EA Madden 08 Blog: Hands on NG Madden 08

[Alburt Poohole]

Fellas,

D-Cas, EA Current Gen Madden Producer, has a blog and while he is a producer on the current gen game he had some time on the next gen game to critique and comment on what its looking and feeling like for the 2008 Madden campaign.

Peep his blog...Its pretty insightful...No real "insider" information or anything like that but it does give you some insight from a cat who is still a strong advocate and believer that the Current gen game is tight and well worth playing.

Knowing D-cas myself and knowing his knowledge of the CG game I'm impressed with what he has to offer on what he experienced on the NG game.

http://www.easports.com/maddennfl/blogs.jsp

[countryboy]

Quote: Originally Posted by Alburt Poohole

No real "insider" information or anything like that but it does give you some insight from a cat

I refuse to believe anything a cat says

[Alburt Poohole]

based on your pic...I see why...In any case D-cas is a good dude...If he is impressed with the NG game I feel pretty decent about that because I know for a fact that while he would never outwardly criticize the NG game he always felt like it was not as tight as the CG game.

[cam780]

This is the first year that I'm planning on buying the 360 version before the game for the original xbox and as a fan of owner mode - or at least a deep franchise mode thats big saying that I'm basing this solely on the the gameplay enhancements I've heard about.

However, I'm not a conspiracy theorist and I do believe what IGN and Gamespot etc have to say about the game, but I am highly skeptical of an EA employee. Did D-Cas have a blog last year where he voiced his concerns over the next gen product? It seems easy enough - why didn't they ask him to play the game last year for his input? Apparently he could've offered a boat load of advice to improve the game when it really needed it. Again, I'm not overly negative but his post is almost insulting.

[Alburt Poohole]

Quote: Originally Posted by cam780

Did D-Cas have a blog last year where he voiced his concerns over the next gen product? It seems easy enough - why didn't they ask him to play the game last year for his input? Apparently he could've offered a boat load of advice to improve the game when it really needed it. Again, I'm not overly negative but his post is almost insulting.

D-Cas is a Current Gen Associate Producer so much like any work place he was very busy doing his own thing on the current gen game. I asked him about his involvement and input to the next gen game last year when we corresponded and he was pretty much saying he did not poke his nose in their business alot. The biggest area of feedback I've mainly had with D-Cas was informing him of the terrible lag that plagued online play when 2 players on opposite coasts hooked up. D-Cas was directly responsible for getting this problem fixed with help from communities like OP, The MWS Forum, MM and SportsGamers (Formerly known as MaddenNation).

Why didn't Dcas say more last year???...I mean think about it...Guys like you and me have jobs and collegues...How comfortable would you be walking over to the next guys office and telling him how to write his report?...Also this is the 1st year I believe EA is allowing this sort of blog. keep inn mind even these honest excerpts are edited by EA's marketing people.

I don't claim to be an insider or anything like that but I've known D-Cas for about 2-3 years now. In 2005 he told me from the git go that next gen was gonna be a process. So from that moment I knew that he meant it would take years to get the game up to a level were MOST felt it was a good game. Unfortunately most of us want a perfect game with all the bells and whistles 2-3 years ago. Common consumers like us don't really understand why EA/Tiburon can't match all the great stuff we saw in games like NFL2K5. personally, I've been both disappointed and encouraged by next gen...Now in year three of next gen the pressure is really on..EA has to deliver and I think we may see some very positive work.

[cam780]

Quote: Originally Posted by Alburt Poohole

Also this is the 1st year I believe EA is allowing this sort of blog

This is my point though. I don't mean this as an attack on him. But a post like this is pretty much transparent as a marketing ploy. I read and re-read this before I decided to post initially.

Here's my issue I can complain and moan about my job and my company and my coworkers all day long while i'm at work but the minute I'm out on the street I tow the company line because thats good form as part of a team. You may not like a decision that was made or how someone else does his or her job but you stand by it or at the least don't speak out against it. So again, what is EA's motivation for allowing the producer of its current gen game to announce to anyone who cares to read that he's found the last two next gen games unplayable? I work in the claims department of an insurance company and this is like me posting on the company site that our company's premiums have been too high the past two years but this year I took a peak and they're going down to where they should be. Would that give you a good feeling?

I'm not saying that he should've had an impact on the game it just seems that 95% of the people are not pleased with the next gen game so EA had to have someone out there to say "you know what I wasn't happy with it either but this year its different'' which isn't necessary - if you put out a solid product the word will get out. To me, EA is doing damage control on overdrive and simply acknowledging the fact that they slipped up a bit would suffice.

[smash22]

Really agree with that post cam

[DLaren]

Good read...Can't wait until Aug14!