Robert Flores Goes One-On-One With EA Sports Madden NFL 11 Game Designers (ESPN)

[harlequin782]

Re: Robert Flores Goes One-On-One With EA Sports Madden NFL 11 Game Designers (ESPN)

Addressing your first paragraph, there isn't a sports game on LG or NG(whatever the catch phrase is) that I haven't tinkered with sliders. I want the game to be as close as to the players real life stats as I possibly can. Without sliders, I can't accomplish that. So, my thing is, for me, it works in theory and practice.

In closing, I feel the direction of Madden is headed in a more sim direction vs the 07-09. I felt like those were tourney track meets.

I understand that and I can accept that..however, the distinction to me is that the NFL is an authoritative source for what its gameplay should be. And it is baffling to me why a game with the NFL license doesnt make better use of the references it has at its disposal in the NFL brand. They SHOULD have direct exposure to stats and resources that the NFL provides. And those should be accurately incorporated with proper physics within the gameplay. But my problem with adjusting sliders is that I feel like im inputting my own interpretation of what I want to see as gameplay outcomes - instead of playing the game with statistics that are, on balance, an accurate default representation of professional football; and then allowing my coaching decisions and hopefully real time physics to dictate the results. But the latter becomes obsolete if the former overrides everything else to begin with.

At any rate, I feel what you're saying and Im glad you're happy with the game. Ive concluded that the franchise has pretty much lost me as a long time supporter. Although the body mechanics in 09 werent very realistic either, it was fun imo...Madden 2011 just isnt even fun to me.

[harlequin782]

Re: Robert Flores Goes One-On-One With EA Sports Madden NFL 11 Game Designers (ESPN)

Have you played on ALL-Madden on previous Maddens?

I won't touch that level with a 10 ft pole.

Madden is tuned to play close to the NFL on ALL Pro. Experienced users who want a challenge will play on All-Madden.

It's been know that ALL-Madden ratings are in favor of the CPU. Like you said, if you want things on equal footing on All-Madden, then you adjust your sliders up or the All-Madden sliders down.

This is the realization that I came to two days ago...Although Ive always played on all madden because thats what the people who were around me played on when we play against each other, I came to the realization that apparently EA Tib uses All Pro as the default template for its gameplay and then everything else is either impossibly difficult or arcadishly easy.

I cant really understand the logic for this in a competitive sports game. Realism based on mid grade difficulty settings work well for first person shooters or action games, but for a competitive sports sim, its hard for me to understand why they would make the setting with the highest level of competition (all madden), the most unrealistic..thats very irrational imo.

[roadman]

Re: Robert Flores Goes One-On-One With EA Sports Madden NFL 11 Game Designers (ESPN)

LOL. I was begging since Madden 2004 man

See, it happens, it just might take awhile.

[acreyman]

Re: Robert Flores Goes One-On-One With EA Sports Madden NFL 11 Game Designers (ESPN)

Well I am going to give them props for the heads-up they gave before the game came out about waiting to fix franchise mode. They really took a risk by flat out telling us that. People like myself know what we want, and I know that I am not buying Madden this year. I bought NCAA 11, but skipped it last year because 10 didnt seem like that big a jump over 09. I think the general public has caught on to this because look at the numbers so far.....NCAA 11 sales are WAY up, Madden sales so far are down. Why? Because people are not falling for the hype every year like they used to. They are going to have to wise up and put out a quality product and they will.....I guarantee this, if this turns out to be the worst sales year ever for Madden, next year will be an AMAZING game because EA will allocate more resources and staff to get sales back to an acceptable rate.

I think EA does not want to fix everything at once because...then what? Besides rosters and rule changes what else is there to change every year?

Also there are alot of hypocrites out there that were crying that EA would never fix the gameplay and they focused more on dumb things like graphics and presentation. To me it seems EA did just that this year, focus on gameplay, and people are still crying. But I do think the "gameplay" people out there are somewhat satisfied because of the new Locomotion engine. The new Locomotion engine is insane! NCAA 11 is using it so I can have an opinion because its the same engine in Madden. The game plays much better now. But it wasnt a big enough change for me since I mostly play offline and franchise is just old old old and needs to be changed for me to get any kind of enjoyment out of it.

