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Need for Speed High Stakes Downloads

High Stakes Handling Mod

High Stakes Handling  Mod
AuthorZiimbiian
Added On June 1, 2025
Views 289
Downloads 78
Version High Stakes
File Size 103.59 MB
Favorited 0 times
Average Rating
8/10 - 3 votes
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Description

Probably the first ever handling mod done for High Stakes
This experimental mod ensures a pleasant driving experience contrary to whatever catastrophe EA Seattle did to this port back in 1999.

Inside you'll find 2 folders:


-DATA

-SAVE DATA


To install the mod, copy the DATA and SAVE DATA folder

Go to your game's main installation directory (usually C:/Program Files/EA Games/NFS High Stakes/)

!!!!BACKUP YOUR CARS AND SAVE DATA FOLDER BEFORE PASTING!!!!

Paste both folders into the main game installation folder. You'll find a Readme.txt inside the zip file anyways


Now all the cars will have updated handling.

The idea of this mod is to provide proper car behavior under an Arcade layer, you'll have to brake, but not as much as a sim like Porsche Unleashed or Motor City, nor like a sim-cade. Cars do spin out, do have weight transfers, but some of them you can take turns by laying off the gas and stepping on the brakes.

Its meant to be easy to pick up and play for everyone.

Make sure to set your minimum deadzone up to 70%, so your throttle, if you're using a controller or a steering wheel!

Also please do try this mod online and provide feedback for each car!


========KNOWN ISSUES========


A) The Diablo Sucks!

For some reason, the Lamborghini Diablo has some of the strangest values in the game to modify, my workaround was to just copy the Ferrari F50's data into the base stage Diablo, meaning the car will drive fine without any upgrades, once upgraded, it becomes vanilla handling. This version of the mod has the fix applied to it, but further testing is required.


CREDITS:


pete9516 at Retro NFS Discord server for providing a template and help

METEOR at Retro NFS Discord server for providing help

AJ_Lethal for his site and info about car IDs

r/NFS and RG folks for playtesting it up

Visitor Comments

  • EvoX - 1 day ago
    User Date
    Liked

    I don't get any sense, to me the vanilla handling is perfect, still interesting idea.

    Reply
    • Cooya! - 9 hours ago
      User Date
      EvoX6 hours ago
      Liked

      No! Let's be honest: the vanilla handling is FAR from being perfect. I would say it is equally as bad as the cars look. But atleast it's fun!

      And that's my main problem with this mod: It gives fresh new physics to every default car what is nice. But NOBODY should play this game with these cars anymore since there are literally thousands of better cars to choose from. EXCEPT you want the nostalgia factor to kick in. And then you want to play the game exactly as you remember it from 1999 what means you want the default handling.

      So what to do with this mod? Use it for other (substitute) cars that look worthy? Then it would be similar to Geniniyo's 4LoWeR mod that develops here in the forums for years. :hmm:

      Don't get me wrong: I appreciate A LOT what you are doing here... I just see no benefit for myself with this mod as it is. Sorry buddy. Maybe you should transform it into a mod with new soundfiles and new or updated car models?!? ;)

      Reply
    • EvoX - 6 hours ago
      User Date
      Liked
      I love the nostalgia factor) maybe its far from being perfect, but at least all cars behave differently, such as F50 and Diablo, that's what I like. This game is not a sim after all.
      Reply
      edited by EvoX 6 hours ago
    • Ziimbiian - 1 hour ago
      User Date
      Liked

      This mod aims at one thing only, and only one thing: Improve the handling

      The car models suck terribly, yes i agree, but if i wanted to update the models or sounds for each car, that would make the experience even worse for the person who wants the pure vanilla experience.

      Changes that nobody asked for, just for the sake of doing it, makes matters worse, so im not going to update any car models or any sound files in this mod.

      Alternatively, i could offer a separate folder with the "CARP" files, so people who DONT want the original car models can slap the file inside any .VIV they want, which i find to be the most logical sense to it.
      Reply
  • MADMAN_nfs - 7 hours ago
    User Date
    Liked

    Well, im using gamepad and this mod feels to barely make difference in handling with it. The steering is just weird - some cars are very sensitive, some get heavy understeer. Main downer is of course the completely broken AI, which ruins every single player activity.

    Conceptually a great idea, but need to go back to the drawing board imo!

    Reply
    • Ziimbiian - 1 hour ago
      User Date
      Liked
      I made a huge fatal flaw here and that was not specifying to set Minimal Deadzone for steering and acceleration to 70%. We tested this out for 10+ hours online and SP, honestly, no one found issues with it IF the Deadzone was tweaked
      Reply

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