EA Head Coach 09

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 6:11 pm

I hate to say it but Madden is Madden. We know what we are getting and I'm not seeing a large number of changes.

As for HC, as much as they put into the game, I can only wonder that the thing that will kill off this game is the Madden engine.

I guess if the on-field play is bad, you could just sim those games.

I also wish the game was longer than 15 seasons. I think that's woefully short for a management game. But I suspect any longer than that and the game is so out of balance it's not worth playing it.

One feature I want in sports games no is a generic player generator. After you play a few seasons, sometimes you know all the tricks of that season, from the busts to the gems etc. A random player generator would take care of that.

Danimal · Post by **Danimal** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 6:28 pm

JRod wrote:I hate to say it but Madden is Madden. We know what we are getting and I'm not seeing a large number of changes.[/quotes]

Disagree but that is for another topic

As for HC, as much as they put into the game, I can only wonder that the thing that will kill off this game is the Madden engine.
What I have read it is a completely rebuilt engine, the only thing being reused is the graphics engine from madden 08. I've watch a lot of videos on this and have seen things I never saw in 08 such as over throws etc.

If your concern is the visuals being the same as 08 then I guess i can't argue, but the engine that drives the game / AI is new, at least that is my understanding.

I guess if the on-field play is bad, you could just sim those games.
I assume you can game cast sim these like the online play.

I also wish the game was longer than 15 seasons. I think that's woefully short for a management game. But I suspect any longer than that and the game is so out of balance it's not worth playing it.

Guess that depends on how you play, if you sim every game instead of coaching them I agree. However I believe the reason this is limited is they created the draft classes by hand for all the seasons.

Also apparently the producer is now fielding questions at OS as well, so if you have specific concerns I would ask away over there.

Brando70 · Post by **Brando70** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 11:21 pm

If you were to use this mostly as a GM game like Front Office Football, skipping all the coaching and on-field stuff, I could see 15 seasons being short. But if you do the game-to-game stuff, that's a lot of hours of game play.

I see this as the missing link between Madden and the GM text sims. The AI is going to be critical -- if the CPU players make the kind of decisions they did in the first HC or even in Madden, the shelf life could be short. On first glance, though, it looks like EA has really put some thought and effort in this.

MizzouRah · Post by **MizzouRah** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 10:40 am

Brando70 wrote:If you were to use this mostly as a GM game like Front Office Football, skipping all the coaching and on-field stuff, I could see 15 seasons being short. But if you do the game-to-game stuff, that's a lot of hours of game play.

I see this as the missing link between Madden and the GM text sims. The AI is going to be critical -- if the CPU players make the kind of decisions they did in the first HC or even in Madden, the shelf life could be short. On first glance, though, it looks like EA has really put some thought and effort in this.

Exactly.. I don't think it's a game made for simming. It reminds me of FPS Football, only more in depth and visuals on the field.

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 1:07 pm

MizzouRah wrote:
Brando70 wrote:If you were to use this mostly as a GM game like Front Office Football, skipping all the coaching and on-field stuff, I could see 15 seasons being short. But if you do the game-to-game stuff, that's a lot of hours of game play.

I see this as the missing link between Madden and the GM text sims. The AI is going to be critical -- if the CPU players make the kind of decisions they did in the first HC or even in Madden, the shelf life could be short. On first glance, though, it looks like EA has really put some thought and effort in this.
Exactly.. I don't think it's a game made for simming. It reminds me of FPS Football, only more in depth and visuals on the field.

No it's not made for simming. But the on-field action is left over from Madden. And if you buy built from the ground up, I think PK still has some ocean front property he wants to sell you.

MizzouRah · Post by **MizzouRah** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 5:45 pm

JRod wrote: No it's not made for simming. But the on-field action is left over from Madden. And if you buy built from the ground up, I think PK still has some ocean front property he wants to sell you.

I just want a graphical representation of a result from a good simming engine.

MizzouRah · Post by **MizzouRah** » Mon Jun 09, 2008 6:32 pm

http://www.easports.com/nflheadcoach09/news.jsp

The blog has been updated, along with another video... I really hope this game delivers.

Danimal · Post by **Danimal** » Mon Jun 09, 2008 6:54 pm

MizzouRah wrote:http://www.easports.com/nflheadcoach09/news.jsp

The blog has been updated, along with another video... I really hope this game delivers.

If anything they get an A for effort and an A for listening to the complaints of the last game.

Lets see on the execution side of things.

MizzouRah · Post by **MizzouRah** » Mon Jun 09, 2008 9:44 pm

Danimal wrote:
MizzouRah wrote:http://www.easports.com/nflheadcoach09/news.jsp

The blog has been updated, along with another video... I really hope this game delivers.
If anything they get an A for effort and an A for listening to the complaints of the last game.

Lets see on the execution side of things.

I'm with you... seems like exactly what I've been looking for since the FPS days.. but who knows until it gets out to more people who actually play a few seasons.

If it's good.. I just might get the Madden 09 collector's edition - something I thought I would NEVER do.

MizzouRah · Post by **MizzouRah** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 11:08 pm

IGN Hands On:

http://ps3.ign.com/articles/881/881706p1.html

X360 videos:

http://xbox360.ign.com/dor/objects/1423 ... 08_04.html

This game will eat up my life *IF* it's good.

