Ok everything in this media article will obviously never happen. The ISFL will not get its own video game. And when I say game, I don't mean like the game we use to sim on right now. I mean a Madden level game about the league itself. The good news about that is that I have no limits about what features and additions I can put in this impossible hypothetical football video game. So I am going to hopefully outline what I would do if I had unlimited resources, money, and programming skills.
First of all the game will be completely focused on simulation style game play aside from one mode we will discuss later. Basically I want the game play to basically feel like an more modern NFL 2K5 or All Pro Football 2K8. On that note there will be no overpowered abilities like "when this is active this QB can't throw a pick" or "when this Linebacker tackles the QB when this is active its a guaranteed fumble" or any shit like that. If there are abilities they will be both situational and minor like an slight increase to Deep Throw or something like that. I would try to make it feel like you're actually playing football and not some arcade game. Not that there's anything wrong with arcade football, but it doesn't work with the game I would want to make.
Another thing to add is that there would be no predatory micro-transactions. While there would be in game trading cards to unlock, they will be strictly for showing off league history and lore. Plus they would help unlock some secret teams and stadiums but more on that later. I really hate how so many people get suckered into these modes that are basically slot machines trying to rid these poor fools of thier money. A lot of people pour hundreds into these modes and it makes me honestly sick, so none of that crap would be here.
Another big thing to add would be the ability to create a custom team with a logo you could ether pick from a pre made list, create your own, or download them from other creators. with custom jerseys, stadiums, city locations, and even fans. The jerseys would have a lot of custom options and the ability to make them any color you want. You would have 2 home jerseys, 2 away jerseys, and 2 alternative jerseys to customize. You would also be able to fully customize the stadiums, making them as big or as small as you want. There would also be no city limitations, even if its not in the USA. As long as its a major city its available.
As for customizing fans, you would be able to make custom fans that could be seen in the stands with custom signs. Those signs would be able to have anything you want on them, from logos to team mottos. The fans could be young fans to old school grouchy fans. You could also make them hold up flags of the countries your team could represent. I think you should also control how passionate those fans are both individually and overall.
Now let's get into the Franchise mode. Basically it will be what Madden franchise mode should be right now. You would be given full control over your franchise, be it a current existing team or a custom team. As for custom teams you could ether replace an existing team with them or have an expansion draft for them. When I say full control, I mean down to how much your stadium concession cost if you wish. Though honestly you should be able to control how in depth the experience will go, whether you want it to be full control or just being a head coach.
You would be able to scout the draft and scout the opposing team to see what strengths and weaknesses they have and see what strategy is ultimately best to counter the team in the upcoming game. You could negotiate with and sign free agents and also negotiate with players that have expiring contracts. You could also sign various staff from Assistant coaches to GMs to offensive coordinators. You would also have to deal with injuries, make various trades, and basically do everything you would expect to do in a good Franchise mode.
Now let's talk about Become a Legend mode, or basically our player career mode. There would be no complicated story or forced drama like most modern sports stories. Its basically you as a blank slate of a player that you can completely customize being drafted into the DSFL and the rest of your story is yours to decide. Also you could be any position you want to be, from a QB to a punter. Want to be an offensive guard? Go for it! You could be traded or occasionally get hurt, but the rest of the story is yours to create.
Now let's talk about the unlocks and what the trading cards have to do with them. Each card has information and backstory about the player featured on them and you get them from beating certain challenges based on which player is featured and if you get enough cards from a certain Legends team you unlock them in exhibition mode. The challenges can range from getting a certain amount of interceptions in a game or beating a team by a certain amount of points. They can also be in ether exhibition, Franchise, or Become a Legend mode. The more you play the more you unlock and it is completely free with the game.
One mode that will step away from simulation style gameplay is Street Ball mode. Basically its an NFL Street style arcade mode that can be played alone but is more fun with friends to mess around with online or with local multi-player. You ether take control of a team or you create your own and play arcade style football with style moves and Gamebreaker style finishers that will be completely exclusive to this mode. Basically this mode is all about low stress messing around with your friends.
There are a couple of other things like creating an endzone celebration with custom animations and the ability to play with old school helmets and big jerseys but I think you get the idea of both my perfect ISFL game and my perfect football game in general. I want to thank you all for reading this and I hope you can picture this hypothetical game in your mind.
