ESPN NFL 2K6 Wishlist

[CM Hooe]

Gameplay suggestions:

-This has probably been said already, but make the players movements, especially general turning of the player, smoother and less jagged. This is the #1 complaint about the game among my friends is that the players don't turn smoothly and it doesn't feel like they have control.

-Coverage. Without Performance EQ on, Human defensive back play can get downright terrible, regardless of your team. Safeties run the away from the play and corners go into drawn-out swat ball and interception animations that often result in a big play... for the offense. Granted, this problem is alleviated significantly with Performance EQ, but can still rear its head at some points.

-Playbooks and schemes. Just keep adding more, especially to the defensive side as LBz mentioned. Make the defense able to disguise the coverage, possibly based on the OVR rating for the defense or the defensive ratings of the coach given in his VIP. While I do enjoy coming up to the line, reading the coverage pre-snap, and then knowing who I need the ball to, it shouldn't be a foolproof process, as it is now for the most part.

-Special teams. In 2K4, it was too easy (in my experience at least; in one game my friend once got 4 KR TDs), and in 2K5 it's too hard (my longest KR to date is 37 yards, for a TD I might add since it was on an onside kick, and my longest punt return is 20). Balance it a little bit, but still keep the average starting field position between the 20 and the 30.

-QB Evade. Make it less effective, and/or tie it to an attribute(s).

-The QB running animations. Change them, quickly. Michael Vick runs really stupid-looking when he breaks the pocket.

-Holding, and other penalties. At least in my experience, my friend can draw holding calls on my left tackle with very surprising consistency, regardless of who I am. I once had 2nd and 40 at one point (!). Add more 'dumb' penalties too; false starts, offsides, illegal formation/shift, etc.

-Audio. Continue to refine and improve the best commentary in a pro football videogame, and add a custom music volume slider independent of the PA system volume. It gets really annoying that I can hear my music, but not "Go Pack Go!". Keep custom soundtracks, by the way, that feature is brilliant.

-'Trick' Plays. All of the trick plays need a bit of an increase in effectiveness, given that the circumstances present themselves for an opportune time to call them. Someone gave the example of the play-action pass earlier, and this should also be extended to screens, reverses, flea-flickers, etc. The HB draws are pretty nicely done as it is right now though.

-Accelerated Clock. Put it in there; my time of possession stats are always way off vs. the CPU, as I play a ball-control style offense which uses 5-7 mins per TD drive, while the CPU only takes 2-3 mins to score because they break the huddle fairly quickly.

-DL play. I can NEVER get any sort of statistics with my best DL players, esp. my best defensive tackle (which stinks since most of the time, playing as the Cowboys, that happens to be LaRoi Glover). And often when I do get sacks, it's one of my not as good DLs that gets to the QB (Leo Carson, Marcellus Wiley whose rating I have lowered significantly). Make the better players get pressure and sacks moreso than the worse ones.

[LBzrule]

I've said it above and I'm going to say it again. This year you had DT and DE glitch. I do not advocate these, but do you know how hard it is to get a blitz to actually work in this game. It's hours of frustration. The offensive line picks up all blitzes, yet they can't handle the front 4 due to DT and DE glitch. I can send 5 or 6 and they always pick it up. Hell it can be 6 vs 5 and that other defender just won't get there. I don't even like to blitz in Espn that much because, it's really not that much fun. First, you cannot disguise it. Second, you cannot fake one. Third, most of the time they do not work. There are a few that will work against all drop back passes and do pretty well against RO's. But PA RO = exercise in futility if you blitz, unless you are one of the blitzers. Now something has to give. The coverage has to hold up long enough for me to switch to the guy going in, OR the guys going in need to do a better job of hitting lanes quickly and getting after the QB. Both of them cannot exist for it to be fun. Blitzing is a big part of defense and it needs work.

Every blitz put in the game needs to have the possibility of working depending on the formation you are facing, and what the offense does to protect itself. If they do nothing then blitzes should work. Even if they do something and it is not the right thing, then the blitz should still work.

[gobucks]

