Need For Speed Heat - General Discussion

[FT-1]

Hustle by day and risk it all at night in Need for Speed™ Heat, a white-knuckle street racer, where the lines of the law fade as the sun starts to set. By day, Palm City hosts the Speedhunter Showdown, a sanctioned competition where you earn Bank to customize and upgrade your high-performance cars. At night, ramp up the intensity in illicit street races that build your reputation, getting you access to bigger races and better parts. But stay ready – cops are waiting and not all of them play fair.

Official Website​

Spoiler: Reddit: Everything there is to know about Heat (So Far)

Spoiler: Pre-Announcement Content

Formerly titled: Need For Speed 2019 (Pre-Announcement Discussion)

As the title suggests, this thread is about the next Need For Speed (most likely set for release in 2019) which has not been revealed yet. However, thanks to some information shared by the NFS Reddit community manager F8RGE, we at least have some idea of the theme surrounding the next game:

To start of with, a User asked the question if Ghost would return to a Car Culture theme for the next game, then F8RGE replied with a pretty vague comment initially:


He went on to say that Payback (And V-Rally... because Reddit comments) is not what he would consider a true NFS game. Then to clarify, he said this:


So it is pretty clear Need For Speed 2015 has set the tone for the theme which future NFS games will utilise - In that case, expect more focus on underground street racing as opposed to a hollywood-action style plot. Plus, based on a recent twitter poll, many users would prefer a return to a particular era:


What are your thoughts and hopes for the next instalment for the series?

EDIT (February 12th): Everything to know about NFS19 before the Official Reveal

EDIT (May 29th): Under The Hood: Turning Up The Heat - Need For Speed 2019 is a no-show at E3 2019.

EDIT (August 12th): Official Reveal on August 14th, 16:00 CEST

 

[Ameer67]

This is going to be Ghost's fourth attempt at an NFS game and as they say, third one's the cha... wait, that was Payback. Dammit. Well then, hopefully fourth one's the charm.

 

[FT-1]

This is going to be Ghost's fourth attempt at an NFS game and as they say, third one's the cha... wait, that was Payback. Dammit. Well then, hopefully fourth one's the charm.

While I am still a fan of the NFS franchise, there is no getting away from the fact that every game released by Ghost has been flawed in some way and it would be naive of me to think the new release wouldn't be. As for Rivals, I didn't purchase that because I didn't like the theme at all. I've got my fair share of enjoyment from the most recent 2 releases, but I would be happier if Ghost took the foundations of 2015 and built on that instead.

Plus if it is coming out in 2019 (given how Need For Speed have a 2 year release gap nowadays), I do wonder how they'll deal with the next generation release which is highly likely to be 2020. Perhaps 2019 could receive a remaster the following year?

 

[rallymorten]

..depending on exactly what they take from 2015, I'm mildly interested.

If it's things like, say, the tuning system not being an overly grindy RNG hellhole designed to sell microtransactions and stuff like police chases and the entire online aspect not feeling like afterthoughts, then that's a good thing.

Personally, however, I can't say I have a particular desire to return to an always-night, always-rain, medium-sized city with no personality whatsoever (apart from the previously mentioned crippling depression it suffers from) and populated only by characters who mistook the set for an early-2000s D-list F&F knockoff.

Also we're going to ignore how the "hip with the kids" era also was basically Hollywood (..Payback really *did* jump the shark, didn't it?), but.. Boats and floating, amirite?

 

[CleanCut]

I personally had no problem with Payback. Love it, in fact. But the atmosphere of 2015 was really great as well. Sign me up either way.

 

[TJ13]

What a lot of people want is basically Underground/2 port to the current gen things, then upgrade the graphics and add some more content and call it Underground 3.

I expect something that is just mashed together and add some other random thing and call it NFS Randomat.

 

[ImaRobot]

I liked 2015's appeal, it just didn't play out too well. If they can continue the improvements made to Payback, than we can possibly have a pretty decent game. Payback made some big changes and I liked it a ton more than 2015, mostly because the physics somewhat resembled driving.

Personally, however, I can't say I have a particular desire to return to an always-night, always-rain, medium-sized city with no personality whatsoever (apart from the previously mentioned crippling depression it suffers from) and populated only by characters who mistook the set for an early-2000s D-list F&F knockoff.

Easy way to work around that is to use the same Dynamic weather that was in Payback, which makes sense since its already developed.

 

[rallymorten]

Easy way to work around that is to use the same Dynamic weather that was in Payback, which makes sense since its already developed.

True, and that would fix the directly-related-to-the-sky bit of the "crippling depression" problem. Now to just cure the setting itself.

