Agreed. While I am more optimistic about this game, I keep thinking I am being set up or something. I will still wait for reviews.

I just found the gamespot nearest to my new house, and I'll be preordering in a few weeks once we move.

If you can get on that EA mailing list, they'll send you a 15 dollar off code about every month. I'll probably use mine on this game, end up with a net savings of at least 9 bucks after shipping, and I won't have to leave the house.

Dunno if it's new news, but it's to be 39.95 for any of the 3 systems. According to the the EAStore. I guess 39.95 for the PC version isn't a suprise. http://eastore.ea.com/shopping/brows...ord=head+coach

Given where you live, why wouldn't you want to leave the house?

:D

will there be advantages to the PC version or are these titles from EA usually Ports?

Price of gas for starters, and the 15 minute trek to civilization. Plus it's annoying having to try to pass the amish on 2 lane roads with so many blind turns.

I have got to make my way up there one day.

Dola

western pennsylvania represent 4 lyfe word up

Hmmm...you sound like me when I was told that FOF was going to be packaged with Madden back in 2001. ;)

Aren't you sensitive to the Amish people that might be reading this? Oh, wait...

Oh man....I remember that. That was the worst version of FOF in regards to the interface. I hated that microscopic scroll bar.

There's a lot of animosity towards EA's handling of FOF - but it was from those very rumours of bundling that I first heard of FOF.

When it finally wasn't included with madden, I bought it (I think it was the roster-updated FOF 2002) standalone and have subsequently purchased every version.

I always wanted to mention this, but kept forgetting. Isn't is weird that most of us are getting excited about a game that Joe Stallings is rumored to be involved with? This just proves that no matter how one feels about the people who create the game, if the game is solid, people will purchase it.

Very interesting point. I never thought I would purchase another game that he was involved with again. I guess I can rationalize it by saying that his role was probably fairly minor. However, your point is well taken.

This crossed my mind also. I wonder if alleged past misdemeanours would preclude any FOFers from buying this product even if it proves solid.

I can think of at least a few who probably wouldn't buy it due to his involvement no matter how good it is.

Ditto.

To be honest, I don't know if too many people knew he was even involved with the game. Either way, if the game is anywhere close to how it is advertised, I think people won't really care. However, I am definitely waiting for those reviews, because you never know.

If this game is half as good as it looks to be, I wouldn't care if Osama Bin Laden worked on it.

I think he is the lead quality assurance guy (You know, the head beta tester).

Osama or Joe?

Good question. It was meant as a joke for Osama, but I have no idea if that is Joe's title.

http://www.easports.com/nflheadcoach/home.jsp

new intro video on site

not a big deal, but it is something

Refresh my memory, what did Joe Stallings do to be considered evil?

Well, for one, he set my uncle on fire.

Twice.

Joe Stallings started WW2, as well as created cancer

Accused of borrowing copyrighted images for a test version of a baseball game, and then accused that he had paid off/convinced a reviewer to slam another game in relation to his product.

Thanks for ruining it.

any time. :)

I'm pretty sure things go deeper than this, but the principles involved are reluctant to publicly disclose all of their issues with him. Suffice to say, he's not trusted by most of those who've worked with him in the past.

sounds like we need a "Joe Stallings Facts" web page/thread

...which is screaming for a Flere diagram.

SegRat, thanks for that link. I have been waiting for a game like this for quite some time. I hope it delivers and not end up being a buggy piece of crap.

You and me both.

That Suicane quote is probably the funniest thing I've ever read.

Me too.

Me three!



Sorry :(

Another preview is up, this one is on teamxbox's site:

http://previews.teamxbox.com/xbox/13...Head-Coach/p2/


It's a 3 page preview with mostly repetitive information, but a few new tidbits I got out of it:

- Steve Sabol chronicles key moments throughout your career. Having grown up watching old NFL films, this is a nice touch.

- The HC is only going to have good attributes on one side of the ball most of the time, making one of your Coordinators very important to the team's success.

- Related to that, coaches (both coordinators and position) will make suggestions on who should start, injuries, and who they think you should draft and sign in FA. Ignore them enough and you will erode their trust and they will seek to leave your team!

