Backbreaker Video: Developer Diary #1

[TheKasmar]

Re: Backbreaker Developer Diary Video #1 (Gamespot)

That would be interesting . Seeing a true 1 on 1 battle of WR/CB would be a thing of dreams.

I am mostly interested in the secondary at the moment. Some key looking issues out there.

Issues with a brand new football franchise are inevitable. I have high expectations of BB and will be disappointed if key elements are missing from the game however, this delevolper diary has exceeded my expectations of what the BB team was capable of. I went from 10% rental to maybe purchasable. So, while the secondary and OL/DL interaction might be suspect, I still remained impressed overall.

[Phobia]

Re: Backbreaker Developer Diary Video #1 (Gamespot)

Issues with a brand new football franchise are inevitable. I have high expectations of BB and will be disappointed if key elements are missing from the game however, this delevolper diary has exceeded my expectations of what the BB team was capable of. I went from 10% rental to maybe purchasable. So, while the secondary and OL/DL interaction might be suspect, I still remained impressed overall.

I have had the game preordered for well over a year now. I will buy the game regardless of how it turns out.

But the developer Diary did not impress me. If anything it made me less impressed than I have with the game. There are things that it does really well. You can quickly tell that from the video. But being that I take X and O's very serious, I went through and rewinded over and over every frame and went through each person and assignments. There is some sketchy things going on in the defense.

Granted there is still months of tweeking to do and they can improve many of the flaws possibly. But I just was expecting a little more polish from a game only 3 months away.

-The running I can deal with even though it looks so stiff.
-The catch animations I can deal with them looking strange
-The pass off the back foot I can deal with

So hopefully they can fix the AI issues and give us quality playbooks. Because the online portion of the game is ultimately what will make this game fail or a BB2. If there are exploits out the wazoo and it makes the Online not fun to play then you will see it get huge complaints and this will drive people right back to Madden or NCAA

[TheKasmar]

Re: Backbreaker Developer Diary Video #1 (Gamespot)

I will buy the game regardless of how it turns out.

Wow, technically I'm more critical then you.

[Afrikan]

Re: Backbreaker Developer Diary Video #1 (Gamespot)

for those who are worried about catching.....almost every sports game looks weird when slowed down....

to me personally this is one of the only games that looks realistic to where the player actually looks like he is judging the ball to make the catch....

I think some will not care too much in regular game play speeds...

somone responded to me with this in another thread

"i agree, i like the catches where the WR straightens his torso to catch a high ball on his inside shoulder; those catches look incredibly realistic and as if his whole body is adjusting to the ball trajectory."

it happens right after the guy in the video says "Add to that a 3rd person camera."


to which I responded, if true, THAT IS SOOOOOOOOOOOOO Advanced to what we have in Madden (where the WR turns his body the wrong way and catches it over the wrong shoulder and f's up a play)

[TheWatcher]

Re: Backbreaker Developer Diary Video #1 (Gamespot)

This game looks like it's going to be a blast. Those camera angles are just drool-inducing.

I think this game is going to be a lot of fun. I just think the people looking for an incredible franchise mode, or perfect interactions, and perfect AI are going to be disappointed. It's not going to happen anytime soon in any football game, and certainly not one on its first time out.

I'm looking forward to new experiences, and I'm hoping this game is successful so that we get more from them and other companies. The Football video game market can come back to life, and by back to life I mean having a number of competing choices. It's just going to take some guts and some smaller developers with a serious drive to do it. I'm hoping this is just the beginning.

[Gusto1]

This game will be a good change pace and bring about change in other games hopfully.

[Phobia]

Re: Backbreaker Developer Diary Video #1 (Gamespot)

Example of weird AI

:29 sec - WR jumps for ball and makes catch. CB trailing him turns away from WR

:37 Sec - QB passes ball over middle on post route to WR. Right side Safety runs AWAY from where the ball is being passed, even though he has his shoulders square to the QB at point when ball is being passed and is in air. He was in position to make a big hit on WR.

1:13-1:14 - Yellow jersey WR makes post grab over middle and same Right Safety turns and run in wrong direction AGAIN on a similar play. Taking him out the play. Not only that but at the start of the play he has his back to the WR with NO ONE past him......strange funky Ai there.

