get into PGR 4 in the way that many here did.

It looks rather more like GRID to me, but that doesn't concern me because I liked how GRID looked, I just hated how it handled. One to keep an eye on, I reckon.

Yeah, to be fair, it was just Rod.
BUT...this is being made by the guys who did GT Legends and GTR 2, so I'm not convinced that it won't be more of a sim.

bdoughty · Post by **bdoughty** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 5:43 pm

http://worthplaying.com/article.php?sid=60635

Screens

DChaps · Post by **DChaps** » Fri Aug 14, 2009 11:38 am

The release date for Need for Speed: Shift has been confirmed as 9/15/2009 for the US. I am highly, highly skeptical of this game, but former Simbin/Blimey leader Ian Bell certainly has been making bold claims about the physics and realism of this game. After being burned by Simbin's Race Pro, I doubt I will be purchasing this on release day, especially since I just renewed my annual subscription to iRacing, but I can't help but still be curious. Simbin created some of my favorite titles of all time and the original Need for Speed and Porsche Unleashed were also favorites in the arcade/almost sim department. Supposedly a demo will be released before the full verision, but that is what was said about Race Pro as well, and a demo has not appeared to date. Anyway, below are some quotes and links to many of the bold statements and contradictions made about this soon to be released game.

http://www.virtualr.net/category/need-for-speed-shift/

http://shift.needforspeed.com/us

http://www.needforspeed.com/portal/site ... 17780aRCRD

In a recent interview with AutoSimSport, SMS’s Ian Bell went as far as promising “the most realistic sim ever made”, using “a more complex physics engine than anything on the market”

“SHIFT is built on the most advanced physics engine we’ve made, and is by far the most advanced and realistic physics engine of any of the mainstream racing games. We’re talking about an engine that can run unlimited threads, detailed physics parameters running at around 400 Hz on consoles. Things like tire deformation based on g-forces, tire pressures, rubber thickness, which only the most diehard sim fans will notice, but we know it’s there.

We have a full realism hardcore mode called Pro that you can choose to race in from the start that will feel natural and comfortable as well as raising the bar for handling compared to anything out there (or due out soon) for all of our hardcore race sim fans.”

“Shift is a bit of a departure from GTR in that’s it’s core driving model is more accessible to the average gamer, but not dumbed down at all, we’re still modelling everything that we modelled before, actually we’re modelling more than we used in GTR2. I do think the average Need for Speed gamer is going to find it a bit of a challenge, but will ultimately be more rewarding because you can feel yourself improving with the driving model.”

While those are pretty good news all in all, rather disappointing info is that Shift won’t simulate tire wear and there will be no pit stops either. Furthermore, Shift won’t be including rain races. According to Mr. Bell, this is no big issue since only a tiny percentage of racers is even interested in racing in the rain.

“Die-hard Need for Speed fans don’t need to be worried. Shift is no simulation like GTR, it combines arcade racing with simulation-like physics comparable to Race Driver GRID.”

The simulation aspect seems to be compromised in other areas too as the preview includes some interesting info on the damage model.

While their engine seems to be good for some spectacular crashes and effects, damage apparently has little effect on the car’s performance and handling. Or as producer Suzy Wallace puts it: “Nobody should be forced to restart a race after a crash - That’s just frustrating.”

-Physics model of NFS: Shift is based on those of “Ferrari Project”
-Professional setting is more accurate to drive than in GTR2
-Eero Piitulainen of Richard Burns Rally has developed totally new tyre-physics model which is mainly responsible for new physics
-Difference between 3 physics-models is in assist levels, while lowest setting will provide around 10% of more tyre grip for beginners
-Lots of efforts has gone into handling development so the game can be driven with controller
-Professional setting will require wheel in order to successfully manage throttle/braking and steering inputs
-Shift will feature different car classes - from Golf GTI up to Zonda F
-All cars can be upgraded and tuned from inside-out
-Most tracks are licensed European and American circuits with few non-existing tracks
-There will be few city-circuits
-Cockpit is the most important visual feature of the game
-Head-physics is the key difference point to other titles (whatevr that means)

Cars:

