Live Blog: NFL Head Coach 09
by 
428: It is tough to go over everything about Head Coach or experience it in a short amount of time so I’ll do my best recapping it late tonight. We had a producer presentation and have since been playing. This one is more difficult because it is only single player and we only have 360 builds so there isn’t as much chance to do some digging. Any specific questions on it feel free to drop in the comments. I have some videos for play creating and one of me running through a draft. There is so much though packed into this game its crazy.
431: It was funny when I first pulled up the player ratings, I thought people were going to freak out. Apparently it is a bug in the front end where I was viewing them. Tony Romo has a 78, Peyton Manning an 88, Tom Brady 86, ect. All the player ratings were really low. Don’t go crazy though I was told those weren’t correct and would be fixed. I warned them though that Cowboys fans would riot if those were real. Ratings ultimately will also be somewhat dependent on the system that each is playing in and how well they fit into it.
434: From my time playing so far it seems likely that I’ll spend more time doing tasks outside of the actual managing during games. I’ll probably supersim through the games as I’m not patient enough to go through them and call every single play making adjustments and all that. Games are defaulted to 15 minute quarters with accelerated clocks which turns out realistic results.
438: The draft is really fun to go through as it is very interactive in that you can work on trades, adjust your draft board, guess who each team is going to pick, instant reaction on the choice with a fan poll, ect. All of this with updates from Adam Schefter and Todd McShay throughout.
439: Answering some questions from the comments. The only interaction with Madden is the play creator, and there is no ability to call plays using a headset.
440: The build has some bugs that have been pointed out to the producers, most dealing with display problems in the playbooks.
446: Online play will offer head-to-head only in the form of supersim. This should get the games to go by quickly as you’ll be picking plays but not seeing them materialize on the field. They also consider the created play sharing to be an online feature. The game will have roster updates as well.
448: You can set depth chart, route progression, on specific plays if you’d like. They also give the ability to make any changes you want to the depth chart, so you can put in a WR at QB if you want to.
451: Just asked regarding a possible PAL release. Currently no plans for one, though the PS3 is region free so that would be the only option there.
458: I really like how every area is accessed through the coach clipboard. There is very little having to do with navigation.
502: You can choose to take on a current coach or create your own. The create-a-coach isn’t nearly as detailed as you’ll find in a game like Tiger Woods though.
504: Trying to get up the draft video before I head off to play more, its almost 8 minutes long though (even though I rushed through much of it) so I’m not sure if I’ll be able to get it up now or just late tonight.
508: It is actually somewhat overwhelming the number of things you can do and all that you can have control over. For anyone who loves to analyze every detail of running a team they’re going to love that. Personally I think in a more comfortable setting without the time crunch it’ll be a lot of fun. This really isn’t the ideal situation for getting into this game.
511: I know I’ve had a bunch of questions asked previously for Head Coach, I’ll try to respond to some of them in my full impressions late tonight.
516: Did a few trades and free agent negotiations. The trades during the draft were really cool. You’d select to try and trade up or down, and you’d already have a few teams there who were showing interest. Click on them and you’d see like 15 different possible packages, ranging from really good for you to really good for them. Usually they wanted more than I was willing to give up, but you could make a deal by compromising. The free agents are like a bidding process with the clock running low, some teams will lose interest at certain points and drop out of the negotiation. I also signed my rookies, which was again a list of possible contract options (including incentives in some cases) and you’d offer one and see if the player would accept or counter. Or you can put off negotiations until later.
521: During the draft your gm will make suggestions for the player they want. You can choose to draft that player or choose someone else. This will play into your approval rating though which is based off five different areas. Everything you do in the game will have an effect on that rating. Something the fans may like may not please management.
525: Alright I’m going to head off and play more. I’ll have the video clips up tonight with the full write-up. Also check in tomorrow for the Madden live blog!
May 29, 2008 at 2:38 pm
I second a pic of Brad Childress’s amazing mustache…
May 29, 2008 at 2:46 pm
How come Headcoach has accelerated clock but Madden doesn’t? They could’ve easily added it for Madden. Accelerated clock is a necessity. They should’ve added it way before adding all these other things.
May 29, 2008 at 2:48 pm
Hey Pasta, When the computer is on the clock, does it select like the real NFL teams drafted from last April?
May 29, 2008 at 3:00 pm
No PAL release is complete bullshit. They’re playing games over here now, there’s clearly a great interest in the sport, and Madden is regularly a top seller. No excuse. At the very least they should make the 36o disc region free, it’s not like they’ll be losing out.
May 29, 2008 at 3:00 pm
Who is Brad Childress?