EA could put a lot of this in Madden. But they won't. That's the sad truth.
First of all the game will be completely focused on simulation style game play aside from one mode we will discuss later. Basically I want the game play to basically feel like an more modern NFL 2K5 or All Pro Football 2K8. On that note there will be no overpowered abilities like "when this is active this QB can't throw a pick" or "when this Linebacker tackles the QB when this is active its a guaranteed fumble" or any shit like that. If there are abilities they will be both situational and minor like an slight increase to Deep Throw or something like that. I would try to make it feel like you're actually playing football and not some arcade game. Not that there's anything wrong with arcade football, but it doesn't work with the game I would want to make.
Another thing to add is that there would be no predatory micro-transactions. While there would be in game trading cards to unlock, they will be strictly for showing off league history and lore. Plus they would help unlock some secret teams and stadiums but more on that later. I really hate how so many people get suckered into these modes that are basically slot machines trying to rid these poor fools of thier money. A lot of people pour hundreds into these modes and it makes me honestly sick, so none of that crap would be here.
Another big thing to add would be the ability to create a custom team with a logo you could ether pick from a pre made list, create your own, or download them from other creators. with custom jerseys, stadiums, city locations, and even fans. The jerseys would have a lot of custom options and the ability to make them any color you want. You would have 2 home jerseys, 2 away jerseys, and 2 alternative jerseys to customize. You would also be able to fully customize the stadiums, making them as big or as small as you want. There would also be no city limitations, even if its not in the USA. As long as its a major city its available.
As for customizing fans, you would be able to make custom fans that could be seen in the stands with custom signs. Those signs would be able to have anything you want on them, from logos to team mottos. The fans could be young fans to old school grouchy fans. You could also make them hold up flags of the countries your team could represent. I think you should also control how passionate those fans are both individually and overall.
Now let's get into the Franchise mode. Basically it will be what Madden franchise mode should be right now. You would be given full control over your franchise, be it a current existing team or a custom team. As for custom teams you could ether replace an existing team with them or have an expansion draft for them. When I say full control, I mean down to how much your stadium concession cost if you wish. Though honestly you should be able to control how in depth the experience will go, whether you want it to be full control or just being a head coach.
You would be able to scout the draft and scout the opposing team to see what strengths and weaknesses they have and see what strategy is ultimately best to counter the team in the upcoming game. You could negotiate with and sign free agents and also negotiate with players that have expiring contracts. You could also sign various staff from Assistant coaches to GMs to offensive coordinators. You would also have to deal with injuries, make various trades, and basically do everything you would expect to do in a good Franchise mode.
Now let's talk about Become a Legend mode, or basically our player career mode. There would be no complicated story or forced drama like most modern sports stories. Its basically you as a blank slate of a player that you can completely customize being drafted into the DSFL and the rest of your story is yours to decide. Also you could be any position you want to be, from a QB to a punter. Want to be an offensive guard? Go for it! You could be traded or occasionally get hurt, but the rest of the story is yours to create.
Now let's talk about the unlocks and what the trading cards have to do with them. Each card has information and backstory about the player featured on them and you get them from beating certain challenges based on which player is featured and if you get enough cards from a certain Legends team you unlock them in exhibition mode. The challenges can range from getting a certain amount of interceptions in a game or beating a team by a certain amount of points. They can also be in ether exhibition, Franchise, or Become a Legend mode. The more you play the more you unlock and it is completely free with the game.
One mode that will step away from simulation style gameplay is Street Ball mode. Basically its an NFL Street style arcade mode that can be played alone but is more fun with friends to mess around with online or with local multi-player. You ether take control of a team or you create your own and play arcade style football with style moves and Gamebreaker style finishers that will be completely exclusive to this mode. Basically this mode is all about low stress messing around with your friends.
There are a couple of other things like creating an endzone celebration with custom animations and the ability to play with old school helmets and big jerseys but I think you get the idea of both my perfect ISFL game and my perfect football game in general. I want to thank you all for reading this and I hope you can picture this hypothetical game in your mind.
EA could put a lot of this in Madden. But they won't. That's the sad truth.