NFL Head Coach 09 First Look and Screenshots

[WDOgF0reL1fe]

IGN has posted their first look at NFL Head Coach 09, including quite a few screenshots here.

"The first edition of NFL Head Coach was an exercise in frustration. A great premise and sometimes-exciting gameplay was marred by a UI seemingly hell-bent on getting you to turn the game off or throw your controller on the wall, with the depth needed for such a game to be exciting spoiled by gaping logic flaws and AI issues. As an exercise in the tedium of simulating meetings and getting little done, it was superb; for those people who were looking for an actual fun, exciting simulation of what it's like to be a coach at the highest level of football, well, they were left unsatisfied."

[Kanobi]

Re: IGN: NFL Head Coach 09 First Look and Screenshots

Free agency sounds like it's going to be awesome:

Different Interpretations of Player Ratings -- OK, so there's probably a better name for it than that, but we're not PR people, we're journalists. While Madden offers up player ratings that remain true and constant regardless of what system, philosophy, or team the players are on, Head Coach 09 can see players rated drastically different depending upon the philosophy and abilities of a team's coaches and general managers. The Raiders, for example, have a hankering for speed, and will rate players with great straight-line speed (say hi, Darren McFadden) accordingly, while the Colts will look for halfbacks who can catch the ball out of the backfield. These differing views on player ratings come into play when you're trying to make a trade or sign a free agent, with teams more aggressively pursuing players who fit their philosophy. If a free agent has experience in a particular playbook or scheme from playing in it previously, like Cato June did in Indianapolis before he signed with Tampa Bay, teams will note that and it will make him more valuable to them in free agency.

Looks like it was worthwhile sending those ideas from the wishlist thread:

- More Competitive Market for Top Tier FA's: See offers from other teams when scouting elite free agents.

- Change In Philospohy Negatives/positively affects player Attributes: same as with changing a player's position.


- Philosophy/ Scheme Compatability %: See how well Rookies, Free Agents, and Current Players on your roster fit into your offensive/defensive schemes.

http://www.operationsports.com/forum...d.php?t=173761

[DannyMac910]

Re: IGN: NFL Head Coach 09 First Look and Screenshots

WOW! I can't wait for this! You can actually see the players faces! EA goes through all that trouble making nice cyberface and you never see them in Madden.

[DannyMac910]

Re: IGN: NFL Head Coach 09 First Look and Screenshots

Look at the detail.

You can see a player showing and talking to another player about how he made a catch. That's incredibly realistic.

[ausar72]

Re: IGN: NFL Head Coach 09 First Look and Screenshots

Look at the detail.

You can see a player showing and talking to another player about how he made a catch. That's incredibly realistic.

Not only that (although 2K has had that in their game for a while), but the fact that the players actually have their helmets off and are interacting on the sidelines, as opposed to the mindless, generic robot-looking creatures on Madden.

I definitely think they need to integrate whatever they are doing in this title into the Madden game...

I see they are putting in the "next-gen" player models, etc into the game, which is probably why it's not coming out on the PC.

[A.M. Son]

Re: IGN: NFL Head Coach 09 First Look and Screenshots

Not only that (although 2K has had that in their game for a while), but the fact that the players actually have their helmets off and are interacting on the sidelines, as opposed to the mindless, generic robot-looking creatures on Madden.

I definitely think they need to integrate whatever they are doing in this title into the Madden game...

I see they are putting in the "next-gen" player models, etc into the game, which is probably why it's not coming out on the PC.

Couldn't agree more! I hope like crazy that Madden starts to see this type of depth and breadth of detail that doesn't necessarily happen "between the lines".

[NYG_Meth]

Re: IGN: NFL Head Coach 09 First Look and Screenshots

Not only that (although 2K has had that in their game for a while), but the fact that the players actually have their helmets off and are interacting on the sidelines, as opposed to the mindless, generic robot-looking creatures on Madden.

I definitely think they need to integrate whatever they are doing in this title into the Madden game...

Amen. Screens look good so far.

[LBzrule]

Re: IGN: NFL Head Coach 09 First Look and Screenshots

Not only that (although 2K has had that in their game for a while), but the fact that the players actually have their helmets off and are interacting on the sidelines, as opposed to the mindless, generic robot-looking creatures on Madden.

I definitely think they need to integrate whatever they are doing in this title into the Madden game...

I see they are putting in the "next-gen" player models, etc into the game, which is probably why it's not coming out on the PC.

I'm pretty sure this will be in Madden. The article said the game uses the Madden engine, so I wouldn't be surprised to see Madden have better sideline and presentation aspects this year. Matter of fact I'm pretty sure it will. But how much is the question.

[DLaren]

If this game lives up to its potential this will be the only football title I need this year.

[Altimus]

Re: IGN: NFL Head Coach 09 First Look and Screenshots

Honestly I can't wait for this game.

Hopefully it runs well on both platforms.

[DannyMac910]

Re: IGN: NFL Head Coach 09 First Look and Screenshots

I'm pretty sure this will be in Madden. The article said the game uses the Madden engine, so I wouldn't be surprised to see Madden have better sideline and presentation aspects this year. Matter of fact I'm pretty sure it will. But how much is the question.

The article says that it does NOT use the Madden engine. That's why IGN said it looks to be a whole lot better.

[LBzrule]

Re: IGN: NFL Head Coach 09 First Look and Screenshots

The article says that it does NOT use the Madden engine. That's why IGN said it looks to be a whole lot better.

From ign article.

Enter, then, NFL Head Coach 09, EA Sports' peace offering to those who were disappointed with the original. A new development team was brought in to work on the game and, according to EA developer Josh Looman, the game was entirely rewritten, with neither a line of code from Madden (outside of the Madden gameplay engine) nor the original Head Coach.

That sounds like the Madden engine to me. The code isn't from madden but the gameplay engine is.

[Spectre]

Re: IGN: NFL Head Coach 09 First Look and Screenshots

From ign article.



That sounds like the Madden engine to me. The code isn't from madden but the gameplay engine is.

That's a game-killer for me

[Flamehead]

Re: IGN: NFL Head Coach 09 First Look and Screenshots

If this game lives up to its potential this will be the only football title I need this year.

Agreed. If Madden continues it's beta tradition, this might be the only title I play in '08.

Of course, that's assuming this isn't a beta release either. I hope it's not, I've always loved Franchise mode the most, so this looks like it could be incredibly fun if done correctly.

[JBucc]

Re: IGN: NFL Head Coach 09 First Look and Screenshots

I admit this preview does have me somewhat excited. I'm trying to keep it down though to avoid more disappointment. It looks like it's going to have some really fun features on paper with Free Agency and the Combine, but lot's of stuff in EA's sports games look good on paper. We'll see whether or not it actually works, and if it's full of bugs.