Back from Community Day!!!

[Broncos86]

Quote: Originally Posted by Elite49

Once again if EA was confident with their game they'd let you talk.

People making this statement do not understand the gaming industry, business, or the nature of customers. That's just the bottom line. There are so many variables that go into why an NDA is required that when people make these kind of statements, it's crystal clear that they have no idea what they are talking about. None. Zero.

This craptacular attitude towards the CD guys, developers, etc is getting old. Childish-old, like watching my 3 year old throw a temper tantrum. The only difference is, I've taught my 3 year old how to calm down and speak to me with a level head and then we get somewhere. People with this angle are doing so with blind anger and aggression. I get that we all want Madden to be better, and people feel burned, but it's getting old.

[Pared]

Quote: Originally Posted by Elite49

Once again if EA was confident with their game they'd let you talk.

This is incorrect. You don't know how wrong you are.

Confidence has absolutely nothing to do with protecting your intellectual property.

[Smoke6]

Quote: Originally Posted by rgiles36

Truth be told, this is all driven by your perception of how things are. Yes, I know you've exchanged some PMs with guys who have gone to prior CDs, but that doesn't mean their opinions are the gospel truth -- the same certainly applies to my own opinion. But here's the thing: you should know that guys are not blindly enamored by the perks of being invited to CD. In fact, it was stated multiple times by the Tiburon staff to provide unfiltered feedback and not to be swayed by the experience. Furthermore, although the guys who were invited to CD currently enjoy playing Madden, that doesn't mean that they lose sight of what things other games have done better. In fact, I fired up APF the night before I left just to drum up some additional ideas for CD. Additionally, the day before our first studio session, Coach Ruckus and I chopped it up in his room about APF and even pulled up some videos of where we'd like to see improvement in Madden. So I know it's human nature to point the finger at any and everybody when the final product doesn't reflect what you want. But to suggest that we're going down there to essentially kiss *** or to pat them on the back is inaccurate. And it's also inaccurate to suggest that the dev team has no interest in listening. As in previous years, we were made aware of immediate changes that were being made as a result of our feedback.

Let me point out the flaws in your statement...

First off bro, HOW LONG HAS THERE BEEN CD EVENTS GOING ON?

Secondly, when you answer that question, do me a favor and tell me how many years we have been making MADDEN WISHLISTS.

Once you are finished with that, go back and read all the threads where we madden gamers have complained even after the fact most of you in the past, present, and future have attended a CD event. Tell if you here or dont hear the SAME STUFF OVER AND OVER AGAIN of whats wrong with this game.

Once you do that, then tell me how productive do you really think these CD events are or have been. Once you do this, then tell me if you dont mind in retracting this comment right here....

Quote:

But to suggest that we're going down there to essentially kiss *** or to pat them on the back is inaccurate. And it's also inaccurate to suggest that the dev team has no interest in listening. As in previous years, we were made aware of immediate changes that were being made as a result of our feedback.

Once you have done that, since NDA's have been up for a few years now from the PAST ONES, would you mind finding out whats been discussed from those events in which relates to this discussion we are having now.

Example:

CD GOER: Hey EA dev, are you guys going to fix A so the B can function properly and stop A from happening everytime I try to do B?

EA DEV: Yes, we are wroking on that as we speak, here take a look and play for yourself and tell us what you think.

CD GOER: WOW GOLLY!!!! I GET TO PLAYZ THE NEW MADDEN B4 EVERYONE ELSES!!!!

EA DEV: GOT'EM!!!!

Not trying to be rude, but this is what most of us thinks as you guys do not full elaborate on the FULL EXPERIENCE when coming back from these events after the NDA's have lifted.

What you fail to realize before you say "All the details have already been released already by that time". Most of us here go bonkers or dont care and forget about the fact you guys had an experience with this and it gets forgotten about with all the news flooding in with features.

I want DETAILS from past events and even from the current one when its allowed. I can show you serious emotion and *act* like I care and I can do the same for almost any emotion to sell you on what I need too. Only a real handful of people can actually tell when they are being taken for a ride and BS'd with while other are all giddy and really dont pay attention to things like that at all.

I wish these sessions were filmed in its entirety and later released so we can actually take your word for it just like you tell us not to take others words for *Gospel*.

Gates open both ways bruh, I wanna see that enthusiasm and excitement from the moment you walked into the conference room to begin what it is you were set out there to do besides play!

[ANDROMADA 1]

Glad u enjoyed it TNT. All I can say is I hope they took this out of the game for madden 13. This more than anything else needs to be fixed imo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnsCY...layer_embedded

[PGaither84]

Quote: Originally Posted by tazdevil20

I can understand the guys who go and the position they are in. They feel enamored with the fact that they flew them down there, gave them all of this stuff, treated them nicely and gave them a good time. Why would you want to criticize them after that? Unfortunately, they need to hear from the guys who are not on the Madden train.

I have no comment about how things were done before or after the Madden 11 community event, but I will talk about the one I went to.

I can't think of anyone other than J Stine and Antwon [spelling?] that I didn't talk to very much who were "on the madden train."

I read all these posts where people want to talk about how they have been playing Madden for years and love Madden. I just love football video games. Madden 2002 was my first Madden. Troy Aikeman Football was my first football game... and watching that video and hearing that song brings back good memories. I played 2k and 2k2 on my friend's dream cast. If anything, I am and have been more of a 2k fan boy than any other one game.

