Madden NFL 10 Blog: Franchise Mode Improvements

[ghostlight85]

Re: Madden NFL 10 Blog: Franchise Mode Improvements

Good stuff. It looks promising for this year.

I'm a little leery of too much progression based on performance. I don't want my young QB not to progress because he's on the bench for seasoning. Also, it sometimes makes me feel like I'm playing to build stats for my guys, not win the game. Like if I'm up (or down) by 30 points, that I should keep pounding away with my starting RB to pad his stats. I'd like to see maybe coaching have a bigger part, and maybe much of it be random, or something else creative.

Totally agree, that's one of the things where I prefer it to be more based on coaching and potential and partially performance. Unfortunately I think it is a minority viewpoint as most people want to see it go hand in hand with performance. I don't think it breaks the game to go that way, but it does make for the exact issues you stated.

[Nza]

Re: Madden NFL 10 Blog: Franchise Mode Improvements

Obviously some good stuff but a few things I'm concerned about.

Firstly, I just don't like the idea of static rookies pulled out of a pool to create a class. I haven't played NFLHC being in a PAL territory, so maybe it works better than I imagine, but it sounds clunky. It's an inherently flawed idea. At the very least, names should be randomized, because otherwise you run the risk of eventually seeing repeat rookies and knowing if they're good or not before you draft them. I think making potential random is a good idea too - it's just one standalone attribute, that should be easy enough? That way you can never be sure a player is exactly the same even if you remember the name.

Secondly, hopefully stats are still being tweaked because 09 wasn't perfect. Too few passing yards by QB's and way too many sacks IIRC. Sack distribution amongst defenders was off too (too many MLB's with 10+, 3-4 DE's etc).

Also, I was hoping for a slightly more dynamic regression model. 'IF players_age > X THEN execute Regression' is a bit boring. Not all players follow this model in real life. Is there room in Madden 10's system for a Rice, a Favre?

Lastly, I'm not sure I want to know about my player's maximum rating, like it is set in stone. Ugh, that seems terrible to me. Takes the fun right out of developing players IMO knowing what their limit is. Draft a guy 3rd overall, and instantly get to see he'll never become an elite player? Sorry, but that sucks bad. I don't want to know what I shouldn't be able to know in real life! Please say this can be turned off or is at least an attribute you have to go out of your way to find (like right at the edge of the list out of easy sight).

[Megatron2k7]

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

I am VERY worried about how older players will progress. I dread a madden 02 system where your first few years you go nuts, around year 7-10 you stableize and year 11-15 you plumit untill you have to retire. No matter how well you played you couldnever get Junior Seau or rich gannon to play like their real life counterparts AND keep their rattings up. It looks like there is no chance a Bret Favre player will be able to have a great season like he did his last year in Greenbay and be a 96 like he started out in 09.

I am glad to see the bit about how they will be judged by other palyers in the league, but, again, I fear the unrealistic DUMP of a player's ratting.

Lastly, any word on weekly progressions? I loved the week 5, 11, 17 progressions. I thought that was VERY sim. that allowed good players to go up as the year went on like Wess Wlker and players like Favre who underperformed to drop in steado f staying at their ratting all season long. It also allowed fora mid season turn around. maybe you start off cold and then got better stablisising your ratting.

I agree with this PGaither84.

I don't want to see older players decline too fast. They should start to decline in physical attributes mainly, age shouldn't take away polished skills, or awareness.

The one thing that really stood out to me in some previous Maddens is when an older players Awareness starts to drop a lot. It seems to me that pretty much any player should actually increase in AWR every year until they retire, just from practice alone (unless they experience some severe head trauma.....lol).

Awareness is the one and only advantage a veteran may have in this game........don't take it away from them just to drop their overall rating. We never really hear of a veteran becoming worse at what they do...... we usually hear that they have suddenly "lost a step", or their arm is just "worn out", and they take way longer to heal up from the weekly beatings their bodies go through. That kind of physical decline would be fine, just don't go overboard. Look at Joey Galloway..... still great speed in his late 30's.

I'm undecided on the "potential cap". Right now I see more wrong with it than good though. If I draft a rookie who is 72 overall, and it says his potential cap is 88, that seems like I somehow just looked into some magical crystal ball or something. How would I, or anyone know exactly how good this player could or will be ? Shouldn't the sky be the limit for any rookie coming into the league ? Why stop at 88 overall ?

Example....... what would have QB Matt Cassel's potential cap been in the beginning of last year........??? Do you see my point. He's probably already over it with the rating he has now.

I also liked the progression we had in some older versions in weeks 5, 11, and 17 like many of you have mentioned. IMO it's way better that way.

Don't get me wrong... I love the update other than these issues, & I'm not nit picking. Franchise mode is important to many of us, and I'm glad to hear about the attention being spent on it this year.

