Just something I wanted to check out for my own amusement. These are the last 7 years of Madden features before 10, per IGN's site for each game (chose to start at '03 because to be fair, since '02 they were worrying about creating for X-Box). Not counting general gameplay improvements, and going based on 360/PS3 (making a feature for PS2/X-Box that isn't in the game now is a failure even if it never made this gen), I'll try to look at the 5 biggest things each year.
Madden 2003
Online play - Still in
New audio team - All out
Create-a-playbook - Out
Ask Madden - Replaced by gameflow/gameplan, so half a point
General franchise improvements - Many still in
Total: 2.5 out of 5 still in
Madden NFL 2004
Owner mode - Out
Playmaker control - Out
Create-a-playbook - Out
Training camp - Out
Coaching staff hiring - In
Total: .5 out of 5 still in
Madden NFL 2005
Hit stick - Still in
Player morale - Out
Storyline Central - Out
Create-a-fan - Out
Defensive hot routes - In
Total: 2 of 5 still in
Madden NFL 06
Superstar mode - Half point, still in but a complete failure due to no evolution
Vision cone - Out (sadly, because it was an interesting feature that would solve many existing game problems, but that's beside the point)
Precision Passing - In
Truck stick - In
Gameplan preparation - Out
Total: 2.5 out of 5, this was, by their standards, a fantastic year despite needing to develop the 360 version
Madden 2007
Lead blocker control - Out
Highlight stick - Meh, I'll say in due to the litany of new broken tackle animations it led to even though it doesn't exist in that form anymore
Different types of jukes with triggers and right stick - Out
Madden gamer level - Out
Player roles in franchise - Out
Total: 1 out of 5 in
Madden 08
Weapons - Out
100 attributes - Out
Skill drills - Out
Gang tackling - In
Hit stick 2.0 - In
Total: 2 out of 5 in
Madden 09
User celebrations - Out
Virtual training center for Madden IQ - Out
Madden IQ - In
Tom Hammond & Chris Collinsworth (hyped enough to be a major feature) - .5
Online leagues - In
Total: 2.5 out of 5 in
Only 13 out of 35 still in (37%)
2 things that are impossible not to notice
1. That is a pathetic rate. Seriously, that is just sad. But more importantly,
2. Not all of the missing features were bad to the point that they should be out. There's no reason for vision cone not to be optional (this could FIX the problem with the CPU QB's getting the ball off impossibly quickly when they're about to get sacked). Or to not have create-a-playbook. Or user celebrations. Or the virtual training center to determine Madden IQ. Or player morale. Or some form of training camp.
Why are so many critical features simply exiled from the game after a year or two? I know some suck, but some were actually decent.
Madden 2003
Online play - Still in
New audio team - All out
Create-a-playbook - Out
Ask Madden - Replaced by gameflow/gameplan, so half a point
General franchise improvements - Many still in
Total: 2.5 out of 5 still in
Madden NFL 2004
Owner mode - Out
Playmaker control - Out
Create-a-playbook - Out
Training camp - Out
Coaching staff hiring - In
Total: .5 out of 5 still in
Madden NFL 2005
Hit stick - Still in
Player morale - Out
Storyline Central - Out
Create-a-fan - Out
Defensive hot routes - In
Total: 2 of 5 still in
Madden NFL 06
Superstar mode - Half point, still in but a complete failure due to no evolution
Vision cone - Out (sadly, because it was an interesting feature that would solve many existing game problems, but that's beside the point)
Precision Passing - In
Truck stick - In
Gameplan preparation - Out
Total: 2.5 out of 5, this was, by their standards, a fantastic year despite needing to develop the 360 version
Madden 2007
Lead blocker control - Out
Highlight stick - Meh, I'll say in due to the litany of new broken tackle animations it led to even though it doesn't exist in that form anymore
Different types of jukes with triggers and right stick - Out
Madden gamer level - Out
Player roles in franchise - Out
Total: 1 out of 5 in
Madden 08
Weapons - Out
100 attributes - Out
Skill drills - Out
Gang tackling - In
Hit stick 2.0 - In
Total: 2 out of 5 in
Madden 09
User celebrations - Out
Virtual training center for Madden IQ - Out
Madden IQ - In
Tom Hammond & Chris Collinsworth (hyped enough to be a major feature) - .5
Online leagues - In
Total: 2.5 out of 5 in
Only 13 out of 35 still in (37%)
2 things that are impossible not to notice
1. That is a pathetic rate. Seriously, that is just sad. But more importantly,
2. Not all of the missing features were bad to the point that they should be out. There's no reason for vision cone not to be optional (this could FIX the problem with the CPU QB's getting the ball off impossibly quickly when they're about to get sacked). Or to not have create-a-playbook. Or user celebrations. Or the virtual training center to determine Madden IQ. Or player morale. Or some form of training camp.
Why are so many critical features simply exiled from the game after a year or two? I know some suck, but some were actually decent.
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