ESPN GAMER

[IlliniKrush]

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[IlliniKrush]

Reality check

 

By Patrick Hruby

Special to ESPN Gamer

 

"If it's in the game, it's in the game."

 

 

So goes the slogan for EA Sports, maker of Madden football, NBA Live basketball and a host of other sports video games. And sure enough, recent sports simulations have become increasingly, almost disturbingly, true-to-life -- a far cry from the monochromatic X's and O's of Atari Football, let alone the unstoppable "Philadelphia QB #12" of the original Madden.

 

 

That said, there's still room for improvement.

 

 

It's hard to beat the realism of a LaDainian Tomlinson forearm to the face, but we have some ideas.

 

 

In fact, a closer look at the 2003 crop of football games -- college and pro -- reveals not only how far the realism has come, but also how far the games still have to go when it comes to recreating every aspect of the sport. And we do mean every aspect.

 

 

With that in mind, ESPN Gamer examines the key features in this year's games -- and offers suggestions on how to make them even more realistic next time around:

 

Madden 2004

Made by: EA Sports

 

Key Features: The granddaddy of football games boasts a brand-new "Owner Mode" that lets gamers run their virtual NFL franchises from top to bottom, even setting the price of stadium hot dogs.

 

Reality Check:

1) If users have the freedom to raise and lower the price of stadium beer, they also should be free to purchase and install stadium urinal cakes.

 

2) Allow users to build a new stadium only if they can sucker their virtual municipality into footing the bill.

 

3) During contract negotiations, have virtual players hold out for more money because "Jesus said so." Likewise, have the signing of certain free agents -- such as, say, Jeff George -- result in a slow erosion of overall team attributes, followed by an outright revolt in the virtual locker room.

 

4) Revamp owner mode budget to include category for optional cosmetic facial surgery (Dallas Cowboys only).

 

5) With clever front-office maneuvering and sufficient control pad dexterity, the Arizona Cardinals can be remade into a competent, even competitive unit. Glitches like this need to be fixed.

 

NCAA Football 2004

Made by: EA Sports

 

Key Features: Madden's college cousin boasts the most in-depth "Dynasty Mode" in the business, giving gamers the opportunity to recruit blue-chip prospects and build a campus powerhouse over a series of seasons.

 

Reality Check:

1) Just before bowl season, have users take spurious "oral exams" in order to keep star running back eligible. Possible exam topics: music, golf, AIDS awareness.

 

2) Rework virtual crowd so that rowdy, inebriated fans tear down goal posts, rush the field and get into brawls with the opposing team's mascot. Also, add a wet sheen to player uniforms, the better to simulate SEC crowds tossing Ziploc bags filled with urine at the visiting team.

 

3) Offseason recruiting would be much improved with the addition of "He Got Game"-esque campus visits (schools in Florida and Southern California should receive extra recruiting points).

 

4) Conference realignment occurs with the press of a button -- as opposed to a series of tedious meetings and threatened virtual lawsuits.

 

5) Create-a-Player is nice. Create-a-Booster would be nicer.

 

ESPN NFL Football

Made by: Sega Sports

 

Key Features: In-game presentation is modeled after a real-life ESPN Sunday Night Football broadcast. That means cutaway shots to virtual cheerleaders and fans; ESPN-style overlays and highlights; even pre- and-postgame shows hosted by Chris "Boomer" Berman, who recorded over 4,000 lines of commentary for the game.

 

Reality Check:

1) In real life, Berman is at least 50 percent more bombastic.

 

2) "ESPN-style" pregame presentation needs to include a perpetual loop of network promos for "Playmakers," "Around the Horn" and "Beg, Borrow and Deal."

 

3) Have Mel Kiper Jr. record approximately 10,000 lines of commentary for virtual offseason NFL draft -- 9,950 of those about players you won't remember the next week.

 

4) Following big losses, Berman should open postgame SportsCenter by stating, "ESPN's John Clayton is reporting ... that you got owned!" followed by Sterling Sharpe breaking down why, exactly, you have no game.

