NFS Shift 2 Unleashed!

Check out this video! Certainly seems like a worthy Shift successor and possible competitor to the Forza and GT Series!

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I realy realy looking forward to this game, i mean even Shift1 is a competition to Forza and GT5(i have both)...atleast in the fun factor. Both Forza and GT5 is a bit sterile and clinic compared to shift and not to mention one of my favour car games Grid. I realy hope Grid 2 comes out.

 

Yea Im currently playing shift 1 right now and it is pretty good. But Grid is still my favorite racing game and shift 2 looks to be even better than 1. Will probably get it sometimes down the road due to too many games Im playing at the moment.

 

The features talked about in the video that I am most excited about are the real live tuning feature (a godsend), the new helmet cam view, and the improved, more realistic handling!

 

I have always wished they would create a real street racing game. Both for single and online. Something very different from current offerings...

You get a base car or if you wanna story mode your given a "family" car that is completely dynamic from the car list. Then you enter an open world with various AI racers that you can challenge to street races or whatever. And just like in the real world you have to use your own knowledge of cars to figure out what has been done to modify the other AI racers cars. Which are completely random (dynamic) and therefore the game NEVER gets old.
You have to figure out if you want to challenge the other racer yourself. No magic indicators. So it makes it challenging.. more you win the more cred you get and more parts you can buy. If you want to earn more cred before you start racing the intro family car you can help other racers in your town (AI racers) choose parts for races or help around the auto shop doing game related task stuff. Drive this circuit here to deliver parts or whatever so you can afford to put some gear on your car before heading out into the big bad world.

This is just my .02. One of my all time favorite racing games was Street Racing Syndicate on the original xbox 2004. Love the cars, the races and the ladies.

Best Wishes,

StevenX

 

Have you looked into Test Drive Unlimited 2?

 

Hehe, you took the words out my mou th

Have Test drive1, and its not bad

 

The Pagani Huayra is coming to Shift 2! Look at those graphics and listen to those sounds.

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I am glad they are taking a more realistic approach to nfs but I doubt it will have the physics of gt5 or other sims.

 

I think all will be surprised. They want to make Shift 2 the most realistic racer ever. They have said they want to make Shift 2 a racer on the level or exceeding GT5 and Forza. But I also think they should make it fun and really visceral. That's the one thing GT5 and Forza lack, the racing and environment feel too tame.

It's going to have 145 cars which is MORE than enough to keep anyone busy for a while. So what, GT5 has 1000 cars most of which people will never use more than once. Quality > quantity. All the cars in the original Shift were of the same quality and had awesome cockpit views.

They've done away with the Precision vs. Aggression point system in Shift which encouraged ramming and dirty tactics. They've also really worked on the car modeling and physics systems for true to life performance. The feature that intrigues me the most however, is the helmet cam!

Look at that sunroof and sun glare! OMG.

 

Yeah the helmet cam looks cool. will add to the immersion for sure.

interview with the devs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TEoet04cY8

 

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Maybe not what you want exactly but I love Burnout Paradise and its street racing (around town, not just on a course more like real life) and it has great online.

Its not sim, its very arcade, but also very fun!

 

This is starting to look good!

I'll def be getting this one. I hope it plays well with a PS3 gamepad or Xbox gamepad on the PC.

 

The more videos and interviews about Shift 2 I see, the more excited I get. They really seem dead set on competing with GT and Forza yet still maintaining the unique, fun-to-play factor of NFS titles.

 

After seeing the latest video I am excited about the game now. I like the first one except controlling the cars was a little difficult, because it would always tilt to the left.

 

Shift does the feeling of speed very well.

The sound of wind resistance, engines getting into their 5th and 6th gear, the depth of field, floaty feeling to the controls etc.

It seems to have transferred well into Unleashed.

 

I am sure shift2 will rock. Ok, GT5 has over 1000 cars. But honolsy driving a VW Polo 1.4 and Toyota yaris 1.0 isnt that fun

 

Exactly. I don't understand how 1,000 cars is a milestone when 2/3 of them don't even have cockpit view and are slower than molasses in a racing game!