- Not entirely new, but a bit more info on this one. If you lowball a player multiple times, the agent representing him will remember. If you upset an agent enough, he might not negotiate with you in the future, or he might take a harder stance with you. This could potentially eliminate all of the players he represents. (I hope players will fire agents as well.)

- When you want to hire an assistant, you can interview them, asking them a variety of questions and seeing how they respond.

- Not completely new, but reportedly all assistant coaches currently under contract are in the game. Only Bill Parcells and Belicheck aren't in the game. GM's and owners are fictional.

- The coordinators and staff will make suggestions for trades and who you should take in the war room on draft day.

- Clarification of the draft scouting: You can scout at various times throughout the year. More scouting means that you will have a narrower range of "overall rating" but it will still be a range. If you don't scout a guy, the range could be very wide.

- The Off Coordinator and Def Coordinators will also be suggesting plays when you are on the sideline.

- "The Coaches Corner lists every statistic imaginable for every coach in the game." (Hopefully, that is actually a deep list of stats.) Also, stats for the 25 best coaches of all time are in the game to see how you compare.


The preview ends by saying it probably won't appeal to most mainstream gamers, but football strategists should love it.

I swear. This game sounds too good to be true. They are added a number of features I would have never expected. My pessimism tells me that it is going to be lacking in some areas. It just has to. There are so many things that you can do in this game that I can't imagine everything working smoothly in it first incarnation. I really hope they have been working on this for about a couple of years before anyone knew about it. Otherwise this will be the game I have been waiting for in almost a decade.

So what do I get to do again if I have to listen to my assistants all the time about who to sign, draft, and start?

You get to ignore them

and then hire new ones who know their place...

Or ignore them sometimes and listen to them when they make good suggestions. Seems like something a real coach might have to deal with.

I was thinking of throwing this game on my Christmas list and waiting patiently. That's not going to happen now.

I'll be out of the country when it's released, so I figure by the time I get back all of you will have the game and I'll know if it's worth buying or not. :D

Agreed totally. I picture it as some of these options being very limited. Like, when interviewing a coach, you can ask three questions out of maybe a dozen options, every time. I have a feeling things like that may get repetitive.

Let's hope it is everything they are saying it is. If so, then I agree this is the game I have wanted ever since Sierra went belly up.

This game, done right would be my FPS 99. I've only been waiting for a game like that, every since I loaded that shitty program on my computer.

So, wouldn't you actually want it to be anything but FPS 99?

Very cool looking new video with several coaches talking over video of the game on EASport's site. However, there is some very concerning draft decisions illustrated in the video. I really hope that they are tuning the AI quite a bit more. Here is the link:

http://www.easports.com/nflheadcoach/theater.jsp

The concern is that the draft picks really seem improbable. Bush is still available at #14! The first 7 taken can be seen in one shot:

Pick 1 Houston AJ Hawk
Pick 2 New Orleans Vernon Davis
Pick 3 Tennessee M. Leinart
Pick 4 NYJ Santonio Holmes
Pick 5 GB Mario Williams
Pick 6 SF B.Bunkley
Pick 7 Oak Chris GoCong - Who?

At Pick #14 Reggie Bush, Ferguson, Young, Huff and Cutler are still on the board.


There is also a nice looking trailer, but obviously it will be a disappointment if the AI isn't tuned quite a bit more.

Bad link.

Yeah, hopefully the AI is a lot better, or this will be a very frustrating game.

I fixed the link.

Why post video of your game working badly? That's like posting a video where your players on the field teleport or the game incorrectly calculates yards to go......

Oh come on. Someone HAD to do it. :p

I thought the same thing as I was watching the video ;)

This game looks like a Sims NFL Expansion pack.

the draft AI can't be any worse than FOF. In FOF Leinart and Young would be lucky to get drafted on day one.

Sad but true, Free Agency and the Draft aren't FOF's strongest points.

For the sake of comparison, here is the FOF version of the 2006 NFL draft:

1. Houston - Brodrick Bunkley, DT - this is FOF. A defensive lineman has to be drafted first. Bunkley would be an exellent guy to back up Travis Johnson for four years while an undrafted rookie free agent mans the other DT spot.

