Full 90 Minute Audio Interview With Rob Donald

[LeonM]

Quote: Originally Posted by kjcheezhead

I think so. I don't play soccer games but I guess it's in Fifa and Pro Evo in some way. Rob barely touched on it in the interview but there is a thread posted on the Backbreaker forum and the OP appears familiar with the system and says there is usually 3 levels. Good form where the player is on a hot streak on his ratings go up a little, Average form where the player is playing at his normal level, and Bad form where the player is on a cold streak and the ratings go down. Here is the BB thread: http://forum.backbreakergame.com/showthread.php?t=5171

Good stuff. Sounds like there is a player rating system where each player has numbered atributes up to 100. The Gold/Silver/Bronze system will be his overall average. The player ratings system is a blend. Something that was voted for by people on the backbreaker forum.

Then each player will have player form which is sort of a hot/cold type system. Pretty cool stuff.

Backbreaker has 60 pre-made teams shipping with the game. Not counting all the teams that can be created. That's alot of freaking players. That's like 4,000 plus players in the game. Even without injuries and fatigue, Each team has to have nearly 40 players because of formations. With a player form system in place, 50 plus players seems logical.

[yardz23]

"Form" is really Backbreakers saving grace in regards to it's lack of injury/fatigue.

i can deal with no injuries (bummer, but i can deal), but no fatigue is a harder pill to swallow. Imagine if APF 2k8 had zero fatigue... it would have been Earl Campbell Football 2K8 if that were the case.

So here's to hoping "good form" is difficult to attain and very very easy to lose.

[mestevo]

Quote: Originally Posted by yardz23

"Form" is really Backbreakers saving grace in regards to it's lack of injury/fatigue. i can deal with no injuries (bummer, but i can deal), but no fatigue is a harder pill to swallow. Imagine if APF 2k8 had zero fatigue... it would have been Earl Campbell Football 2K8 if that were the case. So here's to hoping "good form" is difficult to attain and very very easy to lose.

Form will probably only matter in offline franchise play though, no? No injuries/fatigue means that if you have a stud RB and a decent line, you can run it every single play without consequence online against other players.

[yardz23]

that would be the case, but i was under the impression it changes within the game even during online play.

hopefully the team creation balance doesn't lend itself to too over-powered teams. If you really do want a team that has a top, prime running game, you ideally should have to lack in other areas.

[kjcheezhead]

I think the audio said that form was a feature of franchise modes. It adjusts between those games. I don't think it will affect online exhibition matches. Honestly most games have had a tough time getting fatigue/injuries to really affect exhibition. People just play differently if their players can't be lost for future games like they can in a season mode.

[mestevo]

Quote: Originally Posted by kjcheezhead

I think the audio said that form was a feature of franchise modes. It adjusts between those games. I don't think it will affect online exhibition matches. Honestly most games have had a tough time getting fatigue/injuries to really affect exhibition. People just play differently if their players can't be lost for future games like they can in a season mode.

...and they will play even more differently if they can just run a stud RB over and over without him ever being injured or subbed out from being fatigued 3 quarters into the game w/ 50 runs under his belt.

Injury in exhibition is just another challenge to overcome/take advantage of.

I am not even sure how to respond to the bold part, since fatigue and injury are factors in almost every game, exhibition or otherwise.

[kjcheezhead]

Quote: Originally Posted by mestevo

...and they will play even more differently if they can just run a stud RB over and over without him ever being injured or subbed out from being fatigued 3 quarters into the game w/ 50 runs under his belt. Injury in exhibition is just another challenge to overcome/take advantage of. I am not even sure how to respond to the bold part, since fatigue and injury are factors in almost every game, exhibition or otherwise.

Injuries and fatigue are in most games, but fatigue does not usually do anything other than take your player out. You can always sub him right back in when that happens with little to no effect. Here is a nice vid of another games fatige/injuries in action to show what I mean:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGFd39vqLN0

[mestevo]

And BB won't have even that, but apparently that seems to be OK because 'other games did it poorly' ?

Players are 'just subbed out' all the time in the NFL for... fatigue.... injury... even if BB did only that, it'd make a pretty big difference in the game. Add in an additional chance to fumble, or be unable to shed a tackle, or a reduction in stats while injured or tired... and viola... you have fatigue and injury in the game.