NEW PRODUCER BLOG: I.Cummings breaks down the trailer

[countryboy]

TM.......I am definitely not confused anymore.

[poster]

Where are those new videos with gang tackling

[countryboy]

Quote: Originally Posted by poster

Where are those new videos with gang tackling

they were "canned"

[Dispatch]

Pretty informative blog. Cummings does a good job of breaking down each clip and telling us whats going on. Hopefully they can fix the foot sliding by the time the game comes out because thats the only big problem I saw, if thats the only problem we've seen so far I think Madden is gonna be real good this year.

[ComaFaction]

i'm hardly going to lose sleep if a little foot sliding on a backpeddling corner happens.

boo hoo.

[whosgotcha]

Quote: Originally Posted by Trojan Man

Let me say at the outset that I am NOT a *****. I've bought every single Madden in existence, and having read this producer's blog, I think Cummings is a good guy to have working on the game. HOWEVER, I think that we need to remind ourselves that all of this stuff that's supposed to make this iteration of the series special was already in a competitor's game three years ago (go watch the vids of 2k5 highlights, complete with great gang tackles, interactive line play, mid-air collisions). I applaud Cummings's apparent desire to bring credibility back to the franchise, but I don't think he or the franchise should be applauded for bringing a game that should be cutting edge back to a level already established in the previous generation of gaming systems. I would liken this sort of praise to praising a linebacker for making a tackle--it is his job to do that, so no congratulations are necessary, nor are they deserved. Likewise, it is the developers' job to deliver an authentic and immersive experience, and Madden has not done this in ages. Our expectations of this game have dropped so low that it seems like restoration is now counting for innovation. That's poppycock, imo. Thoughts? Again, I'm not trying to be overly negative or to beat a dead horse, but I do think that folks are getting a little Cum happy over some hardly worthy material.

While I am anticipating Madden 08 Xbox 360 because of the changes and/or reinstatement of missing components that were already in the current generation I do agree with what you are saying. EA has been a disappointment regarding their next generation sports titles.

[elprez98]

Quote: Originally Posted by Clay_OS

I don't think people are lauding Madden or EA for being innovative. No one is saying that these features are new and groundbreaking. However, since the licensing agreement people have had concerns that Madden would not progress without competition. Well, from all that has been shown so far, they are making the effort to progress. And just so you don't mistake your post.... you are a *****. Based on the fact that people being cautiously optimistic to actually excited about the game necessitated a post to put them in check... well... that's "hating". Buying the game doesn't change that. However, we are all entitled to our opinions... "*****", "fanboy", "apologist" or otherwise.

Now moving forward,

I must admit that everything that I've seen so far for Madden this year has a slightly better appeal than, say the last 3 years. I think it seems like there is actually effort being exerted this year and I'm interested. However, we cannot deny the fact that its slightly coincidental that EA has lost footing in NBA sims, and may feel heat, albeit small, from the release of APF 2k8. I still feel like this is the competition needed to get EA off their laurels and I'm midly pleased at this point.

[whosgotcha]

Quote: Originally Posted by Trojan Man

I anticipated this sort of reaction, and it's fair and understood from my perspective. That said, I just want to clarify a couple of points, if not to convince, then to avoid misunderstanding. First, Clay, I would draw a distinction between hating and telling the truth. The facts of the matter are these: the franchise has been defunct for a while, has been predicated on hype, and has offered more hype for the coming year. Until that hype has been substantiated by gameplay, I see no reason for optimism, and I don't think that's an irrational conclusion. My ambitions weren't necessarily to "check" the community as you say, but more to ask why people seem so optimistic when they've been given so little reason to be so. Perhaps there's a finer set of gradations than "fanboy" and "*****"; I'd peg myself a skeptic, which is somewhere in between. Second, Countryboy, I didn't intend to confuse. The "cum happy" point was a reference to the standing joke in the thread about the producer's name; I'm assuming you got that, but since you included that part in your response, that's why it was there. I suppose that it is better to get these improvements late than never, and I agree that it's good that EA started listening to its critics. But again, I wonder why the optimism and the desire to patronize a company that has been serially negligent with its biggest product. I realize that everyone here has a right to his or her opinion--mine just happens to be that Madden will not be worth spending money on for a while if it's only going to be able to do things I could be doing with Puja's latest roster update for the "other" game. Anyway, I won't clutter the thread with more of what I sense is an unproductive conversation, but these are my two cents, and I appreciate yours.

This is true also. The proof will be in the final product.