Anonymous edits have been disabled on the wiki. If you want to contribute please login or create an account.

Difference between revisions of "Need for Speed: Most Wanted"

From PCGamingWiki, the wiki about fixing PC games
m (mouse sensitivity = false)
m (Demo)
Line 32: Line 32:
 
{{ii}} This game is not available digitally.
 
{{ii}} This game is not available digitally.
 
{{ii}} A faithful higher resolution desktop icon can be found [https://community.pcgamingwiki.com/files/file/1376-need-for-speed-most-wanted-hidpi-icon/ on the community site].
 
{{ii}} A faithful higher resolution desktop icon can be found [https://community.pcgamingwiki.com/files/file/1376-need-for-speed-most-wanted-hidpi-icon/ on the community site].
 +
{{ii}} [https://www.fileplanet.com/archive/p-16331/Need-for-Speed-Most-Wanted-Demo Demo] (its speed.exe can be used in retail 1.2 version of the game; may be incompatible with Widescreen mod).
  
 
===Version differences===
 
===Version differences===

Revision as of 17:08, 9 March 2020

For the 2012 game, see Need for Speed: Most Wanted (2012).

Need for Speed: Most Wanted
Need for Speed: Most Wanted cover
Developers
EA Black Box
Publishers
Electronic Arts
Engines
EAGL 3
Release dates
Windows November 15, 2005
Need for Speed: Most Wanted guide on StrategyWiki
Need for Speed: Most Wanted on MobyGames
Need for Speed: Most Wanted on Wikipedia

Warnings

SafeDisc retail DRM does not work on Windows Vista and later (see Availability for affected versions).
The Need for Speed 1994
Need for Speed II 1997
Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit (series)
Need for Speed: High Stakes 1999
Need for Speed: Porsche Unleashed 2000
Need for Speed: Underground (series)
Need for Speed: Most Wanted (series)
Need for Speed: Carbon 2006
Need for Speed: ProStreet 2007
Need for Speed: Undercover 2008
Need for Speed: Shift (series)
Need for Speed: World 2010
Need for Speed: The Run 2011
Need for Speed Rivals 2013
Need for Speed (2016) 2016
Need for Speed Payback 2017
Need for Speed: Edge 2017
Need for Speed Heat 2019
Need for Speed Unbound 2022

Key points

A port based off the PS2/Xbox original versions.

General information

Need for Speed Wiki

Availability

Source DRM Notes Keys OS
Retail
Disc check (requires the CD/DVD in the drive to play)
CD key
SafeDisc v4 DRM[Note 1]
Windows
SafeDisc retail DRM does not work on Windows Vista and later (see above for affected versions).
This game is not available digitally.
A faithful higher resolution desktop icon can be found on the community site.
Demo (its speed.exe can be used in retail 1.2 version of the game; may be incompatible with Widescreen mod).

Version differences

Black Edition content includes:[3]
  • '67 Camaro SS and BMW M3 GTR
  • Specially tuned rides
  • Three exclusive races
  • Black Edition challenge
  • Bonus DVD

Essential improvements

Patches

Patch 1.3 is the last patch for the game. Resolves a number of issues and is strongly recommended.[4]

NFSMW HD Reflections

Scales the resolution of road, vehicle, and rear view mirror reflections.
Adds traffic lights, car shadows, shader and particle effects to the rearview mirror.
Restores geometry such as front-end reflections and world detail.

Skip intro videos

Instructions[citation needed]
  1. Go to <path-to-game>\MOVIES\
  2. Delete or rename attract_movie_english_ntsc.vp6, ealogo_english_ntsc.vp6, and psa_english_ntsc.vp6.

Notes

If you have another language then the delete the file with your language instead, and if you have the PAL version the files will have PAL instead of NTSC at the end.

Game data

Configuration file(s) location

System Location
Windows HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\EA Games\Need for Speed Most Wanted\[Note 2]

Save game data location

System Location
Windows %USERPROFILE%\Documents\NFS Most Wanted\<user-id>\
Need for Speed: Underground 2 savegame grants you extra in-game cash[5]

Video settings

General video settings
General video settings
Advanced video settings
Advanced video settings
Advanced video settings
Advanced video settings
ThirteenAG's fix requires the latest patch. See Patches.

Template:Video settings

Field of view (FOV)

Set custom FOV with NFS-VltEd[6]
  1. Download NFS-VltEd.
  2. Extract the contents and open the application.
  3. Click on File → Open and select the installation folder.
  4. On the left side, expand camerainfo and default.
  5. Select the camera you want to modify (bumper, close, etc.)
  6. On the right side, expand FOV and change the value beside [0] to the FOV you want.
    • For the hood camera, you may have to change the value for each car individually.
  7. Click on File → Save to apply the changes.
Set custom FOV with RockportEd[6]
  1. Download Ultimate ASI Loader and extract it to the installation folder.
  2. Download RockportEd and extract it to scripts\ in the installation folder (create if it doesn't exist).
  3. Start the game and press Insert to show/hide RockportEd.
  4. Select the Camera Editor and adjust the FOV slider.
  5. Click on Save Preset to apply the changes.

Notes

Other options such as camera height and vertical angle can also be adjusted.

Windowed

Set windowed mode[6]
  1. Download ThirteenAG's fix.
  2. Extract scripts\ and dinput8.dll to the installation folder.
  3. Create wndmode.ini inside the root folder of your game installation.
  4. For bordered window change the line Border=0 to Border=1 (or add it if you haven't launched the game after creating the file) in wndmode.ini.

