Madden NFL 11 News Post

Madden NFL Creative Director, Ian Cummings Interview (Maddenbible)

10:33 AM - January 14, 2011 by Steve_OS

Maddenbible has posted their interview with Madden NFL Creative Director, Ian Cummings.

He gives his behind the scenes secrets on statistics, and what the common public doesn’t know about game development.

Make sure you give it a listen, right here.

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Member Comments

# 1 khaliib @ 01/14/11 12:26 PM

I glad Ian mentioned Madden's current business structure compared to the one they had in 2004 as it pertains to the process before possible implementation.

I think oftentimes feedback towards the Dev Team doesn't include the chain of command a thought/suggestion must go through to make it in the game.

Madden and any sports game for that matter, will never generate the hours of actual online gameplay that shooters like COD etc... do. With that, Administration can limit the front line workers (Dev Team) because of the desire to push a game in the "Online" direction to get a piece of that pie. Thus, other area's or features not condusive towards achieving a greater piece of the "Online" pie become secondary.

I'm an offline player exclusively (more NCAA than Madden), and wish they would flesh out the Offline Mode to a mind blowing level. But I also understand no administrator would exclude themselves (game features) to one target group. They would be out of a job real quick.

I know some folks couldn't handle the truth concerning their desired feature inclusion, but a locked thread notating what "Is Not" going to be in the game (vision cone etc...) and/or suggestions that have been presented to Administration to include would go a long way and help stream feedback for better communication.

I'm actually going to give Madden a shot this year.
So I hope I'm not getting ready for a big let down!!!!

# 2 Gotmadskillzson @ 01/14/11 02:00 PM

I remember that tournament.....Dedication right there. I wonder what ever happened to his friend that actual won it and got him the internship there in the 1st place. Basically made his career, I would be giving him free copies of Madden every year for the rest of his life LOL.

# 3 BobChonger @ 01/14/11 07:08 PM

EA needs to learn how to design stat graphics for football. Why only 'COMP'? It should be either COMP% or COMP/ATT. And how do you not include INTS?

Amateur hour again at EA

# 4 econoodle @ 01/14/11 10:46 PM

good listen and thanks for the link.

Ian is such a nice guy. always will be pulling for him.
wait, he said he has long hair and a beard now?
Pic or it didnt happen.

# 5 Ian_Cummings @ 01/15/11 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gotmadskillzson


	I remember that tournament.....Dedication right there. I wonder what ever happened to his friend that actual won it and got him the internship there in the 1st place. Basically made his career, I would be giving him free copies of Madden every year for the rest of his life LOL.

He quit testing at the end of the summer and just went back to finish school at UT...I never really saw him or talked to him for years, and I just ran into him in a bar in Nashville last Christmas. He started his own real estate appraisal company and was doing well, but he couldn't believe it when I told him I was the lead designer now. I definitely paid for his bar tab.

# 6 Ian_Cummings @ 01/15/11 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by econoodle


	wait, he said he has long hair and a beard now? Pic or it didnt happen.

This was from like a month ago...the beard is getting fuller by the day!
Attachment 29890
Attachment 29891

# 7 Ian_Cummings @ 01/15/11 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zastrin


	The Madden Jesus!

Make sure to tune in for more details on my hair care on the next developer podcast, my son.

# 8 BlackBetty15 @ 01/15/11 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ian_Cummings_EA


	Make sure to tune in for more details on my hair care on the next developer podcast, my son.

Love the taliban starter kit brother! LOL Gotta get you a mustache comb and a molester van to complete the mantra

# 9 navygoat1998 @ 01/15/11 12:02 PM

Hey Ian thanks for the update and the pics! Did hear you say son???? does that mean congrats are in order????

Mike

# 10 PGaither84 @ 01/15/11 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by navygoat1998


	Hey Ian thanks for the update and the pics! Did hear you say son???? does that mean congrats are in order???? Mike

No, it was in reference to the Jesus joke. You missed it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zastrin


	The Madden Jesus!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ian_Cummings_EA


	Make sure to tune in for more details on my hair care on the next developer podcast, my son.

