EA Sports - NFL Head Coach 2006

[Vampiro69 0]

Well that is true. He COULD do worse, but that would take some amazing work.

[LaParkaMarka 0]

Ugh, this game is a disappointment. I don't understand how they could make an interface so unintuitive and terrible. Just trying to find, say, the RFAs on a team is extremely difficult. Want to try and shop a few players around to different teams, you have to constantly select them every time. Or the great meetings where it takes 5 mins to load and then you immediately get a message saying that your task is complete.

 

This was a very poorly built game, and I haven't even gotten past the draft. Hopefully coaching the games is more fun.

[Guest Vitamin X]

The games are pretty crazy, except for the 5 minute quarters which you're not allowed to change.

 

This is pretty stupid, since time management alone could then win you a Super Bowl. Go into halftime with a 2 score lead and all you need are 6 first downs to win the game. They should've at least made it possible to change the quarter length. You have to call all your plays within 10 seconds (and I like to think about things more thoroughly around since I'm coaching and only coaching this time) for it to be a realistic experience.

 

I'm kinda taking the good with the bad so far, though. It's fun all the little things that you can do in the game, but there's so much more that could've been done to make it more enjoyable and interactive.

 

Also, the voice recognition is REALLY bad on this thing. I couldn't call a single play into the mic.

[Guest Princess Leena]

I agree about the interface being a pain in the BUTT. It's a decent game with lots of room for improvement. However, since this is EA, and this game is basically an addition to Madden and thus a money cow... don't look good.

[Matt Young 0]

My roommate picked up this game a couple days ago, which is good since I wanted tot ry it but wasn't going to drop $40 on it. Within minutes, he was cussing at the game and yelling, "What the fuck do I do? I can't do anything!" Bad sign, right?

 

Nope. He's just a retard. I figured things out quickly and easily, and although I only played for maybe an hour and a half, I like what I have seen so far. I think I'm going to try playing an exhibition game just to see how the actual on-field coaching aspect plays out.

[Guest Princess Leena]

Lolz. If you start career mode, it tells you everything to do.

 

Still, it's a pain in the ass, though. Especially for an old school type like me that still uses the d-pad whenever possible.

[Guest Princess Leena]

Ugh, I've given up on this game...

 

It has some nasty bugs, in that you can't change your depth chart, and your whole roster is screwed up... which is extremely annoying once you put hours into the game.

 

So many inconveniences, also. Like signing a player is a huge chore because it's impossible to view their attributes while actually attempting to sign them.

[Masked Man of Mystery 0]

Ugh, I've given up on this game...

 

It has some nasty bugs, in that you can't change your depth chart, and your whole roster is screwed up... which is extremely annoying once you put hours into the game.

 

So many inconveniences, also. Like signing a player is a huge chore because it's impossible to view their attributes while actually attempting to sign them.

Trade it in now while it's actually worth something

[Guest Vitamin X]

Oh, quite possibly the worst bug out there is during practice, if you accidentally hit the "back" button (B for me since I use the Xbox version) too many times it does this thing where the player runs back into position to practice and you're watching your coach and player just standing there gazing lovingly into each other's eyes, and you can't do a fucking thing. No menus, no way out of it, nothing.

 

This has happened to me in the middle of a few productive practices and it's really frustrating. I'm also almost ready to return it to Best Buy and get my $40 back. Which sucks, because I was ready to really love this series more than Madden.

 

I cannot stress how much the 5 minute quarters suck. And there's a bunch of little things too, like how it's damn near impossible to make well-thought out pre-snap adjustments on defense quick enough, or how it doesn't give you a countdown for calling a play on defense like on Madden. Or how you can't flip a play or the direction of a run like on Madden.

 

Basically the game itself is kinda buggy, and the gameday needs a lot more Maddenizing and fixing up before it's really ready. This game felt nowhere near ready for release. For the first time since Civ4, it honestly felt like I was playing a beta game rather than a final, that's frustrating.

[LaParkaMarka 0]

You can flip a play, I think it's the circle button. I know I could do it in practice.

 

But I agree with Leena and Vit on the whole. I have had two practices die on me, and I still haven't finished a single preseason game because it always dies in the 4th quarter. This is ridiculous.

 

Would Best Buy actually give you the 40 bucks back? I thought they would only exchange a game if it's "defective".

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

Some people just don't have patience. BTW I never encountered this practice bug.

[LaParkaMarka 0]

Hard to be patient when the game consistently crashes.

[Masked Man of Mystery 0]

You can flip a play, I think it's the circle button. I know I could do it in practice.

 

But I agree with Leena and Vit on the whole. I have had two practices die on me, and I still haven't finished a single preseason game because it always dies in the 4th quarter. This is ridiculous.

 

Would Best Buy actually give you the 40 bucks back? I thought they would only exchange a game if it's "defective".

At best, you could get another copy of the game. Legalities keep you from returning an opened game and getting another title,

[The Niggardly King 0]

Some people just don't have patience. BTW I never encountered this practice bug.