 

For those of you who keep doubting Shift 2: Unleashed's ability to compete with GT5 and F3, check this out!

SHIFT2 UNLEASHED>> FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS - Speedhunters

 

Yeah waiting on this one. The controls on the Shift were a bit weird -- for the PC + 360 controller-- until I found a website that had a bit of a workaround. I hope the controls are improved this go around.

If this game is better than Gran Turismo 3 (my favorite racing game) then I will proabably have many hours playing this. Hope.

 

The photo of that Mercedes 190e made me really want this game. I still don't think the physics are going to be too realistic but it should be fun.

 

I thought I was the only one that found the controls to be weird, where is this website you found that had a workaround?

 

If you are using the 360 controller on a PC, then this is the fix for you. It was posted on the xbox forums, but I beleive the actual fix originated on t PC forums for Shift.


Steering sensitivity and oversteer, please read! - Xbox.com

"..


There is now a 2nd fix for the sensitive steering/oversteer problem this game exhibits in its default settings. And let me tell you it is a NIGHT and DAY difference.
Please use 2nd fix along with the original thread suggestions on turning down sensitivity in the control options.

I have posted the original sensitivity config here:

Steering Dead Zone-15%
Accel Dead Zone-10%
Brake Dead Zone-10%
Steering sensitivity-5%
Acell Sensitivity -5%
Brake sensitivity-5%
Speed steering Sensitivity 100%


On to the 2nd fix:

At the main menu enter CAR GARAGE----> TUNING, press 'Y' to enter quick tuning mode.
Under the heading 'balance' move the slider all the way to OVERSTEER. That's right oversteer. Apparently the developer labeled this slider wrong or its a glitch. Turning the slider to oversteer will actually add understeer.

Now go drive. as you can see the cars are now more comparible to the feeling of Forza2 and RacePro. It may not be as good but it is now close! There was a sim hidden somewhere in all this mess and I may have to take back some to the nasty things I said beforehand

(Special thanks to Torque Spike for finding this on the EA forums!)...."

 

You really need a wheel to get the most out of Shift! I used a controller for a long time initially, but getting a wheel and pedals made the experience so much more immersive.

 

True, but I could just see the look on my girfriends face, and roomate for that matter, walking in and seeing me driving a car in my room.

I'll stick to the less abtrusive controller for a bit more of my racing needs.

 

They'll get over the initial shock once they sit down and try the wheel! They'll be on your PC all the time!

Anyways, after all the interviews and information we've slowly been getting, I'm really becomng super-excited for this game. More so than for Crysis 2, which by now just seems like a shoddy console port.

 

New video, the game looks better and better every day!

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Ahhh, cant wait

 

Yeah I can't wait also. I don't know the last time I said that about a NFS game.

 

I realy hope that my i7 740 and gtx460m run shift2 better than NFS hot pursuit

 

Right now this is the only game I'm looking forward to until May at least.

 

Does shift2 use multicore?

 

Yes it does.

 

Thanks for replying

Its great, seems i getting it on pc then and not PS3 or 360

 

So this game comes out tomorrow. Anyone else going to get it?

 

I preordered it from Best Buy and have been notified that it will be ready for pick-up tomorrow!

 

Looks good, looking forward to it.

 

Waiting for it to come out on Steam.

 

I'm waiting for the EA Flash deal. I just picked up NFS Hot Pursuit LE (PC) $11, FIFA 11 (360) $25, NHL 11 (360) $25. Ama cheapskate.

 

So is this out yet? Any reviews of any kind ?

I'm dying to know if this is going to be my next racer than I really sink my teeth into. Where are you usapatriot with a quick review LOL.

 

I already got 'burned' enough with NFS: Shift and Hot Pursuit (initial bugs). I'm not buying a darn thing until user reviews a few months in indicate it is worthwhile.

 

Well yeah, I'm gonna pick it up today but won't get any significant play time until after school around 4PM, lol. So if you can wait until then!

 

You may want to pass on this one as well Greg. While Eurogamer just posted their review SHIFT 2: Unleashed Xbox 360 Review - Page 1 | Eurogamer.net it still sounds more of the same. They were impressed with the social aspect of the game i.e. Autolog, something I won't use. The driving still has that feeling of twitchy oversteer to it but there are now consequences for bad or illegal driving such as cutting the track etc.

