Need For Speed Payback General Discussion

[cudwieser]

Well it's not just the official NFS forums that have been toxic but even the /r/NFS server is toxic as well and the unnecessary requests keep on coming.

It became too easy when one of the updates came out to make progression easier. Even I think Ghost needs to slightly lower the payouts you get from winning races. I get that there are those who will not be able to play since they got other things to do other than playing NFS Payback but this is way too much. It's like the "grindiness" of the game before the update was gone.

Going to light a cheeky fire under you here. I'm one of those opposed to grinding on principle as while you have to play the game, being stuck in the trenches is a buzz kill and takes from the game. Saying that there has to be a balance.

Would you appreciate the a drop of 20% all round (20k instead of 25k) but keep the card payouts.

To throw a left field notion on here is there a possibility the races are too quick for the payout (I like the length of races as is btw). Would longer events for such a payout be an idea or paying by the mile be an idea (2000 per mile)?

 

[Stephan]

Going to light a cheeky fire under you here. I'm one of those opposed to grinding on principle as while you have to play the game, being stuck in the trenches is a buzz kill and takes from the game. Saying that there has to be a balance.

Would you appreciate the a drop of 20% all round (20k instead of 25k) but keep the card payouts.

To throw a left field notion on here is there a possibility the races are too quick for the payout (I like the length of races as is btw). Would longer events for such a payout be an idea or paying by the mile be an idea (2000 per mile)?

I don't understand what you're trying to point out here but all I'm saying it's that the payouts after the update is just too much. Like that good feeling of being able to buy a car after the grind is gone. It's just instant buy a car thanks to the bigger payouts now. The cards on the other hand I can accept that they need to increase it but for the cash, they slightly needed to drop it.

 

[cudwieser]

I don't understand what you're trying to point out here but all I'm saying it's that the payouts after the update is just too much. Like that good feeling of being able to buy a car after the grind is gone. It's just instant buy a car thanks to the bigger payouts now. The cards on the other hand I can accept that they need to increase it but for the cash, they slightly needed to drop it.

I just coming at the same arguement from the other end. I actually appreciate the payouts as they are. I agree on principle with the need to actually play the game, but being a very casual gamer I have little or no time to grind with no apparent reward. Equally I see little point in being handed everything from the start as the game will be very short indeed.

That being said there are still cars in the game that are pricey enough imo like the Vulcan that dropping payouts will make affording even harder and risk making the game too much of a grind. If the prices were dropped from 25k to 20k you might have a balance, but knock it too low and how often are you willing to repeat the same events.

This is just the way I see things

P.S another of my POV's is that I like variety and lots of it. If anything were to come down the line that is more pricey then I see payouts as they are being even more justified. Hell even if the content doubled and there was a lot to buy you're going to need the cash to make that grind bearable.

 

[Stephan]

Sorry but the increased payouts ain't gonna cut it for me but that's just on my case. A very slight/slight decrease on the payouts would be enough.

There is a comment I saw from BlackPanthaa's video on NFS Payback vs Reviewers that pretty much describes your previous post.

So again, I don't mind the increased payouts but its way too much for me. It's gotten boring like you don't wanna race anymore since you have like a ton of cash to spent on cars and visual customization unlike before you had to grind just to be able to buy a car you want and grind extra for customizing the car.

 

[cudwieser]

Sorry but the increased payouts ain't gonna cut it for me but that's just on my case. A very slight/slight decrease on the payouts would be enough.

There is a comment I saw from BlackPanthaa's video on NFS Payback vs Reviewers that pretty much describes your previous post.

So again, I don't mind the increased payouts but its way too much for me. It's gotten boring like you don't wanna race anymore since you have like a ton of cash to spent on cars and visual customization unlike before you had to grind just to be able to buy a car you want and grind extra for customizing the car.

Fair enough. I will say this though. I actually enjoyed NFS2015 even though it was short. The fact ot was short is kind of a major complaint in as much as it seems most games are now little more than a core element with 'new' features being added. If the games were more complete or expansive from the get go these discussion would be a little different (only a little )

Regardless Merry Christmas Everyone

 

[yabiggoose]

Goot this for xmas from my gf. Wow. This and 2015 are like night and day, this is so much better than 2015.

I'm actually having fun.

 

[CleanCut]

If I may add another two cents about the balance:

I DID buy the deluxe edition, but nevertheless, the fact remains that I currently own 11 vehicles, have $440,000 in the bank, and I've only repeated ONE single race (excluding do-overs from losing). The only reason I repeated it was because the finish line ended near a destination I had in mind anyhow.

