Need For Speed 4 Modern Patch: To be, or not to be...

I have published initial version of the NFS4 Modern Patch. Currently, it has a small amount of fixes. Unfortunately, I had spent more than 150 days during last year on developing of the NFS3 Modern Patch, it is too much, and now I can't afford to spend enough time for porting main useful changes to the NFS4. I recommend you to try the NFS3 Modern Patch to understand how big and useful this NFS4 version of the patch could be.

This kind of work needs much time. It is not possible to do such things spending only an hour or two in the evenings. It requires days and weeks of hard work without huge gaps, 8-10 hours per day. I had started NFS3 Modern Patch a year ago, and little by little this project absorbed all my time and had taken the place of my paid work (freelance). Now I can't continue in the same spirit because I'm almost out of money. It's time to choose what I will do next.

The first option is to suspend this project for indefinite time. Maybe I'll return to it sometimes, or it will be suspended forever, I don't know. Currently, I know many things about NFS3/NFS4 internals, but this knowledge will be forgotten over time. So, it will be much harder to work on this project a year or two after.

The second option is to try to find some sponsorship for a month or two of my life. I think that it will be enough to create an impressive patch for the NFS4 with the most interesting features of the NFS3 Modern Patch. It's something like crowdfunding. If the community of the NFS4 will cover all my expenses for two months, I'll be able to create an impressive NFS4 Modern Patch. Every donator will be mentioned as a sponsor of the release in the readme file.

I need two months of time and $500 per month for creation a high quality patch for the NFS4. $500 is four times less than a programmer in my country can earn in one month. I like this project, this is why I'm ready to work on it for a month or two without tangible profit. I propose two milestones. One milestone per month. Every milestone has own mandatory set of features and fixes.

Milestone 1 ($500): full widescreen support

  • Widescreen resolutions support for the gameplay. It will be possible to choose it from the graphics settings in a general way.
  • Proper handling of all aspect ratios (from 5:4 to 16:9, inclusive 4:3 and 16:10). HUD will be adopted automatically for every supported resolution.
  • Better modding abilities. AllowHugeTextures setting support, which will allow to use textures up to 2048×2048.
  • Patching of the voodoo2a.dll to add an ability to use widescreen resolutions (a Glide API extension, by default only d3da.dll can use widescreen resolutions).
  • 32bpp support in the voodoo2a.dll (another Glide API extension).
  • Huge textures support in the voodoo2a.dll (and again, it's also a Glide API extension).
  • If these features will be done quicker than in a month, I will port some other features of the NFS3 Modern Patch. Donators will be able to suggest which features and fixes are better to port.

Milestone 2 ($500): graphics improvements

  • Rear View Mirror Detail setting which will dramatically improve view distance and detail level of the Rear View Mirror. It will solve the problem with invisible polygons. Clouds, lightnings, and light from the headlights of cars and from the flashers of cops will be visible in the mirror (very useful for the night driving).
  • Better quality of cars. No more non-rotating wheels!
  • “Rear View Camera” setting which allows to lock rear view mirror camera to “In Car” position. It greatly increases visibility and reduces the blind spot when the current main camera is not “In Car”.
  • Fixing of the “Disappearing Menus Problem” which causes inability of joining a network game.
  • New “No Collision” feature that will not replace general “No Damage” mode. It will be a separate setting.
  • If these features will be done quicker than in a month, I will port some other features of the NFS3 Modern Patch. Donators will be able to suggest which features and fixes are better to port.

How to donate?

Unfortunately, PayPal doesn't allow to accept money in my country for some reason. So, I can't accept donations by PayPal. If there is enough people who would like to donate for this project, we need a good known person (in the NFS4 community) who is able to accept PayPal donations and can send them to me using Western Union or such other money transfer system (all donations as one transfer).

It's time to action!

Please write in the comments how much you are ready to donate for this project. Also please notice if you can gather all PayPal donations in your wallet and send them to me using Western Union. Don't forget to specify right email in the according field (it isn't displayed for the general users), so I will be able to contact you. Please ask your friends that are interested in the NFS4 if they would like to support this project. Keep in mind, that I can't wait for a long time and I have to do the final decision in a week.

I have no other choice. Sorry for that.

