Evolution of Sports Games: Part Two
Submitted on: 10/09/2008 by
Nathan Marshall
Last time I spoke to you all, I gave sort of a history lesson explaining where we came from as it pertains to the sports game genre. The strides that were made back then set the table for what we have today. Here are some of the current staples of sports gaming that have become commonplace thanks to technology advancement:
Player Likenesses – Athletes finally resemble themselves! Sure we’ve had player likenesses for years now, but the detail has been taken to a new level on current-generation consoles like the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. You can actually view every single tattoo on NBA players, and they wear all of their customized gear. LeBron James rocks his headband much differently than teammate Daniel Gibson, and this type of detail is shown in games now.
Taking player likenesses a step further, virtual players now mimic their real-life mannerisms in video games. In Madden 09, superstars have their own touchdown or sack celebrations. The NBA 2K series introduced "signature style" in NBA 2K7 edition, which meant players now had their own specific dunks and jump shots. Now, despite both being speedy guards, Allen Iverson no longer plays the same way as Tony Parker. In the baseball titles, most of the players have their own signature batting stances as well.
Not only are the players recognizable, coaches are as well. While they haven’t been given mannerism details just yet, at least you can recognize coaches from a distance.
Environment – Authenticity of the arena is something that makes people feel like they are actually at the stadium/arena. The die-hard real-life sports fans will actually recognize architecture in the game from the venues they frequent. From the championship banners to retired numbers, to even the floor seating, everything is accurate.
When playing in outdoor stadiums, the weather effects are spectacular. Take Madden 09 for example. Footprints are left in the ground from the snow or rain, and they stay there for the duration of the game you’re playing.
Even stadium specific sound effects are present: They sound off at key moments. Pistons fans will smile gleefully when the other team turns the ball over in NBA 2K9 because then you hear "Deeee-troit Basketballlllll."
Even the crowds have made great strides. Some crowds look better than others (NBA 2K9 has simply amazing crowds), but it surely beats the days when the crowd was simply a flat sprite animation.
Presentation – In recent sports titles there has been more and more focus on presentation elements. Visually, in some games you have all the stat overlays and replays you would expect to see on any sports broadcast.
Intuitive commentary is something that is still being tweaked. Gamers' expectations in this department have certainly been raised over the years due to amazing commentary that can be found in games like NFL 2K5. While it’s not terrible now, gamers expect more.
Some of the best commentary featured on current-generation systems is that of Sony Sports' MLB: The Show. The commentary in the game just has a natural sound; it's like you’re watching a baseball game on television. You can tell that the commentators recorded their voice-overs in the same booth, whereas in other games, that is just not the case.
Even music has become more prominent than ever. Sports games now have soundtracks that accompany them upon release. Almost every genre of music is covered, from hip-hop to rock. It certainly brings a sense of realism because it sounds like the music you would actually expect to hear in an arena. The variance in music comes from established artists, underground, and up-and-coming musicians.
Franchise Mode – A feature that was made famous by the Madden series, franchise mode allows you to play as general manager. The goal is simple: win a championship. You are placed in charge of various tasks such as trades, the draft, free agency, and personnel decisions. As the GM, you must wheel and deal in order to create the best team, thus allowing you to reach your ultimate goal. Along the way, you may even have to develop your young players so they become stars, and manage the minutes of veterans to put yourself in the best position to be successful.
Some games such as MLB: The Show, have taken it a step further, allowing you to actually play as a prospect and work your way through a team's minor-league system. You have the option to create yourself, or play as one of the rookies in an attempt to establish a Hall of Fame career. Consider this an RPG take on sports games.
Now, these are just a few things we expect to see in every sports title. Expect greater leaps and bounds to be made in the future, because while all of this is impressive now, I don’t think we’ve even begun to scratch the surface.
Player Likenesses – Athletes finally resemble themselves! Sure we’ve had player likenesses for years now, but the detail has been taken to a new level on current-generation consoles like the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. You can actually view every single tattoo on NBA players, and they wear all of their customized gear. LeBron James rocks his headband much differently than teammate Daniel Gibson, and this type of detail is shown in games now.
Taking player likenesses a step further, virtual players now mimic their real-life mannerisms in video games. In Madden 09, superstars have their own touchdown or sack celebrations. The NBA 2K series introduced "signature style" in NBA 2K7 edition, which meant players now had their own specific dunks and jump shots. Now, despite both being speedy guards, Allen Iverson no longer plays the same way as Tony Parker. In the baseball titles, most of the players have their own signature batting stances as well.
Not only are the players recognizable, coaches are as well. While they haven’t been given mannerism details just yet, at least you can recognize coaches from a distance.
Environment – Authenticity of the arena is something that makes people feel like they are actually at the stadium/arena. The die-hard real-life sports fans will actually recognize architecture in the game from the venues they frequent. From the championship banners to retired numbers, to even the floor seating, everything is accurate.
When playing in outdoor stadiums, the weather effects are spectacular. Take Madden 09 for example. Footprints are left in the ground from the snow or rain, and they stay there for the duration of the game you’re playing.
Even stadium specific sound effects are present: They sound off at key moments. Pistons fans will smile gleefully when the other team turns the ball over in NBA 2K9 because then you hear "Deeee-troit Basketballlllll."
Even the crowds have made great strides. Some crowds look better than others (NBA 2K9 has simply amazing crowds), but it surely beats the days when the crowd was simply a flat sprite animation.
Presentation – In recent sports titles there has been more and more focus on presentation elements. Visually, in some games you have all the stat overlays and replays you would expect to see on any sports broadcast.
Intuitive commentary is something that is still being tweaked. Gamers' expectations in this department have certainly been raised over the years due to amazing commentary that can be found in games like NFL 2K5. While it’s not terrible now, gamers expect more.
Some of the best commentary featured on current-generation systems is that of Sony Sports' MLB: The Show. The commentary in the game just has a natural sound; it's like you’re watching a baseball game on television. You can tell that the commentators recorded their voice-overs in the same booth, whereas in other games, that is just not the case.
Even music has become more prominent than ever. Sports games now have soundtracks that accompany them upon release. Almost every genre of music is covered, from hip-hop to rock. It certainly brings a sense of realism because it sounds like the music you would actually expect to hear in an arena. The variance in music comes from established artists, underground, and up-and-coming musicians.
Franchise Mode – A feature that was made famous by the Madden series, franchise mode allows you to play as general manager. The goal is simple: win a championship. You are placed in charge of various tasks such as trades, the draft, free agency, and personnel decisions. As the GM, you must wheel and deal in order to create the best team, thus allowing you to reach your ultimate goal. Along the way, you may even have to develop your young players so they become stars, and manage the minutes of veterans to put yourself in the best position to be successful.
Some games such as MLB: The Show, have taken it a step further, allowing you to actually play as a prospect and work your way through a team's minor-league system. You have the option to create yourself, or play as one of the rookies in an attempt to establish a Hall of Fame career. Consider this an RPG take on sports games.
Now, these are just a few things we expect to see in every sports title. Expect greater leaps and bounds to be made in the future, because while all of this is impressive now, I don’t think we’ve even begun to scratch the surface.
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