According to an interview from Shift's producer, Geever, the game has been in development for two years. He also mentioned that the game will feature a new "Driver experience". G-force will play an important role in the game, as it will affect both the player and the AI. The in-car view will also return, making its first appearance in a Need for Speed game since Porsche Unleashed. The in-car view will be highly detailed, and it will be possible to see the driver changing gears and moving his head to get a better view of the mirror. The crashes will affect the players visuals. While crashing, there will be a temporary blur on screen. The sound aspect will have detailed car crash sound, as well as a sharp gasp of breath from the driver before a collision.
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS - MICROSOFT WINDOWS (PC)
MINIMUM
RECOMMENDED
Operating System
Windows XP Service Pack 3 or Vista Service Pack 1
CPU
Intel Pentium 4 (or equivalent) CPU running at 3,2GHz or higher (3.4GHz for Windows Vista)
Intel Core 2 Duo 2,5GHz or AMD 64 X2 2,0 GHz
Memory
1GB RAM (Vista 2GB)
2GB RAM (Vista 3GB)
Hard Drive Space
10 GB of free space
Graphics Hardware
256 MB RAM with Pixel Shader 3 (PCI-Ex)
512 MB RAM with Pixel Shader 3 (PCI-Ex)
Sound Hardware
DirectX 9.0c compliant card (DirectX 10.1 compliant if applicable)
DVD Drive
8X or faster DVD Drive
For Online Play
Network card with broadband connectivity
Need for Speed SHIFT is out September 17th in Europe and September 15th in North America. It will be available on Xbox 360®, PLAYSTATION®3, PC and PLAYSTATION®PORTABLE (PSP) as well as on Mobile and iPhone.
Need for Speed™ SHIFT is an award-winning authentic racing game that combines the true driver’s experience with real-world physics, pixel-perfect car models, and a wide range of authentic race tracks. Need for Speed SHIFT takes players in a different direction to create a simulation experience that replicates the true feeling of driving high-end performance cars.
Players are thrust into the loud, visceral, intense, athletic experience of racing a car on the edge of control from the driver’s perspective through the combination of perception based G-forces, the hyper reality of the cockpit view, and the brutal experience of a first person crash dynamic. Need for Speed SHIFT features an accurate, accessible physics-based driving model that allows you to feel every impact, every change of track surface and every last bit of grip as you push yourself to the edge.
The all-new driver profile is the ultimate extension of the true driver’s experience. This system gives each player a unique persona based on a player’s driving skill and style - aggressive or precise. Driver profile impacts how a player unlocks cars, overall career progression and online matchmaking. In Need for Speed SHIFT, how you drive is who you are behind the wheel.
Need for Speed SHIFT is being developed by Slightly Mad Studios in collaboration with Black Box and senior vice president Patrick Soderlund at EA Games Europe. Slightly Mad Studios includes developers and designers that worked on the critically acclaimed games GT Legends and GTR 2.
Key Features - True Driver’s Experience – A variety of visual cues delivers the true driver’s experience including a three-dimensional HUD that mimics driver head movement, inertia and G-forces. The depth of field also adjusts based on the speed of the car; so when the car is traveling at high speeds the perspective will shift to the distance putting the car/cockpit out of focus.
- Driver Profile – What kind of driver are you? Driver profile tracks the player’s evolution as a race driver from event to event. This system is made up of a driver’s personality on the track, their success rate and any profile points and badges accrued all of which work together to create a tailor-made career and game play experience. Driver profile is pervasive throughout all modes: career and online.
- Dynamic Crash Effect - When the player hits a static object or opponent car, the player will feel like they are 'taking damage'. A combination of visual and audio effects will leave the player disorientated and briefly disrupt the race.
- Total Customization – Need for Speed SHIFT features a comprehensive customization option that lets the player tailor every aspect of the cars performance and styling. Go under the hood to upgrade and tune your vehicle to increase its performance. The visual customization system allows players to personalize both the exterior and trick out the interior to reflect their individual style and preferences.
- Photo Real Cars and Tracks – Nearly 70 licensed cars are available including the Pagani Zonda F, Audi RS4, and Porsche 911 GT3 RSR. There is also over 15 real-world locations like Willow Springs and Laguna Seca as well as fictional circuits like downtown London and Tokyo.
