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MMChrisS's Blog
Why haven't they gotten this right? Part V: Broadcast Presentation Stuck
Posted on June 26, 2009 at 02:05 PM.
My final category ties pretty much everything else I have said this week into one nice and neat package. Why can't developers get a good and proper broadcast presentation in their games?

Some games are better at this than others. Some, like most EA Sports games, are just downright atrocious in their in-game presentation. However, I challenge anyone to watch one full game of any sports video game from any company and one full game of the same sport on real TV and explain why the video game falls short (or should it be, falls way short) every time.

I think it comes down to -- moreso than the gameplay -- the simple fact that sports games don't look anything like a broadcast. Their cut-scenes are tired and repetitive and they look nothing like a real broadcast because of terrible crowds, empty bench areas, no player interactions, or any other number of reasons.

I think the only way for games to ever feel realistic is for them to try to appear as close to a sports TV broadcast as possible. There is absolutely no way these games will be able to feel like playing in a real game at the stadium because the medium doesn't allow for that. So why do developers not try to emulate TV broadcasts with their games? In my opinion, it's so simple a formula that it's kind of weird that no one has mastered this yet or even tried to get it 100% down.

So what do you think? Why aren't sports gaming developers getting TV broadcast style presentation down? Will we ever see this done? What is holding companies back? Sound off!
Comments
# 1 JC DA KING @ Jun 26
I think it will get fixed on the next generation of consoles hopefully!!!
 
# 2 LReload @ Jun 26
very true, broadcast presentation hasn't made a leap forward in the games i play yearly since NFL 2K5, after being spoiled with that on the original Xbox i thought in 2009 we'd have something very close to broadcast presentation, like the first person to comment, i don't think we'll see it make HUGE strides until the next generation because this generation shows that its an afterthought rather than an essential part of a sports game. i only think they will change it with people like you writing articles pointing out how bad it really is, maybe next year, the community interaction will be lead with outcry in the areas you covered in your commentary this week.
 
# 3 DubTrey1 @ Jun 26
This one is truly puzzling to me as well. It seems that they could watch any broadcast of basically any sporting event and get the gist of what to do to broaden this area in the gaming world from a presentation perspective. I only hope EA and 2K get it together during this console lifecycle
 
# 4 Vermin @ Jun 26
I'm most surprised that after EA Sports acquired the ESPN license, they don't use any of the ESPN-style graphics for their box scores, recaps, overlays, etc. All I've really seen is the ESPN radio ticker. So sad. Though the Road to Glory mode in NCAA 10 looks to be capitalizing a little more from the partnership.
 
# 5 marcoyk @ Jun 26
I think you can see presentation at its finest during the NBA 2K9 halftime show. I love the desk with no one sitting at it. Makes me feel like I'm watching a real halftime show. Ahhhh the beauty of the empty desk.
 
# 6 Majoniak @ Jul 5
I agree with Vermin. I was expecting an improvement in presentation when they got that license. Here it is 2009, and I'm still waiting. Although the PS2 version of NCAA is decent, it still leaves something to be desired.
 
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