Electronic Entertainment Expo - E3 2009

Fresh off a successful E3, Producer Jesse Abney sat down with EA.com to talk about the upcoming Need for Speed SHIFT, shipping this fall on PC, PLAYSTATION 3, PSP, and Xbox 360. Read on to learn more about one of the most ground-breaking entries in the legendary Need for Speed franchise.

Q: What’s the concept behind the game and how did it come about?
A: Need for Speed SHIFT is all about the true driver’s experience. The game replicates the true feeling of racing high-end performance cars like never before. Players are thrust into the heart of the action with immersive and exciting features including a stunningly realistic first-person cockpit view camera and an all-new crash mechanic, providing an unrivaled sensation of the speed and feeling of racing a car on the extreme edge of control. Players are rewarded for the way they drive--from moment to moment and from race to race whether you’re online or playing through your career.

Q: How does Need for Speed SHIFT differ from other titles in the franchise?
A: One of the features that Need for Speed SHIFT really delivers is the feeling of being behind the wheel. Yes, first person has been done before in other racing games but not to the level of sophistication that Slightly Mad Studios has created. Need for Speed SHIFT uses real-life forces and several mechanisms to communicate the feeling of actually driving a real race car. The player’s head is affected by G-forces that result from heavy breaking, accelerating and cornering. We’ve also added a depth-of-field effect the shifts the driver’s focus depending whether they are speeding up or slowing down. The subtle details are also very important to reinforce the tension and the emotions of racing. For example, the driver’s grip on the steering wheel changes depending on the situation you are in.

There is also an all-new crash dynamic that is a combination of exciting and disorienting screen effects and audio. When the player hits a static object or opponent car, they should feel somewhat hindered by the experience—I liken it to being shot at or a grenade going off in a modern first-person shooter.

Q: What are some of the premier cars we can expect to see in the game?
A: Need for Speed has a long tradition of featuring some of the world’s top cars. With nearly 70 cars available in Need for Speed SHIFT, there’s a ride to suit every player’s taste and driving style. Some of the premier cars in the game include the Lamborghini Reventón, the Bugatti Veyron, and our hero car, the BMW M3 GT2.

Q: What can you tell us about the hero car?
A: The BMW M3 GT2 is a one-of-a-kind race car that competes in American LeMans Series. Without a doubt this spectacular cover car is one of the fastest, most powerful cars ever to be featured in a Need for Speed game.

Q: What's the one thought/feeling about the game you want people to come away from E3 with?
A: Need for Speed SHIFT is the most intense and immersive racing game ever. From perfectly modeled cockpits to an ultra-realistic physics engine, players will feel every bump as they race around some of the world’s top tracks. Plus, our driver profile system analyzes a player’s driving style to create rivalries, trigger specific challenges and even unlock vehicles and customization options for an even more amazing racing experience.

Lead Designer Mike Laidlaw sat down with EA.com to answer some questions about the upcoming Dragon Age: Origins, the latest undertaking from BioWare, makers of Mass Effect. The epic tale of violence, lust and betrayal is BioWare’s deepest story to date, more than seven years in the making.

Q: What was the concept behind the creation of Dragon Age: Origins?

A: In Dragon Age: Origins, you are a Grey Warden, one of the last of an ancient order of guardians who have defended the lands throughout the centuries. Now you are tasked with uniting the shattered lands and stopping the rise of endless hordes of the twisted darkspawn and their leader, the Archdemon--who just happens to be a giant, ferocious dragon. Betrayed by a trusted general in a critical battle, you must hunt down the traitor and bring him to justice.

As you fight your way towards the final confrontation with the Archdemon, you’ll have to face monstrous foes and engage in epic quests to unite the disparate peoples of a world at war... and who knows, play your cards right and you may even be properly rewarded for your efforts...

Q: This game features an incredibly rich story—where did it come from and how did it evolve?

A: BioWare has an experienced team of talented designers and writers who have spent years building the world, developing the characters and crafting a story around the epic themes of violence, lust, and betrayal.

Q: The game is said to have very broad appeal—what accounts for that?

A: Dragon Age: Origins is a dark, mature, fantasy experience. It offers all of the cool aspects of fantasy such as magic, dragons, and badass warriors, without any of the overdone elements. You’re not going to see elves prancing along in little green tights in this game. Instead you’re going to see a hell of a lot of violence, some lust, and a whole lot of options for you to decide how your game plays out in what is easily one of the best stories ever experienced in a video game.

Q: Part of the game is about making tough decisions—how does that play out in-game?

A: The game is littered with choices and ways you can shape the game experience. In fact, we were talking around the office and we figured out that you’d have to play the game something like eight times all the way through to see all of the content in there! With so many choices and ways to make this game a unique experience, we really wanted to make people struggle emotionally and morally with the choices they are going to have to face. There is no Good/Evil slider to help guide you, or let you know if you made the correct choice. There is no correct choice to make in Dragon Age: Origins. Each choice you make will have rewards and consequences. The only gauge you have when playing this game is whether or not you can look at yourself in the mirror after you’re done playing.

Q: What's the one thought/feeling about the game you want people to come away from E3 with?

A: We want people to fully realize that Dragon Age: Origins reinvents fantasy and it is something that you must experience first-hand whether you own a PC, PLAYSTATION 3, or Xbox 360.