Players are finally getting paid for old 'NCAA Football' games.
- Thread starter Saunders
- Start date
RunMickeyRun02
Starter
So you're telling me there is a chance?!
NCAA football IS my hobby. I've been limping along on the old game for years now. I keep stats, have databases even make my own software for data import.
What is maddening is the players based on their real life counter parts were never a big factor to me, if anyone else was like me, it wasn't long before you were in season 3 and 4 and all the players that were somewhat based on their real life counterparts were graduated and gone. I was more interested in the fictional counterparts I was recruiting in.
Still if having the actual players with all the correct data was your bag, usually like a week after the game came out someone usually put out a roster you could download as the came comes with a roster editor. Same deal with the schools pulling licenses. The game has one of the best team creation systems ever, you could easily make whatever team wouldn't play ball licensing wise.
Also the players were never named and towards the end tweaked enough that I would think you could get around any likeness issues. They would make say....T-Magic an inch or two shorter or taller, change the city he was from..etc...I'd still have my undies in a bunch for not getting paid if I was him, but legally they seemed okay to me. But like one of the articles said schools were threatening to pull licenses.
RunMickeyRun02
Starter
Another thought I had after posting this. The mod community is quite active when it comes to NCAA. You can get a version of the game not only with the current rosters/teams/conference but with the new playoff and such. Too much time needed for me to dive into this, but perhaps someday I'll dip my programming toes in these waters. If you're looking for an alternative I believe the Operation Sports forum is a good place to start.
RunMickeyRun02
Starter
I don't remember exactly how but I believe Sam Keller was involved (part of one of the lawsuits?) in all of this somehow and I vividly remember a friend of mine saying "I know he was our QB but if he ruin's NCAA (the video game) I'll hate him until the day I die."
I believe Sam Keller is the one who started the first lawsuit. Out of the millions in the settlement he only got something like 15 thousand.
Bigred_inSD
All-Conference
I think the bigger concern wasn't necessarily just how accurate the likeness was, but the generalities of that likeness. For example, let's say I'm 6'6", 305 lbs., black, play defensive tackle, wear the number 94 and play for Houston. Then let's say the game creates a 6'7", 300 lbs., black, defensive tackle who wears the number 94 and plays for Houston.
Yeah, the height may be bit off and so is the weight, but no reasonable person would suggest the game is trying to create a player other than myself. I mean, nobody popped in NCAA Football '01, played as the ridiculously fast "QB #7" from Nebraska and thought they were playing as anyone other than Eric Crouch.
All that said, I agree with the first part of your post. The biggest draw of the game for me wasn't necessarily playing as TMart or any other Husker/college football player. It was building dynasties. I once won a national title with Patrick Witt - yeah, that Patrick Witt. And on the last version of the game, I moved Troy to the SEC, completely revamped their offensive/defensive approach and own them a national title after 5 seasons. Just incredible.
Their lack of success in the professional sports world probably did have something to do with their pursuit of the lawsuit. However, if it wasn't those two, it would've been someone else eventually. As much as I loved and enjoyed the games, I think it's ridiculous that the athletes weren't getting anything despite being virtually represented in a video game.
As a side note, I think EA needs to really put the time and effort into a solid revamp of the series if they do in fact bring it back. One of the best attributes (and greatest failings) of the previous titles were their yearly releases. Sure, we saw some cool feature changes, and we saw some big graphical/gameplay changes with the next gen consoles. But, relevant gameplay problems would persist from one year to the next. There were also often serious glitches and bugs.
I know that if they bring it back that they will probably return to their yearly release format. It's a cash cow and people will continue to get the games every year no matter some of the community concerns. But, I for one think it would be nice if they released "NCAA Football: The College Football Playoff Era" or something of that nature. If it were released in 2017, EA could provide support and improvements for 2-3 years while they develop the next game in the series. That way, they could appease the community and keep the 2017 version up to date while they devote more resources and time to a 2019 release.
NCAA Football, in many ways, helped feed and create a destructive beast in the video game world and that is the push for title sequels every year. The best games I ever played were rarely (if ever) sequels pushed out a year after a previous release.
I know that if they bring it back that they will probably return to their yearly release format. It's a cash cow and people will continue to get the games every year no matter some of the community concerns. But, I for one think it would be nice if they released "NCAA Football: The College Football Playoff Era" or something of that nature. If it were released in 2017, EA could provide support and improvements for 2-3 years while they develop the next game in the series. That way, they could appease the community and keep the 2017 version up to date while they devote more resources and time to a 2019 release.
NCAA Football, in many ways, helped feed and create a destructive beast in the video game world and that is the push for title sequels every year. The best games I ever played were rarely (if ever) sequels pushed out a year after a previous release.
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Saunders
Heisman Trophy Winner
Eh, it's no different than them not getting paid for being on TV, but nobody wants to slay that sacred cow.
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RedSavage
All-Conference
It would be awesome if this made it possible for the game to come back. I have a buddy who played for Nebraska his freshman year of college (2008) and should've started over O'Hanlon, as he was 10x the athlete but didn't "know the system" front, back and sideways like Bo required the starters to do, so long story short, he quit the team after that year but that's besides the point. I haven't had a chance to talk to him in detail about it but he received $85 and change for his "likeness", which he thinks is laughable and I agree with. The article makes it seem like players are getting these fat checks but how much of that is the reality of the situation? I doubt the majority are getting thousands of dollars each.
StPaulHusker
Banned
That would have been something Cain Kolter would have gone after had they been able to unionize
