EA returns to the flashy urban nights of Underground with a robust next-gen effort. After Need for Speed Underground outsold all other games in 2004, the largest independent game publisher in the world adroitly kept the series coming without a hitch.
This year's version, Need for Speed Carbon, which refers to Carbon Canyon where racers duel for territory in the city below, is a minor shake-up for the series, shifting in new features, shifting out others, while continuing the heavy story-telling from Most Wanted.
The Need for Speed Community Team had a chance to sit down with the Line Producer for Need for Speed™ Carbon, Steve Anthony, to get his take on some of the hot topics within the Need for Speed community.
Community Team: How is car handling different in Carbon than it was in Most Wanted?
Steve Anthony: We've spent a lot of time this year making sure that the cars felt different from one another. The major difference obviously is felt when you compare the handling between all the different classes. All of the muscle cars feel completely different to drive than the tuners for instance. Within each class, you can also feel more subtle differences between some of the cars depending on whether it's a classic muscle car, or whether the car is lighter or heavier than another.
Overall, I think that players will notice a much more realistic experience based on the different performance levels of the cars. For instance, it makes sense that a car such as the Mazda RX8 can't keep up with a car like a Lamborghini Murciélago and vice versa. As players progress through the game, they'll reach certain points where the car they're driving just can't quite compete with the competition and they'll have to head to the car lot to make a step up in performance. I think this is a key difference from Most Wanted where you could, through the use of upgrades, make a low end car that could compete with some of the fastest cars in the game.
CT: How have the drifting physics and handling changed from Most Wanted to Carbon?
SA: The drifting physics and handling have been totally revamped for Carbon. Our number one goal throughout development was to focus on the speed of drift. In the past, drifting in racing games has felt quite sluggish and didn't capture the insane speeds which you see in some of the pro drift competitions. We've focused on speed so much that we've tied point scoring to it. Keeping up a consistently high speed is the key to getting huge drift scores.
In addition to the regular drift tracks which take place on closed circuits, players will also have a chance to try their skill at the challenging Canyon Drifts. These drifts take place on narrow mountain roads and have the added risk of being able to break through the barriers and fall off the track. The handling on these roads is pretty similar to regular drifts but you'll have to really learn how to control your car to avoid hitting the walls or going off the road. These are by far my favorite drifts in the game. It's a very satisfying feeling when you can make it to the bottom of the track without having touched a single wall.
CT: What was the process behind selecting which cars were going to be included in the game?
SA: In addition to the regular drift tracks which take place on closed circuits, players will also have a chance to try their skill at the challenging Canyon Drifts. These drifts take place on narrow mountain roads and have the added risk of being able to break through the barriers and fall off the track. The handling on these roads is pretty similar to regular drifts but you'll have to really learn how to control your car to avoid hitting the walls or going off the road. These are by far my favorite drifts in the game. It's a very satisfying feeling when you can make it to the bottom of the track without having touched a single wall.
Since our ultimate goal was to play into the real life rivalries that existed between fans of tuners, muscles and exotics, we wanted to have a broad selection that would give us a good balance across these three categories. We ended up with over 50 cars in total and I'm sure our fans are going to love the choices.
CT: How do the different car classes factor into the game and how I play (ie are certain cars more suited to certain race modes)?
SA: In addition to the regular drift tracks which take place on closed circuits, players will also have a chance to try their skill at the challenging Canyon Drifts. These drifts take place on narrow mountain roads and have the added risk of being able to break through the barriers and fall off the track. The handling on these roads is pretty similar to regular drifts but you'll have to really learn how to control your car to avoid hitting the walls or going off the road. These are by far my favorite drifts in the game. It's a very satisfying feeling when you can make it to the bottom of the track without having touched a single wall.
The cars in the game have been divided into three groups: Tuners, Muscles and Exotics. Each class feels very different to drive and has its own strengths and weaknesses. It's very apparent when driving the same track with a car from each class that each car will require you to drive a little differently to be competitive. Tuners are all around performers and their strength is handling. Muscles on the other hand lose out in the handling department but certainly make up for it with their raw acceleration. Finally, Exotics have a clear top speed advantage over the other two classes. So, just by looking at these different strengths, it's easy to see how certain types of cars will be well suited for different types of tracks.
CT: Am I locked into driving one particular car class?
SA: Absolutely not. While you choose to align yourself with a certain car class at the start of the game, this by no means limits you to driving cars only of that class. It's more of an allegiance that you choose which weights the unlocks and car selection toward that class during the career. In addition all of the Challenge Series events will put you in a variety of different cars so you really need to get a feel for all three classes in order to finish every event. The Reward Card is also full of tasks which will require the player to try out a few different classes.
So readers, start bugging your local shops starting from the second week of November. Game will be available in all platforms.
Bangladesh and Nigeria always seemed to compete against each other for the number one spot in the list of the world's most corrupt nations until one day Bangladesh started winning. From then on war was all around us, insecurity devoured us, and then…
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Artwork in the Banner by: Tanisha |
AND THEN THE UNDERGROUND ROCK MUSICIANS CAME TO THE RESCUE!
Yes, the much discussed and then forgotten concept of 'Rock against Corruption' has been reincarnated. I had sent my hopeful plea to Durey bhai, believing that he was someone who would care. However, when all my efforts turned out to be futile, Trimita, the vocalist of NDKK and a much more active person in the underground scene decided to take on the initiative. She called for the active support of the fellow underground musicians and audience, and has already received an enormous response (thanks to tunesbd.com and its members for collaboration). By active support, I mean working towards achieving the goals of this project, not just verbal support (although even that would be highly appreciated). Both established and amateur bands are encouraged to submit demos. People who are not so gifted in music can help write anti-corruption lyrics or if possible, be an active organizer of the project.
