Post on G4 boards pumping ESPN

[MarkyMac]

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allgames said:
While I have indeed resigned from G4TechTV, i'm consulting on the sports programming. Monday I will go through the game in All Pro to check on the running game, kicking, passing etc.

The playbook comment is only in reference to the plays for doubling a position. Double X, Double Z, Double TE, Double Slot. Those seem to be pretty basic plays to be able to call. Im looking for someone to tell me they are in there.

I do think the play variety is nice although I wouldn't agree that they are MUCH better than madden.

The floating pass, yes it is when a lob pass is thrown but it doesn't look natural, you know what i'm talking about, it's the same floater that's been in there previously.

The QB Swivel is also annoying, again the same thing as in previous versions. The QB doesn't strafe, but swivels.

The game is just plain fun though and that's what has all of us at G4 so stoked.

Picking off tipped passes and wayward ones have been kind of easy with the black button. Again, still on Pro, I promise to spend more time with it on All Pro, Monday.

If you have specific questions I will do my best to get them answered.

We're supposed to get NCAA and Madden this coming week so hopefully I can compare.

As far as being a fanboy, i have played madden mostly over the past 2 years, but before that was diehard 2K fan on the dreamcast.

Nice community here, looking forward to reading others opinions as the games come out.

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How is the Qb EVADE? Is it overkill to the point you can never sack a person like in 2k3?

For Franchise. Will you be able to sort through AFC, NFC, division leaders? The only way you can see the league leader's for d, is if they have the most tackles in the league! So, if I wanted to see who is leading in lets say picks, they would have to be leading in tackles for the league! Or if I wanted to know who was leading in my division, West division, I was stuck only being able to veiw NFL leaders. Is there a sort for each division, or are we stuck with just looking at NFL league leaders?

Thank you Scot, we will miss you on G4.

[MarkyMac]

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MarkyMac said:

Quote:

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allgames said:
While I have indeed resigned from G4TechTV, i'm consulting on the sports programming. Monday I will go through the game in All Pro to check on the running game, kicking, passing etc.

The playbook comment is only in reference to the plays for doubling a position. Double X, Double Z, Double TE, Double Slot. Those seem to be pretty basic plays to be able to call. Im looking for someone to tell me they are in there.

I do think the play variety is nice although I wouldn't agree that they are MUCH better than madden.

The floating pass, yes it is when a lob pass is thrown but it doesn't look natural, you know what i'm talking about, it's the same floater that's been in there previously.

The QB Swivel is also annoying, again the same thing as in previous versions. The QB doesn't strafe, but swivels.

The game is just plain fun though and that's what has all of us at G4 so stoked.

Picking off tipped passes and wayward ones have been kind of easy with the black button. Again, still on Pro, I promise to spend more time with it on All Pro, Monday.

If you have specific questions I will do my best to get them answered.

We're supposed to get NCAA and Madden this coming week so hopefully I can compare.

As far as being a fanboy, i have played madden mostly over the past 2 years, but before that was diehard 2K fan on the dreamcast.

Nice community here, looking forward to reading others opinions as the games come out.

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How is the Qb EVADE? Is it overkill to the point you can never sack a person like in 2k3?

For Franchise. Will you be able to sort through AFC, NFC, division leaders? The only way in 2k3 you can see the league leader's for d, is if they have the most tackles in the league! So, if I wanted to see who is leading in lets say picks, they would have to be leading in tackles for the league! Or if I wanted to know who was leading in my division, West division, I was stuck only being able to veiw NFL leaders. Is there a sort for each division, or are we stuck with just looking at NFL league leaders?

Thank you Scot, we will miss you on G4.

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[allgames]

The evade works, a few times i hit the stick thinking about madden playmaker (trying to get the receceiver to break off his route) and the qb evaded a sack. Like the Y button it may have felt a bit too easy, but again, only on PRO. Tomorrow, All Pro.

[MarkyMac]

Haha cool, I am talking to Scot! lol.