# 11 Palo20 @ 01/15/11 01:27 PM

At least we know Ian is so busy making a great Madden that there is no time for grooming

# 12 econoodle @ 01/15/11 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ian_Cummings_EA


	This was from like a month ago...the beard is getting fuller by the day! Attachment 29890 Attachment 29891

Hmmm bustin out some six string.
SO we should see one of your original tracks in Madden 14?

'the ballad of eli'.

# 13 RedZoneD25 @ 01/15/11 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by econoodle


	Hmmm bustin out some six string. SO we should see one of your original tracks in Madden 14? 'the ballad of eli'.

Let's see...Each minute would be one year in Eli's career.

It would have to start out a generic but promising chord progression for the first 2 minutes, begin to get tediously angering the next 2, the 5th minute should have a nice long solo ending in a luck-driven legato run hitting a huge (I'm talking 2 or 3 steps) bend to finish it, then perhaps fade back into a minor scale to cause uncertainty in the legitimacy of the miracle solo that previously occured.

*NOT BASHING IAN'S GUITAR PROWESS, JUST THE SUBJECT OF HIS SONG*

I'm a musician as well and diehard Eagle fan, so I don't particularly share the same views. I agree Ian should record something. Just maybe not an Eli song.

# 14 oneamongthefence @ 01/15/11 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WTFitsDaveyJ


	Let's see...Each minute would be one year in Eli's career. It would have to start out a generic but promising chord progression for the first 2 minutes, begin to get tediously angering the next 2, the 5th minute should have a nice long solo ending in a luck-driven legato run hitting a huge (I'm talking 2 or 3 steps) bend to finish it, then perhaps fade back into a minor scale to cause uncertainty in the legitimacy of the miracle solo that previously occured. NOT BASHING IAN'S GUITAR PROWESS, JUST THE SUBJECT OF HIS SONG I'm a musician as well and diehard Eagle fan, so I don't particularly share the same views. I agree Ian should record something. Just maybe not an Eli song.

Makes you wonder how a favre song would sound... also jesus and ian are both builders and both have a very bipolar following.

# 15 PantherBeast_OS @ 01/15/11 06:49 PM

Ian love the interview you did and thanks so much for info you given us. I'm hoping from what I here in this podcast might tell me that focus may turn more towards offline franchise mode then online franchise mode this coming year. I feel like online franchise mode is just to much of headache to get people to join and to keep it up and going all the time and hoping people want quit on it. Offline franchise mode is more fun and that is where the focus should be at more this coming year. But again thanks for the info and keep up the good work Ian.

# 16 RedZoneD25 @ 01/15/11 06:53 PM

I agree with LK. I'm very excited for the potential of a new franchise mode experience. I live and die by that mode in every sports game I play, and I'd love nothing more to get lost in the depth of Madden again.

# 17 CM Hooe @ 01/16/11 02:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WTFitsDaveyJ


	Let's see...Each minute would be one year in Eli's career. It would have to start out a generic but promising chord progression for the first 2 minutes, begin to get tediously angering the next 2, the 5th minute should have a nice long solo ending in a luck-driven legato run hitting a huge (I'm talking 2 or 3 steps) bend to finish it, then perhaps fade back into a minor scale to cause uncertainty in the legitimacy of the miracle solo that previously occured.

I would pay a significant amount of money to listen to this.

# 18 ryan36 @ 01/16/11 02:15 AM

ok , to people abbreviate online franchise as OF...offline starts as the same friggin letter. we have no clue what you're talkin' about lol

# 19 mrmass413 @ 01/16/11 08:35 AM

offline is getting some love.... sweet. we all can't afford internet

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Madden NFL Creative Director, Ian Cummings Interview (Maddenbible)