Reflecting on the EA/NCAA, EA/NFL, and 2K Sports/MLB Deals...

[tmac2k3]

It's simple. What I see so far looks good. I don't buy NCAA every year so the game will be fresh to me even if it's largely based on last year's game. Then, the game just looks great...I'm just waiting to see it in motion. And, Madden 360 was crap but neither one of us has played NCAA yet, so my enthusiasm for the game is just as warranted as your aversion to it.

[3271]

Quote: Originally Posted by tmac2k3

It's simple. What I see so far looks good. I don't buy NCAA every year so the game will be fresh to me even if it's largely based on last year's game. Then, the game just looks great...I'm just waiting to see it in motion. And, Madden 360 was crap but neither one of us has played NCAA yet, so my enthusiasm for the game is just as warranted as your aversion to it.

I felt the same way before Madden 360 came out. It went back to eb within a week. They need to start with a whole new engine which I know they wont but did you see what lucas arts is doing with motion capturing and their physics engine. E.A needs to drop Tiburon and get these guys which I know they wont because they dont care and people will continue do buy into their hype like I once did but never will again.

[spankdatazz22]

Quote: Originally Posted by tmac2k3

For those sim nuts, who were getting tired of NFL 2K and Madden anyway, can the exclusive deals be all bad? I don't think so. I can say with some confidence that 2K Sports would have never developed a sim line like head coach. In fact, one of my biggest gripes with 2K sports is their lack of variety.

I obviously disagree wholeheartedly with your conclusions, but find your above view interesting. What prevented EA from making a NFL Head Coach game in the past? Are you saying BECAUSE of exclusivity they're now free to make such a game? I think it's good that they're making the game, but I think they're intention is to create an additional revenue stream, as much as it is to address a console sports gaming void.

I do agree with you in a way; it wouldn't make sense for 2K to make a head coach game - anymore than it would make sense for Midway, 989, or any of the other sports games developers to do so. EA's larger than all of these companies combined, likely several times over. It makes no sense whatsoever to expect these companies to match EA title for title. As I said in another thread - when these companies stopped trying to match EA title for title and limit what they concentrated on, they've shown they can produce special games. Because EA can buy the FIFA license doesn't guarantee they can make the best soccer game - and judging by people in the know, FIFA is no where near the best soccer game. As someone pointed out earlier in this thread, it's the same with NASCAR. And just because EA has tons of resources doesn't mean they have unlimited resources. They're just as much in danger of over-extending themselves as anyone else if they don't show restraint. The argument could be made they're spreading themselves thin already, when you have their core games missing features we think are no-brainers from a gameplay standpoint.

And I really don't see how you can argue exclusivity is good from a football standpoint when so many of us can point to areas in which the game is lacking - in some cases severely lacking. Not just from a gameplay aspect - just as EA is filling a niche with Head Coach, what about people that have been clamoring for online franchise for the past few years? Your argument can be picked apart in so many ways, it's hard to put into words actually lol. It's good you're getting NFL Head Coach and you're looking forward to it - but your tone is almost one of "Now that EA's hands aren't tied, they're free to [give us so much of what we've been wanting in a football game]".

I'm wondering how many more years it's going to take to see more than one person involved in a tackle that's not pre-determined. How about a better penalty/challenge system (hell, how about A challenge system period)? Etc., etc., etc.

[tmac2k3]

It's not that because of exclusivity, they're free to make it. Because of exclusivity, they are almost forced to make it because of a need for an additional revenue stream, like you said. They spent a ton of money on the license, and now they have to recoup some of that. But, I don't care why they have to make it, just that they're making it.

And again, it's one step backwards, and two steps forward. Step away from the features for a second. Trust me, I know they're lacking in many areas. It's pretty obvious. In fact, they're lacking in too many areas to ever make it up. There will never be a perfect, or even acceptable Madden, IMO. Our expectations are evolving. And, unless EA hires an additional development team consisting of Operation Sports posters, the game will never be exactly how we want it to be. Exploring fresh new ways to use the license, creating new game properties especially made for sim gamers, and coming through with a solid implementation of the havok or natural motion engine will be their two steps forward. Just stay tuned...

