Presentation - Championship: Dynamic Weather & Effects vs. Improved Game Atmosphere

[cdj]

As always, vote for the item you prefer. However, also state how you would like both features implemented into the game and indicate any elements you would (or would not) like to see added for each item.


Dynamic/Progressive Weather & Effect on Play

Taking The Weather Channel Feed feature to a new level, this addition would see weather change in-game, similar to progressive lighting in NCAA Football 11. The feature could exist by either checking the TWC feed between each quarter and then changing in game or the Weather tab would have options such as ‘Rain to Snow’, ‘Clear to Cloudy’, ‘Snow at Start (ending later)’, etc. This could also see more noticeable field degradation (especially in extreme weather conditions) and weather have more of an effect on play. For example: high temperatures could lead to quicker player fatigue, heavy rains could lead to increased field degradation and slipping as play progresses, heavy snow could accumulate in stadium corners, etc. Schools/stadiums in high elevation (Colorado, Wyoming, etc.) could see slightly increased effects in fatigue, particularly for road teams and/or less athletic teams/players on both squads.


Previous Match-ups:
def. Better Celebrations 47-22 (http://www.thegamingtailgate.com/forums/showthread.php?3865-Presentation-First-Round-Better-Celebrations-vs.-Dynamic-Weather-amp-Effects)
def. More Player Options 21-12 (http://www.thegamingtailgate.com/forums/showthread.php?3889-Presentation-Quarterfinals-Dynamic-Weather-amp-Effects-vs.-More-Player-Options)



Home Field Advantage, Neutral Site Crowds and Improved Game Atmosphere

Very few sports are known for the importance of home field advantage as college football. Also, very few last-gen features are as universally requested as Home Field Advantage. While some elements currently exist in-game, community members have asked for the (optional) Camera Shake, controller rumble shake, etc. to return.

However, college football also features a unique focus on neutral site games (actual and otherwise) in the postseason – Bowls, Bowl Championship Series and BCS National Championship Game. This feature could see team introduction/runouts for each squad and the crowd cheering for big plays by each squad. Crowd noise levels could possibly be determined via school distance from site and/or Fan Base rating for each squad. This would help recreate the virtual road atmosphere numerous schools (IE: Nebraska and Oklahoma) faced when playing against Miami in the Orange Bowl during the 1980s and 1990s, for example. However, those programs also had a significant (though minority) crowd support and this would help reflect that.

Perhaps the most requested “fix” to the current HFA structure is for the removal of the home-field benefit by the Home team on the scoreboard in neutral site and bowl games. Community members have oft-requested unique presentation aspects for neutral site and bowl games, but not for one squad to receive full HFA benefits over the other.


Previous Match-ups:
def. Improved Info Presentation 43-29 (http://www.thegamingtailgate.com/forums/showthread.php?3864-Presentation-First-Round-Improved-Game-Atmosphere-vs.-Improved-Info-Presentation)
def. Improved Commentary 18-17 (http://www.thegamingtailgate.com/forums/showthread.php?3888-Presentation-Quarterfinals-Improved-Commentary-vs.-HFA-Improved-Game-Atmosphere)

[Paakaa10]

Dynamic/Progressive Weather & Effect on Play

For me, the clincher for choosing this option in this Presentation Championship vote is simple; it has a potential effect on gameplay.

I voted for both of these features in all of the previous match-ups. I believe that Home-Field Advantage, Neutral Field Presentation, and Improved Game Atmosphere are very important to NCAA Football. While there are some nice facets of presentation in the game right now, it still doesn't come close to replicating what it is to actually attend a FBS football game in person. A vote for the option going against this one is not a condemnation of the importance of these presentational ideas.

Being able to have Dynamic/Progressive Weather & Effect on Play, however, would honestly be a game-changer in terms of both presentation and in terms of gameplay and gameplay strategy. From a presentational standpoint, the visuals of the game would be altered from quarter-to-quarter in tune with a logical progression of weather. A game would no longer have uniform sun, rain, snow, or wind from opening kickoff to final whistle. It would tax the game engine, sure, but it would be just another way to increase the immersion and believability of NCAA Football.

For gameplay, having weather that has a measured and legitimate effect on play would be incredible; especially with the opportunity for weather to be dynamic. It would be so much more enjoyable to think about the strategy of playing offense and defense in a game where the weather starts off sunny and then switches to pouring rain, or starts off snowy and then the precipitation stops but a gusting wind picks up. With weather having a true effect on play, considering multiple game plans for a single game would become increasingly important, and appealing to the mental side of the game is always a plus for me.

Both options are great ideas. I'll be interested to see which one ends up taking home the title.

[illwill10]

Improved Game Atmosphere.
This game does not have the same feel like on Saturdays. I want to play to play a game and feel like I am at the stadium. There is no real difference in atmosphere playing Memphis against/at Ark State and playing Alabama at Mich State. I played those games in my dynasty and felt only difference was teams being played. I want it to feel a difference playing at a 100000 seat stadium versus playing at a 20000 stadium.
Butm I would love to see Improved Game Atmosphere, Dynamic Weather, and Improved Commentary make it in NCAA 13. All 3 are desperately needed in Presentation to take it to another level.

[SmoothPancakes]

I went with Dynamic Weather and Effects. The potential for weather (and any changes in the weather during a game) to finally have an effect on the game like it does on real Saturdays, is too great to not vote for it.

[bdoughty]

Dynamic/Progressive Weather & Effect on Play

I would think both are needed but Tiburon already has this, to an extent, in Tiger Woods the past two years. It should be easy to implement due to having existing code right there in their studio.

[Paakaa10]

I would think both are needed but Tiburon already has this, to an extent, in Tiger Woods the past two years. It should be easy to implement due to having existing code right there in their studio.

To a degree, yes; but remember that in Tiger, each hole is its own "game state" which is loaded into the game through a loading screen. Can't imagine that the NCAA Football development team would want to copy-paste the code--not that it's that easy anyway--if it meant that we would have to wait for the next quarter of the game to load between each quarter of a single game.

I understand what you're saying though. The idea is there in the studio, so hopefully--if this is a direction the team decides to consider going forward--they'll be able to put together some code that appropriately handles the concept for NCAA Football.

[jaymo76]

HFA alone gets my vote... throwing in improved atmosphere is gravy.

[baseballplyrmvp]

i went with game atmosphere. i'm more likely to notice a change what a big game feels like more than noticing that its raining for the first 3 quarters, then it clears up in the 4th. thats what it came down to for me. both would be cool if they got in, i think the game atmosphere is something that would be more noticeable to people.

[CLW]

Weather.

[Adibesee]

I missed the cut on voting, but hope botha ctuially makeit into the game. From a weather standpoint the fetaure is in the game to a degree, but feels extremlly half-done. In addition to the feature needing to be dynamic it also needs to happen online. I still don't understand why I can't setup an online game in the snow, rain, fog etc. Instead its always the middle of a bright shinny day. This is not immersive at all.

As for home field advantage Im only intrested in this if it isnt a gimic and is actually well thought out. For example I'll be annoyed if my RB cant hear me when I tell him to stay and block. In real life this deosnt happen as teams can use signals etc, but in the game you have no idea what they will do. If you add HFA it needs to be well thought thru.