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BlackBox making next NFS for November 2011

Posted: 02 Nov 2010, 22:07
by Hydro_PT
BlackBox making next Need for Speed title for November 2011:

EA Europe VP Patrick Soderlund has revealed to Eurogamer that mainstay series developer BlackBox will be making a new Need for Speed for release next November.

This year's edition, Hot Pursuit, comes from Guildford-based Criterion. But back in August, EA announced a Need for Speed: Shift sequel for the end of FY2011.

Slightly Mad Studios did the first game. BlackBox's last console NFS was Undercover in 2008, but has launched MMO Need for Speed: World.

Soderlund says it's all down to an alternating studio strategy similar to the one had at Activision for Call of Duty.

"We want to reach a mass-market audience, and Hot Pursuit is a more mass-market appealing product than Shift," said Soderlund.

"We want to come back with an action adventure type of product on an annual basis, but from a developer that's been working on it for a couple of years."

"Maybe there are two or three developers going at it every second year. Then, when the market permits and when we feel ready, we'll come up with Shift versions as well."

Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit launches on November 19 in the UK.

Source: http://www.vg247.com/2010/11/02/blackbo ... mber-2011/
So this confirms that in 2011 we will see two new NFS games: SHIFT 2 by Slightly Mad Studios, which will focus on simulation (or try to xD) and this new NFS, which probably will be similar to Undercover / Underground (tuning, illegal street racing, cops and crap story).

Well, EA definitely wants to keep the franchise alive, I just hope that they don't make the same mistake they did in the past, which is to force a single studio to produce a new game every year. Longer developing cycles are welcome, and with three studios working, we can really have good games every year. They surely want to extend the NFS franchise to simulation games with SHIFT, while keeping their old-school fans happy with games like Hot Pursuit. And then games like Underground, which were a success.

I like it. :mrgreen:

EDIT: Oh and we have World, which can be a very good game in the long run. It's an MMO, if they support the game correctly it can last for years.

Re: BlackBox making next NFS for November 2011

Posted: 04 Nov 2010, 07:35
by Dr Houbenheimer
Yeah should be interesting; in the case they go down the Undercover path like you mentioned, it'll be interesting to see where they go with it as to not double up on a game with identical gameplay to World - either one undermining the other.

Re: BlackBox making next NFS for November 2011

Posted: 04 Nov 2010, 17:50
by ElvenAvenger
If they want to use Undercover's "heroic driving" engine or the driving model overall...just no. Don't.

Take NFS UG1 driving model. Its arcade enough.

Unless they plan on making a NFS Nitro+tuning+Undercover graphics for PC.



I hope they will just release Underground 3, and it will be as good as Underground. Doesn't have to be themed with 2f2f ricing stuff.
More "matured?" tuning. No weird pink vinyls and bright blue neons.
But still cars like R34 and Supra included, add some old muscle cars. I mean something like a 69 Charger racing a tastefully tuned R34 in a city similar to UG1's city.
No "class" and tier divisions. If your Civic can't beat that 350Z there, you get a better vehicle and beat him.

Re: BlackBox making next NFS for November 2011

Posted: 05 Nov 2010, 10:13
by Dr Houbenheimer
UG3 would be my dream...haha! I do doubt it though, they're probably experimenting with different ideas.

If so, sure they can ditch the neons and crap, but I really wanna keep the feel of the UG series...even my thoughts are telling me that they should keep that old vinyl system, sure you couldn't move the vinyls around but it was so great to design with.

The key focus' should be the ridiculous amount of varied body options, including a lot of new and unique stuff, not too much recycling, varied game modes, and that street vibe.

Re: BlackBox making next NFS for November 2011

Posted: 05 Nov 2010, 20:58
by kimd41
I agree that I would love to see a UG3 that doesn't suck.

Re: BlackBox making next NFS for November 2011

Posted: 06 Nov 2010, 07:59
by Zotic+
ElvenAvenger wrote:If they want to use Undercover's "heroic driving" engine or the driving model overall...just no. Don't.

