Celebrations: Step Your Game Up, EA

[johnrice20022002]

Lovin' this years NCAA 11 right now. Been playing the demo religiously since it dropped.
But I'm having hard time watching the fruits of my athletic labor become mightily stale...

I'm talking bout celebrations after touchdowns, sacks, safeties, last second miracles etc.

Quality-wise, they're all pretty good this year. But there's definitely room for improvement.

It looks and feels unnatural to have to run across the entire field to celebrate with the mascot or wait for ONE slow-butt teammate after a 75-yard TD scamper so you can high five, shimmy, then walk away like nothing just happened

Straight up cut-scenes next year, no real-time wackness.

Cut-scenes drastically improve editing as well, giving us a seamless football experience

Some examples,

Generic Touchdown Scene should be:

1. Big Play
2. Cut Straight To Celebration Scene
3. Cut to Crowd Scene (Optional)
4. Cut to Playcall Screen
5. Extra-Point
6. Sideline Shot (Big Play Only)
7. Cut to Playcall-Screen

Momentum Shifters (Sack, Interception, 4th Down Stop)

1. Big Play
2. Cut to Triggered Player/Crowd/Coach Celebration
3. ESPN Replay
4. Crowd Shot(Optional)
5. Cut to Playcall Screen

EPIC Fail/Success (Game-Winning Field Goal, Touchdown, Interception etc)

1. Big Play
2. Long Cut-Scene (Players celebrating/dejected on field, Coaches shaking hands, Crowd Shots, etc.)
3. Post-game Re-cap
4. End game Screen


Now, WHAT needs to be added:

-AT LEAST 40 standard celebration scenes for touchdowns, majority being team-oriented (high five, knocking helmets, 3 or 4 dudes getting hyped etc.) and the rest being what we see every Saturday( pointing to sky, on the knees praying, I can't hear you etc."

- Team-oriented celebrations after turnovers, sacks, swats, big catches. It's college football, guys. When a DB picks off an errant pass, there's bound to be a teammate there to pat him on the back, bump chests, high five or just get silly-hyped w/ him.

- Sideline celebrations. Saw a few in the demo, standard broadcast style. Add at least 10 more scenes of players talking to each other, the camera, or the head coach/assistant coach giving his pigskin pupils some encouragement after an awesome play.

- 10 team-specific celebrations triggered through button-presses. Let's kick it old school like NCAA 05. Examples: Individual, one teammate, two teammates, three teammates and an "extreme" version w/ possible penalty) I know the "Organization" may not like it, but damn it, WE do.

- Double the amount of crowd shots. I'm tired of watching the same 10 people clap, raise their hands, talk to each other, then sit down. Good quality, Increased Quantity

- Situation-specific celebration. 4th and goal on the one yard line with 10 seconds left, down by 6...Game-winning field goal...80 yard, last-second, Kordell-to-Westbrook Hail-Mary... 50 yard scamper with no time left...PANDE-FREAKING-MONIUM. No more wide shots of the stadium then the generic end-game cutscenes. I want to feel like I just won, or lost, something big after giving away 20-60 minutes of my short life lol.

- End Game Celebrations: Major league improvement this year. I'm liking the team specific ones (The U, Horns, Seminole Chop). Add in at least 5 more generic celebrations, then I'll be good. Variety, baby

Give us these enhancements, EA, along with this year's gameplay and presentation improvements, and you'll get my money next year.

Like Men's Wearhouse, "I guarantee it".

[KingCashus]

Re: Celebrations: Step Your Game Up, EA

You actually ASKED for cutscenes, what most people begged to be done away with in sports games. I'm cool either way. Good write-up.

Hope there is more variety in the retail version.

[johnrice20022002]

Re: Celebrations: Step Your Game Up, EA

Yeah, boss. I was one of those guys back in the day. However, I didn't want them because they were either too generic, repetitive and/or awkward. Now, with today's consoles, there's no reason we shouldn't have more variety. Appreciate the comment though.

[Greene_Flash03]

Re: Celebrations: Step Your Game Up, EA

Yeah, boss. I was one of those guys back in the day. However, I didn't want them because they were either too generic, repetitive and/or awkward. Now, with today's consoles, there's no reason we shouldn't have more variety. Appreciate the comment though.

I'm with you man.. I don't like skipping cut scenes.. The more the better!

[Jesus]

Re: Celebrations: Step Your Game Up, EA

Id much rather the celebrations be realtime like in 2k games.

[Deegeezy]

Re: Celebrations: Step Your Game Up, EA

I miss the "high-step," and taunting type celebrations that drew flags on the old PS2 versions of the game.