 

I have twice, it's like after you talk to some players and you exit out of it one or two many times.

 

I've been digging this game, though I had a bug when trying to set up my MLBs on the depth chart. I decided to pick the 49ers instead of the Vikings. Got rid of Alex Smith and Kevan Barlow and drafted Vince Young (wanted Leinart but the Packers got him), and Lendale White. The only problem I've had that the game is too easy.

[Guest Vitamin X]

You can flip a play, I think it's the circle button. I know I could do it in practice.

 

But I agree with Leena and Vit on the whole. I have had two practices die on me, and I still haven't finished a single preseason game because it always dies in the 4th quarter. This is ridiculous.

 

Would Best Buy actually give you the 40 bucks back? I thought they would only exchange a game if it's "defective".

Maybe it's different on PS2 and Xbox?

 

I think Best Buy would give me the $40 back. I read the return policy on the back of the receipt when I went to go return something else I bought there on the same visit, and it doesn't say anything about that, or at least I don't remember.

 

And it's kinda hard to stop playing. The thing is, I guess I wanted to like this game so much I'm damn near forcing myself to, and I just had quite possibly the best game I've ever played in my life on any sports game right now. (Note, I'm going to go into specifics now, don't read ahead if not interested).

 

So, it was Bears @ Packers, Lambeau Field, raining like hell in Week 1. First quarter, Bears have the ball, Thomas Jones runs up the side for a long touchdown. Bears defense was fucking NASTY on my team, and Favre was totally unprepared for this game as I focused on getting my defense and running game ready to attack Chicago's weakness. But, because of the rain, I couldn't get anything going through the air, and Reggie Bush was getting annihilated behind the line of scrimmage. I somehow manage to get a FG, and it gets to 7-3, Bears. At the beginning of the second quarter, I got pissed and ran the 2 minute drill (told Brett to Protect the ball, spread it around, and use the whole field for the whole game). Basically my strategy at the beginning of the game was to try to use time management to beat `em. 2-minute drill worked to perfection, and I tied at 10 on a pass from Favre to Peerless Price. On the ensuing kickoff, Chicago fumbles the ball, I get it, then run it up with Reggie Bush to go up 17-7. On the next drive, Grossman throws an INT, A.J. Hawk picks it off and runs it back, 24-7. I'm feeling pretty damn happy at this point, going into halftime, and I figure with a two score lead, I might as well try to run the clock down. Chicago's defense then started blitzing and just absolutely manhandling my line, and Bush was getting nowhere. Backed up on my own 30, Bush takes the ball and fumbles it. Asshole. Thomas Jones runs up a bewildered defense to reduce the lead, 24-14. On the next drive, I'm driving up the field, and get nothing. Chicago gets the ball back and starts working, and somehow get it to 24-21 at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Fucking 5 minute quarters makes me worried as shit now. I try to start running down the clock but I think about attacking to give myself a cushiony lead. Bad, bad fucking idea. Favre throws a pick, and it's run back for a touchdown, Chicago takes the lead for the first time since the first quarter, 28-24. 2 minutes left. Yeah, I get in Favre's face and he drives up the field, then all of a sudden, right near the goal line.. Bush fumbles. AGAIN. Chicago gets the ball, and then tries to throw it, Terrell Buckley (playing as a nickelback on my D) picks it off and runs it back! 31-28! We're going to win! So, there's like 30 seconds left, Chicago gets the ball back, and my defense was playing pretty well outside of the couple big runs Thomas Jones had sprung. I got in a prevent defense, and knocked down deep ball after deep ball. 4 seconds left, Grossman scrambles around, throws it deep, clock hits 0:00, and we knock it down, I start celebrating. Except- PASS INTERFERENCE on the defense. FUCK! They kick a FG on the goal line, and we head to overtime.

 

This is where it gets nuts. I try to fire up the team and it works, but Chicago gets the ball first. We stop them, and get the ball back, then at midfield, Favre throws ANOTHER pick. But, the A.I. decides at this time to play for the FG despite being only around the GB 40 or so, so I just play my goal line defense, Blitz C (the one that sends all the linebackers blitzing). They kick the FG, no good! I drive up the field, and also try running a bit to get in good position, no such luck and my kick was also no good. Now Chicago has the ball at their 38, Thomas Jones takes the ball and FUMBLES it, Kampman picks it up and runs it back to the Chicago 10! Handoff to Bush 2 more times, punches it in, my first regular season win is official 37-31 in OT, with about a minute left.

 

Absolutely ridiculous with the turnovers and whatnot. I sure as hell didn't mind the 5 minutes thing so much then.

[Ced 0]

I've got the game for the weekend via rental seeing as how the first impressions have scared me off from ever purchasing it.

 

I'm pretty disappointed that EA rushed this one out and the consequential flaws are huge, especially on a debut title.

