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Testing the Water with All-Pro Football 2K8

08:12 PM - December 3, 2008 by RaychelSnr

When it comes to developing games -- like many other long-term projects -- there are set timetables and budgets to work with. Companies typically will analyze projects beforehand and attempt to determine the rates of return on their investments when dealing with multimillion-dollar software creations.

Looking at Take-Two Interactive's All-Pro Football 2K8 title from this capital, budgeting and investing point of view, we can begin to understand the company�s thinking from a business standpoint. After a three-year break, 2K football came out of retirement without an NFL license and decided to go head to head with the football giant and phenomenon known as Madden NFL Football.

Read More - Testing the Water with All-Pro Football 2K8

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Game: All-Pro Football 2K8Reader Score: 8/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS3 / Xbox 360Votes for game: 57 - View All

Member Comments

# 21 Ijeswannaknow @ 12/05/08 06:45 PM

Since 2K dont have the NFL Licence...why dont 2K make All-Pro Football 2k9 as CFL 2K9 and continue on....this would be nice! 2K should use the Canadian Football Leauge and make the best game ever with great features,animations, graphics, presentation, game modes and Living Rosters...its just an IDEA for 2K and us loyal 2k fans!!! 2K will be back on top once again!!! While Madden is scratching his head saying like always..."I just don't uderstand why teams run on 3rd and long!!!
LMFO!!! C'mon OS!!!

# 22 mwjr @ 12/05/08 06:57 PM

2K8, as it is, is a good game.

The replay value, however, is lacking and that, IMO. is directly related to the lack of a franchise.

I'd be playhing it more often if a franchise mode was included as an option.

# 23 MeanMrMustard @ 12/06/08 05:56 PM

Lack of franchise, pure and simple.

I could care less about legends � if the game had had a deep franchise mode and rosters made up entirely of made-up players, I would've given it a shot. As it stands, I won't even pay $10 for it used.

# 24 catcatch22 @ 12/06/08 07:34 PM

I don't sim, I play games so franchise mode means nothing to me unless the gameplay is good. I think most people would rather have a franchise with bad gameplay so they can sim.

# 25 K_GUN @ 12/06/08 09:39 PM

i only play the 2k8 demo...play it for about 3-4 'games'....get my gameplay feel then i'm done for a while

# 26 elgreazy1 @ 12/17/08 02:11 PM

Here's what went wrong, in order:

1) Little to no information about the game during development: We were all left in the dark about what the game was going to be about.

2) Little to no marketing for the game: The only ad I ever saw for the game was a quick flash of the menu screen on a Dodge Caravan commercial. Weak...

3) Price point was too high: 2K5 sold for $19.99 WITH NFL rights, this game should have been at the most $39.

4) Lack of polish: Not even close to the level of ESPN NFL 2K5 which was a last generation game. This is not something 2K does, they always try to release the most polished game possible.
4a) Upgrade the graphics: Even games that suck can sell due to graphics. While this is not a major need for the APF franchise, it's hard to argue that the player models in APF were a big upgrade over the ESPN 2K5 models.

5) LACK OF CUSTOMIZATION: No NFL, fine, but there was nothing to make the game deep enough. Not enough logos, player models (hair, faces, equipment, facial hair, etc), etc.

6) No franchise mode, offline modes to speak of: Okay, maybe it was hard to do this with the Legends so that explains the single season, but what about mini-games, at least. Maybe APF was geared for online play, which is no biggie, but then that leads to this:

7) Limited online league customization: You can make basic leagues and that's about it.

8) COMPLETE lack of community feedback: The developers just left all the owners out to dry after the game was released. We only had 1 patch & that was it!!!? Hell, even Madden 09 has had 2 patches and EA frankly doesn't care about their customers.

9) Lack of downloadable content to keep the game fresh: Okay so no franchise? How about making that downloadable down the line. Or how about adding more Legends, more team logos, more stadiums, etc? This game is screaming to be patched & have expansion packs, especially if it's going to be a bi-yearly release (possibly).

10) Threw in the towel (possibly) after 1 game release: The kiss of death. Basically, we don't even for sure know if there will be another game.

All these small things could have been avoided and or built upon. As for the Legends, well you can keep them or leave them, I don't think they hurt the game sales but by excluding them (or at least signing one major legend as the cover athlete) 2K would have had much more money for further game development.

# 27 CreatineKasey @ 12/17/08 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elgreazy1


	Here's what went wrong, in order: 1) Little to no information about the game during development: We were all left in the dark about what the game was going to be about. 2) Little to no marketing for the game: The only ad I ever saw for the game was a quick flash of the menu screen on a Dodge Caravan commercial. Weak... 3) Price point was too high: 2K5 sold for $19.99 WITH NFL rights, this game should have been at the most $39.

These are the three that I feel did them in.

# 28 turftickler @ 12/19/08 10:33 PM

No, they need to leave the Madden NFL arcade style junk with EA and keep doing the awesome real football simulation that makes the game stand out and keep its replayability.

Even still, APF 2k8 is a better game than Madden 09 and it will be better than Madden 2010 - 2012.

# 29 turftickler @ 12/19/08 10:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dunelly


	Focused too much on useless features and gimmicks instead of working on a pure gameplay upgrade. Franchise? who cares if the gameplay sucks balls

Give the NFL lisence to 2k Sports not EA shorts.