2. New Orleans - Mario Williams, DE - he would make an excellent backup to DEs Charles Grant or Will Smith. Forget about actual needs. This would also help tie up an inordinate amount of cap space in the DE position and guarantee cap hell for the forseeable future.

3. Tennessee - Davin Joseph, G - who cares if the Titans desperately need a quarterback. That's what undrafted rookie free agents are for. Better to draft a guard with a top five pick.

4. NY Jets - Haloti Ngata, NT - have to draft more defensive linemen in the top five.

5. Green Bay - D'Brickashaw Ferguson, OT - the obligatory top five OT.

6. San Francisco - Kamerion Wimbley, DE - more defensive linemen.

7. Oakland - Winston Justice, LT - an excellent choice to back up Robert Gallery for the next four years. Note to Al Davis: draft a starting RT in round seven and let Justice rot on the bench. Don't even consider moving one of the LTs to RT.

8. Buffalo - Jimmy Williams, CB - this is the mandatory cornerback.

9. Detroit - Chad Jackson, WR - there's almost always a wide receiver thrown randomly into the top ten and since WR is not a need for Detroit, they take a WR.

10. Arizona - Santonio Holmes, WR - lots of needs here. Best to draft another WR to backup Fitzgerald and Boldin.

11. St. Louis - Reggie Bush, RB - now is a good time to take the first running back and top rated player in the draft.

Matt Leinart - drafted by the Patriots in round 5.

Vince Young - undrafted and signed by whichever team managed to make it through the offseason with free cap space. That same team will sign to 1yr/minsal deals three other big name QBs who didn't get any offers during free agency because 90% of the teams are in cap hell with only 22 players under contract (and millions and millions of dead cap space because AI teams are required to release almost the entire team at the beginning of every offseason). Meanwhile undrafted rookie free agents will start at quarterback for about seven teams.

That EA draft doesn't look so bad after all.

Jim created a 2006 NFL draft file?

It is also possible that they "randomized" the draft enough that those picks make sense. They mentioned that there are 30 drafts set in the game, but that there is a randomness to the players ability/penitential. That may include the first one.

Good point. Someone posted in one screenshot that Bush's "rating" is listed as 69-83 with speed of 96-99. Perhaps, the "randomized" aspect of the draft is responsible for the odd draft order.

lol

I knew the Lions would take another WR.

This quote contains a word you don't see very often.

Does anyone know if there are any Pre-Order specials for this game? Usually when I Pre-Order a game they either have a special price or include something extra.

I laughed at this cause it isn't that far from the truth. If you get an FOF year with 3-4 70plus rated QB's, you can bank on getting 2 of them in the 4th or worse. I've seen a QB go #1 maybe on average of once every 25 years in solo careers.

EA is offering free shipping on it from their store. If you get that periodic 15dollar code from the EA store you could use it and get the game for 31 plus tax(shipped). I don't think you can get free shipping and use the code, however and they charge 6 bucks for shipping.

To me, this seems like it would be a title that you may want to pre-order. I dunno what kind of printing they will do on it, but it could be one of those situations like MVP NCAA where it was hard to find a copy for a couple weeks if you don't get one ahead of time.

Is penitential something that a future convict might have a lot of?

I always wondered how to describe those "gangster" kids back in high school who liked to start knife fights and shit at lunch and go around acting like hardasses.

Oh, thats Rodrigo Gomez.. Some professional gangs are looking at him in this years class as the guy with the most penitential...

In my opinion, thats a kick ass word, whether its a typo, a misspelling or otherwise.

------Actually, after looking it up on dictionary.com, I'm not sure I am worried whether a player (or a gangster for that matter) has a book of church rules concerning the sacrament of penance.

It isn't that bad.

Hawk is a stud.

Leinert is the best QB in the draft.

Williams is a stud.

I don't think Reggie Bush is the best RB in the draft.

One day until the draft, and Reggie Bush is STILL overrated!

