What is the deal with franchise?

[Yuss]

In fairness to Madden their online franchise mode is much better than the option in NBA2k16.

[Grey_Osprey]

Quote: Originally Posted by roadman

Also, Pro-Am in 2k seems to be unplayable or takes a long time to just walk onto. First, I don't think it's time to cut the ties with a person who just started as the leader of CFM on this Madden. Second, I think it gives me a bit more hope the direction that CFM might be headed in from this interview that people must have forgot about or didn't see 6 weeks ago from Rex Dickson. Start listening at the 17:00 mark till the end.

I don't know what they said that gives you hope. All that is mentioned is that CFM (and commentary) isn't where it needs to be. But it's been that way for years (at least the last 3 years), so there's nothing new there. And I didn't hear anyone promise/guarantee that it would be fixed for Madden 17.

Here's some tidbits that caught my attention:

12:10 - Draft Champions was a huge implementation.

13:06 - Kolbe heads ALL modes - MUT, ditigial business, and CFM were mentioned.

13:18 - CFM is a massive job of epic proportion.

13:26 - corporate initiative to see what they could do with fantasy football. Kolbe a PC gamer, Hearthstone, LoL, and card trading mentioned.

17:40 - CFM - need to get that mode where it needs to be and CFM/commentay not where it needs to be.

18:30 - overall happy with what they chose to prioritize, then goes on to talk about the bugs at launch and how inexcusable/unacceptable they are. Personally, I think the later is a direct result of their priority choices, but to each their own.

Look, franchise mode didn't become a weakness overnight. They made a command decision to place more importance in the huge implementation of DC (and tie it into mut) over the massive job of epic proportion, CFM. And the proof is in the results - bug free vs deep woods off infestation.

[roadman]

Quote: Originally Posted by Grey_Osprey

I don't know what they said that gives you hope. All that is mentioned is that CFM (and commentary) isn't where it needs to be. But it's been that way for years (at least the last 3 years), so there's nothing new there. And I didn't hear anyone promise/guarantee that it would be fixed for Madden 17. Here's some tidbits that caught my attention: 12:10 - Draft Champions was a huge implementation. 13:06 - Kolbe heads ALL modes - MUT, ditigial business, and CFM were mentioned. 13:18 - CFM is a massive job of epic proportion. 13:26 - corporate initiative to see what they could do with fantasy football. Kolbe a PC gamer, Hearthstone, LoL, and card trading mentioned. 17:40 - CFM - need to get that mode where it needs to be and CFM/commentay not where it needs to be. 18:30 - overall happy with what they chose to prioritize, then goes on to talk about the bugs at launch and how inexcusable/unacceptable they are. Personally, I think the later is a direct result of their priority choices, but to each their own. Look, franchise mode didn't become a weakness overnight. They made a command decision to place more importance in the huge implementation of DC (and tie it into mut) over the massive job of epic proportion, CFM. And the proof is in the results - bug free vs deep woods off infestation.

It's the last question Ryan Moody asks around the 23.30 mark. Moody ask what area would you consider that needs that one big push overall in terms of realism for Madden 17. What area do you feel needs change going forward to add that pop, new game feel.

Rex answers gameplay is in a pretty good spot, presentation is in a pretty good spot, he's happy with the graphics right now, audio, they have room to improve in that area, MUT is really strong, DC is fantastic, CFM definately needs to be an area of focus for us, no question in his mind. Those are his areas without going into specifics.

I noticed you didn't list that dialogue, so, perhaps you may have missed it?

If one of the producers brings up CFM two different times in an interview, I would think that is an area of focus for Madden 17, especially when Ryan Moody specifically asked the last question targeting Madden 17.

[Grey_Osprey]

Quote: Originally Posted by roadman

It's the last question Ryan Moody asks around the 23.30 mark. Moody ask what area would you consider that needs that one big push overall in terms of realism for Madden 17. What area do you feel needs change going forward to add that pop, new game feel. Rex answers gameplay is in a pretty good spot, presentation is in a pretty good spot, he's happy with the graphics right now, audio, they have room to improve in that area, MUT is really strong, DC is fantastic, CFM definately needs to be an area of focus for us, no question in his mind. Those are his areas without going into specifics. I noticed you didn't list that dialogue, so, perhaps you may have missed it? If one of the producers brings up CFM two different times in an interview, I would think that is an area of focus for Madden 17, especially when Ryan Moody specifically asked the last question targeting Madden 17.

