Stupid "improvement" for NCAA 10

[Eaglesfan27]

This is all from a gamespot article and it has been confirmed by the developer on OS (who says Gamespot leaked this a day or two early.):

NCAA Football 10: Microtransactions in Dynasty Mode - GameSpot Sports Beat - Gaming News and Videos For Sports Video Games - Football Video Games - Baseball Video Games


It looks like NCAA Football 10 will be getting into the microtransaction game. This morning, while rummaging around the game's dynasty mode menus, I came across an option to "Add a Pipeline State" while setting up my Auburn dynasty. Clicking on that option took me to an XBL menu where, for 150 MS points (or roughly $1.87), I could add a maximum of one more pipeline state (of my choosing) to my recruitment map.
Here's the description for the "Pipeline State Addition" as it appears in the game:

"Pipeline States can help you recruit in an area while playing Dynasty Mode. After purchase you will be able to select a Pipeline State anywhere in the nation to give you another state to help you sign the top recruits. This will affect every team you control in Dynasty Mode and Online Dynasty Mode."

In addition to choosing to buy the "Pipeline State Addition" boost individually, the game menu also gives you the choice to purchase "all dynasty accelerators". Choose this option and you're taken to another XBL menu where, for 1000 MS points ($12.50), you can purchase all of the dynasty mode boosts in the game. Here's the description as it appears in the XBL menu:

"Unlocks all of the Dynasty Accelerators: Recruiting Advisor, Coaching Seminar, Toughest Places to Play Boost, School Pitches Improvements, Maximum Player Training, Pipeline State Addition, and Recruiting Reports. These will affect every team you control in Dynasty Mode and Online Dynasty Mode."

I'm a bit unclear on what some of these boosts do for you, particularly Coaching Seminar and Toughest Places to Play Boost but the effects of tools like the Recruiting Advisor, the Pipeline State Addition, and the Recruiting Reports are tangible. During a regular dynasty mode season, you'll have both Recruiting Advisor and Recruit Report menu options available to you in the main Recruiting menu. Clicking on either the Advisor or the Report option will give you the option to purchase it individually.
The Recruit Advisor will help you identify talented players who are interested in being recruited by your school. The advisor can also help more quickly unlock effective pitches for a handful of recruits each week. Here's the game's description for the Recruiting Advisor:

"While playing in Dynasty Mode (Offline or Online) your Recruiting Advisor will bring you one of the following four items every week: Information on Recruits that you can add to your Recruiting Board that you may not have known they were interested. Hints on the top Pitches for some of the Recruits on your Recruiting Board. Hints on which Prospects on your Recruiting Board are willing to listen to your pitches more than other weeks. Inside information on which Recruits will sign to your school instantly. This will affect every team you control in Dynasty Mode and Online Dynasty Mode."

Recruit Reports is a tool that lists all of the players you've recruited during the season, their position, caliber, as well as the time you've spent recruiting them via telephone. By clicking the right stick on a player, you can bring up more information on him, including his top 10 school choices, his interest level in each of the competing schools, whether or not he has received scholarship offers from other schools, and any campus visits he has planned during the season. As with the Recruiting Advisor, the option appears on the main Recruiting menu and you can purchase it individually by clicking on it. Here's the game's description of Recruiting Reports:

"It can take a lot of time and effort to see where your rivals are spending their Recruiting Time every week in Dynasty Mode. The Recruiting Reports will bring the information from the previous week. Knowing which recruits your opponent is targeting and how much time they are spending with each recruit can help you make informed decisions while spending your Recruiting Time. This will affect every team you control in Dynasty Mode and Online Dynasty Mode."

I'm awaiting clarification on what the remaining dynasty mode boosts do for you in NCAA 10, as well as if the prices listed above are final. Stay tuned.

[wade moore]

oof.

F'ing ridiculous.

[Sun Tzu]

Well...the purchasing thing is kind of stupid, but it is somewhat realistic to know who is recruiting the same guy as you and what they're emphasising on. I would recommend the following book for a extra special glimpse into the college football recruiting world.

Amazon.com: Meat Market: Inside the Smash-Mouth World of College Football Recruiting: Bruce Feldman: Books

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by Sun Tzu

Well...the purchasing thing is kind of stupid, but it is somewhat realistic to know who is recruiting the same guy as you and what they're emphasising on. I would recommend the following book for a extra special glimpse into the college football recruiting world.

Amazon.com: Meat Market: Inside the Smash-Mouth World of College Football Recruiting: Bruce Feldman: Books

It's the purchasing thing that bothers me, not the feature.

[ColtCrazy]

I think the recruiting features are pretty interesting...and I assume you can "earn" these normally by performing well with your team. I'll be a little disappointed if these are buy only features.


The add a pipeline state thing smells of cheese though, especially to online dynasties.

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by wade moore

It's the purchasing thing that bothers me, not the feature.

Same here. I don't mind any of the features. I do mind being charged extra money for them. If they didn't affect online dynasties, I wouldn't even mind that.

[Logan]

So if I were to do this for my offline dynasty, I would automatically get the benefits in an online dynasty...and its not even something that a commish could turn off at setup?

[Eaglesfan27]

I don't think we know the answer to those questions, Logan. I hope the commish can turn it off, but I'm guessing they won't be able to do so.

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by Eaglesfan27

Same here. I don't mind any of the features. I do mind being charged extra money for them. If they didn't affect online dynasties, I wouldn't even mind that.

Originally Posted by Logan

So if I were to do this for my offline dynasty, I would automatically get the benefits in an online dynasty...and its not even something that a commish could turn off at setup?

Originally Posted by Eaglesfan27

I don't think we know the answer to those questions, Logan. I hope the commish can turn it off, but I'm guessing they won't be able to do so.

Yup, that's the crux of the thing here.

If ONE person in a league has it, it pretty much forces the hand of everyone else in the league.

So, by game theory EA will cash in on this as everyone will buy it for fear they are at a disadvantage.

Oddly - it would bother me less if they just said "to use Online Dynasty, it will cost you 12.95 a year". It's the sleezy way they do it that bothers me.

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by wade moore

Oddly - it would bother me less if they just said "to use Online Dynasty, it will cost you 12.95 a year". It's the sleezy way they do it that bothers me.

Interesting point that I agree with. I wouldn't really mind paying for online dynasty support, but I hate the methodology they are using.

[Kodos]

Seems like it is EA supporting cheating. If everyone doesn't get it, some people will get an unearned advantage. It's Goalline Blitz all over. Pay to stay competitive.

In general, my enthusiasm for EA's ODs is slipping a bit.

[bhlloy]

Ugh... nothing less than extortion. Especially if the single player enhancements carry over to multiplayer. You know the enhancements available at launch are just going to be added to as time goes on, it's a freaking goldmine for them.