[Steeler99]

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

Huh... not sure what to think. I was hopping to see a comment on certain attributes not progressing like SPD for example... I find it very unrealistic for a player to gain 3-5 points of SPD ... no one does that.


Also this I don't agree with. I think it ruins some of the mystery to know the full potential. One twist that I'd be happy with is what Pro Evo Soccer is doing, where they show you the players growth curve (potential) but depending on the performance a player CAN exceed their potential... I think that goes a long way in keeping things a bit interesting.

I actually think this sounds very realistic. Any good head coach will have a pretty solid idea of "HIS" own players potential after coaching them for a season or two, so with Madden 10 allowing you to see "YOUR" players potential rating, but not other teams, that's actually pretty realistic.

You may end up not resigning a player of your own that has a potential rating maxed out at 75 in lieu of another team's player you suspect will be better in the long run ... only to find out that player doesn't have the ability you thought he would, explaining why his team let him go? Now that happens every year in the NFL, so if the system works like that I'm ok with it.

As it is now, you can see every rating of every player so there are really no surprises when it comes to signing free agents, etc. of course as the post above mine shows, there may be as many negatives as positives to this potential rating?

[Steeler99]

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

I do like it..look at all the RB's that drop off the face of the earth once they hit 30-32...you can name a few debatable guys but the majority are gone from the NFL and that is a fact.

No doubt about it, LT is a perfect example of that right now. he struggled a bit last year and will likely continue to diminish over the next year or two. That said, there should be a few RB's that maintain skills beyond 30 yrs of age.

[PGaither84]

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

You may end up not resigning a player of your own that has a potential rating mexed out at 75 in lieu of another team's player you suspect will be better in the long run ... only to find out that player doesn't have the ability you thought he would, explaining why his team let him go? Now that happens every year in the NFL, so if the system works like that I'm ok with it.

As it is now, you can see every rating of every player so there are really no surprises when it comes to signing free agents, etc.

Conversely you may find some teams underestimate their players. Kyle Kosier [spelling] was horid lineman for the 49ers. he was often ratted in the 50's in madden and never did anything. Now he is a Cowboy Madden has him as an 89 or something like that.

[Nza]

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

I actually think this sounds very realistic. Any good head coach will have a pretty solid idea of "HIS" own players potential after coaching them for a season or two, so with Madden 10 allowing you to see "YOUR" players potential rating, but not other teams, that's actually pretty realistic.

You may end up not resigning a player of your own that has a potential rating mexed out at 75 in lieu of another team's player you suspect will be better in the long run ... only to find out that player doesn't have the ability you thought he would, explaining why his team let him go? Now that happens every year in the NFL, so if the system works like that I'm ok with it.

As it is now, you can see every rating of every player so there are really no surprises when it comes to signing free agents, etc.

2 issues though - firstly, in that case, a player's potential rating as it is shown to the user should differ depending on the coaching staff. There should be 2 - the actual one, and the one the user is shown. If you have a HOF coach, both should be pretty close or spot one. If you have a poor coach, it could be way off.

Secondly, a static potential rating amongst real players means you'll build an awareness of who to sign in free agency from franchise to franchise. "Ah, yeah, this guy had an awesome potential rating last franchise" etc etc. It will be hard to overlook that and it only stands to make franchises less fresh and less challenging.

[Bump101]

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

"• Older players will digress much faster. In fact, when a running back hits 30, he’s going downhill at warp speed."


DO NOT LIKE. This better be addressed correctly. If a player has a great year, he shouldn't degress in overall just because he's getting older. Especially HB's.

Thomas Jones, Jamal Lewis, Brian Westbrook and LaDainian Tomlinson are all going to be 30-31 by the end of our first year in Franchise. So does that mean that even if those guys have a few great years (in the Franchise), they're still subject to having their overalls decrease instead of increase?

Word. A player rating shouldn't decrease just because he reached a certain age. His rating should be determine by his production on the field.

Obviously, when a player reach 30, his window of opportunity to increase his rating is going to be smaller, in comparison to a player in his early 20's; But that window to improve or at least maintain his current rating should be there.

If a player has a big season, his rating should go up or stay the same, not decrease at warp speed.

[PGaither84]

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

This blog, like many others has stirred mixed emotions in me. The first responce i usually have is of excitment. I am happy to see things impoved and am greatful to Ian for the work he is doing with the community. The other feeling I get that I se many others have is the bitterness we all still feel twords EA and Madden. reading a new blog like this one noramly leaves me thinking "About f***ing time." We should be well beyond this point now in next gen. We lost 4 good years of improvments from 06, 07, 08, and 09. The improvements from 06-09 on 360/PS3 are miniscule, and are even more aparaent when you see what Ian and co. are doing this year.

That bitterness of what "could have been" and the wasted years are the same feelings one gets being a 49ers fan these last 10 years. Watching the team degrade from the league's elite to a 2-14 performance only to climb back to a 7-9 season two years ago, to then go to 4-12 and start last year off 2-9. Thankfully we went 5-2 over our last 7 and have bright hopes with Singletary, but all they are are bright hopes. However, untill next season starts and we play M10, they are only bright hopes.