I mean, a quick comparison to - look how pertinent this is - Underground 2 should tell you all you'd ever need to know. Yes, it too is set in a city that's permanently night and has rain and whatnot, but, unlike 2015, it doesn't feel dead. It's got just about enough traffic at any time, the map (and some bits that technically is but isn't really part of it) is full of bright lights.. yes, Underground 2 - like most big, urban areas in reality - has its dark and moody places, but not basically the entire city.

Credit where credit's due, Ghost did up their game significantly with Silver Rock. You've got landmarks and lights everywhere, the heat shimmer at dusk, planes constantly taking off and landing and so on. And while I'll admit it's a bit on the small side compared to the map itself - Los Santos in GTA V is a bit on the small side compared to the map itself, and that's doing just fine. It might also help that neither of those two attended the NFS Undercover School Of Map Design and split themselves into several sections connected by some 🤬-off long bridge for some arbitrary reason. I mean, Fortune Valley is still quite noticably split into several sections, but that's the lesser problem - at least it doesn't take minutes to get between sections.

The problem Silver Rock has, in my eyes, is just that - it's not Bayview. Yes, I *do* think Silver Rock and the rest of Fortune Valley could become as highly regarded to new players as the likes of Bayview and Rockport is to the old farts who'll maintain 'till their death that "you don't just turn off the early 00's" (and yes, that's a reference), because, if we subtract the Burnout Paradise parts, it's basically the ideal NFS setting - it's the best of both the classic, supercars-on-open-roads settings and tuner-cars-in-parking-lots (get triggered) settings, and we haven't even begun to discuss the improvements the rest of Payback *did* bring to the table.

In some ways, yes, I would argue Payback is a best-of-NFS kind of game, and had it not been for some frankly retarded "design choices", I'd probably be praising it loudly, because pretty much everything else (minus the bits involving jumping of sharks. Apart from that section with the truck. That was actually unique and interesting. I can think of all of about two other games that'll let you do that, and it says a lot when those games are GTA and Driver: San Francisco) is actually kinda good. It could still do with a touch more traffic in places, but it's a decent package.

The one sentence that comes to mind when thinking of Payback is "missed potential". And now they're seemingly pulling in the other direction again, because.. reasons? I don't.. I'm genuinely stumped.

 

[Yarf]

Another exotic car chasing game, or another street racing gangsta rap themed game with crazy bodykits and THICC women and cars blasting explicit rap music. Or best of both worlds (most wanted 2005)

EA probably wont try something like ProStreet or SHIFT ever again

 

[FT-1]

EA probably wont try something like ProStreet or SHIFT ever again

While there will probably never be a direct sequel to both of those games, I do think there is a possibility we could see closed-circuit racing in the future. After all, the Underground Racing League in Underground 2 featured permanent race tracks.

 

[CleanCut]

^^^ Actually I've said it before in another forum, my ideal NFS game would be some sort of mashup of NFSU2 and Prostreet - basically have Prostreet style events but also mixed with free-roam and *illegal* events on the streets. They could work it all into a story somehow with an antagonist that spills over from the illegal scene to the legal one.

@rallymorten: I agree, 2015's city was extremely pretty, and realistic, but also really uninhabited. I have been playing NFS since Underground 2 and I still feel that Payback has the best map to date. I DO wish it was a little more varied however. Placing the game in the desert allowed them to do that sort of thing really well, but it would be nice to have something other than a desert for a change.

I disagree that Payback "jumped the shark." If you ask me, "jumping the shark" is the definition of The Crew 2. Being able to change from plane to boat to car to motorcycle anywhere on the map completely takes away the immersion for me.

Payback is MASSIVELY more replayable than 2015 because of the handling. In Payback, you can actually enjoy the driving. In 2015, you try to enjoy the rest of the aspects of the game in spite of the driving. I feel that Ghost is getting better with every release, and they definitely deserve a chance to marry the two styles of games together and make an even better one.

 

[rallymorten]

@rallymorten: I agree, 2015's city was extremely pretty, and realistic, but also really uninhabited.

No, you see, I think the highlighted bit is you making your own creative interpretation of what I said again. It may be really pretty - in a tech-demo look-what-the-tech-can-do-when-it's-focused-on-one-thing kind of way, but that's about it. Remember the talks about how Payback was a visual downgrade because the game wasn't just night time with added darkness anymore? Exactly.

I DO wish it was a little more varied however.

..with regards to the map itself or just Silver Rock? Because if it's the former, all it needs to be the most varied map possible is a natural waterfall and a snow-capped mountain. And even if it's the latter - while I would agree there are things you could do to make it better - it's a heck of a better blueprint for future games.

