Another CFM rant

[kamagate]

First of, gameplay looks great and plays great. The developers have done a great job over the last few Maddens to improve the most important part of the game, the actual games. The same can't be said about CFM.

I have been playing Madden since 07 and I have never been this disappointed by the game. CFM is the same. It looks the same, it feels the same and it plays the same. They hardly touched it. And don' tell me about all the "tuning" they say they did, that is something you expect from a patch, not a new game. And for a mode that is bare bones already that can only mean one thing, they just don't care. I'm sure they have a ton of excuses but we have heard it all before. The proof is "in the game" and there is nothing there that tells me the developers really care about CFM. If they did, they would have done something to show us, and I just can't find anything.

[fballturkey]

Re: Another CFM rant

They do have excuses but they're really, really bad ones if you care about CFM. They shifted Madden resources to help with NBA Live's CFM and also had resources tied up in Longshot.

But yeah CFM is indistinguishable from last year's.

[itsmb8]

Re: Another CFM rant

Its been virtually the same since the beginning in Madden 13. They dont care, plain and simple.

[ggsimmonds]

Re: Another CFM rant

Even with resources being moved to things like Longshot and NBA Live (??) there is no excuse why they could not fix small things like players on my team still not showing up as league leaders, giving us a league history screen, showing team name on the career stats portion of the player card, etc

Those are all very small things that should have been done years ago

[Rebel10]

Re: Another CFM rant

The biggest insult about "resources being moved to NBA Live," is that NBA Live's franchise is crap. No CPU trades, it uses a week to week schedule instead of day-by-day schedule like every NBA videogame ever made, and it's a flat, busted mode with nothing special about it. I thought it would be challenging for EA to make a franchise mode worse than Madden's, and yet, here we are.

What really impresses me is that EA will not touch game modes, just release the same mode as last year, and somehow still introduce new bugs to it, like the SuperSim 35-yard extra point bug (which is why XP% in CFM games hovers around 50-70% for most kickers)

[BadAssHskr]

Re: Another CFM rant

While it is the same, as you stated, the Most important part, the game play is spectacular.

For all the discredit you give because the function of CFM is unchanged, the gameplay and visuals far outweigh it.

[Sphinx]

Re: Another CFM rant

While it is the same, as you stated, the Most important part, the game play is spectacular.

For all the discredit you give because the function of CFM is unchanged, the gameplay and visuals far outweigh it.

No disrespect but I couldn't disagree with you more on this. Sure on field gameplay is OK, not perfect not even close. The problem is in order for CFM to be a viable playable mode it needs to have immersion. It needs something that pulls you in and keeps you playing. As it stands, it's the worst franchise mode possibly ever (not counting nba live) there is simply no innovation in this mode, no creativity, no life to it. The on field game simply can't make up for this.

All the improved on field play says to me, they care about h2h competitive play and MUT. Sim style/CFM gamers do not matter to them. We don't pay additional money after the game is out. So I guess from their perspective, why should they care? I don't blame the developers, I play the development managers and higher ups that have decided that we don't matter.

[roadman]

Re: Another CFM rant

No disrespect but I couldn't disagree with you more on this. Sure on field gameplay is OK, not perfect not even close. The problem is in order for CFM to be a viable playable mode it needs to have immersion. It needs something that pulls you in and keeps you playing. As it stands, it's the worst franchise mode possibly ever (not counting nba live) there is simply no innovation in this mode, no creativity, no life to it. The on field game simply can't make up for this.

All the improved on field play says to me, they care about h2h competitive play and MUT. Sim style/CFM gamers do not matter to them. We don't pay additional money after the game is out. So I guess from their perspective, why should they care? I don't blame the developers, I play the development managers and higher ups that have decided that we don't matter.

I agree that CFM needs to be significantly better and hopefully(how many years has that been said) it get's the attention it deserves next year.

However, 5 million buyers play this game differently than others. If franchise mode is a good immersion, I want it for the people that want more immersion, but I would set franchise mode on autopilot. My franchise mode happens in the games and in between the games. My games are already 1hr and 15 minutes in length, no way I want to personally spend more time in franchise mode.

More options is good.

[Sheba2011]

Re: Another CFM rant

The changes this year were very minor but one that that has been a huge addition, for me at least, over 17 is off the ball injuries. It's not a "back of the box feature" but it has added so much depth to our online league. Last year we could get away with carrying only the minimum number of lineman, this year we have to be strategic with our backups and practice squad.

And the gameplay this year has been excellent, especially after the first patch and with some sliders. I still need to see the extra point sim bug fixed but overall I am happy with my purchase even with the limitations of CFM.

