The un-official "Top 25 must-haves" list

[wookie48]

Sorry I didnt read the 1st post. Heres what I would like:

Presentation & Graphics
1. More real-life atmosphere & emotion: sidelines, injuries with trainers, chain gang measurements, referees, etc. I would love this, this isnt fluff as someone put, its called atmosphere and its needed. Do cutscenes like I suggested in my 1st post above.
2. Make every game feel different: pre-game and post-game celebrations, blow out big games (i.e. pre-season should feel way different than the playoffs), better Super Bowl celebrations. I would like this maybe replaces with more in depth stat tracking for players in game and through season.
3. Collinsworth = good, Hammond = not so much: Hammond comes across too robotic with too much stitching. He needs to be replaced or re-recorded. Agreed, maybe aikman and his sidekick?
4. More animated gear: towels, handwarmers, chin straps. Chin straps I would have to see but slleves and sucj as I posted above need to be implemented. Towels and handwarmers are awesome. Adds a signiture feel to the game. Must keep this.
5. Degradation: sliding marks in the snow, better field degradation. Hmm...I would replace this with ESPN top 10 plays of the week I suggested in my origional post

Gameplay / Animation
1. Deliver a more compelling 1-player experience - fix CPU play-calling bugs, make them much better at running the ball, get rid of "robo-QB", have them adapt and change to match what you are running . Awesome
2. More sliders and options - CPU sliders, game speed, fatigue, injuries. Keep
3. OL/DL re-vamp - Edge rushing, more double teams, more accurate chips, less "suction", true pocket forming. I love this one, def keep
4. WR/DB re-vamp - More interaction downfield, better head tracking, only play the ball that you see. Yes theis is super sweet
5. Signature styles & animations: Passing, running, kicking, etc
6. Much more animation variety: More tackles, catches, swats; replace animations that have been around for a long time. Keeper
7. Gang tackles: More of them, make them better, add more players. I think its fine what yall got, but harder bone jarring hits are needed. I want to shudder when I put the hit stick
8. New ratings, make existing ratings matter more: Along with making them more prevalent, also possibly expose what each one actually does. New QB ratings are highly requested. Good addition
9. Re-vamp kicking: Universally agreed that it's too automatic and not very stressful. I also think this is a good addition, also for CPU as well
10. Make user-catching easier: With the removal of strafe catching, many people are struggling to user catch and would like it to be balanced so you can still "go up and get it"

Game Modes
1. Online Franchise: Self Explanatory Reall dont care, so I gues keep for the masses
2. Better / More Robust Franchise Progression: Awesome
3. More Franchise features and new UI: General consensus is just to focus a bunch more time and add more new stuff that was similar to what was in legacy gen. The mode feels un-touched, and everyone wants a big update. I agree but in this case does adding more in fact take away. I could care less about ticket prices and concessions as I do attendance and stuff.
4. Remove the fluff, focus on the core: Things like rings & trophies, agents & emails in superstar, and weekly training drills in Franchise aren't well liked and aren't heavily used by the community. Yea I agree on this one. In madden 2005 it was simple and sweet. I would rather see pregame presentaion that madden used to have where it cutscened players warming up.
5. Highlight Show in Franchise: See NFL 2k5...but make it better YESSSSS!!! Idea posted 2x

General
1. 100% perfect stability
2. Open (or closed) beta testing
3. Custom Cameras
4. Defensive Assignments
5. In-Game Saves

[mexmarkjen]

I simply want to say THANK YOU to all of the poster's who have replied in a mature, constructive manner. Look at what can happen when this is done. Look at what constructive honest feedback can produce - an open ended conversation! With the lead designer of the game!

I find myself agreeing with all the comments. I'd add -

* Playbooks; increase them and let me "shuffle" plays as I see fit so I can gameplan week to week; offensively and defensively.

* If I had to removed something, I'd remove the chin-straps, towels, etc.


Let's keep the conversation going. Great job all.

The NFL SEASON begins tonight!

[datruth]

Things I would like you to focus less on:

Presentation & Graphics

BTW Good stuff Ian!

3. Collinsworth = good, Hammond = not so much: Hammond comes across too robotic with too much stitching. He needs to be replaced or re-recorded.
4. More animated gear: towels, handwarmers, chin straps
5. Degradation: sliding marks in the snow, better field degradation


In favor of:


1. Better defensive awareness. Right now if a human player calls the same play over and over the play art is displayed on the screen. But my DB's react as if it were the first play of the game. Give the a defense memory, allow them to jump routes (read and react) they've been burned on 2 or 3 times already in the game.

2. Online franchise sliders and customization. If next year is the return of true online leagues they should be 100% customizable. We should be able to create a league and adjust injuries, fatigue, gamespeed, penalties, weather affect and every CPU/hum gameplay slider in single player.

3. The return of true user analog control and movement. There should be no less than 5 locomotion animations. From walk to jog to run to sprint to top speed sprint (sprinting when the runner slightly leans forward).

There used to be two types of jukes and spins. I believe the 360's face and shoulder buttons are analog but with less throw than the triggers (correct me if I'm wrong). These buttons should be assigned to hard press = slow long juke/spin and quick press = a faster juke/spin with less loss of speed at which the player was moving (almost like the left stick stutter step this year).

Please fix user catching.

Ive read every post in this thread and am starting to realize I'm in the minority (on this board) when it comes to user catching and WR control. I think I counted 6 or 7 people that would want to remove this addition/fix. (Gameplay / Animation 10. Make user-catching easier)

I don't think I would be going out on a limb and say most if not all of these people don't even try to user catch against the CPU.....

