How Closely are Players in the NCAA Video Game Modeled After Real-Life Players

[Warren Piecee]

We all know that EA sport’s official position is that the players in the NCAA video game are not in any way modeled after actual college players. We also all know that this is baloney. The interesting question is then how closely do the players in the game resemble their real-life counterparts. I would like to make a few observations on the subject and then request anyone else who has opinions on it to share their own thoughts.

I believe I once read remarks made by an individual who believed that the overall talent of a starting “position group” are given ratings in the game that match their real-life counterparts on every team. In other words, the starting receivers in the game are assigned attributes that reflect the overall talent levels of the corresponding “player group.” Although the two individual starting receivers on team may not be a match individually their combined talents are. If this is the case, then how are positions like running back and quarterback handled? Are exceptions made in these cases? Are quarterbacks and running backs rated just as players in the Madden video game are even though other players are not?
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Is it possible that the system described in the above paragraph is applied to offensive and defensive of lines, the linebacker corps, and the secondary as well?
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Could the sum total of talent on offense and defense be made to reflect the true life situation and not much attention is given to the individual ratings of most players?
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Another thought that occurred to me is that the game designers begin by rating the players realistically just as the team that designs Madden does. Next they tweak the ratings just enough to retain plausible deniability and cover them from legal liability and the claims of several lawsuits that are currently making their way through the legal system. Maybe in the case of certain players ratings are assigned that are radically different than what one would expect in the case of realistic attributes. Could this explain the case of the single fullback taken in last year’s draft? His overall NCAA rating was a 64. Obviously, no college player whose talent was accurately represented by an overall rating of 64 would have been drafted. Could players such as this fullback be just what the EA Sports attorneys need to defend themselves in court?
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How are nonstarters handled? Could it be that only starters are modeled after real players? Could the generic nonstarters be enough to cover EA sports legally? Does the fact that one and two non-stating players seem to be missing from every roster and some player numbers of non-starters appear to be incorrect also provide legal cover?
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For those unfamiliar with the legal controversy surrounding the game, EA sports is not legally licensed by the NCAA to represent actual college players in the NCAA game. This is why the player’s names do not appear on jerseys. If the players were unarguably represented in the game EA Sports would have to pay them for the right. This could not be done because college players are required to maintain an amateur status. (I hold this to be ridiculous because being paid to appear in a video game is not the same as being paid to play football and the NCAA’s amateur requirement was designed to prevent colleges and other individuals from paying players to play the game on the field. If a player was a telecommuter and worked a part-time job for EA Sports while in college and playing ball wiould this represent a violation of his amateur status? I assumed the answer is no.) Over the years there have been several lawsuits, some of which I believe have not yet been resolved, which claim that contrary to EA Sports official position players are represented in the game and that EA Sports must therefore pay every college player who has appeared in every version of the game going several years back. The fact that a gamer can add players names themselves or download rosters with the names attached has been an important factor in the legal case made against EA Sports.
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I for one am certain that if the litigation forces a change in the way players in the game are rated and the degree to which players in the game are modeled after real-life players drops to zero, I will never again purchase the NCAA video game.
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What do you think?

[razcan]

You wrote way too much stuff. The simple answer is, not as closely as they used to, but still close enough that EA should rightfully lose that lawsuit.

[Watson]

Are you serious dude? I mean, what the hell? Do you want to get EA in trouble?

The ex-players who sued EA are idiots who just spent more money than they could make with their lousy talent/work ethic.

[Warren Piecee]

Millions of dollars are at stake in the litigation mentioned above. In such cases large teams of researchers and investigators are hired and leave no stone unturned. High priced experts are consulted. There is nothing anyone could post in this thread that would be news to the attorneys working on the lawsuits against EA Sports. Furthermore, it is all just speculation on our part since none of us work for EA Sports or have access to confidential company information. The cases will not be decided based upon what appears on a message board. It is just simply a subject that I find fascinating and it is for this reason that I started a discussion on it.

[franko3219]

One thing is for sure, if EA loses this suite it would ruin this game for me. I do not want to play a college football game that does not resemble anything that I see on Saturday's. Another thing is I do not understand the difference between EA selling a video game that has a players likeness and the NCAA/Schools selling jersey's with the players name and number on it; is that not the players likeness as well if it has the name on the jersey's?

[Warren Piecee]

Do the jerseys have player’s names on them or just their numbers? Either way your point is a strong one. The NCAA does benefit by selling player’s likenesses through jerseys, through the payment received by EA Sports, etc. The NCAA is about as hypocritical an organization as they come. I do not believe that college players should receive a salary but I do think that the NCAA rules should be changed to allow for players to be paid by EA Sports. As long as they are not begin paid to play football I do not see any problem with the arrangement.

[Rotax]

I can't even read your posts. What is with that text and all the similes? To answer the topic question. Skin/equipment/number. A lot of the time they have the wrong equipment and numbers out of the box.

[Kaiser Wilhelm]

Or they could use their likeness and not get compensation?

Let me rephrase, college athletes already get paid, they have the opportunity to go to school for free.