Look, it's all opinion, but my personal opinion is that what I stated above sounds a little ridiculous. I could literally purchase every customization option on every vehicle, including every wheel, and make the money back in under an hour. That, to me, is about as opposite of "balanced" as you can get.

 

[ELmarcotuff]

If I may add another two cents about the balance:

I DID buy the deluxe edition, but nevertheless, the fact remains that I currently own 11 vehicles, have $440,000 in the bank, and I've only repeated ONE single race (excluding do-overs from losing). The only reason I repeated it was because the finish line ended near a destination I had in mind anyhow.

Look, it's all opinion, but my personal opinion is that what I stated above sounds a little ridiculous. I could literally purchase every customization option on every vehicle, including every wheel, and make the money back in under an hour. That, to me, is about as opposite of "balanced" as you can get.

But the real grind comes from speed cards man

 

[CleanCut]

^^ Yeah, I know, but even there I'm not having any trouble. Because cash is thrown at me right and left, I simply buy cards in the tune up shop, there's little need to roll for them. I DO roll for cards on every vehicle trying to dial in the perks, but I currently have over 45 roll tokens.... again,... I'm not seeing a grind in any way shape or form. (I'm playing on medium difficulty).

 

[rallymorten]

So to change subject away from whether or not the game satisfies your inner needs for grinding and wanting to pay for microtransactions, I'd like to talk about this newfangled Speedcross thing which I've only just now gotten around to for reasons of PS4 Deluxe Edition pre-order and that being a big mess..

I have only completed the first Braxton course, and thus far, it's.. kind of cool. I have no doubt I'd enjoy it more if I was actually into the whole Gymkhana thing - let's face it, this is a Gymkhana ripoff - but that's how it is. The events themselves are alright, but it's a good thing they've kept the courses to those and out of regular freeroam. Fortune Valley is one of the best settings I can think of having appeared in a Need For Speed game, in that Criterion has-a-bit-of-everything sort of way, and I'd hate to see that ruined solely because streme spoats.

I am, however, going to add three more to the count of Times Ghost Tried To Shoehorn Their Games Into The Black Box Universe - one confirmed location and two characters that I personally cannot yet confirm but can basically predict *will be* those two characters. Which, from the top of my head, brings the total to at least 12.

Look, a passing reference is fine, maybe even genious, if done correctly. The license plates, for instance, I'm totally fine with. But I'm starting to think they're either lacking imagination to make their own original universe or are actively targeting the MrPanthaaFTW audience who'll gladly.. uhh, yeah, I think you can see where I'm going with this. My point is Black Box started out with a single out-of-context game and then built a world out of that. It can't be that much more impossible to do a similar thing these days.

 

[CleanCut]

^^ I've only played the shakedown missions for Speedcross so far, but the Mini is incredibly quick and snappy. I liked it!

I agree on the world - the map is just incredible. The elevation changes are amazing, and every quadrant of the map looks different and yet cohesive.

The tie-ins aren't for everyone I suppose. Personally I don't mind at all, but I do find it annoying that it has become such a trend in franchises of every type, including movies. Every character has to be related/intertwined to another some way or another, even to the point that it's seriously stretching the narrative. It gets old. With NFS however, I feel differently. I like to think that Fortune Valley, Bayview, Rockport, Palmont City, Ventura Bay, etc.. are all cities co-existing in this fictional NFS-verse.

 

[rallymorten]

As I said, I don't have a problem with references in general.

Namedropping

Spoiler: a previous NFS location

Palmont City

how they did, I'm fine with (though, unless they too are doing a GTA and reinventing all the cities off-screen, I struggle to think of any good places for Speedcross events there - it's implied it happens there, don't @ me). Having a few (that's *a few*, not *ten percent*) of the AI opponents being named suspiciously similar to characters from previous games, I can see the fun in. In and of itself, having

Spoiler: someone

Chris Williams

reprise their role as

Spoiler: their role

off-camera Cross

and

Spoiler: doing their thing

namedrop Rockport

is an alright reference.

It just seems to me like they're trying too hard to establish this "shared NFS universe" with games that released ten (nearly 15!) years ago, to the point where even Marvel is proud of the sheer amount and obviousness of links. Which annoys me to no end, because there is a certain reference in the game that's exactly the kind I'd want to see more of. It's a sort of once-you've-seen-it kind of thing, too!