Take NFS UG1 driving model. Its arcade enough.

Unless they plan on making a NFS Nitro+tuning+Undercover graphics for PC.



I hope they will just release Underground 3, and it will be as good as Underground. Doesn't have to be themed with 2f2f ricing stuff.
More "matured?" tuning. No weird pink vinyls and bright blue neons.
But still cars like R34 and Supra included, add some old muscle cars. I mean something like a 69 Charger racing a tastefully tuned R34 in a city similar to UG1's city.
No "class" and tier divisions. If your Civic can't beat that 350Z there, you get a better vehicle and beat him.
all they need to do is pick up a copy of modified mag and read the articles (NOT THE ADS)

Re: BlackBox making next NFS for November 2011

Posted: 09 Nov 2010, 19:23
by ElvenAvenger
It would be actually fun if Criterion took care of that one... :lol:

Re: BlackBox making next NFS for November 2011

Posted: 15 Nov 2010, 20:27
by AJ_Lethal
afaik, they're spent 3 yrs on doing it. if it goes screwed up it would the end of black box.

Re: BlackBox making next NFS for November 2011

Posted: 17 Nov 2010, 08:56
by Zotic+
heres what im hoping for now.
City: Tokyo, Japan
day and night racing
Races: street drift, street race, sprint, wangan runs, touge duels, touge drift.
All of the JDM cars and tuners
some closed tracks to rae in
real tuning parts with 1000's of options

just wanted to put this out

Re: BlackBox making next NFS for November 2011

Posted: 18 Nov 2010, 18:09
by AJ_Lethal
And I hope they dont release a crappy-made Wii version.

Re: BlackBox making next NFS for November 2011

Posted: 19 Nov 2010, 22:46
by MrStalker
I can't imagine them making anything other than Underground 3. I mean, it's only logical. Underground 1 & 2 were both very successful both critically and financially, and a lot of fans have continually asked for a true sequel.

Basically take everything that made Underground 2 great and supercharge it.

Re: BlackBox making next NFS for November 2011

Posted: 20 Nov 2010, 02:49
by Zotic+
agree, just dont call it undergrround 3. Something else

Re: BlackBox making next NFS for November 2011

Posted: 20 Nov 2010, 18:59
by ElvenAvenger
God just don't take driving model from UG2....

please [-o<

Re: BlackBox making next NFS for November 2011

Posted: 20 Nov 2010, 19:05
by LancerEvoFan0504
I agree that driving model in underground 2 sucked they should take the driving model from Most Wanted.

Re: BlackBox making next NFS for November 2011

Posted: 21 Nov 2010, 13:18
by Nitrodemon McLaren
Let's hope it's decent, at least.

Re: BlackBox making next NFS for November 2011

Posted: 22 Nov 2010, 22:59
by ElvenAvenger
Looking at what i saw recently, the only model i wouldnt complain about is NFS UG1's driving model and World's.
Undercover:....well do i really need to explain.
Most Wanted was too much understeer, Carbon was...Tuner/Muscle/Exotic.
Pro Street was The Need For Speed: Boat & Train
UG 2 was like "read SMS in real life, drink tea, read a book and watch TV while controlling a car at 350 km/h". Over exagerrating a bit, but it felt sluggish. And its not the framerate, there was something about it that made it feel slow compared to UG1.
But then again UG1 and UG2 were one of the last that didn't make every car burnout when starting from a standstill.

World has a good model for arcade NFSes, just that stupid "Burnout" every time you start from a standstill is just ridiculous.

Re: BlackBox making next NFS for November 2011

Posted: 23 Nov 2010, 04:51
by oshaylinux
I say leave well enough alone, as for as, doing a NFS "U3"...U2, even with it's minor faults, still is the "best" NFS to-date...Every nfs after u2 has been so mainstreamed, trying to appeal to the largest audience possible, the games feel lacking and lackluster...EA would have allowed nfs to continue being developed with the same mind set as U2 was, make it bigger and better than the one before it...Now, instead of filling every nfs with all the beloved features that make for great racing games, the nfs dev teams nick-pit over the features...Some racing modes in one game but absent in others, cab view in only one game in nine years, limited multiplayer options, very limited customization options, so on and so on...No matter the sound track nor the environment, track based or free roam, nick-picking over the features gamers love about their games is never a good idea...If EA ever authorize another nfs u, and nick-picking the features ideology is going to be applied, then I say, leave well enough alone!...

