Is Franchise Mode for the Young? - Fetter21's Blog

Fetter21's Blog

Is Franchise Mode for the Young?

Posted on April 8, 2009 at 09:01 PM.

Is it just me, or is franchise mode a game mode for the young? I remember I use to love playing franchise mode, ever year I would look forward to taking the Raiders multiple seasons deep, building and developing my team. But over the last few years it seems that I enjoy playing my franchise mode in Madden less and less.

After reading that franchise blog about Madden, I suppose I should be stoked about a new upgrade to the Madden series and be excited about getting back into the franchise mode, but I�m just not. I feel like they�ve made things a bit too difficult.

I�m not complaining, since I think they�re attempting to change things to what the consumers want. But to me each year as franchise mode becomes deeper and deeper, having to scout players and take a much more active interest in the general manager position week to week, which takes more and more time away from actually playing the games.

The offseason mode was always on the Xbox version was a time that I looked most forward to, now it just seems a bit overwhelming. Since I�m suppose to be scouting these players throughout the year. To be an effective GM I�d spend almost as much time scouting the players as I would playing the games.

When compared to NCAA Football it seems as if the Madden dynasty just takes more time to do the scouting. For NCAA I can quickly make calls to my top players, then let the AI do the rest for me. Plus recruiting I�m just trying to get as much overall talent as I can at the need positions, and I�ll sort out who�s gonna play when they arrive on campus in the spring. Where as Madden, I must choose wisely, so the research must be done, since the amount of players you bring in each year is much fewer.

Maybe the new menu�s that Josh talked about will make it a much more mainstreamed system, and much less time consuming, but in the mean time I�m still left wondering. As I�ve become older, do I just not have time to actually enjoy the franchise mode anymore? Is it just a feature for the young who have endless amounts of time to burn on the game?

Comments

# 1 Clarke_311 @ Apr 8

I like it being more in-depth it makes it more realistic, but yeah, you gotta be dedicated.

# 2 Hellisan @ Apr 9

I'm kind of in the same boat as you Fetter. Used to enjoy Franchise mode a lot as a kid, don't now. I'll take it a step further: I've not even purchased Madden for four years and haven't owned one for two (used to have it sent to me for free, heh)... Dynasty mode has copmletely taken over for me too.

I think there are several reasons for me but two big ones that stand out - do either of these also apply to you?

*In dynasty mode, you can experience the career of many, many players as they come through your program. Contrast this with franchise mode, where you'd have to have some serious time on your hands to see a player's entire career.

*Which leads me to point 2 - NCAA seasons are a good 4 games (at bare bones minimum) shorter! You can get through the seasons faster and they don't drag on as long. If you play all your preseason games and playoff games you're looking at nearly 25 games compared to a max of 13-14 for NCAA.

# 3 sledgejrk @ Apr 9

I have been struggling with this franchise problem too. I have Mlb 09 for PS3. It looks and plays so realistically. But I also have a job, a wife and two small kids. It just doesn't seem possible to put in the necessary time to run a proper franchise. With the new Madden coming it will be the same thing.

It seems that youth is wasted on the young. If only these amazing franchise modes came out 10 years ago. It's killing me. Maybe in retirement...

# 4 Fetter21 @ Apr 10

Hellisan I deffinitely agree with the shorter seasons playing a major roll in making the dynasty mode of NCAA more enjoyable than the franchise mode. Which I actually tend to go a bit further even simming easy conference games at times to get through seasons even faster, since what's the point in playing a 0-9 Washington team other to run up your stats if you have someone making a run for the heisman. So that does also help dynasty mode, where as in Madden I feel compelled to play all 16 games for some reason.

# 5 deaduck @ Apr 12

I see your points but I'm no spring chicken and I'm all about the increased level of involvment in Franchise. Heck, I crave even more options.

Maybe it's less about age and more about the time you're willing/want to devote to it.

# 6 whosgotcha @ Apr 13

Franchise mode is the central component of the game for me. This is where I get to lose myself in the game. The more sophisticated the better. I understand that Front Office Football is a text based simulation but the closer Madden’s franchise could get to it the better. I would really like the choices I make to have an effect on the field.

I agree with Hellisan that the short season and short careers of the college game (Man, now I’ve got to get a game in my dynasty with Rutgers currently 10 wins no defeats and ranked 3rd nationally) help tremendously. I also think the atmosphere and apparent differences between good and bad teams and bluechip and four star players really help to pull you in.

One easy resolution (easy at least on my end) would be the inclusion of the ability to save, which Madden used to have. Maybe they will bring that back?