help...i need aFootball game for a non sports fan

[severd hed]

Hey guys..i need your help. I am not really into sports games at all, but some of my friends are. When we get together to play xbox, we always play halo, and a few other first person shooters, and i almost always dominate them. ( a few especially who then decide they no longer wnat to play halo with me) So i decided that maybe i will give a football game a chance. I have no real interest in real football. but a football video game could be fun. Plus it would be awesome to beat him at football and fps shooters. the problem is, the only football game i ever really played was NFL2k on the dreamcast..and that was only a few times. I know that the latest xbox football games are awesome, but the problem is, i couldnt name more than about 5 teams, cant name any of the players, dont know any of the plays, and couldnt really tell you what any of the positions are, or what they are suposed to do, and im sure i dont know all of the little rules that i would need to.

everyone keeps telling me how the new ESPN 2k5 game is awesome, and only $20. which seems to make it a cood candidate. but upon reading the reviews..it seems alot deeper than i care to go. I want a game where i can basically select a team, and play football. try to learn what i need to do. learn what plays to pick..and how to execute them properly, and how to decide on what formation to line up in. (how the hell are you supposed to know that anyway?) hopefully somethign with a good tutorial mode, because i really know very little about football.

what i dont want is to have to manage a team, worry about trading players, choosing their salary, adjusting hot dog prices and stupid **** like that. i want a game where i can play a game of football, not a simulation of a football team manager, i dont want to have to decide what brand of shoes my quarterback wears, or how much he pays for rent each month, what he has to eat, dental benefits for the stadium janitors, how many pickels are on the hamburgers my running back eats, and all of that ridiculous stuff. i just want to play football in it's basic form.


can i do that with this game? can i pick it up, select a team and just play, and hopefully learn what to do? if not, is there a good game i can do this with? or should i just stick with nfl2k on the dreamcast, since i already have it. Is there a football game that i can pickup and play, without knowing anything about football? I think football games could be fun to play, but when i play with my friends, it isnt any fun, because i dont know what i am doing. then they make fun of me for choosing a stupid play, or not pulling it off right. i dont want to spend too much money on it, because i may decide that it really isnt as fun as i had hoped, and i dont want to be out too much money. (especially with all of the great FPS on their way this year)

help.

[Darkside]

I say go for NFL 2k5

Brand new game
20.00 bucks. heck i don't like sports and I'm going to pick it up

[LTM360]

I don't like annual sports games... period.

Bought ESPN and love it (but suck at it), go for that because for $20 you can't go wrong.

[SkoalMint]

I'd definitely recommend ESPN based on the price alone. Having said that, I think either Madden or ESPN would do what you want them to do. Basically, you can just play games for fun or you can get down to the micromanagement levels in both. Everything from trading players and managing the salary cap to setting hotdog prices in Madden (not sure if that is in this year's version but I suspect it is). ESPN has a decent "Coaches Pick" play calling option. Basically, between plays, you just pull the L trigger and it will automatically recommend a formation and play whether your on offense or defense. After you mess around with that some and get the hang of what works and what doesn't, you should have a better feel for play calling. I believe Madden has a similar feature. ESPN also has a practice mode and a situation mode where you can try different things in different scenarios. I suspect Madden does as well. For what it sounds like you're looking for, I think both games would serve you well with ESPN edging out Madden due to the price.

[JJaX]

ESPN can be enjoyed without tapping into its depth.

Its 20 bucks, the game is hot. You cant lose.

[AlphaCigara]

ESPN for sure, especially for someone like you that doesn't know much about football games. Even if it's not exactly what you want, it's only $20. About the pick a team and play, as long as you don't touch the franchise mode, that's all you ever do . Like SkoalMint said, the coach's pick is perfect for people (like me) who don't really know what play to choose to match the persons offense/defense

[CRAYMAN]

Fever 04!!!!!!!!!!!!!11111!!!!!!!!1111!!!!1!














Jk, Espn 05.

[OC Noob]

I 6th ESPN and 3rd its coachs pick option to help with play calling. You really don't need to be a great play caller either. My friend is obsesed with football (coachs hgih school) and has played since he was 8 years old. I know formations, but thats about it (and were the guys are going for the play I call).

He lets me pick a good team while he gets his favorite team (Lions) as a bit of a handy cap and I beat him more then 50% of the time at Madden and i don't even own it. Its most important to have a good team and find a few plays you really like so you can switch it up a bit. As long as you have good players and the other person doesn't know what you are going to do every down, you can beat most casual players like your friends.