[Dantheman317]

Re: Another CFM rant

No disrespect but I couldn't disagree with you more on this. Sure on field gameplay is OK, not perfect not even close. The problem is in order for CFM to be a viable playable mode it needs to have immersion. It needs something that pulls you in and keeps you playing. As it stands, it's the worst franchise mode possibly ever (not counting nba live) there is simply no innovation in this mode, no creativity, no life to it. The on field game simply can't make up for this.

All the improved on field play says to me, they care about h2h competitive play and MUT. Sim style/CFM gamers do not matter to them. We don't pay additional money after the game is out. So I guess from their perspective, why should they care? I don't blame the developers, I play the development managers and higher ups that have decided that we don't matter.

Yea the developers certainly need to do better but I blame the "higher-ups" when it comes to E.A. they handcuff so many good ideas the developers have

[Armor and Sword]

Re: Another CFM rant

The changes this year were very minor but one that that has been a huge addition, for me at least, over 17 is off the ball injuries. It's not a "back of the box feature" but it has added so much depth to our online league. Last year we could get away with carrying only the minimum number of lineman, this year we have to be strategic with our backups and practice squad.

And the gameplay this year has been excellent, especially after the first patch and with some sliders. I still need to see the extra point sim bug fixed but overall I am happy with my purchase even with the limitations of CFM.

Ahmen. I was really furious about gameplay out of the box......then the patch dropped.....with some help from my friends at OS we worked through some stuff slider wise....and now the game is really a fun experience.

Off-Ball injuries are fantastic. It changes the game totally in franchise mode. It makes depth matter, roster building matter and your practice squad matter.

Huge immersion for me.

While I agree CFM needs some love (actually I would like to see a lot) it is very functional (with my assistance of course to fix some AI mistakes and that is true across all sports games and has been since franchise modes became a thing on console games) and with all the tuning they did to off-season CPU AI in free agency and CPU drafting logic I am very pleased.

Again.....I guess I am old school....but I create my storylines big time. And streaming games and having good friends who view and talk with me during the games......it’s a blast.

It is what you make it. I choose to make it a fun, fantasy ride and as long as the gameplay is on point (and Madden since M25 for me has never been better despite the ugly warts we have discussed ad nasum) we are good. And gameplay is for the most part really good and a lot of fun.

[Toupal]

Re: Another CFM rant

I am tired of excuses.
I am tired of the blame getting passed off to other people.
I am tired of not getting results.
I am tired of a dull franchise mode.
I am tired of empty promises.
I am tired of resources being put towards something I never use.
I am tired of 2k outperforming Madden.
I am tired of being disappointed by the franchise blog every season.
I am tired of franchise requests being neglected.

It is time they take ownership over how lame Franchise mode is, address and fix it!

We are not asking for anything ground breaking. They say they care and that they listen to our requests, but the work and results that we have seen from franchise mode do not reflect that.

Show us that you care by giving us a product that you can legitimately be proud of, and something that we are excited to play after one season.

Deucedouglass' post is the blueprint that a majority of the OS'ers would love to see. Deuce has put more effort into franchise mode this last season than anyone at EA has, and they should not be proud of that.

I will continue to boycott this game until they can prove to me that they care about franchise mode. I wish more franchise lovers would do the same and hold them accountable.

[Dallascs13]

Re: Another CFM rant

Just Integrate micro transactions into franchise and superstar mode. I'd hate it, but maybe then they'd actually put effort into it... Because MUT is deep and its been around fewer years than franchise mode. How is that possible? why?... Because that's where the money is....

I can see it now ......
Madden Ultimate Superstar mode: create superstar upgrade packs and other bs to play online MUT Squads blah blah blah..

All New Franchise: build team by paying for scouting reports, coaching traits blah blah blah ...

We all know its coming.. Micro-Transactions will be in every game mode

[Toupal]

Re: Another CFM rant

The changes this year were very minor but one that that has been a huge addition, for me at least, over 17 is off the ball injuries. It's not a "back of the box feature" but it has added so much depth to our online league. Last year we could get away with carrying only the minimum number of lineman, this year we have to be strategic with our backups and practice squad.

And the gameplay this year has been excellent, especially after the first patch and with some sliders. I still need to see the extra point sim bug fixed but overall I am happy with my purchase even with the limitations of CFM.

Offball injuries are meaningless to me until Madden has a roster spot for all 53 players.

I roll my eyes so hard everytime I hear a developer say something to the effect of "We aren't going to add something half heartedly"...

Franchise mode itself is a half-hearted project.

[SmashMan]

Re: Another CFM rant

We all know its coming.. Micro-Transactions will be in every game mode

I remember when the AFL DLC was signaling the start of microtransactions infecting every aspect of the game.

Still hasn't happened.



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