I heard it. I had quit taking notes after the bugs at launch; inexcusable and unacceptable comment. Just struck the wrong cord considering this titles history of bugs at release, especially CFM (since it's inception).

As an offline franchise mode player, I truly hope you're optimism proves correct and they deliver on a robust, in-depth, immersive franchise mode next year.

[roadman]

I have hope for CFM because over the past few years, Rex has been a man of his words.

I agree CFM needs a robust immersive CFM.

Should be interesting where they go with it.

[ggsimmonds]

Quote: Originally Posted by roadman

Also, Pro-Am in 2k seems to be unplayable or takes a long time to just walk onto. First, I don't think it's time to cut the ties with a person who just started as the leader of CFM on this Madden. Second, I think it gives me a bit more hope the direction that CFM might be headed in from this interview that people must have forgot about or didn't see 6 weeks ago from Rex Dickson. Start listening at the 17:00 mark till the end.

That interview is why I went ahead and purchased Madden this year. After the CFM details came out this year I was in the no buy camp, but after hearing Rex say what he did I went out and bought Madden as an act of good faith.

[tubaSimulator]

Just learned the hard way that if you exit a game the scoring summary is no longer available. You can see player stats and the box score, but the game does not save the score summary, so if you have a dynasty going and you need the score summary, like I do, don't exit the game until you've written everything down. I thought that 'of course Madden will save the score summary along with the box score and player stats. Why wouldn't it? I mean, you have to be an idiot to design a game that won't save that!'

So, those of you who have a dynasty going, you've been warned.

[Hassan Darkside]

I think the philosophy behind the design of MyLeague and CFM is what ultimately has caused CFM to suffer.

2k brought in a big Franchise guy in Leftos to more or less redesign the entire thing from scratch. The one thing you constantly heard from the Devs in regard to the mode was "creating a foundation they can build from" which they've done. Last year there was a lot of disappointment with the online offering, or lackthereof, but we knew that it was on the horizon. It was just a casualty from redoing the mode. This year they finally brought it online. MyLeague is only in it's second iteration this year and is probably the most in depth Franchise mode ever created. Leftos has lived up to his word in continually building off of a foundation that he set. On top of it all, he added enough commish controls in the first iteration of the mode to enable users to work around bugs (without ridiculous processes of controlling all teams or creating new coaches and firing them every week). It shipped with regression bugs that could be combatted with training and progression sliders last year. This year, I haven't seen or heard of any franchise killing bugs.

With CFM, however, it feels that every single year there's some bug or issue out of the gate that has the majority of gamers waiting weeks/months for a patch. I'm glad that Rex empathized with the gamers and said all the things that we've been saying, but he shouldn't have to feel that way because the product honestly shouldn't be released in the condition that it's released. That's something that he can control that we can't. Since CFM was introduced in Madden 13, it has just been marginally improved. It's in its 4th iteration and still suffers from controller breaking bugs, egregious artificial unintelligence, and appalling lack of features and options. Sim Stats are always off, depth charts never make sense, transactions are irrationally made, and generated draft classes that are never in sync with the roster.

Then the headlining features that are added seem superfluous at best, while the fundamental features franchise gamers have come to expect are still absent from the game. Why can I still not do basic things like make formation subs? Or edit draft classes? Features aside, the overall quality of the mode leaves much to be desired. It just feels like it could be a lot better than it really is. The features that they've added aren't bad, they're just implemented poorly.

Maybe this next time that they start over they'll get it right. One thing I'm glad about with MyLeague is that 2k has sort of set the bar with commish control and customization in the mode, with settings and sliders to basically control everything. It's out there in the sports gaming world now, it's tangible, it's functional. Because of that, I think(hope?) we'll see Madden follow in those footsteps as they work to rework CFM.