[RockTheCasba]

get espn

[severd hed]

well, i bought espn 2k5..and i must say that it is not nearly as much fun as i had hoped it would be. i went through all of the training modes..and played a quick game..but it is just more frustrating than enjoyable. i really dont understand how people get into these games. there is too much to try to keep track of. it is too hard to watch your quarter back, and keep an eye on your receivers, plus try to remember which button to press. it's like doing 14 things at once. I was hoping it would be somewhat forgiving..but it is just way too difficult. then you get penalized for delay of game..because i took more than 2 seconds selecting a play. then later, i pick a play and im ready to go..adn then there is some stupid ass 2 minute warning..and it makes me pick a new play...wtf??? football blows. hopefully EB will take this game back tomorrow. cause even though it was only $17 preowned..it isnt really worth that. i had more fun playing rogue ops and blowout. thanks anyway guys...i just really hate football more than i thought i would.

i'm off to play doom 3....a real game

[OC Noob]

well, i bought espn 2k5..and i must say that it is not nearly as much fun as i had hoped it would be. i went through all of the training modes..and played a quick game..but it is just more frustrating than enjoyable. i really dont understand how people get into these games. there is too much to try to keep track of. it is too hard to watch your quarter back, and keep an eye on your receivers, plus try to remember which button to press. it's like doing 14 things at once. I was hoping it would be somewhat forgiving..but it is just way too difficult. then you get penalized for delay of game..because i took more than 2 seconds selecting a play. then later, i pick a play and im ready to go..adn then there is some stupid ass 2 minute warning..and it makes me pick a new play...wtf??? football blows. hopefully EB will take this game back tomorrow. cause even though it was only $17 preowned..it isnt really worth that. i had more fun playing rogue ops and blowout. thanks anyway guys...i just really hate football more than i thought i would.

i'm off to play doom 3....a real game

Usually, people don't have the problems you have because they give the game more then 10 minutes. Once you've picked up on one football game, the rest are all basically the same. Its not rocket science. Just like getting good at FPS, it takes a bit of time.

Oh well, to each his own. Its just a shame you didn't know you weren't willing to give it a fair chance in the first place. You could have saved yourself $17.

[JJaX]

well, i bought espn 2k5..and i must say that it is not nearly as much fun as i had hoped it would be. i went through all of the training modes..and played a quick game..but it is just more frustrating than enjoyable. i really dont understand how people get into these games. there is too much to try to keep track of. it is too hard to watch your quarter back, and keep an eye on your receivers, plus try to remember which button to press. it's like doing 14 things at once. I was hoping it would be somewhat forgiving..but it is just way too difficult. then you get penalized for delay of game..because i took more than 2 seconds selecting a play. then later, i pick a play and im ready to go..adn then there is some stupid ass 2 minute warning..and it makes me pick a new play...wtf??? football blows. hopefully EB will take this game back tomorrow. cause even though it was only $17 preowned..it isnt really worth that. i had more fun playing rogue ops and blowout. thanks anyway guys...i just really hate football more than i thought i would.

i'm off to play doom 3....a real game

Spoken like a man who doesnt like sports.

Keep your fingers crossed for that ESPN cheerleader sim.

A MAN who doesn't like football, whats next? A Gay Governor?

Walks out of thread, head nodding in shame

[Duke]

whats next? A Gay Governor?

Now that's just crazy talk.

[severd hed]

i just dont see the point in watching grown men get payed to play a game. it is stupid. I was hoping a game could be fun, but it is more frustrating than anything..too much to keep track of. Stupid penalties that dont make any sense..it just isnt fun. i guess, i just like games that are fun. If i wanted to play football, i could get some friends and go out and play football. i want games that allow me to do things i cant do in real life. I thought that maybe, by skipping the main mode in the football game,i could just play around a bit and have fun..but it is still so much to keep track of. you cant play the game without knowing all of the ridiculous rules, that they dont bother to explian to you. If you dont have an in depth knowlege of football before trying to play the game, you cant play. they penalize you for things, yet dont bother to explain why. I was hoping to overlook this and get an enjoyable game out of the deal..but football is just lame..plain and simple.

i have a few friends who were talking about getting this game..so maybe one of them will buy it off of me...hopefully anyway.

