March Madness or ESPN College Hoops?? [Archive] - Front Office Football Central

cincyreds

10-22-2003, 03:40 PM

With Midnight Madness just passing last weekend, I am getting pumped about the college basketball season.

That also means college hoops games from EA and Sega!

Which one will be the best this year?

Last season, I got ESPN College game and it was a blast, probably will get it again this season since it will be vastly improved.

NevStar

10-22-2003, 03:48 PM

Has the EA March Madness ever been anything but a disappointment?

However, I'm boycotting the Sega game because last year the announcers introduced my alma mater as Val-pa-RISE-oh from Gary, Indiana. Ugh. Gary?

SirFozzie

10-22-2003, 03:48 PM

ESPN. EA's regressed so far with their MM series that it just isn't funny.

Radii

10-22-2003, 04:01 PM

I have yet to see a quality college basketball game. I will rent them all though because the second a good one is available, I'll be all over it.

ice4277

10-22-2003, 04:11 PM

Originally posted by NevStar
However, I'm boycotting the Sega game because last year the announcers introduced my alma mater as Val-pa-RISE-oh from Gary, Indiana. Ugh. Gary?

Pardon my ignorance, but I always thought this was the correct pronounciation. How are you supposed to say it?

NevStar

10-22-2003, 04:12 PM

Valparaiso = Val-pa-RAY-so. Curse you ESPN!! :)

Daimyo

10-22-2003, 04:25 PM

Originally posted by NevStar
... from Gary, Indiana. Ugh. Gary?
Isn't that kind of correct if you go back far enough... white flight and all that (for the city of Valparaiso at least)? :)

Balldog

10-22-2003, 04:35 PM

I'm going with March Madness this year, last year's ESPN has so many AI flaws it was sick. With sliders last year you could make March Madness a decent sim, this year supposedly they have used the NBA Live 2004 engine and are using the same recruiting system that NCAA Football uses.

I just hope its half as good as Coach K College Basketball was back in the day.

NevStar

10-22-2003, 04:36 PM

I guess I see your point. Since EA's making such a historic point, will we get to play as the West German National Team in the next FIFA game? :)

kingnebwsu

10-22-2003, 06:04 PM

College basketball games have always been disappointing. But if ESPN/Sega uses the NBA engine well and fixes some of the bugs in last year's game (cough...late-game...cough), then I think it'll be worth owning.

INDalltheway

10-22-2003, 06:53 PM

Originally posted by NevStar
Valparaiso = Val-pa-RAY-so. Curse you ESPN!! :)
Everyone around here just calls them Valpo. Short and sweet. When I do say it all the way, I say it like that.

Racer

10-22-2003, 09:11 PM

Originally posted by NevStar
Has the EA March Madness ever been anything but a disappointment?

However, I'm boycotting the Sega game because last year the announcers introduced my alma mater as Val-pa-RISE-oh from Gary, Indiana. Ugh. Gary?

Just curious, what year did you graduate? I am currently a freshmen at VU.

NevStar

11-04-2003, 12:31 PM

Originally posted by Racer
Just curious, what year did you graduate? I am currently a freshmen at VU.

Sorry, missed this last time. I graduated ECE in 2000.

bigjdotcom01

11-04-2003, 01:24 PM

Yeah, I cannot wait to check these games out. Does anyone think that EA will finally get it right this year or will the ESPN CB 2K4 make huge leaps in its second year?

markprior22

11-04-2003, 02:04 PM

ESPN...I bought the pro game and want to be able to export draft classes. I LOVE the Madden and NCAA football games from EA but I have never been able to get into their baseball and basketball games.

sooner333

11-04-2003, 02:26 PM

The way I read into for last years' versions was that ESPN played truer to the college game than the faster paced March Madness. I would go with ESPN, like last year, but they need to improve the product a lot. Otherwise, a more polished March Madness may be the way to go for playability sake.

sturmie

11-04-2003, 04:02 PM

i've heard the MM 2004 is supposed to more interlaced into NBA 2004--like NCAA is to Madden. in the past, MM has only had a tourney mode and was way behind where the NBA engine was at their respective release dates.

from what i've heard now is that MM has a FULL dynasty mode and u can import players into NBA Live 2004 as well...sounds pretty cool to me if it's true :).

sturmie

illinifan999

11-04-2003, 05:05 PM

Bought sega's last year. Played it, but the lack of fast breaks just really took it out for me.