* 2006 Aston Martin DBR9
* 2009 Audi R8 LMS
* 2008 Audi R8
* 2008 Audi RS 4
* 2007 Audi S3
* 2007 Audi TT 3.2 quattro
* 2006 Audi S4
* BMW M3 E36
* BMW M3 E46
* BMW M3 E92
* 2008 BMW 135i Coupé
* 2009 BMW M3 GT2
* 2007 BMW Z4 M Coupé
* 2008 Bugatti Veyron 16.4
* 2006 Dodge Challenger Concept
* 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10
* Falken Tire 2010 Ford Mustang GT
* 2010 Ford Shelby GT500
* 2007 Ford Focus ST
* 2006 Ford GT
* 2006 Need For Speed Shelby Terlingua
* 1996 Ford Escort RS Cosworth
* 2009 Chevrolet Camaro SS
* 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt SS
* 2006 Chevrolet Corvette Z06
* 2006 Honda Civic Si
* 2000 Honda S2000
* 2006 Koenigsegg CCX
* 2008 Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4
* 2007 Lamborghini Murciélago LP640
* 2007 Lamborghini Reventón
* 2006 Lotus Elise 111R
* 2007 Lotus Exige S
* 2005 Maserati MC12 GT1
* 2008 Mazda MX-5
* 2006 Mazda RX-8
* 1995 Mazda RX-7
* 1994 McLaren F1
* 2007 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 722 Edition
* 2007 Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG
* 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer EVOLUTION
* 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer EVOLUTION IX MR-edition
* 2003 Infiniti G35 (V35)
* 1997 Nissan 200SX (S14)
* 2009 Nissan 370Z (Z34)
* 2006 Nissan 350Z (Z33)
* 2009 Nissan GT-R SpecV (R35)
* 2008 Nissan GT-R (R35)
* 2000 Nissan Silvia (S15) spec.R AERO
* 1999 Nissan Skyline GT-R (R34)
* 1972 Nissan Skyline 2000GT-R
* 1992 Nissan 240SX (S13)
* 2006 Pagani Zonda F
* 2010 Pagani Zonda R
* 2008 Porsche 911 GT2
* 2009 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR
* 2006 Porsche 911 GT3 RS
* 2004 Porsche Carrera GT
* 2007 Porsche Cayman S
* 2008 Renault Mégane RS
* 2007 SEAT Leon CUPRA
* 2006 Subaru Impreza WRX STi
* 2007 Lexus LF-A Concept
* 2008 SCION tC
* 1986 Toyota Corolla GTS (A86)
* 2008 Volkswagen Scirocco
* 2006 Volkswagen Golf GTI

Tracks:

* Alpental
* Autopolis International Racing Course
* Ambush Canyon
* Brands Hatch
* Dakota
* Ebisu Circuit
* Glendale
* Hazyview
* Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
* London
* Miytomi
* Nordschleife
* Road America
* Rustle Creek
* Silverstone
* Circuit de Spa Francorchamps
* Tokyo
* Willow Springs

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Fri Aug 14, 2009 11:53 am

The fact that Blimey is behind it gives me hope. I still think it will be poorly received because as realistic as it might be most NFS junkies want to be chased by cops ala NFS Hot Pursuit. I'll still buy it only because Blimey makes awesome games and i'm a huge fan of their work in the GTR series.

I somehow see this game going the Prostreet route, in the bargin bin within 6-9 months if that.

Naples39 · Post by **Naples39** » Fri Aug 14, 2009 12:25 pm

“Nobody should be forced to restart a race after a crash - That’s just frustrating.” LOL!

For whatever reason I've been in a real racing mood recently and was checking out some info on this game. I am HIGHLY skeptical of the sim claims for this game. As I learned from Grid, even if the sim settings are there at user discretion, the rest of the game experience (AI, courses, challenges presented) will be tweaked assuming most players will NOT be using those settings, with the end result that using the optional sim settings is not satisfying at all.

Likely the game will have some sim touches, but will be a hybrid between sim and 'action' racing. I intend to give it a try on gamefly and see if it hooks me. I'd like to say I'm open to it, but given my dis-satisfaction with Grid and Dirt I may not be.

Some videos, which are worth 1,000 words IMO.

Some street circuit footage from IGN:
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<embed src='http://videomedia.ign.com/ev/ev.swf' flashvars='object_ID=14319193&downloadURL=http://xbox360movies.ign.com/xbox360/vi ... rking="all%"' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' width='433' height='360'></embed>

Some road circuit footage from gamespot (embed apparently doesn't work here);
http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/driving ... os;title;6

http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/driving ... os;title;9

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Thu Aug 27, 2009 4:03 am

^^^ spammer

matthewk · Post by **matthewk** » Thu Aug 27, 2009 9:53 am

That's not even a question. Foreign spammer!!

I gave up on sim racers otehr than MX (which there aren't any lately) and MotoGP. On 4 wheels I'd much rather have a HFS:HP or a Burnout where I can cause havoc in really cool, fast cars rather than try an emulate actual driving.

Although I'm sure I'll at least rent it just to see Road America.

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Thu Aug 27, 2009 10:45 am

Personally, I hate that NFS is trying to become a "racing " game. We already have GRiD for that.

What I used to love about the NFS series was driving all over the countryside and the nice scenery all around and the superd blend of arcade and sim driving model. Ever since they went in the tuner direction, it hasn't been the same. NFS Carbon was a small step back in the direction I like, but it was just a temporary detour