Placing the game in the desert allowed them to do that sort of thing really well, but it would be nice to have something other than a desert for a change.

Ghost Games, are you listening? 'Cause you're free to take inspiration from this:

Take a leaf out of the Ubisoft playbook and do a San Francisco knockoff. It's a big, varied city, on the west coast, with giant bridges that are still interesting enough. But there's more to it than that, with the added countryside, mountains and whatever else you can fit in. Consider it much like Fortune Valley, but the desert bit is replaced with a grasslands/fields bit.

Again, I feel like Fortune Valley, as a blueprint, has loads more potential than.. pretty much any other NFS setting.

I disagree that Payback "jumped the shark." If you ask me, "jumping the shark" is the definition of The Crew 2. Being able to change from plane to boat to car to motorcycle anywhere on the map completely takes away the immersion for me.

Now, listen carefully: I'm not saying the sharks aren't there to be jumped, at least to a certain extent. It's all about why and how you do it. The Crew 2 jumps the shark because the Fast Fav system works as a game mechanic. Burnout Paradise and Just Cause 3 jump a few sharks every now and then because both those franchises are about complete and utter disregard for the rules and logic that govern other games. Blood Dragon doesn't just stop at jumping just a shark because it's a silly spin-off and it knows it and rolls with it.

Sure, NFS has jumped its fair share of sharks before, most notably the physics of cop cars in Most Wanted - the 2005 one - and Carbon or the explosive barrels from the helicopter in Hot Pursuit 2, but Payback jumps sharks like a F&F movie directed by Michael Bay - the Koenigsegg jumps a building, the Lamborghini jumps into the back of a moving truck, explosions everywhere, because.. why, again?

Jumping *that* kind of shark, I'd say, isn't really adding to the game in any meaningful way.

I feel that Ghost is getting better with every release, and they definitely deserve a chance to marry the two styles of games together and make an even better one.

..and if you've paid attention, you'll find that that's exactly what I've been saying. There is a way to make a good game out of a combination of 2015 and Payback. It's all about how they choose to put it together. And considering the few bits 2015 *did* have going for it were categorically scrapped for Payback, I have my concerns.

 

[cudwieser]

Gonna take the live and let live approach with this one. If it's anything like Payback/2015 by way of style and Dynamics I'll be there. Ideally I want more variation to the environments, larger map, more events and a good story (add offline play), but I would like the greater openness of 2015 to share the gameplay be it an open lobby or an invite lobby. Payback was lacking in multiplay and, while not a multiplayer fan, even I miss the lack of personalities an cohesion in Playbacks online modes. All in all Ghost has carried the game well and has yet to make a truly bad play, but time will tell. Worst comes to the worst I simply won't buy the game.

 

[CleanCut]

No, you see, I think the highlighted bit is you making your own creative interpretation of what I said again. It may be really pretty - in a tech-demo look-what-the-tech-can-do-when-it's-focused-on-one-thing kind of way, but that's about it. Remember the talks about how Payback was a visual downgrade because the game wasn't just night time with added darkness anymore? Exactly.

You're right, you didn't say it was really pretty in a tech-demo sort of way, although I've yet to find someone who didn't think so. Just trying to find common ground man. I should've composed that sentence a little differently. I was trying to say 'despite being pretty and realistic looking, I agree with you that the city was bland and uninhabited.'

Sure, NFS has jumped its fair share of sharks before, most notably the physics of cop cars in Most Wanted - the 2005 one - and Carbon or the explosive barrels from the helicopter in Hot Pursuit 2, but Payback jumps sharks like a F&F movie directed by Michael Bay - the Koenigsegg jumps a building, the Lamborghini jumps into the back of a moving truck, explosions everywhere, because.. why, again?

Jumping *that* kind of shark, I'd say, isn't really adding to the game in any meaningful way.

I see what you're saying. While it's certainly true that all of those examples are unrealistic, I did enjoy the action sequences of Payback, if only because they were fresh and exciting. I thought the whole Lambo heist which enables you to crash a big-rig through barricades was really fun. And in spite of whatever criticism one may have of the story, those sequences were, at least, story-driven. For me personally, to borrow your phrase "because... why, again?" applies more to my previous example of The Crew 2. But to each his own of course.

..and if you've paid attention, you'll find that that's exactly what I've been saying. There is a way to make a good game out of a combination of 2015 and Payback. It's all about how they choose to put it together. And considering the few bits 2015 *did* have going for it were categorically scrapped for Payback, I have my concerns.

Yes, I've been paying attention. But a little puzzled at your response(?). My intent is just to have a good-natured discussion.