May 29, 2008 at 3:05 pm
[quote comment="22702"]Im sorry to say but the vikings dont have a weak spot. they only have one position with an average rating, and that is QB.[/quote]
ok they definetely dont have a spot where they need a lot of help but almost all of their other positions are decent especially that overrated rb peterson
May 29, 2008 at 3:07 pm
Are you kidding!!!! Brad Childress
AKA-THE NEXT PRESIDENT
AKA-THE MUSTACHE
AKA-THE BIG ENCHILADA
AKA-THE VIKINGS HEAD COACH
AKA-THE ONE AND ONLY
AKA-THE BIG TUNA
AKA-THE AMAZING
That is Brad Childress.
May 29, 2008 at 3:17 pm
i just said many reasons why AD is not overated but it said that i said inaprperiate language so it deleted the whole thing.
May 29, 2008 at 3:51 pm
I’m curious about the experience of coaching an actual game. Do you watch the action from a sideline camera view? Do you get to roam the sideline? Any opportunity for a halftime or post game speech?
It’s the Madden 09 engine, right? So you must be getting a decent preview of what Madden 09 looks like.
May 29, 2008 at 3:56 pm
Hey pasta 2 Questions..1) As far as there being no headset from HC09 is that a definit or just cus its a pre build?…
2) In HC09 will u be able to hire or fire your own staff IE.Off Cooridnater so on and so forth or are all the assitant coaches already in there?…Thanks Padre good work as always
May 29, 2008 at 4:03 pm
And why should I care?
May 29, 2008 at 4:09 pm
Adrian Peterson is definitely not over-rated. He runs like my favorite RB of all time, Eric Dickerson. I noticed that the first time I watched him play (I lived in OK for a while). His IS a risk for injury though (that’s why I’m glad he’s not on the Madden cover!)
But why is he called AD… and not AP?
Ooo! I got a great new nickname for him! “Atlantic to Pacific”.. like that grocery store years ago called the A&P. Do they still exist anywhere?
May 29, 2008 at 4:15 pm
ok some of use say hes gonna be the best of all time ok good luck with that he’s soooooooooooooo overrated i guarentee he wont run for 1500 yards next season
May 29, 2008 at 4:55 pm
[quote comment="22735"]
But why is he called AD… and not AP?
[/quote]
AD = All Day (that’s his nickname).
May 29, 2008 at 5:23 pm
i agree he is amazing. but the critics are putting pressure on Adrian Peterson to run for more yards. i personally think he can do it, but he is young, and young players make mistakes. i just hope he doesn’t.
May 29, 2008 at 5:32 pm
When you do madden, can you show the bills on there. I know it will be a while till they show any buffalo. Please at least play against them. Please please show buffalo.
May 29, 2008 at 5:34 pm
[quote comment="22664"]I AM GETTING ANGRY BECAUSE ON EVRY VIDEO THEY SHOW WHAT COACHES ARE RATED, BUT THEY NEVER SHOW WHAT
BRAD “FRICKEN” CHILDRESS IS RATED!!!!!!! so if you could answer this question that would be cool. And if the Vikings have a rating, what are they rated? I am guessing at least a 90.[/quote]
Dude, 90. Are you crazy. They deserve to be no more than 80. When you have a horrible QB, sub par WRs, LBs are sub par, and secondary drops after winfield, what makes you think that deserves a 90.
May 29, 2008 at 6:50 pm
Got some good ratings stuff to reveal later. Top players with correct ratings. For example Tony Romo is a 94 (not 78 as it was showing incorrectly earlier). These are just the ratings within their current teams. They would change if playing for different coaches/philosophies.
May 29, 2008 at 7:03 pm
[quote comment="22745"][quote comment="22664"]I AM GETTING ANGRY BECAUSE ON EVRY VIDEO THEY SHOW WHAT COACHES ARE RATED, BUT THEY NEVER SHOW WHAT
BRAD “FRICKEN” CHILDRESS IS RATED!!!!!!! so if you could answer this question that would be cool. And if the Vikings have a rating, what are they rated? I am guessing at least a 90.[/quote]
Dude, 90. Are you crazy. They deserve to be no more than 80. When you have a horrible QB, sub par WRs, LBs are sub par, and secondary drops after winfield, what makes you think that deserves a 90.[/quote]
thank u someone finally agrees the vikins are either and 80 0r 79
May 29, 2008 at 7:45 pm
lol @ the Bryan Childress fan club
May 29, 2008 at 7:48 pm
[quote comment="22681"][quote comment="22671"][quote comment="22670"]Up in that picture of Mike Nolan it say,”Willis, Frank Gore and Nate Clements”. They forgot a comma after Frank Gore. Im not trying to be a butthole or anything but it should be fixed for i stick a fork up my anus and start eating my intestines.