Before I go any further let me explain (in Madden 09 and most older versions) when you switch to a WR and run to the spot, the CPU automatically initiates the catch animation.

Example of trying to user catch in Madden 09 when the CPU automatically initiates the catch animation.



You don't have to push a button to catch the ball. But the CPU gives you credit for making a user catch (little window pops up under the score near the top of the screen). I don't agree with this. A user catch should mean I took control of the WR and I pressed the button to catch the ball. No CPU assistance!

.....now back to the topic.

I don't necessarily want the developers to make user catching easier, I would like to control my WR going up to make the catch. This years Madden has removed the strafe catch, somewhat disabled catch button and improved the CPU DB awareness.

Have you noticed that linebackers, corners and safeties play the pass in the air consistently while WR no longer attack the ball in the air?



There is a catch in traffic (CIT) rating and maybe it needs to have a bigger affect. Antwaan Randle El catch rating = 84, CIT = 70 and jump rating = 83. I don't expect him to go up and catch the ball in a crowd of 2 or more defenders (watch him tonight against the Giants). But the (Y) button should allow me to try. Presently when you push the button little to nothing happens.

Example of a non-responsive catch button.



Randy Moss on the other hand has a catch rating = 97, CIT = 88 and jump rating = 100. In real life Moss jumps for passes that don't really require him to jump for, but that's his style. If I double cover Moss and put the defensive spotlight on him, he shouldn't constantly jump and make catches.

The main reason I would like user catching to return is so that I can put my WR in a better position to catch the ball. Either avoiding defenders, catching on the run or cutting a deeper route short just inside the first down line on the fly. If I get nailed in the air or over the middle by a LB then let me deal with that when it happens. Anything is better than this.



or this



What's deep is that some of this can be fixed this year by adjusting the default WR Catching slider in All Pro and including it in the patch #2. You can set your difficulty level to custom. Set all 4 main sliders to 10 = to All Pro. Then open up the passing slider fine tuning and adjust the WR catching between 45 and 49. Just that one change adds responsiveness to user catching.

[Jetpac]

Quote: Originally Posted by DIESEL

Remove: 4. More animated gear: towels, handwarmers, chin straps- ( Would be nice, I could live without) 3. Custom Cameras- (don't really have a problem with the current camera) 4. Defensive Assignments- (not really sure what this means. I am guessing matching a CB/LB to cover a specific player) Add: 1. Custom music- just completely copy the way 2K5 allowed you to edit songs and put in custom tracks for different gameplay events. Adds a lot for to the overall atmosphere and would be less work for you guys 2. Allow us to see and pick jersey/pants combo for both teams before games. 3. More errant passes -(Both the user and cpu are too accurate) Overall great list Ian. Even the biggest EA bashers have to give you credit for identifying the games problems. Now the pressure is on to see what you guys can do. It should be very interesting.

I DISAGREE with this completely, the animated gear - towels and handwarmers would be AWESOME and add to the over-all presentation. Please DO THIS for 2010

Also that list is so spot on its incredible!

[mdgoalie37]

Quote: Originally Posted by ausar72

Oh Yeah! I forgot in my previous post but please add Custom Stadium Music to Madden. It actually makes a bit more sense to add to the pro game instead of the college, when you think about. College games are more about the bands and school's music which you have already and works nice, even without the current stadium music that you have in this year's game. But I have been waiting for the day when this feature is returned to the pro game, so i can hear "Hail to the Redskins!" playing every time my team scores. Not since 2K5 had this down, have I been able to replicate this in a video game. That was the first and, oddly enough, the ONLY time we have been able to do something like that in a football, up until this year's NCAA. It was truly and innovative feature when it was introduced over four years ago, and it would be nice to see it come back in next year's game!

I agree that custom sounds would be a great addition - it's probably my favorite feature in NCAA.

I would remove the handwarmers and chinstraps option, I don't really care about that.

I also would like to wait until the patch and DLC. Some of my major issues will/should/hopefully will be resolved with the items listed for these downloads. I hate that the game feels like it is on speed, not from snap to whistle, but from whistle to snap. Accel clock is big on my list as is the In game saves, CPU sliders and ROBO-QB.

I'd lose the custom cameras and changes to the kickin ggame. I'm fine with the camera and most NFL kickers make almost every kick - I don't want to kick at 50%.

[Vikes1]

This is off topic, but I believe very important.

I feel that Ian needs to make it clear if his list is even possible for all of it to be included in Madden 2010. Or is this the possibilities over the span of the next few years?

If this is in fact more of a long term goal....Ian should make that clear. for his own good. Or many will assume this is what to expect right from next years game. Leading to the mother of all firestorms next August, if it was a misunderstanding. Just a thought.

[Chessboxer1]

Quote: Originally Posted by Vikes1

This is off topic, but I believe very important. I feel that Ian needs to make it clear if his list is even possible for all of it to be included in Madden 2010. Or is this the possibilities over the span of the next few years? If this is in fact more of a long term goal....Ian should make that clear. for his own good. Or many will assume this is what to expect right from next years game. Leading to the mother of all firestorms next August, if it was a misunderstanding. Just a thought.

ha, i don't think threatening him is such a good idea...

[BrianFifaFan]

Quote: Originally Posted by Vikes1

This is off topic, but I believe very important. I feel that Ian needs to make it clear if his list is even possible for all of it to be included in Madden 2010. Or is this the possibilities over the span of the next few years? If this is in fact more of a long term goal....Ian should make that clear. for his own good. Or many will assume this is what to expect right from next years game. Leading to the mother of all firestorms next August, if it was a misunderstanding. Just a thought.

Ian states in the original post that this is our top 25, not his......