Madden 99 for the PC
Mike Kohary
since I will never again purchase any game without some solid reviews
first. ;) (I learned that lesson for the last time after picking up
Outpost several years back....)
So, anyone here buy it? Not for the Playstation - I want to hear about
the PC version. I'm sure the graphics are great, but how is the
gameplay? Can I rush for 400 yards a game? Can I go 16-0 and post a
9,000 yard passing season, like in past Madden games? Or have they
finally made an action sim worth buying? If anyone has it, post your
review, please!
Mike
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ned_flanders
>
>I've been looking for reviews of this somewhere (it is out in stores),
>since I will never again purchase any game without some solid reviews
>first. ;) (I learned that lesson for the last time after picking up
>Outpost several years back....)
>
>So, anyone here buy it? Not for the Playstation - I want to hear about
>the PC version. I'm sure the graphics are great, but how is the
>gameplay? Can I rush for 400 yards a game? Can I go 16-0 and post a
>9,000 yard passing season, like in past Madden games? Or have they
>finally made an action sim worth buying? If anyone has it, post your
>review, please!
>
>Mike
I bought it last week. I already had Gameday, and Madden blows it away. First
of all, you have a practice mode, with or without defenses, where you can
practice. The gameplay is great. If you especially watch the linbackers - they
don't just play center field as in a lot of games. They actually assign
themselves, run backwards, turn to cover, etc. I have been playing in the
default 5 minute mode, and Watters has been ripping off some good runs - but
never getting more than about 50 -60 yds a game. It seems like you have less
time on the 40 second clock.
This also has franchise mode. You make yourself the coach, and go through 5
seasons. Players retire, you draft, you get free agents, etc. If your winning
percentage gets bad enough, they fire you!
The graphics are unbelievable. You can clearly read every players jersey name,
and they do a closeup of the player involved after each play. In some (Watters,
especially), he has his hands on his knees, and you can see his chest expanding
when he is sucking wind!
Madden and Sumerall keep their comments to a minimum, and it isn't as repetious
as Phil Simms in Gameday, commenting on every play.
I've had a couple of tech problems that I havent figured out. First of all,
dont believe the specs on the box if you are running a slower machine. I'm
running a 233 with a 2 MEG AGP video card (hardwired, so I cant upgrade, thank
you COMPAQ). The game runs fine, but the opening videos are choppy. Also have
had some problems with my Sidewinder gamepad freezing up for 30 secons or so a
couple of time a game (I lead the league in delay of game penaltys). Probably a
sound card driver update problem, but havent had the time to surf for the
upgrade.
Hope this helps - IMO, its well worth 35 bucks
-Ned-
>--
ja...@boingy.com
mko...@earthlink.net wrote:
> I've been looking for reviews of this somewhere (it is out in stores),
> since I will never again purchase any game without some solid reviews
> first. ;)
Hey Mike,
First of all, how do you like Gameday '99? I seem to remember you, and Bill
being pretty excited about it... I have heard that the AI gets boring after
several 450 yard rushing games, though.
Here's a link to a review by the Sports Gaming Network:
(http://www.sports-gaming.com/football/madden99/review.shtml)
First of all, I have seen some reviews that are less favorable than this one.
It seems that the graphics have stunning realism, but the gameplay may suffer
from chronic "Madden-issues" (I have '97, BTW), such as when playing a
standard game in "Pro"-level (or medium), there are still certain
"money-plays" (such as a hb-sweep in previous versions) that always work.
Apparently the AI doesn't completely address these.
Also, I was reading the season stats of someone, that showed through 9 games,
(they were Denver, and this was on "Pro"-level) Terrell Davis had 1863
rushing yards, and the next highest, Jerome Bettis, had 383. Also, John
Elway had 3456 passing yards, with the next highest, Drew Bledsoe, having
897. That is completely outrageous.
Don't get me wrong, Madden has made some improvements over previous versions,
including a "FBPro-lite" (as the reviewer said) franchise mode, which makes
you the GM for fifteen seasons. Not as many controls, as FBP (which had
concession sales, ticket marketing, and a reported fifty year franchise
mode), but definitely a start. Also, Madden FINALLY incorporates a
play-editor, which FBP also sports.