  1. #1
    Josh

    How do we make sure the need for speed community sees this so this can be a reality? Is there a place where they gather?

  2. #2
    VEG Author

    Josh, I would like to post a link to this page at the http://www.iplounge.net/forum/, but I don't know if admins of this community have something against such thing.

  3. #4
    MADMAN

    Hey Veg,
    thank you for informing everyone about the situation and giving at least the possibilty to take some action.
    i really hope you will continue this project. I am convinced you can put this old game on a whole new level (you already did with lifting the highpoly limit!).
    With your NFSIII Modern Patch and your NFS4 Beta Patch, you have proved that you have the skills and can keep your promises.
    So I am ready to donate a fair amount of money to you, and i think i'm not alone.
    There is still a NFS4 community that keeps the memory and spirit of the classic NFS series alive. But the game has aged and many sites disappeared over the years. The community is shrinking continuously. So gathering 1000$, even 500$, seems to be an almost impossible task.
    If you had ask for this about 10 years ago, it would have been a completely different story...but now :(

    Without a doubt, this a unique chance in NFS modding history, maybe the last and final trick.

    I totally understand the difficulty of your financial situation, paid jobs have priority. No one can afford to spend all of his time for a free non-commercial project. Howsoever, your work on this classic NFS titles is much appreciated.

    My suggestion is to create a kickstarter page for the project, so we can easily see the participation.
    http://www.kickstarter.com
    Though, your deadline of one week is somewhat short for this approach, because a kickstarter page should run at least 30 days.
    What do you think about that?

    Finally i want to say, even if you don't get the targeted amount of donations, i hope you will not completely drop this project. Take your time, resolve your situation. There is no pressure at all.

    Greetings

  4. #5
    Freak-DS

    I would rather spend 50€ on an improvement of NFS:HS than on a new NFS. So, we need 20 people who think the same. Seems kind of possible for me, doesn't it?

  5. #6
    Tuurngait

    I'll spend 10€.

  6. #7
    Tuurngait

    Or maybe 20€ when also camera positions get adjusted to be equal with NFS 3 combined with slightly stretched proportions @ real widescreen.

  7. #8
    Freak-DS

    Oh god, not that proportion shit again..

  8. #9
    Omczyk

    tell me where can i donate? i can give you 30£ each month

    buy the way thank you for doing that

  9. #10
    JimDiabolo

    Freak-DS worte : "I would rather spend 50€ on an improvement of NFS:HS than on a new NFS. So, we need 20 people who think the same. Seems kind of possible for me, doesn’t it?"

    100% agreed

  10. #12
    Cooya!

    Freak-DS worte : “I would rather spend 50€ on an improvement of NFS:HS than on a new NFS. So, we need 20 people who think the same. Seems kind of possible for me, doesn’t it?”

    I join this party

  11. #13
    Hipnotic Rogue

    I would definitely 'invest' in a patch for NFS 4. The work you've done on 3 is great proof that you know what you're doing.

    I tried to register over at NFSAddons to put my name on the poll in the thread there but I've never received an activation email from them. So, I thought I'd post here so that you know there's another out here that's willing to donate. :)

  12. #14
    VEG Author

    Please, someone, write here http://www.nfsaddons.com/forums//index.php?topic=1819.0 that I had registered on this board some time ago, but I can't get the activation email, so I can't write on this board. Please ask the admin of this board to activate my account.

  13. #15
    MADMAN

    Well, thats super annoing. I have informed a board administrator about it.

  14. #16
    Freak-DS

    VEG, your account was activated.

  15. #17
    gagarin77

    I can donate 30$. I will join nfsaddons and confirm my poll entry!

  16. #18
    gagarin77

    Looks like the poll is closed already (ended on 20th). NFSaddons poll is 470$ in total. I can add the missing 30$.
    Registration confirmation email from nfsaddons didn't reached me as well.

  17. #19
    JimDiabolo

    Yeah, that's a with nfsaddons confirmation emails. I tried to change my mail address there, and now I'm locked out.

    But I hope VEGs offer to work on NFS4 still stands.

  18. #20
    Remko

    Jim And Gagarin, I'm really sorry about the registration problems at NFSAddons; both your accounts have been activated now.

  19. #21
    gagarin77

    Thanks Remko!