2:29-2:30 - TE out to the side line. The defense looks like it is doing a zone blitz out of a cover 3. You got the linebacker sliding over to the sideline to read his zone, then the CB is playing a deep zone. CB instead of reading play just turns his back to the WR 15 yards off him and runs straight bee line to his zone location. No Ai awarness. Easy completion to TE.

2:31-2:36 - Same thing over and over. You can clearly see the weight of the defensive players taking them out the play over and over.

2:48 - WR goes up to make a jumping catch. Watch right side of screen. Linebacker is just frozen in place not moving not reacting to pass. NOTHING

3:15 - CB is in perfect position for pick but runs AWAY at last sec from WR. He is literally a few feet from ball and runs completely out of position. AGGGG this is becoming a eye sore for me now.

Sorry guys I went through and made a point to find the issues and there is plenty. I did not think there was that much in such a short video but there is a ton and they are BAD!!

[Afrikan]

Re: Backbreaker Developer Diary Video #1 (Gamespot)

well that seems like someone else is grabbing that defender and moving him away so the WR can make a catch, and just to show footage of the catch animations..

I mean, it has been stated that in past videos there almost all of them is with another user controlling the defense.....and it is not CPU

so something like this...

"3:15 - CB is in perfect position for pick but runs AWAY at last sec from WR. He is literally a few feet from ball and runs completely out of position. AGGGG this is becoming a eye sore for me now."

I can see how that happens.... I think we should wait for the demo before really jumping to conclusions... I mean, they make the game...if this was a big deal (and it would be big deal if it releases like that) I'm sure they would be taking their time to finish up the game properly...

it was posted in the past by the headman at NatrualMotions, that there was really no time line or rush to finish the game...and it would be released when it is properly ready.

[Phobia]

Re: Backbreaker Developer Diary Video #1 (Gamespot)

well that seems like someone else is grabbing that defender and moving him away so the WR can make a catch, and just to show footage of the catch animations..

I mean, it has been stated that in past videos there almost all of them is with another user controlling the defense.....and it is not CPU

so something like this...

"3:15 - CB is in perfect position for pick but runs AWAY at last sec from WR. He is literally a few feet from ball and runs completely out of position. AGGGG this is becoming a eye sore for me now."

I can see how that happens.... I think we should wait for the demo before really jumping to conclusions... I mean, they make the game...if this was a big deal (and it would be big deal if it releases like that) I'm sure they would be taking their time to finish up the game properly...

it was posted in the past by the headman at NatrualMotions, that there was really no time line or rush to finish the game...and it would be released when it is properly ready.

Hummmmm maybe so, but I am just skeptical to believe that. Mainly because of how complex football is and the level AI needs to be.

[creed200569]

Re: Backbreaker Developer Diary Video #1 (Gamespot)

Example of weird AI

:29 sec - WR jumps for ball and makes catch. CB trailing him turns away from WR

:37 Sec - QB passes ball over middle on post route to WR. Right side Safety runs AWAY from where the ball is being passed, even though he has his shoulders square to the QB at point when ball is being passed and is in air. He was in position to make a big hit on WR.

1:13-1:14 - Yellow jersey WR makes post grab over middle and same Right Safety turns and run in wrong direction AGAIN on a similar play. Taking him out the play. Not only that but at the start of the play he has his back to the WR with NO ONE past him......strange funky Ai there.

2:29-2:30 - TE out to the side line. The defense looks like it is doing a zone blitz out of a cover 3. You got the linebacker sliding over to the sideline to read his zone, then the CB is playing a deep zone. CB instead of reading play just turns his back to the WR 15 yards off him and runs straight bee line to his zone location. No Ai awarness. Easy completion to TE.

2:31-2:36 - Same thing over and over. You can clearly see the weight of the defensive players taking them out the play over and over.

2:48 - WR goes up to make a jumping catch. Watch right side of screen. Linebacker is just frozen in place not moving not reacting to pass. NOTHING

3:15 - CB is in perfect position for pick but runs AWAY at last sec from WR. He is literally a few feet from ball and runs completely out of position. AGGGG this is becoming a eye sore for me now.

Sorry guys I went through and made a point to find the issues and there is plenty. I did not think there was that much in such a short video but there is a ton and they are BAD!!

