Fixing the March Madness Series

[Steve_OS]

With the news that 2K would not be continuing its critically acclaimed College Hoops series this year the onus is now on EA to ensure that March Madness steps up to the plate. Will Soistman checks in today with an article called "Fixing the March Madness Series".

"Even dating back to the last generation of systems the March Madness series has definitely not been up to the level of the competition that has been presented. So hoping for a stellar outing next season may be asking for a lot, but why not hope for the best?"

[thomasgentry]

good luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[yamabushi]

I dont think theres any 'fixing' for Madness or Live. The gameplay engines need to be canned, and re-started from the ground up.
But if Madden, their flagship title in No. America, cant get the funding and resources to make needed changes what are the chances for 'Madness'?

[ka520]

They really need to fix the schedule issue. Not having authentic schedules really takes out of the realness of the game. Also alternate uniforms would be nice. I'd like to be able to use Arizona's red uni's every now & then. Also update the shoes. It's been the same ones for like 4 years now.

[jdubnsu]

If they combined 2Ksports gameplay with Madness, then the game would be AMAZING!

[yamabushi]

Re: Fixing the March Madness Series

If they combined 2Ksports gameplay with Madness, then the game would be AMAZING!

What do you think 'Madness' brought to the table that 'CHoops' didnt?

[IgotSyphillis]

Sadly we all know with basically 100% certainty that there is no chance of any of these things happening. This is a series that still has no multi-player dynasty mode. Seriously? What is this, 1995? But maybe we should look on the bright side, at least they are giving us a dynasty mode unlike Madness 2002 which not only lacked a dynasty mode but also had no season mode. Yes a sports game released in 2002 that only had tournament mode. Thats when I gave up buying these series. I now stop in for a quick rental or play at a friends house but this series is pure crap. And I have seen no reason why that will change at all.

[BlackRome]

There is only one way to fix EA's basketball series.

EA will have to buy 2k and slap a March Madness sticker on NCAA 2K9 and a Live sticker on NBA2K9.

Problem fixed.

[thescoop]

I'll just look for roster updates for 2k8 again next year and just keep playing that game. I liked the orginal march maddness games, but it has been garbage ever since the first time on ps2.

I do agree with BlackRome. If EA did that, it would fix them. Problem is I'm afraid if they do buy 2k they'd stick with their team of no-nothings in reguards to basketball and we're still left without a good title. Like I said, 2k8 will be my game of choice for two years.

[goldjfootball]

What do you think 'Madness' brought to the table that 'CHoops' didnt?

Yeah, seriously, 2K has been ahead in EVERYTHING for years running. Combining them will just dull the great aspect of 2k's version

[tril]

dont plan on getting the PS3 until later this year but I think Ill buy a copy of college hoops 2k8 this weekend if I can find one. I dont think March Madness 09 will be able to cure my college hoops 2k addiction.

Buying a game before owning the system, what has the world come to. This statement alone should tell EASPORTS something.

[Behindshadows]

Re: Fixing the March Madness Series

Man you create an article about a game and the haters come out the wood works!

I get so tired of defending this game, for all the people that want to continue to knock it. I love how we got 2 pages of negative remarks!

Well let me throw some monkey wrench's into your remarks! For the guy who state no multiplayer dynasty! Did you even play MM08's Dynasty obviously not! Or you wouldn't have made that statement. Not to mention MM08's Dynasty mode killed 2k Legacy Mode! Yes I said it, because it did!

Secondly, even with generic stadiums, this game looked 10x better than College Hoops 2k8. The players did move slower than College Hoops and the animations were better in College Hoops! But not so bad, that people can just call the game trash! For this dev team to come out of no where and try to save this series, from the people who made and ruined live 07, and MM07. I think they did a great job in a 10 month period. Now case and point, they have a full year now, to do what they want with the game. And all this doubt is just ridiculous!

But I will blame them for some things, using Q&A before the release of the 09's is the worse thing they can do. We don't want answers anymore we want results. So for them to improve next years and say they did, isn't going to work. Its time for results!

I agree CH2k8 engine was nice when runnings, but the graphics were so outdated, it was like been there and done that. I'm a die-hard 2k nut! But give EA some props. This game did come out nice, even the Create-A-Player was better, the edit a player was better, even with a few glitches. Not to mention they did something College Hoops struggled with this year! Keep the game fun! Atmosphere and everything in MM08 killed CH2k8, not to mention the commentary in MM08 was 5x better!

I agree the game does need to improve I won't knock that, but don't place so much negative crap in here, without knowing the positives. Majority of the posters have never even picked up the game, they are going by word of mouth! Because some of the comments are shooting you in the foot.

If you plan on updating the rosters in CH2k8 and playing in next-year why even post in here. We don't care! The topic was fixing the March Madness Series. Not how you hated it, and how back in 2002 this and that.

This is a new team. And Marcus and the others are hard at work at 09. This I know for sure, because why the others are bashing them. I've been keeping touch with them, and hopefully giving them good advice on what could be added to attract the masses!

Why don't you try giving some mature criticism, instead of negative fanboyism comments!

A Wishlist thread was created and all you did was post the same negative and immature comments in there. College Hoops Series is dead! Why not give the game that still exist, some mature comments or ideas that you'd like to see in the game, to continue to have your College Basketball Fix.

