The Blog for the Sports Gamer

Well, we rolled back into Columbus a couple of hours ago; I had a gajillion emails to read and decided I’d take a peek at the old blog before going to bed.

Wow.

Glad to see Dan finally had a public NCAA meltdown. Venting like that is good for the soul, I think. He even said “fuck” a lot. I mean…wow Dan. That is some serious video game hostility.

As some of you know, I just took a trip to Pennsylvania Dutch Country.  It wasn’t my idea, but as a husband sometimes you just have to take one for the team. I’ll talk about the trip tomorrow if I get a chance, but I did want to mention that I was allowed to take my Xbox along and was able to play more NCAA 2005 at night after everyone had crashed.  I’m not going to do a “formal” review of NCAA on the blog because, well, the blog is about as informal as you can get and damn it I get paid to write formal reviews!

I will, however, try to do an informal, +/- review tomorrow, time permitting. Most of you know how I feel about this game and things haven’t changed all that much but just for the sake of completeness (and because I promised I’d do it) I’ll write up my full thoughts on the game ASAP.

I don’t have ESPN, have not read any impressions on ESPN and will not read an ESPN forum until I get a chance to play the game over the weekend.  I hope it’s good. After NCAA 2005, aI really, really, really, hope ESPN is good.

Tomorrow is a big day for me. I get my “Active Ankle” brace and take to the hardwood for the first time since rupturing the ligaments in my ankle on April 27th. Long time blog readers (long as in a few months) will know that my ankle was turned into spaghetti a few months back and it’s been an uphill fight to get back on my feet. Well, after some serious therapy, I’m ready to get back on the court and shoot around and maybe even play some halfcourt ball (full court…no chance yet.)  But one step at a time.

I will leave you tonight with this: The Pennsylvania Turnpike is the creation of Satan.  Really. Evil incarnate.

1. Thanks for your purchase offers on NCAA 2005 for Xbox. The game is now sold. Another friend of mine is selling his version of NCAA as well, so if you’re interested, drop me a line.

2. I couldn’t resist. Before work, I opened the shrink wrap and ran 2 plays of NFL2k5. It’s very early, but I played NE vs. Buf @ NE, and the first play after kick off was Bledsoe scrambling for 8 yards. As a NE fan, I don’t ever recall Drew scrambling for anything except the ball after he fumbled. Graphics aren’t as good as I recall seeing in the movies — I mean they are good — but they aren’t the OHMYGAWD quality that I recall. That being said, I’m still recouperating from last night’s Fenway trip, so maybe it’ll look better when I’m not sleep deprived and having to get to work. Chris Berman’s intro is uh, dubbed — his mouth doesn’t go with the words and looks, uh, weird. Definitely not enough time to play the game, call plays, etc to really say anything else and I’m not judging it yet. I need more water and Excedrin.

Well, I did get NFL2K5, but it’s still in shrinkwrap. I didn’t get home from the Sox-O’s game until 2am. Oopsie! I did get to see the Orioles get an Inside the Park HR, so add that to the list of things I have seen live. Just need a no hitter and a perfect game now to complete my card.

When I did my NCAA rant, I’ll be honest — it was designed to provoke, in case you didn’t notice. I had figured I would get a lot of hate mail on that one, mainly coming from people who wanted to bitch slap me. A funny thing happened though, 99% of the people agreed with my summary either in comments posted on the site, or in email. It was very unusual in my experience that so many agreed (some told me to stop using the f-bomb, but they agreed with my feelings about the game).

However, I have to say that my favorite hate mail just showed up today, let’s open up the mailbag. This email had the subject “fags” in it, so you know it must be good:

”

NCAA 2005 is only a few week’s old if that and you are complaining about the droped passes all ready without even practicing,who ever is playing sucks a fat dick at the game and need’s to get off ESPN’s/Sega’s dick,maybe he needs to get the PS2 version where there is no gameplay slowdown or freezes.

 

If you fuck faces would learn how to catch manually you wouldnt have this problem,I can throw for 500 yards a game on any diff.,now are you telling me that im the only one who can do this?Please bitches get off Sega’s dick and give the game a true chance.

 

I see you guys hateing on EGM because of early reveiws and yet you dont even give the game a fair chance on all consoles,quit being fags and get a PS2 and rate all 3 of them.”

Okay, let’s have some “debate” bwhahaha: Why should I get a game for an inferior system when EA says the game for Xbox and PS2 is identical, even though it isn’t? I can’t catch manually? Should I have to catch manually when my guy is wide open and throws at the numbers? I guess I should learn to “READ defenses” too. You’re throwing for 500 yards a game? Well then, the game sucks because it’s very unrealistic, in addition to all the other stuff I said.

