EA Sports and the Lack of concern for Small Schools

[thescoop]

EA Sports has not put forth much effort for the smaller schools. We've seen in the past that the larger the school, the larger the conference, the more interst EA has in actually doing something for that team.

I'm very crititical of EA for this because those of us who cheer for the Mid Major's buy NCAA too. In the past they've at least given us little things, like all the alternates, but they can't even seem to do that now.

The game isn't out yet and maybe more alternates will be included that what is being shown on Steve's beta, but it hurts our realism when they can't even get our actually DEFAULT uniforms right and stick us with alternates as the default. Is it too much to ask that they do their jobs and do some research?

I get the FSU's of the world have a huge following. I get that, but lets try and get at least all the defaults and at least one alternate for all teams before we start adding the rarely used alternates.

And what about the Stadiums? It is just lazy that they still have some stadiums that are missing in the 09 version of this game. It has been three years and they don't have them all in the game yet. EA's motto is a joke. If its in the game, Maybe we'll have it next year is more like it. All the stadiums should have been included from 07 on. It isn't like they didn't already have them before in the ten dollar cheaper last gen games.

Stadium updates and expansions? Well if you're a fan of a small school it may come in five years after it happens, but never right away. EA needs to be researching this every year. I can understand missing it one year, but some stadium renders have changed a good bit from the ones being used now. Again, if a big school changes the stadium, they get it in quickly.

And still no D1aa (or whatever they want to call them now) Come on. The App State upset over Michigan alone should have made this a must for this year's game, but still no.

This has been a running theme for years. The little schools are just there to be there, but who cares about realism for them. I mean they are just a small percentage of college football fans. EA should know by now that College football fans are the most passionate fans in the world today.

I know gameplay is where it matters most. I'm hoping this title delevers there and maybe some xbox live downloads for some of the jersey that will be left out. Somehow I doubt the later.

This was just a rant and I feel better for sharing some early disappointment in finding out (unless the beta just doesn't have it) that a few things I was really hoping for with my team will be missing. I'll get over it and if the gameplay is killer I will more than make do. I just had to get the rant out.

I'm sure I'm not alone in some disappointment when I see some teams get three or four alternates, yet my team can't even get its actual default uniform. (I really, really hate the all black Southern Miss uniforms)

But like I said. Who knows if they added all that into the beta. Who knows if I'll care once I see the game plays sooo well. Who knows. I just hope in future NCAA titles that EA actually starts giving the little guys just a little of the attention that they give the big schools.

[peteykirch]

To be honest EA's attempt at Div1AA schools was pathetic.

No one was rated higher than 70 and the athletic ratings were pathetic. There was no one with speed higher than like 88.

[GJEM]

I hear ya but until EA gets competition from other video game companies (which will never happen since they have the license and they'll just buy out anyone who tries to stand in there way.) this problem will never be addressed properly. I myself am a fan of a smaller school two to be exact and at least I got both my stadiums in last year (UNLV and Wyoming, yes I know there in the same conference but I used to live in Vegas.) but Wyoming's uniforms were way wrong but I knew I couldn't do anything about and I wasn't going to stop buying or playing the game so I just took it for what it's worth a video game and that's all it is. I know with the next gen we would assume that we'd get all the features that we had in current gen but I can't see that happening for a really long time I say another 5 years at least before it's all back in. Although I do think EA's gotten lazy with their development but like I said until someone makes them get on the ball I doubt it will happen.

[dkrause1971]

Law of diminishing return would be the reason i think. You of course focus your resources on what effects the majority of your users. If 80-85% of the buyers are using the major conferences and programs then you just live with the rest that will be unhappy because the resources to fix that percentage is more than you get in return of correcting it.

We all do this- at some point we stop trying to polish or correct something because its good enough. To EA its not worth the additional time or money to tighten up those teams rosters. You maybe unhappy about it but unfortunately thats how it is. Could also be simply that the schools are not providing enough information as well. Either way, i don't really seeing it change.

[Solidice]

no team has more than 2 alternates(unless more get added to the final build).

as for the stadiums, its pointless to compare the xbox/ps2 to the 360/ps3. the 360/ps3 stadiums had to be built from scratch(as did the game itself) and the stadiums have tons more polygons, textures, and surrounding details to them compared to the xbox/ps2 counterparts. of the 120 team stadiums and all the bowl stadiums that there are, there are only 18 that are generic. it does take time to remake those features from the xbox/ps2 put into the 360/ps3 version, its not just copy and paste the features.

the truth is, it take a lot more money, man power and time to make video games now than it used too with the higher powered consoles.

as for them paying more attention to the bigger schools, well you answered your own question. the bigger % of people will use or is a fan of the bigger schools, makes more sense business wise to do that.

with that said, i do agree that the smaller schools seem to get the shaft, and it does hurt the college experience some. but theres not a lot that can be done.

[baumy300]

Quote: Originally Posted by thescoop

The truth.

Well said sir.

[Cebby]

Quote: Originally Posted by thescoop

We've seen in the past that the larger the school, the larger the conference, the more interst EA has in actually doing something for that team.

No ****?

You want EA to care about small schools? Have a few top 15 seasons, sell out an 80,000 person stadium, and have your fanbase buy the game.

[GJEM]

Quote: Originally Posted by The Soldier

No ****? You want EA to care about small schools? Have a few top 15 seasons, sell out an 80,000 person stadium, and have your fanbase buy the game.

Why are you so angry? There's no need to be.