NFS Shift 2 Unleashed - Details

[boxox]

I don't think it will sound exactly like that, I think that one is pretty clearly not all in-game audio

That said I am sure they will deliver at least something as good as Shift 1.

 

[Imari]

I don't think it will sound exactly like that, I think that one is pretty clearly not all in-game audio

That said I am sure they will deliver at least something as good as Shift 1.

Oh, I agree. Nobody uses in-game audio for trailers when they can beef it up a bit. Still, it's likely to sound very similar to that. It's a far cry from being a total fabrication of what in-game will sound like.

The one thing I'm hoping for sound-wise this time is that they tone down some of the harshness, particularly in the unmodified cars. I expect a Zonda R to be hard on the ears, but not so much a stock Civic.

Still, given a choice between bleeding ears and vacuum cleaners I'll take the bleeding every time.

 

[redda2]

Hopefully this is better than the rubbish that is GT5.

 

[VXR]

I'm sure the sounds will be fine for Shift 2, because I'd be surprised if they were to deliver a worse sonic experience than Hot Pursuit, which sounds immense.

 

[UkHardcore23]

EA has done an amazing job on delivering car sounds, even if they are cranked to 11.

I would rather have them cranked to 11 than the umteen hoover recordings we have for GT5!

Seriously, PD need to do what EA do and record cars not vacuum hoovers! 👍

 

[Terronium-12]

And there's still more to be revealed.

 

[Terronium-12]

London event hands-on:

Yesterday, The Guardian hosted their Gamesblog Live event in London, giving interested gamers the chance to try Need for Speed Shift 2 Unleashed among other titles and meet Slightly Mad Studios’ Andy Tudor.

Thankfully, VirtualR reader Johnny P was among those that got some face time with the new title and tried very hard to get as much info for us as possible, below are his impressions of Shift 2:

“From my hands-on with the game, it appears they have made some well-needed refinements over the original game. I tried the Audi R8 LMS GT3, Porsche GT2 road car, DBR9 GT1 car, Maserati GT1 and Ford GT GT3 as well as a couple of others.

The game looks lovely. Bright, sharp and the car models are top-notch. The interiors also, as you would expect from the original Shift, seem authentic and look great (I watch a lot of GT racing on TV and have got a good idea how the real cars look inside).

There are marbles on the track, flies splatter on your windscreen and when you rev-up the engine, waiting for the lights to go green, the race car’s body panels vibrate in an authentic looking way (more so than Shift 1).

The tracks have also mostly been made more realistic and look all the better for it (i.e. they look a lot more authentic without graffiti sprayed all over every track‘s surface and ludicrous fairground rides all over the place).

The speed-blur effect that blurred out everything except the view of the road ahead (in cockpit view) that you got in the original Shift is now gone from the cockpit view of Shift 2, but is present in the all-new helmet-cam. The helmet-cam is good, but not the revolution I was hoping for. I don’t feel it adds all that much to the experience (although I am a confirmed cockpit racer). However, when you crash, you still get the disorienting crash distortion (like with Shift 1) in both cockpit and helmet-cam.”
Note: Johnny points out that he didn’t get to give the helmet cam a proper try.

“You can now roll your car (I saw one guy trash an R8 LMS quite badly – bumpers off and all – after rolling it in a gravel trap). Crash physics are much improved. No more cars riding up over yours if you tail-end them as with the original (thank god). If you clip the verge whilst cornering it spins you out most of the time.

AI was a lot less aggressive than Shift 1. I tried both medium and hard settings (as well as the Elite handling model) and it was OK, although I did get barged off track by a Ford GT at one point, harking back to the over-aggressive AI of the original. It has certainly been toned down a lot though and is all the better for it. The Ford GT incident was pretty much a one-off. I remember feeling quite impressed when a Porsche GT3 pulled a counter-overtake on me when I thought I’d nailed him into a corner.

Now for the main bone of contention, handling:

The handling in Shift 2 feels very similar to Shift 1. In fact, if you imagine Shift 1’s handling without the feeling of constantly sliding and you are pretty much there (as I said, I raced mostly with the all-assists off Elite handling model). It’s still involving though, and it doesn’t take much for you to lose traction and spin (or half spin like I did most of the time). It actually made me think about how much better Shift 1 would have been, if it had just been for a little bit of tweaking of the handling and how good the underlying physics actual were.

Shift 2’s handling really is much improved from Shift 1’s. I can’t emphasis that enough. I still maintain it’s because of what they took away (the constant sliding), but there have been a few tweaks (to the handling model) in there too, which improve the experience greatly.

There is a nice feeling of your car having momentum. If you screw up and badly out-brake yourself into a corner (for example), you don’t tamely trundle off into the gravel trap, you plough headlong through it – and if you’re going fast enough – into the barriers beyond, just like you would in real life.

It might not impress the hardcore sim brigade, but I thought the handling felt pretty good and managed to capture the excitement of racing without the constant feeling of sliding that you got with Shift 1. Overall, I liked it (and I ended up hating Shift 1’s handling).