As far as EGM goes and what we’re talking about, I was making a point that they were giving reviews of unfinished code. We have final code. What fair chance are you talking about? A shitty game today is a shitty game tomorrow. And for the record, I have yet to play NFL2K5, but I’m excited about it. Sorry. I could be just as disappointed as I was with NCAA, but then again maybe I’ll be too busy with all those sexual references to play the game. Thanks for writing!

 

Either way, you’ve got to love the passion for the game.

I’m off to Fenway Park to watch Pedro and the Red Sox take on the Orioles. Should be interesting. I’m going to pick up NFL2K5 on the way down too. At least I hope I am. I’ll be afk….

Interesting news…

The September 2004 issue (#162) of Electronic Gaming Monthly is now available for electronic download, mere hours after Madden has gone gold. So either (1) their review of Madden was done in 10 minutes after they received a final gold review, or (2), they received and reviewed incomplete software.

I’m so sick of hearing about lead times, blah blah blah for print. Let’s face facts — If you’re going to review unfinished software that’s not the same product people have in their hands, why review it? For ease of reviwing I understand golds — these are “gold discs” that don’t have the final manufacturing label on them, often just a burn, that is provided for review. This is the same code (just not dressed up in a box or jewel case and usually instructions are in .pdf format). However, to review a beta and not mention that anywhere is shitty reporting at best.

It says on their review box “we only evaluate only games that have been deemed final…” To be fair, EA often sends out ‘reviewable betas’ which are 90% complete — but they are not final.  This way, the editor can say “we were told this was final, even know we know GD well that it is not final.” Who gets screwed? You as the reader do not get the full picture. Would it change the review score? Who knows. Maybe, maybe not. Maybe the other 10% was just some MP3’s. Maybe it was just the defensive AI.

Personally, I do prefer the EGM writing over, say, GamePro, which never uses actual writer bylines, so for all I know D-Pad Destroyer could also be Scary Larry or whatever. Quite often, my personal opinions are close to EGM; however I really have a bone to pick about reviewing a game that the developer says is final when you know it’s not gold. Gold means the game is final. Anything before going gold is not gold.

I don’t know anybody at Ziff-Davis who makes this magazine, otherwise I would ask them directly, but lets say this magazine had a 2-week lead time to go to electronic print. That means that any reviewer worth their salt had to have this game a week before that — which means we’re talking the reviewer got this game in mid-June at the latest. This game went gold this week. Whatever.

I’m going to leave it to the readers to pick it up and read everything where they make the NFL2K5 vs Madden decision. All I can say is, how can you give a final verdict on a game that isn’t final. What if the MP3’s werent included on the 90% final game, but the audio from one song skipped incessenantly in game? Hmm? Oh it doesn’t happen? Might I remind you about Ready 2 Rumble Boxing for the Dreamcast released 9.9.99? Hmm? Yeah, I thought so.

Of course, I went right to that section when it says NFL vs Madden on the cover, thinking I’d get the answer, knowing full well there’s no way they received a gold at that point, so what the hell do I know? I guess I’m a sucker too.

I hate this fucking game. I hate it. I’m so fucking sick of it. Email me if you want to buy it. I have now thrown my second controller in anger at this fucking catch up logic. Over and over and over again my wide open receivers can’t catch balls. All of these reviewers who gave this game a 9+ are morons. Plain and simple. They rushed the review and didn’t play it enough. I hate every aspect of this game. From the shitty frame rate, to the shitty game play, to the piss poor control, to the shitty xbox live. I hate this fucking game.

 

There. I said it. Did I mention how I can’t stand playing this piece of shit? Fuck you EA. I’m going to use the new create a sign mode that says “EA is the only company that can take a good game and make it shit,” although I doubt that will fit on a sign. Apparently the design team spent years on this fucking meaningless feature at the expense of actual gameplay. But wait, Scar Hodo in GamePro says that’s a great feature. Whoopee.

 

Okay, that’s my last rant against NCAA. It leaves my Xbox now. NFL2K5 is here tomorrow.

I’m watching hour 23 of the Red Sox-Mariners game right now. It’s finally the bottom of the 9th. I have seats to tomorrows game (vs the Orioles) at Fenway. Pedro is pitching, should be an interesting game. Needless to say, I won’t be posting tomorrow night. LOL.

 

My Fenway tickets say “Obstructed View”, which should make me wonder why the Red Sox charge full price for a crappy view. Oh well, typical. Anyway, I just hope I’m not directly in front of a pole. LOL.

 

I’m going to go try some NCAA 2005 online. Anyone up for a game?

Thanks for all the emails (directly to me) and the comments. Some didn’t understand my attempt at humor in regards to the MaxDrive. The company that sells it is a UK company. Their website says immediate availability. After I purchased it and my credit card was charged, they now are out of stock, hence I said that immediate availability was slang in England for “out of stock” in the way they call a “hood” a bonnet. It wasn’t that funny. Never mind.