Re: BlackBox making next NFS for November 2011

Posted: 23 Nov 2010, 06:38
by Nitrodemon McLaren
I don't get it, how isn't UG2 mainstreamed? Most games since the first UG have been made to appeal to a very large audience (isn't that the goal when it comes to games anyway, besides selling units?)

Also, I didn't understand if you were criticizing NFS: HP, but if you did, then it's for the wrong reasons.

Re: BlackBox making next NFS for November 2011

Posted: 23 Nov 2010, 23:01
by ElvenAvenger
What EA did wrong is they were drooling all over one feature.

Remember Shift?


Most of the talk was about how awesome the cockpit view was, how it was so awesome, and how it was really , really awesome and so truly awesome that it was awesome in its awesome awesomeness....truly awesome, isnt it?


Or how Most Wanted was so "HD" and awesome and then it was HD and really awesome.....and it was high definition awesome.

...
But nowadays no one makes games more complex than Hot Pursuit.
UG2 had sliders and all that, now if its a slider then its either a sound option or its NFS Shift....

Everything is becoming more casual and console based....

Re: BlackBox making next NFS for November 2011

Posted: 15 Dec 2010, 22:49
by oshaylinux
ElvenAvenger wrote:What EA did wrong is they were drooling all over one feature.


Everything is becoming more casual and console based....
You hit the nail on the head with that one...

Remember Undercover(joke), it was all about the heroic driving engine and the big movie star production.

Re: BlackBox making next NFS for November 2011

Posted: 15 Dec 2010, 23:10
by oshaylinux
Nitrodemon McLaren wrote:I don't get it, how isn't UG2 mainstreamed? Most games since the first UG have been made to appeal to a very large audience (isn't that the goal when it comes to games anyway, besides selling units?)

Also, I didn't understand if you were criticizing NFS: HP, but if you did, then it's for the wrong reasons.
The way EA is going about mainstreaming nfs is not good...EA strips out anything they may feel offensive to the general public and/or waters it down...This has been happening starting with MW and has continued even until now...

Re: BlackBox making next NFS for November 2011

Posted: 16 Dec 2010, 11:49
by ElvenAvenger
At least UG2 has some more in depth car customization, not just "level 1, 2, 3" and nothing more.


Then comes Most Wanted, only packages available, only bodykits etc.

Carbon - not even unique parts now

Pro Street - It brought back some of UG2's tuning but the driving model was a bit bad. Also it was a "serious" NFS and not street racing anymore.
Undercover - well...no need to explain
Shift - again UG2's sliders come back but this time its even more serious. Unfortunately its still bodykits only.
World - even more simplified. Only level 1 available in shop, can win level 2 in races and level 3 is as rare as free car card in Pro Street. And almost no visual tuning, only bodykits. Vinyl system is quite nice though.

Seriously, they are going back to roots in terms of simplicity. You had a track and a car to choose and not much more.

Except now you get fancy graphics.

Re: BlackBox making next NFS for November 2011

Posted: 25 Dec 2010, 16:19
by LancerEvoFan0504
So when are they going to announce the game?

Re: BlackBox making next NFS for November 2011

Posted: 30 Dec 2010, 08:45
by Dr Houbenheimer
Anyone's guess really..It's still a fair while until its release so don't expect an announcement asap.

Re: BlackBox making next NFS for November 2011

Posted: 09 Jan 2011, 04:15
by Zotic+
Dr Houbenheimer wrote:Anyone's guess really..It's still a fair while until its release so don't expect an announcement asap.
usually games with a fall release dat have an announcement date suring june/july. during E3