Press Row Podcast Episode 136: Madden NFL 16 CFM Deep Dive

[RaychelSnr]

This week’s episode is a deep dive into the modifications and improvements in this fall’s upcoming Madden NFL 16. Host Rich Grisham is joined by two of the leading designers of Madden’s Connected Franchise Mode, including Creative Director Kolbe Launchbaugh and Designer John White. The three discuss a host of additions and changes to CFM, including the updated goals framework, new scouting and draft options, updated commissioner tools, and a host of other items.

Enjoy!

Joining us this week:

• Koble Launchbaugh, EA Sports (@KolbeL)
• John White, EA Sports (@EAWhite)
• And your host, Richard Grisham (@richgrisham)

Send us your feedback! We love to hear from you. Do it one of these ways:

1) Follow the show on Twitter at @PressRowPodcast and send us some Tweets while you’re there

2) Email the show at [email protected]

Also, the Press Row Podcast is now available on iTunes (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/...ow/id563624090, Stitcher Radio (http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/oper...ss-row-podcast) , and the Windows Store, so subscribe to it and rate it too!
Lastly, check out our brand new compilation page on Audioboom at https://audioboom.com/channel/press-row-podcast, where all of our shows are easy to access from one page.

Run Time: 54 minutes

[howboutdat]

i have now lost all hope in CFMs future . Its all about the casuals now, and im just not going down that road. So done with this game already .

[The JareBear]

For those of us unable to listen right now can someone summarize it?

[mestevo]

Notes below about goals and confidence, which is what I'm probably looking forward to the most outside of the reworked player card and any gameplay improvements (we've still got a lot to learn about this title). Looking forward to these as someone who likes to often just jump into a game and mostly run the recommended plays as if a coordinator is doling them out. I REALLY like that it looks like we're going from getting simply '10 passing yards' and then a 'Alex Smith 4/6 112 yards' - usually neglecting the receiver, etc. - to a much richer set of statistics on a play by play basis if you're a coach.

Notes.

Dynamic Drive Goals
(there are still 2 goals systems)

- the weekly/season/milestone goals (still present, upgrade, changed a little bit)

Dynamic Drive Goals
- Augment the seasonal/weekly goals
- Goals better messaged (progress in ticker)
- As a coach/owner you see updates for all positions (LE w/ tackle goal, can see progress)

Dynamic goals more situational
- Correct confidence (no examples given, assuming things like 'get a first down' similar to how we see teams in a rut finally getting over the hump)
- Considers the various aspects of the game and providing goals based on that
- Example: after a pick, capitalize on a turnover by scoring
- no downside, they're goals/objectives for token xp/confidence

Confidence
- rebalanced and retuned, more forgiving but has to be paid attention to. system isn't as aggressive.
- dynamic goals can key off confidence to provide goals to help where needed

[JayD]

Please stop concentrating on XP and just work on the broken parts of CFM that have been around for a couple of years. Pretty sure the majority don't care about earning XP from stupid in game goals that forces you to change the way you play the game.

[mestevo]

Quote: Originally Posted by JayD

Please stop concentrating on XP and just work on the broken parts of CFM that have been around for a couple of years. Pretty sure the majority don't care about earning XP from stupid in game goals that forces you to change the way you play the game.

They don't force anything and can be ignored, there's no downside.

[bcruise]

Quote: Originally Posted by mestevo

They don't force anything and can be ignored, there's no downside.

Yeah. I don't like that the season goals are still tied to regression, but the dynamic in-game ones are all-reward, no risk.

[bucky60]

Quote: Originally Posted by mestevo

They don't force anything and can be ignored, there's no downside.

Hard to ignore XP when that's the mechanism used for progression.