My Personal 'Game Killer'

[KingV2k3]

Had to send this EA tech support today. Waited on the phone FOREVER , knowing they wouldn't be able to help, and was told to send my complaint through the EA site.

Here what I wrote:

I'm an avid follower of the gaming site, OperationSports.com and a VERY experienced sports-themed gamer. I'm well aware of the various glitch and freezing issues with this title, (like the 0-0 glitch that happens when the CPU controlled teams don't have enough / too many players on their rosters at the start of the regular season creating a freeze), amongst other well documented problems with NFL HC on various gaming message boards.

I have experienced two additional glitch / freeze issues that have made this game unacceptable and / or unplayable.

Firstly,when a Head Coach fails to fill vacant assistant coaching or coordiantor positions by the 'deadline' and the 'owner' fills them. The game will freeze whenever you try to conduct an interview that was scheduled before the vacancy was filled. The game freezes, you have to restart the PS2 and then sim ahead to a task unrelated to the hiring process. You have to repeat this time consuming whenever this type of task appears on the calender. These interview tasks cannot be swapped, so you have to restart and sim past them again and again. An inconvienience, due to sloppy programming, but not a game killer.

This however is:

After 13.5 hours meticullously setting up my team before the start of training camp, I attempted to pick up my 'career' today only to find out that the load screen said:

"Unhandled Task Type:0
4:10pm Sunday 4 / 15 /07
1120 Days until Gameday"

The game somehow advanced almost a year into the future and added a few years until the first game was to be played.

The load screen never advanced and the load clock just kept spinning around.

I restarted a few times with the same result.

I checked the memory card and the file did not read as 'corrupted'. All the other files worked with the games they were created through. I have more than enough memory space for this (and at least another) career file still available.

I also tried (repeatedly) to load through the load screen instead of the main menu and the same thing happened.

Note: I was using 'auto save' throughout the 'career' and it appeared to be working fine.

I called tech support, to no avail.

It's obviously not my PS2, memory card or the disc itself (which will allow a new carrer to be started, with a new memory card, the old card, or none at all).

This is obviously a developer issue. The game has had numerous complaints similar to mine and was apparently rushed out before the neccesary testing had been done. I realize this is the first year of the tile, but this is unacceptable.

I spent $40.00 on this thing AND got the $15.00 Prima Guide that accompanies it.

I've played Madden and NCAA (in addition to the 2k series Basketball titles) for many years and as I said in my preface, am not only an experienced gamer but an avid reader and participant on message boards like OpSports and MaddenMania.

I really don't want to bother trying to restart a new carrer, simply because I don't trust that this, or a similar issue won't negate my time, expense and effort at some arbitrary point in the game.

I also don't feel that I should have to incur the expense of this shoddy product.

I really love the concept of NFL Head Coach, but the execution leaves much to be desired.

I certainly don't expect that a solution to this problem wil be forthcoming, but a refund / exchange for another EA title would be appreciated.

Please advise.

Ugh...we'll see what they say...I'm not trying to 'flame the game', I was REALLY enjoying it until this happened.

I figured I'd let you all in on this unfortunate turn of events.

[lav]

Keep us posted. I had problems with my PS2 game. I traded it in for the XBOX game because it seemed like most issues were with the PS2 version. I had the same issues with the XBOX version (namely the 0-0 glitch).

I just traded it in yesterday for NCAA 07.

I really tried giving the game a chance. But after two major glitches that left my career lost, I didn't want to waste another 20+ hours to have the same result.

[bkrich83]

Biggest game killer for me? The release of NCAA 07

[KingV2k3]

Quote: Originally Posted by lav

Keep us posted. I had problems with my PS2 game. I traded it in for the XBOX game because it seemed like most issues were with the PS2 version. I had the same issues with the XBOX version (namely the 0-0 glitch). I just traded it in yesterday for NCAA 07. I really tried giving the game a chance. But after two major glitches that left my career lost, I didn't want to waste another 20+ hours to have the same result.