In other words, grow up! You don't get results in the world with negativity! You get it with positive outlooks and objective ways.

If madden burned you so what! This isn't Tiburon and Marcus has come into this thread many time to try to give us positive insight and views on the game. At least show some respect to the team, and its Content Manager, I mean he does make sure the developers get this info! But if the information is nothing but negative statements and remarks. Its not helping!

My rant - Peace!

[KG]

There is no way that MM08 dynasty mode killed CH2K8's legacy. 2K8s legacy was the best season mode that I have ever played. The depth that they put into the game was absurd. Coach carousel, advanced scouting, torney selection show.

I'm not a 2K or EA fanboy but unless the 09 Demo blows me out of the water, I will stick with 2K8

[Behindshadows]

Re: Fixing the March Madness Series

There is no way that MM08 dynasty mode killed CH2K8's legacy. 2K8s legacy was the best season mode that I have ever played. The depth that they put into the game was absurd. Coach carousel, advanced scouting, torney selection show.

I'm not a 2K or EA fanboy but unless the 09 Demo blows me out of the water, I will stick with 2K8

Again another pointless post!

Again, you want to dispute me, but you've never played the game! And there is no dynasty on the demo. So again your points aren't valid or even worth the convo.

Play the game, see the dynasty mode first, before trying to dispute someone who has played.

Take Care.

P.S. I have both games, and completed the legacy on CH2k8 and the Dynasty on MM08. So my comparisons are valid and proved.

You've never even played March Madness 08 or 07. I checked your complete gamertag out! Peace!

[tril]

Man you create an article about a game and the haters come out the wood works!

I get so tired of defending this game, for all the people that want to continue to knock it. I love how we got 2 pages of negative remarks!

Well let me throw some monkey wrench's into your remarks! For the guy who state no multiplayer dynasty! Did you even play MM08's Dynasty obviously not! Or you wouldn't have made that statement. Not to mention MM08's Dynasty mode killed 2k Legacy Mode! Yes I said it, because it did!

Secondly, even with generic stadiums, this game looked 10x better than College Hoops 2k8. The players did move slower than College Hoops and the animations were better in College Hoops! But not so bad, that people can just call the game trash! For this dev team to come out of no where and try to save this series, from the people who made and ruined live 07, and MM07. I think they did a great job in a 10 month period. Now case and point, they have a full year now, to do what they want with the game. And all this doubt is just ridiculous!

But I will blame them for some things, using Q&A before the release of the 09's is the worse thing they can do. We don't want answers anymore we want results. So for them to improve next years and say they did, isn't going to work. Its time for results!

I agree CH2k8 engine was nice when runnings, but the graphics were so outdated, it was like been there and done that. I'm a die-hard 2k nut! But give EA some props. This game did come out nice, even the Create-A-Player was better, the edit a player was better, even with a few glitches. Not to mention they did something College Hoops struggled with this year! Keep the game fun! Atmosphere and everything in MM08 killed CH2k8, not to mention the commentary in MM08 was 5x better!

I agree the game does need to improve I won't knock that, but don't place so much negative crap in here, without knowing the positives. Majority of the posters have never even picked up the game, they are going by word of mouth! Because some of the comments are shooting you in the foot.

If you plan on updating the rosters in CH2k8 and playing in next-year why even post in here. We don't care! The topic was fixing the March Madness Series. Not how you hated it, and how back in 2002 this and that.

This is a new team. And Marcus and the others are hard at work at 09. This I know for sure, because why the others are bashing them. I've been keeping touch with them, and hopefully giving them good advice on what could be added to attract the masses!

Why don't you try giving some mature criticism, instead of negative fanboyism comments!

A Wishlist thread was created and all you did was post the same negative and immature comments in there. College Hoops Series is dead! Why not give the game that still exist, some mature comments or ideas that you'd like to see in the game, to continue to have your College Basketball Fix.

In other words, grow up! You don't get results in the world with negativity! You get it with positive outlooks and objective ways.

If madden burned you so what! This isn't Tiburon and Marcus has come into this thread many time to try to give us positive insight and views on the game. At least show some respect to the team, and its Content Manager, I mean he does make sure the developers get this info! But if the information is nothing but negative statements and remarks. Its not helping!

My rant - Peace!

What you fail to realize is that once the PS2 and those current gaming consoles were released, EASPORTS literally had one chance to get it right. Up until then there wasnt much competition in the basketball genre. EA up till that point was the premiere basketball title.

2k sports offered everything that EA sports wasnt. I dont know if 2k sports lucked out but they perfectly timed the release of sporting titles with sophistication for a maturing gaming audience.
EA seemed to be stuck in the same place. run and gun, fancy dunks. they chose to stick with an older model and it backfired.
It only took me one purchase of a EA basketball title in I believe 02 or 03 for me to realize the game no longer kept my interests. I chose to get a 2k sports title because of the total disappointment of an EA product.

Every year since then as Ive gotten more mature, sophisticated, and knowledgeable in sports, 2k has managed to keep up.

the big concern now, is that EA sports will not be able to, or even care to, cater to, that core audience/genre.

I can speak for myself and probably everyone else on this board, if it werent for Intelligent sports games with depth, most of us probably wouldn't care about own gaming consoles any longer. (war games is another exception)

EA really has the potential to kill this joy, with everything that they plan on doing with Madden, and with what they can potentially do to the basketball titles.