EA CEO Speaks of an Innovative and New Take on Madden?

[KBLover]

Re: EA CEO Claims New Take on Madden

Maybe it will be back out for the PC

Mike

While I'd love that, would that be considered innovative?

[Benicio10]

Re: EA CEO Claims New Take on Madden

I hope they continue to try to reach sim, because as of now, they're not even close. That's why I'm not too concerned about this news. Madden is flat out boring, repetitive, and stale.

They need to breathe new life into this game.

[roadman]

Re: EA CEO Claims New Take on Madden

lol

Ok, first of all, I'm not jumping off of a bridge over Madden lol. Since we don't get the little updates and what not on Madden anymore, any news is gonna be BIG news IMO. That's why this thread will get a lot of views before it's all said and done. Now back to the topic:

Let's start adding things up shall we? They hired a new creative director, a creative director that has worked on nothing but arcade sport games. I may be wrong though because I didn't read his whole portfolio of games that he has worked on, but from what I've seen, it's all arcade sports games. That's the first piece. You don't hire someone with a portfolio full of arcade sports games unless you plan on making an arcade sports game. In fact, that's probably the last person you'd hire if you were trying to make a sim sports game.

Next you have the CEO saying that Madden is going to have an "innovative and new take" on Madden this year. Ok, let's think about this. We already know that Ian's take on Madden was everything you see on Sunday you see it on the game. He said that plenty of times last year. Well, now that's the old take. Seeing that Madden is getting a "new take" because of a lack of sales, what do you think that new take will be? I can almost guarantee it will be something that will appeal to a broader audience. You know, just like I know, that appealing to a broader audience is the opposite of what a sim gamer wants.

Anyway, this is all just my take. I don't know any more than you lol. In fact, you may know more than me lol. I've just seen these types of quotes many many many times in the past from EA and they very rarely turn out good for the OS crowd lol. Don't blast me. It's just my opinion lol.

Well, I wasn't referring to you specifically about jumping off a bridge.

I'm just saying that we have 8 more months till the game is in our hands. I'm a wait and see type of person. I don't necessarily connect the dots and hope they all align until I know for sure whether a game is headed in the right direction or not. I'm not going to worry until I have all the information in front of me. I'm not at that point, yet.

I do feel one thing, though. I feel the CEO words , that were spoken to investors, is separate from the hiring of the New Creative Director.

[TreyIM2]

IIIIIII'MMMMMMMMM SCARRRRRRRREEEEDDDDDDDDD!!! That's all I have to say about that. No need for Madden to be "innovative" when there is PLENTY to be done from just a basic gameplay point of view.

[roadman]

Re: EA CEO Speaks of an Innovative and New Take on Madden?

Ok, so here's hoping everyone sleeps better from here on out. The sun still rises in the east and sets in the west.

Per Ian's Twitter:

Rubber band AI and arcade gameplay wouldn't be Madden innovations. Our goals haven't changed: http://bit.ly/IMr9H 3 minutes ago from web

Having fun reading all the speculation after hire of Mark Turmell and Riccitiello's coincidental statements about innovation within Madden.

http://twitter.com/ian_cummings

[roll2tide]

Re: EA CEO Claims New Take on Madden

I do feel one thing, though. I feel the CEO words , that were spoken to investors, is separate from the hiring of the New Creative Director.

Well I dont see how they can be unrelated. I certainly dont want to think that the hiring of a new Creative Director and an "innovative" new approach to Madden are just random, unrelated events.

I agree with previous posters that EA + Madden + Innovation = a screwed up game. Imo, there are 3 primary play modes to Madden:

• Offline Franchise-Does not work properly. Stats, AI, CPU logic(in all facets of the game-draft,free agency,trades, etc)....none of it works correctly.
• Online Franchise-A mere shell of what it should be. Imo, this mode is 50-60% complete at best.
• Online Play Now-This really depends a lot on server reliability and exploits and is better than it has been but still needs some work.

In short, EA has made improvements but has still yet to put out a complete game where these modes are truly great gameplay experiences. IMHO, if EA finally had these 3 areas working properly that would indeed be true innovation for them.

[dfos81]

Re: EA CEO Speaks of an Innovative and New Take on Madden?

How do some guys get, more arcade, wii player models, etc, out of "innovative"?

in·no·vate (in′ə vāt′)
intransitive verb innovated -·vat′ed, innovating -·vat′·ing
to introduce new methods, devices, etc.