And let's not get started on how

Spoiler: an otherwise good pop culture reference

the cabins at Newhaven Lake

actually works alright - until you get the character dialogue on it and the cleverness vaporises completely.

 

[Joey D]

Have they released the next abandoned car yet? It's supposed to be today right?

 

[rallymorten]

Have they released the next abandoned car yet? It's supposed to be today right?

You'd think that, but..



..I wasn't going to say it, but I'm going to say it: inconsistent Rockstaring. Which doesn't get better when you consider some of the cars apparently have been made available to.. "internet personalities" of their choosing, and not in the single-player-mods kind of way.

 

[CleanCut]

As I said, I don't have a problem with references in general.
........

Part of what makes those little easter eggs fun is the fact that many players, myself included, have been playing NFS games for 15 years, so the references are little sentimental reminders of the glory days of the franchise. Younger/newer players couldn't care less because the references will be lost on them. So from the developer's standpoint it seems like a win/win. It seems like you are okay with those references being made, but also complaining about the practice(?)... I'm probably misunderstanding.

All you have to do is do a quick browse of the community wrap library to see how popular prior game tie-ins are with the masses. Every other wrap (for certain vehicles) is someone's imitation of a hero car from a prior NFS game (or FnF film). I don't get the particular draw of trying to make an exact copy of a car design from years ago, although I feel like it's reasonable to use them as inspiration when it is needed. I've decided on my own playthrough to design a few wraps that are reminiscent of hero/villain cars of the past, but deliberately update them rather than make an exact copy... I'll be posting the builds gradually.

 

[rallymorten]

I'm probably misunderstanding.

With all due respect, I think it's either this or me being famously bad at expressing myself/me being a hypocrite and about to be cold-shouldered out of this section as well.

I'm not going to get involved in a "who's played NFS for longer" debate. Nothing good can ever come from one of those, and frankly, nobody cares (inb4 that is taken out of context to describe this post. Beat you all to it).

Spoiler: Rambling alert

I don't have a problem with references in general, be they to previous entries in the franchise or something else entirely. Heck, one of my favorite games of all time is a big reference.

The problem I have with Payback is it's basically throwing every single reference it can think of at your face and see what sticks. Had the opponent list in the Outlaws Rush contained one name that was significantly similar to a previous NFS character, that'd be fine. Two is pushing it a bit. Three is just begging for people to notice how clever the game is, nevermind how one certain character is actually in-your-face obvious.

Particularly that last one is not a reference. That's what I would call actively trying to shoehorn Payback into the Black Box universe.

A clever-ish reference would've been if the one person I mentioned in my previous post didn't.. do what he does. Just that he was there, had a line and was a recognisable voice for anyone with a memory. That's how you do clever references.

Besides, most younger/newer players either probably wouldn't bother playing the games they're so heavily trying to make you remember, or they might be different, pick them up and pick up on a few things they wouldn't without. Much like how you can easily play GTA V without playing GTA IV, but then you wouldn't nod your head at that "Eastern European guy making moves in Liberty City". See where I'm coming from?

My problem isn't with the occational reference. My problem is with references that are this in-your-face and really only there to create some artificial link that, again, anyone but the people who've been playing it for longer (as I say it once more, the Black Box games are ten - getting on for fifteen in some cases - years old by now) or replay the older games would have a chance of noticing anyway.

prior game tie-ins

I'd disagree with the wording there, and this isn't really the same thing. If the developer puts a line in that specifically reads something about either a previous character or location, that's part of *the* game, as in the game has forever established that connection, like when Most Wanted made a passing reference to Underground 2. If you make your own little reference, it's part of *your* game. You can start a new save and not do that, and it would have no further consequences. The community doing community things do not, in any way, tie one game to another.

Case in point: I've made a Meinmacht livery for my R32 Skyline in GTS - does that mean PD is actively trying to fit GTS into the GTA universe, or is that just me doing my own thing, having a bit of fun with it?

 

[CleanCut]

With all due respect, I think it's either this or me being famously bad at expressing myself/me being a hypocrite and about to be cold-shouldered out of this section as well.

I'm not going to get involved in a "who's played NFS for longer" debate. Nothing good can ever come from one of those, and frankly, nobody cares (inb4 that is taken out of context to describe this post. Beat you all to it).

I think you have me confused for a different guy - I'm not trying to pick an argument or boast about playing NFS for years. There is a certain individual who haunts this site just looking to start arguments and debates, but that's not me.