[spankdatazz22]

Quote: Originally Posted by tmac2k3

And again, it's one step backwards, and two steps forward. Step away from the features for a second.

I don't mind the one step backwards/two steps forward approach. It's the one step backward/another step backward approach that's bothersome. Or maybe one step backwards/then stand still is a better description. It's troubling imo because this has been a known issue for so long, I would've thought in this next gen they would've at least given a *hint* that this is an area they'd focus on improving in sooner rather than later. But as EA tends to do when pressed on an issue, they almost arrogantly dismiss or marginalize it.

If there's any game that can afford to take risks, it's Madden. It's an icon. Madden one of a handful of games that will sell on name alone. When has the game ever truly sucked to everyone? Even the year where 70+pt games/jetpacking were commonplace (IN FIVE MINUTE QTRS lol), the game continued to gain in popularity. Other iconic games being Zelda, Final Fantasy, Metal Gear, etc imo. The difference between those games and Madden is that they've pushed the creative envelope, where Madden comfortably rests on it's laurels - or appears to. Of course those games all range across different genres, so it's difficult to do a direct comparison. I'm not saying Madden hasn't evolved; imo they just haven't evolved at a decent pace in the areas they should. I don't think it's a good thing when I can look back at 2yr old games as having features/gameplay Madden hasn't come close to implementing yet - features/gameplay most of us have long acknowledged the game needs.

Perhaps EA/Tiburon doesn't feel there really isn't anything wrong with their game. This is speculation on my part. But it's also speculation to think one day in the future they'll have a system of improved player interaction. Right now, that's just as much a pipe dream as it was 3yrs ago, given the progress they've had. I can take ONE positive from it all - at least they've learned to tone the arrogance down a bit. This time last year we were hearing how fantastic an experience we would have when we first gazed at next gen Madden - which turned out to be underwhelming to say the least. We had different Madden site mods talking a ton about the yearly Madden summit; this year next to nothing. So at least through all this we don't have to contend with that. That's definitely one step forward.

[patrick721]

Quote: Originally Posted by kneebon5

I know that all these deals have been bad, but the worst out of any deals made about exclusive rights is the NASCAR one. NASCAR on PC used to be great with papyrus and then there were 3 different versions to the PS2, now there hasnt been a PC version for 2 years and the PS2 version comes out near the end of the season and has turned to junk.

I completly agree with you. EA should do Nascar fans a favor and abandon thier exclusive PC rights. They apparently can't make a Nascar game on the PC that is not a complete bug riddled mess. Its actually funny that they still can't compete with a two year old game.

As far as PC Racing goes we really are in bad shape. No new F1, Cart, IRL, or Nascar games.

[ODogg]

I, like many of you, never have liked these deals at all. My favorite baseball game MVP is now gone. Although ESPN wasn't my fave football game I always bought it for a refreshing change of pace. However unlike many of you I don't scorn EA or 2K games for this, I blame it on the sport organization who sold the rights. But then again they are businesses and their about the money so unless that suffers this may be the wave of the future much to our chagrin. I'm just glad so far NHL hasn't caved to this yet. My favorite hockey game is NHL2K and if i'm forced to play EA's game I think I may just go toys-in-the-attic plumb crazy.

[countryboy]

Quote: Originally Posted by spankdatazz22

I disagree with your conclusion. Exclusivity for these sports games in any fashion is bad for the consumer, period. It's good that you feel satisfied with what you're getting from EA in terms of NCAA football, but who's to say it couldn't be better? The very fact that any of us could point to any number of gameplay areas the game needs to improve in speaks to the fact that there's a lot more they could do with their product. Unfortunately with no competition they have no real incentive to. I like what EA has done with NCAA football, and I'm not saying 2k or 989 could do it better - but I don't think you can compare what either of those companies were producing 3+ years ago with what's going on now. Both 989 and 2K have proven that when they concentrate their respective efforts they can produce great games (MLB the Show, NFL2K5, NBA2k5).

I agree 100%!!!

Very well stated.