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To Phil: Message For EA Higher Ups...

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Old 12-12-2008, 06:13 PM   #17
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Re: To Phil: Message For EA Higher Ups...

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Originally Posted by Phil_Frazier_EA
Central Art - Artists that work on animations, models, lighting, etc...

Regarding the Central Art aspect of the team:

This may go without saying, but I really hope there's a true NFL fan on board that's fanatical about getting the details right.

For instance, Dolphin Stadium looks good overall, but the LED ribbon board (the longest in the world) is on the wrong level year after year. Check out the atmosphere video I posted in my arena, and you can see what it looks like.

Fans appreciate attention to detail. Smaller changes are also made to stadiums and uniforms every season, so someone really needs to stay on top of this stuff.

I just felt the need to rant about this. Thanks for reading. lol
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Old 12-12-2008, 06:53 PM   #18
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Re: To Phil: Message For EA Higher Ups...

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Originally Posted by Phil_Frazier_EA
I'm not sure if I'm allowed to give specifics but let's just say we have a healthy team. It's also tricky to answer because we have folks that work on both NCAA and Madden. These are folks that work on assets that are basically shared between the two like animation or art. For example, if we have a guy that can build really cool stadiums, there's no difference betwen college or pro stadiums other than the geometry.

I will break down our basic structure. All of these make up the 'Madden Team.'

Core Team - Focus on UI, features, and online. Thsi team owns the overall design. Myself and Ian are on this team.
Gameplay - Separate group of dudes that focus 100% of their time on gameplay features
Central Art - Artists that work on animations, models, lighting, etc...
QA - duh
Marketing - duh
PR - duh

If you imagine 20 to 30 people per group here outside of marketing and PR, you would be in the ballpark.

Phil
This explains alot to me about why the game is built more for online and has so many marketing "gimmicks" listed on the box such as the "85 new features"....I wish the CORE teams focus was on gameplay and realism.
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Old 12-12-2008, 08:55 PM   #19
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Re: To Phil: Message For EA Higher Ups...

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Originally Posted by MJenness
This explains alot to me about why the game is built more for online and has so many marketing "gimmicks" listed on the box such as the "85 new features"....I wish the CORE teams focus was on gameplay and realism.
The reason for the separate gameplay team is because much of the code for gameplay is shared with NCAA. We do this because the sport is just about identical. the fact that we have a separate team has no impact on the gimmick angle. They literally sit right next to our team. Just half of them work on NCAA, half on Madden. By splitting these guys out into a separate group, it guarantees that they focus only on gameplay and realism.

If you feel like a previous feature was a gimmick, this had nothing to do with the layout of our team. It had everything to do with decisions made by either the lead designer of that product or the project lead. It's really that simple.

When we start talking about features for 10, if there's a feature you don't like, you will be in contact with the folks that made the call to include it (myself or Ian, mostly Ian as our lead designer).

Phil
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Old 12-12-2008, 09:12 PM   #20
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Re: To Phil: Message For EA Higher Ups...

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Originally Posted by Phil_Frazier_EA
The reason for the separate gameplay team is because much of the code for gameplay is shared with NCAA. We do this because the sport is just about identical. the fact that we have a separate team has no impact on the gimmick angle. They literally sit right next to our team. Just half of them work on NCAA, half on Madden. By splitting these guys out into a separate group, it guarantees that they focus only on gameplay and realism.

If you feel like a previous feature was a gimmick, this had nothing to do with the layout of our team. It had everything to do with decisions made by either the lead designer of that product or the project lead. It's really that simple.

When we start talking about features for 10, if there's a feature you don't like, you will be in contact with the folks that made the call to include it (myself or Ian, mostly Ian as our lead designer).

Phil
But let's call a spade a spade here, Phil....a few opinions here at OS, in the big picture, of a game that sells MILLIONS of copies (based solely on the Madden name), is NOT going to make you guys re-think the entire direction of the game. It is a marketing ploy to a degree, also...not COMPLETELY, but you DO have alot of lost fans that EA needs to re-gain.

Sure, your appearance here is great and appreciated, but I am not sold on it REALLY impacting the game as much as you'd like us all to believe. After all, you and Ian have people to answer to, also. Prove me wrong, and I'll be a happy camper....but I am not holding my breath. No disrespect intended....but I do understand business very well.

Last edited by MJenness; 12-12-2008 at 09:15 PM. Reason: added content
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Old 12-12-2008, 10:50 PM   #21
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Re: To Phil: Message For EA Higher Ups...

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Originally Posted by MJenness
But let's call a spade a spade here, Phil....a few opinions here at OS, in the big picture, of a game that sells MILLIONS of copies (based solely on the Madden name), is NOT going to make you guys re-think the entire direction of the game. It is a marketing ploy to a degree, also...not COMPLETELY, but you DO have alot of lost fans that EA needs to re-gain.

Sure, your appearance here is great and appreciated, but I am not sold on it REALLY impacting the game as much as you'd like us all to believe. After all, you and Ian have people to answer to, also. Prove me wrong, and I'll be a happy camper....but I am not holding my breath. No disrespect intended....but I do understand business very well.
That's fine. We're working hard to prove you wrong. This isn't a marketing ploy though. There is very little marketing benefit to Ian and I being here right now. You will all make your purchase decision next summer as we're talking about the new product.

Let's be clear. We started this interaction without the knowledge of the company, including marketing. We're not doing this because it's fun. We're doing it for feedback from the hardcore.

Phil
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Old 12-12-2008, 10:56 PM   #22
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Re: To Phil: Message For EA Higher Ups...

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Originally Posted by Phil_Frazier_EA
That's fine. We're working hard to prove you wrong. This isn't a marketing ploy though. There is very little marketing benefit to Ian and I being here right now. You will all make your purchase decision next summer as we're talking about the new product.

Let's be clear. We started this interaction without the knowledge of the company, including marketing. We're not doing this because it's fun. We're doing it for feedback from the hardcore.

Phil
And we appreciate this interaction very much.
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Old 12-12-2008, 11:25 PM   #23
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Re: To Phil: Message For EA Higher Ups...

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Originally Posted by Phil_Frazier_EA
That's fine. We're working hard to prove you wrong.
Phil,
now this is the response i truly appreciate, and what I would like to hear as a paying consumer!

You should council Ian a little bit.. He can get a tad bit defensive with condescending comments like "I am here on my own time"
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Old 12-13-2008, 01:09 AM   #24
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Re: To Phil: Message For EA Higher Ups...

I really hope you guys can give us a good game Phil... I really do.. I said to myself I'm done after 09, but the interaction from you guys left some faith.
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