Madden 09 Will be Special

[ewto16]

Not trying to bash your post, but it just highlighted what many people think are great features/improvements in Madden and what I actually think are things that are problems with the game.

Easier to comment your post (in bold) rather than re-type the same list. Good job compiling the differences in the last few years. Wish you would have included a comparison between 05 Madden and 08 Madden though. That would be fun to see.

Quote: Originally Posted by DLaren

Madden'07 SuperStar Mode - Weak and only playable from about 3 positions Franchise Mode - Old feature. Should have been in Madden from the start. Not nearly as good as the old one in 05. 'Lead Blocking Control' - Used to make up for lack of actual blocking AI. Defensive hot routes - Nice feature, still from last gen though The 'highlight stick' - Gimmick, that just removes some control from the player. Doesn't work 100% of the time. Player specific animations/moves - All the players run and look the same to me. HD stadium/player models. - Good thing, since the game is in HD now. Madden'08 Branching animations - Nice idea, but still the same animations from the last 10 years. Improved O-Line logic - Guys still stand around blocking air. Not sure how this is improved. Improved DB AI (post-patch) - Didn't effect my franchise started pre-patch, so it was useless. Improved Franchise mode (post-patch) - Didn't effect my franchise started pre-patch, so it was useless. Improved player models - Models look better, but most players still look pretty much the same and not like individuals at all. There is one running animation for all the players. Improved field textures - I guess. It still looks like greeen turf most times regardless. Improved crowd response - Compared to what? They cheer like idiots all the time regardless of what it going on. 60 FPS - Not on the PS3, since EA is lazy. Weapons - Gimmick feature. Just highlights stat attributes that players already have to make them easier to identify. CPU players don't use these abilities on your user controlled team. New defensive controls (defensive spotlight and individual defensive hot-routes) - Be nice to actually get to use these when the CPU doesn't snap the ball immediately. New plays added to the playbook. - Where are they at? I have the same plays from Madden 01 New animation system which added numerous animations. - OK, there are new animations, but there are new animations ever year. There are still the same animations from 2001 as well. Playmaker Controls. - These were in Madden 05 about time they were in 08. New ratings. - True, but I'm not sure how well they are actually implemented. Precision passing. - Again, old feature from Madden 03. (...So much was added/improved that I know I'm forgetting some things...) - You are also forgetting to name all the things that are terrible and STILL broken. Madden'09 Improved Franchise/Superstar Mode (with the guys from the last-gen team now working on the next-gen game we should see everything that we're use to.) - So now "maybe" franchise mode will equal Owner mode in 05. Refinement of the Branching animation system. - Sure they will improve this. They always say they do, but rarely do you see the results. Improved O-Line logic. (a new blocking system is pretty-much confirmed) - They say this every single year and it never changes. Improved CPU controlled QB AI. - Again, every year and again no change. Dozens of new ratings (this could potentially make each player play more like his real-life counter-part) - Only if the ratings actually mean something in the game. New animations. - Again, they are included every year, but usually don't matter much. The return of many last-gen features (Co-op, CPU vs. CPU, Coach mode, camera angles, and so on...) - These should have been in the game anway. Online leagues/franchise mode. - Great feature for some people, but if the game still plays poorly, no one will care. NHL implementation of this was poor at best. Re-vamped presentation. - Well, adding ONE whole stat overlay would be an improvement. Re-vamped playbooks. - Again they say this every year and again I have the same plays from Madden 01. More ESPN/NFL network integration. - Good friggin luck. Marshall Faulk not predicting the same score for every game would be an improvement. New modes/mini-games. - Maybe some causal game type things, since that is all the rage now.

[dbeth]

dumb question:

Wasn't Madden 05 the series' 15th anniversary? Then how is Madden 09 the 20th anniversary???

This year they're counting their 1989 PC release as a version.....but not in their 15th anniversary.

Oh, and don't get me going on the anniversary numbering thing. The 20th of something isn't its 20th anniversary...that would make someone's wedding day also their 1st anniversary.

Yes, I'm in a ranting mood today......

[mercalnd]

Quote: Originally Posted by DLaren

Madden'06 Season mode Madden'07 Franchise Mode

This is actually not true. Madden 06 on 360 had a franchise mode, although it was barebones. I played 2 seasons on it.

[Russell_SCEA]

I have an idea of what type of direction they might be going in but I hope I'm wrong. I hope they don't add to many new game play additions for me its presentation, online, and gameplay if some how those are the main three areas of focus this year the majority of us will be satisfied.

If they go some other route I can't say one way or another.

[Kramer5150]

Quote: Originally Posted by russell05

I have an idea of what type of direction they might be going in but I hope I'm wrong.

Uh oh...I don't like the sounds of that

[Skyboxer]

Quote: Originally Posted by DLaren

Advancements and Improvements are two different things...Nowhere in my post did I say that the developers of Madden have advanced next-gen football...I detailed how the game has improved two-folds every year in comparison to its previous iteration to illustrate why there is a legitimate reason to be optimistic that Madden'09 will be twice as good as Madden'08. I'm not trying to convince you or anyone else to run out grab the game at midnight this fall, I just strongly disagree with anyone who speaks as if Madden'09 has little chance of being a quality title; it's almost as if some people have become so bitter that they've lost the ability to view the Madden series objectively (to the point where Branching animations, improved O-Line logic, and enhanced DB AI are labeled as "gimmicks"). So I'm giving reasons as to why I have a more positive outlook on the game and sharing why I'm excited to see what Madden'09 has to offer; and based on the effort that the developers put forth in '08 (combined with the addition of Peter Moore, the last-gen developement team, and the 20th anniversary) I think everyone else should have a reason to be excited too .

I went off of this statement you made
"the light seems to shine even brighter when you look at how Madden has grown each year and reflect that towards what we might expect for '09"

There-in lies the main thinking. You think Madden has grown each year and I think it didn't. I'm not saying you're right or I'm right but just expressing my thoughts on it.

For me:
It hasn't been growth but rather a constant state of repair.

I do look at the Madden series objectively.
Tackling, Blocking and Atmosphere to name a few have been things we've asked for every year and yet we are for all intents and purposes still with old gen Madden with a fresh paint job.

Also I never said improved O line was a gimmick. I said it wasn't hard to improve the blocking because it was terrible to start with.

Madden 06-08 has given me no reason to think 09 will be a season of "greatness".

I'm not saying Madden 09 won't be great, I'm saying know where in the "Next Gen" Madden timeframe has there been any reason for me to think 09 will be vastly improved.

Know one needs to convince me to buy Madden. I want my football! It's just that I'm done buying for the sake of buying and will base my purchase on the product, not the hype.
With that said we all want the same ending. A Madden we are excited to boot up and enjoy.

[TheBest]

Quote: Originally Posted by russell05

I have an idea of what type of direction they might be going in but I hope I'm wrong. I hope they don't add to many new game play additions for me its presentation, online, and gameplay if some how those are the main three areas of focus this year the majority of us will be satisfied. If they go some other route I can't say one way or another.

Whoa, whoa, whoa. Come on Russell. You can't just tease us with this. Give up the info. What direction? What's going on?

[Kramer5150]

Quote: Originally Posted by Skyboxer

Know one needs to convince me to buy Madden. I want my football! It's just that I'm done buying for the sake of buying and will base my purchase on the product, not the hype. With that said we all want the same ending. A Madden we are excited to boot up and enjoy.

Amen and hallelujah . VERY well said.