"My problem isn't with the occational reference. My problem is with references that are this in-your-face and really only there to create some artificial link that, again, anyone but the people who've been playing it for longer (as I say it once more, the Black Box games are ten - getting on for fifteen in some cases - years old by now) or replay the older games would have a chance of noticing anyway."

I agree with the sentiment, I just haven't noticed it in Payback yet - I'm not that far along for one thing. But I was basically saying the same thing regarding cameos and easter eggs in movies - particularly the Marvel-backed movies or the Star Wars franchise.... I mean, C-3PO and R2D2 in every single film no matter what? - C'mon. But I digress...

To clarify, I wasn't suggesting that player-made wraps are an attempt by Ghost to tie the games together, I was saying that the sheer number of community wraps designed to mimic the hero cars of the Black Box era can be an indication of how favorable the community is towards these deliberate easter eggs.

 

[CleanCut]

Guys, I'm trying to unlock all of my customization options and I'm having a terrible time with a couple... To unlock calipers I have to complete 3 drift zones with 2 stars.... I spend nearly an entire hour trying three different zones and I can't complete a single one with 2 stars... I'm in a 350Z... Do I just suck or do I need a better car, or what?? It feels like the car is dialed in, but the traffic is a MOTHER. It seems like rush-hour every time I enter a drift zone and I can't avoid traffic and still maintain my score.

Also Tires.... it simply says "reach a multiplier of 2 in free-roam." But I have no idea what that means... the only multipliers I know of has to do with drifting and hitting cones, but in free-roam you can drift for a mile and it doesn't show multipliers unless you are in a drift zone. I've reached tier 2 multipliers there plenty of times, but evidently this doesn't count. What gives?

 

[FT-1]

Guys, I'm trying to unlock all of my customization options and I'm having a terrible time with a couple... To unlock calipers I have to complete 3 drift zones with 2 stars.... I spend nearly an entire hour trying three different zones and I can't complete a single one with 2 stars... I'm in a 350Z... Do I just suck or do I need a better car, or what?? It feels like the car is dialed in, but the traffic is a MOTHER. It seems like rush-hour every time I enter a drift zone and I can't avoid traffic and still maintain my score.

Also Tires.... it simply says "reach a multiplier of 2 in free-roam." But I have no idea what that means... the only multipliers I know of has to do with drifting and hitting cones, but in free-roam you can drift for a mile and it doesn't show multipliers unless you are in a drift zone. I've reached tier 2 multipliers there plenty of times, but evidently this doesn't count. What gives?

Funny how when Ghost Games mimics a feature from Forza Horizon 3, they also copy the most annoying aspect of it; the freaking traffic still being present in drift zones!

But as for getting two stars on a drift zone, I would suggest avoiding silver rock since the roads are often sharp and you are more likely to lose your flow if you screw up. Both Silver Canyon and Mount Providence have good roads, try looking for a drift zone there. And don't forget there are offroad drift zones too - Ideally have a car rated over 250 and use a soft/loose set up. What's better about offroad drift zones is that you don't have any encounters with traffic for the most part.

The reaching a multiplier of 2 refers to the skills performed to gain rep, not the drift multiplier. This is one of the trickier tasks because you need to have covered virtually every type of skill in a single run. This includes high speed, drifting, oncoming, jumping, near misses and so on. Again, this is best done in a powerful offroad vehicle.

 

[Smokey Nismo]

Saw this game on the PSN store as part of the January Sale, and i'm having a little bit of skepticism because on the one hand this game looks massively improved. On the other hand, I got burned by NFS 2015. Is it worth the jump?

 

[rallymorten]

Is it worth the jump?

Yes and no.

To start with the cons, the performance tuning is 100% luck-based, from hoping the tuning shop has just the part you want available that refresh to what amounts to an actual slot machine and.. that certain other glorified premium gambling mechanic. The days where money got you just the turbo upgrade you wanted are nowhere to be seen. And they've decided casual, non-Speedlist online (aka the single redeeming feature of 2015 in my books) is the work of the devil.

That being said, they have fixed *most* of the issues with the handling. It does still do weird things every once in a while, but those a few and quite far between. Fairly alright in general.

The setting, I would argue, is actually the biggest improvement. Moving away from trying (that's a key word, in case you missed it) to be this hardcore-underground-racer simulator opens up a heck of a lot in terms of gameplay. You've got map variety I can only compare to GTA V - there's a city, which I will admit could've done with being slightly bigger and a really rather huge outback-sy bit. You've got an Interstate connecting the entire thing in that NFS Undercover sort of way and each area actually feels.. distinct. From open deserts to forests and proper canyons, it's got a little bit of everything Need for Speed, as a franchise, has to offer, plus just enough of those Burnout Paradise-style jumps etc. if that tickles your fancy. And it's the first NFS to properly feature off-road as well, which, again, just opens a new world of opportunities for the series.

