ThrowBack - THE INTERVIEW

[Rod Woodson]

EDIT: here is the article
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/st ... tecmo_bowl

Have a guy from ESPN2 asking about Throwback.
Feel free to answer any of the questions and I'll reply back with a summarized version of people's thoughts.

1. What's the reaction to this game so far in the Tecmo community?

1a. How do you feel about it?

2. What's the most promising aspect of this remake? What are three things the community would love to see?

2a. Have the remake developers been in touch with the community?

2b. Is Tecmo in touch with the community?

3. What is the community worried about when it comes to the remake? What are the three biggest things that could screw it up?

4. Regarding Tecmo hacks, what are the three coolest things the community has accomplished?

4a. Given the Tecmo hacks, is a remake even necessary?

[Maynard_G_Krebs]

Have a guy from ESPN2 asking about Throwback.
Feel free to answer any of the questions and I'll reply back with a summarized version of people's thoughts.

1. What's the reaction to this game so far in the Tecmo community?

1a. How do you feel about it?

2. What's the most promising aspect of this remake? What are three things the community would love to see?

2a. Have the remake developers been in touch with the community?

2b. Is Tecmo in touch with the community?

3. What is the community worried about when it comes to the remake? What are the three biggest things that could screw it up?

4. Regarding Tecmo hacks, what are the three coolest things the community has accomplished?

4a. Given the Tecmo hacks, is a remake even necessary?

I'm all over this shit once I get back from a Photography Adventure. It's too warm outside here in Boston to answer these right now!

[buck]

I will answer for me,myself, and I.

1. What's the reaction to this game so far in the Tecmo community?

1a. How do you feel about it?

minimal interest. I don't own a modern gaming console and I don't plan on getting one just for this game.

2. What's the most promising aspect of this remake? What are three things the community would love to see?

good online play. more useable playbooks (new plays). franchise mode

2a. Have the remake developers been in touch with the community?

not that I know of.

2b. Is Tecmo in touch with the community?

not that I know of.

3. What is the community worried about when it comes to the remake? What are the three biggest things that could screw it up?

SNES gameplay. COA only.

4. Regarding Tecmo hacks, what are the three coolest things the community has accomplished?

1. jstout's multitude of contributions 2. cxrom's 32-team rom with in-game playbook adjust-ability 3. BAD_AL's TSB TOOL Supreme

4a. Given the Tecmo hacks, is a remake even necessary?

not really, but if they do it right - a new generation of people can enjoy TSB - and they won't feel "retro".

[goflamesgo]

OK here are my answers:

1. What's the reaction to this game so far in the Tecmo community?

1a. How do you feel about it?

Very excited.

2. What's the most promising aspect of this remake? What are three things the community would love to see?

Tecmos still plays better than any current gen football games. Just needs a facelift. Would really like to see the ability to use fully editable teams (colors/names/cities) with editable players of course in an ONLINE SEASON with friends. I think that feature with preservation of original gameplay makes for an almost slam dunk.

2a. Have the remake developers been in touch with the community?

Dunno.

2b. Is Tecmo in touch with the community?

Dunno.

3. What is the community worried about when it comes to the remake? What are the three biggest things that could screw it up?

I think lack of online season would be disappointing. I want to play this game with my friends like we did years ago!

4. Regarding Tecmo hacks, what are the three coolest things the community has accomplished?

Updated teams in Tecmo are great.

4a. Given the Tecmo hacks, is a remake even necessary?

Yes. It's unrealistic to expect more casual players who loved the game many years ago to work out the complexities of playing this game on their PCs. As I see it, a true and beautiful updated version of TSB on the current gen systems is really an interesting option for players (casual and extreme) who have grown tired of Madden.

[Maynard_G_Krebs]

1. What's the reaction to this game so far in the Tecmo community?

1. The overall Tecmo community seems pretty jazzed about Tecmo Throwback from my own impressions scanning about the Internet. Anything to add more competition to Madden's monopoly on football video gaming. On Madden forums, Throwback is actually mounting a good response. All-purpose sports gaming forums like 'Operation Sports' have multiple Tecmo Throwback threads happening right now that are actually picking up momentum. Ultimately, I think peoples have 'hope' for the game to be worthwhile, but past incarnations from Tecmo have seemed lost without the opinions and input of the people who keep the brand relevant--the hardcore fans of yesteryear. The worst part about it being, in my mind, that without the support from the hardcore older fans, it's unlikely newer generations are going to be as likely convinced that Tecmo Bowl is worth playing.

1a. How do you feel about it?

1a. As long as it brings new fans to the real work being made on the Tecmo Bowl franchise here in this community and others like it, than I'm all for new generations of Tecmo Bowl to arrive. As a property in and of itself, I don't think any Tecmo Bowl that comes out in the future has a chance at all of making an impact, unless it contains not only technology updates (online play, completely editable rosters, etc.), but conceptual updates as well (better AI, tighter gameplay et al). Personally, I think most any football game released here in the US without an NFL license is DOA as a long-term property.

