Backbreaker Hands-On Preview w/ Gameplay Videos (IGN)

[SouthernBrick]

Quote: Originally Posted by blackscorpion11

Had no idea, i thought we were being sold football today, not some last boyscout, starship troopers BS! What next? James Caan playing rollerball!?? Do i need a laser cannon to get a first down now?? Cmon Bro

Really just stop with all that.

We all knew the players looked like this for a while(more than likely because, of legal issues). The game comes out in about 2 months and a half. I'm sure you'll find out sometime in between then. This is usually when all the info starts coming out about the game so we should see more and more. They still have quite some time before the game releases.

[gamerk2]

My thoughts:

Passing: concerned a bit about automatic pass strength, but considering how few people actually DONT use bullet passes short range to begin with, its not high on my radar right now. Worth watching though.

Looks decent; I'd have like to seen how scolling between recievers looks like though.

Running: Looks great. Notice a few of the plays were reverse side draws, which seems to indicate pretty wide playbooks, although thats way to early to know for sure. Handoffs looks correct for the situtation, although it seemed the QB was snapping the ball out in too short a time. Really seems important to pick the right hole though.

Blocking: Saw very few instances of an actual pocket, but part of that was because of all the chaos up front. Don't know how much of that was AI versus defensive stunts. [Knowing the called plays would REALLY have helped out in this regard.]

As for O-linemen picking people up after their initial assignment, the worst I can say is that its no worse then it currently is in Madden. Could use some improvement in that area. I need to see a LOT more to come to a conclusion in this area.

Defense: Generally took proper approch. DE's seemed to come stright in during a lot of plays, but until we know how the playbook is structured, we don't know if thats an AI issue or a playbook issue (Think "Base" versus "Fan" setups from 2k football). Seemed to be a lot of stunts on the line, but again, I don't know if thats just the play, or an AI issue.

Nothing looks "wrong" per say, but the game showed its indi roots a bit.

[huskerwr38]

Quote: Originally Posted by AnyGivenSunday

Really just stop with all that. We all knew the players looked like this for a while(more than likely because, of legal issues).

Well I don't think EA owns the license to the way a football player looks.

Anyways, a comment on the camera view. Why can't we just have a create your own camera view? I know the people of Backbreaker wanted to get you right down into the action, but what if we don't want to be right down in the action? Why can't the people decide for themselves where they want the camera with a custom camera? Why do the developers have to decide where the camera should be and what is better for everyone? If a person wants to be super close so they are right in the action then let them create a custom camera view then.

[kjcheezhead]

Quote: Originally Posted by huskerwr38

Well I don't think EA owns the license to the way a football player looks. Anyways, a comment on the camera view. Why can't we just have a create your own camera view? I know the people of Backbreaker wanted to get you right down into the action, but what if we don't want to be right down in the action? Why can't the people decide for themselves where they want the camera with a custom camera? Why do the developers have to decide where the camera should be and what is better for everyone? If a person wants to be super close so they are right in the action then let them create a custom camera view then.

Actually, he might be right. If they made them with NFL style pads and a gamer creates a Steve Smith "likeness" in a Carolina uniform, there is a potential for a lawsuit. The player model protects against that because he still wouldn't look like Steve Smith. Stupid, I know, but that's the world we live in.

[Afrikan]

Quote: Originally Posted by huskerwr38

Well I don't think EA owns the license to the way a football player looks. Anyways, a comment on the camera view. Why can't we just have a create your own camera view? I know the people of Backbreaker wanted to get you right down into the action, but what if we don't want to be right down in the action? Why can't the people decide for themselves where they want the camera with a custom camera? Why do the developers have to decide where the camera should be and what is better for everyone? If a person wants to be super close so they are right in the action then let them create a custom camera view then.

at the end of the day, it is Art....it is their vision that they want to share with us.....

movies like Any Given Sunday were inspirations for the studio....sound also part of the game play......to be able to feel (rumble) and hear (sound) the pass rush coming from your blindside, if you decide to focus on a receiver to pass a more accurate ball...

again, they put alot of work into this game.....it is their art, for us to enjoy......some developers are very stingy with letting others affect their own vision....I think NM has been fine with adjusting certain things for the gamer's sake....but not so much so that it would take away from their Art.

[SouthernBrick]

Quote: Originally Posted by kjcheezhead

Actually, he might be right. If they made them with NFL style pads and a gamer creates a Steve Smith "likeness" in a Carolina uniform, there is a potential for a lawsuit. The player model protects against that because he still wouldn't look like Steve Smith. Stupid, I know, but that's the world we live in.

Exactly. If they made player look extremely alike in uniform shape, color, and likeness(i.e. name, team, birth place, college played, weight, height, etc) then they could most likely bring it up a potential law suit. If this game was a pretty big success I don't think EA/NFL(more likely) would think twice about a law suit. The biggest reason IMO why I think they have the big pads, every player wearing the visors, and the taking place in the future talk just in case a potential law suit did happen to pop up.