The follwing response made me pretty happy until I hit the link for 'replacement instructions'...

They want $20.00 plus postage to send me a returnable sealed copy...

Since I'd only net about $15.00 back after al this, I decided to just keep the stupid thing...

Maybe someday I'll have another 15 hours to waste giving it another shot...

Ugh...

Discussion Thread
Response (Leo V.) 07/19/2006 02:55 AM
Hi,

Thanks for writing us at EA Technical Support. Thank you for the comments & suggestions. A senior tech has noted your email and has also forwarded it to the proper department for the developers to read.

You may also send these comments & suggestions to the public forums. These forums are maintained and monitored by the community leaders and production team. By posting on these forums you will be able to submit direct feedback to the appropriate person. Please make sure that you follow the EA terms of service when posting. http://www.ea.com/global/legal/tos.jsp

NOTE: You must have an EA member account in order to post on the forum.
http://support.ea.com/cgi-bin/ea.cfg...hp?p_faqid=665

Click here to go to our forum site and then click on the appropriate genre for your game.
http://forums.easports.com/mboards/index.jspa?sls=2

You will be brought to a page containing the forum direct links. Click on the appropriate forum section under your game title. You may also post on the "Suggestions" section for your title, if there is no Suggestions section post in the "Genera" section.

As for returning the game, more then likely the store you bought it at will not accept the return because the box has been opened. In this case, you can send the game back to our Warranty department and we will give you a sealed copy of the game so that the store will accept the return. Click on the following link for replacement instructions:

http://ea.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/ea.cf...nformation.php

Should you require further assistance with this game or other Electronic Arts games in the future, please visit our website and review our extensive Self Help knowledgebase at (http://support.ea.com/).

Thank you,

Leo V
EA Technical Support

[KingV2k3]

I sent back the follwing response...haven't heard anything back, but I have been sent a couple customer surveys to rate the tech support...

It's not the tech support that is the issue...it's the fact the IMO the 'policy' should not include this giltch heavy title...


Leo...thanks for your timely response...I appreciate the fact that you offered the option to return the game to EA, but I don't believe I have the original reciept.

I also think that the $20.00 'repacement fee' plus postage isn't adequate compensation for a $40.00 title that is obviously defective in it's design.

I belive that EA should offer sealed replacements at no fee AND pick up the postage, for this title.

I understand that it's a blanket policy to cover all eventualities, but these 'Head Coach' situations should be an exception, due to the faulty testing and development issues inherent in it's design.

That being said, I'm still very curious about these glitches and look forward to a detailed response from someone in the development department.

Regards

[ODogg]

Quote: Originally Posted by KingV2k3

I sent back the follwing response...haven't heard anything back, but I have been sent a couple customer surveys to rate the tech support... It's not the tech support that is the issue...it's the fact the IMO the 'policy' should not include this giltch heavy title... Leo...thanks for your timely response...I appreciate the fact that you offered the option to return the game to EA, but I don't believe I have the original reciept. I also think that the $20.00 'repacement fee' plus postage isn't adequate compensation for a $40.00 title that is obviously defective in it's design. I belive that EA should offer sealed replacements at no fee AND pick up the postage, for this title. I understand that it's a blanket policy to cover all eventualities, but these 'Head Coach' situations should be an exception, due to the faulty testing and development issues inherent in it's design. That being said, I'm still very curious about these glitches and look forward to a detailed response from someone in the development department. Regards

Don't feel too bad. I paid $40 for the PC version and it always crashes to my desktop around the 2nd quarter so I gave up on playing it. At least you can trade yours in, I can't even do that.

[dizturbd]

WTF is an IMO?

Quote: Originally Posted by KingV2k3

..it's the fact the IMO the 'policy' should not include this giltch heavy title...

[Coach Bryant]

Quote: Originally Posted by dizturbd

WTF is an IMO?

In my opinion