Crash damage is also much improved and you can lose bumpers, bonnets, crumple body panels and smash windscreens. Not quite up to Grid standards, but better than FM3 and GT5 by quite a bit.

To sum up, Shift 2 rights a lot of the original Shift’s wrongs, it looks great, is fun and exciting and (as with Shift 1) also sounds wonderful too. However, those expecting a revolution will be disappointed.”

Adding to these detailed impressions, Johnny also got some answers from Andy Tudor that reveal some new facts:

- There will be no demo version of Need for Speed Shift 2 Unleashed
- The title does not simulate tyre wear or fuel consumption, there will be no qualifying either.
- There will be an improved livery editor with an emphasis on race car style design.

Need for Speed Shift 2 Unleashed will include the 2010 FIA GT1 World Championship & GT3 European Championship among lots of other racing content, new features include a new helmet camera, night racing and more realistic physics. The second Shift title will be available for the PC, Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and the Playstation 3 in late March.

Almost exactly what I had hoped for. Bring on the 29th!

 

[kikie]

It seems that shift, pc version, with all the great mods but without the helmet cam ( almost = ) shift 2 unleashed.

They try to simulate real racing as much as possible but they don't include tyre wear, fuel consumption and qualifying. I thought that that is a part of real racing?

I'm going to wait for reviews before I decide to get this title. I'm not really convinced, yet, that shift 2 is much better than shift1 with all the mods I have installed.

 

[Terronium-12]

It seems that shift, pc version, with all the great mods but without the helmet cam ( almost = ) shift 2 unleashed.

Well it already had a great foundation so I really wasn't expecting a complete 360. Not implying that you were, but yeah that's basically what it will probably amount to.

 

[isamu]

London event hands-on:



Almost exactly what I had hoped for. Bring on the 29th!

Thanks for posting that. There is ONE important thing he did not mention, and I'm hoping its because it's no longer there.....the dreaded car bouncing bug! I swear there better not be ANY evidence of this bug in the final retail version or else there's gonna be hell to pay!

 

[Terronium-12]

Thanks for posting that. There is ONE important thing he did not mention, and I'm hoping its because it's no longer there.....the dreaded car bouncing bug! I swear there better not be ANY evidence of this bug in the final retail version or else there's gonna be hell to pay!

I hated that crap.

 

[niky]

Kind of disappointed that the reviewer is suggesting the handling is still on the arcadish side even on the most "simlike" mode, but it's still just an initial review.

But no more dorifto while driving grip? Thank jeebus.

 

[vrooom]

Kind of disappointed that the reviewer is suggesting the handling is still on the arcadish side even on the most "simlike" mode, but it's still just an initial review.

But no more dorifto while driving grip? Thank jeebus.

Now where did you see that the handling is "arcadish"? He was suggesting that the handling felt realistic. Besides he tried Shift 2 with a gamepad and not with a wheel so we really can't be sure. It's obvious there will always be an assistance when driving with a gamepad since it can never be as precise as a wheel.

Shift 1 had already a very advanced simulation engine as PC moders have found. What was wrong with Shift 1 was the constant unrealistic sliding and some wrong car simulation data. They are fixing both problems in Shift 2!

I am sure Shift 2 will be great game. The missing features like rain, pitstops and qualifying can always come in Shift 3!

 

[Luminis]

It might not impress the hardcore sim brigade, but I thought the handling felt pretty good and managed to capture the excitement of racing

Sounds pretty like much what I heard iRacing or rFactor players say about GT5 or Forza3.

Anyways, it does sound pretty good. Not perfect, granted, but certainly good. And, frankly, there's more to being a good game than having perfectly realistic physics.

 

[Imari]

Kind of disappointed that the reviewer is suggesting the handling is still on the arcadish side even on the most "simlike" mode, but it's still just an initial review.

It's the opinion of one random guy, with no real background on him. At least with a real reviewer you can cross check with their other reviews to get an idea of what they consider "arcadish".

If you read past his opinion and into the facts he gives, it's Shift 1 minus the driftyness and a bit more aggressive on dealing out consequences for errors (see his notes about momentum and clipping the grass). Those were the main issues with Shift physics, that it let you get away with crap that would have killed you in a real car. Fundamentally there's nothing wrong with the physics system they use, indeed it's quite advanced in many areas (tyres for example).

 

[Dan Hill]

London event hands-on:



Almost exactly what I had hoped for. Bring on the 29th!

Shame there is no demo. I won't be able to get my copy of Shift 2 until just after easter.

 

[HKS racer]

ok SMS, EA you told us enough, now is time to prepare a nice demo and give us the chance to recon how do you fixed that crappy "constant unrealistic sliding" and that disgusting "dreaded car bouncing bug"

 

[Luminis]

ok SMS, EA you told us enough, now is time to prepare a nice demo

Like, not gonna happen.

