Clarification about MM post

[Ian_Cummings]

So I got a real nice note from a former MM'erand I thought I'd clarify some things real quick since the other thread got closed.

I don't harbor any grudge towards MM or their members. In fact MM was my sole place for community information for years. There are some guys there that have probably spent more time tuning and tweaking Madden than Ive been alive, and I respect the hell out of a ton of posters over there, guys like Ca$ino, Zoneblitz, adembroski(who's here now), and many more.

However, I should be clear in one thing, and that is the real reason I am on these forums. There's only one - feedback. Not marketing, not sales pitches, just feedback. So when that one thing is impossible to come by, then you can't really expect a human being to wade through constant beratement that by far outweighs the feedback. People may misconstrue that statement saying that I only want a love-fest over here, but that's 100% not true. Want to know who my favorite poster is, the one who I read his posts nightly? BeZo. So if you think all I want is positive feedback, just go check his post history.

I totally understand people being pissed off and upset with the game. I have no problems with any person expressing how upset they are with the Franchise. I am putting in everything I've got this year to win everyone back...I want to start a new era, a new legacy. But regardless of what comes out of it, I am still just a normal dude from a small town in Tennessee, so if someone feels entitled to make personal attacks at me then I just have to walk away from that situation. It's unfortunate, because I miss out on feedback that really would help make Madden better, but that's the way things shake out.

Anyway, it's late, and I am probably rambling, so I hope this all made sense (and I hope MM can get the bad apples discarded so we can all be one big happy family again).

[kehlis]

Re: Clarification about MM post

Thanks Ian, the majority of people here respect you for being here and appreciate it.

[KidIcarus27]

Re: Clarification about MM post

I actually think that you being on here asking for feedback is great. I , for one, appreciate your candor and it shows good faith that you even ask in the first place. Thank you Mr Cummings thank you. I feel like we are on our way to madden bliss once again.

[mastershake88]

Re: Clarification about MM post

This is just my opinion but I feel that you really should not have to explain yourself. This is coming from a person who has the highly sensitive consciences you will know. But Ian you and I both know that in life people such as these are not worth chasing after or deserving of explanation as far as my perception of one time only impressions needed these people probably don't post ever again. and also while on the topic I grant you that those who pretty much thrash you through the mudd on these forums? pretty much are the first ones to shove me and almost anyone else out the way when these new maddens come. Look you know what your doing and others know what your doing. In the end thats all that matters. Worrying about some poster who basically has written over the same thing I have either criticized about the game or something someone else has over 5 years ago to even 3 is not worth my time. So I know for a certain fact that your"clarification" isn't needed. When I got bashed from sportsgamer i didn't give clarification I simply said they sucked and pretty much the people who did that are well one in the same.

Keep taping into your star player

-mastershake88

[FootballDetails]

Re: Clarification about MM post

I totally understand people being pissed off and upset with the game.

I believe you when you say that.

It's one of the reasons I expect Madden 10 to be a great game. You seem to truly understand why people are frustrated. If you didn't, further discussion would probably be futile.

Let the new era begin!

[bucky60]

Re: Clarification about MM post

Ian,

I wish you luck. You're working against a decades worth of history of Madden producers and developers ignoring the concerns of the Madden community. I've been hearing the same things since the late 90's and stopped believing a long time ago. It does not take long to figure out EA is not listening when core game bugs are ignored year after year. When beloved features are removed, the core problems are ignored and superficial enhancements are added. I don't think any core sim guy really cared about madden cards.

Maybe it's the difference between hardcore sim/league guys and casual gamers. The game (Madden) is really a great game for grabbing your buddy, putting up 3 minute quarters and see who can exploit the game flaws and score the most. Just to pick the game up and play with a buddy, it's great. But I can do the same with NFL Blitz.

I don't want to go into the flaws right now in any depth, it's been done ad-nauseam, over the past decade. And I stopped caring. I do hope, (but just stopped believing you guys) that you can turn the game around. I mean, with the exclusive license, it's the only game in town.

The guys over at football-freaks did the best they could, as did MaddenMania (years back) to try and hack the game and adjust sliders to try and mask the games flaws. But the sliders, as much work as those guys put into it, just could'nt really mask those flaws.

NOTE: I don't believe in making personal attacks and don't condone the attacks against you.

[Sef0r]

Re: Clarification about MM post

I know you've taking "GREAT" feedback when you implement my rating overhaul suggestion....


.....ummm......


...


....mwahahah.

On a serious note, if it wasn't for MM I would not have found OS. I stuck with OS after I got sick of all the MM crap.

