Backbreaker Producer Q&A (ESPN Videogames)

[mm boost]

This has definitely become a must buy for me, June 1st, this bastard is mine. Have you guys stopped and thought about this in the long run? With NM perfecting their gameplay engine and leaving out some of the bells and whistles (sidelines, commentators, etc), if this game succeeds, next year if and when they come out with a 2nd game and possibly have an NFL license to back, all they have to do is work on features, announcing, and presentation, the game play engine will be perfected and in tact and they won't have to change anything. This is HUGE! This means they can spend a full developmental year cycle devoted to commentating, graphics, sidelines, championship games, pretty much all the appearance aspects of the game. Can you imagine a full year devoted to details only and not half of the year having to retweak the gamplay engine like EA has to do year in and year out? my lord!!

[Blzer]

Quote: Originally Posted by mm boost

This has definitely become a must buy for me, June 1st, this bastard is mine. Have you guys stopped and thought about this in the long run? With NM perfecting their gameplay engine and leaving out some of the bells and whistles (sidelines, commentators, etc), if this game succeeds, next year if and when they come out with a 2nd game and possibly have an NFL license to back, all they have to do is work on features, announcing, and presentation, the game play engine will be perfected and in tact and they won't have to change anything. This is HUGE! This means they can spend a full developmental year cycle devoted to commentating, graphics, sidelines, championship games, pretty much all the appearance aspects of the game. Can you imagine a full year devoted to details only and not half of the year having to retweak the gamplay engine like EA has to do year in and year out? my lord!!

I don't know about you, but I see a lot of things at the line for gameplay that I would like to be tweaked in this iteration of Backbreaker. No matter, you're right that gameplay would no longer have to be their priority.

[GIveMeR3alFooTball]

Quote: Originally Posted by mm boost

This has definitely become a must buy for me, June 1st, this bastard is mine. Have you guys stopped and thought about this in the long run? With NM perfecting their gameplay engine and leaving out some of the bells and whistles (sidelines, commentators, etc), if this game succeeds, next year if and when they come out with a 2nd game and possibly have an NFL license to back, all they have to do is work on features, announcing, and presentation, the game play engine will be perfected and in tact and they won't have to change anything. This is HUGE! This means they can spend a full developmental year cycle devoted to commentating, graphics, sidelines, championship games, pretty much all the appearance aspects of the game. Can you imagine a full year devoted to details only and not half of the year having to retweak the gamplay engine like EA has to do year in and year out? my lord!!

yes i thought about that too and oh i hope it happens the way . i'm a big nfl junkie and this game with the nfl tag on it wud prolly make me o.d.

[mm boost]

Quote: Originally Posted by Blzer

I don't know about you, but I see a lot of things at the line for gameplay that I would like to be tweaked in this iteration of Backbreaker. No matter, you're right that gameplay would no longer have to be their priority.

I know not everything is perfect man, but what I mean is in general. Look at EA...they have to change control schemes, they gotta change AI tendencies, they gotta change gameplans, they gotta change receiver catching, they gotta change a running motion, etc. With this engine, where its close to real life humans playing on the game, you don't have to focus so much on the game play engine and can dive deeper into details, presentation, and appearance. This really opens the door to the future!

[23]

Im still not following you on this.. care to go into more detail?

Why would they not need to change playing styles or player tendencies or anything?

[TreyIM2]

Quote: Originally Posted by blackscorpion11

Copy that, I was actually making a statement, not really asking a question... I wonder if this is a one-time effort to showcase the technology for sale to another company..thats where im headed with this.. They had plenty of time to incorporate features such as injuries and fatigue...absent these features automatically makes this and "arcade" football game. IMO

I said this same exact thing but in more detail a few times and the last time, I was attacked as if I don't know what I'm talking about. I made the statement based on the fact that NM approached EA with this gaming engine for Madden and they were turned back. I stated that MAYBE EA wanted NM to show and prove with a football game that actually works, first, and how people would respond to it then they would MAYBE bring them in house.

The thought was why would EA take such a huge gamble spending mega dollars on NM's Euphoria engine if they couldn't get it to work right? There would be a ton of dev time that would have to be dedicated to a brand new engine especially one that EA didn't create themselves. Not to mention EA would have to try to apply much of what they have created for Madden to the Euphoria engine. Lots of work, there. Could take 2-3 yrs to get it to the point of producing a retail version of Madden using that engine.

I know that NM has since stated things about the future of the BB franchise and such but that could all be smoke screens. This whole thing could apply to the NHL game NM is supposed to be about to dev, as well.

Whatever the case, if it's not going to happen, it doesn't, and maybe NM will have their hands on the NFL license down the road and can apply it to "NFL Backbreaker 2014" or sumthin. If it does happen, Madden gets EXTREMELY improved and either way, gamers will be happy.

[JMD]

Quote: Originally Posted by Afrikan

I like these screens also.... the receiver is trying to prevent an INT. this stadium looks sick!

Are you kidding me? Is that Stadium pic from the game? That looks stunning. I was a bit concerned that only having 10 stadiums would get old fast, but if they all look that great, I see no problem.

[mm boost]

Quote: Originally Posted by 23

Im still not following you on this.. care to go into more detail? Why would they not need to change playing styles or player tendencies or anything?

They've been developing their gameplay for years and it is the main focus for this game. The players interact with each other like real humans. With them having an engine like that, there is only so much work it will require each year to bring it up to do date. You look at Madden's series...for the last 10 or so years, every year you play the game, the game engine has changed (for better or for worse) each time as they try to get it to play better and then it messes up other areas of the game. With the gameplay in backbreaker, you can see it in motion and can tell that everything looks so natural. They will only have to polish it up each year to bring it up to date, and in the meantime, they can focus more on adding bells and whistles and focusing on presentation.