What next for NFS?

  • Thread starter cudwieser
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cudwieser

cudwieser

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Ireland
With the announcement that no new DLC is planned for NFS2015 I am now curious how long support will last. Will there be one last, unplanned DLC to make the game playable off-line or how long will the let the servers run for online players. More over what will Ghost and EA bring us next in terms of NFS and who here will be playing it?
 
I don't think there'll be anymore updates to the game, maybe 1 or 2 more to fix any big bugs still in the game, and that they are most likely focusing on the next game. For the next one I'd like to see it go back the HP route. I'd like to see NFS alternate each year between the customization/street racing focus and the supercar focus, to stop either one becoming stale.
 
I'm just waiting for Ghost to show us what the next NFS game would be. Whether it would go back to the supercar route or continue the NFS2015/Underground route, I'm always in for what NFS will give me but as of right now, I'd say we should wait for 2017 to come. That's where they'll show off what's the next NFS will be.
 
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Ameer67
I don't even have a clue what they're going to make next. The series has a case of "been there, done that" in my opinion so what else is there left?
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Are you saying it has less variety than Gran Turismo, which has, what.... six games now where you do the exact same thing? C'mon...
 
Ameer67
No. NFS has been to hell and back: from legal track racing all the way to running away from the cops. I think you can say that's variety.
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Well, that's exactly my point. I don't understand why you said 'what could they possibly do with this series to make it interesting again?' when you have games like Gran Turismo with much less variety and people are still loving them. - Maybe I misinterpreted your meaning?
 
CleanCut
Well, that's exactly my point. I don't understand why you said 'what could they possibly do with this series to make it interesting again?' when you have games like Gran Turismo with much less variety and people are still loving them. - Maybe I misinterpreted your meaning?
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Okay, what I'm seeing here is that you are taking what Amer said by the literal definition of each word and not the meaning of his statement itself.

Gran Turismo has offered a consistent an evolving experience to it's games. GT would follow a theme, and continue adding to that experience. Where has NFS done this? I can't think of one game since high stakes, that really ADDED to the experience of Driving supercars, customizing them and out running police chases, with cockpit view, semi-realistic handling etc. Since high stakes.

NFS 6 was a down grade, (Sorry guys, it's true, NFS high stakes had more gameplay than nfs 6 )

NFS underground was a different theme, done away with supercars, bringing on the crowd saying "oh you can't ever have super cars racing with suped up street cars" Wanting two seperate themes.

NFS underground 2 added to the customization, but we lost so much of the pure NFS experience. In the underground series.

Okay here comes most wanted, which has been arguably the best NFS in a long time since HS. What did it really offer though? HS with an open world, (SORT OF) but we lost the semi-realistic handling, and the cockpit view.

Carbon was just a rehashed most wanted, didn't offer much of anything new. Undercover was a cruel joke. NFS HP 2010 offered no upgrade to the experience of driving a super car in an intense high-octane situation.

It took away the skill and replaced with drift, yet HP 2010 was one of the best NFS games infact still is in my opinion the best of the 2010x series of NFS. But still, it took away the authenticity that NFS 1-4 had, as well as the customization. Same for NFS 2012. 2013 brought back some customization but took away some of the greatness that 2010 had, the physics are even more of a pain in the ass.

NFS World was just an amalgamation of nfs most wanted and carbon, with degraded content and too many things locked behind a paywall, the game continuously got worse and worse.

NFS 2015. Took even more away from the series as far as customization goes. Very limited in how you set up your car if you want it to control right, and the lack of parts, neon, etc. Most wanted had MORE customization than this game!!! and better car physics too! better police chases too!!!

Look at this, you can't tell me I'm wrong because the proof is in the pudding. Forza/GT add to their core of the game, and providing a consistent and evolving experience with each new entry in their respective franchises. Where does this leave NFS? Dead in the water. I still have yet to play an NFS that surpasses High stakes.

NFS is nothing consistent, and nothing great anymore, and that is a very SEVERE problem.
 