2. What's the most promising aspect of this remake? What are three things the community would love to see?

2. Online play, first and foremost. Online play means people have a reason to be interested in sharing the experience of Tecmo Bowl with another person. It's in people sharing an accessible playing experience that greater demand for the brand will be generated. Three things the community would like to see in the game? Franchise Mode. Defensive substitutions. Smarter A.I..

2b. Is Tecmo in touch with the community?

2b. They haven't been in-touch with this community. If they're not in-touch with this community, than it's doubtful they are with any Tecmo Bowl fan base, which shows to me both arrogance and under-appreciation on their part. When Fire Pro Wrestling R was picked up by an American distributor, they were in very close contact with the Fire Pro Club (an online community) about the development and inclusions in the American remake of the Japanese wrestling title. Tecmo has shown little interest in what their fans' opinions are about the growth of the series, unless they quietly stalk these or other forums.

3. What is the community worried about when it comes to the remake? What are the three biggest things that could screw it up?

3. Not only misreading the game play qualities of Tecmo Bowl that have kept it around for so long, but also underestimating the simple modifications they could make to the player A.I. that would mature the game for a smarter, savvier football audience in the 21st century. Three things in specific that they could screw up? Hyping that the game is more evolved as a product than it really is. Spending too much development time on aspects of the game that fans don't even want: see Tecmo Bowl: Kickoff. An incomplete online mode.

4. Regarding Tecmo hacks, what are the three coolest things the community has accomplished?

4. Manipulating the overall on-field experience to be more intuitive, with the gameplay being faster, more difficult, more authentic to current NFL game rules, and more intelligent in execution. Creating a 32-Team ROM with in-game editable playbook. The many programs that make editing Tecmo Bowl effortless (TSB Tool Supreme, the Playmaker program et al).

4a. Given the Tecmo hacks, is a remake even necessary?

It's necessary that newer generations experience Tecmo Bowl for younger fans to be created from a contemporary product that is officially sponsored by the game development company itself. Many gamers find it hard to support or even locate products like these Tecmo hacks generated by the fan base unless they have a greater conduit to learn about the property. The advertisement alone of a new Tecmo Bowl game being made will draw large numbers of new fans to communities such as this. That process is a necessary one. Is Tecmo Bowl: Throwback a necessary product in and of itself? Anything to compete with Madden's monopoly is necessary. The American people have spoken and they do not like Monopolies or Oligopolies. Ever.

[Maynard_G_Krebs]

3. What is the community worried about when it comes to the remake? What are the three biggest things that could screw it up?

...COA only.

[buck]

I threw that in there to see if you were paying attention.

love,
cyst

3. What is the community worried about when it comes to the remake? What are the three biggest things that could screw it up?

...COA only.

[Maynard_G_Krebs]

I threw that in there to see if you were paying attention.

love,
cyst

3. What is the community worried about when it comes to the remake? What are the three biggest things that could screw it up?

...COA only.

Yeah, I took out that part. Sometimes I have a hard time gauging how far to take a joke. Smileys usually suffice in most instances. My education and interest in my work partly surrounds the concept of social stakes. Like, the stakes of when you walk into a job interview, and who among that process (interviewer or interviewee has 'high status'). Most interactions in life play out as a status game, I've found. Anyhoo, back to the interview...

[bruddog]

1. What's the reaction to this game so far in the Tecmo community?

I would think skeptical excitement would be a good term to use given all the previous disappointments.


1a. How do you feel about it?




2. What's the most promising aspect of this remake? What are three things the community would love to see?

The most promising aspect is that there is another tecmo game being created at all. There aren't enough details out to know
what else may or may not be promising.

I think the community would love to see.

1. Solid network play features
2. New plays/defenses or the ability to make your own plays
3. A more challenging A.I
4. Subtle enhancements like: penalties, 2pt conversions, substitutable defensive players

2a. Have the remake developers been in touch with the community?
Highly doubtful unless they have been doing it covertly.

2b. Is Tecmo in touch with the community?
See 2a.

3. What is the community worried about when it comes to the remake? What are the three biggest things that could screw it up?

Changing it to the point where it doesn't retain the things that have made tecmo so successful.

They could screw it up if there is no network play or if it is badly implemented. People need to be able to set up leagues and upload their custom teams/players/teams. No one will want to play as only the default no name teams. Along with online play there should be decent stat tracking.