[HokieB]

Re: Celebrations: Step Your Game Up, EA

I'm a big cut-scene fan myself, and I hope they keep moving forward with them.

I think it would add a lot if they added commentary over the cut scenes, like acknowledging when the kicker is warming up on the sidelines when his team is nearing game-winning field goal range. Or when the QB is being congratulated on the sideline, saying something like "and there he is being congratulated by his teammates after putting them up by two scores."

I also think fading to black with the theme music playing after an extra point, timeout, turnover, etc. would add a lot too, simulating when a game would cut to commercial (no actual commercials, of coarse).

They also need a score ticker at the bottom with scores and stats from around your Dynasty. And some more interesting stat overlays (upcoming schedule, top 25, etc.)

Bottom line though, if they keep added to their cut scene collection by 30-40% each year, we'll start getting to the point where you'll see a lot of variety each game, which keeps the everything feeling fresh.

[Eski33]

Re: Celebrations: Step Your Game Up, EA

I like how The Show added both. You can choose either real-time or broadcast (which essentially gives you cutscenes).

I don't mind cut scenes but if they enhance the real-time aspect of the post-play celebrations, I believe it may seem more natural.

I am with the original poster, once you play a game over and over, things get repetitive. Repetitiveness is hard to avoid but if there is variety that would help. Also, I agree with the mascot celebrations. If the mascot isn't within 10 yards, it shouldn't prompt it. But, again, it is a choice given to us on whether we want to utilize this celebration or not...

[Bloppy]

Re: Celebrations: Step Your Game Up, EA

Lovin' this years NCAA 11 right now. Been playing the demo religiously since it dropped.
But I'm having hard time watching the fruits of my athletic labor become mightily stale...

I'm talking bout celebrations after touchdowns, sacks, safeties, last second miracles etc.

Quality-wise, they're all pretty good this year. But there's definitely room for improvement.

It looks and feels unnatural to have to run across the entire field to celebrate with the mascot or wait for ONE slow-butt teammate after a 75-yard TD scamper so you can high five, shimmy, then walk away like nothing just happened

Straight up cut-scenes next year, no real-time wackness.

Cut-scenes drastically improve editing as well, giving us a seamless football experience

Some examples,

Generic Touchdown Scene should be:

1. Big Play
2. Cut Straight To Celebration Scene
3. Cut to Crowd Scene (Optional)
4. Cut to Playcall Screen
5. Extra-Point
6. Sideline Shot (Big Play Only)
7. Cut to Playcall-Screen

Momentum Shifters (Sack, Interception, 4th Down Stop)

1. Big Play
2. Cut to Triggered Player/Crowd/Coach Celebration
3. ESPN Replay
4. Crowd Shot(Optional)
5. Cut to Playcall Screen

EPIC Fail/Success (Game-Winning Field Goal, Touchdown, Interception etc)

1. Big Play
2. Long Cut-Scene (Players celebrating/dejected on field, Coaches shaking hands, Crowd Shots, etc.)
3. Post-game Re-cap
4. End game Screen


Now, WHAT needs to be added:

-AT LEAST 40 standard celebration scenes for touchdowns, majority being team-oriented (high five, knocking helmets, 3 or 4 dudes getting hyped etc.) and the rest being what we see every Saturday( pointing to sky, on the knees praying, I can't hear you etc."

- Team-oriented celebrations after turnovers, sacks, swats, big catches. It's college football, guys. When a DB picks off an errant pass, there's bound to be a teammate there to pat him on the back, bump chests, high five or just get silly-hyped w/ him.

- Sideline celebrations. Saw a few in the demo, standard broadcast style. Add at least 10 more scenes of players talking to each other, the camera, or the head coach/assistant coach giving his pigskin pupils some encouragement after an awesome play.

- 10 team-specific celebrations triggered through button-presses. Let's kick it old school like NCAA 05. Examples: Individual, one teammate, two teammates, three teammates and an "extreme" version w/ possible penalty) I know the "Organization" may not like it, but damn it, WE do.

- Double the amount of crowd shots. I'm tired of watching the same 10 people clap, raise their hands, talk to each other, then sit down. Good quality, Increased Quantity

- Situation-specific celebration. 4th and goal on the one yard line with 10 seconds left, down by 6...Game-winning field goal...80 yard, last-second, Kordell-to-Westbrook Hail-Mary... 50 yard scamper with no time left...PANDE-FREAKING-MONIUM. No more wide shots of the stadium then the generic end-game cutscenes. I want to feel like I just won, or lost, something big after giving away 20-60 minutes of my short life lol.

- End Game Celebrations: Major league improvement this year. I'm liking the team specific ones (The U, Horns, Seminole Chop). Add in at least 5 more generic celebrations, then I'll be good. Variety, baby

Give us these enhancements, EA, along with this year's gameplay and presentation improvements, and you'll get my money next year.

