Only 2 1/2 Weeks to EA Access and No Gameplay... Concerned?

[GiantBlue76]

Re: Only 2 1/2 Weeks to EA Access and No Gameplay... Concerned?

When you make software, all feedback is important and all feedback should be treated as being important.

From a software development point of view, those that 'pick apart videos' are doing an incredible free service for EA, doing QE work for free. Not all bugs and feedback is actionable, but there are some very obvious bugs that can be picked up from watching videos and it's not just nit-picky things like cleat colors or mouth guards, or very complex things like DB or line play (which may be difficult to fix post-release).

Things like bugs with wind, stamina bugs, issues with depth charts, and more, are small, easy to identify bugs. By releasing content early, it does EA a huge service in getting more feedback early in the release.

It seems clear that the development teams and the management (or at least, marketing management) teams are not on the same page with this release of Madden. Developers want their products scrutinized, it's part of releasing software to the public, it's part of why websites like GitHub and StackOverflow have exploded in the last 5 years, and why every reputable software company has bounty programs for identifying bugs, public bashes, alpha and beta releases, etc. Developers want feedback, and even the annoying feedback from the guy who obsesses over the smallest detail that you don't care about, it's good feedback and the only way you can prioritize future development is with customer feedback like that.

So, no, don't blame the guy who does free QE work for EA. Blame the EA product marketing manager who would rather make the developer's jobs more difficult and create a greater rift between customers and the company. The antagonistic relationship that EA has cultured with its customers has always been madness, but especially so today. If you work at a software company and you perceive feedback from customers (or potential customers) as a 'bitchfest,' they you're in the wrong business, and if the company perceives it as a 'bitchfest,' then the product is going to turn out worse and the company is going to do worse.

As someone who writes software for a living as well, this post wins the internet today as far as I am concerned. It's very difficult to please everyone. Quite frankly, it's impossible. However, if you care at all about what you are creating, you will ALWAYS pay more attention to the people who are the most critical. Telling me that every design decision I've made, every implementation choice, etc. I've made is the greatest thing ever doesn't help me make better software. Personally, while those are nice to hear, it's total BS. There's no such thing as a perfect design or implementation. The people who complain the most are often the ones who care about your software the most. That's why they are complaining the way they do. They WANT your stuff to be great, and it means something to them, therefore, it should mean a lot to you as well. Sometimes those complaints don't come through in the most mature or or kindly manner, but the point is that you learn to look past the noise and get to the meat of it.

There's a lot that I want to add here, but I don't want to stray too far from the intent of this thread.

Great post, Rebel, and it's refreshing to see other people out there actually "get it".

[PhillyPhanatic14]

Re: Only 2 1/2 Weeks to EA Access and No Gameplay... Concerned?

I forgot about the approval process.

Not at a place where I can watch that video. What's the word?? Still coming later this week?

[roadman]

Re: Only 2 1/2 Weeks to EA Access and No Gameplay... Concerned?

And before EA Access.

[howboutdat]

Re: Only 2 1/2 Weeks to EA Access and No Gameplay... Concerned?

Not at a place where I can watch that video. What's the word?? Still coming later this week?

expect it on friday.....along with CFM blog.....

[PhillyPhanatic14]

Re: Only 2 1/2 Weeks to EA Access and No Gameplay... Concerned?

expect it on friday.....along with CFM blog.....

That would be tight. They said late in the week and I was expecting Saturday so Friday would be solid.

[jbd345]

Re: Only 2 1/2 Weeks to EA Access and No Gameplay... Concerned?

expect it on friday.....along with CFM blog.....

Source? Anyone can say anything these days.

[capa]

Re: Only 2 1/2 Weeks to EA Access and No Gameplay... Concerned?

EA Access bud.

Ok boss.....

[wingster]

Re: Only 2 1/2 Weeks to EA Access and No Gameplay... Concerned?

Crazy how we know more about 2k18 than madden and madden releases next week

[roadman]

Re: Only 2 1/2 Weeks to EA Access and No Gameplay... Concerned?

Doesn't it release on Friday the 25th or did they move it up to Friday the 18th?

[PhillyPhanatic14]

Re: Only 2 1/2 Weeks to EA Access and No Gameplay... Concerned?

Doesn't it release on Friday the 25th or did they move it up to Friday the 18th?

EA Access man!

[Brooke2011]

Re: Only 2 1/2 Weeks to EA Access and No Gameplay... Concerned?

Ea access 17th, goat edition 22nd and then the 25th .

[roadman]

Re: Only 2 1/2 Weeks to EA Access and No Gameplay... Concerned?

Bah, I keep forgetting about EA Access.

My bad.

[mykelmosinee]

Re: Only 2 1/2 Weeks to EA Access and No Gameplay... Concerned?

Personally, I don't buy into the whole "change of marketing strategy" explanation. Realistically, there just isn't a whole lot to market. Frostbite can be shown in a minute long video.... then what?
They can't hype fixing legacy issues, since that basically is fixing their own mistakes.
Nothing of substance done in CFM, 3 gameplay modes that I would think wouldn't be very exciting to watch videos showing the differences.
So really, there's nothing huge or amazing to show...which is on them.

Almost forgot about their interactive movie, which I am so uninterested in that I seriously can't even remember the title of. They can't show too much of that, or they've given it all away.

[mestevo]

Re: Only 2 1/2 Weeks to EA Access and No Gameplay... Concerned?

Actually, yeah, they could do pretty much everything you just said they couldn't.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

[cuoreceltico]

Re: Only 2 1/2 Weeks to EA Access and No Gameplay... Concerned?

I do a crazy prophecy, in a week instead of a gameplay video, they will announce that the release of the game will be postponed