Article on ign in which the producers of Head Coach did a simulated draft after they made sure that all of the same offseason moves happened in the game as they did in real life this year. Here are the results:

(Here is the link too): http://sports.ign.com/articles/703/703782p1.html


1. Texans: Reggie Bush, HB, USC
2. Saints: Vernon Davis, TE, Maryland
3. Titans: Matt Leinart, QB, USC
4. Jets: D'Brickashaw Ferguson, LT, Virginia
5. Packers: Mario Williams, RE, NC State
6. 49ers: Brodrick Bunkley, DT, Florida State
7. Raiders: A.J. Hawk, LOLB, Ohio State
8. Bills: Haloti Ngata, DT, Oregon
9. Lions: Marcedes Lewis, TE, UCLA
10. Cards: Michael Huff, SS, Texas
11. Rams: Chad Greenway, LOLB, Iowa
12. Browns: Kamerion Wimbley, ROLB, Florida State
13. Ravens: Vince Young, QB, Texas
14. Eagles: Winston Justice, LT, USC
15. Broncos: Santonio Holmes, WR, Ohio State
16. Dolphins: Jay Cutler, QB, Vanderbilt
17. Vikings: Jonathan Joseph, CB, S. Carolina
18. Cowboys: Jason Allen, FS, Tennessee
19. Chargers: Chad Jackson, WR, Florida
20. Chiefs: Antonio Cromartie, CB, Florida State
21. Patriots: Bobby Carpenter, ROLB, Ohio State
22. 49ers: Manny Lawson, RE, Texas Tech
23. Bucs: Jimmy Williams, CB, Virginia Tech
24. Cincinnati: Kelly Jennings, CB, Miami
25. Giants: Ernie Sims, LOLB, Florida State
26. Bears: Tye Hill, CB, Clemson
27. Panthers: DeAngelo Williams, HB, Memphis
28. Jags: Tamba Hali LE, Penn State
29. Jets: LenDale White, HB, USC
30. Colts: Laurence Maroney, HB, Minnesota
31. Seahawks: Ashton Youboty, CB, Ohio State
32. Steelers: Donte Whitner, SS, Ohio State

Round 2

33. Texans: Eric Winston, LT, Miami
34. Saints: Nick Mangold, C, Ohio State
35. Jets: Kellen Clemens, QB, Oregon
36. Packers: Mathias Kiwanuka, RE, Boston Coll.
37. Broncos: Joseph Addai, HB, LSU
38. Raiders: Gabe Watson, DT, Michigan
39. Titans: D'Qwell Jackson, MLB, Maryland
40. Lions: Richard Marshall, CB, Fresno State
41. Cards: Leonard Pope, TE, Georgia
42. Bills: DeMeco Ryans, ROLB, Alabama
43. Browns: Darryl Tapp, RE, Virginia Tech
44. Ravens: Brodie Croyle, QB, Alabama
45. Eagles: Rocky McIntosh, LOLB, Miami
46. Rams: Orien Harris, DT, Miami
47. Falcons: Cedric Griffin, CB, Texas
48. Vikings: Abdul Hodge, MLB, Iowa
49. Cowboys: Marcus McNeill, LT, Auburn
50. Chargers: Ko Simpson, FS, South Carolina
51. Dolphins: Thomas Howard, ROLB, UTEP
52. Patriots: Sinorice Moss, WR, Miami
53. Redskins: Mark Anderson, RE, Alabama
54. Chiefs: Demetrius Williams, WR, Oregon
55. Bengals: Dominique Byrd, TE, USC
56. Giants: Deuce Lutui, G, USC
57. Bears: Greg Jennings, WR, Western Michigan
58. Panthers: Joe Klopfenstein, TE, Colorado
59. Bucs: Jason Spitz, C, Louisville
60. Jags: Brian Calhoun, HB, Wisconsin
61. Broncos: Andrew Whitworth, LT, LSU
62. Colts: David Pittman, CB, Northwestern
63. Seahawks: Gerris Wilkinson, MLB, Georgia Tech
64. Steelers: Daniel Manning, CB, Abilene Cristian


That is more encouraging to me than the previous "draft results" posted in the game.