EA has the NFL license, so I play Madden and APF2k8. I post in the Madden forums because I love football.

I was invited for a few different reasons. Phil told me I was invited because while I am very critical of the game I am fair and offer constructive criticism. Ian said that one thing above all others stood out to him, when I said "Forget comparing 2k to Madden. You can't make the best football game until you at least make the best Madden game."

Community Day, as I have written about before, isn't about flying guys in to make a wish list or complain to their faces... It is about gathering people who are constructive and passionate about the game, who are a good representation of the community of Madden gamers, and to get their collective feedback on what is new in Madden.

They wanted to know what we thought about OTP, Play Now: Super Bowl Mode, the "new" locomotion for Madden 11, GameFlow, Gus Johnson, and so forth. I wasn't brought in to beta test Madden or tell them that they need to improve franchise mode.

While I was there I had lots of long talks with lots of people from EA about the game and their various departments and gave each of them feedback on the job they are doing and what I would like to see.

Quote: Originally Posted by TDKing

Has anyone ever not been excited after going to community day ? Just wondering....

As a more serious reply, I am not sure if my post history is still available to look up, but I was generally underwhelmed with Madden 11 and you all know why. I thoroughly enjoyed the trip and the experience, but I am not going to lie to you or myself. EA didn't buy me, nor did they try to... or if they did, they did a bad job of it.

I was excited about what GameFlow and game plan could bring to the game and franchise mode. I liked that we could do play now super bowl. I really enjoy OTP to this day. Gus Johnson was proof that the commentary problems were not just boring Tom Hammonds fault, but mostly EA's. In a nut shell I said how I liked most of the improvements, but as a whole I was disappointed. People who knew me and knew that I love franchise mode and game play knew what that meant even though I couldn't confirm anything. A number of regulars guessed correctly why I said the things I did, but I couldn't say any more.

Just some perspective from a guy who has been on both sides of it.

[kjcheezhead]

Quote: Originally Posted by RynoAid

this is my first year on Madden. It's natural to feel like you should be the one to go, we all think we have the best ideas and would be the most successful at communicating them. But we can't all go, so you should try and find someone who does go that represents your interests and enjoys the parts of the game that you do and make sure your communicating in a productive manner with them. that's probably the most productive solution... calling us fanboys and saying we are the hype machine just looks like your hating on people.

I'm not sure EA invited a person you're describing, at least I haven't seen them post yet. Seems everyone that went really enjoys playing the game as is and that's the problem for me. Guys like you and TNT run websites devoted to Madden. TNT has gone so far as to admit he wants nothing to do with any football game not named Madden.

Essentially you all are serious fans of Madden, or to put in another way "fanboys". I'm not trying to be a jerk, but how critical can someone be with this much dedication to the game?

Were there any invitees at CD that shelved Madden 12 after 2 weeks? Someone who looked at the on the field game and thought APF did it better? Someone who checked out the game modes and thought NBA2k and PS2 Madden did it better? At the animations and thought Fifa players move more realistically? Who looked at commentary/atmosphere and said every sports game did it better? I really want to hear what this guy thinks of his time at CD.

[roadman]

Quote: Originally Posted by kjcheezhead

I'm not sure EA invited a person you're describing, at least I haven't seen them post yet. Seems everyone that went really enjoys playing the game as is and that's the problem for me. Guys like you and TNT run websites devoted to Madden. TNT has gone so far as to admit he wants nothing to do with any football game not named Madden. Essentially you all are serious fans of Madden, or to put in another way "fanboys". I'm not trying to be a jerk, but how critical can someone be with this much dedication to the game? Were there any invitees at CD that shelved Madden 12 after 2 weeks? Someone who looked at the on the field game and thought APF did it better? Someone who checked out the game modes and thought NBA2k and PS2 Madden did it better? At the animations and thought Fifa players move more realistically? Who looked at commentary/atmosphere and said every sports game did it better? I really want to hear what this guy thinks of his time at CD.

KJ, are you saying you have to dislike Madden to be critical of Madden? Can a person who likes Madden be constructive about it?

Did you even read the part where Rgiles and Coach Ruckas stayed up the night before with APF playing and taking videos off the net from APF and presenting their questions around APF the next day?

[ChaseB]

Quote: Originally Posted by kjcheezhead

Were there any invitees at CD that shelved Madden 12 after 2 weeks? Someone who looked at the on the field game and thought APF did it better? Someone who checked out the game modes and thought NBA2k and PS2 Madden did it better? At the animations and thought Fifa players move more realistically? Who looked at commentary/atmosphere and said every sports game did it better? I really want to hear what this guy thinks of his time at CD.

Don't worry, that's already me.

Quote: Originally Posted by Broncos86

This craptacular attitude towards the CD guys, developers, etc is getting old. Childish-old, like watching my 3 year old throw a temper tantrum. The only difference is, I've taught my 3 year old how to calm down and speak to me with a level head and then we get somewhere. People with this angle are doing so with blind anger and aggression. I get that we all want Madden to be better, and people feel burned, but it's getting old.

Feel free to have problems with me more than CD guys. At the end of the day, they're not at fault.