NFSU2 Split Screen

Local split screen for 2-6 players in Need for Speed Underground 2 on PC.

Status: 0.10.0 alpha. Every race mode works with 2-6 players, tested with real controllers (4 native DualSense pads and 2 Xbox pads at once). Known issues are in open issues.

Install

1. You need speed2.exe v1.2 and the Ultimate ASI Loader. WidescreenFix is recommended. Set its WindowedMode = 4 (borderless fullscreen): in exclusive fullscreen the game now and then freezes on the startup loading screen. That's WidescreenFix's, not this mod's: it happens without it too.
2. Download the latest release and copy NFSU2SplitScreen.asi and NFSU2SplitScreen.ini into the game's scripts folder.
3. One controller per player. Xbox pads work directly (up to 4: the XInput limit); PlayStation DualSense pads work natively (USB or Bluetooth, up to 8) or through DS4Windows. For 5-6 players use native DualSense pads (DS4Windows off) for the players past the 4th Xbox pad, or the keyboard for one player.

Play

1. Main menu → Split-Screen (next to Quick Race).
2. Pick the race type, track, the number of Players, Opponents (AI) and their Difficulty. Free Run (the last mode) drops you in the city with no race; its Start row picks where: a city district, Random, or a closed venue (speedways, drift areas).
3. Each player presses START on their own pad and picks a car. One player can use the keyboard instead: press Enter on their Press START screen. Back undoes only your own step: on your car choice it returns to your Press START screen, and on the next player's Press START screen only you can go back to your car choice.

Every player has their own controls page (Options → Controls) and their own player options. Pausing opens the options of whoever paused.

Features

• 2 to 6 players, in every race mode (Outrun is 2 players, drag up to 4): halves, quadrants, 3 + 2, 3 × 2
• Each player has their own view, HUD, gauges, minimap, camera, sound and rumble
• Full graphics in every view: reflections, rain, headlights, blur, light streaks, overbright, anti-aliasing
• Own controls, options and last car per player
• WidescreenFix support, including its free camera per player
• Catch-up between players
• Traffic around every player, not only players 1 and 2
• AI opponents with difficulty (up to 6 racers in all, 4 in drag; none in sprint drift; 6 players leave no room)
• Free Run: drive the whole city together, no race, from the district or venue you pick
• DualSense without DS4Windows: input, rumble, player LEDs, RPM and nitrous lightbar, adaptive triggers
• Each player's engine on their own DualSense's speaker (Bluetooth), so the engines don't overlap on the PC; the mute button switches it off and on (its LED lights while the engine is back on the PC)
• A controller that turns off keeps its player; press START on a spare one to take over that player (each player turns them on or off in the pause options)

To do

• More than 4 Xbox pads (Windows.Gaming.Input backend)
• Other per-player sounds (skids, collisions, turbo) on the pad speakers; DualSense speaker over USB
• Session results: standings across back-to-back races
• Replays of split-screen races
• Rear-view mirror in the bumper and hood cameras, like single player
• Maybe: everyone picking a car at once; press START to join at any time
• Free Run: game modes like a waypoint race (see Free Run ideas)

This is an alpha, so expect the odd bug. If you hit one, please open an issue: fill in the bug report template and attach scripts\NFSU2SplitScreen.log (set Debug = 1 in the ini to write it).

Settings

NFSU2SplitScreen.ini explains every option. The ones you might change:

Setting	Default
Rumble	1	controller rumble
RumbleStrength	100	rumble strength (%)
AdaptiveTriggers	1	DualSense triggers: resistance, grip-limit / limiter buzz, nitrous kick (default; per player in the pause options)
TriggerStrength	100	trigger effect strength (%)
Lightbar	1	DualSense lightbar shows engine rpm / nitrous while racing
PlayerLeds	1	DualSense player LEDs show the player number
NativeDualSense	1	DualSense pads without DS4Windows (off while DS4Windows's virtual pad is active)
DualSenseRumbleMode	0	0 auto, 1 old firmware mode, 2 new firmware mode
PadSpeakers	1	each player's engine on their DualSense speaker (Bluetooth, native DualSense)
PadSpeakerGain	400	engine volume on the pad speakers (%)
SinglePlayerGauges	1	single-player style gauges for every player
GaugeScalePercent	60	gauge size

For developers

Build with Visual Studio 2022 Build Tools (C++, x86): run build.bat. docs/TECHNICAL.md explains how everything works, for anyone (or any AI agent) continuing the work; tools/ has the testing and reverse-engineering helpers.

License

MIT. Need for Speed Underground 2 is © Electronic Arts; this project contains no game code or data. third_party/opus is libopus 1.5.2 (BSD, see its COPYING), built into the plugin for the DualSense speaker.