Madden NFL 16 CFM Impressions Part 2 - Scouting and Drafting (MyMaddenPad)

[sir psycho]

Quote: Originally Posted by jpdavis82

Definitely more excited than disappointed. The big thing is like Shop said, you lose points for not scouting and that punishes you when it's draft time. I didn't scout very much and my best player was a 84 P in the 5th round, and that was only because one of the guys told me about him because he scouted him. Other than that I don't think I had one gem on my team.

So, should I read this as saying that in order for the draft to be challenging, we have to not scout?

[CM Hooe]

Quote: Originally Posted by Step2001

My team has a scout still, correct?

"Still" is a wrong term to use, I don't think a team scout position existed in Madden NFL 15.

Presumably, the letter grades which show up are the same for everyone, as was the case in previous Madden NFL games with CFM.

[CM Hooe]

Here's my thing with scouting -

I hated the old system. It was basically pick-and-choose which attributes you want to see. To me it wasn't really engaging whatsoever, it was laborious and tedious. There wasn't really skill to it; the only skill really was knowing which attributes to unlock.

I do think this new system has one advantage of being much more streamline compared to the old system. You are going to quickly get a picture of what a player is, what he's best at, by knowing what his best three skills are (along with his combine traits), albeit an incomplete picture so it's definitely game-ified compared to real-life scouting.

I do hear and share the concerns about it being too easy; it does sound like Shopmaster was overly successful with his scouting in a single-player setting. And again, it's not necessarily "realistic"; real-life NFL draft scouts don't enter the draft without knowing everything they wish to know about a player's skill set.

Unrelated, there is part of me which is beginning to think that scouting should not be an active gameplay mechanic that the user engages in anymore. I don't know that Madden NFL has ever really had a good scouting gameplay mechanic. Though the redesigned scouting workflow will definitely get more people engaging in the act of scouting, I don't know that this new mechanic is going to be the solution that satisfies everyone, particularly if it isn't very challenging. A potentially better alternative approach - the user hires a scout of some skill level, and let the scout passively returns lots of information on all players available over time from preseason to draft day (as to not overwhelm the user with information during a single week). The information returned from the scout would have varying levels of accuracy depending on his skill.

[DeuceDouglas]

I like the new draft stuff and if that can be expanded upon it then I definitely like where that's headed.

That being said, I can only describe the scouting as awful. The combine stuff is great and a welcome return but it's a real shame that it wasn't applied to what scouting was last year. I wanted to give it a shot but I already know it's something I'm not going to like for either a solo or 32-team CFM. I can understand how it might work for an Online CFM but it just seems flawed in so many ways. This is really disappointing.

[Step2001]

Quote: Originally Posted by CM Hooe

"Still" is a wrong term to use, I don't think a team scout position existed in Madden NFL 15. Presumably, the letter grades which show up are the same for everyone, as was the case in previous Madden NFL games with CFM.

In Owners mode under Staff, I have a Scout (w/specialty WR's) on my payroll for $500,000
What is the purpose of having a scout then if he does not grade out these players?


Same goes for the extra coaches on the sideline who are talking with my Head Coach, I want say who's on my Coaching Staff.

[CM Hooe]

Quote: Originally Posted by Step2001

In Owners mode under Staff, I have a Scout (w/specialty WR's) on my payroll for $500,000 What is the purpose of having a scout then if he does not grade out these players?

I didn't play Owner mode in Madden NFL 15, I played as a head coach. As such I literally have no idea what the team scout does. I did not know the position existed.

To that end, I'd appreciate an answer to this question too.

EDIT: I answered my own question. In Madden NFL 25 and Madden NFL 15, the team scout offers discounts on certain attributes for certain positions when spending scouting points. I included a link to the Madden NFL 25 Owner Mode blog.

[saybur]

I'm thankful for the combine numbers. I always thought it was ridiculous having to scout attributes everyone would know from the combine.

I don't like this "true draft value" crap. Why do we need to see this? Let players decide value themselves(*cough* draft board).

I also don't like that we will see a players true ratings as soon as we draft them. When a team makes a pick they don't know exactly what they've gotten. You can't immediately recognize a bad pick and go, "oh well, that 1st round receiver was a bust, better grab another in the next couple rounds."

One step forward, two steps back. SMH. Come on, Tiburon.

[Step2001]

Quote: Originally Posted by CM Hooe

"Still" is a wrong term to use, I don't think a team scout position existed in Madden NFL 15. Presumably, the letter grades which show up are the same for everyone, as was the case in previous Madden NFL games with CFM.

EA didn't listen/read about wishlist Full (4 scouts) scouting staff. The scouts give the grades of the players you scout. No more opening attributes. You build your draft board based on the info your scouts give each player. That's why you pay them correct?
You hire & Fire your scouts. You get some good info, other times you get bad info. I think it'd be better than same info for every team.