A few comments on some new features…
Quote:
Multi-Player League Support. Choose a commissioner to run the games for your league. Your commissioner will simulate the games and process every team's instruction set for each stage during the game. Up to 32 people can compete in each multi-player league.
|
Obviously this is the one that many were hoping/waiting for. Should be a huge sales-increaser, and based on the rest of the list below, will probably even snooker Ol’ SkyDog into an online league! :eek:
Quote:
Player Holdouts. Both veterans and rookies can hold out for a better contract offer. Watch your underpaid veteran refuse to take the field until he gets the big bonus he's always wanted. Watch your rookies haggle for a few extra dollars under the league's rookie signing system.
|
This sounds like a very nice addition. No more signing that veteran offensive tackle to a three-year deal barely above the veteran minimum, huh?
Quote:
Extended Post-Draft Free Agency. A new eight-stage free agency period, starting after the amateur draft, ensures that you won't easily grab all the players you need to fill your roster.
|
This sounds like an excellent way to help close an AI loophole and avoid having to use a house rule. I always hated having a rookie bust, but then due to house rules be unable to sign a vet to a one-year deal to step in and start. This should make me feel a lot better about doing that.
Quote:
Career Statistics. You'll have access to every piece of data generated by every player who played as much as one single down during your entire career.
Player Linking. Whenever a player is listed in the game, you'll be able to access his playing record directly from that list.
|
These two sound utterly delicious for us stats junkies. I’m guessing this sucker will be use some resources. Glad I’ve got 512MB on both machines….
Quote:
Revised Amateur Draft. Rookies will be tested in a league scouting combine, including the 40-yard dash, an agility drill, a strength test and an intelligence test. Scouts will know a little less about the rookies, so you'll have to learn to read these numbers and separate the workout warriors from the true players.
|
FINALLY!!! This alone could make it worth the purchase price for me.
Quote:
League Analysis. Draft experts grade each team's performance in the draft and feature the top young players in the game.
|
This is a cool immersion feature I think.
Quote:
Quarterback Comparison. A new screen features the record of every current starting quarterback and every quarterback with at least 50 starts in the league.
|
Interesting. I’m not sure that this interests me all that much, but could be cool for dynasty reports. (“FA signee Henry Wilkins is a proven winner, coming to us with a .645 winning percentage as a starter.”)
Quote:
Long Snappers, Holders and Gunners. On special teams, you can designate which players take these important roles.
|
Nice addition of the little things. Incidentally, a kid I know well is/was the holder for Clemson. He had a rough fall. He was a walk-on, and was told this year (his third year on the team, 2nd year of eligibility), that he was going to be given a scholly for this season as the holder/backup WR. A week later, he tears his ACL. No more WR for the year, but they have been playing him at holder with a torn ACL up until last week. When the Clemson team runs into the stadium, there’s a place where they all jump over a significantly large gap in the path. Well, Gene hasn’t been making that jump since the ACL tear, but he decided to go for it this past Saturday while running in to the stadium. He landed on his good leg, which promptly broke in two places. While the rest of the team was playing, he was in surgery. :(
Quote:
Offensive and Defensive Coordinators. You'll be able to bid on the services of coordinators as well as coaches. Every staff member has his strengths and weaknesses, and some will be suited to different jobs.
|
If the financial system is well-implemented this will be good. Otherwise, it could just end up a place where the human, who has a financial advantage, can hire the best of the best for an on-field advantage.
Quote:
Game Summary Screen. View the top passer, rusher and receiver for every team in every game ever played in your universe.
|
Yowza!!! :eek: Again, see my 512MB comment.
Quote:
Game Plan Profiles. Load and save complete game plans, allowing you even tighter control over your team's on-field performance.
|
This one has been a long time coming. I’d love to have about 4 or 5 game plans ready to roll, depending on the opponent. I hated having to go in and change everything each time. Methinks it’ll be some extra work on the front end, but a huge time-saver in the long run.
Quote:
Customized Screen Display. Maintain complete color control over just about every element of every screen in the game. Keep different color profiles for each team you control.
|
Some of you might like this. Ol’ SkyDog couldn’t care less. Solecismic Yellow and Ocean Blue work just fine for me.
Quote:
Player file generator and Draft file generator. Construct player files and draft files in your favorite spreadsheet program, export them to comma-delimited text files, then use the generator to create files for use with the game.
|
Another feature that some of you will drool over, but I couldn’t possibly care less about. Give me a fictional universe any day over a fake history. ;)