4. Regarding Tecmo hacks, what are the three coolest things the community has accomplished?

1. Creating a 32-team rom

2. Creating easy rom editors

3. The multidude of playbook and game play hacks that are sometimes subtle but add freshness to the game (making HP matter more in grapples, being able to return ints for tds, the ability to design new offensive and defensive plays)



4a. Given the Tecmo hacks, is a remake even necessary?[/quote][/quote]

There are a lot of things that would bring new life to the game that Tecmo community has yet to accomplish....at least for the nes version. Simple things like the following

1. 2pt conversions
2. Having defensive player injures and defensive player backups
3. An easier way to create new plays/ defenses
4. Simpler network play in terms of finding and connecting to an opponent

And I agree with what maynard said. Anything to bring attentions to the game as long as the game isn't botched horribly is a good thing.

[rholden]

1. What's the reaction to this game so far in the Tecmo community?

1a. How do you feel about it?
Mixed at best. I'm not that interested personally


2. What's the most promising aspect of this remake? What are three things the community would love to see?

Bringing more people here, increasing the underground. 1. homage to the original 2. challenging game play 3. ad campaign

2a. Have the remake developers been in touch with the community?
idk
2b. Is Tecmo in touch with the community?
idk
3. What is the community worried about when it comes to the remake? What are the three biggest things that could screw it up?
That it won't represent the original
4. Regarding Tecmo hacks, what are the three coolest things the community has accomplished?
32 teams, in game playbook change, NCAA ROM!!! Not sure how popular this is here, but there a lot of people that enjoy college ball and games over pro
4a. Given the Tecmo hacks, is a remake even necessary?
Exposure is cool, but I don't think it will be better than the hacks.

[Maynard_G_Krebs]

Before I read that Bruddog said he concurred with me, I wanted to say I concur with everything he wrote. And now while it may read like I'm trying to hump his leg, I honestly would like to say that I think it sums up the important points concisely. Well done, dude.

[Pricetag]

1. What's the reaction to this game so far in the Tecmo community?

I can only speak for myself, but I'd venture to guess "once bitten, twice shy."

1a. How do you feel about it?

I'm optimistic with quite a bit more caution than I had with Tecmo Bowl: Kickoff. I got really excited about that game, only to be disappointed in the end. I am pleasantly surprised to see another official Tecmo Bowl game. After Kickoff, and seeing the Wii Tecmo Bowl turn into Family Fun Football, I didn't think we'd ever see another one.

2. What's the most promising aspect of this remake? What are three things the community would love to see?

The most promising aspect is the online part of it, for two reasons.

First, the game is going to be downloaded content. This will enable the publisher to really slash their distribution costs, in turn allowing them to keep the cost of the game down. Tecmo Bowl: Kickoff was a DS title, so it was cheaper than a PS3 or 360 game, but 30 bucks is still a lot to invest in a title most folks recognize by nostalgia only. If they can keep the cost down to half or a third of that, I think a lot more folks will buy.

Second, the online play really has a chance to help sell this game. If they keep the Tecmo fun intact, word will spread.

I only want to see one thing--I want to see the developers bring the Tecmo Bowl experience, both on and off the field, intact. If they're going to expend serious effort, it should be on customization. It will need it without a license. Kickoff tried, but they could have done so much more, had they not expended so much effort on breaking the off the field part of the game.

2a. Have the remake developers been in touch with the community?

I don't know.

2b. Is Tecmo in touch with the community?

I don't know.

3. What is the community worried about when it comes to the remake? What are the three biggest things that could screw it up?

The biggest concern with Tecmo Bowl will always be trying to reinvent the wheel when it is just not necessary. We've been playing this game for almost 20 years now--it isn't because we're aching for a complete overhaul.

Tecmo Bowl: Kickoff got the on the field part of the game right. The tweaks they made there with the super abilities were an annoyance at the worst, and were easily turned off.

But what made Tecmo Super Bowl "super" was how it shined off the field, as well. They completely redid the off the field part of it for Kickoff, with disastrous results.

The individual player stat screens were gone. Player hot and cold spells, if they existed, could not be easily determined. The leader boards were a mess to begin with, and were completely useless after the first season. Half of the season mode experience was effectively gone.

Rosters were needlessly expanded to include players who were not necessary. Three quarterbacks? Without hot and cold spells, defensive subs were not needed since there were no defensive injuries. Back up kickers and punters? Really? I hated the way they went to the first initial instead of the full first names for the players. This is not to mention the fact that the developers clearly didn't understand how the stats affected play on the field when they assigned values. Users were left without the ability to fix the stats right out of the box.

So, I'd say the one and only thing that could screw it up would be developers who do not understand what Tecmo Bowl is about. That one thing leads to myriad problems down the road.

4. Regarding Tecmo hacks, what are the three coolest things the community has accomplished?

I'm not an expert here, but I'm very impressed by what I have heard these guys have done. They should get jobs at Tecmo.

4a. Given the Tecmo hacks, is a remake even necessary?