You will have to cut the story some slack in much the same way you've had to do it with the last four Fast and Furous movies, but hey, I'll take that over more even-cringier-dudebro stuff.

TL;DR depends on what part of 2015 you didn't like and what your opinion on lootboxes is.

 

[Smokey Nismo]

Yes and no.

To start with the cons, the performance tuning is 100% luck-based, from hoping the tuning shop has just the part you want available that refresh to what amounts to an actual slot machine and.. that certain other glorified premium gambling mechanic. The days where money got you just the turbo upgrade you wanted are nowhere to be seen. And they've decided casual, non-Speedlist online (aka the single redeeming feature of 2015 in my books) is the work of the devil.

That being said, they have fixed *most* of the issues with the handling. It does still do weird things every once in a while, but those a few and quite far between. Fairly alright in general.

The setting, I would argue, is actually the biggest improvement. Moving away from trying (that's a key word, in case you missed it) to be this hardcore-underground-racer simulator opens up a heck of a lot in terms of gameplay. You've got map variety I can only compare to GTA V - there's a city, which I will admit could've done with being slightly bigger and a really rather huge outback-sy bit. You've got an Interstate connecting the entire thing in that NFS Undercover sort of way and each area actually feels.. distinct. From open deserts to forests and proper canyons, it's got a little bit of everything Need for Speed, as a franchise, has to offer, plus just enough of those Burnout Paradise-style jumps etc. if that tickles your fancy. And it's the first NFS to properly feature off-road as well, which, again, just opens a new world of opportunities for the series.

You will have to cut the story some slack in much the same way you've had to do it with the last four Fast and Furous movies, but hey, I'll take that over more even-cringier-dudebro stuff.

TL;DR depends on what part of 2015 you didn't like and what your opinion on lootboxes is.

Well, I certainly enjoyed customizing the cars (Some of my examples here: https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/threads/show-us-your-ride-s.337704/page-25#post-11420227), and would love to recreate say, Nikki's Ford GT or Darius's Audi R8. But on the other hand, the slot machine mechanic in place of money is kinda steering me towards no. From what I've seen of the game, I do like how it's trying to move away from NFS 2015 though.

 

[Sage Ages]

I have similar feelings about this game as I did the last one. Two steps forward, three steps back.

 

[DJTHEKING]

Is it me, or the police this time went crazy insane? I've tried to get the RX-7 a couple of time and if it isn't the four cars ramming me in a wall, some guy arrives with an IEM that totally stops my car.

And the fact i can get busted even if my car can still escape easily. What a joke.

 

[FT-1]

@DJTHEKING Protip: If you see a cop car with a killswitch (marked by a yellow arrow on the minimap/atom symbol above the vehicle), the best thing to do is to prioritise ramming that vehicle as that will disable the device.

 

[adam thompson]

So I been playing need for speed payback now for another few hours and I STILL HATE IT. It’s so frustrating the handling and speed car thingy . And bonnet cam is crap

 

[allsupratt]

Today I saen a screenshot from someone on my friendliest, they had an s2000 and a civic witgout the hoods/bonnet on the car at all. And the s2k had the convertible top down. Anyone know how to achieve this?

 

[RYAN]

Don't understand people that want the payouts to be brought back down, I have literally stopped the game due to the grindyness of it. There's loads of cars I want to buy and build but there's only so many times I want to run hyperspace loop to get the money. Gone back to FH3 and FM7.

Plus the recent addition of Jake paul made my PS4 automatically uninstall the game. Good boy PS4.

 

[adam thompson]

So I am putting more time into payback, it’s still frustrating but I love cars and the customisation is awesome still. Story and characters meeeeh what ever(where’s Robyn/NFS2015) Lol.
But I like finding derelict cars and exploring the world yeah it’s dead but driving around it is cool. I’ll stick with it though as I love cars

 

[Thomas2012]

Today I saen a screenshot from someone on my friendliest, they had an s2000 and a civic witgout the hoods/bonnet on the car at all. And the s2k had the convertible top down. Anyone know how to achieve this?

Part removal glitch, it was patched in the last update primarily due to the fact that people (including myself) could duplicate parts to other cars. But originally you could equip other car parts that weren't normally available which would result in the part (hood, panels, roof etc.) to disappear.