At the same time, everything is subjective. There are some people who hate some of the games because of certain elements and others who love the games because of the same elements. You have a camp that insists that Need For Speed is more about just racing rather than story or customization, and then you have a camp that goes completely nuts for the customization and story. The developers have to take both groups into consideration while making games in order to please the fans, and thus earn EA its money. When a string of titles don't perform so well, EA will let the developers go. That's why Black Box got let go after the poor sales of ProStreet, Undercover, and The Run, and Need For Speed got handed off to Criterion and then to Ghost Games.

Everyone has their favorite Need For Speed game, and will constantly criticize other games for not living up to that one favorite. I'm not sure if @Avetorian has played Need For Speed on the PC or on the PlayStation, but I hear they play differently. I'm familiar with the PS1 version of High Stakes, and I don't remember it being nearly as enjoyable as NFS III, whereas on the PC, High Stakes was pretty much an expansion pack sequel to III. The stiff handling wasn't as fun as the more free-flowing arcadey feel that III had, in my opinion. I felt Hot Pursuit 2010 and Most Wanted 2012 was a good flashback back to the roots of the series, but I know a large amount of the Underground era fans hated them because they couldn't put new rims, custom paint, body kits, or neon on their cars.

EA wanted to stick their thumbs in a whole bunch of pies. They wanted successful arcade racers much like what Test Drive and Cruis'n had back when they started, they wanted to capitalize on the financial success of The Fast and The Furious, which is how the Underground series was born. They even wanted a cut of the racing simulator action with the Shift series. (Though, it didn't quite catch on.)

Remember, EA is a company. A company's main business is to get as much money as it can, and by simply buying the games whether you wind up liking them or not, you are enabling them to accomplish that goal. EA churns out Need For Speed games because it's a cash cow franchise, much like Sony with Gran Turismo and Microsoft with Forza. Regardless of what new ideas they implement and old concepts they revisit, the new games will sell like hotcakes, because it's going to have something that people like about it. (Unless it's a blatant, buggy, rush-job like Undercover. That game really rubs me the wrong way and judging by its sales, I am among the majority on that one.) I haven't played NFS 2015 because I don't have a PS4, nor would my computer have the necessary horsepower to run a PC version, but it really looks fun to me, and it looks like it adequately takes bits of successful elements from the games that precede it. It sold much better than Rivals did, and that makes EA happy. Just because it's stale and uninteresting to you doesn't mean it's stale and uninteresting to the millions of other people who play the games too. Need For Speed III was my favorite NFS game, but I feel that each game (again, with the exception of Undercover) has something to enjoy about it.

The important part is that each installment has to be fun. The definition of which varies by the individual.
 
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CleanCut
About the only thing I can agree with in your wall o' text is that Undercover WAS indeed a cruel joke! :lol:
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There's nothing to agree on, these are pure undeniable FACTS!!!! Nfs has continued to sacrifice one element or two or more elements for another. If you seriously think otherwise, sorry buddy, you're wearing blindfolds.

Whether or not you agree on what the best nfs is or what's best for the series is another matter, Point is. NFS started somewhere, kept on until 4. Then it went all over the place, removing the core elements of the franchise. You can't tell me that's my opinion, because it's not. its a damn fact, and a damn shame. EA Needs to pull their heads out of their damn asses and figure out what is really the core of NFS, because as it stands right now, THERE IS NO CORE ELEMENT!!

This is nothing short of a disaster!!! NFS has been trying to do too many things, and be too many things, and in doing so, it lost its own identity.

The future of NFS, its needs to find its own identity.

