NFS Shift 2 Unleashed - Details

  • Thread starter LittleLefty
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I'm with niky. I'd rather have this as a Shift 2 News thread. Just because the developers are going after GT5, doesn't mean we can muddy this thread with comparison nonsense (especially since Shift 2 isn't out yet, so none of us know anyway). Keep it on topic with news, pleaseandthankyou.
 
I'm with niky. I'd rather have this as a Shift 2 News thread. Just because the developers are going after GT5, doesn't mean we can muddy this thread with comparison nonsense (especially since Shift 2 isn't out yet, so none of us know anyway). Keep it on topic with news, pleaseandthankyou.

OK, say I haven't played the Shift series at all. I'm low on cash. I'd like to buy the game but don't want to get burned by a bad purchase. Comparing Shift to a game most of us have in GT5 is helpful, not to mention an interesting discussion point.
 
Why discuss it in this thread,

As more and more features and news gets announced in this thread, people will naturally draw comparisons. It's part of having a discussion, just get over it. 👍 Plus, we're getting way off-topic.

Anyways, I also noticed in some screenshots, there was dirt flying around and cars being covered in mud/dirt. Was this a feature in the first game and if not, does anybody know if cars getting dirty is a feature? Or am I seeing things?
 
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Shift 2 is being developed primarily for the PS3. I wonder what this means for the PC version?!
 
If I remember correctly, Shift setups didnt matter much. I remember doing 6:25s on stock Pagani Zonda R setup, and only improving a few secs with a setup, like 6:19 or something.

So it did matter, you gained 6 seconds with a new setup.

Thats a big difference.
 
I did without setups 6:20:xxx and after lot's of changes i did 6:13:xxx in Pro mode, but that was with skilled driving. After many hours of playing, so i would say that setting's in Shift where very important, because i knew which part of Nordschleife i can gain and where i can loose time, so i have to set the car for this specific part of the big Ring.
 
All I want an awesome racing experience. As long the physics are not too arcady I am fine. I don't need the most realistic physics because it's still just a game. I want to enjoy it and have fun to play it. If I want real driving physics I drive a car in reallife. Some people often argue but when can you move your car at the limit in reallife? True.. but it just happens on a screen via a gamepad or steering wheel and is still nothing compared to reallife with all it's emotions. The car might reacts like it would do most likely in reallife but it's still a game. Soo.. even if shifts physics not the superb simulation I am fine... as long it's fun and brings the feeling of experiences to be in a race car.That's the point where GT5 lacks big time.
 
The more I see of Shift 2 the more impressed I am.

I'm still playing GT5 regularly but am looking forward to Shift 2's take on the console sim genre.
 
I have a feeling its gonna feel much more like the GTR games, based on what we have seen so far.

Put simply it will be an improvment on Shift 1s physics so its gonna be a good take on sim.
 
SMS/EA probably looked at the best pc mods for shift 1 to see what the community wants.
 
There is really not a lot else it could be like, given that most mods are a good 33-50% pure bugfixing and data de-mangling :)

Ed - though I should mention, one thing that immediately leapt out on the previews was how much better the suspension model/data looks. I don't think anyone ever came out with something as nice as the scion tc in the opening of the career trailer or the mp4-12c going over the gator strips in the LE trailer.
 
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Hmm, to surmise so far:

* There is "weather" but seems to be along the lines of Shift 1 where it was merely air temp/track temp/cloud cover/wind speed.

* Ease of straight line control with a wheel is improved, though there will be no input smoothing on wheel controllers

* None of the screens they've shown are photoshopped, though some of the rattier looking ones are from older builds of the game.

(quoted from a long exchange)

SMS:
Guys, we're the 'people' that made GTR, GT Legends, and GTR2 regardless of what name was on the box. It's the same group of people. We're capable of good physics. We've totally revamped what's happening under the hood in the physics dept for this one and feel we've improved all of the areas you guys gave us feedback on.

[..]

The wheel code is all new. We have fully programmable inputs now and new FFB code.

It's not marketing ********, you guys are about 1% of our audience so we have little to gain by being economical with the truth in this area. You are a vocal minority though to be fair and as we as a team grew from the mod community (SBDT) your opinions are very important to us, disproportional to the potential sales.

[..]

(again someone seems to misinterpret comments about requirements for gamepad support)

I didn't say it was aimed at 99% pad users. My 1% comment was referring to the hardcore sim guys.

Input smoothing for pads has nothing to do with the physics engine.

You're point about 99% hype and 1% truth is bollocks BTW."


My question!