  20. #22
    Milan

    VEG, you've been quiet for a long time. Any news on the patch?

  21. #23
    sulis

    Wooooow....

  22. #24
    RejZoR

    Well, it's doable. If you can setup the donation system via established kickstarters or funding systems, people will donate. The amount of people interested in my patch over the years was quite big, so gathering $1000 shouldn't be that hard and GOG proves that just because games are old, they aren't forgotten. People ARE interested in experiencing old games on modern operating systems and with NFS3 and NFS4 having split screen, it has a great potential for some local fun on one computer. Something people don't even now what it is these days where everyone is obsessed with online play.

    I know few people from gaming publications, maybe they'll be willing to drop an article or two on your existing work (NFS3 patch) and also mention your new project and the funding it needs. That would be a great start. I can't promise anything, but it is a possibility.

  23. #25
    Gustingorriz

    I could donate about 30 € too. Im asking in NFS Addons forums if the donation is still moving. This is a huge project which will give High Stakes more years on top. I prefer spending my money in that way rather to buying a crappy new NFS title.

    If the Modern Patch REALLY can go forward, count me in.

  24. #27
    Collin

    Is the NSF4 Patch still coming? I see you had over 800 donated to it so you know it's the most requested one.

  25. #28
    VEG Author

    Collin, everything that listed in the NFS4 mandatory features list will be completed. I still have to finish refactoring of the thrash code in the NFS3, because I'm planing to port this code to the NFS4 also, and it will be easier to do as one big step.

  26. #29
    Collin

    Veg, thank you for your reply and for your hard work. I have one more question. As of right now NFS4 looks HORRENDOUS because it doesn't have HD/Resolution support. Will it have the same NFS3 Features so it will be HD?

    Thank you for your hard work, I love it !

  27. #30
    beterhans

    HI VEG Did you received my donate?

  28. #31
    VEG Author

    Yes, it is listed under the name “beterhans”.

  29. #32
    paulanocom

    I made a contribution of a 100 for NFS3, so that you now exceed the planned funding goal and can continue working on the Modern Patch for NFS3. Did you receive my contribution?

  30. #33
    VEG Author

    paulanocom, I'm trying to contact with my friend who owns the PayPal account to ask him about it, but he doesn't respond. Maybe he is on a business trip. I'll update the info when he reply me. I'm sorry for this delay.

    Work on the NFS3 and NFS4 patches will be continued. I'm planning to implement all things that I had promised to do.

  31. #34
    paulanocom

    Any news from your friend who owns the PayPal account? Hopefully he did not run away with the money.

  32. #35
    VEG Author

    paulanocom, sorry for this horrible delay. Finally, I've received information about latest transfers. I've added it to the list. Thank you for your support. Everything what is listed on this page will be done.

  33. #37
    kp klone

    for VEG: I have some ideas for NFS4 editor Resource Hacker or Cheat Engine to improve your game, solutions are plenty on the Internet and the ideas they hold for me publish them on websites for developers and only because every idea is welcome even a simple picture editor. I wish you all the best with the Project name, I lam tested and we have implemented several ideas even if it sometimes works out but really do my best. I apologize for English (google translate)

    I want to mention I made an addon for gta vc changed me and a few games unfortunately I am not allowed to publish them on the internet for me not accuse the world for various reasons and I want everyone who wants to pull on their own for as edit own your Projects.

  34. #38
    Quecho

    Hi Veg!!

    How can i donate you from Chile? Im a big fan of NFS HS and i want to support your awesome work.

    Besides, i wish to know how goes your life, bacause the recently inactivity of this page since March...

  35. #39
    VEG Author

    Quecho, unfortunately, I can't accept donations using PayPal anymore =(
    I'm still working on the project. The last update was in May (NFS3 beta).
    Now I'm working on a new tool which will help me to do patches a bit easier.

  36. #40
    Quecho

    No more Paypal....that's sad....

    Is there some alternative to make you a donation? I really want you to continue with your projects....

    Can't wait to see something like this with your modern patch:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VXh-eqew1s

    Saludos desde Chile!!!

  37. #41
    2fast2btrue

    hello, i have to say thanks for the creator of this great patch to Need for Speed High Stakes. Because its the only way to play NFS High Stakes in my present computer that have a Windows 7 operative system. I would like to also to say thanks to all people that support this patch or his creator. I hope other improvements appear for this game, but anyway as it is, is perfect.

