In the spotlight: Bernhard from NFS-Planet

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Bojan
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In the spotlight: Bernhard from NFS-Planet

Post by Bojan »

The Community Spotlight series has returned on the official Need for Speed website. This time the spotlight is on Berhnard, the webmaster of NFS-Planet, one of the biggest Need for Speed fan sites.
To read this interesting interview and find out more on how to start a successful gaming fansite, click here.
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Post by YaelDjiel »

for those of you who have trouble with EA's site...
Community Spotlight


For a new taste of what goes on in the NFS community, we are highlighting a new community spotlight piece. This week, Bernhard from NFSplanet.com

EA: Tell us a little bit about yourself


I am 23 years old and come from Austria/Europe. After studying media technology and -design I am now working as a web programmer for a small company, but in my spare time I'm still a enthusiastic gamer.

EA: What do you do in the NFS Community? (explain)

My connection to Need for Speed is my fansite NFS-Planet. It can be hard work from time to time, but I do everything to provide NFS fans with news and information as well as useful user-made files, which enhance the NFS experience. The website enhanced more and more from a download portal to a news and community webpage. Lucky for me, I have some busy fellows who watch for the discussion boards, while I am maintaining the website. Apart from posting news I try to involve the community by creating contests (like the recent Easter egg search) and collecting user-made artworks. With NFSU2 I hopped on the train and created a showcase, where users could upload screenshots of their cars, and let them berated by other visitors. It wasn't a new concept, but people definitely liked it. Since the multiplayer-mode in the NFS games got more and more important and I started to focus on reporting about current Need for Speed events - mostly events in Germany/Europe (most visitors of NFS-Planet come from Europe). I even organized a NFSU2 Ladder once, but it was too much work to maintain, so I concentrated more on keeping NFS-Planet up-to-date and writing about scene news and events. I started a scene-section on NFS-Planet, where we supported promising projects and leagues. I even could arrange partnerships with the ESL (Electronic Sports League - the biggest online league in Europe) and Consoles.net, who are currently running the 'NFS Carbon Wilkinson Cup' in Germany.

EA: Did you start the fansite? How has your experience been so far?

Yes, I started NFS-Planet in April 2000 (hey, it's time for a birthday party :)), but I already experimented with web pages back in the times of NFS 3. Over the years NFS-Planet became quite a big web-portal - some years ago I would have never believed how many visitors such a fansite can get. It's interesting to see all the ups and downs of the Need for Speed series, especially from the view of a webmaster. I'm not going into detail here, but with NFS Porsche and then Hot Pursuit 2 the series had its low, because it wasn't possible to create custom cars and tracks anymore. But then NFS Underground showed up and with it the addiction of the series was recovered: we had at least the possibility to tune the cars in-game, which was a big step forward. The focus didn't lie on modding - which kept especially the fansites in the past alive - but on tuning and showing off your rides. The era of the showrooms began and it's interesting how people have the urge to express themselves, not only in the showcase, also on the discussion boards - everybody is proud of his work. This tuning-phenomenon increased even more with NFS Carbon and Autosculpt - I'm already excited what addictive features the next NFS might bring. ? I really like running the fansite, and with the years EA got more and more supportive and shared more news, sponsored events, organized contests and it was really fun maintaining a website about such a great game series. The community grew together and I'm happy to see the lively discussion boards and I like playing online with other NFS gamers. Additionally I have to say, NFS-Planet even helped me finding my job, because there are not many web developers who can show such a well-visited website at their job interview. ;)

EA: How long have you been playing the NFS franchise?

I started with Need for Speed 1 (PC) from Road & Track back in 1995. I didn't miss any game in the series, but I have to say my top 3 favorites were the old ones: NFS Porsche, High Stakes and Hot Pursuit. I liked Porsche because of the driving physics and the career mode, High Stakes because of the damage model and the police and Hot Pursuit because of the revolutionary (for computer games) appearance of the police.

EA: How do you feel about the current state of the NFS community? What would you do different?

I like the current trend to car-tuning and multiplayer-gaming - especially the combination of those two is quite a good mixture. It holds the community together, since everybody wants to race and to show off his rides. But somehow I'm not sure if this mixture will work in the future, since there is not very much variety in the gaming experience. The last 4 NFS titles were almost the same and I think there are some innovations overdue. Additionally something must be done with the cheating problem. It's frustrating to lose against cheaters, or just the fact that you can't reach the top on the leaderboards, just because some guys think it's funny to cheat. Regarding the game: I think it would be nice to have a return to the roots, like in NFS 3 and 4. I'm dreaming of long mountain roads, parts of them covered with snow, or a couple of exotic cars driving down a country road in front of a beautiful landscape, glowing in the sun. But this may be even more realistic than thinking of realistic driving physics and a damage model. Anyway, the last NFS titles were good and entertaining, but it can always be better. On the other hand, I think NFS will always have its fans, as long as there is more behind the game than just finishing a story.

EA: What is your favorite car class?


This depends - I like tuners and exotics, but I can't decide which I like more. Tuners are nice because they are like cars I can imagine driving myself someday in real-life. Exotics are even more a daydream, but honestly - who can say no to a Porsche or Lamborghini? I wish I could win the lottery...

EA: What is the best ride you have ever built? (pictures?)

Hm, that's hard to say since I'm concentrating more on performance than the look, but here is a picture of my Lamborghini Gallardo in NFS Carbon.

EA: Anything else?

Thanks for inviting me to this interview; I really like all those things you guys are doing for the community. I just hope the next NFS will be announced soon. May the series never end. ?"
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Post by xturbo »

What I wonder why nobody tells like: "well, in carbon, why is this so bad..". I wonder if you only state the good things and forgot the bad things that must be told in that moment like bugs,glitches, no innovation thing can continue, etc. We should state WHAT is failing with NFS that brings a lot of criticism to the newer series :?
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Post by Tuners Rock »

hmm, so far three of these
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Post by shadow665 »

three of what
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Post by Tuners Rock »

three spotlights
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Post by race_invader »

I like Bojan's spotlight the best 8) this one is alright i think...
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Post by shadow665 »

o ok know it makes sence hey mi turbo charged now
Last edited by shadow665 on 27 Apr 2007, 03:23, edited 1 time in total.
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Tuners Rock
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Post by Tuners Rock »

lol, i liked bojans best too
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Stereo
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Post by Stereo »

bobyx/bojan's spotlight was better. But thats maybe cause I <3 NFSUnlimited. =D
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