It was given an 8/10 score. Here are some comments from the review:

"As with its predecessor, SHIFT 2's cars have a twitchy, unruly feel in the hands. There's none of the slick grace of Forza's cars, nor the dry, studied realism of Gran Turismo's cast. There's still a great deal of oversteer, and cars will spin out at the slightest provocation. This certainly gives races a taut, sometimes fraught feel, but there's a harsh edge to the driving that takes some getting used to."

"what causes SHIFT 2 to catch up with the pack are the innovations found in the metagame layer that sits over the basic racing. Autolog – the brilliant and engaging online competitive overlay introduced by Hot Pursuit – is present and correct, posting your best time in each and every event to a virtual wall, encouraging friends and rivals to top it."

"As an update to the previous SHIFT title, Unleashed is a significant draft forward. While the driving itself retains the boisterous character of its predecessor, there's been a considerable tightening of focus in the experience system, which makes every race feel meaningful whether you win or lose."

"Many will consider the game a third place to Forza and Gran Turismo's slicker, more exacting odes to motor racing, but in terms of its social features, SHIFT 2 leads the pack, even if Autolog really is a debt owed to the Need for Speed heritage it is so eager to pull away from."

 

Seems like a good way to spend a mail-in rebate card and some leftover Gamestop store credit. I'll be picking up my PS3 copy today. I'm most looking forward to racing on Road America, a track I've actually driven.

 

Play with a wheel and the control issues will be gone or simply turn down the handling realism and turn assists on. If you don't know how to drive a 500HP race car, you will spin out at the slightest mistake.

Here are two PC reviews:

http://www.bit-tech.net/gaming/2011/03/29/shift-2-unleashed-review/2

http://www.pcgamer.com/2011/03/29/shift-2-unleashed-review/

 

Shift 2 Unleashed initial impressions:

Upgrade System:

Much better and more realistic than Shift 1. Now rather than just saying Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3 etc. for every upgrade you actually get Categories with sub-categories with real parts you can choose from and install.

Tuning system:

Highly improved over Shift 1. You can now create and save multiple tune versions as well as tuning your car live on the track unlike Shift 1.

Gameplay:

I've played for only about 25min, but from what I can tell the handling feels a lot better than Shift 1. Cars feel a lot more planted and don't drift through every turn unless you actually want them to. The new drivers helmet cam is very interesting, although it's going to take some getting used it is will definitely be worth it in the end.

The cars:

As in Shift 1, every car has a highly detailed, true to life cockpit view where most drivers will be spending most of their time. Cars are also extremely detailed on the outside and look really remarkable.

The graphics:

Definitely improved over Shift 1, texture resolutions are higher and the color/saturation of the environment is a lot more realistic. The cars look even better.

Overall:

The menu system and menu control system could be a little bit more PC friendly, but it's not so bad, once you get used to it you can zip through it pretty quickly. Pretty much all the handling, tuning, and upgrading quirks of Shift 1 have been rectified and overall the game delivers a much better and more visceral racing experience. I'd give it a 8/10 right now, this may change as I play a bit more later on.

The game is a definite buy if you like racing on the PC. I have not run into any major or gamebreaking bugs, yet..

I'll definitely write a more detailed, review/impressions later today or tomorrow, but right now I have to get ready for school...

Until then, I'll take any questions you guys have!

 

Thanks for the initial impressions I am going to go pick my copy up in a few hours. I can't wait to drive the Mercedes 190e evo 2.

 

@Patriot -- Are you using a force feedback wheel? If so which one and how do you have it setup? I have never used a wheel but always thought about it. I think it would be neat to setup something like a maybe a small desk setup with a wheel. Thanks for the review!

 

Yes, I am using the Logitech Driving Force GT which is "officially" a PS3 wheel but also works on the PC officially as well.

Shift 2 has built-in support for several different specific models of wheels, including the Driving Force GT.

I used to play Shift with a controller, but once I got the wheel it was like a whole new game!