[PlayaHataSupreme]

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

Hopefully with the draft classes, the Madden importer will stop turning NCAA Speed WRs into slow possession WRs...........

Hopefully the basic playing style of what the NCAA player was all about will at least be kept in tact when imported to Madden, so NCAA Speed players will still be at least pretty fast..........

Since there are new mental ratings and other ratings in the game, I don't think the athletic ratings (such as speed, strength) should have too much variance, but they should have at least a little variance in them so you can't just assume, without scouting, a 98 speed NCAA player will be 98 in Madden; he might be 92 instead.

[PGaither84]

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

Ian has preached the SIM mantra all year so far and I love it, however, this new blog has many people, including myself, worried that SIM won't be the mantra of Franchise mode. nothing is less sim than a robotic repetative draft class progression system and possible free agnecy pool like what we have read about.

[Guillotine 1]

Re: Madden NFL 10 Blog: Franchise Mode Improvements

...Just jumped back on my PC, read the blog and WOW!


Fixing progression is huge, salaries is even bigger, and they've addressed the hidden potential rating. On top of that they fixed the problem with older players, and the draft logic...plus the import draft class issue. I mean, everything that has an impact on putting a competitive team on the field and keeping them competitive has been addressed. The scouting issue, everything...this is seriously major news...

The salary cap will work the way its meant to work now...even coaches got tuned up...

This means, I can actually run a franchise...they addressed the FA issue, they took Age out of the players overall ratings factoring...

If guys don't like this blog then they must not really play a lot of franchise mode. No more workout warriors, they put a stop to the guys who just draft for speed & strength...

This blog alone makes the replayability factor of Madden 10 double. A brotha might go buy some EA stock if they keep this **** up...lmao...

[seveb]

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

Word. A player rating shouldn't decrease just because he reached a certain age. His rating should be determine by his production on the field.

Obviously, when a player reach 30, his window of opportunity to increase his rating is going to be smaller, in comparison to a player in his early 20's; But that window to improve or at least maintain his current rating should be there.

If a player has a big season, his rating should go up or stay the same, not decrease at warp speed.

I don't get it. Guys produce because they have good attributes, not vice versa. I think everybody is harping on age 30 because he mentioned that for RB's, and I imagine other positions have different ages where decline becomes likely. But seriously, football is a young man's game. <b>At most positions</b>, guys on the wrong side of 30 might not be finished, but they're past their prime. The wider range of ratings should help, since a great player can fall off a bit and still be very good, but he'll still fall off. Brainy players will be less affected because awareness and technique won't be hurt...

I hope there are rare exceptions, but they should be just that - rare. Just because my guy just had a great year doesn't mean he's still not one year older and one year more beaten up.

Just got an idea (obviously won't make it this year), but what if, for example, the amount of career carries a RB has factors into his decline? A guys whose carried the load for 7 or 8 years might have not have anything left, but you might be able to squeeze a couple more years out of a guy who was a late bloomer and rode the pine when he was young. The Durability rating could also play a role. Just a thought.

[PlayaHataSupreme]

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

Word. A player rating shouldn't decrease just because he reached a certain age. His rating should be determine by his production on the field.

Obviously, when a player reach 30, his window of opportunity to increase his rating is going to be smaller, in comparison to a player in his early 20's; But that window to improve or at least maintain his current rating should be there.

If a player has a big season, his rating should go up or stay the same, not decrease at warp speed.

I remember the great Darrell Green, at like 39 years old, had a 96 speed in the Madden. Even now, a 32 year old Moss has a 98 in speed. Hopefully the game allows rare instances such as these to still happen.




I also echo the poster who said no fixed retiring ages......... it's as disheartening to see Harrison retire every time after year 1 in Madden 09 as it was to see Jerry Rice retire after year 1 every time in Madden 2000 on forward...........

While there should be a certain age where players will definitely make an exit, it should be arbitrarily high (43 for QBs, 36 for HBs, 41 for WRs for example) and older players can randomly choose to retire when they get to retiring age...........but players on the "borderline" retiring age (let's say 32-38 for WRs depending on overall rating) will have a chance of retiring each offseason, but said chance wouldn't be 100% unless the player reached the max age for his position, which as stated would be arbitrarily high, which could help the Hall-of-Fame aspect of the Franchise Mode.

EDIT: Also, I should note that it would be fairly tough and very unlikely to get the player to the "max age" because he may regress a bit during the later seasons, thus increasing chance of retiring.

[Sausage]

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

This was great information. Even though many are complaining, I am glad we are getting the much needed tweaking and polish. For all of you new to OS and some of you veterans it is obvious that we are just getting a taste of the pie, you can't have the warm apples yet.