A Friend Needs Advice

[NoleFan]

Lately I have really been considering going to Madden . I have played ESPN since the day of release but haven't played a whole game in about a week. I have put my finger on what it is that is bugging me to no end.

1. The way O-Tackles just olay speed rushing DEs without laying a finger on em
2. Even though my rush D is better it just doesn't sit right with me
3. The way the coverage of the DBs is. just something about it

I am in no way bashing ESPN but I just don't think it is the game for me. I have been feeling this way for about a week now.

I think I need to do what I did in the past and play Madden for football and Sega/VC/ESPN for Basketball.

There are things I love but I don't know anymore. I have, against my better judgement, adjusted sliders and it doesn't change anything.

I would appreciate it if people that know me reply because they will know how much work I put into trying to get better at the game and that I am not a Madden worshipper that just started to play around with ESPN.

HEEEEEEEEEEEEELP!

[Radja]

dude, i dont think sliders are you answer if you are playing ESPN franchise single player. the areas that help your team are the coach mode practice and getting better personell. i use a modified version of your sliders and i destroy the opponent running game. i have a top three air defense. it all boils down to personell. mine aren't all rated high overall but in the areas i need they are.

ultimately do what you gotta do, but the lb and db play in madden will be frustrating in a different way for you. they have miracle jumps and the lbs have crouching tiger reflexes in pass coverage. this isn't a bash on madden just what i noticed in it's gameplay. i finally found a working situation but the slider problems were faaaaaaaar worse in madden.

you can improve your players in ESPN easier than madden. also, make a playbook if you havent already. i chose plays to fit my team strengths. when i did that my team really took off.

[NoleFan]

This is what I want. People who have both games and can help out with my problem. The DE rush, for instance, isn't something that happens on every play when I am passing but it happens enough to be noticeable. Ya know?

I think I may need to focus more. This is a game that you can't play when you got other stuff on your mind.

[TombSong]

The player ratings in this game are funky. You gotta play around with the numbers and look at the results. Also fatigue plays a big part in how well your offensive line will block. If you are just running play after play without giving your team time to rest, the defensive line will run right by your offensive linemen.

If you play the same game over and over again for hours everyday there is gonna be some burnout no matter how good the game is. Play both football games. Play other games. It will give yah time to miss playing the game you are burnt out on. Right now I am juggling StarWars Galaxies(PC), Anarchy Online(PC), ESPN football, NBA Live 2004, Freedom Fighters, Jedi Academy. I may not touch one game or the other for days or even a few weeks. Depends on how I feel. If playing a game starts to feel like a chore rather than fun I think its time to put it down. Its not the game thats bad, its you been playing it too much.

One thing about some of the people on this board I am sure makes games not fun for them is they spend too much time trying to compare the game to real life. If the stats dont add up to their estimation of whats "real life" they lose their minds. Its a game. have fun with it. The thing I realised a LONG time ago with sports games is they are not really good single player games. The logic required to make a CPU play like a person is not programmable yet, but we seem to expect that. Multiplayer sports games with your friends are a whole lot better. Tecmo Bowl and NFL Blitz are examples of games that are not "realistic" but yet everyone loves them because they are fun. They are fun beause you are not expecting them to give you "real life" stats. You just play it.

[Kanobi]

Quote:

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TombSong said:
One thing about some of the people on this board I am sure makes games not fun for them is they spend too much time trying to compare the game to real life. If the stats dont add up to their estimation of whats "real life" they lose their minds. Its a game. have fun with it. The thing I realised a LONG time ago with sports games is they are not really good single player games. The logic required to make a CPU play like a person is not programmable yet, but we seem to expect that. Multiplayer sports games with your friends are a whole lot better. Tecmo Bowl and NFL Blitz are examples of games that are not "realistic" but yet everyone loves them because they are fun. They are fun beause you are not expecting them to give you "real life" stats. You just play it.

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I loved the Hell out of Tecmo Bowl...both single player AND multi....and had nothing BUT fun. I didn't care about any flaws or bugs or any of that crap. Those were the days.

I think if somebody travled back in time to 1991 with an Xbox and ESPN football showed ESPNfl to me...I would have been scared to play it. I wouldn't know what the fukk to do!!! Unfortunately I think me and my friends would have jumped the time traveler and sent him back to his time without the Xbox or espnfl.

[Knight165]

Nole...it sound like you might be playing too much!! I know that sounds a little crazy, but here is the way I play.
During the week...I play my Viking team in either practice mode or I watch a CPU vs. CPU game of Vikings vs. Vikings as a sort of practice. I also watch a CPU vs. CPU game of my upcoming Viking opponent for the upcoming Sunday to try and scout out some tendencies. I only do this twice or three times during the week.
On Saturday or Sunday...I actually play the game that is scheduled for that week.
And then...that's it on actual games in my franchise until next week!! This last bye week was torture!!

I do play Madden also(the same way) and even with the patch ...something just does not feel right about Madden for me. It almost seems scripted(I know it's not) I can't put my finger on it.
Even with it's flaws..(I don't have a problem with the running game..I don't know why) I feel like ESPN is the superior game...by far.
Hope this gives you an idea and helps.


M.K.
Knight165

[Davel23]

If you have room in your library for both then I'd recommend owning both. I usually play one until I start getting sick of it then I'll switch to the other for a change.

[NoleFan]

I definitely have room in my library for both but not the funds to have both.

Maybe I do play it too much which I think is a good reason to be tired of it. It is essentially the only game I have. I have NBA 2K3 but I can't play it anymore cause I am stoked about ESPN NBA coming out next week. I also have the Sega GT 2002/Jet Set Radio Future that came with the XBOX and I can't play that for obvious reasons .

I don't know how yet but by george I will have ESPN basketball next week and I know it will be weeks before I play ESPN Football again when I get my hands on the Basketball version.