  38. #42
    Alex

    Quecho, it may be for the best for you - there has been no news or updates over the past few months. Hopefully we will soon here about the new patching tool and updates

  39. #43
    Tragya

    Paypal donate is needed... I would send 20 for these NFS 3-4 game patches.

  40. #44
    SortingHat

    I am glad there is still people that care about the old games that isn't trying to be "gangsta" crap today's western gens want and then be hypocritical.

    The reason the games don't work is here in America we discovered this in 2005 when 64 bit came out and motherboards all changed from PCI to PCI-E (Express) so addresses are not reading in the right spots.

    One particular game that hasn't been patched is New Adventures of the Time Machine (Dream Catcher,Cryo Interactive) where when Wales sees the Hourglass city and the cutscene would usually shift to where the player is and he is about to say "My machine has disappeared and I'm stuck more then 8,000 years from my era" the game crashes to desktop always at that spot as right before you take control of Wales and you have to get the shell next to you that "guides you thru time" as it says.

    Dad whom is good with computers since the Commodore 64 era told me that what it likely is is the game has some unique coding that that company choose to implant which 64 bit machines cannot read to further the progress.

    On 32 bit machines it can go past that and actually play the game. Gog.com doesn't have the game to buy sadly. I have actually captured the music from the game and have more songs then the youtube uploader has.

    Here in America they either want hack n slash killing games or phone apps which most don't work as intended and drain your battery life. They have shoved computers aside for simple machines that are okay if you have a small brain cell and just want to stream and do simple stuff on the cloud. The cloud is actually a fancy word to mean do something on another server.

    It's like going back to the 70s where computers DIDN'T have much memory and had to use master terminals to do anything beyond beeping and as a result some companies like IBM have 'had it' and went back to electric typewriters in order to not be spied on which was on some the news at the time.

    Type in IBM uses typewriters.

    Heck that's how microtransactions are able to get away as on ****phones you don't own anything and pay for the privilege to use it and are locked in contracts (unless you use a throw away phone like we do) and pay as you go so you are not a slave to the phone industry. They have no concept of paying once for a product and keeping it forever and doing it offline. That is like talking Greek to them as computers to them mean streaming only.

    Phone people generally are young women or men in their 20s whom just "feel" things and have little to no critical thinking or they wouldn't be suckered in and boycott the entire scheme and commercials cater to that. One commercial back in 05 had a bunch of young girls holding smartphones and fake smiles back before the main stream got into them. I knew it was over as that generation needed idols that later turned out to be corrupted one way or another.

    All the websites these days (unless you are on phones) look dumb and retarded but it has to be in order to fit all the text on the small screen as it thinks your using touch device and most sites don't know how to detect both a PC and phone. so it loads all the crap at once which on a phone would be a little at a time that you tap your finger to activate. On a PC it loads all at once and makes the site jumpy and no amount of cleaning will fix it. Only detecting both PC and phones will but in their minds a phone is a PC and act all snobby about it.

    The Need For Speed recent one tried to be social media only where you were going to have to do "likes" in order to get ahead faster and if you were liked back you would have a "meter" that would fill up and earn trophies to proceed thru the game. People called out on it and I don't know if it was pulled or not. Another model was to have you pay for gas because on phones the users do not understand ownership and are used to just renting and trusting third parties.

    I mean the one before the recent one. The recent one uses lootboxes because that's again popular on phones where most users feel instead of think and just throw their money or usually their parents money at the machine as they have both mom and dad working.

    Everything you Europeans are discovering we Americans went thru it 10 years ago and most of us have moved on to social and Xbox.

  41. #45
    Qasxz

    Hello VEG. I'm another NFS fan and holy has this been inactive for a while. I hope you're still around, even if you have other commitments or not enough time at the moment I understand, just interested to see if you are still around to see this. Thanks for your hard work, have a good one.

  42. #46
    Dave

    Hello, and thanks for your great work on these NFS patches and other things.

    I hope that some day you're able to get back at it, and a patch for NFS2SE would be amazing, as well. Have you considered a Gofundme or Kickstarter to raise the necessary funds to see these projects through?

Comments are temporarily closed.