Post-Play Animations

[buckeyebaggins4]

A large part of the reason EA is still unable to capture the excitement of college football: the animations inbetween plays. I haven't seen any threads on this, so let's talk about it. They are awful.

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/s6O_l9DYDY0?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Notably: :57, 2:00, 2:47 (quick awkward cut), 3:04, 3:30, 3:57
4:30 is a pre-recorded cutscene, but it makes no sense in the context of the game.

Here, the players lose all sense of life. They become robotic entities, emotionless and awkward to watch. They are unaware of each other until they run into each other. Their heads turn every which way. They speed up and slow down for no reason.

It really takes us out of the game as users. This is why we feel that each play is fragmented from the next. We are experiencing a bunch of little pieces taped together with bad animations, rather than a fluid, continuous gameday experience.

Additionally, here is the formula EA is working with:

Play is followed by a replay, which is followed by post-play animations, which is followed by another play. Look at how often that formula is repeated! We need variety and contingency in these "inbetween" moments.

[Colt45]

Re: Post-Play Animations

I never pay attention to this. I'm on to picking the next play.

[SageInfinite]

Re: Post-Play Animations

This is just a representation of all the on field action imo. It's just inconsistent. The game does nothing to make you forget you're playing a videogame. Immersion is very limited imo.

[WazzuRC]

Re: Post-Play Animations

I wish they'd have more replays between plays, both offensively and defensively. Would love to see the camera zoomed out and a telestrator diagramming the RB bursting through the seam or the safety flying to the ball.

I agree though that the post play animations, along with touchdown animations, are extremely outdated and overused.

[Colt45]

Re: Post-Play Animations

This is just a representation of all the on field action imo. It's just inconsistent. The game does nothing to make you forget you're playing a videogame. Immersion is very limited imo.

But it IS a video game. Is there a single sports game out there that makes you feel like you are totally immersed? No. If you want sports game immersions, get out of the house and go immerse yourself in a pick-up game at the local park. You can't get immersed into a sports game on the couch. Can't be done.

[kaudavis]

Re: Post-Play Animations

I completely agree. It may not matter to some, but I think this is the biggest presentation piece missing from NCAA. The game misses so many opportunities to use the cut scenes and after play animations to relay the emotion of the players on the field. If there were more varied and correctly implemented cut scenes and after play animations it would go a long way towards enhancing the emotional impact of the plays that are happening on the field.

But I have to assume EA knows this. They have clearly made some attempts to implement the idea. Yet for some reason they have not (or cannot) incorporate it on a larger scale.