Forum Discussion

chlorierm_'s avatar
chlorierm_
Seasoned Hotshot
5 years ago

Verdict on the lifetime of NFS Heat

Today I am going to go over NFS Heat's short lifetime. Let's go!

1. Pre-Release: NFS Heat's Pre-release trailers have attracted the attention of most players' eyes. Although I played this game a month after release, I took my time watching the trailer as someone looking for a new NFS game, the trailers truly showed something a NFS player from 2005 would want.

2. Project: Although NFS Heat wasn't as an ambitious project as NFS 2015 was with adding famous faces in the racing community, it still fared well with Ghost trying to make a real NFS game after 13 years (from Carbon). Adding cars that were only exclusive to mobile releases, and attempting to lift licensing restrictions (but only did on Ferrari).

3. Updates: Through the 8 updates this game went through, it still fared of well as the first version of the game. The updates of this title were mostly bug fixes while only adding 3 cars in the updates of the game (1 special edition car (Polestar 1 HE), 1 returning car(McLaren F1), and one debut car(Aston Martin DB11 Volante)) .

Personally for me, my favorite was the March Update with Black Market and the aforementioned McLaren F1 and Aston Martin DB11 Volante. The final update though was a huge disappointment, the June Update, and to think it was from Criterion Games. Criterion led to bringing in the most diverse car list ever in this franchise, and with that reputation with them, it was a huge disappointment. The June Update only had bug fixes, but Criterion still could've done more. 

4. Game Evolution: The game HARDLY evovled at all, it was the most broken game in the NFS franchise, Party members glitching, shadow ramming, drift cars being extremely slidey and has no control, overpowered cops, lost money and REP, lost cars, not being able to start a race or mission, these are just one of the MANY problems people complain about this game, and to think Ghost and Criterion, devs who never these before did it to mess a premier gaming experience.

5. Verdict: NFS Heat would have been in the better hands of EA, Ghost and Criterion employees who know how to care for their community by listening to them and attempt to do what their community wishes, if they can't they have to come clean and explain why this wasn't able to be done. Due to selfish employees at EA, Ghost, and Criterion NFS Heat became a game hit by a meteor.

nfs heat

15 Replies

  • GK3512's avatar
    GK3512
    5 years ago
    @theleague_jakA problem with Pre-Release.It was a huge mis-statement when EA CEO stated NFS2019 was a Back to the Roots title.Sadly the only thing it shares with The Need For Speed 1994 was cop system and close course races in Speedhunters Showdown mode.It shows either EA forget about the history of NFS pre-UG1 2003 or the refuse to accept that part of history on purpose(Yes HP1 cover car return but that's because NFS2015 used that car on a Ricer Bosozoku character)
    EA continue to disappoint fans even Heat had more time to dev and bugfix(It wasnt even in EA PLAY 2019) so clearly it only shows Ghost/Fake Criterion are truly useless.
    About Fake Criterion(the team behind the final update of Heat and upcoming NFS)They have nothing to do with MW2012/HP2010.Most of them are still the same team did Heat(Currently EA Gothenburg) So new games will still be a buggy mess like Ghost NFS.
    The update is a daydreaming.EA wont put effort in games without major profit.(Fifa on the other hand keeps getting update for the absurd cashgrab it is)
    EA is a simple evil company-Buy Rush Kill developers and make every game a quick Cashgrab/rob.The former will clearly causes unfinished buggy games and end of a series.The latter will clearly causes more players leave the game for how bad the game plays/pays.So if GAAS this bad style will continue to be what NFS is chasing,similar problem to Heat will happen times over again in the future.
  • ZeroMcDol's avatar
    ZeroMcDol
    5 years ago

    @theleague_jak 

    In my opinion:  

    NFS as a franchise is headed in a downward spiral, which is something that I realized when I purchased Heat; Disclaimer:  I never touched any more NFS games after World until Heat, minus briefly playing Shift and very briefly Most Wanted 2012.  Even finally buying 2015 on sale recently, and although it is done better than Heat, it's obvious.  

    NFS games after UG2 have lacked the fun little things that could've easily been implemented:  Transmission gear ratio adjusting, Independent Front and Rear downforce adjusting, Suspension adjusting, Tire Grip, Brake Bias, and the list goes on by taking a look at UG2's tuning.  Everything is now preset sliders and boring, which effectively takes the Speed out of Need For Speed.  I can't count the number of times I sold cars in 2015 and Heat just due to bad gear ratios and/or horrible suspension adjustments (Heat).  

    Now these things, that I mentioned, are completely independent of the theme of whatever NFS game that is being made, at the time.  Whether it's a Hot Pursuit style game or Underground style, NFS games as a whole, have lacked meaningful tuning for a very long time, and for games that are supposedly all about 'Speed', tuning is a must.  

