Need For Speed To Patch Rubber Banding Problem

For those of you who’ve been playing Ghost Games’ Need For Speed, do you ever feel like your competitors have a slightly larger Need For Speed than you do? It’s due to a programming trick called rubber banding, common in racing games of the past and the bane of those who play them. What it refers to is the game intentionally letting rival cars go faster than they normally would to catch up to you — in effect, as if a rubber band was tied between you and them.

It should shock no one that racing gamers find rubber banding unfair. But from the way their public statement is worded, it doesn’t sound like Ghost Games meant to put heavy rubber banding in their game — the AI just worked out that way. Community leads Ben Walke said in a blog post about the next update, “One of the key things you have told us since launch was in regards to the balance of the AI Catch Up system. We’ve been reading all of your feedback on this, watching your videos and tuning in to your live streams. With all this feedback in mind we have made changes to the AI behavior which should improve your overall experience.”

Walke also spoke of some other new features being added to Need For Speed via the patch. The patch will add a new tile to the main menu screen, “Community Events,” calling attention to special events in the game that will grant new items or extra in-game cash. Two new obtainable cars will be added to the unlock system: Ken Block’s Hoonicorn and Morohoshi’ Lamborghini Diablo SV. The Lamborghini in particular will offer a sneak peek at a new customizing feature still in development at GG: neon light striping.

Other things will be added to the game as well; check out Walke’s blog post for the full list. The new update to Need For Speed goes live November 25.