What we should expect from Madden 2010 and Beyond

[FadeEmAll]

I've never actually played Head Coach, can you actually control the players in that game? Just a question.

[countryboy]

Quote: Originally Posted by FadeEmAll

I've never actually played Head Coach, can you actually control the players in that game? Just a question.

nope. You control everything else but the players basically in that game.

[youALREADYknow]

Some of you simply expect far too much in 1-2 years from a developer who hasn't been able to see the "big picture" for the last 5-10 years.

It seems like the decision makers are finally starting to form a big picture (i.e. Online Dynasty in NCAA and the work that Ian/Phil are doing to gather community feedback), but this is the beginning of a process that should have begun once development of the next-gen titles began.

Anyone who has ever played a sports game has known some of what was needed to create the "next-gen" of sports games and EA has failed repeatedly to address these issues while throwing a barrage of throwback features, bug fixes, and pet projects into the games to stay afloat.

I see NFL 2K5 mentioned repeatedly and I could honestly careless about that game because even that was not the true next-gen of sports games. EA should not be trying to duplicate any console football game that has existed because none of them fully address the issues at hand.

It is going to take YEARS of development along with a truly focused effort to get the combination of AI and game depth that most of us expect out of Madden. Some people simply desire some graphical improvements, improvements in the animations, and presentation upgrades. I think all of those will be addressed because they don't require a lot of thought and a studio with the resources that those guys have should be able to put together a visually appealing product.

My problem is that Madden, like so many other games of today's era, have forgotten what actually makes gaming enjoyable. The reason most people play games is to face a challenge. If I want to be visually impressed by graphics, I'll go pop in a Pixar movie and look at CGI that isn't limited by some $300 piece of hardware from 2006. I want to be challenged and there should be a group of developers over there who are working their hardest to re-create the football challenges that happen every Sunday. What I get instead is a visually stimulating game that incorporates a ton of random number generation to determine my gaming experience and a lot of pre-determined filler that is only as challenging as the amount I choose to water down my intelligence before playing a game. It is easy to see how that could get old and stale after a short period of time and those two words describe EA football games for the last few years.

Until the combination of AI, adherence to real world physics, animation depth and fluidity, dedication to realism, and great QA/Testing are present in Madden, then I'm wasting next-gen hardware and $60 just to get my football fix. Because at the end of the day that's all most of us are..... sports fans getting a fix, not EA Sports fans enjoying their product.

I expect EA to get as much out of this current game engine as possible until development starts on the DX11-based consoles and I'll just hope that there is a long-term vision once that generation of Madden begins.

In the era of middleware, there's just no excuse to have a major studio producing games that lack depth.

[FadeEmAll]

Dude why you come in here trying to destroy hope....

[Sef0r]

Quote: Originally Posted by youALREADYknow

In the era of middleware, there's just no excuse to have a major studio producing games that lack depth.

...and yet that is what we have...

Good points, I don't expect anything anymore except a game that gives me my quick fix of NFL stars...I rent the game for 10 days and thats generally all I need before the game bores me.

[GoToledo]

As for an online franchise, it would be cool ONLY if the gameplay is better. I have to admit, online dynasty helped me enjoy NCAA for an extra couple of months (probably would have only been a month or so without it), but after a while if the game is no fun the franchise will be no fun.

I want an online franchise as much as the next guy, but if it takes up those enormous resources then perhaps the gameplay and presentation should be addressed first.

[lon515]

madden needs the animations no doubt but this is what we all need ian tell me this will madden have real halftime report cause the clips are not working 2k5 has a halftime report and all pro 2k8 ea has esp to them selves use it

[bababooey76]

Don't expect much, and you won't be let down. Actually, I have voiced opinions in a few threads. The game does not need a lot of new things. A few things can make it a really good game, but without those things, it is not a great game, but your only option for NFL action.

AI needs improved, mainly from a depth chart and draft sense. More depth and presentation. Make the games feel important each week. Show the standings, talk about how big this win would be. Bring back the depth that Madden was known for. I am really done buying this game until I know for sure that they are willing to do these little things to make the game superior to what any competition might put out if they had rights to.

I am not someone who slams video game makers but EA is showing a trend. It's basketball games are terrible and they are slowing bringing their "franchise" so to speak down as well. Madden is what made EA.