It's In The Details - How To Start Fixing Franchise Mode
Sorry For The Long Read
The OVR Rating is one of the most argued over topics in sports games. The only other rating that comes close is SPD (speed), and that is mostly in Madden Football as well. Here is the problem and blessingin how OVR is and should be based in any sports game-
It is subjective!
If you were to ask a die-hard fan of the Steelers after the Super Bowl what they think Santonio Holmes should be rated I imagine you would have quite a few people say anywhere from 95 to 99. It is no question that his output during the Super Bowl was one of the major influences of who won the game (James Harrison also comes to mind). However, this also brings something more to be desired in Madden (as well as all other sports games).
A separate OVR rating, maybe a group of ratings that don’t involve intangibles like awareness, speed or skills akin to the position of the player (WR Catching, RB Spin Move).
Here are a few ideas for how to do this for franchise mode (online updates are a totally different beast of epic subjective proportions)– Team Value- Is this player the face of the team? Does he come in everyday with high morale (or has his morale increased due to a new contract?) Does his presence on the field usually result in better plays for your team? Is this player a leader? Plain and simple.
Examples – Tom Brady, Ben Roethlisberger, Troy Polamalu, Ray Lewis. Market Value- Does this player command a large contract due to multiple seasons of great performance and stats? Will he immediately boost the performance of the players around him? Is he a game changer for any team looking to fill some weak gaps?
Examples- Shaun Rogers, Albert Haynesworth, Alan Faneca, Jay Cutler. Veteran Value- Has this player been to a Super Bowl? Has he been to multiple? Has he experienced good and bad seasons? Did he work his way to the top? Who has he studied under in his early years? Is he dependable for solid output and a level head?
Examples- Kurt Warner, Steve Young (studied under Joe Montana).
Keeping in mind that these are all a bunch of constantly changing, subjective ratings – these all play key roles in how a team performs during the season and perhaps more importantly (in terms of Franchise Mode) in the off-season.
Big trades and free agency pick-ups and of course The Draft make every off-season an adventure in itself.
With the recent drama for players such as Jay Cutler, Shaun Rogers and Terrelle Owens it should go without saying that these things matter.
So, here is what I suggest for pre-draft aspects.
Implement some of the values I highlighted above (or something similar) for every player in the game. Example 1
If Jay Cutler has a high market value for teams in need of a QB (Detroit,San Francisco, Minnesota) the Broncos shouldn’t have to offer much more than just Cutler.
On the other hand, the Broncos will be losing a key component of their offense and a multi-season starter. This would mean any team looking to pick him up would have to make a solid offer (1st and 3rd Rd Draft Picks or a Draft Pick and Player of comparable value) to the Broncos, perhaps a defensive lineman ranks highly on their needs list.
Cutler’s Market and Team values would be pretty high, but his Veteran Value wouldn’t necessarily be as impressive. Example 2
Kurt Warner is shopping for a team to close out his career. He just led a once fledgling team to the Super Bowl (something he has now done twice). There are many teams in the league looking to get ‘over the hump’ and into the playoffs or more. Warner’s Team and Veteran Values would command respect. However, his age is going to come into question as far as his Market Value is considered.
A team like the 49ers or Vikings could really use his services in the locker room as well as on the field to help bring a winning attitude to said Franchise. His value would be higher for one of these teams than it would be for a team like the Browns (who already have two QBs fighting for a starting job) or the Falcons (who found a solid QB in the Draft).
The Draft
The biggest day of the year in the NFL is The Draft (arguably).
This is also one of the most lacking aspects of every sports game. Where is the excitement? Where is the surprise when a team mocks every ‘expert’s’ Mock Draft?
(If the Lions select an offensive lineman with their first pick in the 09 Draft everyone will know what I mean.)
Put the gamer in the war room (like in Head Coach). Look over your team needs and tendencies. Do you need a blitzing OLB/DE or do you need a run stopping MLB/DT? Do you need to fill the shoes of a beloved veteran on his way to the Hall of Fame (Brett Favre, Marvin Harrison, Brian Dawkins)?
This is a big deal and he should feel like it in the game. If the pick doesn’t pan out or multiple picks don’t pan out there should be some type of rating decrease in your draft logic/prospect research, even if it isn’t seen as a visible rating. (This can all be overcome by performing well with Draft Picks)
The biggest part of the draft is the prospects.
There is hype for every player (positive and negative) and this should play a role in how you draft ....
and the reaction of fans in RadioCityMusic Hall to this decision.
For many players, there will be certain accolades that accompany them into their professional careers. Best Player (at said position), Best Player Overall, All-American, All-Conference. Not to mention stats.
Stats play a major role in how players are drafted. Granted, some players come out of college after one year of starting (Mark Sanchez) or no playing time at all (Matt Cassell). Other players such as Chris Wells from Ohio State (and Adrian Peterson) come out of college with a stigma for being injured a lot but they still prove themselves on the field with their stats and presence. These things need to be addressed in the Draft.
I know there are tons of other things I could include or have simply forgotten as I typed this massive overview of Franchise Mode’s off-season. In my opinion, the aforementioned points are the launch pad for nearly every other personnel decision needed in Franchise Mode (minus coaching).
The guys at EA have shown a lot of promise in their work already. Hopefully what I suggested above will make its way into the game at some point as well.
(Fixed my stupid mistakes - Thanks for catching them guys!)
03-30-2009, 12:33 AM
