Need For Speed: Most Wanted (2005) Who Still Plays?

[ThrasherDBS]

A sort of successor to a Need For Speed: Carbon thread made by @Sonygamer455. I'm looking to pick this up again after beating Carbon.

Anyone else still play? Since this is the best selling Need For Speed game, I'd imagine a good handful of people still come back to it.

 

[Sonygamer455]

I have been going into the game some lately and looking at a few things. Most Wanted 2005 never was a favorite for me, but I still liked the game and I would gladly take it over anything they have done recently. I have 2 profiles, one I got from my cousin almost 10 years ago and the other I created myself. I beat my cousins profile when I was 13 and I think I beat my own profile a few years later. Been thinking about finishing everything on both profiles that I hadn't done already and then start a whole new one.

I was looking at the rap sheet on my cousins profile just this morning and one of the highest ranks is getting up to 30 minutes in a single pursuit. Has anyone ever managed to legitimately pull this off?

 

[Prenny]

I Still own this game on my PS2, i have beat it like 2 or 3 times, and finally completed the challenge series.

 

[JR98]

I play this on PC almost daily. There's this superb pursuit mod over at NFSCars.net called the improved pursuit mod that ramps up the difficulty of the cops (and increases backup to 100 units for every heat level) with them being super aggressive at heat 1 and roadblocks (and spike strips) every 30 seconds or so. A lot of fun to use and with a good enough car it's possible to reach some insane pursuit milestones.

My greatest one so far (that I've evaded) has to be this Heat 7 pursuit in JV's Viper.


Before running that I didn't think it was possible to hit milestones this high in 1 pursuit:
Length: 38:24.57
Bounty: 12,489,145
Wrecked Cops: 227
Roadblocks: 85
Spike Strips: 47
Cost-To-State: 1,926,900
Infractions: 7

Overall the mods for this game are fantastic, with most car mods still having some pretty good customization options.

 

[Stephan]

I got the Black Edition and playing it on the PS3. It aged well for the PS3 with some adjustments.

Maybe I will play the game again this time using only the Fiat Punto. That's a challenge.

 

[GBalao888]

I still enjoy this on PC just to drive my dream car of all time, the BMW M3 GTR.

I also like the fact (despite the fact it may sound a bit stupid) that almost all cars can compete in the same level when fully tuned (down to the fact that a Fiat Punto can beat the entire game and reach 375KM/H where all the cars reach the same speed until the Murcielago's top speed of 398KM/H).

By the way, the actual slowest cars in the game are the Pontiac GTO and the Vauxhall Monaro VXR.

 

[Stephan]

I still enjoy this on PC just to drive my dream car of all time, the BMW M3 GTR.

I also like the fact (despite the fact it may sound a bit stupid) that almost all cars can compete in the same level when fully tuned (down to the fact that a Fiat Punto can beat the entire game and reach 375KM/H where all the cars reach the same speed until the Murcielago's top speed of 398KM/H).

By the way, the actual slowest cars in the game are the Pontiac GTO and the Vauxhall Monaro VXR.

I don't think so. The GTO/Monaro is a fast car though. The car is around the Mustang GT territory.

Ah yes.The M3 GTR. One of the main reasons why I kept playing Most Wanted is because of the M3. I feel like the M3 can beat any car in the game as long as the player is good in using it.

 

[GBalao888]

I don't think so. The GTO/Monaro is a fast car though. The car is around the Mustang GT territory.

Ah yes.The M3 GTR. One of the main reasons why I kept playing Most Wanted is because of the M3. I feel like the M3 can beat any car in the game as long as the player is good in using it.

The M3 GTR is a beast and is the third fastest car in the game, just behind the SL 500 and the Murcielago, but its handling is lower than the Corvette C6 and C6.R, although its braking is pretty good. I had a feeling it ran slower during the first ever chapter of the career mode.

 

[Stephan]

The M3 GTR is a beast and is the third fastest car in the game, just behind the SL 500 and the Murcielago, but its handling is lower than the Corvette C6 and C6.R, although its braking is pretty good. I had a feeling it ran slower during the first ever chapter of the career mode.

