Would NFL Head Coach exist without the exclusivity rights?

[The Clairvoyant]

Quote: Originally Posted by Hotobu

I've been wondering this ever since the game came out. I had a taste of '09 last year before I took it and Madden back, and even though it doesn't carry the price tag of a standard game release I have to say I feel asthough it wasn't a "complete" game. It's got some interesting features, but it really doesn't seem to stand well on it's on. I mean how many people are buying this game that don't also have Madden? My NFL Head Coach conspiracy theories are as follows #1 Madden's franchise mode is stripped down to make this game more appealing. Madden '06 had more features than '09. #2 Why is it the only way I can create a play in Madden is to import one from NFL Head Coach? Again this is another feature that seems to have been purposely left out to give people the incentive to buy Head Coach. #3 It's an overpriced game mode. If other developers were allowed access to the NFL license I'd bet the farm that NFL Head Coach would be integrated into Madden. Right now EA has no reason to mesh the two. If these two games actually were one I think it would be a far better football experience even though Madden is not without it's serious gameplay issues. My conclusion is that this is the definition of anti-trust.

NFL Head Coach 09 is the best sports game ever created.

[CM Hooe]

Um, Madden 06's franchise mode on the 360 absolutely did NOT have more features than Madden 09's franchise mode on the 360. The next-gen Madden titles were effectively rebuilt from the ground up, using effectively zero of the previous-gen Madden's code; thus a feature is "missing" because it hasn't actually existed in next-gen yet.

With regard to your main point, however, NFL Head Coach 09 is its own game unto its main gameplay mode (career) and it's not compatible with Madden's franchise mode; that is, you can't just slap HC09's career mode into Madden and expect it to work. Coding doesn't work that way.

There's also a reason that HC09 took the better part of three years to develop; there's no way they could have accomplished what they did in HC09 if they were developing it to fit into Madden in one development cycle.

The only thing that I will agree with you remotely with is your argument about the import play feature, but I feel like this cross-over feature existed as it did because 1) HC09 had a play developer interface, 2) Madden didn't, 3) why waste resources making one for Madden when you can just use the one in HC09 just fine? Not to mention, HC09 needed all the sales help it could get as it was a niche title and doesn't have Madden's general mass-appeal.

[DarthRambo]

NFL Headcoach 09 is by far one of the best sports games ever created dude! I just bought it a couple weeks agao and I can't put the game down. I still have Madden 09 which I havent played since last October. This game is wayy better than madden 09, and I already know when 10 comes out, I'll still proly play this more than 10 after the newness of 10 wears off.

As others said, point #2 is ur only legit gripe. I don't really understand this thread tho, do u play HC? Have you ever played it? If not, why are u even posting.

Only ppl that really enjoy playing HC are SIM Madden players. Cheesers hate HC cuz u don't actually play the game for one. Second its extremely challenging if you allow it to be, u can't do dumb trades, sign every FA, and build a fantasy team like Madden. The salary cap on that game is phenomenol! It's very challenging to manage ur cap, unlike madden. That's why most ppl hate the game, cuz the majority of madden players cheese, and like to build fantasy teams which u cant do on HC, IF u even come close to it, its going to take u at LEAST more than 3 full seasons or beter to do it.

PS don't hate the game unless you've played it

[Exonerated]

Quote: Originally Posted by Trinity120

NFL Headcoach 09 is by far one of the best sports games ever created dude! I just bought it a couple weeks agao and I can't put the game down. I still have Madden 09 which I havent played since last October. This game is wayy better than madden 09, and I already know when 10 comes out, I'll still proly play this more than 10 after the newness of 10 wears off. As others said, point #2 is ur only legit gripe. I don't really understand this thread tho, do u play HC? Have you ever played it? If not, why are u even posting. Only ppl that really enjoy playing HC are SIM Madden players. Cheesers hate HC cuz u don't actually play the game for one. Second its extremely challenging if you allow it to be, u can't do dumb trades, sign every FA, and build a fantasy team like Madden. The salary cap on that game is phenomenol! It's very challenging to manage ur cap, unlike madden. That's why most ppl hate the game, cuz the majority of madden players cheese, and like to build fantasy teams which u cant do on HC, IF u even come close to it, its going to take u at LEAST more than 3 full seasons or beter to do it. PS don't hate the game unless you've played it

The GM portion of HC09 was amazing. I never played a game. Just simmed them. But I loved managing my team, seeing how they progress, set up gameplans.

It was very challening. Making the playoffs was difficult. And winning the superbowl wasn't an every year thing.

Great game.

What held it back for me? You couldn'tplay it like madden.

[DarthRambo]

Quote: Originally Posted by Exonerated

The GM portion of HC09 was amazing. I never played a game. Just simmed them. But I loved managing my team, seeing how they progress, set up gameplans. It was very challening. Making the playoffs was difficult. And winning the superbowl wasn't an every year thing. Great game. What held it back for me? You couldn'tplay it like madden.

I just supersim mine now, and have been doing good with that. I wouldn't want to play the game myself, the graphics are horrible! and the animations look like something from early 90s lol If it allowed me to play it, I would've already had this game on the shelf.

[Pared]

Moved to the appropriate forum.

[slacker2]

This game is one of the best games i've ever played. The last time i found a game so fun was when i was playing legend of zelda orcania of time, paper mario (first one) and Jack and Daxter. I love this game i would spend 60 bucks on it if i had to. I came late to the game however and i bought it when it was only 30 bucks. It was a steal.

[TheDMG]

Head Coach is my ideal sports game and far and away my favorite football game ever. They hit their target audience perfectly - the only problem is that audience is a very niche one. If they released updates to the game periodically for $20-30 (roster updates, new draft paths), I'd shell out every time without question.