Everyone has their favorite Need For Speed game, and will constantly criticize other games for not living up to that one favorite. I'm not sure if @Avetorian has played Need For Speed on the PC or on the PlayStation, but I hear they play differently. I'm familiar with the PS1 version of High Stakes, and I don't remember it being nearly as enjoyable as NFS III, whereas on the PC, High Stakes was pretty much an expansion pack sequel to III. The stiff handling wasn't as fun as the more free-flowing arcadey feel that III had, in my opinion. I felt Hot Pursuit 2010 and Most Wanted 2012 was a good flashback back to the roots of the series, but I know a large amount of the Underground era fans hated them because they couldn't put new rims, custom paint, body kits, or neon on their cars.
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I have played both games on the PC and PS1. Here's the thing, the handling on the PC was more realistic, the cars felt heavy because there was physics to them. You couldn't just pull a 90 degree term on a dime. It took a certain amount of skill and precision. Further more, The PC version was not just an expansion pack, but an open canvas full of content. It had the new career mode, and you had the ability to download player made cars. So you could drive some amazing models done by the NFS Cars community back then. It also had custom tracks. Each car could be modified using the carp tool, to edit the values, to make the cars handle how you want! But then again, I didn't really do that much, aside from download cars and tracks, the handling was great, and I used cockpit view.

Again the issue here is not what game is the best, but the fact that NFS 1-4 had core elements that kept improving, it stopped there, and they began removing elements, sacrificing core gameplay elements for each new game that came after. As such, NFS did not provide a consistent and evolving experience.
 
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ThrasherDBS
Wasn't the identity of Need For Speed "racing cool cars in cool locations?"
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Pretty much. It kind of tipped back to that point with HP2010, but I think returned to the "underground" style racing with this latest one.

Whilst I personally would like to see them once again return to the idea of racing supercars primarily, I wouldn't mind seeing them expand on the 2015 title. I think it had a lot of promise, & maybe a sequel will give the devs a chance to polish it up a bit more. I'm sure E3 will reveal the next title as well.
 
You know one thing I noticed? All NFS games focuses on supercars and the car culture. I haven't seen a NFS game with muscle cars as the main focus since Motor City Online. With the Hot Rods being in the 2015 installment, it kinda gave me hope that someday they will focus on the American/muscle car culture.
 
As much as I'd love that, I think exotics and tuners appeal to a broader audience, and thus will get the better focus.

Part of the reason I love Carbon is that tuners, exotics, and muscle cars have pretty equal representation.
 
FilipinoGTUser1
You know one thing I noticed? All NFS games focuses on supercars and the car culture. I haven't seen a NFS game with muscle cars as the main focus since Motor City Online. With the Hot Rods being in the 2015 installment, it kinda gave me hope that someday they will focus on the American/muscle car culture.
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While there hasn't been any NFS to feature muscle cars exclusively there has been a number of NFS's with a great number of muscle cars in it's roster. Carbon is probably the greatest example, with around a 3rd of it's car list being muscle cars, while Undercover, Pro Street and The Run still had a good number of muscle cars included. There wasn't too many in any of the games that followed. Would love to see a big return for muscle cars in NFS 2016, whatever direction it takes.
 
SHIFT 3! Oh wait... SMS and Namco already have you covered on that one

Probably another underground type of game... Online only... With bad acting... And a small amount of cars in your garage...

Or they'll go crazy and take the Call Of Duty route, set it in the future and have VGT like cars
 
Ameer67
I don't even have a clue what they're going to make next. The series has a case of "been there, done that" in my opinion so what else is there left?
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I would love them to have an NFS Carbon/Most Wanted remake with the same iconic handling that made those games so fun to drive...
 
Avetorian
There's nothing to agree on, these are pure undeniable FACTS!!!! Nfs has continued to sacrifice one element or two or more elements for another. If you seriously think otherwise, sorry buddy, you're wearing blindfolds.

Whether or not you agree on what the best nfs is or what's best for the series is another matter, Point is. NFS started somewhere, kept on until 4. Then it went all over the place, removing the core elements of the franchise. You can't tell me that's my opinion, because it's not. its a damn fact, and a damn shame. EA Needs to pull their heads out of their damn asses and figure out what is really the core of NFS, because as it stands right now, THERE IS NO CORE ELEMENT!!

This is nothing short of a disaster!!! NFS has been trying to do too many things, and be too many things, and in doing so, it lost its own identity.