Top speed wise yes it is the third fastest. As for the handling, the stats may be low but then again, it really took those corners like a boss. Braking just like you said it's good. IMO I think here are reasons why the M3 GTR was slow at the start:

- It was slow at the start in order to give beginners a easier driving experience and in order to get used to the physics of the game.
- The M3 GTR had a power limiter at the start so it could be that once Razor took the M3, he took the power limiter away in order to make the M3 GTR even faster when than you first droved it.

 

[Sonygamer455]

Fact: There is another street variant of the BMW M3 GTR in the game that is ultra-fast. The car has the same car model as the street variant from the Black Edition, but its specs are off the charts. However, when you look at it the top speed, acceleration, and handling stats, it's as low as possible, but when you start driving it, you will realize that's not the case.

The car is very lightweight, seems to have the best acceleration in the entire game, goes at least 258 MPH, and has a different engine sound. It's believed to be a speed test vehicle. The only way to get it is through hacking.

Here it is in action:


You're probably thinking, "It's fake" or "It's a mod", it's not. I have driven this car on the PS2 version and it's a fine car. Very good for just about anything. Thinking about adding this to my new profile whenever I create it and using it on my second time through the career for the heck of it.

Note: The methods of getting it on the PS2 version are not AUP friendly, so do not PM asking how, please.

 

[JR98]

The actual M3 GTR Street isn't too bad a car. Performance is obviously lower than that of the M3 GTR (Similar to some of the mid range cars in the game) but can't be upgraded and uses the M3 GTR sounds.

It's accessible in NFSMW PC on career if you download a mod called shop spezial. It's an exterior application that adds a number of normally inaccessible cars (including traffic, black edition and cop cars) but a save editor is required to fix the game save so it can still be used afterwards (I believe Shop Spezial comes with a save editor though).

It uses the M3 GTR sound and is pretty average performance wise, although it can't be upgraded at all (like all the Shop Spezial cars) but still comes with nitrous (again, like all Shop Spezial cars).



Full Shop Spezial list:
BMW M3 GTR Race (2 Versions)
BMW M3 GTR Street
Cement Mixer
Chevrolet Camaro SS
Chevrolet Corvette C6.R
Chevrolet Corvette C6.R Federal Interceptor (Heat 5)
Civic Police Cruiser (Heat 1)
Garbage Truck
Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG
Minivan
Pickup Truck
Pizza Car
Pontiac GTO State Cruiser (Heat 3)
Porsche 911 GT2
Rhino SUV
Taxi

 

[Prenny]

For some reason i sometimes see the A.I Driving the M3 GTR Street on Career Mode Races, even though i have the normal version of the game not the black edition.

 

[JR98]

For some reason i sometimes see the A.I Driving the M3 GTR Street on Career Mode Races, even though i have the normal version of the game not the black edition.

Maybe the Street is still in the base game but is only made available for Black Edition?

 

[Prenny]

Maybe the Street is still in the base game but is only made available for Black Edition?

Probably, and it seems that the only way to obtain it on base game is hacking the game, sometimes i also see the A.I Driving the Corvette C6.R too.

 

[Sonygamer455]

The actual M3 GTR Street isn't too bad a car. Performance is obviously lower than that of the M3 GTR (Similar to some of the mid range cars in the game)

Yea it's a decent car if you manage to get a hold of it.

It's accessible in NFSMW PC on career if you download a mod called shop spezial. It's an exterior application that adds a number of normally inaccessible cars (including traffic, black edition and cop cars) but a save editor is required to fix the game save so it can still be used afterwards (I believe Shop Spezial comes with a save editor though).

You can also get them through hex editing. (Which isn't hard)

It uses the M3 GTR sound and is pretty average performance wise, although it can't be upgraded at all (like all the Shop Spezial cars) but still comes with nitrous (again, like all Shop Spezial cars).

The speed test variant of the BMW can't be upgraded either, which makes sense considering it's car model is the same. You can only get it through hex editing though, Shop Spezial doesn't have it.

Maybe the Street is still in the base game but is only made available for Black Edition?

It is in the base game, all of the Black Edition cars are in it. You just have to hack the game to get them.

