Are You Ready for Some (Next-Gen) Football?

[DaveDQ]

Your perogative. But imo expecting APF to be a logical progression of 2K5 makes next to no sense. It's like you're totally ignoring the difficulty of trying to establish a league most people can't identify with. Your argument seems to be more about where 2K has failed or wasn't perfect, and not about where EA has succeeded. Guess it's good that EA had the benefit of being able to come with online leagues four years after they were introduced (989 was doing them years previously too). I think it's foolish to have the same expectations of a non-licensed title versus an NFL/NCAA licensed title, but it seems like you didn't have the same expectations, you expected more from the unlicensed title. Something as basic as player interaction, QB play, OL/DL play, etc... are all still issues four years into next gen. EA has the exclusives, but it's 2K's fault next gen football is in the state it's in... yeah, that makes sense.

As far as the MLB argument, most people admit that the new gameplay mechanics introduced work well. The game's issues are still somewhat significant from a quality control standpoint (game freezing) or the complaints some have about the graphics (doesn't have the graphical fidelity of last year's game).

What should be a logical progression from NFL 2K5 is to polish the cross title features they use. 2K sports has been doing leagues for several years now. I've been involved with them for every year they have been there. I'm currently involved in an 82 game MLB 2K8 online league. I can tell you the leagues have made zero improvements. In fact, they are more bug ridden than ever. From the inability to heal injured players, to stats not reporting properly, yes, they have leagues but this far into it, they should be a lot better.

I understand the limitations of APF. It's just my opinion that at the time, 2K Sports had an opportunity to show us what football on a game console could look like. I just don't think they took advantage of the opportunity.

[steveo]

I don't think we'll see next gen football until EA starts using the euphoria engine and actually does something to make the game play like real football, meaning the OL can actually block and AI controlled players on the human team actually do something.

[allBthere]

Re: Are You Ready for Some (Next-Gen) Football?

In comparing what the two companies have done with sports gaming, I have to give the nod to EA Sports. 2K Sports has included the online league features in their games for some time, but they are still bug ridden with much of the same problems. Sure, you could say, "well at least they have had leagues" but the 2K online league system is broken and has never been running at 100 percent.

If you look at the MLB 2K series, from 06 to 08, the game shows no signs of progress towards reaching a "next generation" feel. Even still, many of the new features touted as next-gen are broken.

I'm upset with what 2K Sports has done in the last 3 years because I feel they could have done better. Again, after NFL 2K5 and all that it brought to the table, you'd think by now their sports games would be popping with innovative features and offering that special something that NFL 2K5 gave. That's just not the case.

the big gameplay success of EA is in their NHL line, and Skate (and to a debateable extent - fight night). Everything else has been stagnant or is terrible imo (nba).

2k's big success to me is Top Spin (3 looks great so far too), and NBA, also the bigs was a nice suprise (and I actually like apf)- everything else has been ok, i don't agree with you about mlb..the last two are pretty good imo. hockey is regressing though.

[baa7]

Madden should look like Backbreaker as far as the engine goes. Until then, it won't ever be considered new-gen. That said, it's just a video game. If it's terrible, a person simply needs to keep their wallet in their pants and go play with something else. Nothing sad or unfortunate about any of it.

[BlyGilmore]

Re: Are You Ready for Some (Next-Gen) Football?

i agree in giving kudos to OS for saying what fans have been saying for a few years now. next gen has been bottom line disappointing for footballers.

what fooled me into buying Madden last year were the great reviews it received by all the gaming sites. who are these people? are they mainly FPS gamers who play Madden for 15 minutes and get paid to jot a review down based on that 15 minutes? this year, i'm waiting for you all (the OS members) to provide your thoughts on the football games before i shell out any $$ (although we may all be waiting for each other to provide feedback before each of us buy)!! . i've come to realize that waiting a bit and reviewing actual user reviews is MUCH more beneficial than the gaming site employees who don't have a clue about football. i'll also do a search on youtube for "Madden glitches" first.

anyway, here's to hoping for at least one knockout football game this year...between Madden, NCAA, and Backbreaker. PLEASE!!

this is one of the reasons OS is here. we're sports gamers who write to sports gamers about sports gaming. we aren't FPS guys, MMO guys or anything like that. and we don't have any other motive beyond writing for our audience and giving our honest opinion on a topic or game.

[mercalnd]

Re: Are You Ready for Some (Next-Gen) Football?

the big gameplay success of EA is in their NHL line, and Skate (and to a debateable extent - fight night). Everything else has been stagnant or is terrible imo (nba).

FIFA has made some huge strides as well lately.

[jdrhammer]

Re: Are You Ready for Some (Next-Gen) Football?

I am ready for a next gen football game because i havent actually seen one yet

I think this is why I've been so pissed the past couple of versions. I just went next gen with 08 but I was so hyped for 07 on the PS3( and the console wasn't even ready) that I haven't been as into it, and have been bitter as hell. I don't think this year's version will be what it takes to forget the bad either.

[spankdatazz22]

Re: Are You Ready for Some (Next-Gen) Football?

What should be a logical progression from NFL 2K5 is to polish the cross title features they use. 2K sports has been doing leagues for several years now. I've been involved with them for every year they have been there. I'm currently involved in an 82 game MLB 2K8 online league. I can tell you the leagues have made zero improvements. In fact, they are more bug ridden than ever. From the inability to heal injured players, to stats not reporting properly, yes, they have leagues but this far into it, they should be a lot better.

I understand the limitations of APF. It's just my opinion that at the time, 2K Sports had an opportunity to show us what football on a game console could look like. I just don't think they took advantage of the opportunity.

You'd know the leagues better than I would because I don't belong to one. My view of MLB2K8 wasn't of that one aspect though. I guess we'll see what EA does when they implement leagues this year. I would think an attempt to implement leagues, even if they didn't reach their goal, is better than no attempt at all.

And I agree w/you regarding APF - it was a lost opportunity. I still think you have to factor in the extenuating circumstances the exclusivity situation brought about. It's not like they immediately moved on to working full bore on a unlicensed game immediately after the news was announced. Early last year before APF was announced we were still debating what was the best route to go - high school, USFL, Candadian league, XFL, etc... All were being thrown around as candidates. In retrospect it probably would've been better had 2K dedicated time to delivering a more fully fleshed out next gen title. An unlicensed game is a huge risk - and it's not likely they were going to throw a lot of resources at it. It's like me tying one hand behind your back and expecting you to do more work than you were with two hands. I don't understand how anyone could have unrealistically high expectations given they lost the NFL, NCAA, and ESPN licenses.

EA to this day still hasn't implemented ESPN in any tangible fashion in their games. And most people just accept they aren't going to. Moving to next gen was also a lost opportunity for Tiburon to implement a truly next gen engine - instead we got focus on graphics and arenas. The titles are slowly coming around though. I still find it surprising some are willing to show so much patience for the EA football titles, and so little patience for APF when it was working from a disadvantage. There's no way Backbreaker, NCAA, Madden, and APF should all have the same expectation level - let alone the unlicensed games actually having more expected of them

[beau21]

if EA really cared about progress, then yes.. then would:

- implement the Euphoria engine for Madden and NCAA 2010
- add (at least one of the following): pregame/halftime/postgame shows
- integrate the ESPN license to make me feel like it's an ESPN broadast
- add "old gen" features like create-a-team, create-a-play, etc.

that's a realistic start...

[gimpmassa]

this will soistman is the man!!! late!!!