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**roadman** · 03-07-2011, 11:13 AM

Re: Isn't it time the audio in Madden matched other sports games?

Originally posted by PacMan3000

I finally got around to playing NBA 2K11 (I know it's been out since October, but I waited for the price to drop) and was blown away by the sound design in this game. NFL is my #1 sport, so I really don't play too many other sports games. But this year, I decided to try out some other games to see what they're doing.

I first popped in Madden 10 and 11. To me, the sound is flat. The crowd noise, even at it's highest level, sounds less like a dynamic, energetic crowd and more like white noise. It just sounds quite generic. I think the sounds of pads popping, guys talking trash on the field, any type of head coach audio or heckling fans--it's just not there. Even the team chants don't sound real--I get the sense they threw five people in a sound booth to record stuff like "Go Pack Go!"

Playing NBA 2K11...wow, where to start. The commentary was so seamless and on-point regarding the actions on the court, it almost got to the point where I stopped appreciating the fact that this was just a game. The crowds reacted to steals and breaks in the game, the sounds of the sneakers on the court, the PA speaker system--everything gave me the impression that I was almost controlling a real-life NBA game rather than playing a video game created by a company.

Madden can obviously improve in many areas such as presentation and animations, etc, but what are your thoughts regarding sound?

Commentary and sound need to be be vastly improved. I think having Collingsworth and Gus in the same booth will help.

**SpeedyMikeWallace** · 03-07-2011, 11:25 AM

Re: Isn't it time the audio in Madden matched other sports games?

That would cost money. EA doesn't HAVE to spend more money to make money because of the exclusive contract. So, things like putting effort into the game audio probably won't happen until they have competition again, or it becomes dirt cheap to do.

**GiantBlue76** · 03-07-2011, 11:35 AM

Re: Isn't it time the audio in Madden matched other sports games?

It's even more embarrassing when you hear Chris Collinsworth say to Gus Johnson, "Now that's the athlete you always dreamed of being, Tom". Really? Lack of polish in areas like this are what get the team so much criticizing. That's absolutely inexcusable in my opinion, but when you are sitting alone on top of the mountain, I guess that's what you get

Having a quality broadcast booth is only part of the problem. The feeling that you are at a game is just not there. I want to feel the difference at the stadiums. There should be dynamic attendance based on the score, and the crowd noise should affect that. Not to mention the other immersion issues. When I see my LG taken off on a cart, then it goes to a cut scene of him sitting on the sideline talking to the coach, that shows me it's a very poor effort in paying attention to detail.

**Segagendude** · 03-07-2011, 11:38 AM

Re: Isn't it time the audio in Madden matched other sports games?

Like what is at the bottom of one of my bills at home: "Past due".

Madden's sound has been its weak spot for some time now. Commentary especially.

The crowd is dead during pivotal moments in the game, the announcers, regardless of who's calling the games, are bad. You can tell they're not in the same booth, and even this year,Chris still calls Gus "Tom", indicating rehashed lines.

I want crowds so loud they drown out the on field action. I want commentary that will make me forget I'm playing a video game, ala NBA 2k. Etc........

**MrSkagTrendy** · 03-07-2011, 12:06 PM

Re: Isn't it time the audio in Madden matched other sports games?

They need to look no further than FIFA commentary. They have it spot on.

**RGiles36** · 03-07-2011, 12:13 PM

Re: Isn't it time the audio in Madden matched other sports games?

Yeah, I never realized how critical audio/commentary was to a sports game until I played recent editions of NBA2K11 and The Show. I don't have to go on and on about the excellent job that they do.

As for Madden, I'm a little confused as to why this has been such a weak spot. Crowd noise for example has been abysmal for years now. Why -- I have no clue. It's improved in M11, but still a shadow of what it should be.

With commentary, count me as one of the people who thought just adding Gus Johnson was going to solve all of the commentary's ills. Obviously, even with his excitement, the issue lies deeper than just changing the voice.

**guaps** · 03-07-2011, 01:03 PM

Re: Isn't it time the audio in Madden matched other sports games?

Originally posted by rgiles36

As for Madden, I'm a little confused as to why this has been such a weak spot. Crowd noise for example has been abysmal for years now. Why -- I have no clue. It's improved in M11, but still a shadow of what it should be.

