Need For Speed Carbon Interview (con't)

FiringSquad: How many cars will be available in the game and how much variety will there be in the line-up this time?

Scott Nielsen: There will be over 50 cars available in the game this year. We’ve really spent a lot of time differentiating the three car classes. So much so that we’ve based part of the game around this fact and allow the player to choose their allegiance right at the start of the game. Players can play through the career in one of three different flows according to which class they’ve chosen. Each class will have certain strengths and weaknesses that the player must balance against their driving style or car preference. There is no single class that will be consistently at the top. Given the right driver, any of the 3 classes can be equally competitive. I think Need for Speed fans will be really happy with the variety of cars we’ve chosen.

FiringSquad: How will players customise the cars in Carbon?

Scott Nielsen: Players will be using the Autosculpt technology to customize their cars. It is truly a revolution of visual customization in racing games! Our Autosculpt system allows the player to take certain visual parts and actually pick a huge number of target areas and use slider bars to customize the part to their liking. This can be done with wheels, hoods, body kits, spoilers, and more. Without a doubt, this has greatly expanded the already huge amount of customization in previous Need for Speed titles and given the player an unprecedented level of control and personalization. In addition to Autosculpt, players will find lots of options available from previous Need for Speed games but improved upon in countless ways. I think fans will be very excited when they see what’s available.

FiringSquad: What will the races in the game be like?

Scott Nielsen: The races will be everything fans have come to expect and more! Drift racing will be back bigger and better than ever in Carbon. We’ve spent a lot of time this year increasing the sense of speed in drift races and capturing the feel of balancing your car sideways as you finesse the steering to avoid hitting the wall. Fans of drift from Underground 2 as well as newcomers to the mode are going to be blown away. It’s very addictive.

Fans can also look forward to an exciting new game mode called Canyon Duel. In a Canyon Duel, you and an opponent are going head to head in the ultimate game of cat and mouse. The first run has you following the opponent’s car trying to stay as close as you can without going over the edge or slamming into the cliff face. The closer you are, the more points you accumulate. On the second run the roles are reversed and he is chasing you eating away at your score – make it down to the bottom in one piece with points left and you have proved your mettle.

FiringSquad: How do the car physics in Carbon differ than in previous Need For Speed games?

Scott Nielsen: Our physics have been a big focus this time around. Last year we had feedback from fans of the franchise that they were looking for more differentiation between the car classes and we have certainly taken that direction this year. Fans will immediately feel a difference in the handling, acceleration and driving techniques the moment they drive any car from each of the three different car classes – Tuner, Exotic and Muscle.