Licenses over gameplay

[stevemagoo]

With all the chat currently being about licensing being THE top priority for some people, i thought i'd set up a poll to see what the general consensus is:

Would people like to have fully licensed teams first, and then the extra gameplay "like to haves" addressed in the next iteration of the game (2013?)

or

Would people prefer having the gameplay running at a much higher level at the expense of licenses?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

If the game was good, i honestly wouldn't mind if the licenses weren't there.
I played Pro Evo for many years before getting a Fifa game, and the games were alot of fun to play, and you didn't really notice after a few games that they weren't official teams/players.

 

[Duckdee]

I hope HB can say something on this topic, soon. Just a simple "yes, we're looking at licenses," or "no, we're not."

 

[stevemagoo]

Exactly Olyy - I remember playing Pro Evo a few years back and being delighted that my player was leading the top scorer rankings, even though his name was Orange098!! It didn't matter as i was more interested in the amazing way that it played.

 

[mikeeboy]

I'd definitely take gameplay over licenses but it doubt very much if it's a simple trade off in the real world, so what's the point in choosing.

It's like asking what would you prefer to have in the game, scrums or lineouts. Ummm both please.

 

[Darhf]

Why choose ?

I want both. HB, make it happen.

 

[ranger]

Why choose ?

I want both. HB, make it happen.

Wow the budget issues just up and went away after that comment. Here i was thinking that a lack of money was going to be a hassle, but no we can just tell HB to "Make it happen". Why didn't i think of that...

 

[Jaymzw]

Dont think the options are sufficient! Thats like me asking do you want communist or a dictat leader?

You simply cant answer, the way you would like. I do like the question though. To answer what I think, Licensing is important to me personally, gameplay i expect to be next gen level. So I would expect to see gameplay improved beyond the last (previous gen) of rugby games, but licensing is also a must because I dont want a step backwards! I realise that the budget is supposed to be small, but why make a game if it isnt going to be done to a decent next gen level? But if those things were done and it came down to whether or not to say for example introduce more competitions or refine gameplay, i'd probably want gameplay improved first...

Jaymzw

 

[Darhf]

Wow the budget issues just up and went away after that comment. Here i was thinking that a lack of money was going to be a hassle, but no we can just tell HB to "Make it happen". Why didn't i think of that...

It's up to HB to manage their budget. Am I HB ? I'm not. Why should I care ?

If you want me to balance HB ressources according to their budget, give me the full picture. How could I make a decision based out of thin air ?

I want it all. Tell me the salaries of the devs, the price of the licenses, the kind of planned deals (club, tournament, player syndicate or national federation based negociations ?) which company will focus-test and balance the game and how much they ask for it. Is there a public beta ? When in the development process ? Is licencing DLC planned ? At what price ? Is there a sponsorhip agreement ? How much revenue is planned from in-game advertisement ?

Until then, the budget is not my f^#@]^~' problem. I'm a consumer and I want both licenses and a great gameplay. And for a low price if possible.

I'd rather have great gameplay and licenses and NOT have commentary nor licensed music. This option isn't in the poll.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

That's a good point,
I'd prefer to have the extra X amount of money put into the actual game, than have the latest offering from *Insert pop/rock band here* on the soundtrack

 

[ranger]

It's up to HB to manage their budget. Am I HB ? I'm not. Why should I care ?

If you want me to balance HB ressources according to their budget, give me the full picture. How could I make a decision based out of thin air ?

I want it all. Tell me the salaries of the devs, the price of the licenses, the kind of planned deals (club, tournament, player syndicate or national federation based negociations ?) which company will focus-test and balance the game and how much they ask for it. Is there a public beta ? When in the development process ? Is licencing DLC planned ? At what price ? Is there a sponsorhip agreement ? How much revenue is planned from in-game advertisement ?

Until then, the budget is not my f^#@]^~' problem. I'm a consumer and I want both licenses and a great gameplay. And for a low price if possible.

I'd rather have great gameplay and licenses and NOT have commentary nor licensed music. This option isn't in the poll.

You should care because saying "i just want both" isn't helping anyone.
Assuming you cant have both, pick one. Thats the point of this poll.
Do you think there is anyone here that doesnt want both?

 

[TRF C A Iversen]

No, no ranger, we don't actually want both at all. Those who voted that "gameplay is more important" are actually saying they don't want licenses at all. We're all license hating fools who just want gameplay and if at all possible no front-end GUI.

Personally I think the poll is short an option or two, but nothing as radical as offering all sorts of options like cutting out commentary and licensed music. Yes, I'd rather licensed music went away and custom soundtracks were available to both versions, but still that can't and shouldn't really go into a poll or where do you stop?