  • JamieK81's avatar
    JamieK81
    5 years ago

    The only thing i can say is that the game is dead to me already, i had hoped that they would fix the sodding police cars, i was going 200MPH and they were catching up to me, like i was standing still and when one got ahead, it matched speed with me perfectly, i slowed down, they did at the same time, they i controlled their brakes at the same time as mine.

    Sorry, but its still just as stupid, police cars can't move like that or there would be no illegal street racing at all.

    I gave up today, after having a chase go on for over 30mins, because the bloody coppers would not give up, they were always matching my speed, turn rate and never got demolished, no matter how hard they hit a wall.....no damage....nothing, nutta, zip, zilch.

    I give up with it.

    Need for speed with cops were fun when they were escapeable, but this game it isn't possible, how others have gotten to such a high level is beyond me, because the police are just not escapeable.....at all.

    They need to tone them down severely.

  • BVBgamer88's avatar
    BVBgamer88
    5 years ago
    @JamieK81 That is why i hate street racing games in genral, because of the rubberbanding AI. Its the same problem in the Crew games too, you cant win races if you make mistakes. Plus im no big fan of open world races\policechases, that is why i would rather see a return of a cannonball setting. Wich is stock supercars on ,fictional tracks with scenic scenary and realistic pursuits.
  • GK3512's avatar
    GK3512
    5 years ago
    @BVBgamer88 Sadly like I've said before EA is blinded by sales success of Street Racing NFS which means other than sorta confirmed HP2010 HD we wont see any Cannonball style NFS in the future.
  • ZeroMcDol's avatar
    ZeroMcDol
    5 years ago

    @JamieK81 

    Hmm.  My level is 50 and all performance parts are unlocked (not boasting, it is what it is).  Here's how to escape the cops, since the game will get no more updates:  

    In the shipping yard, where a boat load of crates reside, there's a jumping ramp.  When running from the cops, use the ramp to jump on top of a crate.  Wait.  If at any point you get the busting slider, move your car until you are out of it's range, but STAY ON THE CRATE.  The cops will eventually leave and you will escape the pursuit.  

    Now be careful here:  

    Drive off of the crate and go straight to the nearest safe house.  Avoid any cops, if there are any.  Enter the safe house.  Rinse and repeat, until you've unlocked all the Ult(+) parts.

    This works for ALL pursuits, no matter the Heat level, because the AI is stupid.

  • ZeroMcDol's avatar
    ZeroMcDol
    5 years ago

    @BVBgamer88 

    It's actually more an issue with whichever developers are making a game, than with the rubber-banding itself.  Example:  Gran Turismo 1,2,3, & 4 where the AI gets no boost. 

    The developers can easily program an AI to drive based off of the abilities of the car and the AI's ability to handle a car, but Choose to use rubber-banding AI to create artificial difficulty. 

    How has that worked for them over the years?  I wonder.  Answer.  It doesn't.

    Forza Horizon 4 - Rubber-banding AI

    The Crew 2 - Rubber-banding AI

    Almost literally, Every NFS Game - Rubber-banding AI

    The player response, at least for me?  It's irritating, annoying, and removes any and all things 'fun' about a racing game.

    Heck, Even TDU 2 has rubber-banding.  But the difference with this one?  I can adjust the strength of the rubber-banding ,myself, to be challenging, but not ridiculous.

  • GK3512's avatar
    GK3512
    5 years ago
    @ZeroMcDol Rubber-banding IMO only works on games like Burnout/HP2010 since there's takedown mechanics.(Burnout 1 and Point of Impact suffers from Rubber-banding AI for the lack of Takedown)Takedown lets player gets a temporary advantage when opponents are taken down.Also in Criterion games it encourages combat gameplay of rubbing and smashing.If next NFS(not HP2010 HD) keeps Rubber-banding they better keep Takedown gameplay to balance it out.
  • ZeroMcDol's avatar
    ZeroMcDol
    5 years ago

    @GK3512 

    I agree.  

    Or they just need to do away with rubber-banding, period, and actually take the time to program the AI to have actual driving skills.  

    No on rails grip.  No acceleration boost.  Just pure driving skill vs driving skill.

  • GK3512's avatar
    GK3512
    5 years ago
    @ZeroMcDol Next new NFS is still far away.Fake Criterion is still hiring(Almost August now)So clearly next NFS isn't their priority now.On the other hand,leaked/confirmed HP2010 HD is more likely to be released soon.And in that game Takedown remains.So the most recent so-called new NFS wont suffer from Rubber-banding.

About NEED FOR SPEED™ Franchise Discussion

Have you played any other Need for Speed games in the franchise? Tell us about your experience on the community forum.30,097 PostsLatest Activity: 9 hours ago