Isn't it time the audio in Madden matched other sports games?

[PacMan3000]

I finally got around to playing NBA 2K11 (I know it's been out since October, but I waited for the price to drop) and was blown away by the sound design in this game. NFL is my #1 sport, so I really don't play too many other sports games. But this year, I decided to try out some other games to see what they're doing.

I first popped in Madden 10 and 11. To me, the sound is flat. The crowd noise, even at it's highest level, sounds less like a dynamic, energetic crowd and more like white noise. It just sounds quite generic. I think the sounds of pads popping, guys talking trash on the field, any type of head coach audio or heckling fans--it's just not there. Even the team chants don't sound real--I get the sense they threw five people in a sound booth to record stuff like "Go Pack Go!"

Playing NBA 2K11...wow, where to start. The commentary was so seamless and on-point regarding the actions on the court, it almost got to the point where I stopped appreciating the fact that this was just a game. The crowds reacted to steals and breaks in the game, the sounds of the sneakers on the court, the PA speaker system--everything gave me the impression that I was almost controlling a real-life NBA game rather than playing a video game created by a company.

Madden can obviously improve in many areas such as presentation and animations, etc, but what are your thoughts regarding sound?

[roadman]

Quote: Originally Posted by PacMan3000

I finally got around to playing NBA 2K11 (I know it's been out since October, but I waited for the price to drop) and was blown away by the sound design in this game. NFL is my #1 sport, so I really don't play too many other sports games. But this year, I decided to try out some other games to see what they're doing. I first popped in Madden 10 and 11. To me, the sound is flat. The crowd noise, even at it's highest level, sounds less like a dynamic, energetic crowd and more like white noise. It just sounds quite generic. I think the sounds of pads popping, guys talking trash on the field, any type of head coach audio or heckling fans--it's just not there. Even the team chants don't sound real--I get the sense they threw five people in a sound booth to record stuff like "Go Pack Go!" Playing NBA 2K11...wow, where to start. The commentary was so seamless and on-point regarding the actions on the court, it almost got to the point where I stopped appreciating the fact that this was just a game. The crowds reacted to steals and breaks in the game, the sounds of the sneakers on the court, the PA speaker system--everything gave me the impression that I was almost controlling a real-life NBA game rather than playing a video game created by a company. Madden can obviously improve in many areas such as presentation and animations, etc, but what are your thoughts regarding sound?

Commentary and sound need to be be vastly improved. I think having Collingsworth and Gus in the same booth will help.

[SpeedyMikeWallace]

That would cost money. EA doesn't HAVE to spend more money to make money because of the exclusive contract. So, things like putting effort into the game audio probably won't happen until they have competition again, or it becomes dirt cheap to do.

[GiantBlue76]

It's even more embarrassing when you hear Chris Collinsworth say to Gus Johnson, "Now that's the athlete you always dreamed of being, Tom". Really? Lack of polish in areas like this are what get the team so much criticizing. That's absolutely inexcusable in my opinion, but when you are sitting alone on top of the mountain, I guess that's what you get

Having a quality broadcast booth is only part of the problem. The feeling that you are at a game is just not there. I want to feel the difference at the stadiums. There should be dynamic attendance based on the score, and the crowd noise should affect that. Not to mention the other immersion issues. When I see my LG taken off on a cart, then it goes to a cut scene of him sitting on the sideline talking to the coach, that shows me it's a very poor effort in paying attention to detail.

[Segagendude]

Like what is at the bottom of one of my bills at home: "Past due".

Madden's sound has been its weak spot for some time now. Commentary especially.


The crowd is dead during pivotal moments in the game, the announcers, regardless of who's calling the games, are bad. You can tell they're not in the same booth, and even this year,Chris still calls Gus "Tom", indicating rehashed lines.

I want crowds so loud they drown out the on field action. I want commentary that will make me forget I'm playing a video game, ala NBA 2k. Etc........

[MrSkagTrendy]

They need to look no further than FIFA commentary. They have it spot on.

[RGiles36]

Yeah, I never realized how critical audio/commentary was to a sports game until I played recent editions of NBA2K11 and The Show. I don't have to go on and on about the excellent job that they do.

As for Madden, I'm a little confused as to why this has been such a weak spot. Crowd noise for example has been abysmal for years now. Why -- I have no clue. It's improved in M11, but still a shadow of what it should be.

With commentary, count me as one of the people who thought just adding Gus Johnson was going to solve all of the commentary's ills. Obviously, even with his excitement, the issue lies deeper than just changing the voice.

[guaps]

Quote: Originally Posted by rgiles36

As for Madden, I'm a little confused as to why this has been such a weak spot. Crowd noise for example has been abysmal for years now. Why -- I have no clue. It's improved in M11, but still a shadow of what it should be.

I guess the answer you're looking for is the current-gen consoles. When we advanced from last-gen to current-gen all focus was on improved graphics. If you didn't deliver in the graphics department your game was dead on arrival. Other areas, like sound, gameplay etc. were second to graphics in the first year or two of the current-gen consoles and many games suffered and failed big time because of this.

I agree with everybody else in here that the commentary and sounds needs to improved vastly, but so does so many other areas as well.