So, I believe that Madden '99 is the choice for the arcade-fan, but not
necessarily the fan of the complete game. Sierra has very realistic gameplay,
as well as graphics nearly on par with Madden. That is the reason that Sierra
is my choice. (Keep in mind, also, that FBP, retails at ten bucks less than
Madden, but won't be available until mid-December)
Just my take,
Jake
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Brian
Personally I have the N64 version and the game is great. I particularly
love the franchise mode. You retire older players, re-sign free agents,
dabble in the free agent market and draft, trying to keep your team on top.
I've won one SB with the Hawks over 3 seasons. I managed to trade Chad
Brown for Ryan Leaf (Moon retired after the first season and Kitna/Friez
ratings sucked) and he is now a premier QB. Galloway becomes a stud with
near perfect ratings. Unfortunately the O-line on the right side
deteriorates rapidly with advancing age and needed some shoring up again
from drafts and free agents. And don't think its easy to build a good team.
THere is a salary cap and players negotiate quite viciously for good
contracts. Other teams don't trade lightly although the Brown for Leaf
trade was quite a coop (at the time Leaf was rated at 81 and Brown was 98
which is the only reason SD went for it)
As you can tell from this post, I would have loved this game if the gameplay
sucked just for the franchise mode. But the gameplay is great and the AI
increasingly difficult. I am still using pro mode as i get killed in
all-pro unless I have a vastly superior team (i.e 85 Bears).
I assume the PC version will be great if you have a good enough system.
BT
Mike Kohary wrote in message <3628EF47...@earthlink.net>...
>I've been looking for reviews of this somewhere (it is out in stores),
>since I will never again purchase any game without some solid reviews
ja...@boingy.com
> I've had a couple of tech problems that I havent figured out. First of all,
> dont believe the specs on the box if you are running a slower machine. I'm
> running a 233 with a 2 MEG AGP video card (hardwired, so I cant upgrade, thank
> you COMPAQ). The game runs fine, but the opening videos are choppy. Also
have
> had some problems with my Sidewinder gamepad freezing up for 30 secons or so a
> couple of time a game (I lead the league in delay of game penaltys). Probably
a
> sound card driver update problem, but havent had the time to surf for the
> upgrade.
I have also heard that there have been very serious problems, with the game
freezing up, on turf only, during the second half of games... Don't know what
is up with that.
I have heard quite a few people give this game good reviews -- especially
with the top-of-the-line graphics. The reason that I am going with Sierra,
is mainly for the realism aspect, because I already have a Madden version
('97), and it is VERY unrealistic.
FBP '99 is really a game more for the "stat geeks", and I think it might be
fun to see what it is like to control the whole aspect of a franchise -- from
managing concession prices, to deciding whether to accept of decline trade
offers, to negotiating with free agents, to draft-day manuevering.
William J. Bessette
: So, anyone here buy it? Not for the Playstation - I want to hear about
: the PC version. I'm sure the graphics are great, but how is the
: gameplay? Can I rush for 400 yards a game? Can I go 16-0 and post a
: 9,000 yard passing season, like in past Madden games? Or have they
: finally made an action sim worth buying? If anyone has it, post your
: review, please!
I've got it (big surpise, eh?) Haven't played it enough to give you a
good review though. Graphics are great, but the control/interface seems
really clunky.
Bill
--
+====================+========================================+
| Bill Bessette |"The most merciful thing in the world, |
| Systems Manager | I think, is the inability of the human |
| Burlington, NJ | mind to correlate all its contents." |
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| dsq...@li.net | http://www.li.net/~dsquid |
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scorpion1027
>
> Ned Flanders wrote:
>
> > I've had a couple of tech problems that I havent figured out. First of all,
> > dont believe the specs on the box if you are running a slower machine. I'm
> > running a 233 with a 2 MEG AGP video card (hardwired, so I cant upgrade, thank
> > you COMPAQ). The game runs fine, but the opening videos are choppy. Also
> have
> > had some problems with my Sidewinder gamepad freezing up for 30 secons or so a
> > couple of time a game (I lead the league in delay of game penaltys). Probably
> a
> > sound card driver update problem, but havent had the time to surf for the
> > upgrade.
