Creating a High School Football title - thescoop's Blog

thescoop's Blog

Creating a High School Football title

Posted on November 16, 2008 at 09:18 PM.

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High School football brings passion. In the state of Texas it is almost a religion of its own. The question is why haven't we seen a high school football title of its own?

Sure, there are several reason they can come up with as to why they couldn't do it. Reason like, how could we get license to all those schools? What states do we choose? It just isn't practical.

Those would be some of the reason you'd expect to hear from the game makers of the world. But there are several ways it could work and would make it a top seller.

First off, some might say a regional release so Texas High School football gets it due and those in other states get their fix as well. This idea wouldn't work too well cause you still face the problem getting all the schools in every state.

I have better idea. You release High School Football USA and make one of the first things you do is select your state. If you live in Mississippi, Georgia, Florida or even the before mentioned Texas, you'll know you're schools most likely.

After you've selected your state you can choose how many classes your state has in high school football. It would go from 1a to 6a. You then get to choose from randomly generated teams by the computer or given the option to create your schools. This way you ensure your high school isn't left out and at the same time allows you to enjoy creating the teams.

The creation shouldn't be a simple generic logo like we've seen in past NCAA football title's create a school feature. It would need to be deep and allow you to be able to create even the logo. Sure they can have some in there for simple fix, but we'd need to be able to create too so that we can get it right. Maybe even through Xbox Live and PSN we could upload logos if need be.

Next up EA locker or something like it, depending on who the developer is of this title, needs to be there. That way if someone is crazy about high school football in your state does all the editing and gets all the player names in there, you can download them from there if you're too lazy.

OK, we've gotten the teams out of the way so what next? Well, we'd need some sort of mode to keep people playing. No superstar or campus legend mode. We want something that focus on the team. The best idea is a dynasty mode that features the ups and downs of a high school football coach.

First off you aren't going be recruiting your talent. In high school you are suppose to be playing with the hand your dealt. I know some schools don't play by these rules, but in my game you are. Sure you might get lucky and have some stud for another team move to your town in the off-season, but you won't be recruiting him. Its just dumb luck or a direct result of your success. I'll explain that last part later.

First off, you'll have to deal with your local newspaper. Every town in High School Football USA is going to have a different personality to its team. I say let the user choose what type of town it is, from crazed to tame or middle. If you are in a crazed town, you're always one loss or two away from being run out of town. You're local paper will be the leading voice for or against you.

In a crazed town, even if you're in a year where the talent isn't there, they still expect greatness from you, maybe at least a division title. In a tame town you'll be given a lot of rope because they really don't care. Middle is where they care about the football, but will be more understanding a down year, but you better come through in those years you're suppose to.

Your success as a coach can change a town's reaction to the team. If you start off with a tame town and win a couple of championships, you might make that tame town become a crazed town cause they want that success every year.

Also, as a coach if you're successful, you might be offered jobs by other schools. If you're in tame town and win it all, expect someone from a crazed town or a middle town to come calling. You might also see some talent players move to your town cause their parents want to see you coach them to greatness. But with all this comes more pressure.

Also, if you are fired from a crazed town, you might have to start over with a tame town. Tame town are usually low on talent so you will have to really work hard with what you have to try and climb back up that ladder.

Also as coach you've got to deal with injuries and other issues. If a kid's grades are suffering you might have to figure out ways to keep him playing. You could make it where you fudge the numbers and risk getting in trouble or you could simply make sure he has all the help he needs to pass.

Also, you'll have character issues on your team as well. Your star player is a true stud, but can't stay out of trouble. You'll have to decide to sit him, cut him or just put up with it so you can win football games. No matter what you decide, the local paper will have an opinion on it.

Also, you have the local booster club breathing down your neck too. They bring money into your program so you better be listening, but sometimes they might ask you to do something you don't feel is right. Do it and you might get a jumbotron. Don't and you might have a tough time getting even basic stadium up-keep approved.

As far as play-by-play of the games, this is where the developers can have some fun. Have yourself two guys who always seem to fight to call the action and put in some fake ads they must mention and you could have just a fun commentary. I needs to sound like just two locals, not professional though or it doesn't work.

The action on the field should feature smaller playbooks than in most football games. And it should be allow you to make plays and practice them too. Also I'd like to see trick plays and gimmick formations as well.

The key to a game like this is to keep the realism and not try and make it an arcade type title like Blitz if you want it to sell. The game on the field needs to be real football. If it isn't those crazed high school fans won't be back for the 2011 edition.

If they could put this in a high school football game I think a lot of us would flock to buy it. I'm not a huge fan of high school football, but I know I'd give this game a try if it was out there.

So to the EAs, 2ks and anyone else who might be listening, here's you another football answer. I just hope someone is listening and maybe we'll see see a real High School Football USA.