New Look for Madden 2006?

[Gagnon39]

I'm just curious if EA will overhaul their graphics in next year's game. ESPN clearly is the winner in the graphics department this year, as much as I hate that because I'm playing Madden instead of ESPN once again. I would doubt there will be new player models for '06 but at least I can hope. I figure EA will wait until the XBOX 2 to produce new player models.

I love the competition between EA and ESPN because the games just get that much better every year. However, I wish EA and/or ESPN would swallow their pride and "rip off" parts of one another's game. What I mean is, EA won't adopt FOX Sports because ESPN used a "real" presentation format first. ESPN won't implement an "Owner Mode" where you have more control over every aspect of the team because that was EA Sports idea. If I could take bits and pieces from each game, I'd have the best football game possible.

ESPN's graphics and presentation...Madden's franchise mode and gameplay...ESPN's tackling system (maximum tackle)...

[slickdtc]

Yup, if they could just create one "Super Football Game", that would be awesome. But we all know that will never happen, unless EA takes over Sega or something.

[Dice]

Quote: Originally Posted by Gagnon39

I'm just curious if EA will overhaul their graphics in next year's game. ESPN clearly is the winner in the graphics department this year, as much as I hate that because I'm playing Madden instead of ESPN once again. I would doubt there will be new player models for '06 but at least I can hope. I figure EA will wait until the XBOX 2 to produce new player models. I love the competition between EA and ESPN because the games just get that much better every year. However, I wish EA and/or ESPN would swallow their pride and "rip off" parts of one another's game. What I mean is, EA won't adopt FOX Sports because ESPN used a "real" presentation format first. ESPN won't implement an "Owner Mode" where you have more control over every aspect of the team because that was EA Sports idea. If I could take bits and pieces from each game, I'd have the best football game possible. ESPN's graphics and presentation...Madden's franchise mode and gameplay...ESPN's tackling system (maximum tackle)...

I doubt if you'll see on overhaul on the graphics next year. The only reason why I say that is that it's going to take more than a year to improve the graphics and reading different websites EA has already been working on the next generation console(PS3 & Xbox2) games for a couple of months now. So there graphics resources are poured into the next generation consoles and whatever you see next year will be similar to this year. Look for the major graphics overhaul in the PS3/Xbox2 versions.

[saabcaptain]

Quote: Originally Posted by Gagnon39

I'm just curious if EA will overhaul their graphics in next year's game. ESPN clearly is the winner in the graphics department this year, as much as I hate that because I'm playing Madden instead of ESPN once again. I would doubt there will be new player models for '06 but at least I can hope. I figure EA will wait until the XBOX 2 to produce new player models. ESPN's graphics and presentation...Madden's franchise mode and gameplay...ESPN's tackling system (maximum tackle)...

Madden 2006 will feature the usual "enhanced textures" blah, blah, blah. Nothing is really going to change until next generation consoles because...

1) it would cost a lot of money to re-do the graphics and it would be just for the one game, as 2007 and on will be on the next generation consoles.

2) madden is by far the market leader even with "poor" graphics and one of the few things that would cause EA to fix 2006 is if they thought it would lose the market battle, but they know it won't.

[JCribb]

Supposedly XBox Next will be released sometime late 2005. In that case it wouldn't surprise me to see EA have Madden ready as a launch title. So I wouldn't expect too many changes next year for the XBox version.

[HoodedSoldier]

the only way we'll see a different look on this current set of systems is if ea has been working on the new engine over the last year or 2 secretly but if not they are just gonna wait till the next set of consoles.

[Gagnon39]

Unfortunately I think you all are right. I don't see EA putting extra effort into its last game for XBOX right before XBOX 2 is out. Its just an area that they were very clearly beat in, and badly this year and I hope that they will step up to the plate for next year.

[mcquillian]

Quote: Originally Posted by Gagnon39

Unfortunately I think you all are right. I don't see EA putting extra effort into its last game for XBOX right before XBOX 2 is out. Its just an area that they were very clearly beat in, and badly this year and I hope that they will step up to the plate for next year.

This is a subject that will never end . . .

I have both games, play them both, and truly enjoy each one. For the past several weeks, I have been trying to decide for myself which is the better game? Tough call . . .

I will tell you this. Every time I think about the fact that Madden 2005 is PORTED over from the PS2 it makes me cringe . . .

Nothing wrong with the PS2 (I owned one), but for the money EA makes off of this product, they could try a little harder.

Now at this point, many of you are saying "EA does not need to try harder - people will line up in a snow storm to get their hands on a new version of Madden. Yes - your right. (I did, stood in line at my EB waiting for the delivery direct from the airport) Madden is engrained into our brains It has been (and to many) still is the "defacto standard" in Video football.

Competition always breeds a better product. I can think of NOTHING better than to have NFL 2KX series push EA to make improvements.

Now, If I can just make up my own mind regarding which of these two games to play . . . I'm really messed up on the control end right now . . . (from switching back and forth - you ever try to use the "Hit Stick" with NFL 2K5?)