Q&A With Simon Sherr - Animation Director, MADDEN

[green94]

Quote: Originally Posted by Pared

Realism mode? HELL YES!!

/thread

[cdon2k]

Quote: Originally Posted by russell05

I disagree and secondly we aren't the majority here I'm trying to be objective. I don't feel that we have arcade gameplay right now thats your opinion. A lot of this stuff will boil down to is there a happy meduim if you can't be objective and realize that we are the minority of the consumer base it makes this process that much harder.

Russel05, I really respect your opinion as I have read your posts around the community, but I know that we are not the majority and that's why we need a separate mode for us to enjoy the game. I understand that the majority of tourney players and casuals are fine with how Madden is in it's current state and that's what has me AMAZED that EA's even here in the first place. What Simon has realized is that you cannot please everyone with one game, and the only way to please the sim community is to split the game into two sections. You don't think the game is arcadey in it's current state lol? When EA has to do temporary fixes such as shutting the receiver icons off after a 13 yard drop haha? Why do you think that is? I believe that EA has realized that by taking the approach they have in the past, trying to make the game easy and accessible, that you lose some of the basic mechanics of football that lead to MUCH greater issues in the long run. I'll give the DB/WR interaction for example, in 07 the DB's were ineffective due to the fact that there is no true DB interaction with the WR. Well, lets see, you crank the DB ability up in 08 and boom, turnover problem. I believe they are realizing that things like DB/WR interaction are complex issues that cannot be fixed with a simple global slider fix. Ian has even said that the game within the game needs to be expanded and this is what they are looking to do with a sim mode.

My expectation is that the best and most tweaked features of this mode will eventually make it into arcade mode so basically we will be testing out new features every year for them.

Cdon

[cdon2k]

Quote: Originally Posted by ChuckMonts

madden 09 will only be getting small tweaks if anything from now til release. I don't think people realize the time it takes to produce the packaging and disc it's self and get them all shipped to the stores they will be sold at. Any major additions such as the ones he is talking about will be stuff for 10 and many more years in the future.

Oh Chuck, so you're representing EA now? Congratulations on the position, maybe we should go out for a beer to celebrate...

And yes, I understand that the game is basically wrapped, but it was the syntax of the post that caught my interest. It seemed a little ambiguous.

If I need any more information about EA Sports products in the future i'll PM ya

Congrats,
Cdon

[KyGamerLT]

Quote: Originally Posted by cdon2k

Please don't go for a happy medium, that is what EA has been attempting to do (which is the reason we are where we are), and what we have now (arcady gameplay) while that "other company" went in a different direction and as a result, we are still talking about that "other game". The product we are playing now is a result of an attempt to appeal to the masses and it has somewhat backfired as what we now have does not resemble football. That is what EA is here to fix. Lets help them do it. Cdon

Happy Medium makes the most since it meets right in the middle that way everybody gets what they want.

[bad_philanthropy]

I think I remember Madden 99 on N64 had a choice between "Arcade" and "Simulation" for gameplay style.

[cdon2k]

Quote: Originally Posted by KyGamerLT

Happy Medium makes the most since it meets right in the middle that way everybody gets what they want.

Have you not seen that they can't do a happy medium. If they could, then everyone would be happy with the game. We wouldn't even be having this discussion right now! The majority of the board agrees with me...

[beau21]

Quote: Originally Posted by Anim8or

I have wanted to add a realism mode to our games for a while, I think it will showcase the animation engine in a very good way, because we CAN do realistic acceleration and deceleration, we CAN do gathering, we CAN do realistic turn rates and realistic cuts, realistic slips and stumbles, realistic transition, but there is a fear that the game will fail to meet response requirements (which is 100% true for the casual gamers). I would like to try this and see if we can get it working. No promises (obviously, since i just had this idea for a mode of play option last night) but I am going to work with Ian and see what we can do.

Quote: Originally Posted by cdon2k

So when you say, "I am not making any promises", is this a feature that could get in 09 or are we strictly talking 2010 here? Please clarify. Thanks, Cdon

like you said Cdon.. i'd also like to know if this we will see something like this in time for 09? even if ALL of those elements that you mentioned before could not be implemented for 09, a few of these almost as a "taste" for a full fledged "realism mode" in 2010.

[Fu Man Ching]

Quote: Originally Posted by Anim8or

Hello all, with the success of Ian's Q&A I thought I would kick off a gameplay animation thread so I don't need to filter through his thread to find animation questions. Small twist, I have some questions for you.

Thanks for stopping by and Hail To The Redskins. I think you stumbled on one the best sites for sports gaming.

Quote:

1. Would you prefer totally uncompressed animation in replay that shows the the last 8 seconds of the play (like APF) - or have us leave it as is (unlimited replay buffer, but the longer the replay the less the animation quality because we must compress it).

I really don't have a problem with the replays the way they are.

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2. Would you like a menu option that would allow "uncompressed replays" and "Full Replay"?

Options are always the best option.

Quote:

-compressed replay is the reasons our motion looks "Robotic" in replay Cool. Didn't know that.

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2. Would you like to see a "realism" and an "arcade" mode of play. Realism mode would give you realistic acceleration and deceleration, slips and falls if you cut before decelerating, more realisitc deceleration for jukes and spins, more realistic acceleration out of catches, realistic turn rates for run and sprint, the need to "setup" before doing jukes and spins, more user-created injuries, greatly reduced "big hit" tackles replaced with more wrap-up, lower success for diving tackles.

I am all for realism mode as are most people that are football fans. Like I said before. Options are always the best way to go. Fully slider these options and give the players the chance to create their own experience. Kind of like what you guys are doing with the difficulty level this year. Expand on that. Let people play how thye want to play. In single play and online.

Quote:

3. Is it ok (or even good) to have lots more slipping in the snow and rain - like the above if you don't slow down before planting you slip, if you turn too hard while sprinting you slip etc..

Yes. This would be another thing I would have slider for.

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4. What other weather specific features would you want to see.

Just more variety in the weather.Meaning snows hard then stops. Then I would like to see the announcers comment on stuff like this more.

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That's it for me for right now, feel free to answer these and post any questions or requests, I'll try to get online as often as I can to respond.

Again. Thanks for taking your time.Oh yeah. As A redskin fan. Wouldn't you like to hear hail to the redskin after we score? Any chance you can tell someone who is in that department.