Part 6

Ace drift races in Need for Speed Heat by mastering score multipliers and bonus sections. Learn how to nail magazine cover shoots and boost your car's visual rating for big payouts.

Alright, let's dive into Part 6 of our Need for Speed Heat guide. This section is all about mastering those tricky Drift Races and snagging those sweet Magazine Covers. It might sound a bit niche, but trust me, getting good at these will boost your rep and cash significantly.

First up, let's talk about Drift Races. These aren't your typical circuit races; it's all about style and control. You'll see a Score Multiplier in the top-left corner. Keep an eye on it – the higher your score on a single drift, the bigger the multiplier gets. This is key to racking up huge points!

Then there are the Extra Points Sections. These are special zones on the track that give you bonus points for drifting through them. In normal drift races, these are usually the blue and white borders along the road. For Downhill Drifts, which happen on roads like Jackson Heights, you'll find these bonus zones in a few places: off the asphalt parts of the road (like dirt patches), on the sidewalks, and even near traffic cars. There are also 'shortcuts' that are actually longer but might have bonus sections.

Your drift performance is ranked with different names depending on your single drift score. You start with a basic 'Drift' (1-999 points), then move up through 'Good Drift' (1000-2999), 'Great Drift' (3000-6999), 'Superb Drift' (7000-14999), 'Colossal Drift' (15000-19999), 'Outrageous Drift' (20000-49999), and 'Insane Drift' (50000-99999). Hit 100,000 points or more, and you're a certified 'Drift King'! Some players have even hit over 250,000 points and still just got 'Drift King', so that seems to be the cap.

Magazine Covers

Next, we've got the Magazine Covers. As you progress in Career Mode, Rachel will give you a heads-up when a magazine photographer wants to shoot your ride. You'll get a text and a star will pop up on your map. Head over there, and you'll usually have a time limit to reach a specific spot in town. The further you have to travel, the more time you're given.

Once you reach the photo location, you might have a chance to set up the shot. You can Cycle Cameras to find the best angle, Show Off by opening your doors, hood, and trunk, and then Control Car to pose it exactly how you want. When you're happy, Take Picture. If you don't like the preview, you can go back and adjust. Sometimes, the picture is taken automatically when you arrive.

There are 20 magazine covers in total, and each one is tied to a specific number of wins at a certain level. For example, 'Auto Motor' requires 20 wins in Level 5, while 'Car Audio and Electronics' needs just 6 wins in Level 3. You'll get paid based on your car's visual rating, with a maximum payout of $1500. Try to get to these photo ops quickly, as they might disappear!

DVD Covers

Finally, there are the DVD Covers. To get on a DVD cover, your car needs a high visual rating. There are 10 DVD covers in total, one for each visual rating star you earn. After you sign with your first sponsor, you'll need to get one DVD cover. This requirement increases with each subsequent sponsor: two covers for the second, three for the third, and four for the last one to complete the contract.