Im feeling really good about Madden 2010 and so should you!

[Vikes1]

I'd put myself in the cautiously optimistic camp.

I believe it's going to be a process over the next few years to get Madden where most of us would like it to be...vs thinking next years game will be "The" game. [No offense meant.]

The state that Madden is currently in...and where we like it to be, in my opinion is just too much ground to make up in one year.

[Cusefan]

Quote: Originally Posted by Vikes1

I'd put myself in the cautiously optimistic camp. I believe it's going to be a process over the next few years to get Madden where most of us would like it to be...vs thinking next years game will be "The" game. [No offense meant.] The state that Madden is currently in...and where we like it to be, in my opinion is just too much ground to make up in one year.

Im right there with ya. As far as I am concerned If the Presentation is not overhauled, I will not be buying this.

But since i cannot sleep I spent a little time looking at the EA forum and If they go by what the fans want, then we should be Very happy. If they decide to do more stupid gimmicks then it will be more of the Same. IMO Madden is SOOOOO close to being awesome, its Just missing things in each category to keep it average. If Ian and Co are listening to the Fan Feedback, then I know we will all be happy. I just hope they are listening...

[Ian_Cummings]

Quote: Originally Posted by roll2tide

Like I said....this was a decade ago. The producer was a guy named Doug and one of the lead testers was a guy named Xen I think. Kobra might remember their names.....anyways, Xen(Xin?) played in a league with us and I know that my group of friends all had him and Doug on their ICQ. We used to use Roger Wilco alot. Sites like MaddenPlanet, EliteLeagues(later MaddenMania), and several others were all born around that time and those guys from EA were pretty accessible. I'm sure some of the the older community guys like Kobra, AndyP, DreBly and others remember more about it.

Ok so you and a few guys talked to one person on ICQ...slightly different scenario than us openly posting on forums. I know Doug, he was actually the lead QA tester for my team when I first got hired (Madden 01 PC), and he was actually removed from working on the Madden Franchise. I'm not trying to get in any kind of war with you here, but I just can't agree with your stance of being dismissive that this community interaction thing is just a fad and nothing new. I personally think it's one of the most important things that's happened in the history of the Madden franchise...just imagine what things would be like if things were 100% silent from EA still.

[miamimarlins1]

I wish it were true that '10 will be a vast improvement, but I really don't think so. Let's face it ever since the exclusivity rights for MLB and NFL the quality of MLB 2K and Madden have plummeted, and I really don't see that ever changing until competition is allowed. Throw in a few minor changes, let the complaints rain down and let the suckers keep buying the games. There is no reason to be innovative when you have no competition. '09 was the big anniversary addition and there was nothing great about it at all. I appreciate what Ian is doing, but let's face it EA is a publicly traded company that knows they have no competition in football video games. They are not going to spend money to innovative in hopes of garnering a few more sales. It makes little business sense. The only way EA or 2K will ever change their strategy is either the exclusivity is lifted, or sales fall big enough to warrant an overhaul.

[Flamehead]

I admire the OP's enthusiasm, and hey, hope is never a bad thing, right? That being said, I believe EA has to earn the benefit of the doubt first. This is a business, bottom line, so when plunking down $60, I go by what I see on the screen, not what's being promised on the forums.

Based on the next-gen product thus far, the emphasis appears to be casual play for the casual, Madden-tourney crowd. I think Ian's participation on these forums is a positive thing, but I have no reason to put faith in EA until they give me reason to in the product.

As for this consumer and his $60, I've purchased my last "casual" Madden. Four years is enough.

[jvaccaro]

Quote: Originally Posted by Ian_Cummings_EA

I personally think it's one of the most important things that's happened in the history of the Madden franchise...just imagine what things would be like if things were 100% silent from EA still.

I absolutely agree with this, just as long as our input is finally utilized to its full potential.

