To: Need For Speed Project Manager, c/o Electronic Arts
Re: Need For Speed: ProStreet
Dear sir,
I've just spent a weekend in the company of your latest product, Need For Speed: ProStreet, and quite frankly I wish I hadn't bothered.
I'm not sure if you're trying to gain kudos from the professional tuning scene, or to escape media accusations of encouraging irresponsible driving, but the switch to circuit racing just doesn't work. I'm no longer free to roam on the open road, there are no cops or roadblocks blocking my path, and there is no pedestrian traffic to avoid. Those were the exact ingredients that made the last game (NFS: Most Wanted) so much fun (if a little infuriating at times).
Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with circuit racing, in fact it's a genre that I really enjoy. Unfortunately for ProStreet there are other games that do it so much better. Just take a look at GTR2 for an example of how to make a proper circuit racing game.
Your games have always taken the arcade approach to car handling, but at least the driving was fun. Having played the new game, I'm wondering if any of your development team possess a driving license? Do they all use public transport to get to work?
One minute I'm driving a twitchy handful that feels like it could spit me off the track if I so much as sneeze, the next minute I'm cursing understeer as I slide off a corner and into the barrier as if someone had greased the front wheels of my ride. At no point does it feel like fun, and it certainly doesn't 'simulate' the real-life cars that your game attempts to portray.
Sure, the tuning options are there and they're genuinely good, and there's a reasonable choice of cars, but that's to be expected these days (I know, we gamers are a spoilt bunch). Unfortunately, once you get back out on the track in your freshly tuned and customised car you soon realise that it's all show and no go!
I know that the NFS franchise (I choose that word carefully) is a big earner for your company, and I'm sure it's no coincidence that ProStreet was released just in time for the holiday season. I'm sure the bonus cheques came in really handy for your office Christmas party!
The Need For Speed franchise has had a few ups and downs in its various incarnations, but this is definitely a low point in the series. Surely it's time you stopped flogging this dead horse and started concentrating on a decent racing game, as it seems like you've lost any sense of where the game should be heading.
What about making a proper racing game to rival Gran Turismo and Forza? I'd dearly love to see something like this on the PC. Or perhaps you could take the example of Test Drive Unlimited and offer an open environment with hundreds of miles of road to discover. After all, originality doesn't seem to be an issue for you guys these days.
So come on, I think it's time that you laid Need For Speed to rest. Go back to the drawing board and come up with something new, innovate and fun, rather than recycling the same tired old ideas.
Most importantly, no matter what you come up with, can you please make sure that whoever's writing the handling model for the game has actually driven a car first?
With kindest regards,
Chris
P.S. Can you also get rid of the cringe-worthy cut scenes? The veneer-thin plot and stereotyped characters just make my skin crawl. Racing games are all about winning, you don't have to scrape the bottom of the scriptwriting barrel to explain my motivation.
Re: Need For Speed: ProStreet
Dear sir,
I've just spent a weekend in the company of your latest product, Need For Speed: ProStreet, and quite frankly I wish I hadn't bothered.
I'm not sure if you're trying to gain kudos from the professional tuning scene, or to escape media accusations of encouraging irresponsible driving, but the switch to circuit racing just doesn't work. I'm no longer free to roam on the open road, there are no cops or roadblocks blocking my path, and there is no pedestrian traffic to avoid. Those were the exact ingredients that made the last game (NFS: Most Wanted) so much fun (if a little infuriating at times).
Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with circuit racing, in fact it's a genre that I really enjoy. Unfortunately for ProStreet there are other games that do it so much better. Just take a look at GTR2 for an example of how to make a proper circuit racing game.
Your games have always taken the arcade approach to car handling, but at least the driving was fun. Having played the new game, I'm wondering if any of your development team possess a driving license? Do they all use public transport to get to work?
One minute I'm driving a twitchy handful that feels like it could spit me off the track if I so much as sneeze, the next minute I'm cursing understeer as I slide off a corner and into the barrier as if someone had greased the front wheels of my ride. At no point does it feel like fun, and it certainly doesn't 'simulate' the real-life cars that your game attempts to portray.
Sure, the tuning options are there and they're genuinely good, and there's a reasonable choice of cars, but that's to be expected these days (I know, we gamers are a spoilt bunch). Unfortunately, once you get back out on the track in your freshly tuned and customised car you soon realise that it's all show and no go!
I know that the NFS franchise (I choose that word carefully) is a big earner for your company, and I'm sure it's no coincidence that ProStreet was released just in time for the holiday season. I'm sure the bonus cheques came in really handy for your office Christmas party!
The Need For Speed franchise has had a few ups and downs in its various incarnations, but this is definitely a low point in the series. Surely it's time you stopped flogging this dead horse and started concentrating on a decent racing game, as it seems like you've lost any sense of where the game should be heading.
What about making a proper racing game to rival Gran Turismo and Forza? I'd dearly love to see something like this on the PC. Or perhaps you could take the example of Test Drive Unlimited and offer an open environment with hundreds of miles of road to discover. After all, originality doesn't seem to be an issue for you guys these days.
So come on, I think it's time that you laid Need For Speed to rest. Go back to the drawing board and come up with something new, innovate and fun, rather than recycling the same tired old ideas.
Most importantly, no matter what you come up with, can you please make sure that whoever's writing the handling model for the game has actually driven a car first?
With kindest regards,
Chris
P.S. Can you also get rid of the cringe-worthy cut scenes? The veneer-thin plot and stereotyped characters just make my skin crawl. Racing games are all about winning, you don't have to scrape the bottom of the scriptwriting barrel to explain my motivation.
2 comments:
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Hey i agree with everything your saying but i like the stupid cut scenes they're pretty funny. It adds something to the game without it there would be something missing I would like that game much less if there where no cut scenes like at a certain point in pro street i jus wanted to advance jus to see what other cuts scenes would happen. They should start making secret endings. But yea the handing in the game was suck butt but i did enjoy the customization i like the fact that i can have two different color wheels and i could place vinyls any place on the car even some on the windows. That was cool to me. The car selection was cool to especially on the computer cause wit a little file editing you could get some cool cars the only thing is they wern't finished but it was still all right. Anyways the game deff was there low point. Oh i also loved that facts that you could have your car damaged. sometime i would do speed challenges just so i could find different ways to crash. well that's all.
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