 

I’ve called 5 EBs and 2 GameStops. No NFL2K5 yet. They are all saying tomorrow. Dammit.

What’s everyone using these days for NCAA Rosters on Xbox? I’ve heard some bad things about the Action Replay. I want the Max Drive, but I can’t find it anywhere. Not even on ebay! I tried ordering it from Datel’s site — it says “immediate availability” but they are British and hence, immediate is British slang for “we’re bloody out of stock”. So I am SOL. If you have one for sale, let me know.

When I’m not playing Sports Games, I am a gadget geek. Remember when that was uncool? Now it is very cool. Anyway, for those that haven’t jumped on the TiVo bandwagon, TiVo is now selling a refurbished 40 hour (on crap quality, but you can upgrade the drive) TiVo for get this — $49 after a $50 rebate. Folks, it doesn’t get any cheaper. Of course you still have the monthly or lifetime fee, but if you don’t know what TiVo is, you need to try it out. I have 2 myself and don’t know how I’d live without them. Now if only my cable provider would give me some good HDTV channels, that would be great…

 

In other news, I want to plug another gadget freak company that just simply rules. You see, when Unreal Tournament 2004 came out, I figured it was time for a PC upgrade. I’ve had a Gateway 700XL for over 2 years now — the longest I’ve ever had a PC. This computer is a workhorse — P4..2.2 ghz, 1Gb ram, firewire, USB 2.0 etc…but then it needed a videocard upgrade. The GeForce 4400 TI wasn’t at the top of the line. I went to Best Buy and picked up a 5700Ultra GeForce. You see I will stick with NVIDIA until the grave, basically becuase all those people that tell me ATI has a good card…well, I’m not a believer. I’ve had ATI cards, up to the RADEON that came with this Gateway computer, and it still had freaking driver issues.

 

My card was an EVGA card. My old TI was an eVGA card, but I bought the card at Best Buy, not becuase of the brand name, but because it was on sale. I took it home and registered it, and when I was online, I noticed this ’step up’ program. I thought, cool , but why would I ever pay $200 more for a 5900Ultra when it didn’t seem that fantastic in terms of bang for the buck.

 

As is always the case, within two weeks of my 5700Ultra purchase, NVIDIA announced the 6000 series of cards. Great. However, eVGA promised that if I upgraded within 90 days of purchase to a new card, I would get 100% credit on the old card. Of course the “June” ETA came and went and we’re still waiting for the 6000 series. eVGA knew this was coming and said , as long as you preorder the 6800 card, they’d still give 100% credit. Awesome. So, I did what they said, they emailed me last week, and I have mailed back my 5700U card for a 6800 (regular, not ultra) card for the low low price of $79. Not bad. Haven’t received the card yet, but I’ll keep you posted!

 

 

Well, now that I’m back from vacation, Bill has left me for his own vacation. We couldn’t have planned it any better — aside from the fact he will be NFL2K5 less. LOL.

 

One thing I will say about NCAA is that the shortcomings haven’t stopped me from playing it. It has gotten to the point that I’m now throwing my controller because I’m so f’n frustrated with the game, but I keep going back. Maybe I’m a masochist.

 

Last game, I’m playing Penn State (as Purdue). First, if I hear the commentars say that PS is lining up in an I formation one more time, I will scream. Obviously they didn’t have a lot of recorded audio. Yes, I get it, they are in an I formation. I’m also sick of hearing about how it’s the QB’s fault that the wide open WR dropped a pass. Whatever, Lee.

 

Let’s see, what else happened — oh, the famous EA catch up logic. I’m up 19-3 (I got a safety woohoo). In the 4th. Game over right? Not with this game. PS gets a normal 85 yd TD return, but that could have been my fault. Now it’s 19-10.  On side kick fails and goes OB, so I get the ball in good position. Of course, I immediately fumble. Computer gets it and gets the field goal. 19-13. Onside kick again, recovered by me. I waste time, and punt. Computer goes 3 and out and punts as well (not what I would do with less than 2:00 left, but whatever). Of course, I then ‘muff’ the punt and guess who recovers — hint — it’s not me. Computer then gets a TD with :05 left and wins the game. Bullshit.

 

I don’t mind losing a game that I suck at, but I do mind shit like this. It just seems like way too much of a coincidence and hence I decree EA catch up logic is back. It looks like this, for those that enjoy BASIC

 

10 If “player_score” > “CPU_score” then CPUAI=20000 and playerAI=1.

20 goto 10.

run

sys64738

Load”*”,8,1

 

Oops, way too much C64 code in there. Wait, based on the slowdowns in the game, maybe it is C64 code. bwhahah. I kill me.

I so cannot wait for NFL2K5. This game better f’n be the end all of football games or else I’m going to ream it hard too.

