Ok so I was
reading Samit's article on sports commentary and an idea came up that I thought of one day when I was talking to my boss.
We were sitting around one day talking about games like we normally do. He brought up how much he disliked the radio commentators that were in Madden 08. Not having played a Madden game in years I took his word for it, and reading what other people had to say about the comentating, or lack there of, it looks like he was right. So we were tossing around ideas and I thought of the following.
A lot of cities have an AM radio station broadcast of the games, and usually the announcer, at least here in Chicago, does a stellar job broadcasting the game with knowledge, verve, and emotion. ESPN uses these sometimes in a highlight clip reel on sportscenter. You know those guys that sound like they are ready to fall off their chairs announcing a great play. A lot of times I watch the game with the sound off and the radio on because Joe Buck is a fucking robot with no passion. And I know they can't be emotional because the have to seem non biased on a national broadcast, but I say FUCK THAT. I'd rather listen to someone who is as excited to see my team do well as I am.
From what I remember the announcers for the game read from a script and add their own voice talent/inflection to it. What if as a probably paid for DLC you could download that same or modified script from your favorite local radio commentator and have that woven into the game? The only problem is sometimes your favorite team might not be tied to the announcer you liked. So there are downsides, and yea I know the scope seems to big, but damn I think it would be a cool idea. It would add that "immersion" word, that is thrown around a lot in the games industry, to a title that really hasn't felt innovative in years.
What do you all think?
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I always left the commentary on in my football games, because it just seemed like the natural way to play the game. Plus, we aren’t at the point yet (and I don’t know if we ever will be) where commentary in sports games actually sounds like it does in real life — i.e., a fluid, back-and-forth conversation. With that limitation taken into account, Madden and Michaels in Madden NFL 2005 weren’t that bad, and with the way commentary works, you’re bound to hear some repetition eventually.
Sadly, I just don’t think your idea is doable. Recording audio from 32 different radio broadcasting teams would be a massive undertaking, and it’s a logistical nightmare. And since so many people just turn the commentary off regardless, EA would probably consider it as something not worth the effort.
Tha's a fantastic idea...while I agree with Samit's take of being a nightmare to do I could also see people who play the game actually enjoy a feature like that. Hell I'd even pay for that.
That feature you just thought of would be a fantastic addition to say a baseball game. I would LOVE hear the baseball game covered by our Yankee commentators.
Food for thought.
The catch would be getting those that turn the commentary off to turn it on if they liked the announcers. One of the coolest things I remembered about my sports game experience was getting my PS2 a month after launch, and putting Madden in and hearing his voice in the game. I felt like I was watching the game and then realizing I was playing a game.
I agree that we are not at the point, and possibly won't ever be, where the announcing in the game will be as it would in a live broadcast. But just because something is hard doesn't mean it can't be done. Granted I don't see or expect this happening ever, but if game companies want to be innovative you have to think outside the box to do something that no one else has.
Why NHL you ask? Most American teams have possibly the stupidest announcers ever. I have the NHL package, so I have every hockey game available (Be it from my country, Canada, or America). The number one problem with these broadcasts is that the announcers are robots who are just there to pick up a pay check. When EA makes an NHL game, they use probably the best Announcer in sports, Jim Houston. His voice is well known throughout the league, and he has alot of sport knowledge.
With the exception of maybe Buffalo's announcer, I couldn't see any other American teams having a good announcer.
Course, I would probably want to kill Bob Cole If I had to hear his bias opinion every time I play one of my friends and they pick the hometown failures, the Toronto Maple Leafs. Course, My Lovely Anaheim Ducks and I destroy them so it makes me happy.