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[FitzOfRage]

I was just thinking about this today. 1 of my all time favorite sports games is Baseball Stars on the NES (and it's not the type of game that's your favorite because you haven't played itin 15 years, I still play it every now and then).

Part of the fun in the game was making up your own teams, leagues, logos, players, etc. I'd kind of like a game that could capture that aspect.

And with the way the major sports leagues micromanage the content of their games, I think it could really free the developers up a little. I'm really interest in seeing how Midway's football game turns out, because I know they're one company that's usually had to remove ideas and features (for better or worse) to appease the NFL.

I'd also like to see some ridiculous over the top concepts along the lines of Mutant Football League (yeah, yeah, it's EA) or Basewars (another one of my favorties).

 

[mashoutposse]

No.

For me, the fun is in using an accurate and realistic simulator to take my favorite real world professional sports franchises through the seasons. I'd rather play in real life otherwise.

 

[Fuzzy]

For me, the fun is in using an accurate and realistic simulator to take my favorite real world professional sports franchises through the seasons. I'd rather play in real life otherwise.

Exactly, how else am I supposed to watch the Maple Leafs win the Stanley Cup?

 

[FitzOfRage]

No.

For me, the fun is in using an accurate and realistic simulator to take my favorite real world professional sports franchises through the seasons. I'd rather play in real life otherwise.

Well I guess that's my problem. The fact that the fun is in the statistics (how often do you get to say that...) in sports games has never been much fun for me.

But basically Take 2 is going to have to differentiate their game. I think it would be a mistake for Take 2 to approach their next football game trying to battle for realism, because they obviously can't win there (it's kind of killed as soon as Jonthan McNugget of the Philadelphia Liberties takes the field).

So I think it would benefit them to try to make a fun video game that actually appeals to people beyond just the ones that follow the sport closely. In the aformentioned Base Wars, even if someone doesn't like baseball, they can have fun shooting someone in the face for trying to steal base.

 

[Shard]

It would depend on the circumstances surronding said unlicensed sports game, it we are talking about something like a Ribbit King or a Mario Tennis then sure, but if we are talking about playing as "Foxboro" instead of the New Egland Patriots, then I would have to pass on that game.

 

[mj1108]

We need a new Baseball Simulator 1,000!

 

[SickBoy]

I'm not looking forward to them, but I wouldn't rule out buying them if they were quality. I do remember a time when most sports games weren't licensed. It wasn't that bad, but of course we've all been spoiled for years now.

 

[VALIS]

I'd also like to see some ridiculous over the top concepts along the lines of Mutant Football League (yeah, yeah, it's EA) or Basewars (another one of my favorties).

If those kind of games were in development then I'd be excited. An update to Cyberball would be cool, and I've always been hoping someone would do a backyard whiffle ball game. But I don't see it happening, unfortunately. I assume everyone is going to try to make their sports games as close to the way they were before, minus the real life players and/or teams. And that's gonna suck.

 

[Dr. Zoidberg]

I remember when "Tecmo Bowl" was the #1 football game. And they didn't have actual licenses until the sequels. (If at all?)

What's Tecmo up to anyway? Tecmo Bowl 2005, anybody? With the DOA girls as your cheerleaders? Doing sexy dances in revealing cheerleader outfits? That's one unlicensed game that would sell to a few people around here.

 

[Uncle Dukey]

I'd play a new 2020 Super Baseball.

 

[Cloudy]

No.

For me, the fun is in using an accurate and realistic simulator to take my favorite real world professional sports franchises through the seasons. I'd rather play in real life otherwise.

yup

 

[chinch]

the original madden for sega genesis was unlicensed w/o teams/players... started a revolution w/ it's gameplay/graphics for consoles.

given the fact that alot of people detest athletes anyways, you could include names of cities and have great games w/o the actual players, logos and teams.

obviously if you're into sports sims then you need the geek stuff and the licenses.

 

[DCharlie]

Take Two should just put a comprehensive editting function into their game and then accidentally "leak" the save game update onto the web.

problem solved.

 

[captmcblack]

I personally haven't purchased a non-baseball sports sim in years.

Seriously, if a game could be made that played like Blades of Steel or Tecmo Bowl or whatever, I couldn't care less if it was licensed or not.

 

[Ristamar]

Yes, I am looking forward to it, and I've posted about the potential of an imaginary league many times. It gives more leeway to off-court/field influences and mature themes (drug abuse, insubordination, clashing personalities and styles, off-court/field shit talk, etc). The possibilities of player management and franchise building could be enormous without a sensitive body protecting the image of the league and players. Hell, even simple fouls could be a lot more interesting and have consequences beyond the immediate game. When's the last time a basketball game or football game featured the ejection of a player? The NFL is too much of a fucking pansy to even allow the old Blitz style games anymore, saying they focused too much on violence, leaving Midway to make some shitty 11-on-11 Blitz-lite.

C'mon, how cool would it be to have a game where Iverson is randomly skipping practices, pissing off his teammates and coaches, or a CPU Kobe refusing to shoot the ball to try to "prove" he carries the team? I'd shit a brick if I was playing Live 2005 against the Pacers and Artest went ballistic and went after a fan, then got his ass tossed.

I'm optimistic, at the very least. I hope some developers run with some innovative approaches to the game(s) and take a few chances.

 

[AstroLad]

Totally unlicensed sports games are usually a different breed altogether. I wouldn't say they even compete head-to-head with licensed games most times, but more create their own little universes, characters, playing fields, rule deviations, etc. We haven't seen many of these in a long time, but they can definitely be very fun (Mutant League, Baseball Stars, 2020 Super Baseball, Arch Rivals...). It's an interesting subgenre I wouldn't mind seeing revived a bit, but hopefully in semi-competent hands.

 

[White Man]

Take Two should just put a comprehensive editting function into their game and then accidentally "leak" the save game update onto the web.

problem solved.

Fire Pro Football!

 

[Pimpwerx]

I want a game like Baseball Stars for the NES. Fictional players and teams, and the ability to do custom stuff, and give it lots of extras. They should at least try something. I'd also vote for them to step up their game on the NBA front. Live's easily beatable. And basketball is still huge. Who's got Bron Bron wrapped up? I hope not EA. PEACE.

 

[DopeyFish]

Exactly, how else am I supposed to watch the Maple Leafs win the Stanley Cup?

By waiting for the next season to start. The path to victory has been forseen, it is inevitable.

 

[impirius]

I'm looking forward to Blitz Playmakers. I just hope they don't put so much emphasis on the off-the-field stuff that the gameplay gets left out in the cold.

I'd be all over a football game that lets you create your own team, logos, stadium, etc. and enter it into an online league. I don't know how they'd keep people from drawing genetalia and whatnot, but making a custom team to represent your hometown online would be pretty cool.

 

[vg260]

I would be very excited about a football game focused on full customization. Not just standard create-a-team teamplates, but full logos, field graphics, uni-design, and interface cusomization.
I was in a custom Madden leaague for the pc and enjoyed it much more than using real players and teams. I doubt that something where you can import your own graphics will come out for a console since it would require knowledge of image manipulation and transfer via pc, thus too complicated for the masses.

 

[vireland]

Fire Pro Football!

This is *exactly* what I was thinking. If T2/VC just made a generic football game that totally ruled and allowed users to create face and uniform skins on the internet and download them to the game, they could supply generic body types and players could *create* accurate, up-to-date teams and players, especially if they included a stat editor. It would be the BOMB, just like the FirePro series was. Almost total customization, and no license necessary. The only thing missing would be the detailed stadiums, but I think people would get over that.