 

 

I was just posting to the comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.sports newsgroups about NCAA. The debate has gone over there as well, especially the Xbox slowdown issue.

I will say I’m only reporting what I’m seeing with my own eyes. I see it. I’m using a standard definition TV, and it has nothing to do with crowd noise levels or anything else. It is obvious to me that this slowdown is due to too much action on the screen. I can see the slowdown in passing plays or running plays.

Like Bill, I too am giving this game probably a lot more leeway then I would if I had the task of reviewing it. One thing is clear though: in my opinion this game isn’t an 80+. No freaking way. None. At least the Xbox version. So far it’s an average game with a whole lot of flaws and promises some things that aren’t delivered. Xbox Live, anyone? I’m still having connection issues. I’d love to try a game, but I don’t seem to be able to be connected for that long. I don’t have this problem with other Xbox games. I paid for and bought the new PGR 2 download (Long Beach) and played that online and there’s no disconnect there. I can play Links fine. So what gives?

Oh wait, I just found in the manual why the game got the awesum (sic) reviews : “User-Controlled Celebrations…Press X for a player celebration, B for a fan or Y for a mascot/cheerleader celebration….To see a created fan sign, pull L….Watch out though, activating some celebrations may result..in a costly..penalty.”

Sorry, I’m just venting here. 2004 was an unusual game for NCAA—it was pretty unanimous that it was good. There aren’t very many times I see that around here. Of course, I’m sure NFL2K5 will also have varying opinions.

I love to read forums and the completely biased perspectives that people show. It really is like Republicans and Democrats. I am convinced, utterly convinced, that EA Sports (or Sega) could crap in a box and there are people that would try to convince others that it was actually a bed of roses. Seriously. It’s loopy. I’m still playing with NCAA a bit, trying a few slider adjustments, etc. I don’t WANT to give up on this game.  I may trade in my Box version for the PS2, though. I hear it’s a whole lot better without the slowdown issues.

 

Anyway, I go over to the bizarro-world that is Operation Sports (that forum is just insane sometimes…I feel for the guys that run that place)  and I have compiled a personal Top 3 reasons why it’s OUR fault that we feel NCAA is a step backward from 2004.

 

3) You have to READ DEFENSES! EA is authentic!

 

Ok. This is pure comedy. What does this even mean? Ask these same think-tanks what the big deal is and you’ll be greeted with blank stares. Yes, Sparky, I see that they are in a zone…now what? I can’t even take advantage of a zone because one guy can cover about 7 yards and DBs can zoom half way acorss the field to break up a pass so tell me, what good is it that I have ‘read the defense?’ How many times in video football (not just NCAA) do you see 4 or 5 guys clumped together 25 yards down the field breaking up the same pass? Too often. Reading the defense does jack shit to help this.

 

2) Receivers are dropping passes because you have to PUT TOUCH ON IT!

 

Bah. One dolt will tell you to lob the ball and the other will tell you to bullet pass it. Bottom line: If I throw a crossing route to a wide open Division 1-A receiver he better catch the damn thing more often than he drops it.   What separates the good college WRs from the average ones? The ability to GET OPEN (as well as make catches). The 4th string WR at Ohio State will catch a wide open crossing pattern; I don’t care if it’s shot out of a friggin’ cannon. He’s 4th string because he doesn’t get open and make catches in traffic (or maybe block as well) as the first teamers.

 

1) EA put the slowdown on the Xbox on purpose!

 

I love this one. There are people that actually believe this. That EA Sports did this to help us…because slowing down the game makes it easier for us to run the ball, to see holes open, etc.

These people need to stop by the 24 hour labotomy store.

 

Ah well. See how upset I get? That’s what happens when I have the house to myself and a 12 pack of Mike’s Hard Lemonade. I get all flustered.

 

As I said earlier I’ll be leaving to tomorrow so hopefully Dan will be a blogging fool while I’m on the road. Have a good week and have fun with ESPN 2K5.

Tomorrow I leave on vacation to sunny Pennsylvania with the family. So, my blogging may be a tad slower than usual. However, I will have a laptop and my Xbox (my wife is so cool) so I’ll try to keep posting through the week. 

Well, I guess the economy isn’t improving that much — http://www.internalmemos.com/memos/memodetails.php?memo_id=2344 LucasArts, in this Internal Memo, says no bonuses this year. .

 

In other news, I won my first game of NCAA last night. Playing Purdue vs. Notre Dame. Yay. Again, I didn’t realize how bad the wireless controller was with this game. I actually had control of the game with the standard controller. Only issue i have now is that I have the massive original controller and I keep thinking I hit the white button, whilst instead I’m hitting the Y button. Oh well.

 

I’m out and about today, so not many entries. I’ll leave it to Bill. One more week until NFL2k5.