Need for Speed World

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Grand Master

deletedxyz

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nfsw-01-031610.jpg

It's rare to get excited for a Need for Speed project. Sure, it's a reliable franchise that's spawned a number of good, and sometimes great titles as of late, but innovation is hardly its strong suit. Considering the series' track record, I was surprised to find that one of EA's most ambitious and innovative upcoming titles is Need for Speed World, a free-to-play massively multiplayer online racer for the PC. It's the largest Need for Speed title yet, offering a potential platform for limitless updates, and it could easily become the last Need for Speed game EA will ever need to make.

Imagine a world not unlike the one found in Burnout Paradise and Test Drive Unlimited. Now, imagine those worlds with persistent online multiplayer functionality. Essentially, that's what Need for Speed World is. Even at its pre-beta stage, the gameworld is incredibly expansive, spanning over 150 miles of playable road, comprised of a "best of" tasting menu from the entire Need for Speed franchise. If there have been certain tracks, certain environments and certain streets you have enjoyed in previous games: chances are, you may find them in Need for Speed World.

The driving stays true to its more arcade-inspired lineage in World, a sensible decision considering the game is meant to be playable on a keyboard. Accessibility is a key aspect of the experience, with most moderately powered laptops able to join in. According to EA, all that's necessary to play is a computer equipped with a 2.0 GHz processor, 2GB of RAM and a 512MB graphics card. While capable of running off of relatively weak hardware specs, Need for Speed World is still no FarmVille, but its experience is certainly far more visually compelling than any mere web app.

Perhaps the most accessible aspect of World is its price. Like Free Realms and other MMO games on the market, Need for Speed World takes advantage of the "freemium" model, with a zero cost entry to play. Real money can be used to purchase rental cars, like an upgraded Porsche. There will be ways to purchase improved skills and vehicles, bypassing the free alternative: grinding. Should you prefer not to open up your wallet, you'll be able to progress through World by participating in both single-player and multiplayer races.

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It's easy to imagine both casual and hardcore racing fans drawn into the experience EA is developing in Need for Speed World. And with no cost to play, it seems foolish not to give it a try. EA is developing a fully-featured arcade racing game with one of the most ambitious online capabilities ever -- and isn't charging for it. That certainly sounds like a win for the gamer, especially when you consider the ambitious plans for expanding the world.

New areas will be introduced to the game every few months, increasing the playable world with each major update. Not only will there be new places to drive in, but there will be new ways to drive. For example, Need for Speed World will eventually feature a series staple: cop cars.

We'd love to see the ever-evolving playground of Need for Speed World to find its way to consoles, but we were told that it is "definitely not coming to consoles." By providing a strictly online-only game, EA believes there are "zero gates" to playing from anywhere. Like I said earlier, World is without a doubt the most ambitious project to fall under the Need for Speed banner, and open beta testers will be able to give it a test drive beginning today.

To enroll for your chance to join the Need for Speed World PC open beta, visit world.needforspeed.com. The first release of the game will be available this summer.

Source: Joystiq

Trailer & Closed Beta Gameplay: Online Race (Most Wanted Map?):

http://www.youtube.c...feature=related

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Grand Master

deletedxyz

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Hmm, interesting.

I always enjoyed the older Need for Speed games, but after Fast and the Furious came out and they started with the ricer stuff, they lost their appeal to me.

It's free so we don't have much to complain about. It looks like there is going to be some great competition considering Test Drive Unlimited 2 is coming out Q3/4 2010.

Grand Master

Draconian Guppy

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Hmm, interesting.

I always enjoyed the older Need for Speed games, but after Fast and the Furious came out and they started with the ricer stuff, they lost their appeal to me.

+1 Need for speed porsche unleashed FTW! Also signed up, Hope to get in :)

Grand Master

carmatic

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wait, how do you pay for 'skills' ? is this turning into some kind of RPG or something... i thought driving skill in a driving game was, well, something you have for real, not something that exists only in-game...

hmm okay just watched that video... that oil refinery place definitely looks familiar, i've gone through about halfway through Most Wanted

and that turbo effect is one of the ugliest i've seen... i thought his video card was glitching when he used the turbo

Veteran

ahmz

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At least it looks like they're using the proper arcade physics from MW/Carbon, that's a good sign.