[Phil_Frazier]

Re: Robert Flores Goes One-On-One With EA Sports Madden NFL 11 Game Designers (ESPN)

Guys , constructive criticism is fine. I think a little secret is that EA WANTS the game to sell well, and listens to feedback. If you're addressing Phil (or any dev) directly, don't be personal, and don't say things that can be construed as personal attacks.

ONLY WARNING

It's not getting too bad Ryan. It's good to have an honest dialogue. In the end some of the posters will have to agree to disagree with me on some topics. I have no belief that myself, Ian, or any one person at EA can convince the sharpest of critics on Operation Sports. All I can do is provide what I feel is the truth to certain misconceptions out there. Whether or not a person believes the information I provide is completely on them.

Phil

[ZoneKIller]

Re: Robert Flores Goes One-On-One With EA Sports Madden NFL 11 Game Designers (ESPN)

It's not getting too bad Ryan. It's good to have an honest dialogue. In the end some of the posters will have to agree to disagree with me on some topics. I have no belief that myself, Ian, or any one person at EA can convince the sharpest of critics on Operation Sports. All I can do is provide what I feel is the truth to certain misconceptions out there. Whether or not a person believes the information I provide is completely on them.

Phil

Tough skin Phil.

This may be off the topic,but I think almost every post is off topic in this thread....

Is there any way you can lose your team in the FRanchise mode for 11?
If not,why did you all decide not to add this when every sports game has this feature?Have you ever played a full 30 seasons with one team?

Thanks in advance

Oh any chance Teambuilder will make it to Madden? Maybe give me a clue?

Thanks for sticking it out on here for the normal crowd Phil.Good to see you back.

[harlequin782]

Re: Robert Flores Goes One-On-One With EA Sports Madden NFL 11 Game Designers (ESPN)

True, and dont forget, no matter how disappointed long term supporters are with the game, or no matter who all expresses concerns, EA still gets paid regardless...its true dollars come from those in game advertisements and brand placement contracts that they procure. They couldnt really give a care about sales revenues so much as those profits from advertising contracts and such. Heck, Ill even admit, the presentation this year is top knotch...EA Tib outdoes themselves each year with the presentation...but the rest of the game is lackluster and borderline unplayable imo. Either way...they'll make their profit off contracts not so much off sales..so a few opinions of expressed disenchantment shouldnt kill the franchise.....heck, it hasnt in 6 years of next gen production.

[marktg30]

Re: Robert Flores Goes One-On-One With EA Sports Madden NFL 11 Game Designers (ESPN)

'When' we decide to announce a detail does not change the fact that we did announce this fact well in advance (2 months) of product release. I would say that my statement is true. We announced it just before E3 simply because we felt like our community was expecting a Franchise announcement @ E3. The news would not have been out of the bag @ E3 because we had our game modes locked out in that particular build. The more likely scenerio is that the information would have been out there in late July when we start sending out review code.

We don't typically announce 'bad stuff' at all during our PR calendar and only chose to do this after reading the forums. It was clear people were expecting changes that we were not going to deliver on. It's really as simple as that.

Phil

.....SIGH.....

[MattIntellect]

Re: Robert Flores Goes One-On-One With EA Sports Madden NFL 11 Game Designers (ESPN)

Phil,

I know that a lot of features weren't able to make it in this year, but hopefully next year more features and improvements make their way over into Madden 12. IMO, GamePlanning is a great feature for Madden 11 and the franchise as a whole. I spend a ton of hours using it everyday, but imagine, GamePlanning and Create-a-play together for Madden 11. The hours that I spend with the GamePlanning feature will triple with Create-a-play. Do you know if this feature will be on the priority list next year? I really think it will expand the strategy aspect even more than GamePlanning already did with Madden 11.

