For Criterion’s return to the racing genre, I was given the opportunity to lead the design for one of the three project ‘Verticals’, responsible for the multiplayer, progression, customisation and UX design of the game. Given Need for Speed’s focus on self-expression and history of online experiences, this was a crucial role with many competing priorities. I worked hard alongside our Design Director, the two other Vertical Lead Designers and our producers to ensure that the team was coordinated and inspired to do their best work.
Lakeshore Online
My Vertical was responsible for the design and implementation of the multiplayer half of NFS Unbound: “Lakeshore Online”, which complements the single player adventure. During the early development of this feature set, we spent a lot of time researching previous successful implementations of online racing experiences and immersing ourselves in the culture and fantasy of street racing. We set our vision upon creating cooperative, unruly forms of play that deliver on the fantasy of connecting with a community of other street racers and defying the rules of lawful society.
Progression & Customisation
NFS is well known for its incredibly deep vehicle customisation. For Unbound, we wanted to push the envelope of creativity even further. Our Creative Director established a unique visual style for the game, combining hyperrealism with graffiti and comic book art.
This gave us new opportunities to reward the player with beautiful customisation options, such as the dynamic and exhilarating Driving Effects that can be seen when you drift or stunt. We also successfully broadened the character customisation and introduced player-designed banners to the game for online players to show off their accomplishments.
Post Launch Content
Unfortunately, due to budget and time constraints, much of what was designed for the Lakeshore Online experience had to be cut at launch. However, due to the diligence of the team and a commitment to post-launch content, the features returned as they had been designed in subsequent updates.
Two of these features that I led the development on and was especially glad to see return were the cooperative Link-Up events that called players across the server to work on stunt events together while avoiding the cops, and the emote wheel, which finally allowed players to coordinate and express themselves in the online space.
Community Reception
After the release of Link-Ups and the emote wheel in Volume 3, the community were increasingly invested in the online experience. As with any live service game, they had many criticisms and calls for improvement, but it was incredibly rewarding to see the hard work and vision that the team and I had strived for finally in the hands of players and to witness them eagerly enjoying the greater focus on cooperative driving experiences.