Like Men's Wearhouse, "I guarantee it".

Amen. Amen. Amen.

[King Gro23]

Re: Celebrations: Step Your Game Up, EA

How about half and half, certain lengthy celebrations cut-scened once triggered. Others real time like point to sky, knee, flex, Role call,heck lets get the jerk in too!

[Deegeezy]

Re: Celebrations: Step Your Game Up, EA

They also need a score ticker at the bottom with scores and stats from around your Dynasty. And some more interesting stat overlays (upcoming schedule, top 25, etc.)

This alone would add a TON to dynasty mode. They had this on PS2's version. I think they should step it up a notch and have it CONSTANTLY on the screen just like real life. This would really make it feel like you're not the only team in your dynasty playing on Saturday.

[twigstudios]

Re: Celebrations: Step Your Game Up, EA

Agreed. I for one love cut scenes. And I do wish that a lot of the presentation that was on the PS2 was on the next gen. I kind of find it weird that no coaches shake hands after the game. And I would like a ESPN score ticker during the game. And incorporate some of the broadcast style of MLB The Show, NBA2K and NCAA Basketball 10. They both have great fade to commercial breaks.

[MrScoopmaster]

Re: Celebrations: Step Your Game Up, EA

They should for sure add flags for over celebrating back.It adds something extra to the game.A few years back i lost a game cause after my DB batted down a pass on fourth down he decided to celebrate.Of course he got flagged they got the first down which put them in field goal range and my friend kicked a last second field goal. One of the most exciting games we ever played.That was in Ncaa 06 i think and i still get pissed when he mentions it.

[johnrice20022002]

Re: Celebrations: Step Your Game Up, EA

Agreed. I for one love cut scenes. And I do wish that a lot of the presentation that was on the PS2 was on the next gen. I kind of find it weird that no coaches shake hands after the game. And I would like a ESPN score ticker during the game. And incorporate some of the broadcast style of MLB The Show, NBA2K and NCAA Basketball 10. They both have great fade to commercial breaks.

Awesome idea. I definitely like how MLB The Show incorporated the fade out/in. It's the "little things" like that which add value to a sports sim.

Also, to comment on the cutscene vs. real-time conversation, if the current implementation of real-time celebration were cleaned up (especially with the case of multiple teammates/searching for mascots) then I'd definitely be a proponent.

The problem is we actually have to go "find" people/mascots to celebrate with. The lag in between scoring and celebrating ruptures the smooth, streamline experience you were having when building up that scoring drive, or taking back the key interception for a TD.

Who really wants to run damn near 40 yards to celebrate with the mascot every time?
Or trigger a celebration and have the player simply throw the ball down, look around and walk away?

It's college football baby. Euphoria and despair trade shots with each other for 60 minutes every Saturday from September to January. I'd sure like to see this well-represented on the virtual gridiron.

[jmik58]

Re: Celebrations: Step Your Game Up, EA

I definitely think more needs to be done to capture the emotion of the NCAA game.

I don't know if players celebrating is the answer, because that's not something that has as much a place in the college game. That's more for NFL. That being said, I'm cool with giving people the option to celebrate big time because it does happen sometimes and the penalty flags fly.

I like where you're coming from with the atmosphere and raw emotion of it. I want my living room to shake with the sounds of the game.

EA hasn't captured what it really sounds like in a college football stadium.

In my opinion, the one thing that really makes the presentation "real" is SOUND.

What makes a scary movie scary? Sound (the lack of it, the proper use of it, etc) This includes music.

I would also like to see zoomed out views of the stadium on replays. Imagine scoring a long touchdown and the replay is a birds eye view over the stadium. You see the play start to unfold and the rumble of the crowd starts to pick up. You break into the clear and you can visually see the SEA OF PEOPLE stand to their feet all throughout the stadium and the sound just starts to ROAR and it's pure craziness.

EA has all these zoomed in views of EVERYTHING. There is a lot of power and emotion that comes from a surreal perspective. College football isn't about the fan or the player or any person. It's about fans, players, people...all plural. It's about the interaction of thousands of people and what it does to your insides when you're a part of those thousands of people.

Something as simple as showing a replay from the perspective of the fan viewing the game would be awesome. Show a family in the living room watching the game and celebrating or hanging their heads and yelling at the t.v. Show a sports bar erupting. Show the streets outside, the parking lot, the tailgate parties. Show a guy at the concession stand getting crazy and spilling his lemonade (or beer) because he just saw the big replay on the monitor by the snack shack.

I could go on and on, but this is what presenting the college experience would be like for me.