[Armor and Sword]

I read through most of this thread. Opinions vary all over the map.


As far as what makes it immersive for me? First and foremost is the feeling that I am a GM and coach and player. When it comes to football games:


1) Week to week management of your roster via scouting the opposing team, looking for key match-ups to exploit, setting up a gameplan, Managing injuries, managing streaks and player morale. I want to feel like my roster is a living and breathing group that can change at any moment due to fatigue, injury, poor or great play.

2) Scouting for the future and have it being a challenging and rewarding experience. Making the exercise fun and not spread sheet management. Whether that is during the season, off-season, or pre-season. Making difficult decisions and having the information become available from player performance and different scouting trips.

3) A deep and engaging draft experience. I loved HC09's draft. Fantastic fun. I want to feel like I am in a war room, the clock is ticking, the phone is ringing, offers are coming in and I have to pull the trigger in 3 minutes.

4) Broadcast style presentation that makes me feel I am part of the league. Yes after a while we skip through some presentation elements but if they are really well done I like to still have them when I am in the mood to get lost in my game. (2K11, The Show do this so well).


5) Solid CPU AI - it is a must at this stage. Other games have it.


It looks to me like Madden 12 is addressing a lot of the things I love in a good re-playable franchise mode.


DPP - Huge addition

Free agent bid system - Ala HC09 I love this feature

Rookie scouting - Much more deep it seems for 12

Pre-Season and expanded rosters - Finally....the pre-season really means something

Player Roles and tendencies - This is what I am talking about! A living breathing roster and team that changes dynamically in conjunction with DPP.


I liked the old gen stuff (Tony Bruno, Emails etc) but it was not the end all for me.

Madden 12 looks like it is making a run this year to be a big hit IMO.