Definitely. It's just not convenient enough for me to play it on a PC, and I'm a diehard. No casual gamer is going to make the effort.

[allamerican1569]

1. What's the reaction to this game so far in the Tecmo community?

-Optimism with high expectations.


1a. How do you feel about it?

-I'm excited, The screen shots look amazing. I'm just still a little confused and concerned about why they are re-making the SNES version as opposed to the NES. The SNES version is solid, so a re-make of it could translate into something special. We will see. I'm just hoping Tecmo is taking all the great aspects of the franchise and putting them into this game.


2. What's the most promising aspect of this remake? What are three things the community would love to see?

-As regard to Tecmo and re-making this franchise, nothing is promising. I would have to say the graphical enhancements at this point.

3 things:

1. Little change to Tecmo gameplay with a NES speed and feel.

2. A worthwhile online experience. Static player attributes is kind of lame when you don't have the NFL Stars, so I was thinking you could assign each online player an X amount of attributes to create their whole team. Every online player would have the same amount of course. This would make for even teams and even more strategy involved.

3. An excessive amount of online statistics.


2a. Have the remake developers been in touch with the community?

Probably not ever. If they were, the predecessors of Tecmo Super Bowl, would not have been so awful.

2b. Is Tecmo in touch with the community?

Nope.


3. What is the community worried about when it comes to the remake? What are the three biggest things that could screw it up?

1. Gameplay

2. Online play

3. Any unnecessary changes to game


4. Regarding Tecmo hacks, what are the three coolest things the community has accomplished?

1. Ability to change the defense play calling

2. The 32-team rom

3. Hit Power grapple/tackle hack

4a. Given the Tecmo hacks, is a remake even necessary?

Of course or no one on here would care about it. The hacks are sweet, but who's to say which hacked rom/game is official? NO ONE! Tecmo needs to do this! Tecmo Super Bowl for the NES has more replay value than any other sports game of all-time. Period! The game is almost 20 years old and there is still 100's of games being played every day. I hope Tecmo really takes a look at all this feedback and makes it part of Tecmo Throwback. I don't care if I have to wait another year for them to come out with this game, just as long as they get it right this time.

And everyone would love the NFL license again, but that's not going to happen. I think instead of blaming EA, I'm going to blame the NFL. They are the ones signing these agreements. It probably hurts the NFL more than anything, but the NFL is such a force it doesn't matter. This is a complaint that will not die until the contract is broken.

[TomTupa]

1. What's the reaction to this game so far in the Tecmo community?

Mixed optimism and apprehension.

1a. How do you feel about it?

Don't own a next-gen console, but I might have to swipe my kids' if all turns out right with the game.

2. What's the most promising aspect of this remake? What are three things the community would love to see?

The most promising thing is that it appears to be completely unchanged from the original aside from the players names. Hopefully they could even keep the ratings.... I mean how can ratings be copyrighted? Even the improved graphics look to be only that, a different representation of the same gameplay.

2a. Have the remake developers been in touch with the community?

Hahaha... they never would have been in the death spiral in the early 90's if they had listened to the fans. Most of us could have spent 10 minutes with Kickoff and told them some changes that probably would have made the game sell 10 times better than it did.

2b. Is Tecmo in touch with the community?

Not really, but on Tecmo Talk the producer called in and during the interview he acknowledged that Tecmo does read the boards and appreciates what we do. viewtopic.php?f=96&t=11740

3. What is the community worried about when it comes to the remake? What are the three biggest things that could screw it up?

The same thing they did with Kickoff. You can't have online play where everyone can just make up their own ratings for their teams or it's just two superteams against each other. I'd like to see saveable name and team name changes but HOPEFULLY there will be a reasonable, diverse, and within range of the original player ratings which everyone will be on the same page. Also if there is a way to use hacks or cheats that would suck too. One thing is almost positive - EVERYONE will turbo. Stat tracking is irrelevant to me. Anything above W/L is a bonus.

4. Regarding Tecmo hacks, what are the three coolest things the community has accomplished?

The coolest thing is easily the ability to change player names and ratings. It is so common here that it's easy to forget that that is the basis of almost every rom. TSB Manager and TSB Tool are legendary. Adding 32 teams to the NES and the discovery of how everything works (for example exactly what running speed does or that the right tackle MS is used on kickoff returns) are very cool. Changing helmets and team colors is also essential cool hacks to making a rom complete.

4a. Given the Tecmo hacks, is a remake even necessary

If Tecmo is to continue in the future with anything sports related, I think they'd like to make a little money off the best game they ever made. While not neccessary for me directly it would be nice to be able to just pick up and play over a dedicated network that makes everything easy. Also it would be nice to go on there and beat the crap out of some Halo playing Madden fans who think TSB is easy.

[Rod Woodson]

Looks like on most issues there is a general consensus...have sent on the info