Thoughts?
http://freeonsmash.com/gaming/is-joe-montana-football-with-2k-sports-becoming-a-reality/
From http://www.operationsports.com/forums
http://freeonsmash.com/gaming/is-joe-montana-football-with-2k-sports-becoming-a-reality/
HI’m sorry, but I can’t sit by and watch this any longer.
I love and respect a number of people working on this game and having met the man and hung around him a number of times I have a profound respect for Mr. Montana. He’s just a great person. But I disagree with how they’re dealing with the public and how they plan to continue to do so. You just have no idea how long they’re planning to drag even basic info out.
I’m not on the team and I’m not under an NDA so I’m not under any obligation to keep anything I know a secret. There are some things going on that gamers need to know about now, and the way they’ve planned to do these things just isn’t reasonable. What I’m about to tell you are things they literally only plan to tell you about 3-4 weeks before release and I’m sorry, you don’t deserve to be strung along like that.
I know you won’t believe me, but I can assure you this is accurate, and in time you will see these truths unfold. I feel you need to know so you can prepare as a gamer (save up money, make arrangements and plans, etc).
- First and foremost, this game will be for XBOX One and PC only. This is why they haven’t mentioned platforms. They’re taking early advantage of the Windows 10 cross-plat tech and the game will be out as part of 10’s 3-month launch cycle in the middle of this year.
So now that you know, you can make plans to purchase an XBOX One or Windows 10 if you don’t have one of them already.
- The game is called Joe Montana NFL Football 16. This is an NFL game. First-party stipulations that the NFL has always left open & the NFL’s exclusive relationship with Microsoft allows for Microsoft to have an NFL game. Microsoft Studios is the publisher. Microsoft is deadly serious about gaining ground and winning the console war (doubtful to happen at this point though) and throwing tons of money at incubation and trying to buy new IP that they can turn into big series’ titles is top priority for them right now. They believe this game can be many times bigger than MLB The Show due to the larger NFL fanbase, and because so many XBOX One owners identify as serious NFL fans.
- The game was demoed and it went well. Actually, “well” is an understatement. People went crazy. NDA’s were and still are in place for them. That’s why you haven’t heard anyone saying anything, but a lot of people are having a very hard time because what they seen was unbelievable and it’s been impossible to go back to Madden or even take Madden seriously after that. It’s like, how you felt when you had an NES and you saw Sega Genesis for the first time. The step up in quality is THAT big.
- They put those things up on artforgames in hopes that you would find it, especially the NFL stuff. It took a little longer than initially thought, but you found them eventually, and when they saw you found it they took it all down just as they did when they realized people found their job posting last year. They already had their team in place, the posting was a bone. All of this has been staged well.
- They’re not asking for ideas because it’s an NFL game and they don’t feel there is a lot of room for the type of creativity you’d need in an unlicensed game. When they first started out before iMFL they were considering a non-NFL licensed game and were going to approach dealing with the community differently with polls, a message board, etc. but things changed once NFL was confirmed.
- 2K is involved. Should be obvious from some tweets/re-tweets and comments both Joe Montana and Damon Grow have made. Some tech and manpower was purchased from 2K and is deeply incorporated into this game.
- The franchise mode will be able to be managed on mobile devices and it’s really deep.
- The iMFL app was never meant to be released. Its entire production was a prototyping run for its franchise mode and management system with the intent of using it in Joe Montana NFL Football 16. Even the TechCrunch interview was part of the staging. It was brilliant. Everybody bought the staging. So, don’t wait for that app, it’s never coming.
- There are a few important modes. One is a story mode and it’s pretty cool. Think NBA 2K My Player. That’s what you’re getting.
-The graphics, animations and AI are all obscenely good and modern. It looks like a game that was built for this new generation, not just a port over from last generation with a ton of sloppy tweaks. The animations are easily the most crisp of any sports game ever made. Comparing the animations to Madden, it’s going make Madden look like a PS1 game by comparison. This is going to be embarrassing for EA Tiburon, like The Show Vs MLB 2K and NBA 2K vs NBA Live embarrassing.