 

5) Sideline cheerleaders need scarier, painted-on faces and bigger virtual breasts; along the same lines, a fan cutaway shot just isn't a fan cutaway shot without a virtual Darth Raider.

 

NFL GameDay 2004

Made by: 989 Sports (Sony)

 

Key Features: New player models that "recreate NFL stars in intricate, unparalleled detail"; authentic NFL playbooks designed so that teams play exactly like their real-life counterparts; realistic defensive line swim and spin moves; wide receiver "hot routes"; an interactive crowd that responds differently to short, medium and long plays.

 

Reality Check:

1) New player models or otherwise, virtual Gilbert Brown doesn't look fat enough.

 

2) "Authentic" Houston Texans playbook should include more "take the sack" and "throw the ball away" plays.

 

3) Give offensive linemen their own set of true-to-life moves, like thinly-disguised jujitsu holds and the cut block.

 

4) Virtual Randy Moss should sometimes ignore user hot route commands. After all, the real-life Randy doesn't play for anyone but Randy.

 

5) Tweak interactive crowd so that it reacts to blown calls by hurling half-empty beer bottles at the virtual referees (Cleveland only).

 

NFL Fever 2004

Made by: Microsoft Game Studios

 

Key Features: In a video game console first, Fever offers gamers the chance to set up and compete in their own online leagues via Microsoft's XSN service. Through XSN, gamers can track stats, box scores and even other gamers' play calling tendencies over the Internet. Fever also features "Read-and-Lead" passing, which lets gamers throw to a spot on the field as opposed to a specific receiver.

 

Reality Check:

1) Force users to pay exorbitant expansion fee in order to join online league.

 

2) Have XSN offer weekly, league-wide injury reports, the better to facilitate real-time point spreads (these leagues include gambling, don't they?)

 

3) Fine users/league members for failing to interview black head coaching candidates during virtual offseason.

 

4) When playing with certain virtual quarterbacks -- for instance, Washington's Danny Wuerffel -- replace "Read-and-Lead" passing system with "Chuck-N-Duck."

 

5) Los Angeles-based gamers should not be allowed to join an XSN league. After all, everybody knows that L.A. doesn't need or want an NFL franchise.

 

Patrick Hruby is a sportswriter with the Washington Times and a contributor to ESPN.com's Page 2. You can contact him at [email protected].

[Chisoxfn]

Anyone here pick up Madden yet?

 

My buddy picked it up and he told me it absolutely rules.

[IlliniKrush]

Anyone here pick up Madden yet?

 

My buddy picked it up and he told me it absolutely rules.

My roommate has it so i'm holding off on getting it - he's got that, i have NCAA 2004, which i like better anyways.

[Chisoxfn]

Anyone here pick up Madden yet?

 

My buddy picked it up and he told me it absolutely rules.

My roommate has it so i'm holding off on getting it - he's got that, i have NCAA 2004, which i like better anyways.

NCAA is tight. It will be going to the backburner when I get Madden though. May pick it up after work. That or I'll just show up at my friends house

[Spiff]

I dunno I heard Madden was kind of a disappointment. The graphics are supposedly fuzzier than NCAA, the gameplay hasn't improved, and there's no ball-tracking like there is in NCAA. But the owner mode I heard was awesome. I think I'll stick with NCAA for now.

 

One thing I thought was funny about that ESPN gamer, they rated Madden higher than ESPN NFL Football. Also, that game isn't shipping til Sep. 2 so I dunno how they already reviewed it.

[Mr. Showtime]

Anyone here pick up Madden yet?

 

My buddy picked it up and he told me it absolutely rules.

Yeah, I have Madden.

 

I also have NCAA2004.

 

I wouldn't say Madden is bad, well, the in game music is horrible, just god awful. Madden still is brutal on the commentary as well.

 

The actual in game action is great though.

[SnB]

Anyone here pick up Madden yet?

 

My buddy picked it up and he told me it absolutely rules.

I got it the other day and I'm absolutely getting beat down w/ the bears in owner mode. Every year they somehow improve on madden, I LOVE YOU EA!

