Madden NFL 10 Hands-On Preview (IGN)

[NYyankz225]

I'm confused because all the coaches I can recall were recognizable in 09. McCarthy looked like McCarthy, Tomlin was pretty close, etc. I could also place the model with the coach. What exactly is the problem? Are you saying some specific ones don't resemble the coach or that overall they're not close enough?

[RGiles36]

Quote: Originally Posted by TheWatcher

... lol... now tell me, who does that raisin head resemble? And to make it worse, he doesn't even wear team colors. That's just not good... and even more terrible is that there are three of them.

It doesn't resemble anyone of course LOL. My question then is where are you pulling these shots from? I've seen you post them before and I thought the same thing then. The only reason I ask is b/c from my limited time spent on next-gen Maddens, I've never seen those types of shots for the head coaches or the raisin head for that matter .

Quote: Originally Posted by TheWatcher

If the sidelines become more populated that's going to take down everything, but that's not a big worry for me in this regard. I'm just saying that 7 refs but no recognizable Head Coach, I just don't see how that can pass through with Head Coaches being so important to an NFL Broadcast. The Head Coach is a more recognizable figure than any ref. I doubt each ref will be a counterpart to a real world guy, I don't think anyone would expect it of course. But a Head Coach is a different deal. He's such a huge part of an NFL Broadcast in terms of him being spotlighted in scenes and whatnot.

Oh I'm not advocating to make the sidelines more populated. I think a solid job was done with this last year. Madden 08's sidelines were the worst . And again, my position is not rooted in more refs over a detailed head coach. I'm just saying that I don't think the head coach requires as much full-detail as you've said over the past few months.

Quote: Originally Posted by TheWatcher

I wish they looked as detailed as 2K5's do at all times, lol. The Head Coach even has AI in 2K5 and reacts dynamically to things on the field. I mean, when you compare that Raisin Head to 2K5's Head Coaches it's not even close. That shouldn't happen. Madden's should look a lot better considering the time and technology gap.

Then we both agree that NFL2K5 did a pretty damn good job with their head coach detail. But then my point is this: even though 2K did a swell job on designing their head coaches, they don't make that much a difference to me. Aside from the scenarios that I pointed out earlier, they're just there. They look good, but if it comes down to an either-or situation, I'll take less detailed but recognizeable head coaches over going all out to design the head coach's and lessening the characters around the sidelines (be it assistant coaches, camera crew, security, etc). I know you despise the characters that are just there in the background, but they help the atmosphere IMO.

[hayvis]

Quote: Originally Posted by TheWatcher

But right now, this is what we have: ... lol... now tell me, who does that raisin head resemble?

Is it Herm Edwards?

[Valdarez]

Quote: Originally Posted by TheWatcher

I wish they looked as detailed as 2K5's do at all times, lol. The Head Coach even has AI in 2K5 and reacts dynamically to things on the field. I mean, when you compare that Raisin Head to 2K5's Head Coaches it's not even close. That shouldn't happen. Madden's should look a lot better considering the time and technology gap.

Agreed. I have never understood the argument about resources. If the game is lacking resources for side line animations then there's something severely flawed with the game's engine or the game's design. In either case, the development team should be able to fix it. How can a game 5 years your junior achieve something that you're still claiming can't be done with your engine? Don't tell me it can't be done, don't tell me your engine doesn't support it. Fix it.

I'll still take game play fixes over side line fixes, but it really irks me when I hear that 'we can't do it'. When my developers tell me that, then I tell them if we can't do it, we might as well go home. The animated / alive side lines adds a huge element from an immersion standpoint. Next to the grass and players, it's one of the aspects of the game that you see in some respect all game long.

It would be great to see a coach get animated when there's a questionable call, or in a tense 3rd/4th down conversion. Or even a pan over to them as the huddle breaks where the coach has the clipboard over his mouth as if he's calling a play in. You could even have the announcers work in some commentary with regards to the coach (dynamic and specific).

The dynamic aspect of APF2K8's sideline adds so much realism to the game. The bench lights up when you make a big catch, and when you run down the side line next to it the guys will move from standing in a spot to run towards you and swing their arms telling you to keep on going. The emotion it brings to the moment can't be under rated.

[TheWatcher]

Quote: Originally Posted by NYyankz225

I'm confused because all the coaches I can recall were recognizable in 09. McCarthy looked like McCarthy, Tomlin was pretty close, etc. I could also place the model with the coach. What exactly is the problem? Are you saying some specific ones don't resemble the coach or that overall they're not close enough?

The only time they look recognizable in 09 is during that rare occasion that there is a challenge and that was more like a cutscene, there is no other time to my knowledge in 09 that we seen those. The rest of the time we got this:

[Valdarez]

Quote: Originally Posted by roadman

I've never relied on IGN for previews/reviews of sports video games. If this is valid, there is plenty of time to tune all this.

Nor should you. Seems like their staff is all over the place, and in many instances it's been proven that they haven't even finished games before writing their reviews. I'd trust the guys at GiantBomb.com first, and then GameSpot 2nd (thought you have to know who to trust there, someo of the guys are pretty opinionated and that carries over in some of the reviews).

[RGiles36]

Quote: Originally Posted by Valdarez

Agreed. I have never understood the argument about resources. If the game is lacking resources for side line animations then there's something severely flawed with the game's engine or the game's design. In either case, the development team should be able to fix it. How can a game 5 years your junior achieve something that you're still claiming can't be done with your engine? Don't tell me it can't be done, don't tell me your engine doesn't support it. Fix it.

Did you miss that discussion a few months back? There was a lot of good discussion in that thread some time back and Ian provided his input into the previous design philosphy.

Quote: Originally Posted by Valdarez

The dynamic aspect of APF2K8's sideline adds so much realism to the game. The bench lights up when you make a big catch, and when you run down the side line next to it the guys will move from standing in a spot to run towards you and swing their arms telling you to keep on going. The emotion it brings to the moment can't be under rated.

And in return, some would say you got poo graphics in exchange for interactive sidelines (I don't think the graphics were all that bad myself). TheWatcher has a better eye for it than I do though.

[TheWatcher]

Quote: Originally Posted by hayvis

Is it Herm Edwards?

LOL.

I actually took that shot from the Patriots sideline. Based on where he stood and what he was reacting to, he's actually supposed to be Josh McDaniel! Why did they do Josh like that in 09? He's a good kid, he didn't deserve that