Now, we've seen them introduce Madden arcade already, so thats not innovative. We've seen them introduce the Wii Madden, w/ new player models, graphics, etc.

Innovative and New doesn't seem to fit what some guys are assuming on these boards. Again, I'll wait to see what the specifics are before jumping off the Madden 11 Fan bus.

[SkinsBoYee]

Re: EA CEO Speaks of an Innovative and New Take on Madden?

I don't understand the optimism of some. If the new lead director is an arcady developer based on his past works, what makes some think that arcady is not what lies for the future of Madden. Personally, I think Madden 2010 will be the most sim like Madden we will see in a long time. Feel the popularity of the Wii Madden and that look and feel will be what the CEO's will look at and what for a direction due to its popularity and sales.

I hope I am wrong...but man, it so pains me to see this and know that this will be our only option of NFL football, and if its kid friendly with superpower boosts and rainbow color explosion tackles, I am going to puke.

Lets hope that doesn't happen. We are a long way off...but you have to take the mans history into account. Ian, keep your dream alive. You have it heading in the right track. Don't get side tracked by Shiny Prisms and Flair for Sacks. Look at the games you see on Sunday and continue to try to Mimic as best as possible.

Thanks.

[kehlis]

Re: EA CEO Speaks of an Innovative and New Take on Madden?

I don't understand the optimism of some. If the new lead director is an arcady developer based on his past works, what makes some think that arcady is not what lies for the future of Madden.

Because he isn't the lead director.

[dfos81]

Re: EA CEO Speaks of an Innovative and New Take on Madden?

I don't understand the optimism of some.

I don't understand how new and innovative could relate to arcade and Wii?

[roadman]

Re: EA CEO Claims New Take on Madden

Well I dont see how they can be unrelated. I certainly dont want to think that the hiring of a new Creative Director and an "innovative" new approach to Madden are just random, unrelated events.

I agree with previous posters that EA + Madden + Innovation = a screwed up game. Imo, there are 3 primary play modes to Madden:

• Offline Franchise-Does not work properly. Stats, AI, CPU logic(in all facets of the game-draft,free agency,trades, etc)....none of it works correctly.
• Online Franchise-A mere shell of what it should be. Imo, this mode is 50-60% complete at best.
• Online Play Now-This really depends a lot on server reliability and exploits and is better than it has been but still needs some work.

In short, EA has made improvements but has still yet to put out a complete game where these modes are truly great gameplay experiences. IMHO, if EA finally had these 3 areas working properly that would indeed be true innovation for them.

I agree with you middle part about the modes, but we will need to agree to disagree on the speculation of the CEO innovation and new take= new creative director hire.

And based on Ian's Twitter, looks like I'm right taking a wait and see attitude.

[SkinsBoYee]

Re: EA CEO Speaks of an Innovative and New Take on Madden?

Just my personal assessment...nothing more. If the man is the drive behind arcady style games, I don't think he will be into making a game such as Axis and Allies, wouldn't you say?

[streamline]

Re: EA CEO Speaks of an Innovative and New Take on Madden?

I don't understand how new and innovative could relate to arcade and Wii?

agreed, i was thinking to myself what could be the innovation that none of us would see coming and i can't think of anything, besides natal. unless they have completely overhauled the game engine and added in euphoria or something of that nature.

[roadman]

Re: EA CEO Speaks of an Innovative and New Take on Madden?

I don't understand the optimism of some. If the new lead director is an arcady developer based on his past works, what makes some think that arcady is not what lies for the future of Madden.

Did you read his whole interview?

He stated he knows their is a difference between sim and arcade and wants to bring new AI and animations to the game play.

It slices both ways, too and I don't understand how people can be pessimistic and tie the CEO's words to the new creative directors hiring.

What really get's lost in everything is that this creative director also made a sim hockey game that people have been talking about, but that get's lost in the NBA JAM and Punch in the Mouth Swat TV or whatever.

[kehlis]

Re: EA CEO Speaks of an Innovative and New Take on Madden?

Just my personal assessment...nothing more. If the man is drive behind arcady style games, I don't think he will be into making a game such as Axis and Allies, wouldn't you say?

Sure, but as you alluded to you think he is the lead director which would be the one making the decisions about the game. That is not true, he is just the creative designer. The lead designer will still be the one who determines the direction of the game, not the creative designer.