[witesoxfan]

5) With clever front-office maneuvering and sufficient control pad dexterity, the Arizona Cardinals can be remade into a competent, even competitive unit. Glitches like this need to be fixed.

 

LOL

 

Getting Madden tomorrow....hoping it will be awesome. Except that the other M & M boys(Madden and Michaels) are horrible. That's the bad thing about in game commentary. It gets very repetitive very quickly.

 

I don't know how many times I've heard Corso and Herbstreit say after punt returns "that was almost a big one" or "he almost went all the way on that one"

[Spiff]

5) With clever front-office maneuvering and sufficient control pad dexterity, the Arizona Cardinals can be remade into a competent, even competitive unit. Glitches like this need to be fixed.

 

LOL

 

Getting Madden tomorrow....hoping it will be awesome. Except that the other M & M boys(Madden and Michaels) are horrible. That's the bad thing about in game commentary. It gets very repetitive very quickly.

 

I don't know how many times I've heard Corso and Herbstreit say after punt returns "that was almost a big one" or "he almost went all the way on that one"

"he made some good moves there, but too many of them."

 

"yeah, I bet he'd love to have that one back, the field was wide open for a score."

[witesoxfan]

5) With clever front-office maneuvering and sufficient control pad dexterity, the Arizona Cardinals can be remade into a competent, even competitive unit. Glitches like this need to be fixed.

 

LOL

 

Getting Madden tomorrow....hoping it will be awesome. Except that the other M & M boys(Madden and Michaels) are horrible. That's the bad thing about in game commentary. It gets very repetitive very quickly.

 

I don't know how many times I've heard Corso and Herbstreit say after punt returns "that was almost a big one" or "he almost went all the way on that one"

"he made some good moves there, but too many of them."

 

"yeah, I bet he'd love to have that one back, the field was wide open for a score."

And then sometimes, they're just stupid.

 

Say your QB is getting ready to throw, but as he throws, he is hit, the ball falls incomplete. What do they say? "He made a heckuva play there." "Yeah, he got himself in great defensive position and just batted the ball away." Or if you are about to get hit, and you just throw the ball away they'll say "The pressure got to him there" "Yeah, but I think he can hang onto it a little longer and then deliever a good throw."

 

And then Corso and his stupidass 'yo's'....in-game commentary in video games should die.

[BridgeportHeather]

On this subject, is anyone interested in playing NHL 2002 over the internet?

[Spiff]

And then sometimes, they're just stupid.

 

Say your QB is getting ready to throw, but as he throws, he is hit, the ball falls incomplete.  What do they say?  "He made a heckuva play there."  "Yeah, he got himself in great defensive position and just batted the ball away."  Or if you are about to get hit, and you just throw the ball away  they'll say "The pressure got to him there" "Yeah, but I think he can hang onto it a little longer and then deliever a good throw." 

 

And then Corso and his stupidass 'yo's'....in-game commentary in video games should die.

Haha the yo's are the best. He'll just ramble on and then suddenly.....yo!

[IlliniKrush]

And then sometimes, they're just stupid.

 

Say your QB is getting ready to throw, but as he throws, he is hit, the ball falls incomplete.  What do they say?  "He made a heckuva play there."  "Yeah, he got himself in great defensive position and just batted the ball away."  Or if you are about to get hit, and you just throw the ball away  they'll say "The pressure got to him there" "Yeah, but I think he can hang onto it a little longer and then deliever a good throw." 

 

And then Corso and his stupidass 'yo's'....in-game commentary in video games should die.

Haha the yo's are the best. He'll just ramble on and then suddenly.....yo!

"the receiver's fast, but he's not that fast"

 

"i haven't seen moves like that since my high school prom"....(herbstreit now) "easy lee you don't wanna scare away any of our viewers"

[witesoxfan]

It's still fun as hell. And if you know that they're about to say something stupid, pause it, unpause it, and *voila*, they stop. That's what I do when I give up a touchdown and I get pissed off....because the fight song always comes on after that. Pause, and it stops.