Oh, as far as the map.... what I meant by "more varied" is that I was referring to the landscape and climate. I think they technical aspects of Payback's map like the percentage of city to rural, the flow of the roads, all that stuff, was great. But it depends on the setting they choose to go with as well. If they include off-roading again, then yeah. But if the game is more street-focused, then a larger city would be better. I just hope the next game looks a little more varied. San Francisco works for me. Also I think Forza Horizon 4 is looking amazing in this regard!

 

[Stephan]

I really don't have anything much to expect for NFS2019 to be honest.

But given that I gave Ghost three tries now to at least give me a solid NFS title, at this point I feel like can they even try releasing a good NFS title? And yes while I do give credit that Payback was at least decent but that was only because of how the handling feels alright now and while that's good, things like the RnG system for performance parts, the lack of free roam cops, the disappearance of the additional stance settings from 2015, the slight downgrade for the graphics, etc. it kinda made me feel that they took a step backwards.

So overall I just want them to give me NFS2015 but with Payback's additional customizable parts like the headlights and such, Payback's car selection but improved, Payback's cops with roaming around the map when free roaming, Payback's handling and again improved (given how they can do it as made evidenced by the police C7 Vette), and a good map.

And as for the day night cycle, I'm in the minority but I kinda liked the always night approach of NFS2015. But again I'm alright with either both.

So good luck to Ghost then.

 

[CleanCut]

^^^ I don't really mind the always nighttime conditions either, but only as long as they give us the ability to see our vehicles in a bright, full lighting scenario as well. Whether that's in the garage or a special showcase mode, I don't really care.

 

[Silver Arrows]

This is going to be Ghost's fourth attempt at an NFS game and as they say, third one's the cha... wait, that was Payback. Dammit. Well then, hopefully fourth one's the charm.

That is true though: Payback is the best NFS game made by Ghost by a long shot. The competition isn't that great though, if we're being honest.

Really though, the problem with the NFS games made by Ghost is that they are so slavishly devoted to nostalgia as a main core tenant of the game. Rivals was slavishly devoted to the early games, and it didn't work mainly because it was so obviously a launch title that felt good for the first year or so that it was released, but in 2018 feels boring and dated. NFS 2015 was slavishly devoted to the Underground era, and we all know how that turned out.

What would be nice for Ghost to do is to make an original idea, which is what they tried to do, and did fairly well in my opinion, and use the elements of the past games instead of just trying to do them wholesale. Love it or hate it, Payback at least feels different, and the echoes of the past are there instead of the nostalgia smack in the middle of your face as a core game tenant. Something like, as mentioned up thread, Prostreet, or even The Run in a way (of which both games have aged better in time, at least in terms of ideas, away from the bitching and moaning both games had when originally released)

By this point, Ghost's reign over the series has been one of a swinging pendulum, and really, the series has to essentially accept that it isn't the top dog in the arcade racing landscape. Hell, it isn't even the top dog in the racing landscape anymore. So experiment a bit. Make something original, with echoes of the past. But considering the loudness of certain fandoms of the NFS base, we're destined to have more stuff obviously banking on nostalgia for a time which has passed.

 

[Marc30599]

The competition isn't that great though, if we're being honest.

yeah the competition in the arcade racing genre looks and smells like crap. Forza Horizon 4 looks good and that's about it.
The Crew 2 is missing features that should have been in the game day one, Super Street isn't shaping up too well and it hasn't even been released yet, OnRush was.....lol, and yeah lets hope need for speed does good

 

[ImaRobot]

yeah the competition in the arcade racing genre looks and smells like crap. Forza Horizon 4 looks good and that's about it.
The Crew 2 is missing features that should have been in the game day one, Super Street isn't shaping up too well and it hasn't even been released yet, OnRush was.....lol, and yeah lets hope need for speed does good

I would say that Horizon absolutely nails literally every single other aspect, other than Payback having a slight nod in the customization aspect. That is the one and only spot that can be said without a doubt that it's able to compete. It plays good, runs good, and looks good and for how much more cars it has in comparison, it has a decent amount of customization.

The Crew 2 was simply a let down, in my opinion. The driving is horrid, even if it does have fun moments.

 

[TJ13]

The Crew 2 was simply a let down, in my opinion. The driving is horrid, even if it does have fun moments.

This I would have to agree.
Plus having a very expensive "Season" pass that only gives a outhouse and cars it's kinda lackluster.
Repeating so many events just to get something.
Just for someone to find an exploit and ruin the fun for the others.

But I think that whatever NFS does it probably will be in a step in the "Right" direction but not the direction the "people" want.

 

[McLaren]

Wow, that is crazy that the Underground era is still only popular because of UG2, although I never got the hype behind it. I was way more of a fan of UG1 & Most Wanted afterwards.

