EA DEVELOPMENT TEAM PLEASE READ!

[IIx Nautica xII]

So i was trolling along ign this morning and stumbled across a post about active player progression. I know that NCAA has it built in but Madden does not anymore. It was a quite interesting post so let me know what you all think.

Markfri7 posts:
I don't know about you guys, but I am SICK of how stagnant the regular season becomes in NCAA and MADDEN. Scouting/recruiting is virtually THE ONLY activity (unless a player gets injured in Madden and you need to pick up a new one via trade or free agency).

The primary problem is that your team remains almost exactly the same as the season goes on. It is just a shame that no matter how good your QB plays, his rating stays the same. (Actually, in NCAA it actually might go up a point or MAYBE even two.)

So, how about doing us a favor EA... MAKE EVERY PLAY COUNT EVEN MORE by adding an advanced IN-SEASON player progression system!

Now hear me out on this one, because there are tough decisions to make as a coach with a realistic player progression system in place.

First... in my opinion, players who carry the ball a lot (like primary running backs) should wear down a little bit as the season goes on. Their agility, acceleration, trucking, and top speed should decrease by a point or two after a game where they got a bunch of touches (30+). Of course, resting the player (less than 15 touches), or having a bye week, will bring their ratings back up. This creates an immediate incentive to use multiple backs. Another wrinkle could be that QBs would lose accuracy and arm strength if they keep getting creamed in the pocket. In fact, these ratings changes could even occur in-game. QBs already get rattled mentally in NCAA... but taking his certainly takes a physical toll on players. Again, coming back from significant wear and tear only requires rest. (In fact, this is a nice solution to EA's very annoy black/white injury system - where players are either injured or they aren't and there is no middle ground)

Of course, it is not all bad. Players that start will see their awareness increase as the season goes on - especially if they are making plays. Then again, awareness might decrease if a player is playing poorly... i.e. they get in a slump and psych themselves out.

Following this logic, player ratings should change much more AND much more often throughout the course of a season.

If a mediocre QB goes out and throws 20 TDs and only 3 INTs for the season, his overall rating should go up by at least 5 points by the end of the season. In real life, certain skills get better by playing games: awareness, throw on the run, accuracy, ball carrying, juke move, spin move, spectacular catch, press coverage, tackling, pass rush, play recognition... etc etc etc.

Other skills require time away from contact football and hardcore training to enhance... Off the top of my head, some of the ones which must wait until the off-season to increase are: strength, speed, acceleration, agility, injury, stamina, throw power...

While I think this would be more interesting and important for NCAA, I would like to see this kind of stuff in Madden as well (although to a lesser extent since professional atheletes are typically not as volatile).

Just think about it though... not only does it make each game more interesting (since every play can affect player ratings), but it makes the entire season a more dynamic/organic/realistic/fun experience.

One final idea... How about letting coaches develop gameplans ahead of time? Coaches can be rated in terms of their quality just like players, and coaches can choose to enhance player abilities for each week.

For example: You are about to play a very good spread offense, so you choose to focus on pursuit. Or if you are about to play a power running game, you would focus on tackling. Moreover, the lessons learned would no disappear entirely after the game. Players would remember what the coaches taught them and would permanently improve.

And give me the option of telling a player to gain or lose weight! (Of course, ratings should adjust accordingly) Also, some players grow during college, so lets see it in at least 1/4 of the players.


CLIFF NOTES:

1) Allow player ratings to change dramatically from week to week (almost every player rating can go up or down depending on both performance and wear/tear).

2) Players should get worn down, requiring rest or fewer touches to heal. This makes injuries more realistic and keeps them from being a simple play vs. can't play setup.

3) Coaches should be able to strategize for the upcoming week's games. This should result in small boosts in the chosen player ratings. Moreover, players should hold on to these player boosts (or at least part of them).

4) Allow coaches to tell players to gain or lose 5-10 pounds of weight in the off-season. This, too, should impact player ratings.





So... THOUGHTS????

[IIx Nautica xII]

MOD please close thread, i'll repost under new title. Forgot that your not supposed to create "Hey EA" threads.

[rfree21]

Also coaches should be rated and u cansee their different ratings before u hire them..it would be awesome to
have assistant coaches

[mfriday]

hey, i am markfri7 from the ign boards.

i posted the idea in the madden forum. thanks for getting the word out there though.

[IIx Nautica xII]

Hey good to see you in these forums. I remember the days of madden 2005 where your players did progress, although to much. You had some great ideas man and I back them 100%. When ncaa 11 drops i'll have to send you a message, I host a Sim style league every year and its has run smoothly. Not active anymore but as soon as 11 drops the same guys will be back on board.

[gofresno]

To add to the wearing down thing: Have teams use more depth! Teams do not use the same 4 d-line men or 3 linebackers the entire game! Depth is a big factor on teams wearing down. Smaller schools depends on there top players, where as when major schools wear down the depth is still very good.

[scraw28]

I like some of the ideas that you have like player wear and tear throughout the season, but remember not to add hey es or hey "insert" moderator. it would be better just to PM them.

[Pringles]

i have played video games since atari 5200 days the best simulation of a player not playing to there ability out of all the games i have played was tecmo bowl when they were injured they fumbled alot or got hurt or were not the same. basically you noticed a drop off.

i have said this before the ratings of players and teams should go way up or down during the course of a season to give greater seperation from the good and the bad. taking a 65 rated qb all the way to the superbowl and beating everyone to death but having your rating remain 65 is not only stupid but unreal.

i myself would like to see your coaching staff greatly effect your ratings the better or worse you do each coach should have like milestones per week and yearly that make there ratings go up and if there's goes up whatever they are famious for those players should go up the most like if he is a offensive guru with qbs then the qbs will benefit the most when it is time for progression.