Blah,Blah,Blah...Its a brand new football game in its first year with an engine thats never been used in a sports game before. Of course,there's gonna be issues and like Rob said,they are working on them right now. Madden has been on next gen for 5 years now and that game still plays like complete garbage on both sides of the ball.


I dont expect this game to be perfect,only idiots do, Not saying that you are,just some ppl are ridiculous in expecting so much in a VIDEO GAME,especially a sports game. It is impossible to simulate a video game to be like the real thing. Just from these little videos that I've seen on BB,it still blows away anything Madden has by far. I'm excited for this game and will buy it day one. I think everyone should take their money they use on Madden and buy this game for two reason. Alot fo sales could mean a BB2 and it will really make EA open their eyes more to put out a quality game.

[CreatineKasey]

Re: Backbreaker Developer Diary Video #1 (Gamespot)

If they can make solid head-to head gameplay, this game looks like a keeper.

Some mo-cap animations do look really stiff, but I think a lot of the realistic details and other Euphoria based features more than make up for it.

I can't pass judgment on the passing and stuff until I actually see gameplay, again that was a teaser reel.

I totally agree with their assessment about the "God view" sucking the life out of some games. It took me awhile to get into M10's super-distance view. I'm definitely looking forward to the new, sucked in camera angle. In theory, I prefer that.

It'll be great to go into a football game and not be able to just call a monster game right off the bat. For years now I've been able to succeed instantly in games given my familiarity with the views and football. Maybe this new view will give some much wanted growing pains and new perspective on football.

Regardless of how the game ends up as a whole, I bet there will be certain aspects of it that will feel irreplaceable when going back to trying Madden. That's a really good thing.

[bill2451]

Re: Backbreaker Developer Diary Video #1 (Gamespot)

while I know there will be flaws, more likely than not some bad AI, missing features, head scratching bugs, etc, here is what I'm excited about... the future

This is arguably the most significant "game engine" change in gaming history... by far the most significant change in the last 2 generation of consoles

for years and years mo-cap has been the only way to go, and euphoria is the first engine to really change that... I truly believe this is the beginning of a monumental shift in how video games work. For years and years development teams have simply been adding animations, every year they tout "200 new goalie animations added, etc" and despite that, mo-cap will never be able to satisfy sports gamings future goals... developers have made better strides in mo-cap, making the animations possible to "break out of" to create a chain, etc, but it will always feel "canned" (bb's word, I know), it will always feel a bit scripted

Backbreaker is our first peak into the future... and while it will obviously have flaws, for me it is the symbolism the game holds, the technology driving it, that excites me.

physics based engines (not necessarily even euphoria) will be the wave of the future... and I'm excited to see the first one in action, despite the flaws it will have

[Phobia]

Re: Backbreaker Developer Diary Video #1 (Gamespot)

while I know there will be flaws, more likely than not some bad AI, missing features, head scratching bugs, etc, here is what I'm excited about... the future

This is arguably the most significant "game engine" change in gaming history... by far the most significant change in the last 2 generation of consoles

for years and years mo-cap has been the only way to go, and euphoria is the first engine to really change that... I truly believe this is the beginning of a monumental shift in how video games work. For years and years development teams have simply been adding animations, every year they tout "200 new goalie animations added, etc" and despite that, mo-cap will never be able to satisfy sports gamings future goals... developers have made better strides in mo-cap, making the animations possible to "break out of" to create a chain, etc, but it will always feel "canned" (bb's word, I know), it will always feel a bit scripted

Backbreaker is our first peak into the future... and while it will obviously have flaws, for me it is the symbolism the game holds, the technology driving it, that excites me.

physics based engines (not necessarily even euphoria) will be the wave of the future... and I'm excited to see the first one in action, despite the flaws it will have

Completely agree Bill

[t11]

Re: Backbreaker Developer Diary Video #1 (Gamespot)

This AI is hopefully going to fixed. It really sucks to see the BB Ai resemble the Saints Secondary

[Afrikan]

Re: Backbreaker Developer Diary Video #1 (Gamespot)

This AI is hopefully going to fixed. It really sucks to see the BB Ai resemble the Saints Secondary

HAHAHAHA