Thunderball

I've grown up as a gamer. I had literally hundreds of the NES and SNES games. I had a Master System , a Genesis. We had the Vectrex. We have a Turbo-Grafx 16. Hell the only thing I didnt' have was the Neo Geo, and that was quite price prohibitive.

So, fast forward to 3 years ago. I had a PS2, and XBOX and a Gamecube. Every year since the Genesis, I would buy Madden football. It was the best thing on earth in my opinion.

Something happened when it switched to this generation. Maybe I'm getting older. Maybe I don't completely understand how to properly run a defense I don't know. What I do know, is hat unless I have it on "easy", I can't do shit. I gave up on Madden, as it just wasn't fun anymore. I got my ass kicked far too often for me to even try anymore.

I hear ESPN is down to $20 this year, so I figured I'd give it a whirl, as I liked the Dreamcast's launch title a lot.

I put it on "pro" . I kicked ass. I went 16-0 won a Super Bowl, dealt with the offseason, then I got fucked during the offseason my making some bad moves and getting salary cap fucked and I couldn't even start the season.

I started a new franchise. Put it on "All Pro" since, hell, I beat the shit out of the computer on Pro. This should give me closer games.

Well it did. I cant' stop anything.

I went 3-1 int he preseason, and figured it was a good harbinger of things to come.

I'm 0-3 in the season. The Giants, Cowboys, Bucs have combined for over 1000 yards in the air already, and I've given up 400 yards on the ground, 200 to Julius Jones of the Cowboys.

I run the same D I ran before. Any time the computer bobbles, it always makes the catch. In the Cowboys came, they ran 5 receivers almost every play, and Julius Jones had 140 yards "after first hit" and he didnt' really have any amazing break out run that skews that.

Against the Bucs, Galloway and Dilger combined for 300 yards, Johnson had 356 yards, and I even picked him off 4 times.

On Offense, for myself, I Have 341 total yards passing and 200 total rushing.

I cannot do shit.

It's no fun on easy and too damn hard on medium.

I'm considering selling off my XBOx and Gamecube(the Ps2 is already sold), and just giving up.

I don't mind losing, but getting my ass absolutely handed to me every game is bullshit.

I suck at video games.

Gallant Pig

Just put it back to Pro. Usually in these types of games (Madden & ESPN especially) the computer just cheats to make All Pro harder.

Breakfast with Girls

Get some friends. Play against them.

Phuzbox

http://www.dvdtalk.com/forum/showthr...hreadid=313876

MonkeyG

Let the young'uns play their fancy, schmancy football! Come on over to the geriatric's league.

Thunderball

Yes I'm glad you remembered my last post about video game football

Thunderball

Pro is no fun for me anymore, which is the problem.

Season 1, when I went undefeated, I usually had 84-7 games.

Sean Taylor had 21 interceptions, SMoot had 13 and Springs had 10.

Portis had over 3000 on the ground.

Its not even a challenge.

They need to put some NotQuiteAllPro Level in.

JM

Well, the game allows you to fully customize the various difficulty sliders, so just look at the slider positions for Pro compared to All Pro and split the difference with your customizations.

sdcrym

I believe there's a custom setting where you can move each slider individually. Haven't looked at it too much though

grocible

I felt the same way with all the new PS2 and Xbox version of Madden. Back in the Genesis days I had it down. But now, shoot, not a chance.

Although I'm playing Madden 2005 on Pro level, and while I am kicking major ass, I have had some issues with some of the teams on season mode.

But friends are the best way to go - and with madden on Live now . . .

Roto

Next time I get to pick for the retro game challenge we'll play 10 Yard Fight. You might be able to handle that

nickdawgy

I went 9-7 on my first season on Pro with the 49ers, and lost to the Giants in the playoffs by 3.

I'm 4-0 in the second season, but my pass D is awful. Every QB has thrown for 300-400 yards. My run D is top notch, though. No RB has had over 10 yards rushing vs me in the 4 games.

Gromit

I'm starting to realize that NFL2K5 is a much better game than EA's NCAA 2005 (apple and oranges?).