- Expect Joe Montana NFL Football 16 out in Mid-late July.
I apologize to the team making this game and to Mr. Montana, but I feel that with just 4 months until release and a reveal schedule that really just strings everybody along unnecessarily, it was only right to tell people the truth so they can be prepared with enough time to act. Again, I’m deeply sorry but I know I’m doing the right thing.
From http://www.operationsports.com/forums
kjcheezhead said:People keep saying that a generic won't work and the NFL license is exclusive, but all signs point to a console/pc game so somethings gotta give in this equation. Here's what we do know so far based off of Joe Montana, Damon Grow and Joe Harford, all three are confirmed to be working on this game...
From Joe Montana:
There is a tech crunch video from 2012 where Joe Montana talks about his interest in making a game to compete with Madden. Damon Grow was suggested as someone who could help with this. At some point they went with a mobile app instead, but have apparently abandoned it in favor of this game.
https://m.youtube.com/?#/watch?v=5R3quJaPNgk
Joe Montana then tweeted out the phrases #You've waited long enough #More than a roster update. Given the tech video, it can be a direct challenge to madden and suggestive of a console game.
He also tweeted a mocap session. https://m.youtube.com/?#/watch?v=AMVY1lQao8s
The session model looks like models from pics on Damon Grows Twitter. https://twitter.com/DamonGrow/status/560522691002658817
It's our best clue of what the game actually looks like.
From Damon Grow:
Damon Grow appears to be in charge of this project. He represents not only the game but Joe Montana. I see no reason to doubt his info.
He has 3 tweets regarding monopolies. Obvious reference is Madden and EA. https://twitter.com/DamonGrow/status/530837420040667136
https://twitter.com/DamonGrow/status/540256934410989568
https://twitter.com/DamonGrow/status/560858432798859264
AI is a major focus to this game. https://twitter.com/DamonGrow/status/533327330366586880
This tweet contains an image of Joe Harford. He's on the cpu screen. More on him later.
https://twitter.com/DamonGrow/status/535163554538995713
He tweeted twice about pc games. The pc market is underserved. The game is not pc only. Dispute here, but I'd tend to believe pc is involved along with at least one other platform.
https://twitter.com/DamonGrow/status/553373141511069696
https://twitter.com/DamonGrow/status/553377549871349760
He also tweeted about oculus rift twice. Once asking our opinion on them and once announcing theirs had arrived. Another possible pc reference.
He has not revealed who is developing. He said EA is not, but wouldn't confirm or deny 2k. He's also tweeted positive references to 2k on several other occasions leading to speculation but nothing else.
Odds and ends he's revealed is that the game will include dynamic weather, a working in game stadium ticker, fan rendering involving 3500 permutations, that franchise mode will be the soul of this game, player models will include details like sweat pooling and vein dilation.
FROM Joe Harford: As I referenced in the Damon Grow Twitter pic, this is the art director behind this game. He was first discovered on a website called artforgames.com where his profile contained images of a Joe Montana head sculpted for a game and titled "Joe Montana NFL Game" as well as goalposts labeled "NFL Stadium." The images are gone now but can be found with various YouTubers.
https://twitter.com/Virtual_FBaller/...23884887527424
His association was also confirmed by this Blackpool article.
http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/wh...-hub-1-7036495
Joe Harford describes himself as a AAA game artist and runs Airship Studios. Some of their other projects include Ryse, Forza and Forza 2, Crysis. His involvement tends to suggest this is a console / pc game like his other projects.
So there it is. At least most of what we have. Based on the info available I tend to believe this is a AAA title from a major developer for pc and console designed as a competitor to Madden. Others can disagree. I think everyone can agree it's worth following this project to see what unfolds.