Trimita's initial project proposal in her own words went like this:
When Tridevi's first article was published in RS (http://www.thedailystar.net/rising/2006/03/02/scr01.htm) many people responded but nothing has been done so far. Therefore, we, a young group of rock musicians and listeners would like to take a step forward to turn the notion of 'rock against corruption' into a solid reality.
People have to understand that the initial point of The Rock Against Corruption Project is not to obliterate or reduce corruption overnight. Our goal is simple: to try and prevent the youngsters of today from being corrupt in the future. We might not be able to bring about a revolution but we are confident we will be able to create an impact.
The underground rock music of Bangladesh is blessed with the strength of youth. And youth possesses a voice so powerful that if it shouts out loud against something like corruption- together with 100 more rock lovers- the message would get clearer and stronger.
It's about expressing yourself with one powerful voice. It's about making a statement, and making it heard. It's about inspiring people and giving them hope for the future, and above all, it's about doing something creative and constructive together with and for today's generation. After all they are the ones who will build tomorrow's society.
Together we stand, divided we fall, therefore I would like to call out to the Rock bands of Bangladesh who agree with us and who would like to compose one anti-corruption song (free of monetary cost) to support a worthy cause. We would like to work on putting together an anti-corruption album titled "Rock against Corruption - I". Of course we will try to get a production dealer and all that. Whatever monetary interest we might get from the dealers, we would like to put it into funding anti-corruption concert organizations and so on.
If you have any suggestions or if you are interested in composing songs for this project you are most welcome to email me at trimita@gmail.com
Some people might be sceptical about this step as the project is still at its initial steps and the targeted audience group is small. But think of the saying:
Bindu Bindu Kona Ar Bindu Bindu Jol
Gorey Tuley Mohadesh, Sagor otol
Trimita, along with some of the enthusiastic
Supporters who have already expressed serious interest in helping out with the RAC project held their first meeting on Friday, the 20th October in Café Mango. The objective of the first meeting was to brainstorm ideas and form a solid outline for the project. If you are willing to contribute your ideas, watch out for the time and place of the next meeting! They will be published in the follow-up articles!
The bands who are supporting this project are Warfaze, Cryptic Fate, Black, The Watson Brothers, DNA and Stentorian. We are trying to reach Artcell and Bangla as well. Apart from the above mentioned bands, the compilation album will have 7/8 slots left for which any underground band is welcome to submit demo(s). The song selection will be completely based on the quality of the composition and its relevance to the theme of the album.
Some of the other musicians who are willing to help out are Ashraf from Breach, Emil from Triloy, Imran from Alternation, Niloy from Firebrand, Tarab from CnG, the Jenova Project and of course all members of Baahsznought, EFN (Exiles from Noakhali) and NDKK (Naam Dia Kaam Ki). Daniel from Fulbanu's Revenge, who is also the producer of Radio Foorti 98.4 FM, would like to help out through giving the project massive publicity. CnG happens to be the first band to submit a demo and therefore deserves a lot of pats on the back. Tanisha and Fahmim, the two “linguists” are working towards writing an article about the Rock against Corruption project for the Bangla newspapers.
Hopefully, we will soon come up with more updates for you. Till then, Rock Out!
By Tridevi
Banner by TunesBD
Artwork in the Banner by Tanisha
Cast:
DJ - Mitchel Musso
Chowder - Sam Lerner
Jenny - Spencer Locke
Nebbercracker - Steve Buscemi
Mom - Catherine O'Hara
Dad - Fred Willard
Zee - Maggie Gyllenhaal
It's what all kids are afraid of at some point of time or other. An old dark house with old dark secrets. Of course, current kids will not be afraid considering there are no old dark houses, just new dark apartment buildings.
The plot:
Three kids, a mean old man and his meaner older house. 12-year-old DJ (Mitchel Musso) lives across the road from the glowering old man Nebbercracker (Steve Buscemi). He is a widower who will brook no trespassers on his lawn. His house is even worse-tempered. Any stray three-wheeler, baseball or the odd little dog venturing too near the front door meet a fate unknown. Yes, they get eaten and that too by a house.
Of course, everyone meaning DJ, his two friends and the audience know what the real secret is. Yep, the house is haunted. Its front lawn acts like green quicksand, pulling stray balls and such underground. The second-story windows glow like eyes; the front door has a froglike zapper tongue in the form of a carpet.
DJ sees all this and worries. Worse still DJ is home alone under the care of a babysitter (Maggie Gyllenhaal) who is more interested in her boyfriend (Jason Lee) than in DJ's otherworldly concerns.
DJs best pal Chowder (Sam Lerner) and their newfound neighbour pal Jenny (Spencer Locke) keep an eye on the evil rundown house via telescope. It takes a wile for them to gather up enough courage to near the menacing house. And that's when all the thrill ride mechanics start.
The climactic scene of the movie includes a huge construction crane brought in to vanquish the scary old house. Of course, it is not as straight cut as it sounds.
The verdict:
First of all, this is NOT a movie for kids. The scenes are quite spookily designed. Interesting and eerie for an adult but could result in being scary for a kid. All I got to do was test it on a 6 year old niece who frankly didn't want to go near the house. Worse still she gets all upset about a missing dog in the movie. Watch it and you will understand. The best thing of all is that this movie is a refreshing change from the usual assortment of pop culture loaded animation flicks. Not that I don't seriously enjoy those but this makes a nice change showing that an original story can be conceived without having to poke fun at pop culture. Well, sort of original. Spooky houses have been used for countless movies.
The movie is fun throughout, creepy at times and has a solid plot that is uncluttered by side stories. Punch lines are fresh and original. It's also a fast moving flick and works on the simple premise as to what's the deal with the spooky house down the street.