TELL SOMEONE TO FIX IT[/quote]
Sorry, I’m not nit-picking either so don’t take this the wrong way, but it’s actually grammatically correct. There shouldn’t be a comma before the ‘and’.[/quote]
actually their should be[/quote]
There*
May 29, 2008 at 7:49 pm
[quote comment="22726"]Are you kidding!!!! Brad Childress
AKA-THE NEXT PRESIDENT
AKA-THE MUSTACHE
AKA-THE BIG ENCHILADA
AKA-THE VIKINGS HEAD COACH
AKA-THE ONE AND ONLY
AKA-THE BIG TUNA
AKA-THE AMAZING
That is Brad Childress.[/quote]
Clearly all Vikings fans are retarded
May 29, 2008 at 8:36 pm
Great Stuff Pasta,
I hope the draft is as in depth in Madden as it is in Head Coach, now that I think about it there’s no reason it shouldn’t be… and hopefully this year scouting will matter… I look foward to your full impressions of these three games
May 29, 2008 at 8:36 pm
Every team except for the Vikings suck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 29, 2008 at 8:54 pm
446: Online play will offer head-to-head only in the form of supersim. This should get the games to go by quickly as you’ll be picking plays but not seeing them materialize on the field. They also consider the created play sharing to be an online feature. The game will have roster updates as well.
I don’t know if I’m reading this right, probably not but when you said “They also consider the created play sharing to be an online feature.”
That doesn’t mean you can take your plays for Head Coach and use them online in Madden does it? Just Head Coach correct?
May 29, 2008 at 10:04 pm
[quote comment="22763"]446: Online play will offer head-to-head only in the form of supersim. This should get the games to go by quickly as you’ll be picking plays but not seeing them materialize on the field. They also consider the created play sharing to be an online feature. The game will have roster updates as well.
I don’t know if I’m reading this right, probably not but when you said “They also consider the created play sharing to be an online feature.”
That doesn’t mean you can take your plays for Head Coach and use them online in Madden does it? Just Head Coach correct?[/quote]
Cant use created plays online in either game. They were worried about exploits. I still think they should have offered them for unranked then but unfortunately they didnt.
May 29, 2008 at 10:23 pm
[quote comment="22767"][quote comment="22763"]446: Online play will offer head-to-head only in the form of supersim. This should get the games to go by quickly as you’ll be picking plays but not seeing them materialize on the field. They also consider the created play sharing to be an online feature. The game will have roster updates as well.
I don’t know if I’m reading this right, probably not but when you said “They also consider the created play sharing to be an online feature.”
That doesn’t mean you can take your plays for Head Coach and use them online in Madden does it? Just Head Coach correct?[/quote]
Cant use created plays online in either game. They were worried about exploits. I still think they should have offered them for unranked then but unfortunately they didnt.[/quote]
Yeah deff agree with you there. Unranked games would have been perfect to see how well the created plays would have played out this season of Madden. I really wished that they would have done that. It would be a nice new feature especially for a lot of guys in leagues.
May 30, 2008 at 4:29 am
Once again EA p*ss off the fans. I’m sure all those American game developers just hate Europe that much they just don’t want to bother releasing games region free or a PAL release. I’m pretty sure it’s not hard to do and would it not boost sales? Correct me if i’m wrong but making it only available in NTSC for xbox 360 is going to halt the progress. What i found funny was the designer/producer of the game stated that they were going to give the fans a great experience at being a coach etc.. Yeah you really have for us Europeans. Fifa 08 was released in both and that is a “European” game.
May 30, 2008 at 4:58 am
I have some questions: How does the presentation carry out and is it like a actual game on tv? Is there pregame, halftime or postgame show? What about player stats throughout the game, will they show up during a game or franchise? How is the atmosphere during wildcard and playoff games, is there a difference during regular season? Superbowl presentation is it there like in nfl2k5? Can we watch a game with the cpu-vs-cpu? Would like to manage a team and just watch sometimes? Hope u can answer these questions.
May 30, 2008 at 9:58 am
Mike Nolans profile says ratings Offense 97, defense 19, this should be backward.
He was a D coord and he is nothing of an offensive mind, that why Martz was brought in. Please I hope they fix this.
May 31, 2008 at 12:37 am
Those of you who want/need a PAL release I would suggest looking in the NFLHC09 general forum at the EA site and post on those PAL threads. Originally the game wasn’t going to be a standalone release until EA was surprised by the amount of feedback they received, then decided to release it as standalone. Convince them that there is money to be made and you will get your PAL, though it would likely take some more time.
September 30, 2008 at 4:00 pm
Can anybody tell me why I cant use my playbook in madden. This is the only reason I bought the game since madden has removed this feature.
October 10, 2008 at 12:29 pm
I would like to know if there is a cpu vrs cpu feature where I can just watch a game.
Watching a game would be great for scouting a team on your schedule and also if you have two power house teams playing each oither.
December 1, 2008 at 12:08 pm
hi guys, i would like to tell you all something.first brian brohm should be drafted by you in this game if you can cuz hes a beast and second, this game is amazing. go colts!