# 30 coogrfan @ 12/27/08 02:09 AM

With respect, you're all missing the forest for the trees. Our friend Fossen nailed APF's central problem in a review published over at 5W-G mere days afters it's release:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fossen


	All-Pro Football appears confused, a Frankenstein of disparate elements that only serve to remind you that they don�t have the NFL license. We have NFL legends parading around in futuristic stadiums wearing XFL uniforms while funk/rap music plays, and it doesn�t add up to anything but a lack of focus and concept. Give me a far-future where cloned athletes battle it out in space domes, or an alternate-history eighties where the USFL won out, or� something. Just deliver an stylistic choice beyond �we lost the NFL�.

There's the problem in a nutshell-APF didn't know what it wanted to be.

# 31 RogueHominid @ 12/27/08 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coogrfan


	With respect, you're all missing the forest for the trees. Our friend Fossen nailed APF's central problem in a review published over at 5W-G mere days afters it's release: There's the problem in a nutshell-APF didn't know what it wanted to be.

Perhaps. It's telling, though, that the game is still being played well over a year after release and that its following on a site like this is growing even today. I think they could have done some things differently to be sure, but I also think the actual product plays so well that these objections make more sense theoretically than practically. The practical fact is that this game got even more right on a nuts and bolts level than the heralded 2k5.

But this is all coming from the countryboy of APF--I'm a homer and I know it

# 32 dunelly @ 12/29/08 09:25 PM

This game is definitely not growing. If anything people stopped playing the game because the gameplay is shallow and boring.
It's rediculously easy to score in this game. Defense is limited and slow. Maybe it's deep to people who don't grasp the basic concept to playing a football game.

I remember when I averaged 40-50 pts a game on people.
Lbzrules just dropped 63 pts on somebody on this board the other day hahahahha. ran for 300 yds LOL.

# 33 LBzrule @ 12/29/08 09:26 PM

I do agree the game has some fundamental defensive problems and it is annoying.

# 34 dunelly @ 12/29/08 09:28 PM

you forget to mention his 4 legend dlineman doing absolutely nothing. Truth is, defense picks are a waste because they offer no significant impact. WHoever scores the most wins. 1 gold rb can rape 11 defensive legends.

Football videogames by default will always benefit the offense because you can see the entire field. Knowing this, developers should make their game to help curb this. Problem is people who complain about how hard the game is when it's their own issues with the game.

# 35 LBzrule @ 12/29/08 09:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dunelly


	you forget to mention his 4 legend dlineman doing absolutely nothing. Truth is, defense picks are a waste because they offer no significant impact. WHoever scores the most wins. 1 gold rb can rape 11 defensive legends.

I like the game but it does have a sorta Madden feel to it with things like the 32 defense and dime and nickel being the best defenses.

The coverage is a very big problem. Even though I run some man coverage I hate it because the DB's are too quirky. Instead of playing the man they run the route backwards. So they turn their back and lose the WR. When the WR makes a cut in or out it's too late you are way out of position. Then on top of that to tackle terribly, ehhhh LOL.

# 36 LBzrule @ 12/29/08 09:38 PM

Other things that drive me up the wall, defenders that have a clear shot at the QB and they run right by him. Also when two defenders have the offensive tackle on an island why doesn't one of them cut under into that lane. Instead both of them try to take the outside shoulder of the offensive tackle. Runs the blood pressure up LOL.

# 37 dunelly @ 12/30/08 11:35 PM

legend defenders don't really play differently. Their inherent defensive ai is the same. only different is how fast their speed,reaction, chance of making the tackle.
this would be good if their default AI was good.
I exaggerated a little as most people don't pick 11 defenders. But I have played teams with 7-8 legend defenders and it makes little difference because offense is so overpowered. As to who i played, i used to play hundreds of people online and the results were the same. People who offered the most difficulties usually stack the offense.

# 38 catcatch22 @ 12/31/08 12:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dunelly


	legend defenders don't really play differently. Their inherent defensive ai is the same. only different is how fast their speed,reaction, chance of making the tackle. this would be good if their default AI was good. I exaggerated a little as most people don't pick 11 defenders. But I have played teams with 7-8 legend defenders and it makes little difference because offense is so overpowered. As to who i played, i used to play hundreds of people online and the results were the same. People who offered the most difficulties usually stack the offense.

I agree with this statement. It is much more difficult to stop a stacked offense then it is to score on a stacked defense.

# 39 CreatineKasey @ 01/01/09 12:05 PM

I need a good defense to win games and disagree with the statements about offense. I used to think that way, but ever since the manual control on defense has been figured out things have definitely balanced in my eyes.

As far as DL picks being a waste... disagree there too. A silver or gold DL can kill drives by himself.

Not everything is perfect, no. But APF isn't nearly as broken as some people are describing it.

# 40 catcatch22 @ 01/01/09 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CreatineKasey


	I need a good defense to win games and disagree with the statements about offense. I used to think that way, but ever since the manual control on defense has been figured out things have definitely balanced in my eyes. As far as DL picks being a waste... disagree there too. A silver or gold DL can kill drives by himself. Not everything is perfect, no. But APF isn't nearly as broken as some people are describing it.

I don't agree with this statement simply for the fact that rarely if anyone picks offensive lineman to protect their quarterback or to have a good run game.

On the contrary everyone picks receivers and DB's simply because the legends on the dline though tough at times just don't bring enough trouble to where it forces a player to pick offensive lineman. When in reality teams never win on a steady basis without a great offensive line.

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