What is the heart and soul of the gameplay?

[noplace]

Blocking and animations is what sets 2K apart from any football game on the field. If EA gets this right everything else would fall into place for sure..

[LoostheMoos]

Authenticity and real life physics-based results in blocking, tackling and on-screen actions are the essentials.

Authenticity is obvious...All-Pro Football 2K8 is exhibit A...Backbreaker is going to be exhibit B...without an NFL or NCAA license, video football games do not tend to do very well. Never have, never will. This could be the basics (like teams, colors, uniforms and stadiums), or it could be the myriad of specifics (like mouthpieces, hand towels, facemasks, etc.); or it could be the presentation elements (play-by-play, graphics overlays, stats and pre-game / post-game scenes, etc.)

To get into the category of great football games, missing these authenticity benchmarks is a big-time no-no!

Physics-based results applies to a huge spectrum of issues though:

- Passing ball mechanics (flight trajectory, velocity, weather affects, ability to throw on timing routes or to a spot or BEFORE the receiver breaks)

- Running and locomotion (ability to plant and cut instead of skate and glide, momentum effects, weight, power versus speed, speed versus agility, closing speed on a pass, closing speed on a runner, make-up speed on pass coverage, fluidity in and out of breaks on pass routes, etc.)

- Blocking and Tackling PHYSICS realism (a 200-lb. HB vs. a 275-lb DE with no help??...a 175-lb CB leaving his feet to hit a 260-lb. TE??...a slow-footed LT against a speed rushing DE/OLB??...the constant all-reward, no-risk of going for big hits instead of wrap tackles??...the lack of meaningful fatigue/drop off of atrributes if a team established the run and power blocks a defense for 3/4 of the game??)

Beyond just the physics though, there are other aspects of blocking that would make up the essentials of a great football game:

- Blocking and Tackling MENTAL / REACTION realism (an unblocked DE on the read option??...an effective double team on the NT in a 3-4 alignment??...lead blockers actually LEADING the HB through the hole and actually hitting a LB or chipping a DL-man??...OL pass blocking without mental telepathy and motion shifting across the 'pocket'??...effective taking the angles to prevent U-shaped pursuit and giving up big plays when starting in position to stop the play??)

[Pokes404]

To me, the heart of gameplay is locomotion. How much of football involves players in motion? A lot, I can tell you that. If players do not move realistically, then the game will not play realistically.

I'd also throw collision physics into that mix. Again, how much of football involves players hitting other players? A lot. As long as these things are not representative of real-life football, neither will the NCAA Football franchise.

Maybe the new locomotion system and the improved Pro Tak will address these issues, but I'm a little suspicious. From the few gameplay videos released, it still looks like players zip around and make crazy cuts with little impact on their speed. It's too early to make that call though. I'll just have to wait for more gameplay footage and the demo.

[moylan1234]

It all starts up front nothing happens without the hog mollies allowing it to happen

[str8artist]

Motion.. If it feels right and moves right everything else will fall into place.

[adembroski]

Socks

[TheWatcher]

Quote: Originally Posted by str8artist

Motion.. If it feels right and moves right everything else will fall into place.

Exactly.

You can draw up the best AI, and have all the perfect blocking schemes that you want. But if the animations are not right and the control doesn't translate well to the controller, you don't have a game you have a mess.

[Lava]

Blocking, easily, IMO.