That was a really shaky era between Most Wanted & the reemergence of Hot Pursuit when the franchise was getting a lot of flak & mixed/negative reviews. The eras following seem almost not awful, but forgotten. Don't hear much reference towards The Run or Rivals. Looking back, I should've given Rivals a chance since Criterion said it was supposed to be a throwback to the old games, but I was so heavily displeased with Most Wanted before it that I refused to give it a chance; Most Wanted was the first game I ever bought and returned within' days which killed me because Criterion had completely engulfed me with their Hot Pursuit reboot.

NFS2015 though, seemed to almost be the savior, since it had a nice blend of the supercar era, cops, and the tuner scene. Most of what I read about the game was that Ghost Games had a solid idea, but the game at launch was underwhelming; a few ideas were definitely met with displeasure. It seemed to me that all they had to do was tweak some things and it would've been much better, although iirc, the post release updates helped tremendously. And now with Payback, I'm reminded of The Run & Rivals again. It doesn't come across as bad, but I definitely don't hear much about it unless one follows the franchise. The whole franchise seems to be completely overshadowed now by Forza, GT, and others esp. following nothing at this year's E3.

Personally, said before I'd like to see the return of the original era or another Hot Pursuit since all 3 have done wonders for the franchise, but NFS2015 seems like a solid reference point to start from as well.

 

[willbsn13]

It'll be interesting to see where Ghost take the NFS IP in 2019, considering that it really is no longer the behemoth it once was. Dont get me wrong though, NFS is still large and has a large following on social media and I think fans are desperate for a decent NFS game. IMO we haven't had one of those since NFS Hot Pursuit 2010. That's quite a while.

They don't need to reinvent the wheel, there's no other dev really going after the illegal street racing scene (at least in the AAA Space). So yeah, I just hope it's a decent game that can build on what's worked in both 2015 & Payback and iron out what didn't work in those games (which was a lot IMO).

 

[Moglet]

I wouldn't mind going back to a night-time only setting for the next title providing they got the cars and the modifications right. Removing options for the vehicles' stance in Payback was a huge step backwards given how they managed to implement air suspension, and placing the neons behind the crates system was annoying too. It seemed a very confused and rushed game overall. Bizarrely I didn't actually mind the upgrades system in the end but I would still prefer a more traditional approach.

 

[keroroslayer]

NFS U1 remake (mb more cars, car mods, enhanced graphic i.e. https://bit.ly/2LrhnWi , music, routes, types of racing but still within closed sets of runs/no open space. As for police it can be optional/put in certain type or racing/as a bonus/addon to gain points)

 

[CleanCut]

^^^ Please NO! Freeroam is an integral part of replayability for me. There's a ton of cars I enjoy buying and customizing but don't actually enjoy racing with... With no freeroam there would be no point in owning them. At least now I can enjoy a "Sunday drive" with them and stage snapshots.

 

[Krizalid93]

For next one I have a crazy suggestion

Take customization from nfs underground
Take story and police pursuits from nfs most wanted 2005
Take canyon races from nfs carbon
Take drifting and police pursuits from nfs hot pursuit 2010
Maps of nfs underground , underground 2 , most wanted 2005 , carbon , hot pursuit 2010 and payback combined to form a mega monstrous map available in free roam

Also for cars , all the latest cars right from start without any dlc's along with some iconic cars from previous nfs games (fully customisable)

 

[FT-1]

A modder has discovered it is possible to implement physics from The Run into the Frostbite engine. Handling like this would be perfect for NFS 2019! 👍

 

[Ameer67]

A modder has discovered it is possible to implement physics from The Run into the Frostbite engine. Handling like this would be perfect for NFS 2019! 👍

Too bad it won't happen.

 

[TJ13]

Oh I know.
Need For Speed Battle Royal.

 

[SestoScudo]

Ridiculous the next NFS game judging by this vote will be another underground clone. When are we going to get a NFS like part 2, part 3 or high stakes??

-only sport cars, hypercars, supercars and classic cars
-Cops with no emp weapons
-using realistic physics in the old NFS you had to take effort in your turns and not just drift every turn
-No story
-beautiful locations like the Summit
-No Nitrous
-Cockpit view
-Showcases and history of the cars and brands

Such a shame we will never get a NFS 3 Hot Pursuit, NFS 2 or High stakes as every one wants underground. By the way the reason why I loved the Shift series so much because it was a return to where it began albeit it was racing on motorsport circuits.

Who can forget the beauty of NFS HP2. I never liked the criterion one as it was awful and also NFS rivals was not really that good.