Breaking Down Madden: Core Experience and Audience

[elementz09]

I enjoyed reading this article. I start to wonder though how much of these changes that EA has put into Madden or NCAA relates to sales vs. ratings? I know sales are important in any business, but I look at another sports game in MLB: The Show and they're pretty much top notch in MLB realism. Even the franchise mode allows you to schedule promotions, transportation, and all other kinds of things that comes very close to really putting you in the position of a GM of a MLB franchise. And if you don't want that much responsibility, just play season mode. I say that to ask how difficult can it be to get to the point in a game where you have a "fork in the road" option for casual gamers vs. hardcore gamers? Is it too complicated to implement out of fear of a sales decline and/or a not so good rating?

[Craigsca]

Interesting to me that he considers accelerated clock as a "casual" feature. I love it because it's more realistic to the actual game and feel it's a more "hardcore" feature. Also interesting to me is how he feels that authentic player entrances and authentic crowd chants as casual as well, as I know a lot of OSers have asked for them as part of a more authentic experience.

[Caveman24]

great points

[DetroitStyle]

Re: Breaking Down Madden: Core Experience and Audience

Pretty neat little flow chart. I noticed accelerated clocks was mentioned in '11 but hasn't that been in since '04? Also, I would not consider that a "casual fan" feature. As a hardcore player accelerated clocks is a MUST HAVE for full quarters. I've been wishlisting it for years in NCAA. It's the only way to get sim possession time.

[StrawHat Patriot]

Re: Breaking Down Madden: Core Experience and Audience

You don't give Madden much credit for when they do something for the hardcore.

Like when?

[RGiles36]

Re: Breaking Down Madden: Core Experience and Audience

Like when?

Like when they introduce a pass-ready system that prevents you from throwing to a receiver at any time you want to . That's certainly more for the hardcore crowd.

[VinnyVegas28]

LOL, I'm surprised you didn't say it was a win for the casual. The only thing M13 did for the casual was probably piss them off, no fantasy drafts, no option to control all the teams in Connected Careers, trying to remove nanos.

JP; They didnt just piss off the casual fans with those removed features. I consider myself a hardcore offline franchise player and I am pretty frustrated with those features removed. However, I am giving them credit for everything new in the game right now. Step in the right direction, I only hope that they allow those options back in next year. I don't care about editing ratings but editing equipment, numbers and positions is something that the Hardcore offline gamer needs in order to account for the mistakes made by EA. Hopefully return of offline co-op in franchise and other features like fantasy draft make their way back in next year. I am very much looking forward to CC and IE though!

[PGaither84]

Re: Breaking Down Madden: Core Experience and Audience

That chart is simply inaccurate.

Online franchise was introduced in Madden 10, not 09.

Accelerated clock was also brought back in Madden 10 and it is a hardcore simulation mechanic to SIMULATE the time it takes to change personnel and call a play into the huddle.

NFL Game Plans were another Hardcore simulation/realism addition.

[StrawHat Patriot]

Re: Breaking Down Madden: Core Experience and Audience

No I mean when I have not gave credit to Madden being hardcore?

[Joobieo]

Interesting read .

[comen]

I enjoyed reading this article. I start to wonder though how much of these changes that EA has put into Madden or NCAA relates to sales vs. ratings? I know sales are important in any business, but I look at another sports game in MLB: The Show and they're pretty much top notch in MLB realism. Even the franchise mode allows you to schedule promotions, transportation, and all other kinds of things that comes very close to really putting you in the position of a GM of a MLB franchise. And if you don't want that much responsibility, just play season mode. I say that to ask how difficult can it be to get to the point in a game where you have a "fork in the road" option for casual gamers vs. hardcore gamers? Is it too complicated to implement out of fear of a sales decline and/or a not so good rating?

Thats Maddens biggest problem right now!! Not having choices or customization!! It cant be that hard for them to implement options for casual all the way through to the hardcore! Customization is a must and caters to all users! The game has surely took a huge turn towards people that cant play football games(casual) or dont really care about true football sim! Maybe they should make 2 games: one called casual football and one called NFL football! (Great article tho!)

[Tweeg]

Re: Breaking Down Madden: Core Experience and Audience

LOL, I'm surprised you didn't say it was a win for the casual. The only thing M13 did for the casual was probably piss them off, no fantasy drafts, no option to control all the teams in Connected Careers, trying to remove nanos.

I don't see anything casual about 32 team control in connected careers. The removal of 32 team control is actually a negative for Hardcore, not casual.

[Sausage]

Madden 10, my favorite Xbox 360/PS3 version of the series. Probably my favorite football game of all time next to Madden 05 and NCAA 06 on the PS2.

[djordan]

Re: Breaking Down Madden: Core Experience and Audience

You know what? Tiburon can add all the sim features they want. As long as the running animations are unrealistic, this game will never be the Sim game we always wish of.

[balljonesjr]

I can't say this was a good read :/ my reason for this is how true it is. I consider myself a hardcore fan and it upsets me to actually see how sports games in general not just madden is made. I now know that I can't anticipate 100% realism based on the fact that I'm not the only person playing the game. EA has to appease to all fans of football and at this point with games being so complicated they have to (not insulting anyone) dumb OT down for the casual fans. Thanks for opening my eyes. To the next part of this series … in my best Bart Scott impression "can't wait!"