Me:
What would you say are the big improvements in terms of under the hood stuff? From modding the game I have to say the standout issues (IMO) I notice with Shift 1 are:

1) bugs. LOTS of bugs, particularly the intersection of data bugs combining with controller profile bugs combining with UI bugs to make superbugs.

2) reliance on generic data & different cars being driven from the same data, general lack of much visibly obvious research

3) lots of really squishy/loose setups being the default for a lot of cars

4) opaque tuning system where the game would tell you it was doing one thing in the upgrades / tuning menu but actually upgrading something else / applying different data to what was shown in car tuning.

Other than that the underlying engine actually seemed like a really incredible piece of work, and if you drove something that didn't suffer badly from more than a couple of those issues, you would see a lot of that potential come out.

Is there anything specific you can tell us about the engine or data that is improved? Or that goes to address any of the above?

SMS:

1. Less bugs.
2. Apart from shared tyres which is logical, we've had access to much more telemetry from the real racers and that's been utilised.
3. Setups by one of the FIA GT racing drivers.
4. Tuning bugs sorted plus more tuning parameters.

The underlying engine is very strong, we have worked over every area of it to optimise and improve it under the hood.

[..]

Actually, some of the setups may still be a tad on the soft side as we want the defaults to work everywhere (Ebisu as well as Silverstone for example) but we've reworked the setup system to allow the player to save setups per track/track type etc.

Me:
[...]Since you bring it up, are there any changes in the tyre model / tyre data coming?

SMS:
"A lot of that is above my head Soup. I think some were for the old drift physics that had lots of fudges in, this time it's stock physics but more power and setups that suit drifting.

The tyres are all boned and compress with weight, this affects the grip, heating, camber thrust etc. it's all calculated in real time, and this time we've added live telemetry to prove it :)
 
A short Developer Interview on Gametrailers with some Gameplay video

Shift 2

I only still Play GT5 for the weekly seasonal races. I wiped my Shift save and restarted from scratch and have played it for seven hours the last three days. The game is just fun and exciting plain and simple. I'll probably sell GT5 when I get Shift 2.
 
Really hope this is good after the disappointment of GT5, First game was good for an Arcade title but i quickly put it down due to being too arcadey ....i'd much prefer the handling closer to GT5 or F3, if they can do that i reckon they'l have a good game on their hands!
 
Is this thing going to support DFGT on PC? I'd like to get it for my PS3, but since it's going to be capped at 30fps, I'd rather get it on PC, connect it to my TV and play at 1080p, 60fps, while using the wheel.
 
A short Developer Interview on Gametrailers with some Gameplay video

Shift 2

"French countrysides on the back parts of Spa".

FRENCH? SPA?

That guy should learn his geography. And he's what, a Producer? What education does he have?

I'm beyond words. 👎👎👎👎 :lol: :lol:
 
Some of this is epic news, especially the wheel working, track temperature variables, tire wear and track setups saved (and somebody decent making the default setups!)...

I just recently posted a question there dealing with online shenanigans, with emphasis on whether flagrant track cutting and ramming can be penalized or prevented, and whether lobby creators can force damage on, etc..

I look forward to a reply.

I made the point that racing against Friends only as a solution to those problems was sort of a Band-Aid (not all of us are on steady schedules where we can build up a stable of always online players), and that, if the game itself can adjudicate contact, it should be able to as an option. It uses contact strength to determine deformation, so it ought to be able to use that variable to penalize contact above a certain strength - I am not against ALL contact (love taps and rubbing are part of the sport) but above a certain point, it is easy to spot deliberate ramming.

Hopefully, they can answer about things like this. What do you think about the above?

I am getting a LOT more excited about this game, especially after the disappointment of GT5. SMS has a chance to take down the giant. Let's see if EA allows them their vision, this time...
 
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SMS has a chance to take down the giant. Let's see if EA allows them their vision, this time...

And they will do just that, in my opinion.

As a matter of fact, I can't believe I'm saying this after slamming it so harshly before, but honestly I feel the career mode in NFS Shift 1 is better than GT5! Yeah it aint a sim and the controls feel VERY funky at first, but once you get your wheel and ffb settings dialed in and get used to the physics, it's a very fun game. The presentation, win rewards, and sensation of racing other cars, are second to none.

I will be *SHOCKED* if the second Shift doesn't completely wipe the floor with GT5!
 
And they will do just that, in my opinion.

As a matter of fact, I can't believe I'm saying this after slamming it so harshly before, but honestly I feel the career mode in NFS Shift 1 is better than GT5! Yeah it aint a sim and the controls feel VERY funky at first, but once you get your wheel and ffb settings dialed in and get used to the physics, it's a very fun game. The presentation, win rewards, and sensation of racing other cars, are second to none.

