Pro Strategy Football 2013 for iphone/ipad released! Post impressions.

[LastWhiteSoxFanStanding]

This is strictly a coaching game and I have had some fun games against the computer.

I think they have a two player game a la words with friends style.

Would anybody be interested in playing? Might be fun to get some games going here. Don't know how well they keep multiplayer records or stats, but could be a fun time waster.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Is the free one just ad-based or any other restrictions?

[LastWhiteSoxFanStanding]

I believe five dollars. I know that is expensive for an iphone game but I feel like it is a good value and if he actually improves on the game we could end up with something special.

[LastWhiteSoxFanStanding]

Pro Strategy Football 2012 for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad on the iTunes App Store

This is the link for the game.

[RainRaven]

Yep, more then up for a game.

[Julio Riddols]

Holy crap, that's Tom Landry Strategy Football with some graphical mods. TLSF is an awesome game, but old as the hills. Turns out its the same developer.. I wonder if he is going to re-release this for PC with online play, because I love that game to death and it would be fun as hell to create a league here. We need to start flooding him with requests to re-release it like that.

[CraigSca]

It's listed as a potential nominee on Pocket Tactic's Reader's Choice Game of the Year, FWIW.

2012 Pocket Tactics Readers' Choice Game of the Year voting

[Comey]

I wish this were available for Android.

[SegRat]

I will take another look tonight at the game. If I get it I would be more than willing to play against you.

If only Jim would release one of the early games of FOF for the iphone. Wouldnt even care about multiplayer.

[PilotMan]

Originally Posted by Julio Riddols

Holy crap, that's Tom Landry Strategy Football with some graphical mods. TLSF is an awesome game, but old as the hills. Turns out its the same developer.. I wonder if he is going to re-release this for PC with online play, because I love that game to death and it would be fun as hell to create a league here. We need to start flooding him with requests to re-release it like that.

Yep, I loved TLSF. That was one of my favorite games.

[LastWhiteSoxFanStanding]

My gamecenter name is Hamlet Johnson if anybody wants to add me.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Limelicker is my name.

[RainRaven]

Thanks for the great game so far lastwhitesoxfanstanding. Secondly, the game just dropped to 2.99 on sale recently and after playing almost a half againist an human opponent I say buy without any hesitation. The fun strategy involved in coaching far outweighs any negatives of anything esle with this game.

[LastWhiteSoxFanStanding]

Of course it is fun for you, your beating me 13-3

I really wanted the flea flicker I called to work!

So far you have done a great job calling plays. You have kept me off balance the whole game. Hoping I can just keep the game respectable.

[LastWhiteSoxFanStanding]

Also I gave the developer the website for this message board. He is having a hard time registering for some reason, but hopefully he will be able to chime in soon. He seems like a good guy who is working really hard to make a great game.

[RainRaven]

That flea flicker was a good call and the fumble was a bad bounce of your side. It has been thrilling so far and you aren't down by much.

[LastWhiteSoxFanStanding]

Speaking of catching breaks...

It is too bad there is no chat feature embedded in the game. I think that's the one thing that is missing.

[RainRaven]

Yep, I thought I was going to get something on that drive. Agreed a chat feature should be his top priority since the game itself is quite polished.

[BrianD]

I'll buy the game to join in. GameCenter ID is BDoebert.

[LastWhiteSoxFanStanding]

Added you BrianD. If you are a Packers fan, I could be in for another long game

[BrianD]

Originally Posted by LastWhiteSoxFanStanding

Added you BrianD. If you are a Packers fan, I could be in for another long game

I just played an exhibition with the Pack against the Bears and had a bit of a blowout. I have a hard time being loyal to any particular team in video games.

[RainRaven]

Added you as well Brian. Continuing to be a good game LWSFS!

I take that back, darn you for that interception.

[Buccaneer]

Originally Posted by Julio Riddols

Holy crap, that's Tom Landry Strategy Football with some graphical mods. TLSF is an awesome game, but old as the hills. Turns out its the same developer.. I wonder if he is going to re-release this for PC with online play, because I love that game to death and it would be fun as hell to create a league here. We need to start flooding him with requests to re-release it like that.

That was my first computer football game (on the Mac), which graphically blew away anything on the PC at the time. Spent a few years playing that game, even multiplayer.

[LastWhiteSoxFanStanding]

Unfortunately, one of the games got corrupted. My game against Brian was going really well but all of a sudden it turned his game into the game I'm having against rainraven. So now instead of having one game against balt and one against den, I have two games where I'm losing to Balt 13-6.

In one game Balt has the ball 2nd and ten, in the other game I got an int.

Rainraven and briand what are you guys seeing?

[RainRaven]

Nothing funky on my end so far.

[LastWhiteSoxFanStanding]

ok good deal. glad my int counted. lets see if i can do something with it.

[SegRat]

How does mutiplayer work?

[LastWhiteSoxFanStanding]

It is basically words with friends for football.

One player calles his offensive play.

The other player gets the notification.

He calls his defensive play.

Then you see the animation of the results.

Rinse and repeat.

[QuikSand]

Downloaded, have not played yet - thanks for the lead, though.

[Pro Strategy Football]

Hey, everyone, I'd like to introduce myself. I'm Kerry Batts, the developer of Pro Strategy Football (and TLSF many years ago!). LastWhiteSoxFan dropped by my web site and facebook page and suggested I chat with you guys.

First off, I'm very sorry to hear about the bug that happened where the game got corrupted. I hate when any bugs pop up, especially ones that are hard to duplicate. Right now, I'm using Apple's Game Center api for multiplayer, but for next year, I may look into writing my own server code.

