Has anyone noticed a trend with generic names?

[dacks]

This may just be season mode but i noticed that a lot of them have last names of RL counterparts. Ie. Punters have past punter names, etc. Such as Stryzinski, Lee, etc. Not just punters, i've noticed it on other positions too.

[baa7]

Re: Has anyone noticed a trend with generic names?

There' are only a limited number of generic players. I created 8 teams to play an exhibition season, and half the punters and kickers on every team are the same players, LOL. Pretty bad.

[FlyingFinn]

Re: Has anyone noticed a trend with generic names?

There' are only a limited number of generic players. I created 8 teams to play an exhibition season, and half the punters and kickers on every team are the same players, LOL. Pretty bad.

Yeah it is pretty bad but it is odd that the last names do match up... Just played a team whose generic kicker was Nedney.

[Goffs]

Re: Has anyone noticed a trend with generic names?

There' are only a limited number of generic players. I created 8 teams to play an exhibition season, and half the punters and kickers on every team are the same players, LOL. Pretty bad.

pretty bad? its horrible! i thought 2k would use some sort of random face and name generator for the generics...

give some of the generic players beards at least

[baa7]

Re: Has anyone noticed a trend with generic names?

Yeah it is pretty bad but it is odd that the last names do match up... Just played a team whose generic kicker was Nedney.

Er, why NO Commissioner Goodell, that Nedney thing was entirely coincidental. Now... what's the word with that NFL license that's coming up for renewal, hum?

[baa7]

Re: Has anyone noticed a trend with generic names?

pretty bad? its horrible!

Of course it is. I was just trying to be upbeat about it and not appear overly-critical. That can get you killed around here

[kevinpars]

Re: Has anyone noticed a trend with generic names?

I think that there is a real practical reason for this: they used existing last names so that they would not have to re-record the announcers saying the new names. They already had a database of the announcers using most of the NFL players from a few years back, so rather than reinvent the wheel, they just used this database.

Imagine what we could see if 2K actually put some real development time into a new version of this game. I am enjoying it a lot as it is but if it got a full year of development time it could be a very special game.

[baa7]

Re: Has anyone noticed a trend with generic names?

I think that there is a real practical reason for this: they used existing last names so that they would not have to re-record the announcers saying the new names. They already had a database of the announcers using most of the NFL players from a few years back, so rather than reinvent the wheel, they just used this database.

Your theory doesn't explain why there are only half a dozen generic punters, or half a dozen kickers in the game. There should be a variation of hundreds of different names/players as punters/kickers, for example. I should never see a repeat of the same two players/names in any position, when I create 8 custom teams.

No, what happened here is VC took the lazy shortcut route, as they did with all the offline features. They simply created a half dozen players in each position and left it at that, rather than spend the time developing an engine that would randomly generate generic players.

[catcatch22]

Re: Has anyone noticed a trend with generic names?

Your theory doesn't explain why there are only half a dozen generic punters, or half a dozen kickers in the game. There should be a variation of hundreds of different names/players as punters/kickers, for example. I should never see a repeat of the same two players/names in any position, when I create 8 custom teams.

No, what happened here is VC took the lazy shortcut route, as they did with all the offline features. They simply created a half dozen players in each position and left it at that, rather than spend the time developing an engine that would randomly generate generic players.

I guess they did that to avoid having fake names match real names in the nfl by accident, like jeremy shockey for instance is a name that can be created with the database.

[baa7]

Re: Has anyone noticed a trend with generic names?

I guess they did that to avoid having fake names match real names in the nfl by accident, like jeremy shockey for instance is a name that can be created with the database.

So you're saying they're trying to avoid generic HB's or K's randomly being named Jeremy Shockey, yet you can create a TE with the name Jeremy Shockey and take him online?

Does that make sense? Does that sound like they had their thinking caps on when they came up with this system?

Again, what's going on here is VC took the easy route, just as they did with the preset teams and other offline features. They created a static, limited number of preset generic players in each position, and then called it a wrap. They may have run out of time; they may have done it because they were being lazy; they may have done it because they had no real interest in developing the game for offline play. Regardless, this generic player system they created is one of the weakest feaures in a video sports game in years. As someone else mentioned, it's horrible.

[baa7]

Re: Has anyone noticed a trend with generic names?

I guess they did that to avoid having fake names match real names in the nfl by accident, like jeremy shockey for instance is a name that can be created with the database.

I'll point out another, related discrepancy that also makes no sense. I can't edit the names or unis my preset CPU teams to look like NFL teams, for the purpose of playing offline in the privacy of my living room.

Yet I can create the Denver Rustlers, edit their unis to make them look like the Broncos, and go online with them for all the world to see. Not to mention I can create 11 NFL players who play with the Broncos, and put them on my online team.

You see now how the issue here with generic players has nothing to do with trying to avoid having fake names match real names in the NFL.

[GMonroy]

Re: Has anyone noticed a trend with generic names?

I'll point out another, related discrepancy that also makes no sense. I can't edit the names or unis my preset CPU teams to look like NFL teams, for the purpose of playing offline in the privacy of my living room.

Yet I can create the Denver Rustlers, edit their unis to make them look like the Broncos, and go online with them for all the world to see. Not to mention I can create 11 NFL players who play with the Broncos, and put them on my online team.

You see now how the issue here with generic players has nothing to do with trying to avoid having fake names match real names in the NFL.

I hear ya but just what world will see this? =P

[baa7]

Re: Has anyone noticed a trend with generic names?

I hear ya but just what world will see this? =P

Now c'mon... people playing a faux-NFL league online, with NFL copy-cat unis and players? Who is NOT going to be in the position to see and monitor this? EA Sports? The NFL?

This is EXACTLY what VC was saying they were trying to avoid: gamers copying the NFL. And they used that as an excuse to limit the customization in the game.

[dacks]

Re: Has anyone noticed a trend with generic names?

So you're saying they're trying to avoid generic HB's or K's randomly being named Jeremy Shockey, yet you can create a TE with the name Jeremy Shockey and take him online?

Does that make sense? Does that sound like they had their thinking caps on when they came up with this system?

Again, what's going on here is VC took the easy route, just as they did with the preset teams and other offline features. They created a static, limited number of preset generic players in each position, and then called it a wrap. They may have run out of time; they may have done it because they were being lazy; they may have done it because they had no real interest in developing the game for offline play. Regardless, this generic player system they created is one of the weakest feaures in a video sports game in years. As someone else mentioned, it's horrible.

Do you ever have anything positive to say?
A couple things, first i was noticing player positions with coinciding names with real former NFL player counterparts. That was odd. Second, they perhaps did mess up on the generics somewhat for user teams but during season mode i believe each of the 24 teams has different generic players.

[catcatch22]

Re: Has anyone noticed a trend with generic names?

The only gripe I have with the generics is the duplicate uniform numbers and why they keep changing if I am only making a minor adjustment. That is unacceptable. Everything else is ok considering everything. If they didn't change I can then honestly figure out my team and what they are good at over time.