The Need For Speed Demo - The mysterious "Monterey" track (???)

[Argento]

Hi there all! I was testing some "Road & Tracks Presents: The Need For Speed" demos and discover something really cool i want to share.

The thing is, there are two types of NFS1 demos:
1) DEMO VERSION 1.0 (the "big one" - aprox 36mb)
2) EA WEB SITE DEMO v1.0 (the "small one" - aprox 7,5mb)
Both of which offers the player Beta content of the game.

While the small Web Version of the demo starts with you directly on the track for a single race without doing anymore..., the bigger Demo Version, on the other hand, shows you the main menu and let you navigate, but not choose, the mayor part of the final content of the game.

There is when the mistery begins and the Monterey track appears for the first time:


But wait... let's remember: the official/retail tracks of NFS1 -original- are:

1) Three open road courses: City, Coastal and Alpine


2) Four closed circuit: Rusty Springs, Autumn Valley, Vertigo Ridge and Lost Vegas (Bonus Track)


...so no!, no Monterey.

But... there is more. When "Hex Viewing" the retail version of "TNFS.exe" looking for clues, there is our friend again:

And judging for it's possition there in the code, it seems Vertigo Ridge took it's place after all. And this could indeed be true because in the said Demo Version, the Monterey track image is located in the NFS\Frontend\Art\Control\LOOP3.QFS file, the same location where the retail image of Vertigo Ridge is, BUT...

If Monterey track image is flipped horizontal, it looks VERY similar to another closed circuit track image: Autumn Valley (with some tweaking, of course):

See the similarities? (fence and grass on the left, road, little hill on the right?)

And by the way, remember the Demo Version? well, Autumn Valley has also a different track image, see:


...so no!, not sure if Vertigo Ridge took that place of Monterey.

OK, but enought for the game itself, what does the press has to say about this mistery?

1) "Dimension 3" magazine (August/1995 issue), there is this review of the game, saying:

"In addition, the PC/CD-ROM version contains three different race courses, The Dakota, Monterey Speedway and Arizona Motorway, for you do to battle on."  (yes! another two mistery tracks also...)
(Complete issue: https://archive.org/details/dimension-3-august-1995/page/n9/mode/2up)

2) "Joystick" french magazine (issue 63), this is said (using GoogleTranslate):

"Monterey is a little wonder. First of all, the route is extremely pleasant with very pronounced relief. The decor is magnificent and the textures are very fine. It nevertheless remains the most difficult of all the courses offered."
(Complete issue: https://archive.org/details/joystick063/page/n105/mode/2up

3) "The Games Machine" italian magazine (issue 79)

"The legendary wooden tunnel of the Monterey circuit... I wouldn't be surprised to encounter an accident at the mine of the tunnel: at this speed the 90 degree curve at the exit is barely visible!"
(Complete issue: https://archive.org/details/the-games-machine-italia-79/page/n95/mode/2up)

So... according to the press at that time, the track was real, and also drivable. My final guess is that those reviews where made while playing some sort of "alpha or beta" version of the track and game, sent to them for testing purpose, and that way was played and reviewed. There is also some prerelease footage of the game there, so keep an eye on the details!

Cheers, hope you like my little investigation. What do you think? Does any of you know something else about Monterey?

[nfsfan83]

A little modding Autumn Valley ( change sky textures, delete some autumn trees) and you will be have Monterey track.

But it is very interesting, also where is hidden: The Dakota, Monterey Speedway and Arizona Motorway maybe only beta version names, but I'm very curious

[pete9516]

Impressive find there, this opens eyes

[Argento]

A little modding Autumn Valley ( change sky textures, delete some autumn trees) and you will be have Monterey track.

I don't think so, i think Monterey was more like Vertigo Ridge. Remember that according to "The Games Machine" Monterey has a "legendary wooden tunnel" which is also present in VR, only a little less longer...

But it is very interesting, also where is hidden: The Dakota, Monterey Speedway and Arizona Motorway maybe only beta version names, but I'm very curious

I agree with you about them being beta names, and i tell you more, found more interesting information of another "beta track". In the "PC Zone 30" (September 1995 issue) they reviewed and early version of the game and wrote:

"Thankfully the beta pc version, which we’ve test driven (hem), not only shifts at a fair old lick, but includes all of the original features and more." | "And the tracks? There’s now a grand total of eight, including a test circuit with nifty high-speed banked corners. Hurrah! Aside from this test track, all of the races take place on public roads"

This was a nice discovery!

Full article: https://archive.org/details/PC_Zone_30_September_1995/page/n24/mode/1up?q=test+track

Impressive find there, this opens eyes

Thanks Pete, i continue reading trying to find more clues about beta tracks and extra information to share