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countryboy · 08-17-2008, 10:46 AM

My brother was up to visit yesterday. Since he doesn't have a PS3 yet, he pretty much took over mine. He played both NCAA and Madden for about 8 straight hours. I know, I was watching as my time with my system was slowly going by.

Now, he's just as much a diehard football, sports game for that matter, fanatic as I am. Maybe even more so when it comes to football since he played all through middle school, high school, and even played in college until he messed up his back in an accident. Anyways, he was playing both games yesterday. And as he played he would ask if this was in there or that. Can you do this or that, and I answered each one of his questions to the best of my ability. Some things that weren't in the games (like shading a receiver inside or out) puzzled him at first but he then moved on. As he continued to play he would run across certain instances that had him scratching his head and questioning the reasons why and I again, would answer, discuss, these issues to the best of my ability. Again, he would be puzzled for a moment but then he'd move on.

As I watched him play hour after hour, game after game, I started to realize something. Yes, he was playing these games because they were a representation of the sport he loves. And yes he was frustrated at some of the glitches that occured and about certain things being omitted, but he got over them. And it wasn't until after watching him play for hours upon end, and one game seemingly after another that I realized why he got over these issues. He was playing the games for the fun of it. He was playing the games for what they were and quickly got over what they weren't. He was finding himself lost in the game hanging on every situation as if he was the coach standing on the sideline, as if his livelyhood depended on whether he won the game or lost.

After he got done I asked him what he thought about the games and his reply, "I wish you could do(he named a few things) and I wish these (named a few other things) didn't occur but the game is fun. I could see myself playing these all day." Uhh you did. But wait, did he just say fun? Thats not possible right? I mean aren't we supposed to focus only on the bad and overlook the good? Aren't we supposed to look for perfection and not settle for anything less?

I am not writing this as an attempt to get people to overlook the game's faults. I am not saying the game is without its faults. And I am certainly not trying to dismiss any issues that anyone individual may have with any sports game. I am writing this because I have often wondered if we are so focused on what a game does wrong, that we quickly overshadow what it does right. I mean, games are meant to be fun correct? Why are we stressing over what the game does wrong? Why do we seem to only focus on the negative and quickly forget the postiives? Why do we quickly look for whats wrong with the game instead of enjoying whats right about it? Have we forgotten why we play the games?

-CB

Dan917 · 08-17-2008, 10:59 AM

I do play the games for fun, especially now since I'm using Heelfan's sliders (wow they are good).

However, if the developers are going to pump out Madden year after year, I feel they should do as much bug testing as possible. An beta (open or closed) would be a good idea to help iron out some kinks in the game before it goes into the final stages. Patches are nice ways to keep games updated and solve some problems, but if a patch or two is required for the game within the first week of it being released, well then I think that's just plain laziness on the part of the developers. Also, to have bugs in the game that have also been in it in the past is inexcusable.

Yeah, we all probably do nitpick @ Madden more than we should, but some of the backlash is well deserved.

aholbert32 · 08-17-2008, 11:01 AM

Welcome to OS. I wrote this before...OSers want the game to be fun AND super realistic. The average gamer doesnt give a crap if the defense subs or if the game has refs and a chain game or if the field gets torn up. OSers care about that stuff almost to a scary extent. Ive seen people here call the lack of refs a "game killer" which is ridiculous.

Ive realized over the past few years that I'm not a hardcore OSer anymore. I'm enjoying the hell out of Madden not because I'm ignoring the issues with the game but because I dont let them affect my enjoyment of the game and I never forget that its a game. Most people here constantly forget its a game.

bsb13 · 08-17-2008, 11:04 AM

How dare him....having fun with a video game? Who does he think he is?

I agree that people need to relax sometimes and realize that games are really just a toy that we are meant to have fun with. Whats funny is that the "casual" gamer probably has more fun than the "hardcore gamers" because they dont let all the shortcomings ruin the experience for them. The joke is really on us sometimes.