 

[ThrasherDBS]

I haven't been able to get a straight answer out of any of the resources I've googled on the subject. I'm guessing that it varies from platform to platform, but does anyone know what the career garage limit is? I've managed to get the pink slip for every boss up to where I am now. (Big Lou is next.) I don't want to reach a certain point and then not be able to get another car, so I want to know what my limits are so far as garage capacity. At this point in time, I have five cars.

Playing the PS2 version on my PS3 after having played the PS3 version of Carbon is quite a stark contrast on the eyes. Obviously, it's the size and resolution of the PS2 on the PS3 platform so I did expect a downgrade, but it's still a little disorienting being able to seeing it all grainy like. One of the more disorienting things is the inconsistent framerate. That must be because the PS3 is trying to emulate a console it isn't.

 

[JR98]

I haven't been able to get a straight answer out of any of the resources I've googled on the subject. I'm guessing that it varies from platform to platform, but does anyone know what the career garage limit is? I've managed to get the pink slip for every boss up to where I am now. (Big Lou is next.) I don't want to reach a certain point and then not be able to get another car, so I want to know what my limits are so far as garage capacity. At this point in time, I have five cars.

Playing the PS2 version on my PS3 after having played the PS3 version of Carbon is quite a stark contrast on the eyes. Obviously, it's the size and resolution of the PS2 on the PS3 platform so I did expect a downgrade, but it's still a little disorienting being able to seeing it all grainy like. One of the more disorienting things is the inconsistent framerate. That must be because the PS3 is trying to emulate a console it isn't.

AFAIK you can have all the blacklist cars you win + 5 extra cars from the car lot (including the starter cars)

 

[ThrasherDBS]

That's nice to know, so theoretically, if I were to keep going through the game getting pink slip after pink slip and not selling any cars, I'd be able to have all of them.

I'm still kinda curious if winning pink slips has any effect on how many cars you can have, or if the overall limit of the garage is 20, regardless of whether or not they're won or bought. I wonder if winning the cars also wins you another slot in your garage.

 

[JR98]

I'm still kinda curious if winning pink slips has any effect on how many cars you can have, or if the overall limit of the garage is 20, regardless of whether or not they're won or bought. I wonder if winning the cars also wins you another slot in your garage.

Getting the pink slips adds the car to your garage while adding an extra slot for that car but AFAIK that extra slot gets removed if you sell that car.

 

[ThrasherDBS]

Awesome, that's very good to know.

Does anyone think that Sonny and Big Lou's profiles should have been switched? Big Lou's profile makes him sound like he's a bedwetter, and thus probably one of the first guys you'd take out.

 

[Stephan]

Awesome, that's very good to know.

Does anyone think that Sonny and Big Lou's profiles should have been switched? Big Lou's profile makes him sound like he's a bedwetter, and thus probably one of the first guys you'd take out.

Well Big Lou does look like a pimp plus he has his valets driving stock Eclipses so that makes him a pimp. Sonny on the other hand looks like a Blacklist beginner.

 

[ThrasherDBS]

That's true, but being all show and no go I think would make him more towards the bottom.

Doesn't matter now, seeing as he's now a pimp with no car.

 

[Sonygamer455]

I was looking at the rap sheet on my cousins profile just this morning and one of the highest ranks is getting up to 30 minutes in a single pursuit. Has anyone ever managed to legitimately pull this off?

I was looking at my own profile just the other day and turns out I actually did manage to get in a 30 minute pursuit and escape. I thought I had done it somewhere, but I wasn't sure. Seems like I remember doing it with the M3 GTR without any cheats, it was time consuming and quite challenging.

Now I just need to do that again in my other profile. I want to use cheats with it, but I don't want to get too used to it before starting a new career because then I won't enjoy it since I am used to using cheats!

 

[ThrasherDBS]

Well, if you like the challenge aspect of it, you could also do some self-imposed challenges. My effort to not spend any money so far has also become a "beat each blacklist racer with the previous racer's car". The only money I've spent is to buy my starter car. Though if I haven't beaten a game before, I'm hesitant to spend money, because I'm not sure how easily it's going to come, and how much I'll need if I have to buy something very important. I don't think this game has the post-game money drought that Carbon did. I'm glad you can go back to previous races and earn the same amount of money as you did when you first beat them.

But seriously, I'm the kind of guy that hordes healing items in action RPGs because I never know when I'll really need them.

