Need for Speed Shift 2 Pro Drift Academy
In anticipation of the launch of Need for Speed Shift 2, EA treated a number of UK and Irish Journalists to a day out learning to drift like a pro at the Pro Drift Academy, and to also have a sneak peak at the upcoming game.
To teach a bunch of amateurs to drift high powered cars you need a lot of open space. The perfect setting then is a nice wide open runway and this is where the event was located. Just outside Dublin is the “Weston Aerodrome” a small private airport normally used for flying lessons, but today it was taken over by a fleet of supercars.
After the initial safety briefings the would-be racers were ferried out to the middle runway where the Pro Drift team had set up their base. Glorious sunshine, five high powered cars with instructors, plenty of energy drinks and a marque tent full of Xbox360 and PS3’s with Need for Speed Shift 2 greeted the journalists as they undocked.
First up was an impressive display from Darren McNamara former Irish champion and now star driver of the Pro Drift series. His modified Toyota Twin cam (as seen in the video) which they had just finished building that morning. It was such a fresh build that the paint wasn’t even fully dry yet. Darren zipped up and down the track skidding sideways, spinning in circles and burning up plenty of rubber.
Then it was our turn, each instructor took one individual out and gave them a quick display, then they swapped seats. First lesson involved controlling some small donought’s around a traffic cone, once that was “mastered” the next test was similar but just a much a larger arc. This was all used to help teach us how to control the car and to get used to going sideways in a controlled spin, which is a very strange feeling.
After the break for lunch it was straight back to the action and hand-break turns were on the menu, all the cars are equipped with hydraulic hand breaks but are also all rear wheel drive so this is a lot more technical than the earlier exercises. They involves changing gears, turning into the corner, pressing the clutch and pulling the hand break to get the car to slide, you then need to get back off the clutch and back on the accelerator to get the car moving in the other direction without stalling.
As the day drew to a close we were given free rein to put all our new found skills to the test. This involves a high speed entry, a hand break turn, drifting across the width of the runway and then power back from the way you came. I did nail it on my last attempt and yes I did feel like a film star.
While the learners waited for their turn in the car they got to test out Need for Speed Shift 2 and put the new skills to the test. Darren was also on hand to talk about some aspects of the game, I focussed on how realistic the game is compared to the real thing and he was more than delighted with the effort EA have put into creating a game that is realistic but not overly complicated or bogged down in the simulation aspects. This is a game you can pick up and play straight away, but as you advance you can really feel yourself improving.
Before we packed up a lucky few were taken in the passenger seat as Darren took off down the track to scare the living day lights out of them. Then straight on the bus to ship us back into Dublin for the long drive home…all under the speed limit this time of course.
Huge thanks to everyone at O’Leary PR, EA and the Pro Drift Academy for organising such a brilliant day
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