[OC Noob]

i just dont see the point in watching grown men get payed to play a game. it is stupid. I was hoping a game could be fun, but it is more frustrating than anything..too much to keep track of. Stupid penalties that dont make any sense..it just isnt fun. i guess, i just like games that are fun. If i wanted to play football, i could get some friends and go out and play football. i want games that allow me to do things i cant do in real life. I thought that maybe, by skipping the main mode in the football game,i could just play around a bit and have fun..but it is still so much to keep track of. you cant play the game without knowing all of the ridiculous rules, that they dont bother to explian to you. If you dont have an in depth knowlege of football before trying to play the game, you cant play. they penalize you for things, yet dont bother to explain why. I was hoping to overlook this and get an enjoyable game out of the deal..but football is just lame..plain and simple.

i have a few friends who were talking about getting this game..so maybe one of them will buy it off of me...hopefully anyway.

Penalties in footbal video games are often random events like funbles, so I always turn them off. You can do that, but that won't make the game any more apealing to you. There isn't a problem with the game, you just don't like it and no amount of tweaking will fix that. Nothing wrong with not liking it, you don't need to be quite so hostile towards it, but whatever.

Remeber, there is always ebay or the classifieds here if your friends don't take it. I'm sure you can get most of that $17 back

[Ford Mustang]

Well...Football bames are made for people that have a clue about football. If you have no clue what it's about...Like if you don't know what a Neutral Zone Infraction is...Or what WR or CB stand for...Then you might have a hard time playing a football game.

[CharlieHustle]

Are we talking to a girl??? I dont know many men who dont care for football, and better yet football games... Most of us only buy consoles for two reasons; football games and rpg's, well three now(halo). If you dont understand football and the games, where have you been?? Uranus?? Everything you are bytchin about is the norm in the games.. And mind you, you asked us for advice about playin a football game. You night need to get nfl blitz.. that should appeal to you.. If not, ill see if EA is making paris hilton's cheerleadin 06.

[AlBoogy]

i just dont see the point in watching grown men get payed to play a game.

As opposed to what? Grown men playing games and NOT getting paid? Sounds like all of us. Looks to me like they get the better end of the deal

[severd hed]

im not saying that the game sucks..im sure that it is a good game...i just dont like it. (i also dont like RPGs) i dont like games that you have to learn to play before you can play them. i want a game i can pick up and play and get right to the action, regardless of the subject matter. Im not trying to bash the football game..im just saying it clearly isnt for me. im sure i can find someone who wants it..it looked like a good football game.

and personally, i find it ridiculous that we as a society pay people millions of dollars/year to play a stupid game, while the majority of us have to struggle to pay our bills. professional sports are stupid, and a waste of time and money. nobody deserves to make millions of dollars to run around with a ball for a few hours.

which brings me back to games..i just dont like sports games and rpgs. games used to be just that..games. something you could pick up and play for a little while, then move on. but now everyone is heading towards all of this micromanagement crap. where instead of just controlling your characters and makign them jump and run and kill...now you hvae to decide what they have for breakfast, how they earn their living, where they get their hair cut and a bunch of ridiculous stuff like that. i dont want to spend 20 hours in a game just to earn a new pair of boots to wear. IT looks like the new GTA game is also going to suffer from this same fate. i dont want to run someone's life in a video game...i have my own to deal with. when i play a game, i want to do something that i cant do in real life..like run around in a space station in mars, killing off demons. if you ask me..thats much more entertaining than deciding what some guy is going to wear.

[CRAYMAN]

well, i bought espn 2k5..and i must say that it is not nearly as much fun as i had hoped it would be. i went through all of the training modes..and played a quick game..but it is just more frustrating than enjoyable. i really dont understand how people get into these games. there is too much to try to keep track of. it is too hard to watch your quarter back, and keep an eye on your receivers, plus try to remember which button to press. it's like doing 14 things at once. I was hoping it would be somewhat forgiving..but it is just way too difficult. then you get penalized for delay of game..because i took more than 2 seconds selecting a play. then later, i pick a play and im ready to go..adn then there is some stupid ass 2 minute warning..and it makes me pick a new play...wtf??? football blows. hopefully EB will take this game back tomorrow. cause even though it was only $17 preowned..it isnt really worth that. i had more fun playing rogue ops and blowout. thanks anyway guys...i just really hate football more than i thought i would.

i'm off to play doom 3....a real game

Hahahaha, that's hilarious.
You're absolutely RIGHT! There is way too much to keep track of.
In a matter of seconds, you must analyze the defense, keep an eye out for blitzes, find the open receiver, press the corresponding button and determine lob or bullet or ?.
There is a learning curve that is STEEP. And to enjoy the game you must understand the basic rules of football. If you don't care about football, it's going to be difficult motivating yourself to learn the necessary details and practice enough to ensure an enjoyable experience.
Have fun with Doom 3!