[Chronic Diarrhea]

Since the destruction of the NFL 2K series, the Madden franchise has been garbage. Some fans of the series declared it out loud, while many others tried to deny it, but knew it deep down inside. lt's probably no coincidence that the list of features coming up in Madden and NCAA 08 is vast, considering the return of the 2K football franchise.

To start off, it appears that EA Sports has finally made the first big step to creating a football game that is engineered entirely on a physics system, as opposed to the animation-based system we've seen since 1990. Gang-tackling will finally be used widely, and it looks like it will far surpass the gang-tackling system used in NFL 2K5 (which still remains better than Madden 07, which is sad).

[quote:8bc06]You can stand a guy up and come in with a linebacker to clean house. Yeah, it's been done before. But from here, Cummings said you can add on dynamically at any point. So maybe it takes two, three, four guys to haul Larry Johnson to the ground. Or if you're running in with a linebacker, you can actually knock the other defenders off the ball carrier with a poorly-aimed hit. Or blockers can come in and try to knock defenders off. Or you can try to strip the ball. A runner can cover it up. The list just keeps going.[/quote:8bc06]

Madden and NCAA will also be using an inverse kinematics engine, which will allow for player animations to look smooth and will also allow the player to stop an animation and branch out into different animations. Basically, without IK, players could slide around when running at times, or animations would continue until the end, which sometimes made your player get screwed. Think of the out route, where the receiver would catch the ball near the sideline, but his running animation would cause him to keep sliding out of bounds, even when you're trying to push "up" on the analog to make him run upfield. Another great example is the bug where your RB would get caught on a lineman at the line of scrimmage and start running in place. with IK, you can either push that fat fuck out of the way, or branch out into a wide variety of animations to move around him.

There will be a plethora of new player ratings; context-specific and perhaps even player-specific ratings to give the person controlling any player many more options on how to get that extra yard, or knock the shit out of the ball-carrier. They hinted towards superstar players actually having a big impact on games, without using cheap gimmicks to make them better. They used the comparison between Terrell Owens and Reggie Wayne, and the two receivers' tendencies to catch certain balls in certain situations. They also used an example of John Lynch and Champ Bailey. John Lynch will be exceptionally good at zone coverage, and Champ Bailey will be outstanding at pressing down a receiver in man-to-man. In previous games, even when facing the best CBs in the game, you could just sub in whatever player had the highest speed rating and call a go pattern, and that player would usually smoke the CB. It seems there's no chance in Hell you'll be able to do that anymore.

What this appears to mean for football games is individual player skill will finally be an important skill to learn to be successful at the game. Before, good players at Madden were good because they knew which plays to call at the right time and which plays were money plays, and they knew how to exploit the computer AI to give their player the best chance to gain yardage. Now you'll have to learn--and become proficient--at knowing what move to make with the player you control at the right time. Do you tackle a huge running back high, or do you go low and take his knees out? If you're Champ Bailey, you probably want to go low, so you don't get obliterated. If you're Zach Thomas or Brian Urlacher, you can probably try to go high and knock his head off, even against a huge back. Every choice you make will impact the way the game is played.

They're also changing the fatigue system. Weather and location will play a role now. The Miami Dolphins are going to tire quicker when playing at Buffalo in December. Likewise, Buffalo would tire quicker when playing at Miami in September.


Believe it or not, I left a lot of stuff out. For more information, here are two links:


[url:8bc06]http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/sports/madden08/news.html?sid=6169878&tag=topslot%3Btitle%3B1&om_a ct=convert&om_clk=topslot&page=2[/url:8bc06]

[url:8bc06]http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/784/784281p1.html[/url:8bc06]

[Cpt. Obvious]

In campus legends mode in NCAA 08 you start out in the high school playoffs. You are able to create your high school team and use them according to the location your player lives. Quite amazing.

[[DAS REICH] Blitz]

Good thing that they're working on the in-game stuff... but the key question is if all the features they took out of the next gen games (Owner Mode, Fantasy drafting, etc.) are coming back.