Games aren't real life and they never will be. Games aren't perfect and they never will be. So you might as well just enjoy the game you have right now instead of always waiting for next years version to be the "Holy Grail" of video games.

I'm not going to pretend like some of the flaws I find in games dont bother me, but I try to still enjoy the game despite it. Sometimes the flaws are so bad and numerous that its just not possible to enjoy a game, but MOST of the time it is possible.

Scoop 24 · 08-17-2008, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aholbert32


	Welcome to OS. I wrote this before...OSers want the game to be fun AND super realistic. The average gamer doesnt give a crap if the defense subs or if the game has refs and a chain game or if the field gets torn up. OSers care about that stuff almost to a scary extent. Ive seen people here call the lack of refs a "game killer" which is ridiculous. Ive realized over the past few years that I'm not a hardcore OSer anymore. I'm enjoying the hell out of Madden not because I'm ignoring the issues with the game but because I dont let them affect my enjoyment of the game and I never forget that its a game. Most people here constantly forget its a game.

QFTT

Xeper84 · 08-17-2008, 11:05 AM

if a little realism would be in i would have fun with madden 09.....

xV3L0CiTY · 08-17-2008, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aholbert32


	Welcome to OS. I wrote this before...OSers want the game to be fun AND super realistic. The average gamer doesnt give a crap if the defense subs or if the game has refs and a chain game or if the field gets torn up. OSers care about that stuff almost to a scary extent. Ive seen people here call the lack of refs a "game killer" which is ridiculous. Ive realized over the past few years that I'm not a hardcore OSer anymore. I'm enjoying the hell out of Madden not because I'm ignoring the issues with the game but because I dont let them affect my enjoyment of the game and I never forget that its a game. Most people here constantly forget its a game.

x2...

Steven123 · 08-17-2008, 11:19 AM

It's not the urge to have "super realism" that's bothering me about the game, it's laziness. EA has yet to put features (control, camera customization, player match up) in the game that were on last-gen FFS! There was a glitch since Madden 06 that made a interception count as 2 that was in the game for 3 years. Sure no net, plyons, or on field refs are "small things", but isn't more pathetic that you can't include the small things? It's like having a car without cup holders, what does it say about your product?

08-17-2008, 10:46 AM	#1
countryboy Then..Now...Forever OVR: 62 Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Greenville, IN Posts: 51,634 Blog Entries: 1	Have we forgotten why we play the games? My brother was up to visit yesterday. Since he doesn't have a PS3 yet, he pretty much took over mine. He played both NCAA and Madden for about 8 straight hours. I know, I was watching as my time with my system was slowly going by. Now, he's just as much a diehard football, sports game for that matter, fanatic as I am. Maybe even more so when it comes to football since he played all through middle school, high school, and even played in college until he messed up his back in an accident. Anyways, he was playing both games yesterday. And as he played he would ask if this was in there or that. Can you do this or that, and I answered each one of his questions to the best of my ability. Some things that weren't in the games (like shading a receiver inside or out) puzzled him at first but he then moved on. As he continued to play he would run across certain instances that had him scratching his head and questioning the reasons why and I again, would answer, discuss, these issues to the best of my ability. Again, he would be puzzled for a moment but then he'd move on. As I watched him play hour after hour, game after game, I started to realize something. Yes, he was playing these games because they were a representation of the sport he loves. And yes he was frustrated at some of the glitches that occured and about certain things being omitted, but he got over them. And it wasn't until after watching him play for hours upon end, and one game seemingly after another that I realized why he got over these issues. He was playing the games for the fun of it. He was playing the games for what they were and quickly got over what they weren't. He was finding himself lost in the game hanging on every situation as if he was the coach standing on the sideline, as if his livelyhood depended on whether he won the game or lost. After he got done I asked him what he thought about the games and his reply, "I wish you could do(he named a few things) and I wish these (named a few other things) didn't occur but the game is fun. I could see myself playing these all day." Uhh you did. But wait, did he just say fun? Thats not possible right? I mean aren't we supposed to focus only on the bad and overlook the good? Aren't we supposed to look for perfection and not settle for anything less? I am not writing this as an attempt to get people to overlook the game's faults. I am not saying the game is without its faults. And I am certainly not trying to dismiss any issues that anyone individual may have with any sports game. I am writing this because I have often wondered if we are so focused on what a game does wrong, that we quickly overshadow what it does right. I mean, games are meant to be fun correct? Why are we stressing over what the game does wrong? Why do we seem to only focus on the negative and quickly forget the postiives? Why do we quickly look for whats wrong with the game instead of enjoying whats right about it? Have we forgotten why we play the games? -CB __________________ I can't shave with my eyes closed, meaning each day I have to look at myself in the mirror and respect who I see. I miss the old days of Operation Sports :( Louisville Cardinals/St.Louis Cardinals