>
> I have also heard that there have been very serious problems, with the game
> freezing up, on turf only, during the second half of games... Don't know what
> is up with that.
Those of you who own it may want to check EA's website and see if they
have a patch disk which remedies any of these glitches. Funny thing
about patches; the manufacturer claims they fix bugs, but so often it
seems like they don't.
Although I have been a zealous FBPro guy myself for years, there is one
practical reason to choose FPS over Madden or Gameday: price. Even with
the major redesign and upgrade of the game, the price is still a very
user friendly $29.95. Given Sierra's recent reputation of being
corporate profit takers who don't care about improving their games [esp.
recent FBPro series], hats off to them for making the changes and not
sticking it to their loyal long time players, who they know will
probably still buy the game even if
it were price $20 higher.
--Jeff, who can't believe he just complimented <GASP> Sierra... :>)
Mike Kohary
>
> Hey Mike,
>
> First of all, how do you like Gameday '99? I seem to remember you, and Bill
> being pretty excited about it... I have heard that the AI gets boring after
> several 450 yard rushing games, though.
It's cool as far as it goes, but it has serious flaws and doesn't really
go far enough. Bill and I never tried playing over the net, but that's
ok, because I tried playing with some other folks, and....well, let's
just say there's a lot of work to be done in that area before it's
viable. So, that selling point is gone. But there are other problems:
the passing game is nigh impossible - I can't tell you how many wide
open receivers just flat don't catch a perfectly thrown ball. Very
frustrating; I manage 35% completion rates on average. Running game, on
the other hand, is super easy. Also suffers from Consolitis - mainly,
no save games.
So I enjoyed it for a while, but it's been collecting dust for a few
weeks now. The search for the perfect football sim/game goes on....
Thanks to everyone for the comments; I'm encouraged by the good
reviews. Still, this is the Madden series, and while it's been great on
the consoles, it's been strangely underwhelming on PCs, so I will wait
for all the pro and mag reviews, and check it out in person (or buy it
somewhere where I can return it). I don't know what is so hard about
just making a solid football game for a computer; no one yet has done
it. Tom Landry Deluxe came oh so close, just no good action mode.
Crossing my fingers,
John Alley
It should use the Unreal engine and several people should be able to play on
the same team simultaneously.
So one guy, at his machine, would play the quarterback, somebody else on a
different machine, would play a RB, somebody else a wideout, etc.
It should all be real-time, The clock should run as it would in a real game.
Each computer should have a live mike so players can yell, "Fumble!" and be
heard by the other players. With a live mike, the quarterback could audible
and the defense could change alignments during the snap count.
And of course, it should have CD quality grunting and swearing.
I'd buy that.
-John
Microsoft CSD
External Integration Test
"Square peg? Round Hole? No Problem."
Mike Kohary wrote in message <362C3592...@earthlink.net>...
Mike Kohary
>
> Somebody needs to write a first person <AKA DOOMlike> pro football game.
>
> It should use the Unreal engine and several people should be able to play on
> the same team simultaneously.
>
> So one guy, at his machine, would play the quarterback, somebody else on a
> different machine, would play a RB, somebody else a wideout, etc.
>
> It should all be real-time, The clock should run as it would in a real game.
>
> Each computer should have a live mike so players can yell, "Fumble!" and be
> heard by the other players. With a live mike, the quarterback could audible
> and the defense could change alignments during the snap count.
>
> And of course, it should have CD quality grunting and swearing.
>
> I'd buy that.
So would I; I like it. :)
I folded and bought Madden 99 after all - I made sure the store would
take it back if I didn't like it. My review is forthcoming, but I have
this to say right now: this ain't the same Madden you're thinking of,
my search for the next great football game appears to be over, and I
threw out my receipt yesterday. :) More later.....
Mike
--
______________________________________________
|Mike Kohary |
|Seattle, WA http://kohary.simplenet.com |