Wed, Dec 01, 2010 | 18:28 GMT
NFS Shift 2: “We won’t add 1000 irrelevant cars”, says lead designer
Andy Tudor, the lease designer behind Need for Speed: Shift 2 – Unleashed, has promised the game will be all about racing instead of car collecting.
Speaking in an interview with Eurogamer, Tudor said the fun in racing games is “behind the wheel” not grinding for cash to buy another car.
“[Gran Turismo and Forza] are on pedestals at the moment. When we’re thinking about what we want to do in this game, it’s not a numbers game,” said Tudor. “We’re not going to add a thousand irrelevant cars. Both those games, to me, are almost like encyclopedias. You’ve got a thousand cars, a thousand tracks, whatever, and basically the game is about earning cash to get another car, earning cash to get another car. It’s like a grind. It’s almost like stamp collecting.
“That’s not where the fun is. The fun is behind the wheel, feeling you’re on the edge, pushing it to the limit, putting in the cars that are relevant and cool to drive, allowing you to completely customize those from factory to the works level we had in Shift 1, and giving you the chance to then play against your friends in a social way. Taking Autolog, which is present in Hot Pursuit, to the next level, adding more features and making the core gameplay really fun as opposed to just adding five variations of the 1986 Toyota Corolla or something like that.”
According to Tudor, most players only have around 10-15 cars in their virtual garages anyway, tending to go for cars similar to the ones they own in real life. Tudor said the developers have also found that most players just get a car from each tier or category, and then pick a dream car like a Lamborghini or a Porsche.
“Then, generally, people fill out the rest with cars they want to try out, like a Dodge Challenger, that they may not have access to,” he said. “So people have 10-15 cars anyway. They certainly don’t fill their garage up with every single car there is in the game – all 500 of them.
“It’s a different way of thinking, basically. We want to take those guys on. We want to make a more authentic experience. We’ve put in a new elite handling model and given you more access over deadzone, sensitivity, steering aids, break assists, all that kind of stuff, to allow you to dial in the experience you want. We all come from different backgrounds. You may love muscle cars and might think Burnout is the best game in the world. I may like Japanese tuner cars, and may think Hot Pursuit is the best game in the world.
“We have very different views on racing, so we want to make sure everyone is able to get the experience they want from it.”
Shift 2: Unleashed, which will provide an innovative helmet camera view, will release in spring 2011 for PC, PS3, and Xbox 360.
The first previews for the game hit earlier in the week.
Related posts
Need for Speed: Shift has 65 cars, 18 tracks
Need for Speed: Shift screens are full of cars, obviously
Interview – Homefront’s lead designer discusses why the US is sensitive to the game’s themes
20 
Posted in: EA, PC, PS3, Racing, Xbox 360
Tags: Need for Speed Shift 2: Unleashed, NFS: Shift 2, Slightly Mad Studios
20 comments
#1
Gekidami
01/12/10, 6:29 pm
They cant either way, because they have to make it fit on a DVD9.
#2
Hunam
01/12/10, 6:30 pm
I draw I always found for GT anyway, was the ability to get a car similar to my own car in real life, then mod the fucking shit out of it and take it around the world on race courses, denouncing that is kinda silly to be honest.
#3
DSB
01/12/10, 6:31 pm
So do we get an apology for the 1000 irrelevant games that has had NFS stamped on them?
(Loved the Underground series)
@2 The real value of those sims is just that to me. To get a lazy 10-ton Volvo and trick it the fuck out.
#4
Razor
01/12/10, 6:33 pm
Well to be honest, Polyphony shouldn’t have added the 800 standard cars to GT5.
Massive error by Polyphony.
#5
JimFear666
01/12/10, 6:38 pm
lol @ EA who try to drown GT5 just to show how good Shift 2 will be but in reality…. Its a verry generic racing game.
#6
itsucks
01/12/10, 6:38 pm
@1: They can always grab the PSX1 n4S car models and called “retro”, I bet they can acheive 2000 cars that way. I Know some incompetent devs who did, so…
#7
Erthazus
01/12/10, 6:47 pm
They are so offended by Gran Turismo 5 success…
Troll harder Andy. Troll harder.
#8
theevilaires
01/12/10, 6:47 pm
Love NFS and the shift editions are great but don’t be a fool trying to challenge the KING in its prime. Wait until GT5 is about 1 years old then talk shit please.
#9
Tallon 4
01/12/10, 6:53 pm
In a way they’re right.
I don’t care about those 800 Gt4 cars.
All I want in GT5 are real premium monsters like a Nissan Xanavi GTR.
#10
BULArmy
01/12/10, 7:02 pm
I like that GT is an ecyclopedia of cars.But I don’t want again and again the same new Bugati, Ferrari, Porsche, there must be a game which will give you 1000 absolutely different cars from let say 60s onwards. I also think that is extremly stupid to have like 10 cars from one model which differs slightly. And I don’t see what is the problem with having many tracks I am absolutely outraged when a game has like 10 tracks which only differs by the direction you drive.
#11
CaptPierce
01/12/10, 7:09 pm
I agree with him saying racing games shouldn’t be about grinding and being fun, but you’re mentioning one of the biggest names is the genre, and a very popular franchise that builds on the fact you can collect that many cars. PD have their thing, and you have yours, Mr. Tudor. Don’t try to drag down someones formula that works.
#12
sebbie16
01/12/10, 7:35 pm
Shitty driving physics and stupid blur effects does not make a better racing game.
#13
Razor
01/12/10, 7:56 pm
“All I want in GT5 are real premium monsters like a Nissan Xanavi GTR.”
#14
jacobvandy
01/12/10, 8:00 pm
I find it hilarious that every other racing game studio feels so threatened by Gran Turismo 5. When they make petty comments like this, it says more about how awesome GT5 is than convince anyone that their game will be better. NFS is an arcade racing series, anyway, not even the same category. Not that that’s bad, I enjoy some of them, too, but they aren’t sims.
#15
sg1974
01/12/10, 8:27 pm
I recall Shift had cars which literally bounced down the track in some races, and a bit dodgy physics
#16
Tallon 4
01/12/10, 8:32 pm
@ 15: That true…at least for 3rd person view.
But you absolutely don’t notice that in the magnificent cockpitview ( only way to play SHIFT imo )
@ Razor: Love all the Nissan’s but that livery is so damn awesome. If I win the lottery I’m gonna buy one
#17
Gekidami
01/12/10, 8:35 pm
Shift is the only racer i’ve played this gen and i thought it was ass honestly. I hate sims for starters but playing online and messing up a corner which leads to trashing your car instantly then having you sit out the whole race in spectator is fucking ridiculous.
#18
albo88
02/12/10, 7:19 am
@1 when you and others will understand that aint not a problem making the game in 3 dvds just look at star ocean the last hope do you get offended if u open the tray and change the disc? or that take time? well guess what with all of that time it takes a ps3 game to be loaded then pretty much is the same as changing a disc
#19
mojo
02/12/10, 9:07 am
moron
#20
M2Kx
02/12/10, 10:04 am
I kinda like this guy.
I mean, sure they feel strong now after they’ve seen gt5s reviewscores, it’s nothing that they couldn’t beat with a good shift sequel.