Though, don't be ashamed of using some cheats. If there's a particularly annoying bit in a game, I might use cheats to get through it, but in most racing games, I play it through legitimately the first time. Need For Speed High Stakes, I abused the "High Stakes" mode to circumvent needing the right cars and amount of money to participate in events, rather than having to grind tournaments for cash. Same for GTA, I usually have the infinite health cheat on, because I'm not so keen on getting killed over and over on hard bits.

 

[Sonygamer455]

I don't think this game has the post-game money drought that Carbon did.

It doesn't. Carbon and Undercover had it however and it's one of the few criticisms I have for those 2 games. For Carbon, it's kind of understandable since some of the Silverton races give as much as $65,000 each time and it would make things like getting faster cars and the reward card for the Chevelle too easy. Undercover however, I don't know where the developers thought that was a good idea, probably the part about the fast cars I guess.

I don't remember the payouts in MW, but I do know it has a lot of races. So their is plenty of choices for earning money. I still wish Carbon and Undercover payouts stayed the same as MW did.

Though, don't be ashamed of using some cheats. If there's a particularly annoying bit in a game, I might use cheats to get through it, but in most racing games, I play it through legitimately the first time. Need For Speed High Stakes, I abused the "High Stakes" mode to circumvent needing the right cars and amount of money to participate in events, rather than having to grind tournaments for cash. Same for GTA, I usually have the infinite health cheat on, because I'm not so keen on getting killed over and over on hard bits.

Indeed. Of course, it's nice to play the game without them first because cheats are the most fun when you have become used to playing the game normally for so long. However, if you keep losing at the same part over and over again to the point it ruins your mood, then yes, use cheats if it makes you feel better. (Not including online multiplayer games when I say that though)

I haven't played MW all the way through in several years, but it seems like the game wasn't too bad difficulty wise, so I doubt I will need cheats to get through it the first time. I will go all out the next go round though after I have beaten it normally and have gotten to know the game the way I used to again.

 

[Stephan]

I know some already saw this in my profile page but here's the question, which Blacklist car do you think is the easiest and hardest that anyone can replicate in different racing games?

 

[JR98]

Easiest is definitely Bull's SLR. Just get whatever the fastest Merc is in that game and paint it black, while the hardest could be either Ronnie's DB9, Webster's C6, JV's Viper or Earl's Evo.

 

[Sonygamer455]

I don't know my easiest, but as for the hardest, I always thought Earl was the hardest. For at least 9 years or so, I have always believed that the entire game picked up in terms of performance and he apparently had those parts on his car. Which makes him much harder than most combined with the long track you race him on. I think it's time I finally figure out if my theory is true or not.

Razor still packs a challenge, but I never thought he was as bad Earl. When I was 13 and I challenged him, I was literally stressed racing him because of what my cousin told me.

 

[JR98]

I don't know my easiest, but as for the hardest, I always thought Earl was the hardest. For at least 9 years or so, I have always believed that the entire game picked up in terms of performance and he apparently had those parts on his car. Which makes him much harder than most combined with the long track you race him on. I think it's time I finally figure out if my theory is true or not.

Razor still packs a challenge, but I never thought he was as bad Earl. When I was 13 and I challenged him, I was stressed racing him because of what my cousin told me.

It was for who's car was easiest/hardest to recreate in different racing games, not who was easiest/hardest in game. As for actual difficulty I found Baron, Earl & Bull the hardest from what I remember of playing them originally. I also found any blacklister with drag races hard. I remember one about halfway through (might've been Jewels) that had a really hard drag race that took me almost 10 tries to do even recently.

 

[Sonygamer455]

It was for who's car was easiest/hardest to recreate in different racing games, not who was easiest/hardest in game.

Oh, I must have misread it. Not sure which one is the most difficult for me, haven't really tried replicating one from scratch.

Edit: I have tried making Ming's Lamborghini before in Undercover, it took me over an hour to do it.

I remember one about halfway through (might've been Jewels) that had a really hard drag race that took me almost 10 tries to do even recently.

Seems like I faintly remember having trouble with her as well.

I don't remember how it was when I was challenging Baron, but I do remember his Porsche helped me get through the game until I got Ming's Lamborghini.