[PacMan3000]

I really didn't want to get sucked into all the Madden hype this year, but after reading and thinking about the CFM features, I figured I'd post my $.02.

Here's how I see it--at least for me.

When I play franchise mode, at the very end of the day, I do it for the same reason Herm Edwards coached--I play to win the game. As a result, my hope is that by winning the game, my players played well. And if that's the case, my players progress appropriately.

The new CFM features have it backwards. It's telling you that the goal of franchise mode is to improve your players, and as a result, the hope is that you win some games too. That's not how it should be, again in my opinion.

When it's 3rd down on the goal line, with the game on the line, do I really want to be thinking about the fact that my WR needs a touchdown to meet a progression/XP goal? Do I really want that influencing my gaming decision? The fact that you have to even consider an individual's personal development while playing a team game seems...distracting.

Again, I play franchise mode to win games and build what I hope can be a dynasty. Of course, I want my players to progress and regress when appropriate. But I would much rather have a ticker telling me the scores of other games in CFM--because I "play to win the game" and other teams' final scores and standings impact my ability to pursue a Super Bowl trophy--as opposed to a ticker telling me how many catches my WR needs to get 2000 XP points.

Yes, these new CFM features crush realism and immersion. But they also just don't seem practical. It's like wearing your underwear on the outside of your pants. These features are OK on their own, but they need to be under the hood, not front and center on gameday.