The future of NFS, its needs to find its own identity.
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I agree with you that NFS has changed directions multiple times buddy. That much is true. But you seem to be disgruntled because the rest of NFS games aren't like the original first four games. On the other hand, NFS didn't appeal to me in the least UNTIL they changed to the underground theme. I thought the first ones were boring.

I think the problem with the franchise is it has switched identities so many times that when it returns to one idea or another it pisses off the part of the fanbase that doesn't like that particular theme. If NFS went back to being a boring game with no customization beyond changing my car's paint color, I would not buy it. I skipped a few of the NFS titles because they weren't up my alley. But when they try to do the type of game I like to play, then you get pissed off. So I don't know what they can do to make everyone happy. I personally am very happy with the latest direction and I hope they continue. Maybe that makes me selfish or unreasonable? ;)
 
Okay, this is going to devolve into an argument of Classic versus Underground. Why don't we just accept that other people have different tastes. I mean, I'm from the same camp as Avetorian, I do prefer the classic Need For Speed titles, but at the same time, I still like all (okay, most) of the Need For Speed titles.

I wonder if EA would be willing to get another publisher to make a spinoff series based off the Underground era games, or if the sales and income wouldn't be able to justify having another series, considering Shift was pretty much just two games.

At least people don't get up in arms about it nearly as bad as the Sonic The Hedgehog fanbase. (Complaining over what color eyes the main character has? Are you kidding me?)
 
I am going to camp on the underground side of the border, but I would like a game similar to Classic NFS (with handling similar to what we have now, albeit simplified). I see no reason not to have a classic NFS with a bit of personalisation (mostly cosmetic, but with a certain amount of mechanical boost to give a challenge). I'd also love a few more muscle as well. Would especially like a cleaned up El Nino.
 
Well, the only thing I can think of would be something similar to Tokyo Xtreme Racer if they wanted to do something different. Hasn't been a game like that for awhile. Though that might be a little too niché for the audience that Need for Speed caters to.
 
CleanCut
I agree with you that NFS has changed directions multiple times buddy. That much is true. But you seem to be disgruntled because the rest of NFS games aren't like the original first four games. On the other hand, NFS didn't appeal to me in the least UNTIL they changed to the underground theme. I thought the first ones were boring.

I think the problem with the franchise is it has switched identities so many times that when it returns to one idea or another it pisses off the part of the fanbase that doesn't like that particular theme. If NFS went back to being a boring game with no customization beyond changing my car's paint color, I would not buy it. I skipped a few of the NFS titles because they weren't up my alley. But when they try to do the type of game I like to play, then you get pissed off. So I don't know what they can do to make everyone happy. I personally am very happy with the latest direction and I hope they continue. Maybe that makes me selfish or unreasonable? ;)
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My post wasn't about my personal taste on the games, it was about what they offered and the changes made on each iteration. Maybe you missed that? Like I said there's nothing to agree on. If you think this direction they have now is fine, so be it. EA either needs to evolve this experience, or we're back to square one, catch my drift? they've done this how many times now? it's ****ing ridiculous.


ThrasherDBS
Okay, this is going to devolve into an argument of Classic versus Underground. Why don't we just accept that other people have different tastes. I mean, I'm from the same camp as Avetorian, I do prefer the classic Need For Speed titles, but at the same time, I still like all (okay, most) of the Need For Speed titles.

I wonder if EA would be willing to get another publisher to make a spinoff series based off the Underground era games, or if the sales and income wouldn't be able to justify having another series, considering Shift was pretty much just two games.

At least people don't get up in arms about it nearly as bad as the Sonic The Hedgehog fanbase. (Complaining over what color eyes the main character has? Are you kidding me?)
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I enjoyed underground and I enjoyed the classics. But as I said to the poster above. There is no consistent experience. I've already talked at length about my like/dislike of nfs 2015. so we don't need to bring that here. This is about the future of NFS. I find it very difficult to see a future in this franchise because they can't stick with a core and build it up. They have done at most one or two games, then move on to something else.