[elstatec]

2k games were never destroyed by EA, they just had no licence rights to continue with the nf 2k games.


never the less EA will still be lacking behind the past efforts of the 2k games as have for years.

crash cam in the 2k game was uber leet.

[[DAS REICH] Blitz]

[quote="[DAS REICH] Blitz":9f7d0]Good thing that they're working on the in-game stuff... but the key question is if all the features they took out of the next gen games (Owner Mode, Fantasy drafting, etc.) are coming back.[/quote:9f7d0]

nvm, i just read the article and "it said" they were coming back. Superstar, on the other hand, can go away.

[gtboys34]

see what competition pressures you to do? I'll check the game out in the fall but there is no way that im buying it especially with all pro 2k8 coming out. Too little too late imo

[Milla]

Hmm interesting, its a good thing they are fixing all this stuff because it needed to be updated

[[DAS REICH] Blitz]

I'm actually very optimistic about this game, especially since they are putting the features they took out back in. If they can add some new owner-mode feature (like expansion teams like in Madden '02 or ESPN weekly, super bowl, draft, hall of fame presentations like 2k5), then this game will be legit.

[[DAS REICH] Blitz]

hands-on preview for PS3 (I guess they have the other version too) for Madden 08

http://ps3.ign.com/articles/789/789850p1.html

I'm actually excited about this game for the first time since they added Owner Mode.

[Cpt. Obvious]

Ncaa Football 08 releases tonight and from what I have heard it is quite amazing. Much improved from last years version. The game now runs at 60 fps on 360 (ps3 30fps). New features include gang tackling system, innovative blocking which has allowed for your lineman to actually hunt down defenders instead of standing there like idiots. Also included is a system to save replays and then post them on xblive where the can then be viewed on easportsworld.com on your pc.

Also there is an all new campus legends mode in which you play as a senior in your state high school playoffs. Depending on your performance you are offered scholarships to different schools or you can walk-on to the school of your choice. If you walk-on you will have a harder time advancing through the depth chart.

Hit stick 2.0 is another great new feature. The hit stick will allow for a defender to go low or high. If the defender goes low you can take out the legs of a bigger player such as a FB or TE. This is combined with the ability to hurdle a defender on offense. If a hurdle is timed perfectly it looks sweet if not then the running back will most likely be flipped in the air with the end result usually being a fumble.

I will be getting the game tonight at midnight and I will post some videos when I get to play it.

[gtboys34]

all pro comes out 2morrow but ive yet to get my 360

[Cpt. Obvious]

I am not really sold on APF2k8 yet but I would have to play it first.


Anywhere here is a vid I found on operationsports.com showing the new blocking system.

http://www.brightcove.com/title.jsp?title=1113939702

[[DAS REICH] Blitz]

[quote="Cpt. Obvious":c1a6c]Ncaa Football 08 releases tonight and from what I have heard it is quite amazing. Much improved from last years version. The game now runs at 60 fps on 360 (ps3 30fps). New features include gang tackling system, innovative blocking which has allowed for your lineman to actually hunt down defenders instead of standing there like idiots. Also included is a system to save replays and then post them on xblive where the can then be viewed on easportsworld.com on your pc.

Also there is an all new campus legends mode in which you play as a senior in your state high school playoffs. Depending on your performance you are offered scholarships to different schools or you can walk-on to the school of your choice. If you walk-on you will have a harder time advancing through the depth chart.

Hit stick 2.0 is another great new feature. The hit stick will allow for a defender to go low or high. If the defender goes low you can take out the legs of a bigger player such as a FB or TE. This is combined with the ability to hurdle a defender on offense. If a hurdle is timed perfectly it looks sweet if not then the running back will most likely be flipped in the air with the end result usually being a fumble.

I will be getting the game tonight at midnight and I will post some videos when I get to play it.[/quote:c1a6c]

are you xbox360 or ps3? the fate of either system for me depends on whether or not this game, madden, and gta is good and on which system.

[Cpt. Obvious]

I am on the 360. I am going to get the game in about a half hour.

[snipeymagoo]

Thank God EA is making the games better. 2k5 is still better than any madden ever made imo.