08-17-2008, 10:59 AM	#2
Dan917 Rookie OVR: 2 Join Date: Aug 2005	Re: Have we forgotten why we play the games? I do play the games for fun, especially now since I'm using Heelfan's sliders (wow they are good). However, if the developers are going to pump out Madden year after year, I feel they should do as much bug testing as possible. An beta (open or closed) would be a good idea to help iron out some kinks in the game before it goes into the final stages. Patches are nice ways to keep games updated and solve some problems, but if a patch or two is required for the game within the first week of it being released, well then I think that's just plain laziness on the part of the developers. Also, to have bugs in the game that have also been in it in the past is inexcusable. Yeah, we all probably do nitpick @ Madden more than we should, but some of the backlash is well deserved. __________________ Man I rule.

08-17-2008, 11:01 AM	#3
aholbert32 (aka Alberto) OVR: 44 Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 33,173 Blog Entries: 8	Re: Have we forgotten why we play the games? Welcome to OS. I wrote this before...OSers want the game to be fun AND super realistic. The average gamer doesnt give a crap if the defense subs or if the game has refs and a chain game or if the field gets torn up. OSers care about that stuff almost to a scary extent. Ive seen people here call the lack of refs a "game killer" which is ridiculous. Ive realized over the past few years that I'm not a hardcore OSer anymore. I'm enjoying the hell out of Madden not because I'm ignoring the issues with the game but because I dont let them affect my enjoyment of the game and I never forget that its a game. Most people here constantly forget its a game.

08-17-2008, 11:04 AM	#4
bsb13 Banned OVR: 30 Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Georgia Blog Entries: 1	Re: Have we forgotten why we play the games? How dare him....having fun with a video game? Who does he think he is? I agree that people need to relax sometimes and realize that games are really just a toy that we are meant to have fun with. Whats funny is that the "casual" gamer probably has more fun than the "hardcore gamers" because they dont let all the shortcomings ruin the experience for them. The joke is really on us sometimes. Games aren't real life and they never will be. Games aren't perfect and they never will be. So you might as well just enjoy the game you have right now instead of always waiting for next years version to be the "Holy Grail" of video games. I'm not going to pretend like some of the flaws I find in games dont bother me, but I try to still enjoy the game despite it. Sometimes the flaws are so bad and numerous that its just not possible to enjoy a game, but MOST of the time it is possible.

08-17-2008, 11:05 AM	#6
Xeper84 Rookie OVR: 2 Join Date: May 2008	Re: Have we forgotten why we play the games? if a little realism would be in i would have fun with madden 09.....

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08-17-2008, 11:19 AM	#8
Steven123 Pro OVR: 7 Join Date: Feb 2007	Re: Have we forgotten why we play the games? It's not the urge to have "super realism" that's bothering me about the game, it's laziness. EA has yet to put features (control, camera customization, player match up) in the game that were on last-gen FFS! There was a glitch since Madden 06 that made a interception count as 2 that was in the game for 3 years. Sure no net, plyons, or on field refs are "small things", but isn't more pathetic that you can't include the small things? It's like having a car without cup holders, what does it say about your product?