I mean hell if we want to see my wishlist, Take the greatness of NFS1-4, bring in underground style cars, customization, bring in some of the stupidly ridiculous most wanted 2005 police chases, but don't bring in the weapons, that's just not NFS and was dumb, I hated it. Racers should have no weapons, learn to avoid roadblocks and spikes strips. Bring in career mode, bring in cockpit view, keep a Large open world, manual transmission, better tuning options more diversity of parts to allow for side grades not just straight upgrades and more variety of cars and customization. Yeah that's a ****ing pipe dream. So I'd settle for a severely improved version of 2015, as 2015 was step in the right direction, but far too small for that price tag.
 
Last Daimyo
Well, the only thing I can think of would be something similar to Tokyo Xtreme Racer if they wanted to do something different. Hasn't been a game like that for awhile. Though that might be a little too niché for the audience that Need for Speed caters to.
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This would actually be a pretty good idea. Closest thing this gen (and last) would be Import Tuner Challenge and that was criminally overlooked and lost in the shuffle as well as 360 exclusive. Its all about marketing and EA probably has that covered.

I don't even have a current gen system yet so none of this really affects me and I personally liked the last few NFSs in the PS3/360 era about as much as the PS2 and PS1 games so wherever the games go from here I'm cool with it. Just let us PAUSE the game, please! Haven't played Rivals much because of that one thing and I heard NFS2015 has the same issue. Online I understand but offline? Come on.

Just my two cents :D
 
I'd like to see another pro street honestly, I think it brought the illegal street racing and legal street racing world's together fairly well (even though it was legal racing it still had that street racing feel)
 
Avetorian
My post wasn't about my personal taste on the games, it was about what they offered and the changes made on each iteration. Maybe you missed that? Like I said there's nothing to agree on. If you think this direction they have now is fine, so be it. EA either needs to evolve this experience, or we're back to square one, catch my drift? they've done this how many times now? it's ****ing ridiculous.
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In a sense, it was about personal taste. You praise the first four games for being similar in nature, and it being different and sporadic ever since then. Your personal taste is to return to what that used to be.

Avetorian
I mean hell if we want to see my wishlist, Take the greatness of NFS1-4, bring in underground style cars, customization, bring in some of the stupidly ridiculous most wanted 2005 police chases
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That is something that would be great. However, what they need to do first is figure out how to fix that atrocious handling model that they've decided to use.
 
Avetorian
I mean hell if we want to see my wishlist, Take the greatness of NFS1-4, bring in underground style cars, customization, bring in some of the stupidly ridiculous most wanted 2005 police chases, but don't bring in the weapons, that's just not NFS and was dumb, I hated it. Racers should have no weapons, learn to avoid roadblocks and spikes strips. Bring in career mode, bring in cockpit view, keep a Large open world, manual transmission, better tuning options more diversity of parts to allow for side grades not just straight upgrades and more variety of cars and customization. Yeah that's a ****ing pipe dream. So I'd settle for a severely improved version of 2015, as 2015 was step in the right direction, but far too small for that price tag.
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Now that's a wishlist I can get behind!
 
ThrasherDBS
I wonder if EA would be willing to get another publisher to make a spinoff series based off the Underground era games, or if the sales and income wouldn't be able to justify having another series, considering Shift was pretty much just two games.
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Why would they need yet another developer? Isn't that exactly what 2015 was? A spinoff/return/what-have-you to the Underground era? I feel like changing developers is the worst move they could make. Let Ghost have another crack at it, this time with more experience and a much better idea of what gamers want from the game.

ELmarcotuff
I'd like to see another pro street honestly, I think it brought the illegal street racing and legal street racing world's together fairly well (even though it was legal racing it still had that street racing feel)
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Prostreet is my favorite NFS title of all time. I did kind of miss the nighttime city aspect of the Underground series, but the handling had the perfect mix of realism and arcade. The graphics were great, the customization excellent... it was the best of everything IMHO.
 

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