NFL Fever plays itself? WTF?!? (1 Viewer)

[James Zos]

So I checked out this used game/CD store today and found a copy of NFL Fever 2002 used for $5. I remember playing the demo and enjoying it so I thought - what the hell, for $5 how can I go wrong?
So I started up a single game and noticed that I didn't seem to have much control over my player. To test this I put the controller down and watched the game play all by itself. The man I was supposed to be controling was moving just fine with no help from me. This couldn't be. Had I accidentally switched to some kind of automatic mode? I've gone through all the onscreen options and every page of the manual and I can't find ANYTHING that seems to relate to this. I have nominal control over some things, I can push A to hike the ball, and pass, but that is about it. Whether on defense or offense the man I'm supposed to be controling is instead primarily controled by the computer.
This has to be a mistake, right? I'm overlooking something obvious, I must be. What is it? How do I stop the CPU from playing without me?

 

[JustinT]

Before the game starts there should be a menu where you tell the game which controller controls which team. I think you have to move your controller to the right or the left. If you don't select a team then it will just be comp vs. comp.

 

[James Zos]

Thanks for the quick reply, JustinT.

I tried that, I mean I was moving the onscreen controler icon right or left to pick a team. When you don't do that, it gives you a little warning, telling you you haven't picked a team to control, so I don't think that is what is going on. Even when I pick a team, it still seems to mostly run by itself.

 

[Rob Varto]

If Im not mistaken, Madden will do that too. I don't think it will throw the ball for you, but it will definitley have the QB hand the ball off and controller the running back until he's tackled.

 

[John Kilroy]

All you have to do is take control of the QB. If you hike the ball and then do nothing, the QB will scramble and eventually pass (or hand off for a running play).

The solution is: as soon as you hike the ball, use the joystick to move the QB back into the pocket. Your motion on the stick will give you control of the QB for the rest of the play. Same for the rest of the positions.

 

[James Zos]

"If Im not mistaken, Madden will do that too."

Rob I could have sworn I played a Madden game back on the old PSX, and it didn't do that, but if it does then that's a shame.

"The solution is: as soon as you hike the ball, use the joystick to move the QB back into the pocket. Your motion on the stick will give you control of the QB for the rest of the play. Same for the rest of the positions."

John, I think with NFL Fever you have to push up on the joystick to gain control of a player, and it is really stupid because that also makes that player run in a certain direction - even when that isn't the direction you want to be running in...

I'm just amazed that the game was deliberately designed this way, and that reviewers apparently didn't see anything wrong with it. Half the time I can't tell if I'm controling any particular player or if the CPU is. Why would anyone ever want to SHARE control with the CPU? It feels like cheating and it isn't any fun. If the game will keep playing all by itself if I put the controler down, then WTF am I needed for?

 

[Dave.A.C]

Nope, you don't have to push the joystick up. Any controller action (button press, joystick movement) will cause you to take control of the selected player. If you just have a player selected prior to the snap and never do anything, the computer will run the play for you. A bit like a Coach Mode. Select a play, see how it's run.

 

[JeffLl]

I hate to burst your bubble, but many football games do the same thing. The Maddens and many EA titles do.

 

[BrianB]

I could have sworn I played a Madden game back on the old PSX, and it didn't do that,

It does.

 

[Mike Pattee]

Madden if you don't touch the stick after hiking the ball will complete the play for you. It will hand it off and start running or even pass the ball. NFL2k3 will hand the ball off but its up to you to run it and if its a passing play the game will do the drop back for you but it won't pass. Sega seems to want the user to play the game rather than watch the game play itself.

 

[James Zos]

"Sega seems to want the user to play the game rather than watch the game play itself."

What an odd idea. Guess I'll have to check out NFL2K3 then.

 

[Chad Ferguson]

In my opinion Fever was such a pourly made game and advertisted at that. When I read about it's realism and actually experienced a mix between Blitz and Madden which turned out all wrong. That was one of my big mistakes was too buy that game. This is why I wish I could patch the game, just so I could get my money's worth somehow. I noticed the problem you are having and I don't care which game does it, they should give you full control. If I wish to stand there then let me be I say. That's is what makes it game in my opinion is control. Anyways, sorry for the rant, in the end, I hate this series and will never touch it again. Long live NFL 2k!!
Thanks

 

[James Zos]

"If I wish to stand there then let me be I say."

That's EXACTLY how I feel, Chad. Couldn't agree more.

Can anyone imagine a FPS where the charachter you're supposed to be controling runs around by himself? I think most people would find that very strange.

Then again, I don't like auto aiming either, and a lot of people seem to like that, so why not let the CPU do everything...(I accept auto aiming only when the game controls are too poor to allow me to aim accurately by myself)