[Masked Man of Mystery 0]

It isn't written on the receipt because it's federal law, it has to do with copyright, and like exchanging games is like copying them or some such nonsense. It's nothing that the stores can help

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

Game stuff about Bears vs Packers

 

 

Now would have been an awesome game to see on TV, except for the fact Bears lost, but yeah. I'm holding off on really digging deep into the thing because 1. I need another memory card to hold all the data and 2. I don't really like the Chargers.

[Guest]

I think Best Buy would give me the $40 back. I read the return policy on the back of the receipt when I went to go return something else I bought there on the same visit, and it doesn't say anything about that, or at least I don't remember.

Depends on who you get when you try to return it in. Everytime I get a black person at the counter when I try to return games, they let me get a different one. I've bought stuff at 3 different Best Buy's (usually computer games) that didn't work and tried to take it back, and each time there's been a black person helping me, they've let me switch the game up. The white people don't let me have shit.

 

I'm going to rent this from Blockbuster, hold onto it until the "no late fee" period is almost up, and then I'll decide whether I want to buy it or not.

[Guest Princess Leena]

When I used to buy games from EB/Best Buy, etc... I'd just keep returning the game when I could until there was an employee there who didn't care and/or didn't know what he was doing. You'd eventually get your money back, or at least, a gift card to get something else.

[The Niggardly King 0]

I wish I would have gotten this game on the PC.

[Guest Princess Leena]

I prefer it on XBox. The loading times are about nil.

 

I imagine it's horrible for PS2, though.

[Guest Princess Leena]

So, I stuck with this game again.

 

After my first season the MVP was Kevin Jones. With 2768 rushing yards and 34 TD's.

 

Sigh.

[Blue Bacchus 0]

Here's Best Buys Return Policy...

 

Store Return Policy

 

This policy applies only to purchases made at Best Buy retail stores and may vary slightly from the Best Buy.com Return Policy.

 

30-day Return Period

We accept returns or exchanges 30 days from the original purchase. Please review the details below.

 

14-day Return Period

We accept returns or exchanges 14 days from the original purchase on computers, monitors, printers, notebook computers, projectors, camcorders, digital cameras and radar detectors.

 

Restocking Fee

Unless defective, a 15% restocking fee will be charged on opened notebook computers, projectors, camcorders, digital cameras, radar detectors, GPS/navigation and in-car video systems. Unless defective, a restocking fee of 25% will be charged on special order products, including appliances.

 

Missing Item or Damaged Product Fee

A missing item or damaged product fee will be charged for any product missing the original box, packaging material, contents, accessories and/or manuals (i.e., any product not in "like new" condition).

 

Return and Exchange Requirements

Your original receipt is required for all returns, exchanges, price matches and warranty repair services. All returns, exchanges and price adjustments must be made in the country of original purchase. For cash purchases over $250 and check purchases over $100, your refund will be issued by check from our corporate office within 14 business days of the return.

 

Personal Data

Please remove all personal data (e.g., computer or wireless phone data, videotapes) from any returned or exchanged products. Best Buy is not responsible for any personal data left on or in these items.

 

Nonreturnable Items

These items include labor and/or installation services; consumable items such as phone cards, gift cards, food and drink; or items that are damaged or abused. Opened computer software, movies, music and video games can be exchanged for the identical item but cannot be returned for a refund. Any merchandise missing the original Universal Product Code (UPC) is available for an even exchange only on the identical product.

 

Any product that is returned without promotional item(s) included with the original transaction (e.g., buy TV, get free DVD player; buy TV, get free gift card; or buy TV, get DVD player for half off) will have the value of the promotional item deducted from the refund amount.

 

Any product that was purchased when a mail-in rebate was available on the purchase is subject to having the amount of the rebate deducted from the refund amount.

 

Policy varies in Hawaii. See store for complete details.

 

Best Buy reserves the right to deny any return.

[The Niggardly King 0]

So, I stuck with this game again.

 

After my first season the MVP was Kevin Jones. With 2768 rushing yards and 34 TD's.

 

Sigh.

 

He only had 1750 yards and 23 touchdowns in my game. How many yards did the Lions average in Passing on your game? They were 10-6 and only had an average of 48 yards passing in mine, along with 204 yards rushing per game.

[Guest Princess Leena]

It was something ridiculously low.

 

And the Lions only finished 7-9. Lolz.

[fazzle 0]

God, I want to like this game...but. Man. This just sucks. the training drills are boring as hell.

[Ced 0]

I rented the PS2 version. I really, really wanted to dig the game, but slow as hell load times and having to sim over practically every office hour segment and the useless change attire option killed it for me. Hopefully they look at everything they screwed up and give it a much better effort should they attempt a Head Coach '08.

[Guest Princess Leena]

You can change the useless change clothing time segments. And quick sim over the many office hour segments where you don't do anything. It would help if the manual explained these things.

[LaParkaMarka 0]

The problem is that the PS2 load times make simming over Office Hours painful. Eg you finish practice, waste five years loading your useless office hours, then go right back to the load screen to get to the next practice. Not fun.

 

How buggy is the PC version? Worth a download?