 

[UKGT]

It's the opinion of one random guy, with no real background on him. At least with a real reviewer you can cross check with their other reviews to get an idea of what they consider "arcadish".

If you read past his opinion and into the facts he gives, it's Shift 1 minus the driftyness and a bit more aggressive on dealing out consequences for errors (see his notes about momentum and clipping the grass). Those were the main issues with Shift physics, that it let you get away with crap that would have killed you in a real car. Fundamentally there's nothing wrong with the physics system they use, indeed it's quite advanced in many areas (tyres for example).

It's a bit more than that. The tweaking I mentioned has added subtlety to the handling that was not there before.

I would class Grid as arcade-ish and Race Pro or GT5 as at the sim end of the scale.

Actual racing wise, I prefer it to GT5 (and I like GT5).

It was also the PS3 version, and I can assure you that they have not skimped on the PS3 version this time. It's super smooth and looks great.

 

[Destinkeys]

It's a bit more than that. The tweaking I mentioned has added subtlety to the handling that was not there before.

I would class Grid as arcade-ish and Race Pro or GT5 as at the sim end of the scale.

Actual racing wise, I prefer it to GT5 (and I like GT5).

It was also the PS3 version, and I can assure you that they have not skimped on the PS3 version this time. It's super smooth and looks great.

So are you the guy the article refers to?

Did you play with a wheel or a pad? (Not sure where Vroom got that info from).

And, what OTHER than the car sliding around really NEEDED fixing from Shift 1?

Shame no tire wear, though, It's the ONE thing that stops people hooning around at (or actually, over!) the limits of grip and control on longer races...

 

[UKGT]

I played it with a pad.

As far as fixing things are concerned, I hate to say it, cos I don't want to sound like a d**k, but when you try it for yourself, you'll know what I mean.

 

[Spagetti69]

I played it with a pad.

As far as fixing things are concerned, I hate to say it, cos I don't want to sound like a d**k, but when you try it for yourself, you'll know what I mean.

Unfortunately that means forking out a lot of money to find out. With no demo on the horizon it would be nice if you could elaborate.

In your honest opinion.

Thanks.

 

[tribolik]

Unfortunately that means forking out a lot of money to find out. With no demo on the horizon it would be nice if you could elaborate.

In your honest opinion.

Thanks.

Im pretty sure that there will be a lot of detailed reviews before the game hits the stores. And reviewing the final retail version not a beta version of the game.

 

[Spagetti69]

Im pretty sure that there will be a lot of detailed reviews before the game hits the stores. And reviewing the final retail version not a beta version of the game.

It's due out very soon. There won't be much change.
No demo! If reviews stay under embargo until release I would start to wonder.

Still, I'm waiting for someone else to drop their cash on it before I get stung.

 

[tribolik]

It's due out very soon. There won't be much change.
No demo! If reviews stay under embargo until release I would start to wonder.

Still, I'm waiting for someone else to drop their cash on it before I get stung.

I will get it on release and I will let you know what I think then (im on the PS3 by the way) but I dont think you can get anything else out of UKGT...

 

[Destinkeys]

Without a wheel, I don't know how anybody can comment about physics accuracy.

If you aren't providing the same input you would IRL, how can you judge the outcome? Nobody drives a car with a gamepad.

 

[Imari]

It's a bit more than that. The tweaking I mentioned has added subtlety to the handling that was not there before.

I would class Grid as arcade-ish and Race Pro or GT5 as at the sim end of the scale.

Actual racing wise, I prefer it to GT5 (and I like GT5).

It was also the PS3 version, and I can assure you that they have not skimped on the PS3 version this time. It's super smooth and looks great.

Sounds good. Very good.

Destinkeys, it's not like physics goes completely out the window when you're driving with a pad. It's not a great device to use to determine fine accuracy, it'd probably be tough to determine the differences between something like FM3 and GT5 with a pad. But you could tell the difference between something like Hot Pursuit and GT5 no problem. Even with a pad, you can certainly make the statement that the physics is sim-like instead of arcade-like. How sim-like is another question, but no one is going to be able to judge that from a short play anyway.

 

[Terronium-12]

Without a wheel, I don't know how anybody can comment about physics accuracy.

If you aren't providing the same input you would IRL, how can you judge the outcome? Nobody drives a car with a gamepad.

Very easily. It's not as if sim racers become overwhelmingly easy to get through with a pad. I can easily point out the differences in feel between Shift, GT5, and FM3 and quite technically at that.

 

[HKS racer]

Like, not gonna happen.

RATS. Maybe they have something to hide

Im pretty sure that there will be a lot of detailed reviews before the game hits the stores. And reviewing the final retail version not a beta version of the game.

Well reviews doesn't mean anything, some "reviewers" were able to give a 9/10 to Shift 1... 9/10? Rotfl. EA is always "nice" with them if you know what I mean

 

[Terronium-12]

It probably got that score because of what the game brought to the table and how fun it was. Just sayin'.