I guess the answer you're looking for is the current-gen consoles. When we advanced from last-gen to current-gen all focus was on improved graphics. If you didn't deliver in the graphics department your game was dead on arrival. Other areas, like sound, gameplay etc. were second to graphics in the first year or two of the current-gen consoles and many games suffered and failed big time because of this.

I agree with everybody else in here that the commentary and sounds needs to improved vastly, but so does so many other areas as well.

**Matt10** · 03-07-2011, 01:44 PM

Re: Isn't it time the audio in Madden matched other sports games?

Well it's odd isn't it. The only thing that Madden ever seems to "over-deliver" is the hype for the games itself.

This year I would actually hope Ian and company would just show videos, no commentary from them, no expectations from the community. I know it's not likely, its downright impossible really; but it would prevent any more broken promises.

**koolbob1872** · 03-07-2011, 01:52 PM

Re: Isn't it time the audio in Madden matched other sports games?

i agree about how madden sounds choppy at times and when i think about it, i don't even remember hearing the crowd at all, which tells you about how memorable it really isn't. But, and maybe its just me, in NBA 2k11, i hear them repeat lines sometimes in the commentary. the commentary is good and all, but i hear the same lines occasionally.

**lofeazy** · 03-07-2011, 02:29 PM

Re: Isn't it time the audio in Madden matched other sports games?

They can only fix one thing at a time.

(Don"t mean to be a broken record.)

Gameplay

Animations

Franchise mode

Ratings

etc,etc,etc,

**canes21** · 03-07-2011, 02:54 PM

Re: Isn't it time the audio in Madden matched other sports games?

Originally posted by lofeazy

They can only fix one thing at a time.

(Don"t mean to be a broken record.)

Gameplay

Animations

Franchise mode

Ratings

etc,etc,etc,

They can fix all of those in one cycle. They have a separate team for each area you listed.

**DocHolliday** · 03-07-2011, 02:59 PM

Re: Isn't it time the audio in Madden matched other sports games?

The commentary doesn't bother me to much, but when I am streaking down the sideline for a game winning run and the crowd just kinda hums like they have all games, and do that stupid looped arm animation, It bothers me. It seems like something that could be done so easily, but they just don't.

**RGiles36** · 03-07-2011, 03:01 PM

Re: Isn't it time the audio in Madden matched other sports games?

Originally posted by koolbob1872

i agree about how madden sounds choppy at times and when i think about it, i don't even remember hearing the crowd at all, which tells you about how memorable it really isn't. But, and maybe its just me, in NBA 2k11, i hear them repeat lines sometimes in the commentary. the commentary is good and all, but i hear the same lines occasionally.

Yeah, but that's expected, no? Commentary, like every other part of a sports game, runs it's course and gets old. But with Madden, even if I never heard repeating commentary, I'd still be underwhelmed b/c it's so fragmented. I think former OSer 'Valdarez' is spot on when he says the commentary is event driven -- there's little to no banter in between.

That's where NBA2K11 shines. There's plenty of banter in between relevant play by play. The caviat to that is since the commentary is often team/player specific, you often hear the same lines repeated. But it's so fluid that you almost don't care (or at least I don't).

Originally posted by Matt10

This year I would actually hope Ian and company would just show videos, no commentary from them, no expectations from the community. I know it's not likely, its downright impossible really; but it would prevent any more broken promises.

I don't feel as though promises are broken though. I don't think for a second that EA intentionally makes their commentary subpar to other elite sports games. Perhaps it's just something they haven't completely figured out -- who knows? All we see is the end result, and certainly it needs work.

**jmurphy31** · 03-07-2011, 03:52 PM

Re: Isn't it time the audio in Madden matched other sports games?

The thing I find funny about Madden's lack of commentary is the fact that of the four major sports you would think Football would be the easiest to install.

Basketball and Hockey are all over the place with action and they are able to add banter and in-season story lines

Baseball on the other is just kind of slow when it comes to action yet they are able to add excitement

Football is one play with action and tehn a break form the action as you watch a replay, pick your play, or set adjustments on the field. Also, how difficult is it to have teh announcer say who is dropping back or running with the ball instead of the generic he or the QB)