Something that boggles me about EA...

[mikeveli20]

This post isn't to complain or bash EA. Just to express my lack of comprehension on the thought process that goes on behind the scenes of making the next madden game or Madden series in general.

I've always been a big franchise guy, and after reading the features for head coach 09, I see a lot (if not all) of features that I would like to be in the Madden franchise. Now I know some will say just buy Head Coach then if you like these features, but I also like playing the games as well.

Now what really intrigues me, is that while reading through these features, they actually reference the fact that certain features have been requested by the Madden community for many years. Ok, so they're aware that we want these, why not put them in Madden?!

Here are some specific examples taken from the features list at EA's Official Head Coach 09 website:

Future Draft Picks - In NFL Head Coach 09, we allow teams to trade future draft picks, which has been a community request in Madden for years.

Expanded Rosters - Another feature that the Madden community has asked us to add for years is Expanded Rosters. We're allowing each team to keep 75 players on their roster in the offseason, and we'll have each team to follow the NFL guidelines of keeping 53 total and only 45 active players on their roster.


Now I know all the features for Madden 09 haven't been announced yet so these two specific examples could very well be in the game. I just don't get the fact that they know and have known for several years, but neglect to give us these features and then put them in a game that's going into it's second year.

Does anyone else wonder about this or even find it annoying that this is happening? It's almost as if they are putting more work into Head Coach because they know it's not a proven seller so they're trying to make it the best that they can, whereas Madden they know will sell millions of copies so they just give us enough new features from year to year to keep the franchise going. I mean, if they gave us all the features we wanted all at once then they'd actually have to come up with innovative things on their own in order to keep us buying the game from year to year.

Sorry for the rant I just found it frustrating and confusing when I was reading the Head Coach feature list. Anyone else feel like this too or have any thoughts on the matter?

[CM Hooe]

My hope is that, presuming that NFL Head Coach probably won't sell a ton because it caters to a rather niche market, the EA team is using the 09 release to get a new base for Madden's franchise mode established (which would be good, it hasn't changed in years and there's a TON of stuff that could be added; case and point NFL Head Coach 09), and then integrate it into Madden at some point down the line. For now it's probably best to have two different teams working on two different products, though.

[mikeveli20]

That's what I'm hoping for as well. Take the nuts and bolts of Head Coach (ie. franchise, play calling AI, active sidelines, wear and tear injury system, etc.) and combine it with Madden's gameplay (tweaked to be better than 08 which I'm hoping we'll be in seeing in 09) and you've got the perfect game. Keep all the other game modes that are already in Madden and everybody's happy and Madden sells the most copies in it's history.

I hope it's not too long before we see this though, but I have a feeling it could still be a few years off.

[umd]

Yeah some things I don't get - like for example they're trying to grab the casual fan. Some would argue by "dumbing down the controls...but, isn't that what a game like NFL Tour is for? Draw in the casual gamer and open up a new market with an easier, faster paced, more arcade like game?

Then you have them seemingly stripping down, or not adding to franchise in Madden - if it even works this year I'd call that a step up. Instead, EA is putting their franchise (simulation) type coaching gameplay towards Head Coach.

Where, exactly does that leave Madden? From the looks of it, somewhere in the middle of the two? Or, is Madden the new "Madden Tour", online head-to-head game?

I'm afraid Peter Moore has his product lines all messed up. Or, maybe it's great marketing - give them a little piece of everything in 3 different games, but never the whole package in one. Maybe why HC and Madden will ship together at a ridiculous price point.

[mikeveli20]

Exactly. Those who like the more arcade style of gameplay have always bought games like NFL Blitz type games while the more sim oriented people have purchased Madden. It worked for years and nobody seemed to have a problem with it.

It's almost like 5 years from now we'll have about 8 NFL games each with it's own feature. You want to play superstar mode? Ok, you have to buy NFL SuperStar. You want to play franchise? Head Coach it is. Online? Madden's your game.

I just found it sort of like a slap in the face with them actually referencing what the Madden community has been asking for, but then putting it in Head Coach. But like I said, for all we know these features could be in Madden 09 too which I'm hoping they are.

[clarkerots]

Quote: Originally Posted by mikeveli20

Does anyone else wonder about this or even find it annoying that this is happening? It's almost as if they are putting more work into Head Coach because they know it's not a proven seller so they're trying to make it the best that they can, whereas Madden they know will sell millions of copies so they just give us enough new features from year to year to keep the franchise going. I mean, if they gave us all the features we wanted all at once then they'd actually have to come up with innovative things on their own in order to keep us buying the game from year to year. Sorry for the rant I just found it frustrating and confusing when I was reading the Head Coach feature list. Anyone else feel like this too or have any thoughts on the matter?

Exactly! Madden will sell millions with collective eyes closed. Plus, why combine two products into one when you can get sales on both? Why have one $60 product when they can sell a $50 product AND a $40 product.

[BezO]

Most of you are far more lenient that me. Providing these features in Head Coach only shows me that they want to make more money off a 2nd game and they can't implement them into Madden. Casual gamers are not put off by football or they wouldn't buy the game. They are put off by difficulty. Adding the football essentials that many are asking for won't eliminate the casual crowd. It will only make the game look & play more like football. As long as there are levels and/or modes where casual fans can put up 50 and see a lot of highlights, they'll be fine.

My guess is that EA has not yet figured out how to implement these things into Madden.

[BrianFifaFan]

Quote: Originally Posted by BezO

Most of you are far more lenient that me. Providing these features in Head Coach only shows me that they want to make more money off a 2nd game and they can't implement them into Madden. Casual gamers are not put off by football or they wouldn't buy the game. They are put off by difficulty. Adding the football essentials that many are asking for won't eliminate the casual crowd. It will only make the game look & play more like football. As long as there are levels and/or modes where casual fans can put up 50 and see a lot of highlights, they'll be fine. My guess is that EA has not yet figured out how to implement these things into Madden.

I don't have a problem with them being in Madden as long as there is "fusion" with HC. I understand media-space limitations and that all processes take computing cycles. With the 360 boeing the primary development platform and the MS edict of building games with no HDD pre-installs, I can see possible limitations. I , acting as a developer, would optimize my media space budget for gameplay on Madden. But I would have it interchangable with Madden. That's one problem I do have with consoles. The Madden PC titles could do more because you could put two discs or even 4, if needed and then that data ran from the HDD. But MS is really tying it's own hands with that philosophy. Especially considering that Sony doesn't have that limitation as well as having a larger media disc to begin with. I feel that is more the issue than a "plot" to make us buy 5 titles.....But I'll grant that more sales of more different products equals more revenue...