TEAM RACING Q&A WITH ANDY TUDOR

Submitted by Andrew Collins on Tue, 2009-11-24 10:27

With the expansion pack due out in the next week or so we spoke with SMS Designer Andy Tudor to get some inside info about the development of the Team Racing pack and the new cars.

Please describe the mode to our readers?
In Team Races, players can party up with their friends as a team and take on another team. At the end of each race, competitors are awarded a number of points related to finishing positions. The team with the highest points wins. The best teams out there will be striving to rack up the most amount of consecutive wins. Post a screenshot on NFS.com to show us!
 
Where did the idea for the mode come from?
The online modes in SHIFT currently have been focused on Rivalry between drivers; Driver Duel, Drift, Race, Time Attack. With Team Racing we wanted to give players the opportunity to work co-operatively as a party. Those kinds of modes are very common in first-person shooters but we hadn't really seen that kind of teamwork evident in racing games before.

What is the best part of the new mode?
Team Racing makes you re-think your entire race strategy; overtaking and blocking are a lot more tactical when there are a combination of your own teammates and the opposing team vying for positions. Players will find that there are endless possibilities available and they will take on natural roles within the team. E.g. Runners who lead the pack to get the highest number of points for the team and Blockers that act as a line of defense against the opposing team trying to catch them. Race tightly together as a Pack or split into groups of Runners & Wingmen? Those kind of decisions and scenarios will ensure each Team Race is different and exciting.

Any tips or tactics to share with the gamers?
Communication and teamwork is obviously the key here. Watching out for the opposing team drafting teammates, cutting them out of corners, verbal communication with each other and - dare I say - a certain amount of trading paint, are all factors that may help sway the end result in the favour of your team.

How did you decide which cars to add into the pack?
SHIFT has some amazing cars in there including some that come from a long heritage of quality and prestige. When looking at the Muscle cars like the modern-day Shelby GT500 and the Dodge Challenger Concept it was clear that the classic versions of these vehicles were still awesome and relevant today and we wanted to share that appreciation with the Need For Speed players.

Which is your favourite car to drive from the new pack?
Everyone's going to have a favorite but it's the 1969 Dodge Charger R/T for me. It's the Duke Of Hazzard car - and everyone's wanted to drive that!
 

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