I don't know about you guys, but one of the things I like seeing from iteration to iteration is what kind of new graphics they have for the HUD/taco, they always need to innovate something new for that lol.

  • 3 weeks later...
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Kondrath

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Has anyone been invited to the beta? They just started Beta 3 today, but I've yet to get an invitation. I really want to try it, it looks kinda' fun, especially it being free and all. I don't mind micro-transactions since I just play casually. I've seen some of the custom car paint jobs and they're pretty cool. I dunno' how it works, but I've seen a Mario car, a pikachu, some hello kitties, etc.

nfsworld009.jpg

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:laugh:

Veteran

Kondrath

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I can't get past the "Please answer us some questions about you so we know if your in the video game industry" screen.. it scans and scans and scans.. :(

I'm guessing you tried some other browsers? I really wish I'd get invited, but it's too late. They sent out invitations for the 3rd beta today and I still haven't gotten one.

Grand Master

farmeunit

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It's free so we don't have much to complain about. It looks like there is going to be some great competition considering Test Drive Unlimited 2 is coming out Q3/4 2010.

I thought the first one was horrible. I was a fan of Test Drive series until that one. I like Need For Speed, but anymore they seem to all be the same. I didn't play the last one though.

Grand Master

Minifig

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I'm guessing you tried some other browsers? I really wish I'd get invited, but it's too late. They sent out invitations for the 3rd beta today and I still haven't gotten one.

I just got past it, we'll see what happens. I have quite an extensive online history (Auto Assault, Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures, Anarchy Online, Asheron's Call, Asheron's Call 2, Champions Online, Chronicles of Spellborn, The, City of Heroes, City of Villains, Dark Age of Camelot, Dofus, Dragonica, Dungeons & Dragons Online, Dungeon Runners, Eve Online, EverQuest, EverQuest II, Final Fantasy XI, Free Realms, Guild Wars, Lineage, Lineage II, The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar, Tabula Rasa, MapleStory, The Matrix Online, Priston Tale, RF Online, RuneScape, Star Wars Galaxies, Ultima Online, Vanguard: Saga of Heroes, Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning, World of Warcraft and it's two expansions. ~ Of these, I beta tested at least four, if not more.) and I put that in my beta test report.

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Kondrath

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I just got past it, we'll see what happens. I have quite an extensive online history (Auto Assault, Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures, Anarchy Online, Asheron's Call, Asheron's Call 2, Champions Online, Chronicles of Spellborn, The, City of Heroes, City of Villains, Dark Age of Camelot, Dofus, Dragonica, Dungeons & Dragons Online, Dungeon Runners, Eve Online, EverQuest, EverQuest II, Final Fantasy XI, Free Realms, Guild Wars, Lineage, Lineage II, The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar, Tabula Rasa, MapleStory, The Matrix Online, Priston Tale, RF Online, RuneScape, Star Wars Galaxies, Ultima Online, Vanguard: Saga of Heroes, Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning, World of Warcraft and it's two expansions. ~ Of these, I beta tested at least four, if not more.) and I put that in my beta test report.

Good luck. Although not as much as you, I listed quite a bit as well... and I guess it didn't help me at all, haha.

Grand Master

Denis W. Veteran

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The second screenshot above looks very much like the mountain underpass entry from Most Wanted.

Sounds like a good thing; the environments in Most Wanted were a breeze to drive around. Carbon's was a bit too confusing, and Undercover's not worth mentioning.

They've done well in my opinion to turn the series around in Shift, while ditching the open world racing concept from the Underground 2 -> Carbon series and reverting to the older mixed environment racing from older games. This free open world racer is a good compromise.

edit: mad lolz, a Pikachu car.

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