 

[Darhf]

You should care because saying "i just want both" isn't helping anyone.
Assuming you cant have both, pick one. Thats the point of this poll.
Do you think there is anyone here that doesnt want both?

No, no ranger, we don't actually want both at all. Those who voted that "gameplay is more important" are actually saying they don't want licenses at all. We're all license hating fools who just want gameplay and if at all possible no front-end GUI.

Caricature much ? The pollster asked either gameplay or licences.

The point is, I really want both equally.
I don't want to be locked forever in multiplayer playing generic player in generic kit in generic team vs generic player in generic kit in generic team in generic stadium.
I don't want a bad, unplayable, unbalanced or unrealistic game either.

I don't want to choose. That's not my role, that's not what I want and I'm pretty sure HB is better off by knowing my real opinion.

The rest is militantism around a pointless debate which is as old as games.

 

[Hatch87]

Some people really do take things to seriously lol. Stevemagoo created a Poll out of posts in other threads, Its not an official pole, just decide. IF you're not sure, um, don't vote lol. Personally would prefer Gameplay over licences any day of the week. Same with graphics, Its a game so I want it to be fun to be play, not amazing to look at. Obviously having superb graphics, full licences and amazing gameplay would be amazing, but this is the first game this gen (hopefully of many) so it won't be perfect.

If it turns out successful, they will have a bigger budget to start with, and a product already in place which will just need a bit of tweaking, hopefully the second one will be before the 2015 world cup.

 

[TRF C A Iversen]

Some people really do take things to seriously lol. Ranger created a Poll out of posts in other threads, Its not an official pole, just decide. IF you're not sure, um, don't vote lol. Personally would prefer Gameplay over licences any day of the week. Same with graphics, Its a game so I want it to be fun to be play, not amazing to look at. Obviously having superb graphics, full licences and amazing gameplay would be amazing, but this is the first game this gen (hopefully of many) so it won't be perfect.

If it turns out successful, they will have a bigger budget to start with, and a product already in place which will just need a bit of tweaking, hopefully the second one will be before the 2015 world cup.

Wow it's a refreshing feeling to read common sense. (Even though it appears Stevemagoo put up the poll).

 

[Hatch87]

Stevemango, thats what I put ;-P (thank god for editing)

 

[Darhf]

Some people really do take things to seriously lol. Stevemagoo created a Poll out of posts in other threads, Its not an official pole, just decide. IF you're not sure, um, don't vote lol.

Oh, I didn't vote. My first answer was clean and simple.Then some random ranger guy somehow took offense at my simple comment and I felt I had to reply

Personally would prefer Gameplay over licences any day of the week. Same with graphics, Its a game so I want it to be fun to be play, not amazing to look at. Obviously having superb graphics, full licences and amazing gameplay would be amazing, but this is the first game this gen (hopefully of many) so it won't be perfect.

To me, atmosphere is essential in a sports game, and essential in rugby, and licensing is a big part of the atmosphere. I started to have fun in the last iterations when the game was modded.

If it turns out successful, they will have a bigger budget to start with, and a product already in place which will just need a bit of tweaking, hopefully the second one will be before the 2015 world cup.

That's divination, not common sense. Why would they get a bigger budget if this game is successful ? It will only prove it can be done with a small budget. Good business sense is doing more for less money over time, not the contrary.
I don't think the rugby gaming space will ever be a yearly market. And 4 years between games is a long time in gaming terms. In 4 years the market changes so much ! we will most likely be in the next generation of console , on another engine or other middlewares...

So should we be stuck with this only rugby game for 4 years, it should be the best game possible, not a good enough or incomplete game, or the cycle will repeat and we will never get a full rugby experience.

 

[Hatch87]

I'm sure the Rugby games use to be yearly, 04, 05, 06 then it went to 08 and now 12 due to lack of interest and poor sales.

Bigger budget may have been the wrong term, what I meant was, as the game will just need to be tweaked next time, the engine and the gameplay will just be a copy and paste rather than built from scratch like this time. Leaving more money for licences etc. The Atmosphere is important, but whats the point in perfect atmosphere, and then the game plays crappy. It would get pretty stale rather quickly.

Plus as HB are funding this themselves, rather than EA like normal, their funds are a lot smaller, if it does become popular, EA might pick it up again. But this is just speculation and who knows what the future holds

 

[TRF C A Iversen]

Thanks for correcting me, it's "divination" not common sense. Wow that was important.

 

[Duckdee]

What alternative team names could there be for any unlicensed teams?

Leicester Tigers - Bengals
Northampton Saints - Angels
Sale Sharks - Dolphins
London Wasps - Hornets
London Irish - Celtics
Newcastle Falcons - Eagles

(Can you tell I watch US sport? )