New interview up on Maddennation's site. Not much new info, but they said that you will be able to carry approximately 100 offensive plays from your playbook and 50 defensive plays into any game. That alleviates the fears of some that thought you could only have 50 plays/game. Here is the link: http://www.maddennation.com/forums/s...ad.php?t=54710

I really like this:

MN:We noticed a job security meter while playing. What happens if you’re fired? Will you have the chance to coach another team?

JS:You can get fired and if you do, you will be back in your home office and have to review and accept an offer from another NFL team to continue your career.


MN:What if you’re doing really well? Could you be offered a job by another team in an attempt to lure you away from your current one?

JS:Yes you will be offered other jobs if you perform well

This game has moved to my "most anticipated" game yet to be released.

I really hope they test the heck out of this one.

dola,

New screens... these are for the pc!!!

http://media.pc.ign.com/media/776/776738/imgs_1.html

This game is setting me up for SO much dissapointment...

Me too, on both points.

Has anyone seen if this will have any form of MP? (Even local)

As long as h2h with other people is fun, and entertaining, I'll be okay with the game. I'll be dissapointed if the rest of the game sucks, however.

From what I've read, you can play on the internet against other people in "coach now" games. No career MP from what I've read.

Interesting...

I'm betting there is at least a remote chance that theirs "local" MP.. what I mean by that is you and your buddies can do a career together... since this has basically always been in Madden/NCAA.

Are the pictures working when you try to click on them? I can view the thumbnails, but it keeps giving an error when I try to click on the thumbnails (I've tried a few times over the last few minutes since you posted the link.)

Same here.

I guess I'm still in the camp (I don't know if it is really a camp since I may be the only one in it) that can't forget this is a Joe Stallings game. Maybe he isn't a big figure in its production and everything will be fine. But I just think of how Joe used to pump all of his games and advertise the pretty screens and incredible features. And yet the games usually failed in the execution. Given the incredible promises that have been made, it just seems like a total Stallings endeavor (which strangely seems to fit very well with EA's practices).

Good point, but I'm really trying to ignore that point. :D

I keep thinking (rationalizing?) that Joe probably had a small part in such a big project.

My understanding is that the primary producer on this project was a guy named David Ortiz, a guy I worked with at MS (he was a game designer on 3 of the NFL Fever projects). I think that Joe had some involvement but wasn't the main guy.

I have this and OOTP on the same level right now.

On one hand, some of the screenshots and options just blow me away. It looks like it could be SOOOOOO good.

On the other, EA has made a habit of producing average or below average garbage and OOTP has dissapointed me three times in a row.

Both OOTP and this one have me sold. I'm one of the moronic masses that has to have every sports game and dream they will be good. I'll purchase both in the early days of their release. Then I'll hope and pray things work out. My prediction now is that OOTP will be the real deal this year and that this thing, in its first inclination from a company who has never shown interest in something like this before will fall on its face.

With there being other text based baseball options, I really, really hope I'm wrong.

Some do and some don't.

All of the ones posted today gives me the error.

The one game I've been thinking a lot about recently in regards to NFL Head Coach is EA's soccer manager game. I remember when I first ordered that game, I was so pumped. FIFA-quality graphics in a coaching sim! It sounded solid, and was loaded with features. Problem was the match engine was awful (and probably still is in newer versions). Its a lot of shiny chrome but nothing underneath. I am praying Head Coach is not like this.

Exactly my fear. TCM from EA Sports promissed to be FM with the FIFA awesome 3D graphics and even after a few versions and years, it's like comparing Maximum Football with FOF. That is why i dont' want to get so excited.

Well, I wouldn't be that hard on them ;)

FWIW, they have had multiple interviews with different people who were "highly" placed within the project. None of them have been Joe.

I may have to go all out and get a bluetooth headset, if it works correctly :)
I can imagine pacing across the living room shouting out orders, Cowher style.

Which reminds me, I'm going with the pc version I think due to the fact you can get updated rosters, possible mods, etc..

Is that what most who are getting the game are going with?

I don't think it's coming out for the 360 is it?

PC Here. When I bought my new PC I told myself that I will be going the PC route at leat for about a year...

PC Here. Don't have a PS2 or Xbox.

Even though I think it could look very nice on the new big screen TV and the Xbox, I'm going with the PC version for the mod potential.