I will be *SHOCKED* if the second Shift doesn't completely wipe the floor with GT5!

I agree completely. Shifts career mode is more varied, more streamlined, more to do, and much more fun. Career mode actualy makes you feel like you have a real career. Imagine that...
 
Mind you, career path and physics have NOTHING to do with each other... 💡

One of the things SMS needs to do is drastically enlarge the Garage slots in Shift 2. It always seemed so arbitrary, to have such a restricted choice to upgrade and decorate. After you fill the slots in Shift, there's just nothing left to spend the prize winnings on.

Unlimited slots, please, SMS. (That way, I can have multiple versions of the same car, with different liveries and upgrades once I have all the basic cars)

Be nice if damage had to be PAID for to repair as well. First of all, that might put a dampener on the bashers (don't make it TOO much, but just enough to be a slight irritant), and secondly, once again, something to spend prize money on once you have a full garage.

Any thoughts?
 
Mind you, career path and physics have NOTHING to do with each other... 💡

One of the things SMS needs to do is drastically enlarge the Garage slots in Shift 2. It always seemed so arbitrary, to have such a restricted choice to upgrade and decorate. After you fill the slots in Shift, there's just nothing left to spend the prize winnings on.

Unlimited slots, please, SMS. (That way, I can have multiple versions of the same car, with different liveries and upgrades once I have all the basic cars)

Be nice if damage had to be PAID for to repair as well. First of all, that might put a dampener on the bashers (don't make it TOO much, but just enough to be a slight irritant), and secondly, once again, something to spend prize money on once you have a full garage.

Any thoughts?

Paying for damage should be in, happens in Forza games...should happen in all games like this! 👍
 
The slots thing in the first game was part of EA's microtransactions strategy - where they were experimenting selling bits of games that are essentially "free" but people could jump ahead if they didn't want to get them as in game rewards.

There was a quote from Riccitiello recently, let me see if I can find it ...

Here:

http://www.industrygamers.com/news/ea-ceo-digital-to-overtake-retail-this-year/

"At the end of [2011], the digital business is bigger than the packaged goods business, full stop. No questions in my mind. Then, you know, I think that we’ll find ways to even sell our packaged goods content in chunks and in pieces and subscriptions and micro-transactions,"

"Look at what I Warner and Turbine did with Lord of the Rings Online. While I still think the majority of their revenue is from people giving them the premium subscription for fifteen dollars a month, there’s a lot of people coming in and they upgrade. I’m not sure that fifteen dollars deal is that great a deal, but that’s a separate issue. I guess to best answer your question, I think these business models are going to find their own feet. We’re very careful about making sure we price appropriately for platform and also for the intellectual property."

"Our highest ARPU (average revenue per user) are free-to-play games among paying users. You think about that and say, 'how can a free game be the game they pay the most for?' We have people who are giving us $5,000 in a month to play FIFA Ultimate Team. And it’s free. Dirty little secret."
 
Mind you, career path and physics have NOTHING to do with each other... 💡

One of the things SMS needs to do is drastically enlarge the Garage slots in Shift 2. It always seemed so arbitrary, to have such a restricted choice to upgrade and decorate. After you fill the slots in Shift, there's just nothing left to spend the prize winnings on.

Unlimited slots, please, SMS. (That way, I can have multiple versions of the same car, with different liveries and upgrades once I have all the basic cars)

Be nice if damage had to be PAID for to repair as well. First of all, that might put a dampener on the bashers (don't make it TOO much, but just enough to be a slight irritant), and secondly, once again, something to spend prize money on once you have a full garage.

Any thoughts?

Sure it would be real nice but to pay for the damage you do - to yourself and to others
Maybe they could implement an insurance type of thing in wich you insure yourself to play online (starting with a small fee) and the insurance pays of the damage but the more you hit other people the more you pay for insurance - until the bashers can no longer pay to play online and therefor cannot ruin other peoples races anymore.
 
One of the things SMS needs to do is drastically enlarge the Garage slots in Shift 2. It always seemed so arbitrary, to have such a restricted choice to upgrade and decorate. After you fill the slots in Shift, there's just nothing left to spend the prize winnings on.

Unlimited slots, please, SMS. (That way, I can have multiple versions of the same car, with different liveries and upgrades once I have all the basic cars)

Yeah! this is a little but VERY important detail.
 
Although if what they say is correct about saving different setups on a per track basis, it may be possible that you can save upgrade sets/liveries also. Not per track obviously, just save them.
 
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