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View Full Version : How the NFL lost a fan...


Flips House
June 12th, 2007, 02:56 AM
I've never really been a huge football fan...but I'm a normal guy and the NFL is all over, so you kinda have to follow. I am, however, a HUGE videogame football fan. It's just a sport that translates so well into videogames. So, in essence, I've followed the NFL, more or less as a referrence for videogames. The only reason I would have remotely cared that the Patriots traded junk for Moss...would've been to know I'd see even more Patriots players online this year. Now, the shackles are gone. There's finally a high quality football videogame out independent of the NFL with enough of a loose assosciation (previous stars) to maintain some realism.

I have absolutely no reason to care about the NFL anymore.

It seems as if they made a football videogame exactly for me. The two main complaints are obviously the lack of the NFL license, and the missing franchise mode. The first issue, the more and more I think about it, the happier I am to have an NFL-free game. The second issue, while I understand some gamers will miss franchise mode, the only reason I would ever play franchise is to tweak and adjust line-ups, and the way this game is made, that same tweaking is throughout all game modes. Other than that, I would much rather play a game online, than to trudge through season after season against the AI. So, for me, franchise mode won't be missed a bit.

For giving up things I really don't care about, in exchange, I'm getting so much strategy and customization. I'm not talking about trying to remake a fictional Brett Favre with a look-alike Puckers team behind him. I'm talking about being able to make my team however I like it. If I want to try out a different QB, I exchange the QB. If I want to make a monster defensive squad, I pick the players I want to compose that. If I want to play a 3-4 team...I make a 3-4 team. Then I take that team that I've made to my liking, and play with it online. That right there is revolutionary. Before this, if I wanted to tweak teams, I had to play in an online league, and deal with those headaches. No more waiting for roster downloads for "fresh" rosters. I'm way excited to get sick of using Joe Montana, and simply switching him out for Warren Moon and a receiver upgrade.

This game is a strategic gamer's wet dream come true. Not only can we make and structure our team however we like....we'll be taking those teams to compete with other gamers' creations. All teams will be different, with different strengths and weaknesses, but also, all teams will be practically evenly ranked. Awhile back, a poster commented that we'll be seeing the same players over and over. While we probably will see alot of Barry Sanders or Walter Peyton.....there will be so much more variety than seeing the three or four powerhouse NFL teams that actually get used. Practically every team will be unique.

I have never been this excited for a football game....screw that, any videogame.
I have never been this uninterested in the upcoming NFL season.

Honestly, I am, and always will be, a gigantic NBA fan. Finally my favorite sport has a great videogame representation in NBA 2K7....and I look for that series to only continue to get better. Without question, though, I would actually prefer it if 2K dropped the NBA license and made a basketball game similiar to this.

The beauty in this game is the set-up. Too many people are picking apart this game for all the wrong reasons....and at the same time failing to realize this set-up is going to give us more strategy and better balance than any other sports game made.

whoady4shoady
June 12th, 2007, 03:01 AM
I hear what you are saying, but unfortunately I love my Saints.

mikenflorida
June 12th, 2007, 03:07 AM
Screw the license it will only hold us back. I said it before, when the license is up, 2k might not want it back.We would have to give up so much. This game will rock.

DA_Kenny
June 12th, 2007, 03:10 AM
No-License = FREEDOM!

mikenflorida
June 12th, 2007, 03:12 AM
They can take our NFL but they can never take our FREEDOM!!!

Flips House
June 12th, 2007, 03:13 AM
My feelings really have nothing to do with the exclusivity deal between the NFL and EA....even if 2K had access to the license, I would prefer this option.

The weird thing though, is with all the backlash EA got out of that deal - it really should've been directed at the NFL....and I just never really saw that from the videogame community

mikenflorida
June 12th, 2007, 03:20 AM
It has been directed partially to the NFL.But if you mention this deal to anybody in the league you get a snicker like"It's only a game" They always bow off the topic. I call in to Sirius NFL radio all the time and every time I want to talk about this subject and put the host or guest they have on the show on the spot, I always just happen to never get on!!! It sucks

mikenflorida
June 12th, 2007, 03:23 AM
PS. Tim Langley at the NFL is the man responsible for the EA/NFL deal...Thank you MR LANGLEY YOU POCKET LINING, GRUBBING *****BAG. HOW ABOUT YOU ACTUALLY PLAY THE DAMN GAMES AND SEE WHAT WAS BETTER BEFORE YOU MAKE A DECISION!!!Whew had to get that off my chest...bye

Flips House
June 12th, 2007, 04:02 AM
Messed up choice, for sure. But, without that choice...we'd be looking at NFL 2K8. While I'm sure that would be a great game, I'm being honest when I say I'd prefer All Pro 2K8. Partially because of my disinterest in the real NFL, but mostly because of the personalization (better word than customization) and balance we've gained. Ideally both could be combined in the same game...an NFL licensed game with these options. Unless 2K was forced to get creative, though, I doubt we would ever see this style of game. While my disinterest in the NFL might play a factor.....I would fofeit a license in a league that I am greatly interested in, the NBA, to have this style of a game.

While we as gamers might've thought we were all getting robbed by lack of competition in NFL games...if 2K does this right, the competition within FOOTBALL games, may just change the way alot of publishers look at sports games. We don't have to play with the teams we see on TV, alot of us would prefer to play with teams of our own creation.

baandje
June 12th, 2007, 04:07 AM
I have absolutely no reason to care about the NFL anymore.
I haven't watched a football game in several years. Last Superbowl I watched was in 1999. It's the Jacked Up on Steriods League for Criminals and Sociopaths. Couldn't give a c.rap about the NFL. Give me a great 2K football game with generic teams and I'll be entirely happy.

MichaelPittman32
June 12th, 2007, 05:38 AM
I haven't watched a football game in several years. Last Superbowl I watched was in 1999.
Wow nice record 1999 far out. and by the way flips house those were some inspiring words right there and i pretty much agree with everything you saying on the license, i wanna make this be my league with how i choose my team it seems so exciting and im not going to change my mind about this game. by the way is nba 2k7 really good. i had nba live 07 it sucked like hell though i never really watch the nba it still sucked.

thePLAGUE
June 12th, 2007, 07:34 AM
Flipshouse, I have been trying to say the same things forever...What intrigues me is the fact that anything could happen when you take your squad online...The generic players even makes it more exciting cos that generic 5 '5' Wr might be a burner and at the same time a contant fumbler...My point is most of as will be tempted to play at least a season with all 30 teams at some point just to figure out their strength and weakness...With the NFL license most people only used 5-7 teams...why?...Because most teams in the NFL are BORING...Very few have more that 4 players with any personality or intrigue...2k5 though did an awesome job in capturing the personality of the teams though...In 2k5 and 2k4, each team played entirely different but I digress...

what I find also exciting is the ability to customize jerseys - so u want a fearful defensive team in pink and gold? go ahead...lol...Combine that with custom music, commentary from Dan and Pete, gameplay, cutscenes, custom celebration, Crazy stadiums and oh mine, this is too much...Its going to be a good summer

I hope 2k fixes the online issues though... I hate lag and server glitching.

The Don 301
June 12th, 2007, 10:48 AM
liking the nfl is a MAN LAW!!!!!!

Darkheath
June 12th, 2007, 11:00 AM
I can't remember when I last sat and watched a whole football game.

I agree with most of what you said...except the franchise mode stuff. Playing through my own seasons is what I replaced the actual NFL with!

WATCHING football is so passive... I tend to need to be more interactive.