The potential for league wide highlights is there

[RandyBass]

It could come from users uploading highlights of their own, EA then taking them and assembling them into highlight packages for people to download, and then once downloaded the game would apply a different coat of paint so to speak (uniforms, game situations, etc.) and turn it into a highlight show of plays from around the league.

Over time there could be a massive database built of user uploaded highlights, with each downloadable highlight package adding another layer of depth to the highlights you potentially see, which would provide a tremendous amount of variety for each highlight show to draw on so that you wouldn't see the same highlight over and over.

Considering all the wild plays you see throughout the year in the NFL, this would be a proper solution to a league wide highlight show, as opposed to trying to generate one any other way. Could be added both at half time and as a weekly highlight show.

[jwagner82]

problem with that is they would show teams scoring that didn't score a TD that week or something and it would look dumb. They just need to find a way to sim the other games once you're into your game, and show halftime stats and a couple of plays somehow (even if its from your online idea, just with some type of filter to only show plays that fit the scores). I like the idea though, anything to make it more like real life

[RandyBass]

Quote: Originally Posted by jwagner82

problem with that is they would show teams scoring that didn't score a TD that week

The highlights uploaded would just be frameworks for plays, which could then be "re-skinned" with whatever team and players were required for the highlight. The same way how in 2K's College Hoops you'd see the same play in a highlight show just with different teams. This would expand the options.

That's the idea at least. It's a lot easier to think about these things than to actually program them.

[strawberryshortcake]

Quote: Originally Posted by RandyBass

It could come from users uploading highlights of their own, EA then taking them and assembling them into highlight packages for people to download, and then once downloaded the game would apply a different coat of paint so to speak (uniforms, game situations, etc.) and turn it into a highlight show of plays from around the league. Over time there could be a massive database built of user uploaded highlights, with each downloadable highlight package adding another layer of depth to the highlights you potentially see, which would provide a tremendous amount of variety for each highlight show to draw on so that you wouldn't see the same highlight over and over. Considering all the wild plays you see throughout the year in the NFL, this would be a proper solution to a league wide highlight show, as opposed to trying to generate one any other way. Could be added both at half time and as a weekly highlight show.

And what about those that choose to stay offline?

Solution for league wide highlights should be extracted from weekly simulated games in your existing franchise. Data should already be present to create weekly highlights as you move along in your own franchise. After week one, many games have been simulated by the computer (i.e. Adrian Peterson rushed for 132 yards, Kapernick threw for 3 TD and ran for 2 TD, Richard Sherman called for 4 penalties and gave up 3 TD, for whatever reason the defense was terrible in week 1, etc.) -- what's stopping Madden from using these simulated games packaged with data to create highlight reels... speaking from a non-programmer's point of view.

[RandyBass]

Quote: Originally Posted by strawberryshortcake

what's stopping Madden from using these simulated games packaged with data to create highlight reels

Quite a bit actually. What you're talking about would be a generator. What I'm talking about would be an already existing database. Huge difference.

As for being offline, this would be sort of like a patch at first, then over time it could be included in the game itself.

[strawberryshortcake]

Quote: Originally Posted by RandyBass

Quite a bit actually. What you're talking about would be a generator. What I'm talking about would be an already existing database. Huge difference. As for being offline, this would be sort of like a patch at first, then over time it could be included in the game itself.

Understandably there's obviously a difference, but a generator would give a more accurate visual depiction of what went on in your own personal franchise. Plus it'll self generate. Why go through the trouble of "sorting" through uploaded user generated games when the developers could simply create an ongoing "generator" that will be forever active within the game itself. No need to rely on an external source (i.e. community uploaded data).

Your proposal relies on the community to keep the highlight reels fresh. What would happen if EA decides to shut down this existing database. Online is "unstable" territory; You can't always rely on it. Hypothetically, what happens if Madden 15 is EA's best offering, becomes legendary, and subsequent releases completely tank, and the NFL pulls the plug on EA?

Ten years down the line, little Ava or little Timmy wants to fire up Madden 15 with her/his PS4/XB1 and the online database is shutdown. What happens then? With an in game generator, around the league highlights will always be relevant, and the pure offline gamer can get the full game experience if s/he never once connects online.