Motion blur

Disable motion blur manually[6]
  1. Go to the configuration file(s) location.
  2. Change the value of g_MotionBlurEnable from 1 to 0.

Input settings

Input settings
Input settings

Template:Input settings

Audio settings

Audio settings
Audio settings

Template:Audio settings

By default, game plays sound in 22.05 kHz. To change into high quality 44.1 kHz, set level of details to 2 or max (sometimes to level 3), and restart the game.[citation needed]

Natural stereo virtualization

Use DSOAL
  1. Download DSOAL from here.
  2. Drop dsoal.dll, alsoft.ini and dsoal-aldrv.dll near the game's executable (<path-to-game>)
If you already copied HRTFs to C:/Users/YourNameHere/AppData/Roaming/OpenAL before, the game will use it. To disable it change line in alsoft.ini: hrtf=false
You may want to check out preconfigured DSOAL to use especially for this game with some tweaks here

Localizations

Language UI Audio Sub Notes
English
Traditional Chinese
French
German
Italian
Polish
Russian
Available here.

VR support

3D modes State Notes
vorpX
G3D
Officially supported game, see official vorpx game list.

Network

Multiplayer types

Type Native Players Notes
Local play
Console versions only
LAN play
4
Online play
4 Online play was retired on August 2011 [7]

Issues fixed

TweakGuides has created a comprehensive guide for fixing issues in this game.

Poor frame rate and crashes

Install DirectPlay
Windows 8/8.1/10 removes important DirectX components, causing game to run poorly, and possibly lead to multiple crashes. These components can be brought back by installing DirectPlay. More about DirectPlay here.
  1. Go to Control Panel, and select 'Programs'.
  2. Select 'Turn Windows features on and off'
  3. Click on 'Legacy Components' and check the box 'DirectPlay'.
  4. Select OK, once the installation is done, restart your computer.
It is recommended to reinstall the game after installing DirectPlay.

Can't install both NFS Underground and NFS Most Wanted (2005) on the same PC

This problem occurs because both games use the same name for their main executables (speed.exe). After installing one game and attempting to install the other, its autorun program assumes it's already been installed.
Workaround[citation needed]
  1. Install the first game. It doesn't matter whether it's Underground or Most Wanted.
  2. Go to the installation folder.
  3. Change the name of speed.exe to anything else.
  4. Install the other game.
  5. Restore the original name of the first game's speed.exe.

Controller deadzone issues

Fix left stick deadzone[8]
  1. Install ThirteenAG's fix.
  2. Deadzone can be adjusted in NFSMostWanted.WidescreenFix.ini.

Stability issues

Install MWFixes[9]
Fixes and improves the game's stability.

Can't set shadows on Intel GPU

On a PC with Intel GPU (or with Nvidia Optimus technology), the Shadow detail option is inactive.
Install ThirteenAG's fix[citation needed]

Menu lag on multi core systems

Change CPU Affinity[citation needed]
  1. Open Windows Task Manager.
  2. Look for nfs.exe process.
  3. Right-click it, then click Set Affinity.
  4. Leave a checkbox on 1 with the other unchecked.
  5. Click OK.

Game settings keep resetting

Run the game in compatibility mode[citation needed]

Set options: "Disable display scaling on high DPI settings" and "Run program as an administrator".

Other information

API

Technical specs Supported Notes
Direct3D 9
Shader Model support 2.0 [10]
Executable 32-bit 64-bit Notes
Windows

Disable AI catch-up (rubber band effect)

Use NFSMWExOpts[citation needed]
  1. Download NFSMW Extra Options.
  2. Extract scripts\ and dinput8.dll to the installation folder.
  3. Open NFSMWExtraOptionsSettings.ini.
  4. Change NoCatchUp = 0 to NoCatchUp = 1.

Mods

NFSMW Extra Options - Script mod which improves your gaming experience in many ways.
High Quality Vinyls (Recompiled version) - A port of the high quality vinyls from the Xbox 360 version to PC.
Modern Rockport v. II or 1.0 - Comparisons between various texture mods can be found here
NFSMW World Controller - Can be used to change the camera, time speed, and HUD visibility.
NFS Music Player - This is a custom music player replacement and a BASS library interface for NFS.
Xbox Rain Droplets - Basic implementation of xbox rain droplets from SkyGFX for other games.
NFSMW Remastered UI - HD UI without requiring TexMod, re-scaled most of the icons and other things
NFSMW: Upscaled HUD - UHUD is a recreating of NFSMW 2005's UI from scratch using mostly vector materials, with original texture proportions to help keep the same look.
Upscaled Minimap Textures - Upscaled map in menus (not in game map on HUD)
Fiery Cop Explosion Mod - Restores the effects resembling presented in PS2 demo cinematic/trailer.
Original Music in 44.1 kHz - Replaces the in-game 36kHz music with it's 44.1 kHz counterparts.[11][citation needed]

System requirements

Windows
Minimum Recommended
Operating system (OS) 2000
Processor (CPU) Intel Pentium 4 1.4 GHz
System memory (RAM) 256 MB
Hard disk drive (HDD) 3 GB
Video card (GPU) ATI Radeon 7500
Nvidia GeForce 2000 MX or GTS Series
Intel 950/i915g
S3 GammaChrome S18 Pro
DirectX 9.0 compatible
Sound (audio device) DirectX 9.0c compatible
Controller Keyboard and Mouse

Notes

  1. SafeDisc retail DRM does not work on Windows 10[1] or Windows 11 and is disabled by default on Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 8.1 when the KB3086255 update is installed.[2]
  2. Applications writing to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE will be redirected to other locations based on various criterias, see the glossary page for more details.

References