NCAA is pissing me off.

On the 3rd difficulty level (all american?), it's either so easy it's boring or impossible to win. During the regular season I gave up *1* touchdown. I can't do anything on offense though. Then I got beat in the SEC Championship and the Rose Bowl. It didn't feel 'right' though. It wasn't like the computer just played better, it was like the computer decided right of the bat that there's no way in hell I was going to win these games. I went something like 4 for 30 passing. Easy passes just get dropped. I'm using UGA. David Greene to Fred Gibson should result in SOME offense, especially when Gibson is open.

Then I played with the sliders, adjusting the offense all the way up. I played a couple of games against top 5 teams and it was the same thing, nothing works on offense.

As far as I can tell, teams that aren't in the top 10 don't even show up. Teams in the top 10 REALLY show up. Yes, I realize what I'm saying: better teams are more of a challenge. But it doesn't come across as a better team using their abilities to beat me. It's just more dropped passes. I played NFL2K5 some tonight and while I suck at it too, at least it's more fun.

Deftones

That's the exact same thing I was thinking.

Lastblade

I play on All-Pro, it actually is pretty easy..... The computer can't run for crap on me at all, and because I use NE Patriots, my secondary usually gets 2 to 3 interception a game (although because of injury, my rating, both offense/defense are in the mid 70's).

I went 16-0 in season 1 and won the Superbowl (never replay any game), currently 10-0 in season two. Although, I find it alot harder to score in season 2. Not sure why, but the games are alot closer and usually the opponent scores first (was down 14-0 to a 2-5 Buffalo team until I came from behind hehe).

fujishig

Well, you definitely need to tweak the NCAA sliders... recievers just don't catch for crap, at any difficulty setting. To be honest, since I've gotten ESPN, I've hardly picked it up (though with the college season having just started, I'll probably give it another go).

Football games have become really advanced, to the point that at the higher difficulty settings, you have to have the right defensive formation or you'll get killed every time. Also, you have to learn to control your reciever and catch the ball, and also learn to quickly switch to the nearest defender and not blow the tackle. Sure, the computer cheats, but really, what else could it do?

Of course, I stink too, so I usually try to pick a team that has an already decent defense, so I don't have to do much. Offense, you can pretty much control (unless your O-line stinks), since the QB or RB are so important, but you rely so much on the computer on defense, they better be pretty good.

Still, I'm waiting for one of my all time favorite classic games to come out on that Midway collection: cyberball.

cheapskate

How much do you want for your XBOX?

Lethal Nemesis

Ditto. It was like deja vu.

Joe Molotov

Better luck next August, I guess.

RudeBoie

I always liked TV Sports Football for the TG16 : P

No, really.

Neitzl

Heh, i thought someone had bumped up that thread from last year. It'sl most a year to the day since that last football thread.

Phuzbox

We should have a yearly "Thunderball sucks at video game football" thread.

Josh H

I hear you. I've pretty much given up on sports games. The AI is just too tough for me anymore (rookie is way to easy) and I don't have the interest in them anymore to put in the time it takes to learn all the plays, formations, etc.

dancinns

I never could get the hang of passing in that game. I don't think I ever scored a touchdown

darkside

Thought it was just me. Rookie too easy and Pro too hard on ESPN Football. I played with the sliders, but could never get it where I want it. After five games on the Pro setting I was 0-5. I could never complete a pass. I don't like the idea of having to take control of the receiver to catch a pass. In the past the computer could handle this task. With todays games it seems you have to do everything including blocking for your quarterback since the compter does such a shitty job at that as well.

I used to love video game Football up to about Madden 99, but its gotten way too detailed for me. I just have no interest in it being that realistic. I don't know how to read a nickle defense and have no interest in learning.

I'll go back to the greatest football game ever made. Tecmo Super Bowl.

Other than that Basketball (and even that is starting to suck now that the computer AI does nothing but crossover dribbles the whole game) and Golf is about all I can handle on a console anymore. It sucks to get old. I can't even play sports in my living room anymore.