Anyway man, sorry Os for the repost.

Hey, another question I have is, are penalties more realistic this time around? Like, does the cpu's de go offsides, or o line jumps, O pass inters, as well as the rest of the penalties; have they been tweaked so that they actually happen!? In 2k3 they rarely ever happen. And if that is the case, can we adjust sliders to make them happen.

Only human controlled players ever had penalties, the cpu only had d inters and face masks; that is it.
Again, Thank you for your time.

[Mastaminded]

Hey Scot, glad to see you could join us here at the OS forums. I've got a question for you about ESPN, hopefully you'll be able to get back to me on it. I was wondering if you've been keeping a VIP for the entire time you've played the game so far. And, if so, have you tried assigning it to an opposing team and playing against it yet? How realistic is it? Does it play just as you would? Just wondering, trying to get a feel for how much of an impact the VIP feature is going to have. Afterall, nobody can whoop my [censored] better than I can...

Thanks Scot.

[allgames]

Ok today, All Pro. The running game is definitely different and more realisitc. Besides, I have Corey Dillon now instead of Antwoin so...

I still can't believe how bad the QB swivels (both feet planted) like he is moving around on a frisbee.

I tried a game in the rain, lame rain effects, although it did get hazy.
Then I tried a game in snow, choose flurries or Heavy Snow, I chose heavy snow.
It was much more like flurries. The snow NEVER got heavier (in NE or Buffalo). I wanted it to get like the Pats/Oakland snow bowl, it didn't. The field did get melty in places where the guys were as the game progressed, and the light snow did cover the sidelines and yard makers that were brushed clean at the start of the game...but no footprints or real time effects of the snow (aside from a kick leaving a light spot when it landed)

The snow and rain seemed to effect gameplay a little, at one point i threw a pass to my TE and as he was breaking inside the pass sailed to his outside and as he reached back to get it, his feet slipped out from under him and he fell on his [censored]. Very nice.

The tackle animations are really something, very realistic and LOTS of variety. The "cutaways" of the fans entering the stadium, hanging in the parking lot, and even a shot of Manhattan as ESPN went to break after the first quarter ended all really help add polish to a great game.

Did i mention how great watching halftime and post game highlights is. Man. Only on Xbox though.

When players get injured, you'll see trainers come and get them, and later see them on the sidelines being worked on, nice details, very natural.

I am kind of annoyed at kick returns, aside from it being tough to see your guys to set up for blocking, they do act dumb and not react on their own. At one point a guy was right in front of the kick returner, and the guy i was playing didn't call for a fair catch, and the AI player just stood there and didn't lay a hit on him. grrr.

I have been saving everything to a vip account but haven't played against it, I'll do that for sure tomorrow to see if the profile plays like me.

By the way, WHO THE HELL WANTS TO GET A CALL FROM CARMEN ELECTRA TO PLAY FOOTBALL??? Lame.

I still think you should be able to call for a double team on any player before the snap. (Not from the menu)

I wish they allowed you to tell receivers to break off a route and get open when i am scrambling like Maddens Playmaker allows.

I love seeing opposing QB's toss their helmets and angrily sit on the sidelines after I pick em off. Their teammates are usually far away letting them sulk alone.

There are more touchdown celebrations that you can buy in crib mode. cool

Why are there players with numbers that don't exist. I hope this is pre-release stuff because seeing Number 2 make a tackle on special teams is just weird.

Kicking seems a bit more challenging in all-pro as it should.

The ESPN 25th anniversary is there but not playable in our build. It is situational from great games of the past including the 4th and 26 that Donovan completed on Green Bay last year.

Why they left out the TUCK BOWL and the Raider comeback attempt is beyond me.

More tomorrow, post your questions.
I heard we won't have madden for another 10 days. That sucks.

Oh well, NCAA coming soon.

[Slickman]

It has to be a pre release because there was screenshots a week ago showing the footprints in the snow and they stayed like Fever.

[TheLetterZ]

Thanks for the impressions, Scot.