5 years into Current Gen systems. Are you satisfied with what EA produced so far?

[Vikes1]

Quote: Originally Posted by marktwain77

This is true. It's just that you get the feeling that whoever makes the NHL series absolutely LOVES HOCKEY (thus all the little details and extras) whereas the NFL series seems like totally obvious things that any somewhat connected football fan would expect are missing....

After not really playing any hockey games to speak of since "Blades of steel"...I got NHL '08' as a gift. And then bought NHL '10' at release. I've been absolutely impressed with the game overall...and further impressed with it's attention to detail. Just the commentary alone with how accurate and seamless it is connected to the play on the ice, puts Tiburon's game to shame.

Imo as well, EA Canada's game has reached a level of detail and refinement that Tiburon's game has not.

[thedude213]

I'm not a big fan of Madden games in general, but it seems like the consensus is that EA has been a major disappointment with the Madden series. So what I don't understand is why they continue to give us gimmicky features when the gameplay is still lacking.

To me, it seems like this game just needs hyped features and buzz words. To the casual sports gamer, they will be content with small changes and are a lot more susceptible to the hyped features. But it seems like guys on here and other forums, who are more in-tune to EA's gameplay flaws are really getting annoyed at EA's lackluster improvements from year to year.

It seems like EA is more concerned with making money than making a true to life football game that is appreciated by the football fan. It's tough for me to appreciate the little things (player intros, graphics, etc) when the game between the whistles is atrocious.

[BiPolarGamer]

Their efforts with Madden and NCAA Football have been abysmal this generation.

Putrid, lackluster, horrid, and uninspiring are other words that come to mind.

But that is to be expected when you have no competition.

There is absolutely no reason to try to get better when people have no other options.

[TombSong]

Quote: Originally Posted by tazdevil20

While I can appreciate what you are trying to say here, making a blanket statement that franchise mode is the most important thing to football fans isn't really correct. It might be the most important thing to you, but not for others. For me, I have never completed a franchise in a football game ever and I have been playing them since the Atari 2600. Online leagues and online franchise is my favorite thing to do as far as modes go, but the most important thing, IMHO, is the actual football that is played on the field. If the football isn't right, nothing else can make the game good. The football on the field needs to be great. At this point, we have not made any progress in football gaming since 2004. EA has made a total disaster out of NFL football games. There are too many apologists on here. As a consumer, you shouldn't be saying things like, "well, they are trying hard", and "It's an improvement". It is? You are shelling out the money, why would you want a product that has regressed steadily from games that are much older? The football on the field is missing so much and the fact that this dev team struggles with basics tells me one of 2 things. One, either they just don't really have the necessary talent to accomplish what Visual Concepts did in one year, or TWO, their existing code base is such a mess that it's impossible for them to add fix all of the things that are broken without causing tons of regressions. Neither one of those is an acceptable excuse for a consumer. If I am making software (which I happen to do just that), I don't tell my customer who has a requirement that I can't do it because "it's too hard". Especially when my competitors have already done it and done it better using older technology. The time for excuses is long past. It's time for Tiburon to ante up or let someone else into the mix to deliver what we have been missing for the last 6 years.

I agree with this.

I am learning C# and have dabbled with ActionScript 3 for flash and though I know what I have messed around with is no where near as complex as what the Tiburon guys have to deal with, one thing a simple program has in common with a complex program is, if the foundation for the program is not sound, its hard to try and add to or fix.

I don't know if its those guys don't have the talent, or they are told to just create add on functions to the existing game engine each year. Whatever the case, just looking at the game play there are a lot of things that just are not fundamentally sound football wise.

Players don't position themselves properly. Incorrect animations play out during certain situations. Animations rob you of control at key moments.
I wish I had $5 for every time a DB goes into a catch animation 5 yards behind a WR, and you are trying to make him run toward the WR to make a play on the ball. All the warping that goes on. Ratings that don't seem to matter with certain match ups.

They need a year where they ain't trying to add a lot of "new" features and just correct all the parts they know are wrong with the game.