[Phil_Frazier]

Re: Robert Flores Goes One-On-One With EA Sports Madden NFL 11 Game Designers (ESPN)

Phil,

I know that a lot of features weren't able to make it in this year, but hopefully next year more features and improvements make their way over into Madden 12. IMO, GamePlanning is a great feature for Madden 11 and the franchise as a whole. I spend a ton of hours using it everyday, but imagine, GamePlanning and Create-a-play together for Madden 11. The hours that I spend with the GamePlanning feature will triple with Create-a-play. Do you know if this feature will be on the priority list next year? I really think it will expand the strategy aspect even more than GamePlanning already did with Madden 11.

Glad you are enjoying GamePlanning Matt. Unfortunately, it's WAY too early to start talking features for 12. The fact that we've mentioned career as a priority was a bit of a stretch for us.

Phil

[MattIntellect]

Re: Robert Flores Goes One-On-One With EA Sports Madden NFL 11 Game Designers (ESPN)

Glad you are enjoying GamePlanning Matt. Unfortunately, it's WAY too early to start talking features for 12. The fact that we've mentioned career as a priority was a bit of a stretch for us.

Phil

That's good enough, but I hope it's at least a thought going into the developing process for Madden 12.

[marktg30]

Re: Robert Flores Goes One-On-One With EA Sports Madden NFL 11 Game Designers (ESPN)

Glad you are enjoying GamePlanning Matt. Unfortunately, it's WAY too early to start talking features for 12. The fact that we've mentioned career as a priority was a bit of a stretch for us.

Phil

I guess that is exactly what is under people's skin.

Why should a primary game mode have to be called a priority? I understand that you guys have more to do with the game every year than just Franchise Mode, but it is really hard for the common gamer to understand why/how it was (almost) completely ignored.

Not to say you didn't do anything with this season's iteration, but it seems like Madden 10 got so much (PROTAK, Cosmetic Franchise Mode changes and most of all COMMUNITY INTERACTION).

That said, I am very happy to see you back on here and reading my drivel. As far as your focus on career modes, would you say we (the Offline Franchise Guys) will be surprised with what you are planning... or wanting to plan?

Thanks

[rooney8]

Re: Robert Flores Goes One-On-One With EA Sports Madden NFL 11 Game Designers (ESPN)

But we as a community state to the developers FACTS that certain features are still missing after 5 YEARS!!! We mention FACTS such as why there isn't DB shade inside or outside when there was on PS2 version. We mention FACTS such as how Halftime show wasn't improved even though we were told it was going to be for Madden 11.FACTS such as how we still have poor player interaction and gang tackles. We mention facts every year and nothing is done!!!

I know plenty of people feel the same way as me.

Yeah I feel the same. I am pissed at the nose dive Madden took on next-gen but there are plenty of threads for that and dev interaction brings alot to this community so venting about how Madden went bad on next-gen doesn't change that it did. I bet Phil knows everything you said anyway, probably read it in another hundred posts. Just saying we have been here before so maybe we should learn from mistakes.

[boooey]

Re: Robert Flores Goes One-On-One With EA Sports Madden NFL 11 Game Designers (ESPN)

Phil,

I know that a lot of features weren't able to make it in this year, but hopefully next year more features and improvements make their way over into Madden 12. IMO, GamePlanning is a great feature for Madden 11 and the franchise as a whole. I spend a ton of hours using it everyday, but imagine, GamePlanning and Create-a-play together for Madden 11. The hours that I spend with the GamePlanning feature will triple with Create-a-play. Do you know if this feature will be on the priority list next year? I really think it will expand the strategy aspect even more than GamePlanning already did with Madden 11.

this is what I am tired of hearing already (see big RED text above)..

[roadman]

Re: Robert Flores Goes One-On-One With EA Sports Madden NFL 11 Game Designers (ESPN)

Yeah I feel the same. I am pissed at the nose dive Madden took on next-gen but there are plenty of threads for that and dev interaction brings alot to this community so venting about how Madden went bad on next-gen doesn't change that it did. I bet Phil knows everything you said anyway, probably read it in another hundred posts. Just saying we have been here before so maybe we should learn from mistakes.

I agree.

I'd like to see the interaction continue.