Unfotunately, the lingering skepticism is from years of increased expectations with the 'next gen' systems, combined with disappointing games. Other than graphics and few bells & whisltes, the games have lacked in features and gameplay compared to their 'last gen' versions.

Sure it's nice to have longer CPU pre-snap times now, and a second KR formation. But other than a couple patches to fix some messed up AI, we're yet to see the real impact of the hardcore community's suggestions so far.

However, with Ian, Phil, & co keeping us more in the loop than ever, I'm thinking Madden is ready to turn the next-gen corner. I'm very hopeful 2010 will finally be that game we've all been waiting for. It would be pretty hard for EA to have this level of interaction with the fans, and then lay another egg.

If you can filter through all the crazy haters and 2K fanboys, there are a ton of great suggestions on this board (many of which Ian has already recognized in his fans' top 25 wishlist thread) and there's a few crappy ones too. Hopefully it will be the haters eating crow come August... and not EA.

[OJsakila]

I'll have to be careful what I say because I'm so new and don't want to get off on a bad foot around here...but I don't understand alot of the negativity going on surrounding this game and the 2010 version. First, there isn't one single video game out there that anyone could say is "perfect." If we're complaining about the online aspects (xbox 360, of course)..yes it's quite glitchy. And my online opponent hardly ever plays realistically like I would prefer, anyway. I can remember spending all day tweaking out Front Page Sports Football and loved that game. But it had to be adjusted to get the favorable results I wanted (realistic stats). Nothing has changed. With Heelfan's slider adjustments I found here (which sold me on the site, by the way), I have a great game. Yes, I see the same idiotic fans all over the stadium and the guy looks like he's out of bounds when he's not but, over all, it's still the best football simulation that's ever come out and 2010 would have to be better. But as long as people play with different philosophies and levels of skills, sliders and the ability to adjust attributes is a great equalizer. The only way they (EA) could screw up 2010 is by getting rid of this option to adjust. Give me more options to adjust and it's a better game. Am I missing something? Why are you guys hating on this game...Especially when you have thousands of posts here...obviously you love football games as much as I do.. We have actual designers of the game posting on a regular basis... What more can you ask for?
I'd be intrested to know what the average age of the posters on this forum is...

[roll2tide]

Quote: Originally Posted by Ian_Cummings_EA

Ok so you and a few guys talked to one person on ICQ...slightly different scenario than us openly posting on forums. I know Doug, he was actually the lead QA tester for my team when I first got hired (Madden 01 PC), and he was actually removed from working on the Madden Franchise. I'm not trying to get in any kind of war with you here, but I just can't agree with your stance of being dismissive that this community interaction thing is just a fad and nothing new. I personally think it's one of the most important things that's happened in the history of the Madden franchise...just imagine what things would be like if things were 100% silent from EA still.

yeah im not knocking your efforts here man. and the interaction was alot more involved just some ICQ talks lol.....they were all over some of the forums at sites started by guys they knew....but anywho its neither here nor there.

All I'm saying is that I think many of us are at the 'show me' point where, even though we may have been playing since Maddens inception, we're about to just move away from the franchise--and there is nothing in EA's history with this franchise that suggests that EA will do the things that we've all been posting since Madden community forums began:

1.Make the franchise experience much deeper and, most importanly, accurate (lack of a better word) in terms of gameplay, CPU strategy in games, CPU strategy in terms of personnel, stat recording, etc.

2.Give us online franchises that are fully customizable and that lack nothing that offline franchises do and don't make us pay more money to enjoy it in the form of leaguedaddy (EA online leagues stats are just broken) and data transfer kits(for franchise files).

The above 2 items are requests that have been made every year for the past several years at least. And our early info/news/tweaks since patch#2 dropped concerning '10? Animation tweaks.

There's a long way to go between now and Aug '10 and I hope that the team under your leadership knocks it out of the park next year and all of us gripy consumers eat crow clear to Thanksgiving...I'm just not optimistic.