For this year, whichever one has names on the back of the jerseys for teams that DO have names, and if they both do then I'll read reviews. And yes I'm weird like that, if a team is supposed to have names, even if it's C#12, on the back of the jersey's then I want to see it.

kcchief19

11-04-2003, 05:45 PM

Unfortunately, I think the best college console game ever was the first EA incarnation for the Sega Genesis back in 1994. That thing was an absolute blast.

I have been a big fan of the Sega/ESPN series of games until late. I was disappointed with the college game last year and this year's NFL game is just horrible. I can't believe this game made it out of QA with as many bugs as it has.

I am going to hold out to see how they are before (if) I make purchase.

Young Drachma

12-30-2003, 06:28 PM

ESPN has improved a lot. The player names, the recruiting and everything were well done. NCAA wasn't as compelling for me, I could sit and player ESPN College BB for hours and hours. It was well done and while a few things could've been better, overall it was a great game.

korme

12-30-2003, 06:56 PM

Agreed. Too bad all players import into NBA2k4 with headbands, ALL, not some. Every player. So I stopped thinking about exporting.

I wish ESPN NBA would do something that NCAA does so well-- allow you to do a move without charging into your opponent. The countless charging calls I get in NBA are ridiculous.

MJ4H

12-30-2003, 06:57 PM

Yeah I gotta highly recommend this year's ESPN college basketball game. Recruiting is terrific, fast-breaks way better, names on the back, sliders to tweak gameplay, commentary drastically improved (game analysis is actually usually pretty spot-on too). I was a bit worried when I shelled out for this game, but it has been a terrific purchase. One other thing that's improved from last year, and Im really surprised because Ill bet Im the only one on the planet that cares: you can actually watch (/play) games that dont involve your team. I like to watch (actually just let it play out while Im doing something else, like cleaning or reading, and check on it from time to time) pivotal games throughout the season.

Oh also, if you decide to attend one of your recruits high school games as head coach, you can actually watch (/play) the game. Pretty dad-gum cool.

NOISE

12-30-2003, 07:20 PM

Originally posted by MattJones4Heisman
...Ill bet Im the only one on the planet that cares: you can actually watch (/play) games that dont involve your team.

I wish that feature existed in NCAA Football 2004. I would play a season and see an intriguing "Game of the Week" that I would have loved to play but couldn't.

Jon

12-30-2003, 07:54 PM

Originally posted by Racer
Just curious, what year did you graduate? I am currently a freshmen at VU.

I have a question: what's the general impression of Centenary College, which recently joined the Mid-Con? I'm an alumn and one of the biggest opponents of them going independent. The ironic thing is, they left the TAAC b/c they didn't want to travel much.

mh2365

12-30-2003, 08:06 PM

College Hoops = multi player franchise mode .... MM = one person .... when it's me and my 14 y/o son who play these games together it was all I needed to know

MJ4H

12-30-2003, 08:15 PM

Originally posted by NOISE
I wish that feature existed in NCAA Football 2004. I would play a season and see an intriguing "Game of the Week" that I would have loved to play but couldn't.

You could sort of do it with NCAA 2003, but Ive never played 2004. I probably wont ever play an EA sports game again, but thats another thread.

What I would do would create a new coach and have them take over the team I wanted to watch, and/or switch a dummy coach to the team I wanted to watch.

CamEdwards

12-30-2003, 11:22 PM

I just bought College Hoops tonight and so far am having a ball. One question though... when creating a team, I was under the impression that you could pick arenas, jerseys, etc. Yet I can't find that option when creating a team. Anybody know where I can find those options?

Thanks.

illinifan999

12-30-2003, 11:43 PM

Cam-

I know, it was hard at first to find it, but I think you need to press either R1, L1, R2, or L2. I'm pretty sure it was one of the shoulder buttons. That is if you're using PS2.