Do Sports Games Operate Under a Different Standard? - RaychelSnr's Blog

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RaychelSnr's Blog

Do Sports Games Operate Under a Different Standard? Stuck

Posted on November 8, 2011 at 08:20 PM.

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I wrote a blog last Friday which asked the question, "Can Sports Games Meet Lofty Expectations?" The response to which I'm pretty sure I could have predicted as people from the many different ends of the spectrum of visitors here at OS chimed in on the blog over the weekend.

Now I want to ask a different question which some brought up in the blog which I hadn't put much thought to until the past day or so: do sports games operate under a different standard and set of circumstances than other gaming genres?

Let's examine this with the following entirely fictional scenarios guised as news stories:

-Activision is slammed with complaints about it's Modern Warfare 3 release today. Customers are apparently claiming the M16's color as being wrong. Also the gun's burst speed is actually not realistically time while human characters running animations don't look quite right.

-Tons of customers e-mailed Sony today about Little Big Planet's lack of realism. "The game simply doesn't give our planet all that much justice," one disgruntled gamer said, "Players can do things which would never happen in real life on this planet, how is this fun?"

In response Sony said they'd work on a patch, what they were going to fix is anyone's guess -- but gamers demand realism and Sony must somehow find a solution to this PR nightmare.

-Take Two is facing a customer revolt after thousands of Grand Theft Auto fans have returned their games after the car chases in the game were entirely unrealistic with spawning cop cars and unrealistic driving physics. Customers simply demanded realism, and getting shot 100 times and being able to use a health kit while driving around with unrealistic driving physics just wasn't an acceptable way to play 'the bad guy.'

Perhaps these scenarios strike a chord with you -- or perhaps you see them for what they are: completely absurd examples of consumers not 'getting it' when it comes to the point of the games in question.

Now our attention turns to sports games. Some will say they operate under a different standard because they are mimicking something in real life -- but I would simply ask in retort: but what is the standard then? 100% realism? Somewhat realistic? Balanced gameplay?

And don't misrepresent my words -- I fully believe sports games shouldn't be shipped as buggy products. But at the same time, I definitely think there's a real chance sports games can't meet the standards some might put on them and not ship buggy. There's an old rule that says: better, faster, or cheaper -- pick any two.

Perhaps my stream of open consciousness here is striking a chord. Perhaps you are unwilling to consider another way. But I think the time has come for sports gaming fans to come to terms with a couple of undeniable truths.

First, we will never have a 100% realistic sports video game no matter how many companies try. If you want total realism, there are adult recreational leagues of your favorite sport you can go join today. Second, the best thing a sports gaming developer could ever do for consumers is to offer a customizable, bug free, balanced game (just like in any other genre). Notice I never said realistic, because again, true realism just isn't possible.

So what do you think? Is there a different standard for sports games? Is it fair? Is it also fair to say asking for a true simulation is an impossible request? Sound off and let me know!!