Why haven't they gotten this right? Part IV: Benches - RaychelSnr's Blog

Arena Blog Dynasty Scores Sign Up ☰

RaychelSnr's Blog

Why haven't they gotten this right? Part IV: Benches Stuck

Posted on June 25, 2009 at 12:34 PM.

(6)

Just two more features to go, and today I want to focus on an aspect of sports games which is so simple, yet so neglected: the bench areas.

First off, I'm defining the bench areas as everywhere on the field surface between the crowd and the playing field. So this includes photographers, media folks, famous people, backup players, coaches, etc.

I'm sick of terrible looking, sparse player models around the bench areas with no chain gangs, media personnel, in sight for football games. For basketball games, the bench players typically look bad, and they have no animation to them really (or it's overly canned). In baseball, the dugouts are just forgotten with few players and no managers or anything in sight.

Sure, I know this isn't something that will make a game play better for sports like football, basketball or baseball. But it will definitely make the game feel more realistic. Just as a model for success, NBA 2K9's benches are pretty good. However, they still fall a bit short of what I'd like to see.

Coaches need to be involved in the game, players need to be excited when their teammates make plays. Photographers should be trying to get their shot and all the other things you'd expect from a bench area in sports. The closer a game looks to the real thing, the more forgiving people will be of it's flaws. MLB: The Show and NBA 2Kx have been excellent examples of minor flaws being forgiven (by many, but not by all) for their attention to detail in other sections of the game.

So what do you think? Are you sick of terrible football sidelines? What about lifeless basketball bench areas? And then there are the empty or lifeless dugouts in baseball games. Do you think bench areas should be improved?

Comments

# 1 rspencer86 @ Jun 25

Part of the problem is that the devs (especially EA in football) are dedicating WAY to many resources to the stadium structures. Sure, the stadiums look fantastic, but is that the best use of the system's resources when you have the guys standing along the sidelines looking like N64-era werewolves? Besides the initial wide shots at the beginning of the game, you should only see the stadium another couple times the rest of the game; the sidelines, however, are usually visible on every single down.

# 2 TreyIM2 @ Jun 25

I can dig it. Again, I have to say that I'll take gameplay on the field/court than anything else and I know that all sports game engines are not created equally and some are not as flexible as others but I wouldn't mind an improvement, namely with EA sports games, with Madden and Live in mind. I was even playing the NCAA Football 10 demo and seeing my team's sideline looking way weaker than the on field players AND constantly clapping and cheering even though I had just turned the ball over is a bit disconcerting. NBA 2K9 is the BEST with sidelines/benches, period, end of story. The players on the sideline react properly and get amped and their cut scenes to the bench are "in-game" cut scenes not renders. The mascots dancing on the baseline is hilarious no matter how many times I see them do the kick-worm on the floor, the running man and such. They got it together and I hope all games will take heed, sooner or later. I am glad that EA is getting the people in the crowds to goto the glass in NHL 10 and bang on it, this year, even though I do remember that being in previous NHLs (was it the Genesis versions I'm remembering? Been such a looong time).

# 3 statum71 @ Jun 25

Good points. And yes, The Show and NBA 2K are good in these areas. But the part about coaches is the biggest part I think everybody except The Show really, really slacks on.

Coaches are a huge part of the game. And to not have more mention and face time in a broadcast presentation makes them seem unimportant.