Game Center doesn't directly allow for chat in turn-based multiplayer, but having my own server would open all sorts of options, including making it easier to have a central location for league/season games, and chatting.

Meanwhile, I work on the game part-time, and I'm currently working on an option where you could send a string of text when you send your turn. It's not as nice as full chat, but it would be helpful. I have a good part of it in place, but between family, and Apple shutting down for developers for a week soon, it'll be at least a few weeks before I get the new release out. I apologize (I keep wishing I could just develop apps full time, it's much more fun that the IT work I do in real life ).

I do hope you're enjoying the game, and in a month or so, I'm going to take ideas for the 2013 upgrades. The biggest thing would be multiplayer, and track down any pesky bugs like the corrupt game LWSF encountered, but I know people would like more offensive and defensive options, too.

And thanks for the support! I've contacted sites, but no one's reviewed the app, so it has almost no visibility. I think lowering the price will help some, and I really thank guys like LWSFS for spreading the word.

Have a great day! I'll be back on. I do play matches against people, just swamped right now, but I'll be happy to play some soon.

Oh, I occasionally post tips on the FB page (things like don't call play-action in obvious passing situations, punish blitzing defenses by throwing routes that hit the area vacated by the linebacker, don't stunt while defending the run - mainly to help people with mistakes I see them making).

One last thing. The game is a little hard on offenses, you have to work to have consistent drives. I may open that up a little for next year. But it's not like an arcade game, where you can throw deep every down. You have to set up the defense by running and throwing short a lot, then hit them.

Have fun! Let me know of any bad (or good), I always want to improve the app!

p.s. yeah, some teams have it really bad. I played Dallas against a guy who took Pittsburgh. He shut me out! Another guy wanted to take Dallas, and I knew he'd have it bad, so I took Washington. Wow, the Redskins stunk last year. :-)

[dubb93]

Facebook page?

EDIT: Whats the link to it?

[Pro Strategy Football]

Ah, stupid me. :-)

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/prostrategyfootball

Web site (really needs work): http://www.prostrategyfootball.com

[digamma]

Thanks a lot for stopping by. Very much appreciated.

I'm playing the game a bit and enjoying it--though I'm going very slowly (a few turns here and there).

[digamma]

And i'm sven1400 for MP players.

[Buccaneer]

and thank you very much for the original TLSF, it gave me a few years of fun gameplay!

[Pro Strategy Football]

Thanks, Buccaneer!

[Comey]

What is the feasibility of an Android release anytime? Would love to get my hands on this.

[DaddyTorgo]

maybe i'll check this out...

[Pro Strategy Football]

Comey (and anyone else interested in an Android version), I did some research yesterday, and it definitely looks possible, even very probable. I'll work hard to have an Android version ready for 2013!

[Comey]

Giddyup. I can, and will, promote the hell out of this thing. Will do a review for GMGames, among other places. I will get a hold of you to keep communication open.

[Pro Strategy Football]

Thanks, Comey! I appreciate that, just sorry I don't have an Android version for you already. After the holidays, I'll be talking with people about ideas for 2013, so be ready to help me brainstorm!

[SegRat]

I would really like try now. Name: havenhunting

[Julio Riddols]

Man, I wish I had an iPad right about now.

[SegRat]

BrianD I requested you as a friend being we live a few minutes from each other.

[BrianD]

Ouch, that penalty hurt.

[BrianD]

Nice game Seg. Was getting pretty close there at the end. I wasn't playing a prevent defense, but it sure looked like it the way you kept completing passes.

[RainRaven]

LWSFS that was a nice game. Some costly turnovers hurt you. Also did I imagine that bug at the end of the game when I tried a long fg missed and then it made you kick off?

[Vince, Pt. II]

I'm loving this game. Playing my dad at the moment, he's San Francisco I'm Cincinnati. We had an issue where my game reported a play as an incompletion, and his game said it was a 12 yard gain and a first down. It turns out his game was 'correct,' as moving forward it was 1st down. I ran the replay on my end to make sure, and even the replay showed an incomplete pass.

Moving forward I'll take a more detailed bug report, just didn't think about it at the time.

[Balldog]

How long do games take?

[Pro Strategy Football]

I'm sorry to hear about the issues with multiplayer. I'm looking into it, but can't duplicate it so far. I do know a few things I'll change to try to fix it.

Here's how multiplayer works. Offensive player sends complete game state over, which includes who he has in each position (might be injuries, for example) and his offensive call (formation, motion, strong side, all pass patterns, etc). Defensive player makes a call and sends the complete state back. The seed for the random number function is also included.

Each device then computes the play, and since they *should* have the exact state and same seed, they should compute the same results, but something is apparently getting changed, and I haven't been able to isolate it.

One thing I'm looking into is the fact that I compress the turn before sending it and then uncompress it when it's received. I'm also looking into the random number function itself.

The bug exhibits itself by the two sides getting a different result.

Oh, there's a second bug mentioned above, too, and I really need more information on it. I've seen it myself, but didn't capture the information. It's where there's a change of possession (punt, missed fg, fumble, etc), but the game gets confused and forces the team who *should* now have the ball to kickoff or punt. Weird.

My code is a combination of original C, some partial upgraded C when we were working an update that got cancelled, and now all the new stuff, which is Objective C. I may take a month or so and rearchitect it all to classes, which would help in porting and also should help with future extensions, and hopefully help me find these issues.

I hope the game is fun for you guys!