A law suit could be brought up fairly easily just by player likeness. In the second iteration if the first one does well enough I hope they can at least take the every player wearing the visor out at the least. The futuristic uni's IMO is to make sure that if they did happen to go to court it would give them the best chance to deal with a law suit.

This is just my opinion of why they did it like this though.

[strawberryshortcake]

Quote: Originally Posted by huskerwr38

Well I don't think EA owns the license to the way a football player looks. Anyways, a comment on the camera view. Why can't we just have a create your own camera view? I know the people of Backbreaker wanted to get you right down into the action, but what if we don't want to be right down in the action? Why can't the people decide for themselves where they want the camera with a custom camera? Why do the developers have to decide where the camera should be and what is better for everyone? If a person wants to be super close so they are right in the action then let them create a custom camera view then.

Certainly understandable. Makes sense, to a certain extent. Custom camera would be sweet, but it would completely change the entire "backbreaker" gameplay makeup and NaturalMotion's vision. Football is not a "comfortable" sport. It's a challenge. This new "backbreaker cam" would take us one step closer without having to suit up.

If given the immediate opportunity, most people would likely opt for the zoomed out sky vision view. But in doing so, it would completely remove the "on-the-field" football experience NaturalMotion is trying to achieve. Otherwise, I might as well just play APF2k8 (an absolute fabulous game in itself). NaturalMotion should really try and strive to achieve what 2k football has accomplished as far animation and gameplay.

We just have to give this 3rd person camera view a fair shot. I am not a fan of first person shooters (fps), at all. And might as well add in 3rd person shooters. But look at the success they have regardless if the game is good or not.

EDIT: I personally look forward to this new "backbreaker cam." But in all honesty, I don't agree with those proclaiming that traditional sky-vision wouldn't work for this game. Football is football; Whether the camera is from a 3rd person point of view, or sky-view. The game of football doesn't change. Attach a helmet camera to a 49er's linebacker for the entire game sequence, and football still plays as football. Nothing changes but the camera view. This is why I will make the following assumption: If the developers want to pull the camera back (and give the sky-view option), it should not be that difficult to implement, seeing as how we already have glimpse of sky-vision. Football is football regardless of camera view. Does offering traditional camera option change the on the field football mechanics? Football is football, but it does change NaturalMotion's intended "on-the-field-football-experience" vision.

Quote: Originally Posted by AnyGivenSunday

Quote: Originally Posted by kjcheezhead Actually, he might be right. If they made them with NFL style pads and a gamer creates a Steve Smith "likeness" in a Carolina uniform, there is a potential for a lawsuit. The player model protects against that because he still wouldn't look like Steve Smith. Stupid, I know, but that's the world we live in. Exactly. If they made player look extremely alike in uniform shape, color, and likeness(i.e. name, team, birth place, college played, weight, height, etc) then they could most likely bring it up a potential law suit. If this game was a pretty big success I don't think EA/NFL(more likely) would think twice about a law suit. The biggest reason IMO why I think they have the big pads, every player wearing the visors, and the taking place in the future talk just in case a potential law suit did happen to pop up. A law suit could be brought up fairly easily just by player likeness. In the second iteration if the first one does well enough I hope they can at least take the every player wearing the visor out at the least. The futuristic uni's IMO is to make sure that if they did happen to go to court it would give them the best chance to deal with a law suit. This is just my opinion of why they did it like this though.

My question is: What would the legal ramifications be with other official leagues around the world including the Canadian Football League, United Football League, Arena Football League, etc.?

I have no background in law. But what would be the legal ramifications for allowing full customization in a video game? Couldn't "Backbreaker" simply be consider their own "league" but in virtual world with the customization feature at a gamer's disposal to create virtual rookie prospects after the initial default generic stars retire?

Instead of needing to invest millions and millions of dollars to create a tangible real life league with full gear, suit, pads, stadiums and the whole works, and having NaturalMotion's CEO being the commissioner/president of the league, what's the legal ramifications of having NaturalMotion's Backbreaker league a "virtual league" where teams are allowed to change their uniform at will and "recruit" whatever virtual player they see fit?

Canadian Football League:
CFL Western Final: Calgary 17, Saskatchewan 27 - November 22, 2009

http://www.youtube.com/watch#!videos=mMksjMrpQqQ&v=pQ7NJs6MC1Y

[SouthernBrick]

I don't know much about law either when it comes to this but, I believe there can most likely be a law suit over something like this. Actually I believe a bunch of retired players sued EA for their likeness in a video game without them being paid. EA had created retired NFL players without paying them and since Its madden(NFL) there could be no denying that it was retired players in the game.

http://www.gamepolitics.com/2009/04/...-sue-ea-madden

I really don't much about law but, I know it can probably be done. Not that they'll succeed and shut down BB or there fully customizable system if there were a law suit(gotta win first). Another reason why I believe you can only play your friends and not just anyone you want with a customized NFL team or any customized football team online(afraid of law suit).

This probably didn't answer your question but, maybe it helped(probably didn't).