Quote: Originally Posted by Krioniq

Gameplay suggestions: -This has probably been said already, but make the players movements, especially general turning of the player, smoother and less jagged. This is the #1 complaint about the game among my friends is that the players don't turn smoothly and it doesn't feel like they have control. -Coverage. Without Performance EQ on, Human defensive back play can get downright terrible, regardless of your team. Safeties run the away from the play and corners go into drawn-out swat ball and interception animations that often result in a big play... for the offense. Granted, this problem is alleviated significantly with Performance EQ, but can still rear its head at some points. -Playbooks and schemes. Just keep adding more, especially to the defensive side as LBz mentioned. Make the defense able to disguise the coverage, possibly based on the OVR rating for the defense or the defensive ratings of the coach given in his VIP. While I do enjoy coming up to the line, reading the coverage pre-snap, and then knowing who I need the ball to, it shouldn't be a foolproof process, as it is now for the most part. -Special teams. In 2K4, it was too easy (in my experience at least; in one game my friend once got 4 KR TDs), and in 2K5 it's too hard (my longest KR to date is 37 yards, for a TD I might add since it was on an onside kick, and my longest punt return is 20). Balance it a little bit, but still keep the average starting field position between the 20 and the 30. -QB Evade. Make it less effective, and/or tie it to an attribute(s). -The QB running animations. Change them, quickly. Michael Vick runs really stupid-looking when he breaks the pocket. -Holding, and other penalties. At least in my experience, my friend can draw holding calls on my left tackle with very surprising consistency, regardless of who I am. I once had 2nd and 40 at one point (!). Add more 'dumb' penalties too; false starts, offsides, illegal formation/shift, etc. -Audio. Continue to refine and improve the best commentary in a pro football videogame, and add a custom music volume slider independent of the PA system volume. It gets really annoying that I can hear my music, but not "Go Pack Go!". Keep custom soundtracks, by the way, that feature is brilliant. -'Trick' Plays. All of the trick plays need a bit of an increase in effectiveness, given that the circumstances present themselves for an opportune time to call them. Someone gave the example of the play-action pass earlier, and this should also be extended to screens, reverses, flea-flickers, etc. The HB draws are pretty nicely done as it is right now though. -Accelerated Clock. Put it in there; my time of possession stats are always way off vs. the CPU, as I play a ball-control style offense which uses 5-7 mins per TD drive, while the CPU only takes 2-3 mins to score because they break the huddle fairly quickly. -DL play. I can NEVER get any sort of statistics with my best DL players, esp. my best defensive tackle (which stinks since most of the time, playing as the Cowboys, that happens to be LaRoi Glover). And often when I do get sacks, it's one of my not as good DLs that gets to the QB (Leo Carson, Marcellus Wiley whose rating I have lowered significantly). Make the better players get pressure and sacks moreso than the worse ones.

I agree with almost every point here and want to second the post...however I disagree w/ the last point being that is you have performance EQ on. I play with it off and see a good ratio of defensive lineman etc..of better players comming through on big plays and having better stats.

Looking forward to 2K6...and I want to throw a pitch in for online franchises (the future of gaming) it would be too cool to be able to draft vs. other human players and manage salaries etc..to throw out the AI logic here would be top notch!

[Kanobi]

couple of requests that have probably already been covered:

1. MUCH better anticipation of the snap by dlinemen..especially star players/vets. Right now it seems like the Oline gets off the snap and is already set about 2-3 secs before the dline is even out of their 3-pt stance. That's ridiculous. Add some initial quickness.

2. Olinemen need to get knocked on their azzez every now and then. In NFL2k5, Olinemen never get knocked down which is very unrealistic. Thats why in Nfl2k6, strength needs be more of a factor in lineplay because as it is right now, I can lower an entire oline's strength to zero and they'd still provide decent pass protection and run blocking. Thats inexcusable and should be addressed in 2k6.

Basically I'm asking for more balance in lineplay.

Oh and...

3. For Greg Thomas to stop crying " NO! That is Too realistic!!" in VC staff meetings. Next time he does it somebody should ...take a super soaker and drench that fool with old hot dog water.

[AugustWest71]

The cpu's coverage on NFL 2k5 is terrible. I can get 10 yards with Tim Rattay on every scramble. Even if I out all the sliders to the max, it's still way too easy to run with your QB.

[Shaver]

My #1 thing that I would like to see with the online experience (especially in leagues) is the ability to change everything ahead of time. It takes forever sometimes to tweak my depth chart before a game. NHL allowes line edits before the game connects, so should NFL.

[ace23jp]

I would like to see a better kicking interface, especially on field goals. Football games dont take into account just how crucial it is to get a clean snap and get the ball down. We should have to control that aspect in some way or another.

The special teams need work. Kick offs and punt returns arent FAST like they should be, and thats just about 20% of the problem. The kicking team seems to have too much of the advantage. Find a medium between this years game and last years.

Catching the ball on punts. No more computer controlled players running to the spot and catching it. Make it so the player has to run over to the spot AND push a button to catch it. This will allow for more muffs and bobbles.

Sacks. Not the amount, but how they come about. It has gone on for too long that big 300+ lbs DE dive and hit the QB for a sack, or the just lower a shoulder and knock the QB back about 6 yards. When was the last time you saw that happen? Put in some Jersey grabs and linemen just barely hanging on, and more throwing while being hung on to.

CONTROL CONTROL CONTROL!! Its way past the point of denial. The control needs to be smoothed out. When turning corners, when changing direction..etc. But mainly when turning corners. Just a better 8 way control. with the analog AND the D-pad. (there are people that still use it) This is the only thing I hope they steal from the Madden series.


That enough for now...

[RhynoT99]

few things to add in.

Espn obviously likes mini games, well i think a mini game of Fantasy Football that ties into your franchise would be awsome. I know i enjoy watching real games that i dont even like alot more because a few of my fantasy players are on those teams. Would be a nice touch after every other major change is done. Helmet to helmet hits with fines and suspensions would be pretty realistic. You wouldn't have to manage a players money or anything but just to know that he got fined this much and is suspended for so and so games would be cool. When i reciever goes up for a ball running full speed and say...Lynch or Roy williams lays a shoulder in the ribs of that reciever, that would hurt, Show it...show it with animations and 2-3 play sit outs and REALLY AWSOME comentary and instant replays. i love highlights of big hits, make some. Also an all football weekly ultimate highlight would be cool...but im sure thats a little out of the way.

....to be continued