Why Dynasty Mode is More Important Than Road to Glory

[hurricanefootball4]

I recently saw that NBA 2K put out a question on their Facebook page what player's favorite mode was for NBA 2k12, and to my surprise "My Player" mode beat out Association mode. I personally am an Association mode junkie.

The more I thought about it though, the more it made sense. People want to "live" out the 12-15 year career of an NBA player. This goes for other pro sports as well where the focus is on the athlete, rather than the management surrounding the athlete.

I don't think that the focus is the same for college sports, where the coaches are the true celebrities, because they became the face of the franchise. The truly elite players are only a part of the program for 3 years, where the coaches establish their legacy at a university.

Joe Paterno is Penn State Football, Bowden was Florida State football, Mack Brown is the face of Texas Football. The coaches are the celebrities that we want to live out in NCAA sports -- the recruiting, advancing up the ranks, creating you and your teams identity with your playbook and play style.

I know we don't have much information thus far about NCAA Football 12, but I will admit that I have my concerns that after seeing the success of other pro sports games "My Player" modes, NCAA went out and focused on this mode for NCAA Football 12 with Road to Glory. I'm not basing that on much more than a hunch mind you, but I could see that being move that would make sense based on the success of the mode in other games.

To me though, that's not what college football is about. College football is about the coaches and the programs they build. It's more about a coach recruiting a group of players that fit into his schemes than 1 player single-handedly turning a program around -- not to say that great players don't define programs (Tebow/Cam Newton), but it's still about the coach and his system and the players he recruits.

To me, it's a no brainer that dynasty/coach should always be the focus of NCAA Football. I mean seriously, we have online dynasties that many of us get super involved in, recruiting our hearts out, going head to head, some people even going as far to document their dynasties and give fake "coach interviews" via blogs and these boards.

I guess I just feel that is where the emphasis of college football game should be, rather than focusing on a player for 3-4 years that he's there, the focus should be the coach who is there for 25+ years.

Would love to hear your thoughts guys, am I on track to what the consensus thinks or am I in the minority here?

[Assassin]

The road to glory mode is nice but to me it doesn't have that lasting ability that dynasty mode has to it. I mean you can go at taking the route of a coach or control your favorite team and enjoy the value of the mode. I hope they expend on this mode over time cause it would be nice to see expansion.

[bruinkid626]

To me, it's just that ea has put more effort into dynasty mode which makes its way more fun than rtg. Plus the fact that RTG was only on 5 minute quarters and only lasted 4 seasons compared to the longevity of dynasty mode. It's just more fun.

[brza37]

I think the OP nailed it. College Sports are all about the coaches that define the teams. Thats why coaching carousel has been so requested and why so many people still play CH2k8.
The college life of a superstar is just too short (max 4 years but most superstars are 2 and done after a redshirt year anyway).
Two other factors that make a MY Player mode in football so difficult or less appealing as opposed to the success of NBA 2ks or The Shows has to do with the sports themselves.

1. Football is much more of a team game. Except for QB there is no position where you can singlehandedly will your team to a championship. And even at QB its next to impossible. Tebow, Newton, Manning and Brady all had very good supporting casts to help them get there.

2. Football is much more strategic than other sports. Yes there are plays and strategies for basketball and baseball but they are pretty straightforward, situational and rather simple to integrate in computer AI. Anybody who has played RTG or Superstar mode knows how frustrating it can be to have no control over your teams playcalling which is oftentimes irrational and you're part in the games outcome usually is very marginal depending on position and AI playcalling. In the other games' My Player modes you always feel at the center of the action and your play makes a huge impact on the outcome of games.

I'm not saying EA should just drop this type of mode altogether. It would be a nice-to-have if they can improve it but an in-depth dynasty mode with coaching careers and/or athletic director powers is a MUST-HAVE for college football. For Madden the must-have is an in-depth franchise with real NFL management capabilities like in-depth rookie scouting, free-agency bidding, trades, full player rosters with cut-down dates and practice squads, weekly highlight shows and in-game score updates that make the League come to life, etc AND NOT hot dog prices, stadium upgrades that are not reflected visually and other insignificant crap.

[TDenverFan]

Dynasty!

RTG is the same tasks repeated over and oer for four years, I get bored before season 2, normally.

[sparkdawg777]

The game is for the players, ask any coach that, and personally I like to play RTG and just wish they would put a little more into it like extending Qtr lengths and the recruiting process. I like being able to play in college and then advancing to the pros after that. I mean don't get me wrong I enjoy dynasty more but I think that is because of the lack of depth of RTG. But I've always liked creating myself in video games but I'm sure I am in the minority. I will say if they are not going to expand on this mode then yes it is a wasted space and is repetitive.

[illwill10]

Dynasty should be the main priority. I am a huge RTG/Be a PRo player. I think RTG should be on the level of My Player and RTTS, I didnt even start an Association or Season mode on MLB or NBA 2k. But, any Offline Season/Dynasty mode should be the main priority. Because A lot of people dont like to fo modes like RTG. Player modes usually dont have the same type of presentation and your not allow certain stuff. RTG would be better if was more than 5 mins long, more custom abilty, practice meant more after being starter, and commentary.

[Lear Pilot]

Great topic.

I haven't played Road to Glory in years. The mode has never been given enough attention to make it worth while. The only way to make it feasible is to give the players more control of the mode.

I would be much more interested in the mode if you could take your player and turn him into a coach at the end of the 4 years. Oh wait . . . . that use to be in the game, must have been a last gen version of the game!