Madden NFL 10 Blog: Franchise Mode Improvements

[lightning_78]

Re: The New Franchise Blog!!!!!!!

I don't want this if it's going to shorten the years in Franchise.

+1

That's the one thing about HC that kept me from truly enjoying the game. What's the point of drafting that franchise QB with my 1st RD pick during my 8th season if I knew I wouldn't be able to see how is career turns out.

I hope that we still get 30 years for franchise mode, maybe even more in the future.

[youALREADYknow]

Re: The New Franchise Blog!!!!!!!

Two things I do like:

1. Draft busts and sleepers

Without some variety in the draft, the game becomes stale and scouting loses purpose. Good job here.

2. Progression/Regression

It will be nice to finally see ratings go up/down each year so you haven't really "beat" Franchise Mode once you achieve a 99 OVR team.

Three things I do not like:

1. Pre-determined prospects.

This kills replay value and leads to a lot of "spoilers". I could never really get into Head Coach because of this and don't want that kind of prospect generation in Madden. It is great the first time around, but only the first time. Most of the fun of the NFL Draft is seeing new faces and scouting.

2. NCAA to Madden rating for Throw on Run

Speed + THP = Throw on Run? Really? I'm going to pray that a lot of the throw accuracy and pass pocket problems in this game are overhauled, otherwise this means that any fast QB with a good arm in NCAA will be able to continue the constant old-school Madden Vick rollout to throw on the sidelines. I thought there were better ways to handle that rating, including Agility and Elusiveness.

3. Static Potential rating

I agree with a Potential rating playing a very important factor in player development and progression, but it should not be a static rating from draft day that a player cannot surpass. NFL players can become excellent in the skill aspects of the game with hard work and practice. It would be nice to see the Potential rating go up/down slightly during the player's first few years in the league depending on performance on the field. This isn't a huge negative, but a mild annoyance.

[tyler289]

Re: The New Franchise Blog!!!!!!!

This is good, pretty much what I expected. Just fixing a lot of the terrible AI that took place goes a long way in franchise mode.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

Re: The New Franchise Blog!!!!!!!

It's a start.

[jlech84]

Re: The New Franchise Blog!!!!!!!

if you took head coaches format from last year and either randomized when each individual player comes out or when each class comes out you could have at the very least 60 years off gameplay and that shouldn't be limiting

[Madwolf]

Re: The New Franchise Blog!!!!!!!

I do and don't like the Potential rating. I'm not sure how it's calculated, but to me it should be based purely on physical attributes.

It would really be disappoint to have a guy like Gary Barnidge have a low potential rating because he was drafted in the 5th round. He's a guy that can run and get yards of the catch, all while being a good blocker at TE. His potential should be decently high, but his skills that have the most influence on his rating should determine if he's living up to that potential or not.

[PGaither84]

Re: The New Franchise Blog!!!!!!!

It means rookies aren't randomly created by the computer. The developers are designing them by hand.

I personally prefer this system (although I think POTENTIAL should be randomized in most players) because it means the draft classes are balanced and make sense.

I don't know how I feel about this. I liked how in the past you never knew what you were going to get. It sems like now after you have played franchise mode a litle and with internet access you can just log who is good and who isn't. I would be very upset if this were the case. Drafting is as much a science as it is a crap shoot.

Alex Smith is a bad QB becsue he never hada good QB coach to train him. He played well under Norv Turner and then was an epic fail. DO you think that matt ryan would have played as well under Lane Kiffen in oakland? Do you think Addi would be as good with out Manning to guide him? I like how you never know who is going to be any good and how with propr coaching you can make Tom Brady and Joe Montana and with poor coaching you get Ryan Leaf. Is it a coincedence that The Tuna knows how to pick good QBs?

[ghostlight85]

Re: The New Franchise Blog!!!!!!!

I loved this blog. The people who don't, I can only guess either don't play franchise much or would hate the blog regardless.

