Interesting difference between EA and VC...

[RahKhem]

I remember reading in one of the Madden interviews that the EA sports method of making a game every year is more like fermenting wine, meaning that its a slow and steady process, adding a couple of features here and there, seeing what works, and just a constant refining process. Most people I see here seem to hate that philosophy, and want EA to add more. A lot of people like VC's method of updating games, and I've played every NFL2K game, so this is what I think it is. VC's method every year seems to be that they want to totally revamp the game to play a ton better than the previous year. And when I say totally revamp, I'm talking about totally changing aspects of the game. The thing about this though, is that you risk a greater chance of messing up the game (NFL2K2, definitely their worst effort, on all the systems.). This also can pay huge dividends, as evidenced by NFL2K1 Now I'm not debating which one is better, I'm just trying to understand why the majority thinks that one style of updating a game is vastly superior to the other? Some say that Madden never updates, and to me, I can pop Madden 2001, Madden 2002, and Madden 2003 in my PS2, and definitely notice differences between the three. Now it may not be sensationally drastic or incredibly noticeable, but I still notice it. Your thoughts?

[Chibi]

I think it has a lot to do with the fact that the 2k series isn't as long-running and established as Madden. They're sort of the "underdogs," so they have a little less to risk and a lot more to gain.

[jmood88]

Vc doesn't totally change the game. They take into account what the fans say and they add/or change the things to make them better. Ea just doesn't seem to care. They know that they can just put the same thing out and people will buy it. They obviously think that nfl2k4 is changing for the better and that they will have a real competition this year, that's why they added owners mode. They really didin't change that much this year but they changed enough that it would seem like they added a lot of stuff. Ea just seems content with getting sales and not listening to their fans.

[Chibi]

Quote:

---

jmood88 said:
Vc doesn't totally change the game. They take into account what the fans say and they add/or change the things to make them better. Ea just doesn't seem to care. They know that they can just put the same thing out and people will buy it. They obviously think that nfl2k4 is changing for the better and that they will have a real competition this year, that's why they added owners mode. They really didin't change that much this year but they changed enough that it would seem like they added a lot of stuff. Ea just seems content with getting sales and not listening to their fans.

---

That's an incredibly weak argument. EA adds plenty of stuff to their games, too, but the "hip, cool, anti-Corporate Giant" (irony notwithstanding) types always respond with, "Yeah, well that's not important; they're just sliding by on their reputation."

Newsflash: neither EA nor Sega, as corporations, could give a rat's *** about you as long as their bottom line is looking good. The people who actually work on the games probably do get satisfaction out of making better games and helping consumers enjoy an outstanding product, but it's not like one company is "nice and good" and the other is "mean and evil." Anything coming from either is PR, pure and simple.

Both games and companies have their positives and negatives. I can appreciate them both, though I'm probably going to enjoy Madden more this year with the addition of Owner Mode, which, to me and many others (especially those of us who are FOF and other text-sim vets), is most certainly what could be termed a "big change." By the way, how do you know WHAT they've changed yet? The game won't be out for another two weeks. At least wait until THEN to pass judgement, for God's sake.

In summation: Competition is good, especially when both can offer kickass products. Being a shill for either is incredibly silly.

[CMH]

I like Chibi. He's my hero.

[jmood88]

Quote:

---

Chibi said:

Quote:

---

jmood88 said:
Vc doesn't totally change the game. They take into account what the fans say and they add/or change the things to make them better. Ea just doesn't seem to care. They know that they can just put the same thing out and people will buy it. They obviously think that nfl2k4 is changing for the better and that they will have a real competition this year, that's why they added owners mode. They really didin't change that much this year but they changed enough that it would seem like they added a lot of stuff. Ea just seems content with getting sales and not listening to their fans.

---

That's an incredibly weak argument. EA adds plenty of stuff to their games, too, but the "hip, cool, anti-Corporate Giant" (irony notwithstanding) types always respond with, "Yeah, well that's not important; they're just sliding by on their reputation."

Newsflash: neither EA nor Sega, as corporations, could give a rat's *** about you as long as their bottom line is looking good. The people who actually work on the games probably do get satisfaction out of making better games and helping consumers enjoy an outstanding product, but it's not like one company is "nice and good" and the other is "mean and evil." Anything coming from either is PR, pure and simple.

Both games and companies have their positives and negatives. I can appreciate them both, though I'm probably going to enjoy Madden more this year with the addition of Owner Mode, which, to me and many others (especially those of us who are FOF and other text-sim vets), is most certainly what could be termed a "big change." By the way, how do you know WHAT they've changed yet? The game won't be out for another two weeks. At least wait until THEN to pass judgement, for God's sake.

In summation: Competition is good, especially when both can offer kickass products. Being a shill for either is incredibly silly.

---

Well, I don't like text sim football. It's a football game, not an owner's game. I don't get a football game to play owner. It's boring. And i've been on a madden site that already has the game and i've seen what they've changed. Do you actually play football? On a team? I do, and what vc has done with their game is a good interprtation of real life. Anyway, the point is that ea doesn't change and it's not because they are the perfect game, it's because they lnow that the madden fans will buy and continue to defend it's lack of change only because they won't try any other football game.

[Brandwin]

Quote:

---

Well, I don't like text sim football. It's a football game, not an owner's game. I don't get a football game to play owner. It's boring. And i've been on a madden site that already has the game and i've seen what they've changed. Do you actually play football? On a team? I do, and what vc has done with their game is a good interprtation of real life. Anyway, the point is that ea doesn't change and it's not because they are the perfect game, it's because they lnow that the madden fans will buy and continue to defend it's lack of change only because they won't try any other football game.

---

Well there is million of us football fans who love the aspects of owner mode and getting deeper into franchise. How do you knows it borin...sure you masy of played just a text based game, but all of this goes hand and hand with your money etc and ends up depedning on who youcan or cant sign. With signing bonus and the new contracts etc...

To say EA never changes is STUPID IMO. I see changes every yr I play the game, might not be "huge" ones. But its enough to warrent a purchise each yr.

[NYJets]

For me, I'd be happy with a few small changes every year, if they fixed the gameplay flaws. But when I see plenty of flaws in the game that were in Madden 2001, I'm not to happy with only a few changes a year.