Ian. Your post is pretty much telling me that this is the year, this is IT. Any chance you can get Tiburon to pay 50% of my air fair from New Zealand so I can spank you on the bottom if you fail to meet your own expectations for Madden 10? hehe

[johnprestonevans]

Re: Clarification about MM post

Ian,

This is the first time I feel like all of us who love Madden and want what's best for the game to have an opportunity to have input. There is no point or justificaion for anyone to be hurtful or downright rude, especially when you are putting in time to wade through these forums for useful feedback. I have confidence you guys can and will turn this franchise back into the amazing NFL simulation it once was.

All my hopes lay with your team in Madden 2010. Ive been hoping for presentation upgrades ever since the abysmal Madden 06 hit my 360 like a sledgehammer. Thank you for all your hard work and candor on this site. Please do what you can to make Madden look and feel like it does on TV. I want to stop having to play 2K5 for my immersive broadcast quality football experience. You guys have done such great work graphically in the short time you've been there. All thats left really is to immerse us with TV style presentation. Best of luck Ian.

[djordan]

Re: Clarification about MM post

I hear you Ian....but I think this thread should be locked because people will still go on.

[LingeringRegime]

Re: Clarification about MM post

I believe you when you say that.

It's one of the reasons I expect Madden 10 to be a great game. You seem to truly understand why people are frustrated. If you didn't, further discussion would probably be futile.

Let the new era begin!

Co-sign. I am really looking forward to hearing the first details of the improvements. Thanks Ian, for being humble enough to listen to the feedback. Because of your interaction, I have hope for this franchise again. Keep up the good work!!!

[Netherscourge]

Re: Clarification about MM post

A lot of animosity comes from the exclusive NFL license deal.

With that thing in EA's control, we're all staring down the inevitable debate:

Madden the BEST NFL video game -vs.- Madden the ONLY NFL video game.


Since Madden is the only game in town, it will continue to be under the biggest microscope and derive the most criticism and controversy.

The best way to reduce the negativity is to make the best product you can. Sure it won't meet everyone's expectations, but the majority of people here seem to agree on two major things: Presentation and Franchise needs to be dramatically upgraded.

People want the game to pull them in, not just be time-sink for the NFL during the off-times there's no game on TV.

Forget the gimmicks and goofy side-features (cough IQ cough) and just focus on the game itself. The football. The fanfare. The presentation. Put the focus on the field and in the stadium, not in some virtual-TRON simulator or some Ring Builder.



That's all I'm saying.

[callmetaternuts]

Re: Clarification about MM post

You find those people in every walk of life. Obviosuly you were hired (or promoted) by EA because they felt you could do the job, and i dont know many people that walk into a particular job and try to find ways to suck at it, so we know, that whether you amaze us or disappoint us, the ebst foot went forward. The truth is, your vision for Madden on the micro levels might be very different than what i want to see. Doesnt mean you made a bad product or are a bad human being, just a bit of difference in vision.

We always appreciate the feedback and candor you and the rest of the staff have displayed to us.

Keep up the good work, keep feeding us info, and hopefully the end game is what we all are hoping for.

[BezO]

Re: Clarification about MM post

...Want to know who my favorite poster is, the one who I read his posts nightly? BeZo. So if you think all I want is positive feedback, just go check his post history.

And I thought I was being ignored. I gotta step it back up.

Not sure what happened on MM, but if it caused you to look here for better feedback, sweet!

[cdon2k]

Re: Clarification about MM post

Eh, I think a lot of the guys around here are past the stage of negativity because they realize that it won't help and Madden is all we have when it comes to an NFL game.

Many of us have moved beyond frustration to hope and optimism because frustration has gotten us no where and many of us just don't care as much anymore. I try and give productive feedback whenever I can, but if the game sucks again, whatever. There is more to life than football gaming.

The guys who I am thankful for the most are the guys like LBz and Mastershake because they are coming with real football knowledge that needs to be in the game. A lot of what LB talks about is over my head and that's ok, but at least someone is getting that stuff to the devs.

[thudias]

Re: Clarification about MM post

A lot of animosity comes from the exclusive NFL license deal.

With that thing in EA's control, we're all staring down the inevitable debate:

Madden the BEST NFL video game -vs.- Madden the ONLY NFL video game.


Since Madden is the only game in town, it will continue to be under the biggest microscope and derive the most criticism and controversy.

The best way to reduce the negativity is to make the best product you can. Sure it won't meet everyone's expectations, but the majority of people here seem to agree on two major things: Presentation and Franchise needs to be dramatically upgraded.

People want the game to pull them in, not just be time-sink for the NFL during the off-times there's no game on TV.

Forget the gimmicks and goofy side-features (cough IQ cough) and just focus on the game itself. The football. The fanfare. The presentation. Put the focus on the field and in the stadium, not in some virtual-TRON simulator or some Ring Builder.

That's all I'm saying.

I actually have to say this is seems pretty accurate. In saying all that I feel pretty positive that this will be the year.