NFS:Most Wanted PC demo is released.

I've spent a couple of hours playing this and had a blast.

Jawed

 

Is it just me, or does it shift LOD to the lower detail models after a relatively short distance? It seems like if a car gets more than a few feet away the model and texture detail degrades noticably.

I'm also not a big fan of the "motion blur" blurring the entire scene, including objects in the distance which should not be blurred at all until you are well past Mach 1.

Third complaint would be the "bullet time" feature... in a racing game... wtf.

Other than those complaints, however, the demo was pretty good... I haven't really played any of the NFS games since Hot Pursuit (or possibly HP2), so I don't know how much of an improvement this is, but I like the destructible environment objects.

 

blah.... getting second thoughts about DLing it....

i'll wait

 

The problem is they're still trying to cater towards the underground audience, thus all the graffiti, mainstream rap/pop music and some imports. Overall it's alot better though, much better cars and much better levels. Hopefully you'll be able to disable the music you don't like as in the undergrounds.

NFS hasn't been the same since Porsche Unleashed (which was the best of the series imo), but at least MW is a step back.

 

I'm hoping the 360 version allows you to import your own music into the game off the HDD. If thats doable then i'll be ok on that front.

So this game IS a mixture of Underground and Hot Pursuit?

 

Yeah this would be nice, but I doubt it.

It is definitely a mixture.

 

The import music feature of the X360 is a part of the OS.
In other words, every game should be compatible with this feature.

 

Nice! One of my most anticipated games for the 360 was Most Wanted. That (Music Import feature) should soften the "Gangstafied" blow this game will throw at me. I'll probably end up getting it anyways. To much fun playing Hot Pursuit when I was younger with my cousins.

 

I still miss the linear tracks of NFS1.. felt like you were actually cruising on real road - having an actual finishline destination, rather than some circuit painted to look like one. I guess the first one was meant to be more sim-like than where the series has headed since.

 

I'm going to give this a try. I passed on the NFSU games due to lack of interest, although I did like the series before those. NFS:High Stakes still is my favorite.........

 

Very fun. Personally, I haven't played a racing genre game since Re-Volt, so this is quite refreshing

 

hehe what a joke by I guess there is a market for arcade street racers with bad stories.

 

Wow,at the rate of 1 game per year, EA is turning NFS into Madden.

 

I'll give this a download tomorrow. See what it's like. Sounds promising.. slightly.

it's about number 9 now isn't it?

as many have said, by far the best game of the series has been porsche 2000 (Unleashed?). That game had an awful lot of depth. Every single porsche ever. Fantastic. Tuning the 911 turbo to hell made it an absolute monster of a car, not the arcady Nos boosted rubbish of current games. And it had damage you had to pay for!

That said U2 was enjoyable once you disabled almost all the music, and got past the blasted 'dude bright metallic green with flashing red neons is so fat' crap. It sortof got back to the actual race on a road style.. sortof.

As for arcade, NFS 2 SE (3dfx!) is my pick. Sending C2Vs flying never got old.

What I really did not like about either underground was the whole idea that everything in performance is simply an upgrade. 'level 3 turbo' suddenly made your car significantly faster, yet it didn't seem to do anything much to power distribution, so your tires didn't get shredded, etc. Higher grip tires didn't reduce oversteer, they increased it... etc.

Forza on the PC would be nice...

 

Doesn't seem to like dual core machines..

Had to set the affinity on one processor only to be able to run it correctly..

 

Even with the MS hotfix for dual-core processors installed? (link)

PS. This file is available on the Net in various places. I don't have a direct link, but searching threads on the matter at NvNews and HardForums should help you get a hold of it.

EDIT: name of the file for the hotfix is: WindowsXP-KB896256-v3-x86-ENU.exe

 

Ok, I have now spent some more time with this demo and I have to say that it just feels clunky and I don't think I can fault my Athlon 64 3500+ or Geforce 6800 Ultra for that. Even on the lowest settings it just doesn't seem fluid. Especially the physics seem very wrong for such an arcady racer. It just doesn't feel right. I don't mind feeling like a loogie on ice (because this is a common thing that everyone knows...) as long as the controls feel consistent and smooth. I am playing using a keyboard and even on the lowest settings it just...doesn't work for me. It's like it tries to be stiff and slippery at the same time, pulling off neither.

Not having played a full NFS game since Porsche Unleashed, but having dabbled with the demo for Underground, I must say I am somewhat perplexed at the slow evolution of this genre. I can honestly say that Burnout: Revenge (or Takedown) are better games. They even compete visually, although in a different, racier manner and this is on a PS 2!!

Some detailed annoyances in the demo (and perhaps likely to be in the full version):

1. Physics: Note that wheels on some cars are turning while they are standing still (c'mon!!). This, I feel, is also related to the look of the police cars as they ram and try to stop you. They cannot be perfectly still either. A slight glitch in the physics that I have seen in various games and that I, personally, find very annoying and distracting.

2. Interface: The game can be played entirely through the keyboard and most menus can be controlled thus as well. I say most because that's the annoying thing. Some menus cannot be controlled by the keyboard and requires the mouse. You can still always "accept" with the <enter> key, but arrow keys cannot switch between OK and CANCEL in some menus. Consistency!

 

Ignore this. It was due to not having a cup of tea/coffee all day (yeah, I got it bad!).

I really wasn't too keen on the demo when I first fired it up but am now really liking it. The speed-cam mode is bizarrely addictive.

 

Indeed.
Porsche unleached actually had ok physics.. what the hell happened?

 

The demo was ok, not sure I would buy this though. I guess I'm not too thrilled about the direction EA has taken the NFS series. The soundtrack I don't really care for either.....