Need for Speed: The Run. Interview with Doug McConkey, Electronic Arts

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- How many cars will appear in the Need for Speed: The Run game?

- There is a huge choice of cars available. Two hundred racers are taking a part in the Race itself, so you could do the math here. This massive variety of cars ranges from exotic and muscle to some classics. It is a very broad spectrum. You get to drive various cars in The Run itself, while playing through the story. As you do, you will be unlocking the Challenge Series with new cars and events to try out as well.

- How authentic is it to handle them all?

- The guy, who did the handling for us, previously worked on the Race Driver: Grid (2008) video game for Codemasters. It was one of the most authentic and accessible drive experiences ever made! His name is Alex Grimbley. He has put together the handling for the cars in our game. The balance in Need for Speed: The Run seems perfect to us.

The title is accessible enough allowing you to play through the action. You will not have to fight with the control, and it will not be difficult to master them. However, it does provide various challenges to learn, how to feel and handle each different car. As a result, people will find their favorites. It is really intriguing to get a grip over these various vehicles, which stay really authentic, but fun to drive at the same time.

- For the first time in the series, we will see QTE-events happening on the ground. What are they like in Need for Speed: The Run?

- Yes, there are certain Quick Time Events (QTE) we have included into Need for Speed: The Run. Though there are not many of them at all, you will find a few presenting a small section of the game. Deliberately, we did this, because we felt that it was a more entrusting and contemporary way for advancing the plot than simply giving you time to sit and watch the cutscenes.

These scenes are very short, and you could already see an example at E3 2011, where you have to quickly run across the rooftop as you change from the car that some mobs smashed out to the police car, you have just stolen. These sections will not take more than a couple of minutes of your time. They probably comprise just around 1% of the entire experience.

- What were the main goals set for the Multiplayer design?

- We do not go into many details here as of yet, but we are going to offer a variety of things in Need for Speed: The Run that people can do from the start as well as the controls allowing players to set themselves their own modes and challenges they can use competitively and cooperatively with their friends.

Read on further about the visuals and the soundtrack of Need for Speed: The Run.

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09.11.2011 | Features | → Alex "Jace" Ivanchenko

Need for Speed: The Run

Need for Speed: The Run:

A new episode in the famous Need for Speed (1994-2011) game series. On one side of this country lie the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz and cable cars – on the opposite coast there are massive skyscrapers, the Statue of Liberty and the endless glow of Times Square. What separates these two great cities in Need for Speed: The Run game is nearly 3,000 miles of roadway through dense urban centers, over epic mountains, across arid deserts and in constricted canyons.

With no speed limits, rules or allies available, only Jack’s determination and driving skills will keep him going in this heart-stopping race to get his life back. Thrills and excitement hide around every corner of this breakneck race across the country, but so do the police – and the men who want him dead. Evading these ruthless forces in one town won’t be enough. You must have the Need for Speed.

Key Game Features:

Battle hundreds of the world’s most notorious drivers on the country’s most treacherous roads;

Level up and earn access to exclusive vehicles, upgrades and abilities by mastering the playlists;

Evade a relentless police force that is ready and willing to use any means necessary to take you down;

Connect to Autolog and compare your best times against your friends in a race to New York where every second counts;

Be the first to cross the finish line as you speed across the country from San Francisco to New York in an illicit, high-stakes race;

Snake through dense urban settings, plunge down icy mountain passes and carefully traverse narrow canyons at breakneck speeds;

Race as Jack, a marked man who must make it to New York City ahead of the competition, the police and the men who want him dead;

Powered by the new Frostbite 2 engine, created by the award-winning DICE studio, delivers an amazing level of visual detail, immersive environments and emotional impact;

Grip the wheel, put the pedal to the floor and use your slick driving skills and sheer determination to keep Jack alive inside and outside of the car in Need for Speed: The Run;

Engage in high-octane multiplayer racing and join races already in progress with matchmaking technology, create a party with friends and pick a playlist of your favorite challenges and vie for racing supremacy across every stage of The Run.