Online vs. Offline CFM and Patch Integration

[RogueHominid]

With the game dropping soon, I'm starting to think about my CFM, and I have a question about how Madden integrates patches into existing online and offline CFMs.

I didn't play the game much last year, so I can't remember how it was, but I basically just want to know if you start an offline CFM right away and a game patch comes out, does that patch take effect or do you have to start a new CFM to get the patch changes integrated into your franchise?

Also, is it different for online CFMs? If you start an online one when the game drops and a patch comes out, is it integrated into your franchise differently than an offline CFM?

Thanks in advance.

[thinkjoey]

pretty sure you have to start a new one for offline. It edits rankings and everything so if you are on year 2+...with natural progression - how would the updated rankings take affect when those players are above what the patch will do?

I am not sure what happens for online play as I am new to connected franchise online

[CM Hooe]

I don't recall an instance where EA has said that the only way a patch for CFM would apply is upon a CFM restart. Not saying it's never happened, but I don't remember that ever being the case.

That said, I do know that they can push out server-side fixes more easily than title updates; this happened frequently during the Madden NFL 13 life cycle, where EA Austin would make a fix on their servers which would apply instantly, while anyone playing an offline CFM had to wait for a title update for the same fix.

[lilgame06]

I see this question a lot...but i cant recall there ever being a patch where you had to restart your franchise for the fixes to take effect. Has that ever been the case?

Its even gotten to the point that so many people ask this question, that EA specifies in bold in all their patch notes that you dont have to restart, the changes will take effect in existing franchises. But as long as ive been playing madden, youve never had to reatart for patch changes to take effect.

I could be wrong though, so i apologize ahead of time if i have missed such a case

[fballturkey]

Assuming it is like past games (and it'd be a Big Deal if it wasn't) the only things you'd have to restart a CFM for would be things that couldn't be logically worked into an ongoing one, so things like the fantasy draft that was added. Any gameplay related patches would certainly take effect.

The one caveat I know of is that in an old NCAA game there was a bug in progression that you had to restart your dynasty to fix. So if there's something like that then there is a chance it wouldn't.

[RogueHominid]

Okay. I just recall in M10, when I was in an online league, there was a patch that fixed pursuit problems for offensive players that were leading to tons of pick-sixes that necessitated a complete restart for the patch to take effect.

M10 was probably the last time I really got into Madden, so things may be different now, or they may not be...