Creating the best NFL game without the NFL's permission is it possible? - TreFacTor's Blog

TreFacTor's Blog

Creating the best NFL game without the NFL's permission is it possible?

Posted on October 8, 2012 at 12:07 PM.

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I often think about what NFL 2K13 would have been like. Since Ea has had the exclusive license, the video game football arena has been an abyss with only one overlord. How do you compete with that? How would you? You don't have their money, their marketing, the licenses...how do you combat all of that? This is how I would combat that, if I could.

I have to first start with the fundamentals and for that I would use All Pro Football 2K8 but with a few additions.

http://www.youtube.com/embed/Lo6HCPuSzlo

I would use APF 2K8 because I believe it nails player movement and interactions in a football sense from a fundamental approach. Although it's graphics are outdated (would need a definite overhaul), I would still use it's halftime, end of game and weekly wrap up shows. The one area I felt APF lacked was in it's creation tool which is where my additions would come in an also the lack of a 32 team season/franchise mode.

Additions:
Full user customization. Player creation, uniform/team, stadium, schedule creator along with division separation (up to a 32 team schedule could be made).

User shared/created content

By opening user created content, fans could create their own NFL

Physics I would combine the physics from BackBreaker which I feel is a better respect to actual player ratings but would have to be tweaked so that players have more weight, and rigidity and protective reactions to collisions that are in line of sight (bracing for hitting the ground or making themselves more compact to absorb contact...this is where both Madden and BackBreaker lacked in my opinion.

BackBreaker physics with APF player models and revamped graphics would be killer in more ways than one!

http://www.youtube.com/embed/unyBMP8_Ftg

Opening community driven customization would negate the need for an NFL license altogether.

http://www.youtube.com/embed/urn6VHi1C5s

My game would have a minor league, and main professional league. You have to put in the time in the minor legue before making it to the pro league. The game would follow either a player or a coach/coordinator. You will choose one and pick a team to try out for in the minor leagues. As a player your focus in the minor leagues would be to refine your physical attributes and secondarily improve your basic football knowledge. The playbooks would be simple in the minor leagues and would have restrictions on trick plays, audibles, and blitzing (arcade mode or easy mode basic football fundamentals without the need to know the intricacies of the game you'll get to that later when you get to the professional league)

No matter whether you choose a player or a coach, you would have a tailored story line that would evolve with the rest of the leagues, and show either your promise as an up and coming star, role player, or under performing wash. Yeah, you could get cut/benched/fired even in the minor leagues in my game.

Once making it to the pro league, everything changes from casual/arcade to strictly simulation. You've got to put on your big boy pads, and really learn football, all three phases of the game if your a coach, and if your a player or coordinator you'll only be responsible for learning that area of the game (unless of course your good enough to be a switch player...are you good enough?)offense defense and special teams, this isn't the minor leagues, so the playbooks are deeper, harder to learn and require proficiency if not mastery to get on the field and stay there.

Each week as a coach, your given film of your upcoming opponent. It's then your job to come up with a gameplan and the responsibility of the coordinator and players to learn it. As a player if you don't know the game plan, you don't get on the field (unless your needed due to injury)Your success during the week will have an impact on how well your team as a whole performs...don't think you need tackling drills this week, you may see a lot of arm tackles instead of wrap tackles. Don't practice fumble recovery, you may not have a fumble recovered in the game. Not enough time spent practicing timing with your wideouts, you may see ill timed passes (too early or too late) receivers running sloppy routes etc. Practice is where you hone your trade, on the field is where it pays off.

I'm no genius, and not a millionaire so if I can think of it, why has no one else? I wonder if BackBreaker and APF 2k8 are for sale?

Comments

# 1 elgreazy1 @ Oct 10

If you've looked at what the guys in the OS community and at Ratesports (and other sites I'm sure I'm forgetting) you can really see what the user can do to a game, even with limited coding capabilities.

I had always proposed 2K re-release a version of APF as XBL/PSN arcade game that would allow for patches, DLC, and modes to be added on as time passed.

# 2 SamoanSteelerFromAus @ Oct 21

Great article. APF 2k8 was football at it's best in my opinion.

# 3 TreFacTor @ Oct 22

Thanks for the comments. I just wanted to make teh point that a great football game could be created to meet current gen standards without the need for the NFL license.