Regarding editing equipment and other observations...

[BGSU98]

OK, here's my take on the situation:

Editing equipment could have easily been added to the next-gen 360 version. In fact, I would expect them to add ALL the features of the previous games - not take them out.

If you take a look at this from a coding perspective, it's quite simple. When editing player names, you are basically making read/write instructions to a database entry (be it Oracle, Access, etc.). We're talking very few lines of code here. Editing the equipment would be the same idea. The only thing they have to write is the front-end (the stuff you see on screen) that interfaces with the database, AND since they already allow editing of names, the base class is pretty much already written for you.

Why wouldn't they add editing equipment in? Why don't they allow player names online? The only reason I can think of for them scaling back features is marketing. They can't come up with more ideas to market this game for the duration of the next-gen consoles. So, they scale the game all the way back and slowly add features in each year.

Furthermore, since there is no competition, they don't have to worry about losing the fanbase. With no other company to push them, why wouldn't they be content with scooting by with "just enough" each year?

Just my thoughts.....

[Resin]

How do they take stuff out of a game that is in its first year? If they took equipment editing out of PS2 you might have a point. But your post is baseless

[BGSU98]

Quote: Originally Posted by Resin

How do they take stuff out of a game that is in its first year? If they took equipment editing out of PS2 you might have a point. But your post is baseless

I meant when going from current gen to next-gen. Editing equipiment has been in the Xbox/PS2 versions forever. All of the features from the CURRENT-gen game should be in the NEXT-gen title as well. Especially something as trivial as editing equipment or putting names online. That's not "baseless".

[bkrich83]

Quote: Originally Posted by BGSU98

All of the features from the CURRENT-gen game should be in the NEXT-gen title as well.

And you know how feasible this is how?

[Sedihawk2K5]

Quote: Originally Posted by Resin

How do they take stuff out of a game that is in its first year? If they took equipment editing out of PS2 you might have a point. But your post is baseless

I think this is the difference between EA's strategy and 2K's strategy in regards to their initial sports games on the 360. What did EA do? They built the games graphically from the ground up, making them look as next-gen as they could the first go-around, but removing some features in the process (Madden, Live, and now NCAA). What did 2K do? They tried to move the games basic feature set over from current gen to next gen and give them a next-gen graphical face-lift, but the game engines between the two gen's are very similar if not identical.

Both methods have their flaws, obviously. I'd at least hope that the next round of games will be more about advanced graphics AND deep features!

[BGSU98]

Quote: Originally Posted by bkrich83

And you know how feasible this is how?

I don't. However, being a software engineer, I DO know that adding a few more read/write instructions in the code to manage a database is simple. It's not rocket science. Unless they have an EXTREMELY messed up database, they could have easily put in editing equipment, names online, etc.

[Resin]

Quote: Originally Posted by BGSU98

I don't. However, being a software engineer, I DO know that adding a few more read/write instructions in the code to manage a database is simple. It's not rocket science. Unless they have an EXTREMELY messed up database, they could have easily put in editing equipment, names online, etc.

And you know how easy it would be to drop in that interface, eh? Tell me... what db software, what interface software, etc does EA use?

Oh, and if you're a software engineer then you know about bugs and the time required to implement a feature. And you know how much an engineer (plus artist etc) is paid to implement said feature.

[bkrich83]

Quote: Originally Posted by BGSU98

I don't. However, being a software engineer, I DO know that adding a few more read/write instructions in the code to manage a database is simple. It's not rocket science. Unless they have an EXTREMELY messed up database, they could have easily put in editing equipment, names online, etc.

Again you know this how? You knew the priorities of their PM? You know the tools they use? Or the kind of impact it has on their game? You know about their timetable? You think you are the only software developer here?

Game developers work under a completely different set of rules regarding timetables than all other developers.