Evolution of Sports Games: Part Three

[RaychelSnr]

We have examined sports gaming's past and present in recent weeks in Nathan Marshall's series on the evolution of sports games. Today, we look at sports gaming's future and what developers should be looking at to expand the genre even more.

"I’m the type of person who welcomes progression rather than regression. Technology-wise, I can’t even go back to 1998, let alone 1988. If the past few years are any indication of what new ideas and new technology can bring, we are in for quite a treat in the next few years. So, here are a few ideas and predictions when it comes to future sports titles ... Oh and here are part one and two in this three part series dealing with the past, present, and future of sports games."

[Caveman Mafia]

A lot of what you wrote in the Franchise section can already be found in HC 09. It should serve as the standard for most other titles and their respective franchise modes.

[Tycobbler]

Man i dunno. Every, and i mean every one of today's sports title takes a back seat to last gen when it comes to good game play. Visuals, online, sounds all add up to nothing when the game play stinks. Sports don't go over well in video game land anymore so let's quit pretending ok.

[TheTodd84]

Nathan, I definitely agree with all of your points. However, I don't think any of those should be revamped until game companies do as Tycobbler said. The most important thing they need to improve on is the GAMEPLAY and animations.

Is it so much to ask to use naturalmotion, or a similar company to develop a skeleton for animations and the way things are supposed to react for your game company? If EA, or 2K, or whoever, paid them money to use their software in a game, it would eliminate canned animations and revolutionize sports games.

Even if that is impractical, the point is that the animations, player models and gameplay in almost every sports game need an overhaul. A complete, start-from-scratch overhaul. The problem with this is that it's time-consuming and the game companies have to convince the investors that it could work.

That is definitely possible, I just think that is too much work for these lazy game companies.

Either way... gameplay needs to revamped across the board, with the exception of NHL 09 before presentation and the extras can be tweaked.