MizzouRah · Post by **MizzouRah** » Sat Jun 21, 2008 7:52 pm

Full game MIA vs NE: Full game - MIA vs NE: http://link.brightcove.com/services/...cpid1612722418

macsomjrr · Post by **macsomjrr** » Sat Jun 21, 2008 7:54 pm

MizzouRah wrote:Full game MIA vs NE: Full game - MIA vs NE: http://link.brightcove.com/services/...cpid1612722418

Link is broken?

MizzouRah · Post by **MizzouRah** » Sat Jun 21, 2008 8:55 pm

http://link.brightcove.com/services/pla ... 1612722418

Danimal · Post by **Danimal** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 4:35 pm

Latest from Bill over at OS. It's just a tad too early to say I told you so

I am going to be doing a write up today about my first foray into career mode. I still have a few questions about some things but so far this game is a helluva lot of fun.

There's a lot of stuff to look at like draft AI, free agent signings, and other stuff but the games are a blast.

Games take about an hour with 15 minute quarters, btw.

But how's this for cool: In my preseason game vs New York I was called for 9 penalties for 75 yards.

Cribbs ran back a TD on a kickoff -- untouched.

Oh, and FYI: there are full game sliders for both Human and CPU. I dunno if they are needed yet, though. My first game was pretty darn realistic.

It's the little things that the game is doing that we usually don't see in a graphics-based game that is making me smile. It's frustrates me that Madden doesn't do a lot of the same stuff, but calling the games from the press box is giving me that Front Page Sports Football vibe in a HUGE way right now.

Zlax45 · Post by **Zlax45** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 4:54 pm

Looks good in that video...you guys linked.

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 4:54 pm

I hate to burst Bill's bubble but he obviously hasn't played Football Manager or FIFA Manager. Both those games get a lot of things right with their respective sport because they are also a text based game.

With that said it's nice to hear that HC looks promising. It makes my decision to buy the collectors edition a whole lot easier.

Post by **Jared** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 5:01 pm

Did Bill just mention HC with regards to FPS? Dayyum.

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 5:33 pm

15 seasons isn't long ? Blimey, most seasons I've ever gone in FM is 6, though my record in Champ Manager 96/97 was 12.

There again, each season of FM will take me about 22-26 hours of game time, as I do like to tweak before every game, although we are talking about a max of about 60-65 games including preseason, rather than 20-24 in HC.

MizzouRah · Post by **MizzouRah** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 6:49 pm

I don't mind holding out until September for Head Coach.. it's good to hear Bill is having some fun with it so far. Much different than his NCAA and Madden impressions early on.

Danimal · Post by **Danimal** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 7:19 pm

I loved his second impressions, problem is it could be the best game ever and it still won't sell well because most people want to control their guys.

I'd also like to point out that this is what a 2 year dev cycle will do for products.

Post by **Jared** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 8:05 pm

I'm really looking forward to looking at how the draft logic is in Head Coach. Someone posted their first draft in Madden, using an exported NCAA roster, and there are a lot of head scratchers, with nine quarterbacks in the first round, no offensive linemen and only two defensive linemen, and a QB to the Colts, and a RB to the Chargers. Eek...

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 8:31 pm

Jared wrote:I'm really looking forward to looking at how the draft logic is in Head Coach. Someone posted their first draft in Madden, using an exported NCAA roster, and there are a lot of head scratchers, with nine quarterbacks in the first round, no offensive linemen and only two defensive linemen, and a QB to the Colts, and a RB to the Chargers. Eek...

Something tells me Mike Martz is involved in this somehow.

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 8:35 pm

Danimal wrote:Latest from Bill over at OS. It's just a tad too early to say I told you so

I am going to be doing a write up today about my first foray into career mode. I still have a few questions about some things but so far this game is a helluva lot of fun.

There's a lot of stuff to look at like draft AI, free agent signings, and other stuff but the games are a blast.

Games take about an hour with 15 minute quarters, btw.

But how's this for cool: In my preseason game vs New York I was called for 9 penalties for 75 yards.

Cribbs ran back a TD on a kickoff -- untouched.

Oh, and FYI: there are full game sliders for both Human and CPU. I dunno if they are needed yet, though. My first game was pretty darn realistic.

It's the little things that the game is doing that we usually don't see in a graphics-based game that is making me smile. It's frustrates me that Madden doesn't do a lot of the same stuff, but calling the games from the press box is giving me that Front Page Sports Football vibe in a HUGE way right now.

Sounds great so far...Crossing fingers...

Post by **Jared** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 8:41 pm

You know Martz is going to be running this offense soon:

http://a11offense.com/

Two quarterbacks, one center, two tight ends, and six wide receivers. Anyone can be an eligible receiver on any play.

MizzouRah · Post by **MizzouRah** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 9:37 pm

Jared wrote:I'm really looking forward to looking at how the draft logic is in Head Coach. Someone posted their first draft in Madden, using an exported NCAA roster, and there are a lot of head scratchers, with nine quarterbacks in the first round, no offensive linemen and only two defensive linemen, and a QB to the Colts, and a RB to the Chargers. Eek...

I think it will quite different in Head Coach, at least from what I've read about it so far. Drafting received a lot of attention.