Not everything they are doing is exactly what I would hope for, but all the changes should be good changes. And at least you can see they are going for something. As long as execute their vision of what they want to do, it will be worlds better than it has been the past few years.

And if they ever have a need for suggestions, I have plenty for franchise and (hopefully) owner mode, as I'm sure many others on OS do as well. I doubt they would make any significant changes at this point for this year, but maybe in future years.

[Madwolf]

Re: The New Franchise Blog!!!!!!!

You should be able to raise potential based on a players performance the first 2-3 years. Then it should lock in.

[sportzbro]

Re: The New Franchise Blog!!!!!!!

I was questioning your choice of words. You said:

Progression FIXED.

And I was wondering how you reached such a conclusion. Progression ADDRESSED would have been more appropriate.

OK if you want to get into semantics... I was "inferring" it was fixed from what I read. Obviously no one knows if it is truly until they play it. From another standpoint it is fixed compared to 2009.

[SteelerSpartan]

Re: The New Franchise Blog!!!!!!!

These are all very good fixes(Finaly:wink



But I want a an actual NFL Sized Roster and I'll be highly disappointed if we don't get it. When I heard these guys were getting on board for Madden this was the first thing I thought of.


It was a freaking Travesty that people had to buy another freaking game to get an actual NFL sized roster

[IndyColts2]

Re: The New Franchise Blog!!!!!!!

One thing EA needs to remember is that the Offseason isn't completely a step-by-step process. You don't go from:

1) Seeing who is retired
2) Re-signing players
3) Free Agency
4) Draft
5) Sign draft picks
6) Free Agency

It is all mixed up together. Sometimes you see a player retire after a different guy was re-signed. Sometimes the draft picks don't sign a contract right after the draft. There is something called HOLD OUTS. Plus, I'm sure it is back in, but there needs to be a TRAINING CAMP. And there should be a calender in Franchise that you can look at like NBA 2k9 and FIFA 09 where you can see upcoming events and things like when Free Agency opens and stuff.

[ghostlight85]

Re: The New Franchise Blog!!!!!!!

Players on the downside should not lose their technique. Speed, strength, acceleration, physical attributes sure. I really would hate to see LT get worse at seeing the field or at catching the ball just because he's getting older.

Conversely, incoming rookies shouldn't really get a whole lot faster or stronger just because they play well. I hated last year's progression patch because it made all WR end up at 99 speed after a few years in franchise. Technique skills should drive progression in the early stages of a players career, physical attributes should drive players decreasing on the downside of their careers. PLEASE get this right. It's crucial to franchise.

In fact, players at the tail end of their careers should be able to offset their physical decline if they are still producing at a high level with continued increases in technique. The two types of progression should be separate. Injuries should also potentally effect physical attributes where applicable.

[PGaither84]

Re: The New Franchise Blog!!!!!!!

In regards to older players pulmitting, something prio versions did well was increase non-physical attribute to compensate for the agin physical ones. Speed, agility, acceleration, strength all go down but awareness, play recognition, tackle, THA, carry and other would go up if the player had a good year. For example, if michael vick had stayed in the league, his attriubtes wouldage, but if played well you could turn him into a pcket passer as he aged. A perfect example is Randell Cunningham. The same is true with HBs. Corry dillon got older and came off of an injury, however his best season came when he was about 30 and was a Patriot. A better team, a better coach, and how he matured to compensate for his loss of physical skills.

There is a saying I really like in regards to sports and football. "This is a young man's game and a verterans sport." Yung, fast, strong players stand out and old smart experianced veterans stick around and lead teams. those who can combine the young with the old excell like Arizona. Also, players who are Young, talented AND smart are the leagues all-stars such as Patrick Willis.

[salbowski]

Re: The New Franchise Blog!!!!!!!

You should be able to raise potential based on a players performance the first 2-3 years. Then it should lock in.

WOW.... AGREE.